My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Sulk The Associates	5	2.36	+2.64
D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle Throbbing Gristle	4	1.88	+2.12
Rip It Up Orange Juice	5	2.9	+2.1
Sail Away Randy Newman	5	2.97	+2.03
Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby Terence Trent D'Arby	5	2.98	+2.02
Nighthawks At The Diner Tom Waits	5	3.01	+1.99
Fuzzy Grant Lee Buffalo	5	3.01	+1.99
Meat Puppets II Meat Puppets	5	3.02	+1.98
Heartattack And Vine Tom Waits	5	3.07	+1.93
Elephant Mountain The Youngbloods	5	3.08	+1.92

Album	You	Global	Diff
Rage Against The Machine Rage Against The Machine	1	4	-3
American Idiot Green Day	1	3.76	-2.76
The Low End Theory A Tribe Called Quest	1	3.7	-2.7
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill	1	3.63	-2.63
Oracular Spectacular MGMT	1	3.61	-2.61
Funeral Arcade Fire	1	3.56	-2.56
Gorillaz Gorillaz	1	3.53	-2.53
Straight Outta Compton N.W.A.	1	3.51	-2.51
Illinois Sufjan Stevens	1	3.5	-2.5
Power In Numbers Jurassic 5	1	3.48	-2.48

Artist	Albums	Average
Queen	3	4.67
AC/DC	2	5
Aretha Franklin	2	5
Led Zeppelin	2	5
Prince	2	5
Tom Waits	2	5
Jimi Hendrix	2	5
Pink Floyd	2	5
Talking Heads	3	4.33

Artist	Albums	Average
Fatboy Slim	2	1
The Fall	3	1.67
My Bloody Valentine	2	1.5
CHIC	2	1.5
Arcade Fire	2	1.5
Madonna	3	2

Artist	Ratings
Neil Young	1, 4, 5
The Stooges	1, 4, 5
The Smiths	1, 4, 2
Bruce Springsteen	3, 4, 4, 1

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

My first album on the 1001 Album journey, and what a lovely album to start this adventure with. Though I had never listened to this album start to finish, most of the songs were familiar to me as this album contains, easily, 4 all-time classic songs from the '70s. One thing I am certain of is that, once I ask my children to listen to the album and rate it, they will most likely give it between 2 or 3 starts, as the sounds on this album are probably not apt to the "modern" ear.

Grace

Jeff Buckley

5/5

Top5 Album all time! What a joy to listen to, and what a disappointment to see that Hallelujah doesn't even come close to top 100 most played songs on Spotify.

Rumours

Fleetwood Mac

5/5

Top5 album, not a single song on this album I don't like.

A Love Supreme

John Coltrane

4/5

Had never listened to thus album before, and enjoyed the experience--found it very relaxing by the third time listening to it.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

3/5

I can understand that the album is included, however, for my taste, listening to the album once every decade or so will be more than plenty. I did notice that the sampling done was very subtle and one can see how PE set the tone for many rap/hip-hop artist which followed.

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

3/5

Though I was able to enjoy some of this album, I still don't understand why there are so many people who see Zappa as God... Having said that, I did appreciate the music.

Different Class

Pulp

4/5

Thoroughly enjoyable listening experience, but then again, I found this album about 2 years ago and started listening to it with some regularity. Will give it 4 stars... but Common People is being added to my favorite play-list on Spotify!!!

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

4/5

Upbeat, great music. Maybe 1 or 2 songs that are epic, however, the rest of the album allows for more than enjoyable listening... 4 stars for sure!

Let's Get It On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

Though the title song is probably one if the most emblematic songs in the world, I was less impressed with the rest of the album. I will give it a couple more spins to see if it catches on, but for now 3 stars.

Gold

Ryan Adams

4/5

First song is stellar, the remainder if the album is easy to listen to. Giving it 4 stars, but not an album I would play frequently.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

4/5

Great album, great band, great single. But I am a bigger fan of the previous album from them, so 4 stars

American Idiot

Green Day

1/5

Greenday was greated with cheers when they published Dookie,,, 10 years later.... I skipped through most of the songs on this album, as song A sounds like song B sounds like song C... How has this band managed to captivate so many people for so long? This is the first album that I am giving 1 star...

Technique

New Order

4/5

Nice. Like watching an 80s movie, with only sound...

When I Was Born For The 7th Time

Cornershop

3/5

Very interesting listen, familiar with a couple of the songs and will listen to the album again.

Crossing the Red Sea With the Adverts

The Adverts

2/5

I crossed the sea and was grateful to get to the other side...

Surrealistic Pillow

Jefferson Airplane

3/5

Though familiar with many songs on this album, and considering the frequency that White Rabbit and Somebody To Love have been used in movies, the album more than personifies a period in Western culture.

This Is Fats Domino

Fats Domino

5/5

This is a must listen for all who wonder what influence New Orleans has had on music

Make Yourself

Incubus

3/5

Never really listened to this band before, and now that I did, most of the time I felt like I was listening to a Faith No More-, Soundgarden- or System of a Down- cover band. This is future me, with the editing option, and I will bump this album up from the 2* I gave it, to a 3* as it isn’t that bad... Not a big fan as I can't get over the feeling that they are trying too hard to be good or different.

Hunky Dory

David Bowie

4/5

I guess things are Hunky Dory after all! Though not the biggest Bowie fan, a great listen and definitely an album one needs to have heard front to back in one's lifetime. Also, when will they answer the question if there's life on Mars??!??!!!!??

Emergency On Planet Earth

Jamiroquai

3/5

Any album that starts off with some didgeridoo sounds is worth listening to. All in all not bad, but neither great.

Like Water For Chocolate

Common

3/5

Actually, an enjoyable listen. However, not much on the album that instantly drew me in.

You've Come a Long Way Baby

Fatboy Slim

1/5

I wish the way was still being taken, so we didn't have to listen to the album... wasn't my taste in the '90s, isn't my taste today

good kid, m.A.A.d city

Kendrick Lamar

2/5

I can understand that, if you are into Hip Hop and rap, this album might be pleasing to you. What I am trying to understand is why I should find it pleasing to listen to? Though, to be fare, if the choice would be between listening to this or EDM, then give me this any day...

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

4/5

I feel bad about the fact that I never heard about this band, then again, late '70s I was still young and listening to an eclectic mix of Brian Ferry, Stevie Wonder, Queen, ABBA and Chicago... oh, and the Bee Gees. I can recall the Boomtown Rats though. But only 1 tune. I've listened 2 times to the record, which is part of my 1001 album journey, and I know I will be listening to it several times more. I hear punk, I hear rock, I hear funk, I hear SKA, and I'm sure if I keep listening I will hear more, and that is the sign of a great album. Great bass. Great guitar. Great lyrics. Favorite song, at the moment, Anthrax

Dirt

Alice In Chains

4/5

Nice. As my first grunge album on my 1001 album journey, not unhappy that this was the one that popped up. Several "classic" songs of the era, and blasting the album is enough to get one back into the '90s angst mode! I busted out my flannel shirt, and slammed a couple of cold ones back...

Home Is Where The Music Is

Hugh Masekela

3/5

I was obviously well aware, when I decided to start my 1001 Album journey that I would get exposed to music(ians) I had never listened to before... Hugh, for my untrained ears, is another jazz musician. I would not be able to do what he was able to do, however, upon reading a little about him, I have to scratch my head on why this album was placed on the list? Favorite tune is almost a straight-forward blues tune, where the piano has center-stage, which means it hardly has anything to do with Hugh... I can see this being good music during some off-time when you are preparing a meal and need some background music...

No Sleep 'Til Hammersmith (Live)

Motörhead

4/5

What is there to say... except "can't believe I hadn't listened to this album before. AMAZING ENERGY, that's what you get from this album, if several of the songs are almost carbon-copies of The Ace of Spades!

The World is a Ghetto

War

2/5

A little too much of this, and a little too less of that... and a 13 minute song I did not like.

Bright Flight

Silver Jews

1/5

Though I created the rule that I will listen twice to all albums that I am presented with, I fear that this is the second album where I will only stick to that rule if I am allowed to MUTE THE VOLUME. This isn't music, don't know what to call this... A person might be a great songwriter, doesn't mean they should be allowed to record these songs! But, I will add 1 song to my 1001 album playlist, and that will be Death of an Heir of Sorrow, not because it is the least shitty of the songs, but because it is the shortest.

Gunfighter Ballads And Trail Songs

Marty Robbins

3/5

Listening to this album is like expecting a serial killer to perform their craft... Enjoyable listen, more for way way background music.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

4/5

Had never heard of Jorge Ben Jor, glad he showed up though. My musical journey certainly enjoyed this bit of funk, so much more than I thought I would!

Synchronicity

The Police

4/5

Though not all numbers on the album are excellent, there are too many that excel way above par. Great listen, classic album, top 100 of all time for certain, though only 4 stars for me... but I am weird!

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

One needs to have loads of confidence to start an album off with a 2-minute lasting, simple chord progression that a 1-year band member could write, while jumping around on a pogo stick, eating a snickers bar. Then off we go on our Cure journey, with it's ups and downs, yet undeniable sound that, like it or not, if you were awake in the '80s, makes you wish you were back in that era acknowledging how special the band is--or should we say, how special Robert Smith is? Though I only give this album 4 stars, the song "A Forrest" is a top10 all-time favorite song for me!

Ys

Joanna Newsom

3/5

Though I am grateful that I had to listen to this album, I don't believe that I will be listening to it too many more times in the future. While I was listening to it, my daughter asked me if I was listening to Chinese Opera, which I thought was actually not too far off when you think about it. Did not get a chance to read the lyrics, though I understand that this is part of the magic of this album. Again, grateful it showed up on the list.... oh, and the first album that was not available to listen to on Spotify for me!

Like A Prayer

Madonna

3/5

It is Madonna. It is '90s pop, even if critics say this was the album with which Madonna showed to the world she was a real artist. One can't deny that the album is well produced, and that there are several songs that are easily added to a top-something list, however, I was no fan of Madonna in the '80s, nor in the '90s, and neither am I today.

Berlin

Lou Reed

4/5

Lou Reed. Icon for many. Revered by some as even more. I still don't get it. Though some of them there diddies weren't bad… Future me again… maybe, just maybe, after having listened to one too many shit albums, I find that I was a little too strict with my scoring when I originally started this journey. This album, the 36th to be presented to me, I found to be worthy of a 2*, yet, I just listened to it again, and I am going to double that score… weird how things can work out...

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

3/5

It is Jazz... I listened to it... I will give myself 5* As background music it isn't too bad, but if you have to actually sit-down and listen to it, then you might as well start cleaning the attic while you're at it.

The Chronic

Dr. Dre

1/5

1 hour long listening to the following words creatively being used: bitches, ho, dick/nuts, N'&&@$, Longbeach, motherfuk@, and let's not forget the references to themselves and the record label. All in all an album that will not be listened to again.

Loveless

My Bloody Valentine

2/5

Is this a redefinition of what noise should sound like? I don't know... I do know that it is tiresome to listen to... And I gave it a second try, just to see if, somehow, I would all of a sudden see the light, like so many people suggest one will. Consider me blind still...

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

4/5

Pronounced Owe-Sum Though not 5 stars... but a solid 4.8 stars!!!

Stephen Stills

2/5

First time I listened to this album. Didn't know that "love the one you're with" was penned by the Stills... then again, I don't know much about the Stills. Enjoyed the album, but I don't believe that I will be listening to it with great frequency.

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

2/5

Third day in a row that I am listening to the same type of music, from the same era... and how fortunate I am to have spent my teenage years in the '80s Of all his work, there is only 1 song by Neill Young that I can stomach hearing with frequency, and listening to this album I am scratching my head as to why he was in so many influential bands... To think that many of my heroes from the Grunge era view him as the grandfather of Grunge. I will go ahead and give this album 2 stars as I reserve the 1 star to absolute works of trash, and this album does have its merit musically, just not my cup of tea.

Jack Takes the Floor

Ramblin' Jack Elliott

2/5

Let's find out if I check all the boxes to be a Ramblin' Jack Elliot fan? Like Country music? No Like troubadour music? No Big fan of flatpickers? Not really How about cowboy hats? Never owned one.... but that doesn't mean I don't like that... 2 stars, to be polite?

Odelay

Beck

4/5

I was not a fan of Beck when he burst onto the scene in the '90s. But there were several bands that I was not a fan of back then... Listening to it today, I really found myself having a very enjoyable time, and paying more close attention to the influences which shaped Beck's sound: the funk, the rock, the sampling, the groove, the multi-culturist aspect. Am I a Beck fan today? No. But, I know I will listen to this album with a lot more frequency than I've listened to it before... Odaley, cabron!

The Atomic Mr Basie

Count Basie & His Orchestra

4/5

The oddest thing about listening to this album is that it makes you reflect on what your period reflection is for specific music-styles. Thus, The Atomic Mr Basie, for all intent and purpose, belongs to the '30s, not the late '50s. However, does this mean that your favorite band, when growing up, is never allowed to release more music 2 decades later? This would have killed the Stones, Pink Floyd, and on and on and on. So, consider me happy with some Big Band music, and the Count brightening up my day! And should this app throw another "old persons" music my way, I will be happy to give it a listen.

Deserter's Songs

Mercury Rev

4/5

What's there to rate? If anything, this sounds like a musical written by a high school student who is not on the honor roll, using some simple open-source software, some duct tape, and maybe a well-trained hamster as a cheerleader. Best record of the year for 1998? Then again, not much good came out of 1998, if you ask me. Is the cause due to the limitations of what human beings can do with 7 chords? 2 stars, because I didn't hate it. So, I found the “edit” button option, and now I am pleased that I can change the ratings of this album which, probably 1 day after rating it, told me “oy, listen to me again” and again and again… and since I’ve started to really like the bastards… 3 1/2* which I will bump to 4*!

The Number Of The Beast

Iron Maiden

4/5

Nostalgia can be a bitch! How I recall listening to this, when it was my brother's turn to pick the music to listen to in the car... What a great album! What great memories! What great simplicity! 4 1/2 stars, only because the album isn't perfect.

Elephant Mountain

The Youngbloods

5/5

The Youngbloods; maybe they should have chosen a different name for themselves? In movies, the "youngblood" is always the little upstart who ends up doing great things. This band did not... why? Of all the albums I've listened to on this list, this is the first one where I was able to play the album back-to-back 3 times in a row, and almost a 4th. What an absolute gem, for me. Oddly enough, I am not able to whistle or hum a tune of the album by heart, so only for this I am limiting the rating to 4-stars, but it really should be 5!!!

Moon Safari

Air

2/5

If there is such a thing as "cup of tea", this was not mine... Having listened to the Jean Michelle's of the '80s, I could have been spared the Air of the '90s Having said all that, it is worth 2 stars as it isn't total crap.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

3/5

Nothing against our good buddy Lam, but, seeing as I don't know what he's singing about, I am having a hard time getting into the groove! One thing I don't understand is the complaining people have done regarding the "simple" production, bad synth sounds et al... I say; what-ev's! 3 Stars just to bat par!

Diamond Life

Sade

4/5

Sade, the woman who marked an entire generation, because not everyone might have admitted they liked her music, everyone kept listening when one of her songs was being played on the radio. Should be 5 🌟 but to be fair to other artist, I will give her 4 1/2 instead. But what a joy to listen to this week.

C'est Chic

CHIC

2/5

Undeniable is the fact that, for most of the songs on this album, one gets a Party vibe... freak out! Undeniable is the fact that the groove is Tight! Undeniable is the fact that, from a musician standpoint, they knew what they were doing! Undeniable is the fact that ALL songs last TOO long... which is a shame!

The Real Thing

Faith No More

3/5

Floppy fish! I guess that's how many of us will always remember FNM... that, or their nod to the Commodores! Rating this album isn't as easy though. I guess there's a love-hate thing going on, and it's something that I've been noticing on one too many albums since starting this journey, and that is that there are too many songs that last just 30 seconds too long... even Epic So, 3 stars... but I enjoyed the listen... but 3 stars... Also, as a last thought, I was reading how many people seem to compare FNM to RHCP... and I don't get it. They have in common that both bands were around at the same time, and that neither bands was making the kind of music popular at that moment. RHCP, in the end, were more commercially successful, but I'd say that this has to do with better publicist most likely. John Frusciante is an amazing guitarist, but brother Martin sounds better, at least on this album, and in my humblest of opinions...

Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not

Arctic Monkeys

2/5

Yeah, nah.

Frampton Comes Alive

Peter Frampton

5/5

Before autotune we had "Talk Box" technology! What a gem of an album! What a treat to pretend that you are somewhere in the audience, throwing back a beer, hitting the bong, or just passing along the beach ball, and being lucky to have had good sound engineers tape this show! Sure, not all songs are 5 stars, but taken as a whole, if you like electric guitar driven music, this is a must listen!

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

3/5

I actually enjoyed this much more than I thought I was going to. Though frequently at a loss as to what the gentlemen are trying to tell me, the flow of the rhymes, the beats, and the way that Kung Fu movies are intermixed, make the entire thing soooooo much better than similar innercity rap albums. ... and I learned how to properly pronounce GZA and RZA... Fo-SHZA!

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

1/5

BRNG In their defense, I don't believe I heard a lot of their stuff back in the '00s Then again, very little good stuff was coming out in the '00s So, yeah, not for me. Amazed at how many listens their songs get, 1 tune at 425 million, another at 768 million, and a third showing off at 807 million If only Mink DeVille would get that kind of attention... but no, because that is not what makes the young kids happy...

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

5/5

Wow, What's not to like? And to think that, for all these years, I wasn't aware that one of my favorite Jeff Buckley songs happens to be a Nina Simone cover: Lilac Wine. Saw a documentary on Netflix about Nina her life, and now listening to this album, I feel her pain, her anger, her sadness, her love. And then there's the cover art! 5*****

Clandestino

Manu Chao

2/5

Depending on one's state-of-mind while listening to this album, one might wish to light up a joint, nurse the hangover, or bang year head against a wall till you stop hearing anything but your heart-thumping in your ear. Somewhere, they will use this album as torture techniques to get the hardest bastards to start talking. And in any hostal, or backpacker inn, all across the world, this album is staple of the daily playlist... 2 ** because I will respect the effort... but Jezus H Christ, this gets old fast.

One Nation Under A Groove

Funkadelic

2/5

The link to the album on Spotify showed me that which frustrates me about that platform at times, which is that, in the case of for this specific album, most of the songs were greyed out. However, searching for the song "Into You" took me to an album called "Under a Groove CD1"... What is there to say about the album? Some of the stuff is excellent, other stuff even more so, and then some more less... However, why why why do these funk albums all have to have tracks that go on for ever and ever and ever? For me, it is impossible to pick a favorite song from the album, however, the most memorable one, and probably my pick for my "1001 Album play list" will be "P.E. Squad" as I could have sworn that I was listening to the soundtrack of almost any '70s porn flick!

Lost In The Dream

The War On Drugs

2/5

Never heard of this band before, at least, not that I can recall hearing of them before... and that kind of settles that. Not that the album is bad, it has it's merits, and I'm sure that there are plenty of people who will place this album in their top 10 all time, but those persons probably were born after 1999... There's no point in dragging most of these songs out for so damn long. And the singer has nothing to do with Dylan. And stop comparing this with '80s music, the only '80s relation is the sound of the snare drum, and at times a slight The Waterboys vibe, however, just by mentioning this, I feel like I've blasphemed as The Waterboys are sooooooooooo much better than this. 2 ** for the effort

2112

Rush

4/5

I am a huge fan of Pink Floyd, but no fan of Genesis. I really like Marillion, but hardly know Yes's repertoire... Back in the middle '90s I tagged along to a Rush concert, and when I say tagged, I mean we first killed a case of beer amongst 5 of us, then we hit a tailgate, then a couple more pints... and the entire concert was a rush to many, but a total blur to me. If only I could go back in time... Obviously, I am familiar with "Tom Sawyer", mean, mean pride teh-de-deh-de-deh-de, and now I am familiar with 2112, and I must admit that I will be playing this album a couple more times the coming weeks. That and I fear that I have just added a 20-minute-long song to my 1001 play list :-0

Wild Gift

X

1/5

The Good: the musicians know what they are doing The Bad: only 6 songs last less than 2 minutes... The Ugly: the singing Honestly, why is this album on the list? It influenced west coast bands in the '80s? The female singer tries to sing like Blondie, and fails miserably. Maybe they were a wonderful to see live? Maybe... 2** because musically it would be unfair to dish out only 1... but I am writing this upon my first listening, which means I can still change my mind. You guessed it... changed my nind

Blonde On Blonde

Bob Dylan

3/5

Shall I be the skipping record and repeat all that others have said before me? Dylan might be an auteur, and technically speaking a chansonnier, but his delivery shouldn't be something applauded... And then, while I am typing this, "Just Like a Woman" plays, and you forget about the fact that Dylan doesn't have a pretty voice, and you lose yourself in the magic that can be music. So, 3 1/2 ***

The Wildest!

Louis Prima

5/5

Top-20 album, in my opinion. What's not to love about a little swing every now and again? And, only today realized that "Night Train" is the song being played in Back to the Future right before Marty digs into "Johnny B Good"! Buona sera, good night!

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

1/5

Fuck Da Police... How about Fuck This Shit?

Play

Moby

4/5

First time I heard of Moby, probably 1995, it was not my thing. By the time Play came out, I guess my musical taste had evolved to one accepting more modern music. I bought the CD, I played the CD, I loved the CD. Giving this 4**** as I was unable to fully enjoy the album--there are a couple of tunes skip-worthy for sure.

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

3/5

Starts of dyno-mite! Not the biggest Doors fan in the world, and though the album is better than several others ones' I've had the displeasure of having to listen to, I know 100s that are better... But that's my opinion...

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

4/5

What's there to say? It's EDM... from 1978... People were trying to be like John Travolta when this came out, in their white leasure suit, pointing fingers in the air, which makes it amazing. Also, anytime you can hear a thick German accent, it's worth a listen... Metropolis!

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

4/5

Never heard of them... was dreading to have to sit through an EDM or techno album, and my first listen was anything but joyful. Then I gave the album a second "spin"... and I find it infectiously fun! Though I wouldn't go so far as to call this Rock, or whatever, but I can see why there are so many people more than happy to see this album on the list, and to think I was convinced that nothing noteworthy has been created since the '90s ;-) 4****

Millions Now Living Will Never Die

Tortoise

1/5

WTF? I don't even know where to start... what the hell is Post-Rock? And, if that is a musical genre, what kind of genre is it? Google has only managed to confuse me more... Does "being experimental" mean that you are included in this musical journey? I thought the idea of having something that is good to listen to would be the main criteria... So, for now, having to sit through a 20+-minute intro song, which goes so far as making me wonder if my sound-system is broken around minute 14:04, really makes me dislike Tortoise. Maybe my second listening of the album will make me change my mind... Okay, second listening, and my thought has now shifted to "okay, so it's several styles of music being created by instruments that aren't standard for those styles. Still not liking it.

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

1/5

I can understand why there are so many people raving about this album, or about the group. However, I can't share the sentiment... Not a fan. 1*

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

3/5

At times I was really enjoying this modern, jazzy version of tango... At the end of the day, I'd rather listen to the authentic tango than this. But worth the listen.

Fire Of Love

The Gun Club

3/5

The good: tight production, real craftmanship when it comes to instruments, nice lyrics, and an overall sense of "why was The Gun Club never featured in Quinten T movie? The bad: JLP's vocals... they do get under your skin after a while, then again... The ugly: instant skip if you don't like rock-a-billy!

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Sometimes I just wish that Bruce would not try to sing, and what's with the crappy guitar solo on "Prove It All Night"? Though the album isn't bad, it isn't something I find sufficiently pleasing to my tender ears for repeat consumption... 2 1/2 stars ***

Can't Buy A Thrill

Steely Dan

4/5

So, my younger brother, back in the '90s, started listening to these guys, and I recall the "rock" stations playing The Dan with high frequency... and I didn't like it a bit. I'd even go so far to say that I hated it. I was dreading the day that The Dan would pop up, and I would have to "force" myself to sit through an entire album... Damnit... 4* Would have been 5*, however, one needs to make distinction

Tusk

Fleetwood Mac

4/5

Wow. Though it does not reach the level of FM's Opus, this album sure was a treat to listen to several times today! And I will play it several more times in the coming weeks. A solid 4**** bordering on 5...

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

2/5

Don't know what to think... One side of me says "this is contrived" The other side of me says "this is forced" That leaves me in the middle saying to both my sides "that's the same, you idiots" Hearing Lou's voice for a second was nice, and it even gave me hope for a second that I would find a killer song on this album, and then there was no more Lou. There are some songs that are pretty good, however, the voice... If you would get a crooner to sing these songs, you'd probably have a solid 4* album, but this voice... 2**

Talking Heads 77

Talking Heads

4/5

What a year, '77, checking the releases in that year makes one wonder what was in the water. From disco, to punk, to pop, to funk, to r'n'r, to new wave, to glam There are 2 albums released that year which are TOP10 all time for me, and this one isn't one of them. However, excellent album and oh so close to being a 5*!

Tommy

The Who

2/5

When I saw that the album-du-jour was Tommy, I was all excited, as I'd never really listened to that album, but am well aware of the Rock Opera... I could have skipped this album without a doubt as it didn't meet my expectations one bit. Yes, Pinball Wizard is an excellent song, but the rest of album was... annoying. There are better "concept" albums out there in my humblest of opinion... 2*

Talk Talk Talk

The Psychedelic Furs

4/5

Though I've complained about monotonous music before, I should be fair and do that here as well... Yet the Zeitgeist got me sooooo hard! Pretty In Pink 5* Hi, this is future me with the edit button, and after listening twice to the album in the last month, I have decided that, though lovely to listen to, I need to downgrade it to a 4*

Electric Warrior

T. Rex

2/5

You can bang the gong all you like, it still won't make me dig the rest of the album....

Who's Next

The Who

4/5

Second The Who album in 3 days, and what a whopper! Though I barely could sit through "Tommy", I had a blast listening to this gem! So close to being a 5*

Marcus Garvey

Burning Spear

4/5

Totally unfamiliar with Burning Spear, and actually pretty unfamiliar when it comes to reggae in the first place--except for the world hits by Bob and Peter. Which basically made this an interesting surprise. Don't consider me a reggae convert; O won't start smoking the ganja, dreadlocks in the hair, convert to rastafarianism, or become a huge fan of the colors red, green and yellow. But I'll play this album again, and sway side to side, and maybe start reading a little more about the political messages hidden within.

Beautiful Freak

Eels

2/5

Though one can find some enjoyable tunes on the record, I would argue that better albums were released and/or recorded in this period. Not worth more than second listen, I m giving this 2 stars

Exodus

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

When I was listening to track #3, I had to wonder what the fuzz is all about... the first 3 songs fit perfectly on the soundtrack of a '70s porn flick. Then Exodus starts playing, and the rest was just a lovely blur!

Hms Fable

Shack

3/5

Though the second listening was kore enjoyable than the first one, each day I am trying to understand better what the criteria is to have an album listed as one of the 1001 you need to listen to? This album isn't bad, but what makes this album better than countless other bands I have not found on this list? The potpourri of styles, ranging from '60s folk through '80s alternative is okay, but nothing special... then again, I was never a fan of modern music coming from Liverpool, and seeing as this is constantly mentioned about the artist involved I say whatev's

American Pie

Don McLean

4/5

I wouldn't be able to recall all the times that Bye Bye Mrs American Pie was belted out in favorite college bar back in the day, and truth be told I never noticed that the song was that long... guess that is what happens when you are having some drinks with good friends; time flies! And then we add Starry Starry night to the mix, and smiles appear. Misfortunate for the rating that several of the songs seem to be carbon-copies of others though... 4****

Jazz Samba

Stan Getz

4/5

What a nice and relaxing joy this album is to listen to... and what great musicians. When it comes down to jazz, I've always had a slight soft spot for the "Brazilian" influenced versions, so this album was a lovely surprise!

Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde

The Pharcyde

2/5

Fun for a bit, always better than Gangsta Rap, but it becomes pretty darn boring after a while... 2** as I don't want to offend

Low-Life

New Order

4/5

I think that I've played the record about 5 times in the last 2 days, and that is normally the sign of a 5***** album, but that's not how it ends. Call me crazy, but several times I was expecting The Cure to start belting out the tunes... so, nice album, but 4****

Tonight's The Night

Neil Young

1/5

For many he's close to god-like, to me, he's annoying. This album has no merit at all.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

3/5

Finally, I thought, when I saw Metallica show up... This is the band that I've seen live more than any other mayor act, and always had a great time! Albums... that is not where their strength lies... I adore the song "One" as it is just raw as shit, and bangs you from left to right to up to down. Rest of the album I could have easily skipped... but that is my opinion. 3*** just because of One

Phaedra

Tangerine Dream

2/5

Yes... I mean... No... Though I can agree with the viewpoints of many; stating this is the birth of EDM, that for the period when this was conceived it was groundbreaking, or that the group has created such a massive catalogue of music that it is impossible to overlook them. And yet, after listening... nay, after subjecting myself to this modern version of water-torture, I can but say that I am not a fan. 2** stars, as I'd rather listen to this for the rest of my life than several of the abject crap that I have labelled 1*

Live At Leeds

The Who

2/5

Though I am trying to keep an open mind regarding my journey... this is the 3rd The Who album within the first 100 albums I am listening to, and truth be told, I am getting a little bored with The Who. Thus, considering that the link to Spotify made me listen to an expanded version, I'd rather have listened to the original 5-6 odd tracks on the album. And while we are on it, why is this album considered one of the best live albums ever? From a production standpoint, I will agree that it was very well recorded, so good job there. But I'd rather listen to Jimmy Hendrix live, or Clapton, or Queen, or something else... Here's me waiting for the 1001 journey to start amazing me again...

Either Or

Elliott Smith

1/5

Not a fan. Not a single song that I was thinking "yeah, let's hear that again" Reading his bio on Wiki, I can but only get the impression that he's heralded as a great influence because it gives us a reason to put a spotlight on mental-health... Removing those artists who either took their own lives intentionally, or accidentally, there are plenty of great artists out there who don't feel the need to shoot up, drink up, or stab themselves in the stomach because they don't agree with the girlfriend hiding in the bathroom and taking a shower... 1*

School's Out

Alice Cooper

4/5

This has been an eye opener, what a lovely surprise after a couple of disappointing albums. I wish we could score with half stars as this is a 4 1/2 * album all the way through, but not 5...

Myths Of The Near Future

Klaxons

3/5

As this is the first time listening to this band, at least, to my knowledge, I do my best to keep an open mind.... So here's what that mind has to say: Can we NOT sing with this faux falsetto voice? Big fans of The Prodigy and/or Frans F are we? Stop trying to be, just be! I like the beat, I like the chords, I like the overall feeling of this album, but I can't get over the voices and my urge to just punch them in the face. 3* for the effort.

OK Computer

Radiohead

4/5

Bought this album in early 2000s, hoping that it would be like Pablo Honey, containing another Creep... This is what I got... Karma Police in my head all day! With time, my appreciation for the album sure has increased, but it would be nice if we'd be a little more "chipper" or "up-beat" every now and again... even a Blues album gives you something to smile about. 4*

I’ve Got a Tiger By the Tail

Buck Owens

3/5

Not a CW fan, but did enjoy the listen, and will enjoy the listen again I am sure. 3 1/2*

Crazysexycool

TLC

3/5

Being an old fart, I know how HUGE this album was back in the day. Not just with the sales generated, but the cross-over effect it had. Period. Waterfall, top 200 song all time no problem. And anyone who covers a Prince-song gets an additional point. 3*

Behaviour

Pet Shop Boys

2/5

Really? I recall PSB having a couple of hits, none belonging to this album... Snooze

Cheap Thrills

Big Brother & The Holding Company

3/5

The late great JJ... must be a drag to know that, as a band, she was the one made you and then just went off to do her own thing. Lovely listen, but not something to write home about, so right down the middle we go....

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

2/5

I don't know if this is coincidence, however, yesterday's album was Big Brother & The Holding Company, and today we get this... Giving this 2* because it didn't make me happy, nor did it piss me off like some of the real garbage albums I am being presented with on my journey. Also, electric jug; really?

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

3/5

As I was not familiar with the artist, I read comments from others and got all excited about listening to the album... The good, his voice! How refreshing to listen to someone just sing and not try and be a million things in one! The bad, repetitive... for me. After a couple of songs I was ready for the album to be over with... However, to stay positive, probably the best album produced in the past 5 years I've had the pleasure of listening to.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

3/5

Nice, and great throwback to the '90s Sabotage is a classic to rival all classic songs. The rest, is okay.

Sulk

The Associates

5/5

Caveat: I was a teenager during the '80s During the period when The Associates were creating their music, I was in the midst of a musical transition from Stevie Wonder (Songs in the Key of Life) to Prince (Purple Rain), and most of what we called New Wave was overlooked by me until the end of that decade... I've listened to the album 3 times in the past 18 hours, and I will listen to it at least 1 more time, not because it is worth 5*, but because this old man is enjoying the momories of highschool parties, weird hair cuts, and monochromatic clothes that abounded those lovely years! Future me again, editing… This album has been a goto when I need to be active, when I need to concentrate, or when I just need to wonder… To think that this album is on the bottom ranking list overall… I am gladly given them 5*

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

2/5

One can not deny that this music is for the lethargic ones amongst us, as you are pumped with energy, or rage, the moment the album starts doing its thing. And that is where the problem lies: its thing. Angsty suburban rapper with almost the same cadence throughout the album, followed by our screamer screaming stuff... in the end, it doesn't really matter... A solid 1 1/2* as I don't want to piss off the fanboys, and girls, out there.

The La's

2/5

The Good: this album does contain a classic song in There She Goes The Bad: after she is gone, there really isn't a reason to stay around The Ugly: why do people keep expecting Liverpool to be the bedrock of good music???

Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

Eurythmics

3/5

The Good: Annie Lennox's vocals and lyrics! Superb The Bad: aside from These Dreams, the songs are too "experimental" in the sense of "look how high falutin we are using ambient sounds" without really drawing the listener in The Ugly: one too many tracks should have been cut down to under 3 minutes Still, it is an all-in-all '80s classic, and it merits 3* for production value alone

Blue

Joni Mitchell

3/5

The Good: though at first I was not enjoying this album at all, by the third spin it has started to grow on me a lot more. The Bad: if Joni is to be considered one of the best female performers out there, then how many other ones belong to the ranking of "the best"? The Ugly: that darn falsetto... I am struggling on what score to give this album, seeing as it is starting to grow on me... maybe if I had started listening to Joni Mitchell earlier in my life I would give this album a 4 1/2*, for now a solid 3*

For Your Pleasure

Roxy Music

3/5

The Good: 2 Bryans. The Bad: different spellings of the name, resulting in different styles. The Ugly: different styles are preventing the listener to get into a flow. Though the above seems negative, I find the album pretty enjoyable to listen to over and over. But it remains difficult to shake off the feeling that, instead of embracing the Glam they eventually would, here they are trying to be too many things at the same time... Do The Strand is classic RM, In Every Dream Home A Heartache is classic LZ IMHO... Would give it 4*...

Mothership Connection

Parliament

3/5

The Good: FUNK The Bad: FUNK The Ugly: FUNK As Flea from the RHCP stated that when you combine fucking with fun you get FUNK... well, after 1 1/2 songs I was done fucking. Yes, the album has great merit, and the groove is tighter than a virgins clam... but damnit, it's soooooooo repetitive that you just want to start hitting the skip button after 2 minutes instead of sitting out another 6-minute ode to the funk. 3* as I am note stupid

The White Album

Beatles

4/5

The Good: The BEATLES The Bad: no revolution 2 through 8 The Ugly: too much of this, not enough of that Yes, "the white album" is viewed by critics as one of, if not THE best album ever recorded. I am not a critic, I just enjoying listening to music and finding out if my head will sway left and right... more importantly, whether or not I will find myself yearning to listen to the album again for the coming days. For the moment, I have not found myself yearning too much. Though I have to say that Revolution 9 is an AWESOME recording, and will most likely be the tune I pick as selection for my 1001 album playlist. Though initially I thought I would choose While My Guitar Gently Weeps, I have to say that I was disappointed in the terrible guitar playing--Prince just raised the bar too much with his solo in this version https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SFNW5F8K9Y Anyway, yes, great songwriting, and the fab4 are/were great musicians, but this is not my favorite Beatles album. 4* stars due to the classic tunes on here, but it should be 3*

All That You Can't Leave Behind

U2

3/5

The Good: U2 explains to us that you can't leave things behind. The Bad: If you can't leave things behind, you don't look back. The Ugly: As U2 doesn't know how to look back, they forgot how to make great RnR and just morphed their efforts into adult-contemporary blandness. Then again, I am old, thus an adult, and taking the cue from U2, I don't leave things behind, and so I will just continue removing lint from my bellybutton while enjoying the soothing sounds of grown-up U2 3*

Woodface

Crowded House

3/5

The Good: the artwork on the album cover The Bad: that I had to refer to the cover of the album as something good The Ugly: a catalogue of music which has been abused in series/movies To be fair, the production is solid, the album contains 5 hits which puts it on a different level than many other, mediocre, productions. But the hits are too bland, and when this album came out I was not excited... and neither am I now. 3* because of the 5 hits.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

4/5

The Good: Rock 'n Roll The Bad: only 37 odd minutes The Ugly: album cover... I remember buying this album in the early '90s, because I owned the album Pump and wanted to listen to some more Aerosmith, and recalled how, in the '80s Run DMC had introduced a whole new crowd to this band thanks to Walk This Way. I remember listening to the album, well, technically speaking it was a cassette as back then most cars did not have CD players yet and nobody ever had a record player in their car.... I digress... listening to this album and it was NOT what I had hoped for, as this is more raw, and Pump is polished, and modern Rock, and this is old man rock.... Yet, I fist pumped the air today when I saw that I had this album to listen to as just the other day I watched Dazed and Confused and still had Sweet Emotions running through my head. So do I like the album today? Hell yes. 4* As for the haters who can't stop calling Tyler a pedophile... and therefore not appreciate this album: your loss.

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

2/5

The Good: we've got boobs on the album cover The Bad: it was the only thing that got my attention The Ugly: noise I know that The Pixies are revered by one-a-many persons. Heralded as the founders of Grunge (though I thought that dubious title fell on Mr. Young) and adored at festivals, they never caught my attention as I find this music to be nothing but noise and some this and that. Sure, there are tunes that resemble good music, but the overall gist of this album for me is to look at the cover and ponder all that could have been...

The Clash

3/5

The Good: Solid Punk! The Bad: It's Punk! The Ugly: Punk is meant to be ugly... The Clash are iconic, which is a good thing. Meant to be heard live, which is a shame as that will not be possible until they invent a time-travel-machine. I am [underscore][bod]NOT[/underscore][/bold] a punk fan in general, but I really enjoyed listening to a bunch of friends getting together to just express their sentiments. If you compare this to "modern" punk, the American Idiots, then this far outshines the other unmentionable album. So, I am conflicted on what score to give this... kind of want to give it a 4*, but I will shoot middle of the road instead.

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

2/5

The Good: There were actually several songs where I thoroughly enjoyed the beat. The Bad: Please tell me all about social (in)justice. The Ugly: Forced. I don't have any issues with people wanting to express their viewpoints on this that and the other thing... but I am sick and tired of having to listen to the same (c)rap since the '80s pointing fingers to all but the own damn community--sorry, this is supposed to be about music, not about politics, but this, for me, is a political album and I am tired of politics. Would have been 3*

White Blood Cells

The White Stripes

2/5

The Good: the medical reference to the album The Bad: the white blood cells are incapable of doing their job. The Ugly: again I need to wonder why certain albums are included in this list.... A wasn't a huge fan of the White Stripes when they emerged on the scene, and after listening to this album I can understand why I am still NOT a fan. So many indie bands that are million times better. Don't get me wrong, you can have this album playing in the background and you'd not notice... which is good and bad. Still, not to my liking. 2*

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

3/5

The Good: MnM knows how to weave language The Bad: just weaving won't make a great suit The Ugly: out-dated on certain songs Still, MnM is able to start telling a story and keep you listening, and in the case of a song like "Stan" can keep you coming back for more and more... Of all the hip-hop, till now, my favorite album. 3*

Hounds Of Love

Kate Bush

4/5

The Good: The Queen of odd! The Bad: sometimes odd is meant to be good. The Ugly: it took "Stranger Things" to bring this to the masses... During my college days a good buddy of mine handed me a mixed-tape, cause that is what one did back in the days when we still used tapes... Anyway, the song Cloudbusting was on it, and I recall really appreciating the tune, however, as one would need to purchase an album for 1 song, I never did. So, this was a great trip down memory lane for me, and more interestingly was that I really enjoyed the LP. 4*

Highly Evolved

The Vines

4/5

The Good: actual fun rock to listen to. The Bad: too much forced usage of feedback. The Ugly: at times too poppy. Really enjoyed the album, but could not shake the feeling that they are trying harder instead of actually being... You know what I mean? 3 1/2* which will translate to 4

Stardust

Willie Nelson

4/5

The Good: awesome cover album. The Bad: Willie could have mixed it up a little more. The Ugly: not enough outlaw on this here record. Loved it. Period.

Buena Vista Social Club

4/5

The Good: something different for a change. The Bad: tunes tend to last a little too long for my taste. The Ugly: I felt like having a drink and a cigar... I purchased this album when it came out as a birthday gift to my best friend, and she just looked puzzled at me at the time. Due to this I never listened to this album, which I now regret as it is more than lovely. It is smooth, and raw, and exciting, and boring all at the same time. Thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and have already listened to it 3 times today. Solid 4*

The Undertones

2/5

The Good: songs are short. The Bad: early Feargal Sharkey. The Ugly: Feargal Sharkey. So yeah, short songs are good, and pop punk just isn't. But I did enjoy it once I realized I was listening to good ol' Feargal, whom most people only know for that '80s smash A Good Heart. Gonna give this 2 1/2*

Live And Dangerous

Thin Lizzy

2/5

The Good: The Best Live Double Album according to the experts at NME The Bad: It isn’t all live… The Ugly: I’m not a massive Thin Lizzy fan… Boy oh boy, this one I had to sit through… and hope for time to go flying by. Undeniable that there are some toe tappers on the album, so it wasn’t all wasted time. Still, I could have done with a “normal” live album, instead of two...

Dog Man Star

Suede

3/5

The Good: non-grunge in the ´90s era. The Bad: it isn´t grunge in the ´90s era. The Ugly: trying to figure out if Dog Man Star is a reference to the album cover, and if so… Don´t really know what to think about this album. I like certain numbers, then just kind of wonder what the hell they were thinking with other ones. Personally I believe this should have been released years earlier for it to be viewed as avant-garde… now it´s neither avant, and obviously there was no garde as you can see by the album cover. 3*

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

2/5

The Good:Recorded in the Windy City. The Bad: It has nothing to do with the Windy City. The Ugly: An album that lasts about 40 minutes too long… Wilco… wasn´t into them when they were current, and currently couldn´t be bothered. Annoying vocals, instrumentations okay, overall an album that can be skipped… 2* because I´m nice like that...

Pelican West

Haircut 100

3/5

The Good: All the lads did get a haircut before the album cover was shot. The Bad: The autumn leaves probably screwed with their karma. The Ugly: 2 members are either really cold, or 4 members are really hot… There´s the ´80s we all love, and then there´s the ´80s that only a few people recall. I belong to the first group, and that group couldn´t be bothered by a inventive bandname, nor an un-explainable album name. However, I did enjoy the jazzy aspect of this here new-wave which was copied by several bands afterwards to much greater success. Thus, 3* even if they only deserve 2

In The Wee Small Hours

Frank Sinatra

3/5

The Good: my first ´ol blue eyes album on this list. The Bad: it isn´t what I would call a good one. The Ugly: it made me feel ´ol myself… Seriously, I was all excited that my Sunday was being blessed by an album of one of the greatest singers in modern music… and after a couple of songs, as well as several images of a Scorcese movie flashing through my mind, I was done thinking about how to clip the next wiseguy… Tedious after a while. Yet, if you add any of these songs to a random playlist you would be more than happy to be listening to it… now that´s what I call irony. 3* which should be 4 1/2

Pretenders

4/5

The Good: They aren't pretending anything! The Bad: They have bad taste in clothes… The Ugly: only 47 minutes and 2 seconds long… What an absolute joy to listen to. I believe that I was familiar with 2 Pretenders songs, gratefully now I am familiar with more! Off to give them there well deserved 4*… oh so close to 5*

Back In Black

AC/DC

5/5

The Good: AC/DC The Bad: finding neighbor's who don't mind me blasting this album at full volume! The Ugly: The look on my neighbor’s face when the police scolded him for complaining about AC/DC!!! 5*

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

3/5

The Good: King of the Blues live! The Bad: live albums can be a little too exciting than reality showed it to be. The Ugly: this album will make you blue... I love me some BB, and thankfully the album isn't too long. Probably the best live version of How Blue Can You Get? 3* because of the above

I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You

Aretha Franklin

5/5

The Good: the Queen of Soul The Bad: the album I was directed to on Spotify had the first 3 songs of the album repeated at the end of the album The Ugly: it was only 3 songs, should have been all songs... Killer album of killer songs sung by a killer voice. 5*

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

3/5

The Good: great classic rock! The Bad: too many jam songs. The Ugly: no weed no joy... Of I were interested in listening to a jam band, I'd go and see them live... 3* just because, but I don't believe I will be listening to this album again soon, and I love rock, and blues...

Sail Away

Randy Newman

5/5

The Good: it seems we are going on a sailing trip… The Bad: nobody clearly explained to us where the trip is heading… The Ugly: once we reached our destination we realized we are all screwed… WOW. I’ve listened to this album many times over the years, but since starting this 1001 journey, at least for with several albums, I’ve started paying attention closer to what the lyrics actually mean, and this album is a gut-wrencher. I always appreciated Randy’s songs, the ones that I was very familiar with, but today I shed a tear during the ¨Old Man¨ song, what a harsh story he is telling there. And most of the songs on this album are just that, in your face, harsh stories, but told with such simple charm that you need to really make an effort to find out what’s really going on. And by that time, you can but only applaud the genius of Randy. 5*

The Stooges

1/5

The Good: Iggy The Bad: Iggy in 1969 The Ugly: supposed punk… I don’t much care for punk music in general, and can not understand why I’ve had to listen to this album seeing as there is much better product to listen to from that era. So shoot me for giving this album a 1* for the simple reason that I felt like skipping each song after listening to it for more than 15 seconds...

The Band

3/5

The Good: The Band The Bad: The Band The Ugly: The Band Maybe it is due to me playing catch-up on my listening, but I am finding it difficult to listen to this album today. I also need to take into consideration that this is the 4th album in a row from late ‘60s era, and I am getting a little sick and tired of the late ‘60s era trying to figure out what era it is. In order not to screw up the ratings too much, I will give this album a 3* due to the fact that I recognize the importance of The Band when it comes to modern music, but I would really want to give this album 2*

Here Are the Sonics

The Sonics

2/5

The Good: RnR The Bad: one too many WOAWWWW The Ugly: listening to this might cause confusion… I am trying to figure out what punk has to do with this? Most of the songs sounded like a bad impression of what Little Richard would do with a song. Guess that means that Little Richard is the grandfather of punk??!!?!??!??!! Reserving my stars for other albums… 2* because, though annoying, the album does not make you want to skip songs and at times even gives energy.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

4/5

The Good: Muddy Waters The Bad: third time Mannish Boy was recorded by him The Ugly: there wasn’t a fifth time! I believe that I was put in a trance while listening to this album… so I decided to play it a second time, and again I believe I was put in a trance, so I decided to play it a third time, and… Reading what the actual meaning of the song Mannish Boy really is, made me appreciate the song even more, and to think it is in 1 key… brilliant. 4* because that’s how I roll

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

1/5

The Good: jazzy hip-hop The Bad: doesn’t age well The Ugly: annoying drum-machine I really wanted to like this, but the damn drum machine is getting on my nerves so badly, that I fear there’s a 1* rating heading towards the Tribe This has NOT aged well at all. Give me Cantaloop (Flip Fantasia) and I will give it a 4*, but this… 1*

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

5/5

The Good: a bunch of songs in the same key! The Bad: only a double album. The Ugly: it isn’t his best album… I had a massive smile on my face when this album popped up, and I’ve listened to it 3 times since, as this album is a the soundtrack of 3 formative years of my life. Favorite song has always been Ebony Eyes, and yet on playlists, most people will opt for As, Isn’t She Lovely, Sir Duke, I Wish, Black Man, or any of the other MASSIVE songs on this album… and then most people react to the fact that “hey, Coolio actually covered one of his songs”… makes me sad as it means all those persons had never heard about this album prior. This is a must hear album that should be mandatory listening in school! 10000000000*

NEU! 75

Neu!

3/5

The Good: Minimalist album cover! The Bad: Minimalist music… The Ugly: the mislabeling of this album being “Krautrock” which this isn’t at all. Never heard of this group before, and have to say that I was pleasantly surprised. Sound-wise, one could argue that they are ahead of their time, like contemporary artists such as Kraftwerk et al Will dish out 3* as I don’t believe this album will become part of frequent listens, however, worth a spin once a year...

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

4/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like it when it is evident which color to apply? The Bad: However, what if I don’t agree with the indicated color? The Ugly: That the British keep pestering us with the word Colour… Loved it! Brought me back to my youth, and also made me realize that, though a massive Pop band, they knew how to play their instruments, and Boy George has some more than impressive pipes on him. It would be 5, but it isn’t perfect...

Doggystyle

Snoop Dogg

3/5

The Good: S to the N to OOP and the D O G The Bad: It’s rap music... The Ugly: G-Funk rap music… Oddly enough, in comparison with The Chronic, which I hated, Snoop does have something enjoyable to listen to. Guess there is a little less bravado in his rhyming, and more of a “I’ll shank ya if ya don’t like it!” kind of thing. Going to go against my gut, and dish out a 3*...

Done By The Forces Of Nature

Jungle Brothers

1/5

The Good: There are lions in the jungle… The Bad: The lion hasn’t been able to eat anything for a while, and it’s getting hungry… The Ugly: I guess the mess the lion will leave behind once he’s able to kill something… Yes, as you can tell, there isn’t much positive I can say about this album. I have had to sit through 4 hip-hop albums this week, and thought this one isn’t the worst of them all, my level of irritation is. So please, if you happen to belong to the fan club of Jungle Brothers, don’t cry about my low score… cry about the poor family of whomever it was that the lion ate! 1*

Golden Hour

Kacey Musgraves

1/5

The Good: Golden Hour is the best time to take pretty pictures! The Bad: The cover shot on the album was NOT taken during Golden Hour. The Ugly: even if they would have shot the picture during Golden Hour, it would not have made the experience prettier… If this is supposed to be country, what do cowboys listen to now-a-days? If mrs Mulgrave would have done her versions of ‘80s classic songs, which is what this album begs for, maybe I would have had a better time… Imagine her version of “The Reflex” or “Wildboys”, and I don’t know why I am using Duran Duran tunes as example… Sure, the album has production quality, however, seeing as this is the modern Nashville sound, it better. And yet, all this album does is make me want to skip track after track. 1* as I CAN NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS PART OF THE LIST

Born In The U.S.A.

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

The Good: The Boss The Bad: Having to look at his ass on the cover… The Ugly: The tucked red baseball cap in the right pocket, which we all know is code for… To think that I never listened to the album when it came out… at least, I can’t recall sitting down and listening to it. I did have a friend in high school who was totally into the Boss and tried to get me to start listening to him, instead, I spend my hard saved cents on Van Halen’s ¨1984¨as well as the glorious ¨Purple Rain¨… Thus, decades later, I sit here and wonder why my supposed intelligence did not tell me ¨go ahead, take a listen to the Boss, as there has to be a reason they call him such…¨ In the best of faith I am not allowed to give this album 5*, though it sure gets close to that ranking. Instead, I will give this a more than solid 4 1/2* as hours later I am still whistling ¨my home town¨ and analyzing the piano portion of ¨born in the USA¨ Awesome album, and greatful to have finally ¨forced myself¨ to listen to it!!! 4 8/10*

Funeral

Arcade Fire

1/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like an Arcade? The Bad: Except when it’s on fire… The Ugly: Who goes to a funeral for fun? Why is it so difficult for these modern bands to just understand that rock and roll is about having fun? Stop trying to reinvent the wheel, chug 3 chords, and just be a band, instead of a close knit group of friends who are all showing off that they are multi-instrumentalist and therefor will include sounds just to be different. I am a big fan of Indie music, but not this contrived crap… 1*

All Mod Cons

The Jam

4/5

The Good: In your face, without getting intrusive! The Bad: needs more cowbell… The Ugly: that cover picture of the album does NOT invite a loving glance… In comparison to confreres of theirs in the musical stratosphere of bands from the ‘70s that start with “The” and adhere to a 1-2-1-2-3-4-bang principle, this was actually very enjoyable experience. I can hear a little Elvis Costello, I hear a little later New-Wave, there’s much appreciate sense of rhythm and musicality that goes past 3 chords… Overall The Jam have won an extra star for making me enjoy a psuedo punk album! Hurray!!! 4*

Tical

Method Man

3/5

The Good: We’ve got Kung Fu sounds again! The Bad: ‘70s sound effects where great on 36 Chambers… The Ugly: The grill… I mean, who came up with that concept??? Of all the rap from the ‘90s I have had the (dis)pleasure of listening to on this list, I find that anything WuTang related is the only palpable stuff (except for Snoop and M&M) I can set myself to listen to, and actually enjoy. So, here’s to the Method Man making me enjoy rap a little bit more! 3*

Band On The Run

Paul McCartney and Wings

4/5

The Good: McCartney was drinking Red Bull before it even existed, and that is how he got his wings… The Bad: Too much Red Bull is not good for you… The Ugly: I don’t see the band running in the picture, which means we’ve been lied to!!! You’ve got to hand it to Sir Paul, he sure knew how to write catchy tunes, ensuring more attention, adoration, or hatred, for his music. Me, listening to this album, I was brought back to a part of my childhood, where things were all simple and wonderful, as the world was starting to present itself to me, via adventures, bumps and scraps, and glasses of lemonade. Though for my taste the record only deserves 3*, I’ve got to add the additional one to show respect to the genius that Sir Paul is… that, and I’ve had to listen to 5 crap records in a row, so that might have clouded my judgement….

Ramones

2/5

The Good: THE RAMONES!!! The Bad: their kind of repetitive… The Ugly: Did I mention that they are kind of repetitive??? Hey, ho, let’s go! What a wonderful way to start your morning. No fist-pump, just an angry stare, and ready to go! Just don’t pay attention to the recording quality… or the way Joey likes to “Bop” which sounds like he’s taking the piss out of all of us, instead of out of the world… or that the rest of the album really sounds more like what a lollypop band from the ‘50s would sound like, if they were man in drag… I got tired of the record pretty darn fast, mostly as I was not able to understand if The Ramones were trying to fight the world, or give it an apple and become it’s favorite student. Not for me…2* out of respect for the legacy

The Sensual World

Kate Bush

3/5

The Good: Kate Bush tells us about a sensual world!! The Bad: just whispering does not make something sensual… The Ugly: too much whispering going on… I recall the first time I heard “This Woman’s Work”, it was, as should be, during that dramatic moment in the He Said / She Said flick, and it always stuck to me as a song that belonged on a soundtrack. So, decades later, I learn that a whole album was tied neatly around this tune, and that made me wonder what ever happened to the original soundtrack to the movie, as I am sure that it will be more enjoyable to listen to… for me. I am going to have to dish out 3* to this album, not because it pains me, but because it saddens me...

Teenager Of The Year

Frank Black

4/5

The Good: ‘90s indie rock! The Bad: that I did not, for whatever reason, listen to this during the ‘90s The Ugly: the album cover as Frank Black looks a lot like Frans Bauer… This album substantiates my rule that all albums need to be listened to at least twice before I can rate them, as I did not like it at all during first spin. However, by the end of the second spin I was already Bogart in Casablanca… Play it again Sam. I am no big fan of the Pixies, something that many friends of mine don’t understand due to my massive appreciation of ‘90s college radio music, so maybe I need to listen to several Pixies albums after I am done listening to Teenager Of The Year for the 5th time in 24 hours… 4* well deserved!

The Yes Album

Yes

2/5

The Good: a band that is confident enough to name the record in third person reference to themselves... The Bad: it is a misnomer, even in third person, as it should have been The No... The Ugly: the bad prog... Oddly enough, I was always under the impression "Good People" was a The Who song... I should apologize to them... 1 1/2 * because they do know how to play their instruments, just not in a pleasant

Physical Graffiti

Led Zeppelin

5/5

The Good: We’ve been informed that Graffiti can be Physical… The Bad: We can’t figure out which song really explains this concept to us… The Ugly: This leaves us wondering if LZ is just trying to pull one over us… When I saw the cover of the album this morning, I fist pumped the air, then played the record, and again, and again… and it dawned on me what a tremendous drummer JB is. I mean, holy crap good. There’s a reason LZ is considered one of the best rock bands ever, and this album highlights all that is great about them! 5*

In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida

Iron Butterfly

3/5

The Good: an Iron Butterfly, as we know it can spread its wings and not have to worry about damaging them The Bad: Iron is a heavy metal, thus causing the butterfly to not be able to fly… like, at all… The Ugly: watching such a butterfly try and flop its wings to get airlift… This is a tough one, as my album yesterday was Led Zeppelin IV, thus making any album of that epoch sound like crap… still, that title song did place me smack-daddy-in-the-middle of as The Garden of Eden… and the solo… I know we all are trying to air-drum ourselves out of this one! 3* for effort...

Rust Never Sleeps

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

3/5

The Good: we learned something new today, and that is that Rust Never Sleeps… The Bad: if rust never sleeps, it means it just keeps expanding… The Ugly: the whole world covered in rust, and no sleep… nightmare! Let it be reiterated: I really don’t like Neil Young. Let is be noted: I actually enjoyed album, maybe because it is technically speaking a live album, and there is a real good groove going on, I don’t know… but I feel conflicted. The guitar work is awesome, the production work even better as you hardly notice it is live, and the harmonica work is eerily perfect. So what do I give this album? Should I deduct points for Neil being Neil? Needle is at the 3*, will give it one more listen, and see if the needle adds a point…

Kimono My House

Sparks

3/5

The Good: Amazing cover art! The Bad: Not a huge fan of the female lead singer… The Ugly: Turns out the lead singer is a he with massive falsetto… So, I tried liking the album. Listened to it twice, while doing some simple work so that I could focus on the music, the artistry, the all… and then I realized that I never liked glam rock to begin with, so why change now? This is just not my cup of tea… maybe tomorrow I might change my mind, but I doubt it… Hi, this is me tomorrow, and while I am giving the album a third spin the thoughts that pop into my head are: at times this sounds like ABBA, I can also understand why people are heralding this album as being fun, as it does have “spark”… But still no fan... 3* to play safe!

All Directions

The Temptations

2/5

The Good: The Temptations! The Bad: It takes them too long to explain that their father was a rolling stone.. The Ugly: Expected soul, got funk I did not like. Imagine that the Foo Fighters release a new album which are all about covers of ‘70s evergreen songs… that’s how I felt with this album. Yes, Papa Was A Rolling Stone is a classic, but the damn thing just takes too long to start rolling, and once it does, it seems the hill it is rolling off is never ending and not that steep… 2* because I did NOT enjoy listening to this album.

Fun House

The Stooges

4/5

The Good: I’ve played this album 4 times today! The Bad: Not a single song stood out… The Ugly: I feel like I’ve wasted 2+ hours… That sax… That mood… That je n'est-ce pas… Gonna give them Stooges a solid 4*!

Joan Armatrading

2/5

The Good: A self-titled album is always nice! The Bad: you got to be into folky singer-songwriter music… The Ugly: I don’t belong to the group that is into this kind of music… Yes, she is important for music… but that doesn’t mean that she is important enough for me to care. The listening experience was non-memorable, and that should say enough… 2* because I’m not evil

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

4/5

The Good: Dylan applying Tesla The Bad: Too much AC, not enough DC The Ugly: The irony between Harmony and Harmonica… So, yeah, another Dylan album… and sadly, again I have to give a much higher score than I would like to. Does the man have a nice voice? No Should the man use his voice? Up for debate. Will the man surprise you with his craft? Absolutely! Solid 4* which is bordering on 5* if it weren't for the length of the last track...

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

3/5

The Good: People say EC = God The Bad: Some people say the earth is flat… The Ugly: Other people say a 1 + 1 = 3 TLDR is almost applicable to this album, as after a while you wonder what the hell the producers were thinking when they said “sure, go on for a bit more lads!” Little Wings was terrible, several of the tunes were just WAY too long and the artist trying too hard being Blue is way too evident… guess drugs are bad after all! Yet, one can not deny that, overall, the album is what it is, from a period that was what it was… so, 3 1/2 * that translate to 3, as we will downgrade due to excessive trying...

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

4/5

The Good: Rolling Stones sharp as knives The Bad: Knives can cut, and it seems we need to Let It Bleed… The Ugly: That we are celebrating this bleeding with a cake and a record… What is there to say, that hasn’t been said before? One of the greatest Rock n Roll bands ever… yet, on this album, on one too many songs, they are trying to be a straight from the Mississippi Delta, and that just hasn’t aged well. Gimme Shelter and You Can’t Always Get What You Want are on most people’s Top 50 Greatest tunes ever, which means 4* It would be 5* if there was more cohesion and less trying to be something they are not...

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

3/5

The Good: Witnessing a birth is magical! The Bad: Sometimes birthing comes with complications… The Ugly: There were no scissors to cut umbilical chord… Jazz. It’s its own thing. It has its own rhythms. It has its own chords. It has its own crowd. I am still scratching my head as to what, exactly, cool jazz is all about. To me, it sounds like the jazz that is used when people like to point out how different jazz is. It is quick, it is syncopated, it is jazz… 3* because Miles deserves respect

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

The Good: Any band where you can read the name backwards as well as forwards, deserves respect! The Bad: In the picture, the band members are NOT sitting in the ABBA format… The Ugly: This means that for this album they are BAAB, which is the short country version for Robbert… Love ‘em, hate ‘em, you have to respect them! 4 HUGE hits on this album… not hits, nay, HUGE hits. And thus, per HUGE hit, I will give a * while hummin’ to myself “knowing me, knowing you…” So close to 5*….

The Score

Fugees

3/5

The Good: The Score had an interesting cast of Bobby DeNiro, Ed Norton, Angela Basset and the great Marlon Brando! The Bad: Even with such a stellar cast, the movie didn’t meet expectations. The Ugly: This album is the same… I am no fan of hip-hop, and I try to do my best to keep an open mind when listening to any hip-hop album that appears on the list. So, The Score shows and my thoughts are “NOOOOOOOOOOO……” When this album originally came out, the mid-90s were going through some serious identity crisis. We had the OJ trial which divided society in half, and just like you have today, it seems that if you weren’t on the “OJ is innocent” side, well then you must be a racist pig. If you couldn’t appreciate the effort The Fugees put into the album, and how great they are, then dito, you must be a racist pig. And that is my problem with this album. It is too political, too polarizing, too much trying to be something instead of being something. But the album was successful across the board, even if 2 of the 3 hits were pretty much cover songs, and that is something that was impressive enough. So, 3* as this little pig doesn’t like to squeal!

War

U2

4/5

The Good: Who doesn’t appreciate an acronym for a band’s name? The Bad: Such a negative album title… or was “conflict” already taken? The Ugly: the obvious child-abuse as the poor kid had to get a bloody lip in order to be immortalized on this album cover… When this album came out, I was into totally different music, as were most of my friends, so aside from the usual suspects on this album, it was a pleasure listening to this album with virgin ears. Though U2 eventually turned into a carnival act, not of the good kind, this was prime stuff! Really enjoyed the album, and will play it several more times before the year is through. A solid 4*!!!

Risque

CHIC

1/5

The Good: We start our listening experience off by being told we will have a “Good Time”… The Bad: The Good Time, so it seems never ends… The Ugly: Maybe we are being fooled; it is not about my good time, but about other people’s good, and be damned my good time! Undeniable that Good Time is a classic disco song… Undeniable that CHIC knows how to stick to a beat / rhythm / concept Undeniable that, as with the other damn album by CHIC on the 1001 list, I got bored, nay, BORED real fast. While I gave the other album 2* as I was acknowledging the musicianship on the album, this time around I am going to dish out a solid 1* Thank goodness disco died a quick death!

Second Toughest In The Infants

Underworld

1/5

The Good: Nice album art The Bad: It’s Techno… The Ugly: TLDL Seriously, I have to sit through 75 minutes of bim-bam-bim-bam repeat if necessary? I like a nice short techno tune like the next person, but an entire album, which might as well be called a double album, with tunes lasting 15 damn minutes… I have encountered my second Waterloo on this list. 1*

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

4/5

The Good: Those shoes… The Bad: That drab purple… The Ugly: Me still not understanding what Bryter Layter really means… I believe that I’ve heard a couple of his songs on auto-generated playlists, or maybe even while listening to a classic rock station, but never did I sit through an entire album by Mr. Drake. Color me interested. 3 1/2* which I am bumping into the 4 stratosphere!

Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle

Bill Callahan

1/5

The Good: Horses enjoying a delightful afternoon munching on grass The Bad: The fact that I don’t have any grass… The Ugly: The state of my ears after having gauged them with pencils thanks to Mr. Gallahan’s “singing” I believe that this is album 176 for me, and I am really struggling to understand what the point of the 1001 list is… Though I am not keeping track, this is, yet again, another album where someone who should not be allowed to record his voice, is allowed to do so, and on top of that has made me waste 50 minutes of my day. Also: country? Really? Soon DeLaSoul will be listed as Jazz I guess. To all of you who are fans of Bill, I feel sorry for your loved ones who have to endure listening to this too. 1* because that’s the minimum I can give, if not it would be 0*

The Downward Spiral

Nine Inch Nails

4/5

The Good: Nine Inch Nails The Bad: Being stuck on a downward spiral The Ugly: Trying to get out of the spiral without any of the nails puncturing you and causing pain, and blood, and anguish, and mayhem, and… Like the music, don’t like the music, impossible to ignore the impact that this album had on putting Industrial music in the spotlight, or the soundtrack of the cult classic Se7en! The album has put me in a slight trance all day, my wife hating the music coming from my speakers, while I just kept on keeping on with whatever I was doing. And to think that during the ‘90s I did not listen to this album ever… A solid 4* for certain!

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

4/5

The Good: The many ways one could misinterpret the title of the album The Bad: Considering the possibilities of misinterpretation of the title, now start misinterpreting the image on the album cover… The Ugly: all your dirty minds! What? So, Paul Weller, ex The Jam, ex Style Council, raconteur of this here album that I had never heard of before. And I am liking it. Setting aside the bithcin’ and moanin’ of plenty of people stating that this is drab, I think that this album is a clear reminder that it is time the music industry allows well produced albums to come out again, by people who actually know something about music. I am uncertain what ranking I should give this album; 3 or 4*?

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

2/5

The Good: We learn that Paul, so it seems, has a boutique! The Bad: We never really find out why we are informed about his boutique… The Ugly: I guess that means that I am not allowed into the secret club… I am no fan of drum machines. I am no fan of sampling. I am no fan of rap music. For me 1989 was a transition year, so I was listening to “old” records and not spending too much time listening to new product being released… for now, it seems like I did not miss out on anything. 2* because I didn’t hate it entirely

Aja

Steely Dan

4/5

The Good: Yacht Rock! The Bad: What do you do if you don’t have a yacht? The Ugly: Finding out that we’ve been lied to all our lives—Asia is spelled Aja! Why is there so much negativity that surrounds this album, this band, or even the style of music in general? Is it because those who hate it are being confronted with the fact that they know little to nothing about what music should sound like? You might not like the tunes, you might not like the lyrics, but one can simply NOT deny the fact that the musicianship and production value is why this album is considered one of the best ever. Great album, great cover art, great songs. Can’t give it 5*, but is comes real close...

Dummy

Portishead

2/5

The Good: The title of the album already points out the fact that I am a … The Bad: If the band knew that I am a dummy, then why did they even bother publishing this album? The Ugly: the fact that I actually listened to it twice in the hopes that I would be less dummy, and more yummy… So, they like Ennio Morriconi’s work, so do I, but not in the sense of “hey, let’s just create an entire album that has way to slow compositions, use drum machines to create an annoying beat, and make sure we uppppppp the bass on all channels! Trip Hop, or Indie Rock, or any of the other labels that has been thrown around to explain which genre this album should belong to, should tell you enough that if it isn’t clear to the publishers, or trade journalists, then what are we supposed to think about it? So, here’s me, mr Dummy, enjoying the fact that I don’t have to listen to the album a third time, as I’m smart enough to realize my opinion on this album won’t change… 2* for effort...

Blackstar

David Bowie

4/5

The Good: David Bowie The Bad: Last Album The Ugly: Nobody likes listening to a swan-song… I am not one of those die-hard Bowie fans, so I was not aware that this was his last album till I started reading the reviews and wiki information. Having said that, the first time I played the album, I found it hard to get through… especially the lengthy first song on the album. I gave the album a second try, and a third, and what I noticed is that melancholy was what increased more and more, as well as me not understanding many of the lyrics. Is Bowie a genius? What is a genius? Is this album worthy of all its accolades? I don’t know, I would have to check the list of albums published around the same time. What is certain is that the album grows on you bit by bit… 4*

Teen Dream

Beach House

2/5

The Good: A Teen Dream by a Beach House… The Bad: Is it really a dream? The Ugly: Is it really a beach? I don’t understand why people would rave about albums like these. It is something you’d probably want to hear while sitting in the waiting room of your dentist’s office, just before your fifth root canal… So, yeah… Not for me… 1 1/2* cause it didn’t make me want to remove the experience from my memory…

Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret

Soft Cell

3/5

The Good: a Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret The Bad: One needs to enjoy a cabaret The Ugly: Trying to figure out what a soft cell has to do with all this… There are probably 5 emblematic ‘80s intros that have been used over and over to define that period in tv and film, and Tainted Love is one of them! Anyone who was experiencing life in that decade appreciates the song, whether you were into that music at the time or not. The rest of the album, in my opinion, is a spit||rinse||repeat kind a thing. 3* just because of Tainted Love and Sex Dwarf

John Prine

4/5

The Good: John Pine likes to sit on hay The Bad: depending on the trousers one wears, hay can start to pinch right through The Ugly: can’t think of anything more ugly than the bad… So yes, a country album… and guess what? I liked it! For me this, this is the kind of country that I like, more folk than country really. Interestingly enough, and only knowledgable by me after reading the wiki page, it seems that Bob D heralds John P as one of the greatest song and you can imagine Bob D singing several of these tunes no problem. Also, with lyrics like this an album is worth a second, third, fourth spin for sure: Last Monday night I saw a fight between Wednesday and Thursday about Saturday Night. Tuesday asked me what’s going on, I said “Sunday’s in the meadow, and Friday's in the corn” Off to play the album again 4 1/2*

Fleet Foxes

1/5

The Good: If we shorting the band name to FF, than we are forewarned about needing to fast-forward the songs… The Bad: the fact that the band name wasn’t Singing Koalas Into Porn. The Ugly: The look on the koala’s face… I mean, really? This is folk? Or Indie? Or Rock? This is none of the above. This is shit. This was a total waste of my time. This is what has been wrong with society for a while, thinking it is something which it obviously isn’t… Poor koalas deserved better… 1*

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

2/5

The Good: They are Kings of Leon, not Dukes… The Bad: It seems royalty is overrated, so they might as well have called themselves the Council The Ugly: seems politics is overrated too… When I first heard of KoL (as those who know refer to them) it was via the Sex is on Fire song. I recall liking it when it came out. I also recall starting to find it boring after a while… So, with this their freshman attempt, I was hoping to hear something interesting. And I was treated to something bland. It’s neither here nor there, fish or meat, blond or brunette. I guess the title gave it away that this band has been trying too hard at being special, and failing in the attempt. 2* as I do not want to see rock die completely… but I could have been spared this album...

Repeater

Fugazi

3/5

The Good: pretty energetic music The Bad: why call your band “fake diamonds” The Ugly: the abuse of feedback sound after a while… Plenty I have read about the great Fugazi, little I had heard… now that I have, I’m neither here nor there. I lived the ‘90s in a different musical environment, so I can’t opine with such fervor as some other people have. I can appreciate the fact that they have/had a die-hard fanbase as the music, for the period, was pretty darn good. Still, not an album I will have on repeat play-list anytime soon… 2 1/2* bumped up

The Cars

4/5

The Good: These cars are not EV! The Bad: People will say that this means they are bad for the environment… The Ugly: Well… nothing really :-) When more than 50% of the tunes on an album are ones that you’ve heard plenty of times and they still don’t tire, then you know you’ve got a great album! Though not a 5* album in my book, this is an album that needs to be celebrated and definitely deserves to be on a Top-50 albums all people should own. 4 1/2*

Let Love Rule

Lenny Kravitz

3/5

The Good: Mr. Lenny Kravitz! The Bad: debut albums are rarely awesome The Ugly: Finding out that the freshman attempt at music is like being the recipient of a girl’s first blowjob attempt; kind a nice, but nothing special… I remember listening to Let Love Rule, the song, for the first time, and being blown away by the sax solo… and to this day, it remains one of my favorite solos on a rock song. Yet, everytime I listen to the song, I wonder what the point was to have a 1 minute lead-out that totally changes the vibe of the song, and actually makes you hit the “next song” button. Maybe once, by accident, did I listen to the entire album back in the ‘90s, we had cassette players in our cars, so finding the next song was a bit of a pain, hence listening to an entire album was normal. I don’t recall the album leaving me speechless… today wasn’t different. You can hear how the Beatles influenced LK on this album, and that is a good thing. However, the Beatles knew how to time a tune and drag you in and not let you go… that’s why they are the Beatles, and Lenny is Lenny. 3* for effort ***

Very

Pet Shop Boys

2/5

The Good: Non-abrasive music The Bad: makes me wonder what the point is of this album The Ugly: having to sit through an entire album of Neil Tennant singing… Yes, I understand that all people have their biases, and mine is that I like rock n roll related music more than pop or dance music. Which makes me wonder why I have to listen to this album, as even the wikipedia description does not give me enough reason to understand. Is it because Mr. Tennant finally came out of the closet? Is this the same reason why people should like Queen? What does admiting being gay, which everyone already believed, have anything to do with me having to listen to this album? Go West was okay to listen to, and all the “songs” that came before too, but they are all bland, and all pretty much sound the same to me, just like their previous musical endeavors… so, again, why do I have to listen to this? 2* because I didn’t hate it, but I refuse to give this the 3* it probably deserves… because I don’t understand why this album did make it on the list, but the album Magnolia by The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies did not...

Sea Change

Beck

2/5

The Good: an album which informs us about climate change… The Bad: wait, I misread that, Sea Change is not about climate change… The Ugly: the break-up? Let me ask you this: if an unknown artist would have released this exact album, would people have been raving about it? Because I believe that the answer to that question is a resounding NO! Which makes one wonder if this album is overrated, or if we’ve been ignorant to many other albums from unknown people which should be rated a lot higher! What we’ve learned from this album is that break-ups are always great muses for musicians, and that sadness sucks… As I was never that much into Beck, I had not heard about this album, nor had I listened to the album Odelay, which I really liked. So, I was curious about this album… and now, well, now I understand better the ol’ saying of “curiosity killed the cat”… 2* for not hating it totally, but I could have been spared this listening experience...

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

The Good: CCR! The Bad: bands that are recognized by their initials alone… The Ugly: Another acronym band used this album’s name as a reference… What? Who in their right mind would not give this album 4*+? -Someone who prefers techno music! -Someone who hates the ‘60s! -Someone who doesn’t like rock n roll music! -Someone who has a phobia for rivers… I am not one of the above.

Songs For Swingin' Lovers!

Frank Sinatra

4/5

The Good: Swinging lovers getting some much needed attention! The Bad: Frank probably not knowing what that kind of swinging is all about… The Ugly: imagining swinging swingers on a swing… ‘50s relax ‘50s “innocence” ‘50s showing why there will never be another Frank Sinatra Hate to admit it, but this stuff is just soooooo nice to listen to as background music, that I played it 5x in a row by accident. 4*

3 + 3

The Isley Brothers

4/5

The Good: Brothers making music The Bad: Their outfits The Ugly: really… their outfits… unless you are heading to a pimps party… I knew the name of the band, but couldn’t recall ever having listened to one of their song… to find out that I’d listened to several of these songs, like most of us, via movies, or tv shows. And what a treat it is to listen to their versions of several contemporary classics… damn. 4*

Rio

Duran Duran

3/5

The Good: Classic ‘80s New Wave The Bad: being synonymous for an entire style of music is dangerous… The Ugly: like their stage name, the album is repetitive… I was not on the Duran Duran wagon during the ‘80s, though I knew several people who swore by them. They were, at the time, at least in Europe, the biggest act to follow. Good for them… Rio, as an album, isn’t bad, and even palatable seeing as it only lasts a modest 42 and some minutes which brought me back to a more youthful era, which is always nice. Yet, I can not dish out more than 3* as it is what it is...

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

2/5

The Good: who doesn’t like an “everything must go” event? The Bad: the fact that even the band knows things must go… The Ugly: me getting snubbed while I was offering to help make things go a little faster… Can somebody explain to me why a band would call themselves “Manic Street Preachers”? Isn’t that just an open invitation for people to run away and not listen? Also, though I can understand that there is a segment of society who appreciates this kind of music, I do fear they should all be kept far away from sharp objects… The songs all sound the same to me, the singer’s voice is annoying as fuck, and overall I felt vindicated in my disdain for the band… but at least it’s not crappy rap. 2* just barily

Since I Left You

The Avalanches

3/5

The Good: “Since I Left You” instantly makes me feel like I am part of the Avalanches multiverse, as they are talking to me… The Bad: Though I might be part of the multiverse, they are kicking me out The Ugly: Nobody likes being left… Yes, I am unable to be as imaginative with my above, as The Avalanches were with all the samples they used for their opus. And an opus it is… After the second listen to my conclusion is that a) a 10 for effort and creativity b) as background music it is un-intrusive, which is really nice c) at times I felt like being part in a quiz where you’d have to blurt out which actor was saying which line from which movie! Originally I was going to rate this album 1 - 1 1/2 * But they’ve changed my mind… 3 1/2*

Exile On Main Street

The Rolling Stones

5/5

The Good: album #199 on the list is my first The Rolling Stones album to listen to, and that made me excited! The Bad: that it wasn’t Goats Head Soup The Ugly: me realizing that I should have listened more critically to this album decades ago… Funny how time changes tastes. When going through a phase of listening to all albums in a bands repertoire several years ago, I did not understand why this album is considered one of the greatest rock and roll albums period. Today, I am still a bigger fan of Goats Head Soup, but I really enjoyed the listening experience and will keep enjoying it for days/weeks/months to come Just not certain if I can give it 5*…. but 4 1/2* for certain!

Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division

2/5

The Good: Joy… is good… The Bad: It seems to be divided… The Ugly: trying to figure out by what… I love me a nice rabbit hole to go down on Spotify, and this album was part of one of them there journeys a while back. At the time I did not like it… and today I kinda felt the same. You like a depressed voice telling you their viewpoint about stuff, then this is your thing… Myself, I prefer something less straight razor to your inner thigh… 2*

Fisherman's Blues

The Waterboys

5/5

The Good: a band which reminds us that we must stay hydrated! The Bad: not a single song that tells us to drink water... The Ugly: I was forced to drink whiskey with a massive hangover as a reward... Earlier this year, on a randomly generated Playlist on the Spotify, I listened for the first time to the title song of this album and fell in live with it. Not being familiar with the band, I went to Wikipedia and that's where I found out about this 1001 album list as, thankfully, it was mentioned that this album is on it... So, today, album 201, is the cause of my little adventure here... I can listen to this album over and over, understanding that it isn't a masterpiece, yet, for me, it is very very special, and thus deserves all the praise I can give. Here's to 5* bumping up the average score of this lovely album

Deep Purple In Rock

Deep Purple

3/5

The Good: Using Mt Rushmore to push through the ROCK aspect! The Bad: this rock is too hard… The Ugly: the blood-soaked bandages caused by the headbanging… Blackmore is an insanely good guitarist, Gillan knows how to belt out a scream, Glover and Paice keep the groove and Lord is doing the organ thing… it is all very impressive for the period of time. There are people out there whom will swear by this, put the album on an altar, while ceremoniesly sacrificing a goat, or maybe a joint… Me, I can listen to it only so long before the music starts effecting my nervous system… Child In Time is a lovely tune, and overly used media, but WAY TOO LONG, and that is how the album feels to me… 3*

Songs From The Big Chair

Tears For Fears

5/5

The Good: anthemic album off an age gone by The Bad: that too many people confuse this with Synth-Pop The Ugly: or just plain’ ol’ po’ p’ Back in the day, like any teenager, I too enjoyed Everybody Wants To Rule The World, while Shout was a little beyond my taste at the time… Today, I wish I could go back in time and actually purchase the album and listen to it countless times, like I did to the more poppy contemporary artist such as Prince, Phil Collins, Duran Duran. Madonna, What and later George Michael. Tears For Fears are one of few acts that survived the ‘80s and when you listen to their “old” recordings now, you realize that how great the stuff is. It has held up wonderfully, even if it sounds like the ‘80s, it isn’t like listening to Spandau Ballet, or ABC, or Bronski Beat, or any true synth-pop from that era. 5* even if, technically speaking, it should get a 4 1/4

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

2/5

The Good: the words “another” and “different” in the same title… The Bad: grammatically it might be okay, the title makes no sense The Ugly: that they just didn’t stick to being the band that helped name one of the greatest punk albums ever… I don’t like punk, but I do appreciate the fact that they, at least, keep their songs to around 3 minutes max, so it’s easy to listen to one song without being overburdened. As I don’t like the genre, I wouldn’t be able to explain why The Sex Pistols used part of this bands name in their classic album, but maybe it’s because these lads are the OG? I don’t know… I don’t care… Will dish out 2*...

Pyromania

Def Leppard

3/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a good fire? The Bad: Still don’t understand what a scope has to do with a fire… The Ugly: The fact that this album wasn’t called Nostradamus… I got to say that listening to this album has not proven the challange which I thought it was going to be. I found myself boppin’ my head left and right, the occasional fist-pump into the air… I had a good time. And that, for me at least, is what Def Leopard has always been about: having a good time. Mutt Lange did a great job with this album, even if, on one too many songs, it seemed like DL was trying to be another AC/DC. 3* because, at the end of the day, it still is cheesy and should not get a 4*, unless I change my mind overnight...

Electric

The Cult

4/5

The Good: actual rock ’n roll The Bad: it seems like we need to wear a dead animal as a hat to be the lead-singer… The Ugly: the fact that only the lead-singer is allowed to wear a hat… I mean, have you looked at the haircuts of the other band-members? People bitch and complain too much when it comes to The Cult. At the end of the day, they never sold-out and started making those fuckin’ power ballads like all the hair-metal bands started to do. I saw them live once, but can’t recall the venue, nor the year… guess I was wasted. Anyway, as a rock-n-roll band they could have gone further than they did, don’t know if that has to do with the ego of mr singer-man, or we can blame the dead animal on his head… Sonic Temple is a better album, and Ceremony is where they should have bowed out, knowing they did the best they could. 4* because I really enjoyed just listening to music today.

Ellington at Newport

Duke Ellington

4/5

The Good: The Duke! The Bad: This isn’t a Western… The Ugly: which means nobody can get shot… Wikipedia is a great tool to learn a little more about that which you’re listening to, and today that was really needed. Not because I wasn’t aware of Duke Ellington, or his music for that matter, more so because I needed to understand why this album specifically showed up on the list… So, Duke’s out on his luck as music has evolved from big band swing, to more laidback versions of jazz performed by smaller groups. And yet here we are, decades later, listening to music that was, at the time, decades old, to what is considered his opus maestro. Well, good for you Duke. Did we need to listen to the chatter in-between the tunes? The album could have been a cool 55 minutes feast of tonal eargasm… which is why I am giving this album a solid 4*

Under Construction

Missy Elliott

2/5

The Good: We get a fair warning, that this album isn’t finished… The Bad: trying to figure out what additional work the album needs… The Ugly: all the subliminal context. Rap, remains, my least favorite, even when I can give 2-3* where credit is due. Missy Elliot, I recall as the artist who used to wear those puffy winter coats in her videos—or, very well possible, I only saw 1 of her videos in my life time and in this video she was wearing a puffy winter coat… or, even more probable, I can’t distinguish this from many of the other cut-n-paste hip-hop acts of the 00’s Tell you the truth, I was actually enjoying the first couple of tracks, but then it just turned into what it turned into… music I am no fan of. 2 1/2* for trying, and warning us about the construction issues… downgraded to 2* as I don’t like… rap.

Deloused in the Comatorium

The Mars Volta

2/5

The Good: It’s a candy bar reference… no? The Bad: or are we referring to a planet turning? The Ugly: Turns out that part of the name was inspired by Fellini… Truth be told, I was actually excited when this band popped up! Not because I am a fan, but more because I have heard of them, but never listened to their music, and that is what I hoped to experience with this journey: listening to music I’d probably never listen to otherwise… So, my thoughts? Nah, not my cup of tea. It has some good things, but mostly, IMHO, bad things as it seems that modern “prog rock” just needs to try too much to be different, and by doing so fails, in my book. So, thanks to the 1001 app for making me listen to this, and boo to the 1001 app for making me listen to this...

At Folsom Prison

Johnny Cash

3/5

The Good: Johnny Cash was not really in jail, he was just visiting The Bad: he needed to ask for a glass of water, due to cocaine abuse… The Ugly: the prisoners cheered him on Okay, so JC is viewed like JC by one too many persons. Could the man walk on water? No. Could the man turn water into wine? No. Was the man crucified? Well, not in the literal sense of the word, no. I had never listened to the entire recording before, and I have to say that I found myself in a little lul after a while. I was being rocked, ever so gently, to and fro, while I was wetting my diaper and sucking on my thumb. It was pleasant. But not so pleasant as to warrant all the accolades that he receives. Yet, let’s all be rebels, snort some cocaine, and then go shoot someone down! 3/12*

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

2/5

The Good: Attention given to ear hygiene! The Bad: turns out this is not about a cotton ball on top of a little plastic stick… The Ugly: or is it???… I shall be a skipping record here and state that I don’t particularly care for Rap… And this record has not changed my mind… Yes, some of the tracks are not bad to listen to, however, half-way through I was too tempted to hit the skip button… So, I will give 2* because I didn’t want to stab myself repeatedly in the ear with a Q-Tip...

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

4/5

The Good: A Christmas album that pops up on the 26th of December The Bad: if it would not have been December The Ugly: having to listen to a Christmas message from Phil Spector, knowing what we know now… Yes, a great album of Christmas songs that can actually be played during a party, as most of them invite you to get up and shake your booty! However, nobody will ever play a Christmas album in the middle of summer… so, just 3 stars… Which doesn’t take away from the great artists featured on this album!… screw it, 4*

Frank

Amy Winehouse

2/5

The Good: An album about being honest! The Bad: Finding out that it’s not about being honest… The Ugly: Trying to figure out what Frank would’ve thought about this… Yes, Amy was a whirlwind in, what was regretfully, a stale period in music when nothing “special” was being produced. And if we go judging by the amount of Amy clones whom popped up left and right, there was money to be made singing like a lounge singer… I had never listened to this album, so maiden voyage… and I did not particularly care for it. Amy’s voice, though nice, is not my cup of tea, and quickly one start to find it annoying. The “hip-hop” feel that this album also has with the scratching and beats makes me want to hit the skip button… So, glad that there are plenty of people who view(ed) Amy as one of the greatest… I am not one of them. 2* as it wasn’t something to make me vomit...

Graceland

Paul Simon

4/5

The Good: An album by Elvis! The Bad: Wait… it’s not by Elvis… The Ugly: Then why call it Graceland? Ahhhh, the comments I am reading about cultural appropriation… People should get a fucking life and appreciating all that has been “stolen” over the ages to get us where we are today. When this album came out you had the musical community trying to help out others; Feed The World, I Won’t Play Sun City et al Artist were voicing opinions and trying to create awareness. Little Paul was in a creative rut, heard something that inspired him to create new music, and boy what a record did he make. Would the record not have been conceived without him hearing mbaqanga? Maybe. Does it matter? No. I doubt that the South African artist he took on tour with him worried about global attention to their art, and more importantly, to their plight for freedom. Going to dish out 4*

Being There

Wilco

4/5

The Good: Being there is always a good thing! The Bad: It seems that Wilco is there too… The Ugly: That Wilco isn’t 1 person, but an entire band… too crowded there… This is the second Wilco album that I’ve had the displeasure of having to listen to, and I should maybe alter the word displeasure, as it wasn’t unpleasant, more just bland… The other album received the main commentary that “it was 40 minutes too long…”, I guess that is really what Wilco is after: creating albums which their fans can enjoy for lengthy periods, while those who aren’t impressed can’t wish to be over and done with. I do have to say that this album, in comparison with Yankee Foxtrot Whisky something, was more palpable. As pure background music while you are focused on anything but the album, it performed stellar! 3* for it’s ability of just disappearing into the background… Hello, this is me after listening to the album a second time… fucking Wilco, starts growing on you with that laid-back fusion of this, that and the other thing. I am starting to understand how certain people compare this to Exile On Main Street. Bumping the album up to 4* as it starts to grow on you...

The Madcap Laughs

Syd Barrett

1/5

The Good: The album cover. Great color, great lines… The Bad: There isn’t much color or lines in the album. The Ugly: Totally removing any fondness I might have had for Syd B Is the only reason that Syd is on this list due to him being the co-founder of one of the greatest bands ever? Then again, IMHO, Pink Floyd really became great when Syd had already been replaced. So we have some psychedelic music, some incoherent singing, and a lot of acoustic strumming. Kudo’s to those who can find joy in this album! I won’t be able to listen to this album again… 1*

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

4/5

The Good: Dorothy has managed to leave Oz! The Bad: Finding out that Dorothy isn’t who we believe her to be… The Ugly: Trying to figure out exactly what the wizard has done to her…. Undeniably a stellar album showcasing the importance of great songwriting and musicianship. Though for me this is not Elton’s best album, it sure is a great listen! However, for me, the experience of listening to this album starts off too damn strong, which means it tapers off towards the end. I would have ended with the opening song, but that’s just me. Having said all that, any artist would love to have something like this in their repertoire, and be willing to travel to Oz to talk to a wizard to see if they too can have such success… 4* as there are a couple of songs that are skip-able...

Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman

John Zorn

2/5

The Good: one of my favorite cartoons from the Mad Magazine era. The Bad: no madcap spy stuff... The Ugly: ... No clue who John Zorn is. No clue how I'm supposed to enjoy the music... though I tried, and will try again. From reading other commentary it seems this music needs additional listening, or maybe one of the million other albums which he's published

Crooked Rain Crooked Rain

Pavement

2/5

The Good: 90’s alternative music! The Bad: not understanding what crooked rain actually is The Ugly: the band finding crooked rain important enough to repeat it in the title… What in the actual fuck? I am seriously starting to doubt my taste in music, or, trying to understand the rationality being applied when “those in the know” create a Top x album list and add mundane stuff like this to it. Don’t get me wrong, the album is palatable for sure, however, I checked out of curiosity if Kerosene Hat by the band Cracker is included in the list, which it isn’t, and that is just stupid as it was key in mainstreaming the indie/alt rock wave of the ‘90s I can remember people on campus walking around with Pavement T-shirts, yet I couldn’t recall if I had listened to their music at the time, so I was excited to give this album a spin… call me disappointed as I am starting to really dislike anything “lo-fi”, or where the singer of a band feels it is important to do their best to emulate a period of their life when their voice was shifting from child to man… 2* for not hating this album… however, if I would have to listen to the nasally whining lyrics again, I might just drop the rating down to 1*

At Budokan

Cheap Trick

3/5

The Good: a live album recorded in Budokan! The Bad: a band which calls themselves cheap anything The Ugly: realizing that we’ve been tricked… cheaply… One should wonder if any recording made at the Budokan will instantly be special… because one too many bands has believed this to be the case, and has failed miserably. So is this album like that? A failure, which happened to be taped at the Budokan? Well, not really. Because, though I am no big fan of cheap trick, one thing that is undeniable about this album is the simple fact that you have a some musicians, on stage, in front of an appreciative audience, having fun! You can hear them having fun, you can feel them having fun. Not the greatest live album ever, but that’s obvious as they are not the greatest band ever. However, this album contains one of the greatest songs all people recognize without them knowing who the band is, or where it was taped, and nobody could really give a rat’s ass… So here’s to Cheap Trick @ Budokan, wanting us to want them! 3*

1999

Prince

5/5

The Good: Prince!!! The Bad: double album… The Ugly: failure in predicting the future… If I am correct, there are 3 Prince albums on the 1001 list, and this is the first one I get to listen to. If I am also correct, the “professionals” who have created this 1001 list are a bunch of ignorant bastards, as there are, at minimum, 3 Prince albums which should have been included additionally (Dirty Mindy/Controversy as this is the OG Prince, Around the World In a Day as this heralded his release from the mayor labels, and Parade which is the soundtrack to his second movie “Under the Cherry Moon”, probably my favorite bad movie ever! But I digress, as we are not here to bitch about the list, but we are here to talk about this album…. I heard the song 1999 when it came out, but I did not buy the album till I became enthralled with Prince due to Purple Rain. Consider me a fanboy! The album which I purchased was the single vinyl version, which even had a press error as on side 2 the label had been double printed—and I speak in past-tense as, unfortunately for me, my entire record collection was sold by my mother at some point in the ‘90s as she needed to create space… but let’s not go there… 1999, Little Red Corvette, Delirious and Free, that was side 1… as close to perfection as one can get. Side 2, well, not bad, but it didn’t get the playtime as side 1 did. Originally I was going to give this album 4*, as this is one of my least favorite Prince albums from his pre NPG oeuvre, however, by the third listen, I was all smiles!!! 5*

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

3/5

The Good: JMJ! The Bad: Only old farts like me know who JMJ is… The Ugly: The younger folk will think JMJ stands for Jimmy Jam… or maybe only the old farts like me know know that one too… I had a slight grin on my face when this album presented itself this morning, as it reminded me of my first CD purchase. Back in the mid ‘80s, when slowly but surely the Compact Disc was starting to enter the mainstream, I visited a record store with a friend of mine. Though my intention was to purchase a record (vinyl), he pointed out to me that digital was were it was at… I forget which record I was going to buy, but I recall finding it in the CD section and proudly carrying it towards the counter so that I could spend some of my hard saved currency, and that was when my friend stopped me and asked to see the case. Turns out that not all CD’s are the same, and that there was this secret code on the back of the CD which would let you know how digital—read: special—the damn thing would be. You see, on one of the bottom corners, on the back of the CD case, you could find a sequence of three letters which was build-up by either D or A, my carefully selected CD was showing AAD, and that, for you who are still reading this, meant that my CD might as well have been a cassette tape as the first A told us the recording was Analog, the second A told us the mixing was Analog, and the last D meant that the mastering was done Digitally. I believe this was called the SPARS code, you can search it online. So what does this have to do with the album we are reviewing today? Well, while I went back to search for a better CD, and ended up purchasing Ship of Fools by Erasure, my friend was proudly holding up his copy of Oxygene by JMJ with the perfect classification of DDD! It wasn’t till the mid ‘90s that I started listening to Oxygene (part 4 mainly, sorry) and was able to appreciate the sonic experience that JMJ. JMJ was the artist who introduced me to ambient music, who made me appreciate works from people like Philip Glass, Enigma, St. Germain, and anything digital really. With time, one can easily accept the fact that this album does not age well, in the sense that you’d need to have an understanding of early electronic music, to appreciate what you are listening to. However, would I rate this album high? I am going to be straight down the middle on this one and stick to the 3*

The Joshua Tree

U2

5/5

The Good: U2 The Bad: U2 The Ugly: U2 Is that me cheating above? Should I be more creative? Maybe. However, I’ve never been a U2 fan, even if I really like a lot of their music… I just find that Bono has re-invented the term Ego However, holy crap, what an album! Many of my friends in high school and college had this album, yet I never bothered listening to it, the album that is. Because, unless one was living under a rock, there was no escaping several of the massive hits that are included on this album. A great listen. An album to played with frequency, and thus, sadly for me, a 5*

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

The Good: We finally understand where Kramer got his name from… The Bad: Finding out that the CCR drummer shared the nickname with Kramer… The Ugly: Dumb, Dumber, Drummer… what? Going to keep this one short. The album contains one too many hits not to warrant 5* But then you get to the 11 minute version of “I heard it through the grapevine”… and take into consideration the 7+ minute intro song… Great album though!

Moby Grape

3/5

The Good: Turns out we are not hunting whales! The Bad: We are not making wine out of grapes either… The Ugly: The album cover… So far, every time that I’ve been presented with a band I am not familiar with, at least the album art has proven to be something interesting to look at… not this time. Then you go and spend some time reading about the band, and find out that the album photograph was taken by renowned photographer Jim Marshall, and that the little “flip the bird” on the washboard had to be airbrushed out… Though this is nice trivia knowledge, I still don’t like the photo. So what about the music? Nothing wrong with it, just too much here, and then, too much there… You can hear these cats are true musicians, but you get the feeling they are trying too hard. Then you read all the trials and tribulations this band went through, and you start understanding that, sometimes, life is just a bastard. For some reason, several songs on the album were greyed out.. guess there still are disputes about the song rights… even half a century later. 3*, and I am giving those out of sympathy, because the album is closer to 2 1/2*

american dream

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

The Good: The American Dream! The Bad: misreading the bands name and thinking that we will be trippin’ a little… The Ugly: the fact that LCD is old tec by now… When the album showed up my initial reaction was “I’ve already listened to this…” because i recalled the band’s name… I even had to go back and read my comments about the other album I listened to, to read that I had actually enjoyed the experience… And I again enjoyed the experience, however, there are a couple of comments I’d like to make: While the first time I was exposed to LCD Soundsystem I was pleasantly surprised, this time around I had a higher level of expectations, and though I found several of the tracks enjoyable, having to sit through 60+ minutes was a little taxing for me. It also dawned on me why I did like LCD Soundsystem the first time I listened to them, and that’s because they are, to a certain extent, a modern version of the Talking Heads… but only to a certain extent. Having said all this, I don’t understand why this band has 2 albums (I hope only 2) on the 1001 list… 3*

Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music

Ray Charles

4/5

The Good: An album title that tells it like it is! The Bad: that the modern sound is dated… The Ugly: That we are talking about C&W… Yeehaw… There isn’t much to say about an album for which much has been said already, except that I agree. The album is awesome. Ray Charles is the GOAT. The background singers are dated. It feels like you are listening to the soundtrack to a Disney movie. etc… Today was my maiden voyage listening to this album. I had seen the title here and there, but as I am not a C&W fan, and stupid, I never bothered to listen to it… and boy was I knocked on my socks. This album is awesome, and Ray Charles is the GOAT, and the background singers are dated, and it does feel like I you are listening to the soundtrack of a Disney movie, and it all makes sense… The only downside to this album is, you guessed it, a couple of songs too long… Soooooooooooooo close to 5*

Machine Head

Deep Purple

3/5

The Good: Machine Head is an awesome song by Busch! The Bad: This isn’t a Bush album… The Ugly: Realizing that Deep Purple, DP, is NOT a reference to a sexual act… What a treat this album has turned out to be… and to think that this is the second DP album that I’ve been presented on this here voyage. The musicianship on the album is excellent, the songs are great, the solos are delightful… and yet, no 5* because I need to be a little more critical… and I wish that the rating would be between zero and 10 stars… then this album would get a solid 7* For now, here is the undeserved 3* because it should be 4*, but that is what I gave Ray Charles’s album yesterday, and that wouldn’t be fair...

Achtung Baby

U2

4/5

The Good: this is the 4th U2 album to appear on the list, which should mean the last! The Bad: That there have been 4 U2 albums on the list, and oh so many other bands not even mentioned… The Ugly: THOSE FUCKING SUNGLASSES BONO STARTED WEARING!!! While listening to the album, my wife kept commenting that it all sounds the same… not the album, just U2 in general. Which begs the question why this is the 4th album on the list? I’ve mentioned it before, so I won’t say again that I am not a U2 fan… having not said that, and, believe it or not, never having listened to the album, it is amazing that I am familiar with more than 50% of the tunes on the album. Something that is impressive all on its own. Yet, if anything, what this album did for U2 was polarize the public where, up to The Joshua Tree, there were massive fanboys and the general public just appreciated the band, while a small group disliked them. When Bono put on the fly-eye glasses, the fanboys became accolades, and the rest of us just started really disliking anything U2, and that is shown by the comments on this album. However, we should be rating the albums for what they are, and if we enjoy listening to them… so, painfully, here’s 4* for a band I love to hate.

Nighthawks At The Diner

Tom Waits

5/5

The Good: First Tom Waits album on the list The Bad: The smirky giggle he does ones too often The Ugly: That the album is classified as Folk and Singer Songwriter Consider me a Tom Waits fanboy, which means I’d love to have a talk with all the people who give this album a 1* star, and complain about his voice… it is all an act, one large monologue almost, while playing the piano, and improvising… Pure poetry. Having said all that… not my favorite Tom Waits album. This is one where you really need to sit down, in an environment that oozes disconnect, with an ample supply of your favorite spirits… As a fanboy, I should give 5*… right? After all, there’s a blur drizzle down the plateglass, as a neon swizzle stick is stirring up the sultry night air...

Blur

2/5

The Good: any song that starts off by stating Who-ho! The Bad: being lazy and naming a song “song 2”… The Ugly: trying to understand if the album title is a reference to the band’s name, or bad eye sight, or just unfiltered beer? Yeah… so… Blur… not my cup of tea. 2 serious hits on the album, they are appreciated, and I was actually enjoying my second spin of the album, digitally speaking, until I got to the song Chinese Bomb and started thinking “what the fuck am I listening to?” Thankfully I spent the biggest part of the ‘90s not worrying about which Brit Pop band was bigger; Blur or Oasis, or any of the other wankers that were out there at the time, as I was gratefully enjoying the whole Grunge scene instead. Anyways, we are here to talk about this album, and I think I say enough with the following “it’s not bad, but isn’t great either, and in your heart you kinda know that, alothough it sounds alright, it’s actually just shite” Who-ho 3* downgraded to 2*

So Much For The City

The Thrills

2/5

The Good: Finally an album which is all about camping… The Bad: Oh, wait, it’s not about camping… The Ugly: So why are they sitting outside, with an RV? Guilty pleasure… that’s what comes to mind. Never really heard of The Thrills before, and when the first tune started playing I was wondering what all the real cowboys would think about their musical style being redone in falsetto… I mean, seriously? Then you read about the band, and find out that they are Irish, which explains a ton, because I seriously doubt an American group would have the balls to do what The Thrills have done, which is to gentrify the country… All of a sudden you find yourself starting to hum “Everybody’s Got To Have Plans…” and you curse those thrill-seeking bastards, sitting all glum outside of their RV, hiding songs in a 10-minute track which we’ll never listen to again... On my second listen, I realized that if the singer would have been Jakob Dylan, this would have been an awesome album, easily 4*... So, hitting this straight down the middle of a guilty-pleasure that I don’t want to admit to… 3* - 1* for the annoyance factor...

Rip It Up

Orange Juice

5/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a nice glass of orange juice? The Bad: That they could have added some gin… The Ugly: Guess naming your band Screwdriver wasn’t an option… What was in the water in Scotland in the late ‘70s to early ‘80s? I’ve had two Scottish bands, from that era, presented to me on this list, whom I’d never heard of before, and in both cases make me wish I could travel back in time and become a massive fan-boy! The other band being The Associates with their album Sulk! The production quality on this album is great, the sounds they generate are wonderful and something that would be hard to find today as there is a lack of heavy bass. And some of the invited musicians are just incredible—I can’t get enough of the saxophone solo at the end of I Can’t Help Myself! People write that they hear Talking Heads in the music, and I have to agree that there is definitely a similarity at times, and not to mention the fact that the opening track sounds like Chic more than anything… or the afro-beat on several of the tracks. I don’t know, I guess I am getting sentimental at an advanced age, yearning back to a time when the future, though gloom with nuclear threats from commie bastards, still looked bright enough to have one too many bands create great music… unlike the repetitive, uninspired crap that is generated on a conveyor belt and spat out at us via tik-tok or whatever them youngsters use today to get their fix in... Post Punk… what a treat!!! 5*

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

1/5

The Good: realizing that rappers know how to spell a name The Bad: realizing the size of one’s ego if you’ve got to spell out your nickname… The Ugly: trying to convince us of an innocence lost I don’t want to get all philosophical here, so I will keep this one short… I don’t like rap. Not that rap is bad, nor that I can’t enjoy a good rhyme, or “flow”… but give me a beat poet any day over this “look at the size of my dick, click, there goes Rick, with my gin-n-tonic” Do I know what it’s like to live in the ghetto? No. Do I find this album a good means to let me understand what life is like in the ghetto? If I use most rap albums of that era, then yes… and how grateful I am that I don’t live in the ghetto, or have to worry about a ghetto… but for the love of all, stop glorifying the shit, pretending it’s all cool and shit. And what’s with blow-job in the middle of it all? At the end of the day, if I go by words being used, and the flow, then I’ve heard it before, which might prove that B.I.G. is the goat, or it just might prove that there are only so many words that rhyme with gat, rat-a-tat, or dick, or bitch, or cold champagne… Also, you can’t have a background line stating “remember they used to thump, now they blast, right?” inferring the better days of the past, to then glorify carrying a gun and knowing how to use it… So, needless to say, this album is getting the best possilbe rating 1*

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

1/5

The Good: The irony that (half of) a gun manufacturer is telling us about murder The Bad: turns out The Smiths aren’t related to Wesson… The Ugly: realizing the PSA has nothing to do with veganism either… Yeah. Hurray! Finally, a The Smiths album. I have read that there are one too many The Smiths / Morrissey on this list, and I am yet another fan of music who hates listening to that whiny bastard… So there really isn’t much to tell. Johny Marr might be considered a great guitarist, I was never really familiar with his work, and this album did not blow me away. I knew plenty of people who were die-hard fans of The Smiths in the mid-80s, again, don’t count me amongst them. So, though I listened to the album, the album did not register with me at all, which means I have to give it a rating of 1* while keeping my fingers crossed that the next album will be a 5* delight!

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

2/5

The Good: I actually like the album cover, very nice! The Bad: Wishing the music on the album would reflect the cover… The Ugly: Vocals… Fucking Vocals… I need to be fair, I’ve given bands like The Associates great reviews, but that’s because I got the impression that the vocal abuse there made sense. Here, most of the time, I am just trying to figure it out. Hooting and Howling, is basically that phrase repeated over and over again… and this drilling into one’s unconscious, can either bring you into a trance, or make you wish you were sitting in a dentist chair instead. Yet, there is something here, and it’s difficult to point out exactly what it is. I guess I am a masochist? Allow me to reserve judgment till the album is done... Judgement is left at 2 1/2*

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

3/5

The Good: Andres 3000! The Bad: a double album… The Ugly: still not sure if the triple x on Speakerboxxx has additional connotations that would ensure for a rated X album. Though I am one who does not like rap… this album was something worth my time. Big Boi surprises with his first couple of tracks, laying down some great sampling, and bringing us rap that excludes the usual references to dicks et al Andre 3000 is just the perfect party host to make you wanna have some fun! Though this is not a double album experience that I will be repeating with frequency, I had a good time listening to it and will, when I remember, repeat it at least one more time the next 12 months 3*

The Black Saint And The Sinner Lady

Charles Mingus

4/5

The Good: a short little album of only 4 songs The Bad: that these songs combined are 40 mimutes long The Ugly: that we are left without any real knowledge of what happens between The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady… This is jazz… the kind that is hated by many, and adored by those who do. The kind of music which, like it or not, makes you pay attention while you are trying to figure out what the musicians are thinking. While playing on the background, time flew by, and that is a good thing. What I don’t know is if time would pass just as fast if I were actually paying attention to the music, as there is so much to pay attention to. Also, I am cheating here as I am catching up on several albums while I was away for a week, therefor unable to really get into this album… so let me play it a second time around and see what my second time around thoughts are… Liking it better second time around… odd… weird… wondering if I would get a headache if I’d listen to this with headphones on—this due to trumpets on one side, sax on the other… So, yeah, another jazz album done… 4*

Heartattack And Vine

Tom Waits

5/5

The Good: We’re given directions to the party! The Bad: Google Maps did not find the intersection… The Ugly: Me having to drink all the booze by myself, while wearing red pants, silver sparkle boots, and a ripped shirt Though there might be more, I will always stop and do my best to pay attention to any lyrics Tom Waits writes down… to them wonder what the hell he is on about! What an album! Every tune has it’s own little thing, except for track 2, being what it is. But I won’t let that track ruin the album’s rating at all. To those who can’t stand Tom’s voice; I feel sorry for you, as he’s really capable of invoking all levels of feelings. My favorite song “On The Nickle” will NOT make it to my 1001 playlist though, as I have decided to add Mr Siegal instead… who almost lost it against Downtown. So, here’s to Tom making my life better!!! 5*

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

2/5

The Good: Cloud 9 The Bad: Try figure out where the hell to find Cloud 9 The Ugly: Realizing that Clouds 1 through 8 are the same…. and yet not… This is the first time I am finding it difficult to write anything about an album… not that it is bad, but it certainly isn’t great, in my most humble of opinions. For me, The Temptations or R&B RoyalTY (yup, capital R, T and Y), so this funked out version just isn’t my thing. I get what the producer was after, and I understand how important it is to have raison d’etre, but come on… it’s The Who would just go Pop on you, or Motorhead switching to R&B rap because that is what De La Soul is doing… So, you can guess this album ain’t getting no 5* from me… they should feel happy with the 2* am about to dish out…

Da Capo

Love

4/5

The Good: Love, babay, Love! The Bad: Some might not like it… The Ugly: The Cape… always a bloody cape—where cape is slang for an 18 minute song... Never heard of these “cats” before. Not into ‘60s psychedelic anything specifically, but I can handle a dose of this, and a little of that. These guys gave me a dose of this, and a little of that, and added some of that other thing to boot, and I liked it! Except for the length of Revelation… it was about 10 seconds too long! Thoroughly enjoyable album. One that merits a third and fourth spin, and a repeat at least once a year. Still unsure which song is my favorite and to be added to my playlist, probably Seven and Seven Is… Can’t in good conscious give this album a 5* rating, this is for sure one of those 9* albums though… Oh so close!

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

3/5

The Good: The Fall is an excellent miniseries you can see on Netflix, starring Gillian Anderson! The Bad: Scan should be spelled Scam… The Ugly: Techno meets punk… This is a period of music where you can tell the difference between what EU was listening to versus the US… US was all about Grunge and Indie round about this time, where EU was embracing techno… I was not in the EU at that time… So what are my thoughts? Well, somehow I keep imagining me in the middle of a PlayStation game as many tracks on this album could fit perfectly in a race simulation game. Not an unpleasant experience… kind of got me mentally drunk! People bitch about the singer’s voice… sure, it could be seen as annoying, but he’s just playing his part, and when you take 3 steps back, you realize that the band, as a whole, is doing an excellent job in creating this landscape for you… also, any band that is able of covering “Lost In Music” and making you smile is doing a killer job! So, though I hate techno, I am forced to give this a 3.5* rating… pulled down to a 3* as 4* is for those close to 5*… what?

The Stone Roses

2/5

The Good: Jackson Pollock cover art! The Bad: Not finding the same kind of excitement in the music The Ugly: Stone Roses are just that; roses from stone, lacking beauty et al This album has been conflicting to a certain extent: I hadn’t heard it before, yet I do recall hearing about them… and then it dawned on me that, when I first heard of the name, i was confused by thinking they’d be like Guns & Roses or LA Guns… and they aren’t. Musically there is nothing wrong with the album at all, but the singer sounds too much like he belongs in a late 60s psychodelic band, or something like that, and I’ve gained a massive dislike for that kind of singing since starting my journey on this list. I don’t know… i feel bad for them, and for all the people who believe this is awesome, but it isn’t that, nor bad, it’s just grey—the color of a stone rose. 2 1/2*

Songs Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen

2/5

The Good: The title of the album is pretty straightforward, no room for doubt! The Bad: One could have opted for the alternative title “snooze-fest after about 3 minutes” The Ugly: Keep your sharp objects far away and hidden, for if not… Mr Cohen is, undoubtedly, a great song-writer. One of the best of his generation, potentially of a century. I know some great stand-up artist who never should have starred in a movie… Till today, I had never had to sit through an entire album by Leonard Cohen, and I think that, after today, I am uncertain I will want to repeat the experience—haven’t checked to see if he has more albums on this list. I can understand that there are people who are great fans of his, but his voice is boring for me, and his guitar playing starts pounding my head like a bad hangover… So, All the Sisters of Mercy, They are Not Departed or Gone, They are Waiting for Me When I Thought That I just Can’t Go ON… 2*

Rapture

Anita Baker

2/5

The Good: First ‘80s R&B album on the list The Bad: Rapture not being the best ‘80s R&B had in store, IMHO The Ugly: Having to sit through almost 40 minutes of this… Quiet Storm, that is what they call this genre… I did not know that, so I guess there is a positive to having to have sat through 40 minutes of near agony. Was it really that bad? No. For those of us who lived the ‘80s, we’ve all danced at least ones to Sweet Love, and probably made out to it, or better… so there is a bonus point for Mrs Baker! Yet I can’t but sit here and cringe while thinking how awesome the producers thought this record to be! Hey, why don’t you sing this bit about "three hundred sixty five days a year” like this, and then repeat it ad-nausea just so people can see how wonderful we are?!??!!!? Production wise it is through and through what the genre gave us, all the way through the mid ‘90s I’d say. Loads of treble, and mids, muted bass… I was listening to Aretha belting out “Do Right Woman” the other day, and I will take Mrs Franklin over Mrs Baker any day of the week… So, 2*, because it isn’t absolute crap, but I doubt I will be listening to this again soon.

Heroes to Zeros

The Beta Band

1/5

The Good: Self-Depreciation is a lovely thing! The Bad: When this turns out to be true… The Ugly: Were the Beta’s ever Heroes? Another one of those bands who’ve slipped my radar in the “naughties” because, let’s face it, most music that was published in that decade was not really worth much of our attention… So why is this album on the list? What am I missing here? There was 1 tune that made me look up and go “that sounds interesting”… 1 out of 12… that’s a massive Fail as far as I'm concerned. Now, I understand that there will be fanboys/girls of this band, with tattoos on their bodies to show off how cool they are… and I’d like to know what makes the Beta Band so special? Or why Heroes to Zeros needs to be included on this here 1001 list? Back in 2000 a band called 3 Doors Down released their freshman album The Better Life. These guys are NOT included in this list… and their album is lovely, and worth 4* easy… So why do I have to sit through another generic band that used this ridiculous sound as if we’re all standing in a valley—best analogy I can give for this reverbed distant singing style that was prevalent in the ‘00s—instead of some of the, if only few, albums that did come out in that period? 1*

Led Zeppelin IV

Led Zeppelin

5/5

The Good: Roman Numerals! The Bad: Where’s the X… The Ugly: wondering what kind of X-rated album would have a cover showing a man with a bunch of twigs… Is this the GOAT album? For many it certainly is, and when you think about it, that is one MASSIVE song to start an album off with… Hey hey mama! I am really at a loss for words today. Don’t know what to say about this album that hasn’t been said before. So, I will leave with this thought… 4 1/2* for me, but that’s because I am NOT a LZ fanboy! Damnit… have listened to the album three more times, and mother fuckers… this is one of the GOAT!

Treasure

Cocteau Twins

2/5

The Good: We’ve got Twins!!!! The Bad: No we don’t… The Ugly: We don’t have Cocteau either Being a child of the ‘80s, and a great fan of most of the music that has come from that decade of decadence, yuppies and the sky’s the limit, I was actually excited to dig into this album, as, believe it or not, I had never really listened to the Cocteau Twins before… And now I understand why they were not on my radar… This is not my kinda jam. This is not my kind of relax. This is not my kind of anything. There is one thing that I did notice, and that was that once I turned up the volume (to piss off my upstairs neighbor) I started noticing the multilayers of sound that are involved in this production… So, I am going to give this album a 2* and will add it to a list of albums I need to listen to with good headphones on. Because, just maybe, I might start enjoying this more...

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

The Good: We’ve got a Womack! The Bad: Not sure if he’s a poet… The Ugly: Wondering what happened… I saw this album pop up, so I instantly thought about Womack & Womack, and then I read the wiki page, and then I had to take some heroine, and hootch, and other assorted goodies to pretend like I hadn’t just read what I did… The Poet starts dating the widow of the late Sam Cooke, just shortly after the afore mentioned man is shot… then years later she boots him out the door when it turns out that he’s started an affair with the daughter of the widow… and then the daughter ends up marrying The Poets brother… While another one of his brothers dies when he’s stabbed in the neck by a jealous girlfriend… and… and… and… you just can’t make this shit up. So, the main elephant in the room here is the simple question of “Why is this album included?” It was what I was thinking when I started listening to it… also taking into consideration that The Poet released 12 albums before this one came to fruition. And then I started thining about all the shit albums I’ve had to listen to so far, and I figured that, if they’re going to include some soul music from the early ‘80s, then this ain’t a bad album to listen to. Songs are catchy, composition is tight, voice is lovely, so no complaints there. Yet, try finding this album in top list of Soul albums of 1980s… and I wish you the best of luck. Maybe the authors of the 1001 book know something that other are, so it seems, blind to… I am going to lump Bobby Womack together with Womack & Womack, and give the righteous score of 3*

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

1/5

The Good: terrible ‘80s pop-art over classic ‘70s pop-art? The Bad: that the music is worse than the pop-art… The Ugly: a boom-box with horns sticking out of it… I was unfamiliar this morning with this album, and I wish it had stayed that way… what utter crap. I know that there are people who can see the genius behind all this, even if half of the content is stolen—the amount of people screamin’ cultural misappropriation is enough to make me giggle! Anyway, for me, this is crap. Couldn’t enjoy it at all, so you know what that means… 1* for F

Gorillaz

1/5

The Good: We’ve got cartoons! The Bad: The music isn’t as cool as the cartoons… The Ugly: Realizing that guerrilla warfare does not apply well within the music industry! Some days you wake up and look forward to finding out what the next album is going to be… so I saw this, and my excitement disappeared like snowflakes in the sun. I never understood why so many people were excited with Gorillaz, granted, I did enjoy the cartoonesque aspect that the band had, where nobody was excactly sure who the members were. But that doesn’t take away the fact that it is shit 2000’s music, while it was mr Blur who decided that he needed to create better music than the crap that was being published back then… crap in, crap out. Anyway, I’ve spent too much time talking about me NOT liking this… 1*

evermore

Taylor Swift

1/5

The Good: ee cummings inspired title… The Bad: Most people don’t know E.E. Cummings The Ugly: How I wish they would not have used lower case on the title and soiled ee cummings memory… Never listened to a Taylor Swift album before in my life… can’t say that my life is better now that I have. Let me recap the experience: Hate Lo-Fi Don’t understand why many modern tunes feel like they need have lyrics as extensive as a short essay When did Indie music mutate into pop? I get that she’s the BIGGEST star ever; selling out stadium concerts like grandma’s apple pie. Yet I can’t but wonder why. Then again, it isn’t easy once you’ve reached the heights of popularity she has reached, having everything you do scrutinized by “experts” like me… So, here’s to Taylor Swift and her impressive career! 1*

Boy In Da Corner

Dizzee Rascal

1/5

The Good: Nice album art! The Bad: Grime… The Ugly: Still not understanding how to get rid of grime… WTF? The bad string of luck of the past week continues, worse, I am now on a 3-day run of 1* albums… How I wish that this app would stick to the original 1001 list which ran through the 1990’s and doesn’t include this modern crap. Also, I feel bad about my snobbery, as I fully understand that the young kids these days eat this shit up… Still… 1*

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

2/5

The Good: Chirping crickets… the soothing sounds of a mid-summer-night The Bad: who’d wanna listen to an album sung by insects? The Ugly: 12 songs crammed into a 26 minute album… Guess the producers understood that one doesn’t want to. listen to chirping crickets too long, so they made all the songs nice and short… I know that Buddy Holly is revered in the Rock ’n Roll world of the ‘50s, but I can’t but wonder if this is out of respect for his untimely death? If the man never hopped on that flight, and would have kept chirping with the crickets, would we all still be applauding him? For me, and I really like me some rock and roll, I would rather listen to Jerry Lee Lewis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard, or the great Fats Domino, instead of this… On a positive note, I’ve been humming the Weezer song all day! Ooh-wee-ooh, I look just like Buddy Holly… 2*

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

1/5

The Good: In case we get sick, there will be a doctor in the house! The Bad: this only applies if you get sick in your private parts… The Ugly: I’m not a girl… What in the actual FUCK!!!!!?????????!!?!?!?!??!?!??!? How many times does a rapper from the ‘90s have to mention Shakespeare as this will give his “poetry” more meaning? When will the NON OBVIOUS ABUSE of a thesaurus be rewarded? Why my personal abuse of many CAPS and !@!!!!, well, glad you asked… The last 7 albums, SEVEN albums, that I’ve had the DISPLEASURE of finding on this list has contained only 1 3*, 2 2*, which means 4 1*… and with this utter piece of useless TRASH that makes 5 1* Then again, I don’t like hip hop, nor really care for country, and those were the main genres I was forced to listen to… Here’s to tomorrow ROCKIN’ my socks off PLEASE 1*

Phrenology

The Roots

1/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a nice bit of phrenology? The Bad: Turns out that, according to phrenology, I don’t like rap… The Ugly: Just like phrenology is considered a pseudoscience, this album contains pseudomusic!!! Dear diary, what have I done to deserve this? my last 6 albums were, in order from oldest to newest reviewed, 1* 1* 1* 1* 2* 1*, and now I get this… I really tried finding stuff that I would like on the album, yet most of the time I could only think “why are they trying so hard to be something, instead of just being something?” I heard some almost blatant Prince rip-off, go listen to the song The Ladder (from the album Around the World In a Day) Then there’s the obvious “we’re from the hood too” shit that I just can’t stand Plus, I keep seeing that stupid Jimmy Fallon bobbin’ his head in line with the beat to show he’s got street credit too! Also, I HATE DRUM MACHINES… So, here’s to me praying for some actual music to show up tomorrow… even if it’s Taylor Swift… 1*

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

1/5

The Good: We get to play the ACRO game!!! The Bad: m b v does not stand for music become venerate The Ugly: realizing it stands for My But Vomit WTF? My string of crap albums continue… it is going to get boring to sum up, but 4 straight days of 1*, cut short by a 2* album, and now we are already on 3 straight days of 1* This album can best be compared to Chinese water torture, just replace the drip drip with fucking noise and unintelligible vocals. Nothing redeeming on this album for me. Nothing enjoyable… I am understanding why so many people bail on the project after a couple of hundred albums; they probably started getting such strings of bad luck too and said fuck it, I’m done!!! 1*

Siamese Dream

The Smashing Pumpkins

4/5

The Good: Aggressive vegetables!!! The Bad: I am more of a meat person… The Ugly: Trying to figure out where the Siamese Dream is attached? Okay, so the above is weak… but that’s because I don’t know what to say. Lately I have been dealing with terrible albums, so it has been a massive relieve to find this album presented to me. Not my favorite Pumpkin album, but who’s counting? Are the vocals annoying, sure. But there are people who can’t stand Kate Bush’s voice either… I’d argue to Corgan's voice is just what is needed for this music. Massive hits, this album was paramount in the ‘90s and definitely one that people need to hear before they die!!! Oh so close to 5* for me…

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

5/5

The Good: We are warned that the straits are dire… The Bad: Finding out there is nothing Dire about the Straits… The Ugly: having to sell off the outfit I purchased to travel the straits that were supposed to be dire… I know, I know, the above is not up to my usual standard of joviality, but I have a great reason for this, and that is that I’ve procrastinated writing this review for over a month… Why, you might ask? Well, reading the overall bashing that people are giving this album, I had to wait till I calmed down before lambasting all those fools I stumble over the use of the term “faggot” in the song Money For Nothing… This is a quintessential ‘80s album, it also just happens to be one of the greatest albums ever, easily Top-20. The Dire Straits were massive due to this album, even if there are fans of the band who believe that this is not their best album. For me, this album was my introduction to more guitar oriented music, and what a great teacher Mark K is… Yeah buddy, it’s his own hair… The title song is what it is, a 10. Walk of Life made everyone want to tune into MTV just to see the video, another 10. Sting jumpin’ in to lend a hand, another 10. The opening track a perfect intro, you guess it, another 10. And then there are the fillers, who, IMHO, all deserve a 9 or 10… You guessed it, 5* and to all those cry babies who can’t stand 1 word being used… pay attention to the lyrics, you ignorant fools, and maybe you will learn something.

Come Away With Me

Norah Jones

3/5

The Good: Norah Jones inviting you to go somewhere with her! The Bad: Once you get there, you find out that she didn’t invite you for that… The Ugly: Having to find your way home… Ahhh, Norah, what a treasure. From the same alma matter where I got my education… When the single of this album hit, I really liked it… then, one evening, I was invited to my brother’s house for dinner, and he had this album on as back ground music, and I found out that, though I do appreciate the effort, I find listening to the entire album near torture… Sadly, this means that I can’t give this album a higher rating than a 2* However, I do like 1 too many songs on this album… so I will just pretend like I appreciate torture, bumping the score to a 3*

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

3/5

The Good: It’s always nice when the man comes around! The Bad: Except when you’re not ready for the visit… The Ugly: Guess the man won’t come around no more… What? Johnny Cash? Singing [mostly] other people’s tunes? In his style? And everybody loves it? I’d heard about Hurt. Always wondered about what happened to his career, as he’d stopped being a lead actor, and started doing supporting roles… Oh wait, not that Hurt… Johnny Cash is an icon. Almost everyone in born until 1990 will most likely know of him, after that, well, I guess we can blame Joachim Phoenix for that… Myself, I have never understood the persona. Not a fan of his work. But that sure as shit was a nice cover of Bridge Over Troubled Water! So, 3*

Rust In Peace

Megadeth

2/5

The Good: Thrash Metal The Bad: Mustaine’s voice… The Ugly: What happens to the genre once you remove the first h in Thrash… Not a metal head. Appreciate the guitar though… Still, there isn’t a single metal record which I would play on repeat, so I will dish out the low-low score of 2* as I don’t hate it, but I can’t find myself to like it enough for a middle of the road kind of judging...

KE*A*H** (Psalm 69)

Ministry

2/5

The Good: well, I guess that we’ve got a puzzle. The Bad: I am too tired to try and solve it. The Ugly: my brain, being sneaky, still trying to solve the riddle of the title… Industrial Metal! Yesterday I had Thrash Metal… What kind of Metal will I get tomorrow? More importantly, why are there so many Metal subgenres? I have to say that I appreciate this more than Thrash… I don’t know why. But I’d rather listen to NIN instead… So, this album will not get additional play time for me, and I will keep my fingers crossed and hope that tomorrow brings me something I can stick my teeth in! 2*

Roots

Sepultura

2/5

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

4/5

The Good: George Clinton The Bad: George Clinton The Ugly: George Clinton I could have sworn that this album had appeared on the list before, however, it seems that the maggots are in my brain… I didn’t like it… I didn’t dislike it… Main problem I had with this album was that, when listening to it for a second time, it started to drag on me… Still, I am going to be a bastard and give the album 4*...

Come Find Yourself

Fun Lovin' Criminals

3/5

The Good: We are invited on a treasure hunt! The Bad: What would happen if you can’t find yourself? The Ugly: Worse, what happens when you do find yourself, and FLC show??? They are criminals after all… I don’t like rap… I think I’ve been clear about this. However, these Fun Lovin’ Criminals have done the impossible, and made me enjoy the album enough NOT to score them below 3* The Scooby Snacks is just lovely. The overall blend of musical styles, as well as the lovely fact that we are hearing actual instruments being used, well; lovely. So, though I will downgrade them, this is a 3 1/2* fo-sho!!!

You Are The Quarry

Morrissey

2/5

The Good: Nothing really… The Bad: Everything, really… The Ugly: I found out I did not hate it… Current tally: The Smiths albums heard on the list = 1 Morrissey albums head on the list = 2 (included this one) I dread the next one I need to listen to… as I really can’t stand Morrissey’s voice… I am the quarry, of coal… stinking, rough coal… with no outlook of becoming a diamond… But I did not want to slice my wrists while listening to this, so I will be gentle and allow for a 2* rating

Remain In Light

Talking Heads

4/5

The Good: Talking Heads!!! The Bad: Sometimes we don’t really want heads to be talking… The Ugly: Remaining in light can become tiresome… I do appreciate me some Talking Heads! The album was nice, but not one of my favorites… all this world music vibe isn’t what I was waiting for. Anyway, it does merit to be on this list for sure, and will give it another spin soon!

Machine Gun Etiquette

The Damned

2/5

The Good: it seems there is an etiquette to machine guns… The Bad: does it makes sense that it’s the damned who tell us about this etiquette? The Ugly: due to the stutter, I am still clueless as to what the etiquette is! For those of you who don’t understand the stutter comment before… what sound does a machine gun make? Right. ‘70s punk. 11 songs on a 36 minute album. 1-2 1-2-3-4 Is it good? Sure. Is it bad? Sure. Is it something that needs to be heard before one dies? Well, if the list is over a 1000 albums, it might just be needed… I guess… 2* because it did make me feel like I was wasting my time

A Short Album About Love

The Divine Comedy

1/5

The Good: It’s a short album… The Bad: One would hope that love would get more attention The Ugly: This is album isn’t short enough, divine enough, and it made me cry… What a heaping pile of absolute horseshit. If I would want to listen to music that emulates, in the worst possible way, crappy ‘70s music, I would play crappy ‘70s music, instead of this pile of excrement. I am seriously starting to doubt the fucking sanity of the author of this list, or his taste… Overlooking some massive albums from the ‘90s, yet including things that are “different” in the hopes that 4 people will actually like it and maybe go visit a show in a bingo-parlor when The Divine Comedy has paid for the right to make us want to gauge our ears with sharp-ended pencils… Should not come as a surprise that I give this 1*

Gasoline Alley

Rod Stewart

2/5

The Good: We’re going to get rich in with the gasoline we found in the alley… The Bad: Turns out that Mr Steward, nay, Sir Stewart, has fooled us all by replacing the gasoline with water… The Ugly: After having read wikipedia, I can’t unsee the rod in Rod… Well this was a lovely waste of my time. We’ve got Rod, we’ve got Ronnie, and we’ve got loads of mellow cover-songs that would do great in a pub, but I don’t know how they’d go over in a stadium. Not that the music is bad; just that the music is bland most of the time, and in comparison with contemporary artist, not worth my time. So I ask again… why am I being forced to listen to this album? The answer is simple: there really aren’t that many great albums out there! Which is making start to appreciate my favorite albums even more! 2* for effort, and for Ronnie

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

The Good: We find out that The Stranger isn’t strange The Bad: We feel jibbed out of getting to know someone new The Ugly: … I got nothing What a great album. What a pity so many people are comparing him to a not so great version of Elton John, or stating that he had nothing to do with Rock n Roll or what not. Billy Joel might not have the character one would call down-to-earth, but then again, how many people have been married to a super model, or managed to be one of the first western acts to have a concert broadcast from the USSR, or publish albums that cover pop, rock, and even classical music, to holding court at Madisson Square Garden for years with a monthly concert? Say what you may, Billy Joel is one of the greatest to ever grace the stage with his artistry!

Haunted Dancehall

The Sabres Of Paradise

1/5

The Good: Music in a dancehall… The Bad: seems the dancehall is haunted… The Ugly: figuring out that the sabers of paradise are there to aid in ending one’s life!!! I recall hearing “trance” music the first time; it put me in a trance, for sure… Then I made the decision that trance was not for me, and now I’ve been forced to listen to it again. So, get 4 babies to bang on some pots while you record the sound, then head into your basement, or attic, and load those sounds into your garageband software, then just create a short sequence, repeat it a thousand times, and you have 1 song, which, as fate will have it, sounds almost identical to all the other 13 songs on this here record. 1*

I See You

The xx

1/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a little x-rating? The Bad: It doesn’t refer to that kind of x-rating… The Ugly: Me all ready… WTF? Do we get a medal when we are done? My respect for those who’ve managed to finish this list grows on a daily basis, as I am starting to lose interest on a daily basis when I realize that I am still not at the 1/3rd mark. Yet, then again, this does give great testimony that music is really important to us, as it controls our mood, our outlook on the day, and our general impulses to shout at a computer screen when another shit album is unveiled… I had heard their most popular tune pass on the radio… this was, obviously, a while ago, as I haven’t really been listening to the radio in years; thanks to bluetooth connection, and/or android auto in the cars. No wonder there is a generation of youths walking around all gloom and doom, not seeing that there is a future out there, or wondering if they will ever get lucky? The xx see them… so they say. I wonder if they will see this 1* rating?

Definitely Maybe

Oasis

3/5

The Good: Uncertainty abounds… The Bad: Well, maybe… The Ugly: Being reminded that we are old farts… I would give tons to be able to go back in time, relive the ‘90s, party my ass off, maybe pay a little more attention in class, or which concerts to attend! My musical pallet was NOT up for Oasis, probably because I was into other sounds; grunge and Texas Roadhouse mainly, Britpop, however, was lacking. Sure, Oasis has nice guitar sound, and melodies are great too. But that fahkin’ annoying voice… Also, I was living on the other side of the pond where people couldn’t really give a rats ass about Oasis or Blur or any of the wankers that believed they were the second coming of John Lennon. If I would not know the provenance of this album, just have to listen to this with “cold” ears, for the very first time, I would not change my mind… This album is not for me, and the vocals are one of the main reasons. So, am I looking forward to other Oasis albums? No. Will I hail this album as great? No. Should this album be on the list? Well, fucking YES… but that doesn’t take away the fact that I will do my best at lowering the average rating as I can’t in good faith give this album more than a 5/10, which I am up-grading to a 3*

Bad Company

3/5

The Good: self-titled albums always ensures that you know who the band is! The Bad: that it seems we might not want to hang with this crowd… The Ugly: Nothing really… which is a shame… Technically speaking, this album is a straight 5* rating; great musicians, over 50% of the album are considered classic rock anthems, and the album cover isn’t half bad either… Yet, having read some of the comments, it is true that the music comes over as bland. Seems this album only works well if you are in the right environment: party, booze, people actually laughing at your jokes… I am therefor left with a slight conundrum of a decision: how many stars should this album get? Straight down the middle my friends, straight down the middle… Here’s to Bad Company till the day we die! 3*

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

4/5

The Good: There’s nothing Little about this Richard!! The Bad: This means that we are being lied to… The Ugly: Realizing this is not a pr0n name… What is there to say about this album that has not been said before? It is full of classic tunes, and gratefully they don’t last too long either. Why the gratitude? Well, though Little Richard has showmanship and style, it kind-a starts irritating after a while… Just like you don’t want to listen to Axl Rose belt more than 2-3 songs in a row, before the ahw-a-ahw starts to make you want to punch the next person you see in the groin, the same can be said about the “WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” that LR belts out. So, I remember buying this album in the early ‘80s as I was discovering the origins of Rock ’n Roll, and I loved it… today, I tapped my toe, and enjoyed the ride, however, unlike Fats Domino or Louis Prima, I found this album to not knock me off my feet. 4* stars as I do fully understand the importance of this record in the grand scheme of things...

Rocks

Aerosmith

3/5

The Good: No question about what kind of music this album is about The Bad: Rock turns to funky pop almost… The Ugly: ST screamin’ “Bahhkkk” I gave Toys in the Attic 4*… this is not a good follow up album… in my opinion. As a matter of fact, I decided to see which albums were released in 1976, and holy moly, that was one serious year in music! I did enjoy the listening experience for this album, it is rock, and has some funk to it, and thankfully the album progresses well after the opening track, which was annoying me due to the Bahhhhkkkk screachin’ constantly. So, 3 1/2* downgraded, as this album does not come near to Toys...

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols

Sex Pistols

5/5

The Good: it is more than clear who the band is! The Bad: misinterpretation of the band’s name… The Ugly: realizing that, adding balls to it, is the total package… What a total joy of an album this has been. I’m no fan of punk really, kind of find it annoying most of the time… but this record… I don’t know, maybe it was the moment I was in while listening to it? I was expecting me to want to skip through every song after a minute, but not here… Having said that, I am a little conflicted about which score to give this album… technically speaking it would not be on a list of albums I could listen to a couple of times a year. I should give it 4* … yet, let’s analyze: most people have heard of the band, and certainly most people have seen the art work of the album cover, and considering this is the only album The Sex Pistols every released… 5*

D.O.A. the Third and Final Report of Throbbing Gristle

Throbbing Gristle

4/5

The Good: a throbbing gristle… The Bad: it is dead on arrival… The Ugly: once dead, it’s just a gristle… What the hell did I just listen to? And what is a gristle? Anyone who enjoys Pink Floyd circa Dark Side of the Moon, or The Wall, will enjoy this… I know I did. Do I find this industrial? Not really… unless I am mistaken about what industrial is all about. I will have to give this several more listens to get a better idea if these gentlemen are pure genius, or they just realized that stealing is a nice art-form too! For now, I will happily give this album 4*

The Coral

3/5

The Good: Coral is the indication on how the oceans are doing The Bad: it seems the oceans are not doing too well, as this coral is bland The Ugly: that, again, we have a band who’s incapable of coming up with an original album title… First listen was a “what the fuck is this doing on the list!!!…!!..!..!?????!??!” and then towards the end of the album I found myself starting having fun… So by the second listen I could understand that there are people who enjoy this… just count me out of being one to herald this as must hear before I die. If this band would have figured out what style they were going to emulate, maybe the overall experience would have been more enjoyable. However, the now we are this, then we are that, then we sing a little like this, and watch what I can do here that, just doesn’t make one pay too much attention. However, no knives came close to my wrists, so chalk this up to another experience… 2 1/2* upgraded

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

The Good: We’re all about health today! The Bad: Seems the running is not based on health… The Ugly: That sad world which “poor” Boss lives in… Third album on the list by the Boss, not bad… though I don’t like the Boss… maybe because he likes to be called the Boss? Born to Run always reminds me of that this lovely interpretation by Robert Wuhl https://youtu.be/8sbhGggvCRI?feature=shared&t=113 It’s a death trap! A suicide rap! The great Clarance blows his sax, probably some of his greatest work. The entire E-street Band is just stellar… but the damn piano, especially on the opening track, is enough to want to make one become Tony Soprano and just cause pain… I am of the “I hate the Boss” side, as opposed to the “I heart the Boss” side, as there is no “I am indifferent to the Boss” side. However, undeniable that this album is as close to a masterpiece that he’s ever come. A solid 4* as I did enjoy the listen, just can’t give him the full 5 as I don’t belong to that side...

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

3/5

The Good: We’ve got RnR royalty… The Bad: Again… The Ugly: Seems that country is very RnR too… What really is a Beggars Banquet? I mean, wouldn’t “Soup Kitchen” be a better term? Or… is it possible that the Stones knew they needed to reserve the word “Soup” for another album? I like the Stones, I’ve never seen a full concert live, but I’ve been to a couple—long story, for another day. I love Sympathy For The Devil, it is my standard road-trip kick-off song since the mid ‘90s. I can handle Street Fighting Man, a staple of music soundtracks… The rest of the album, well, I guess that’s where the Beggars come into play, as they can’t be choosers… This is the third album by the Stones which has presented itself on this list, and I am still keeping my fingers crossed that my favorite album shows up… cause if it doesn’t, well, then this list is just lacking in great music. I gave Exile On Main Street 5* I gave Let It Bleed 4* I give Beggars Banquet 3* and I’m being generous here...

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

3/5

The Good: A colorful album! The Bad: Wait, it is only the coat that is colorful! The Ugly: Wait again, it seems that the colors on the coat are nothing to be happy about… Wow… Don’t know what to say, except, I repeat; Wow. And that is not meant in the WOW, that was great… more like, wow, I always knew that CaW is all about misery, yet the “lord” will come and set you free. Not my cup of tea. Not what I needed today. Musicianship on the album is tight, songwriting is tight, vibrato in the voice is a little too much to bare after a while, and one can’t but wish that we’d be sitting on a porch somewhere, chewing tobacco, while sipping some moonshine out of a clay jug and watch cousin Jethro do a jig… I think that I should give the album a second spin, but maybe not on a dreary day, when the sun isn’t coming out, and sharp objects are too close to my exposed wrists. Though gut tells me I should give this 2*, I will grant it 3* due to Dolly being Dolly!

Cut

The Slits

3/5

The Good: Boobs!!! The Bad: They are kind of muddy… and there’s a slit... The Ugly: The injury that could give you, mud in a cut… not good, better call a doctor! It’s not bad. It’s not great. It’s just what it is… However, someone is going to have to answer me this: why do so many German singers of the female kind have the need to sing with such an aweful baritone? Just like what’s her face that joined Warhol’s crew; Nico. Anyway, to tell you the truth, I was kind of enjoying it as background music, so that’s worth something I guess. Call this one a line-drive straight down the middle, which will land us on first base and only allow us to think about stealing to second so we can fondle some muddy breasts… what? 2 1/2*

The Slim Shady LP

Eminem

3/5

The Good: it’s a Long Play! The Bad: which is a lie… as this came out as a CD… The Ugly: The Slim Shady CD sounds like a covert government agency… Hi, my name is… and what an impact that song had on those who were not that much into rap back in the ‘90s Maybe more people tuned in as MM is white? Maybe more people tuned in as MM did skits in his videos? Whatever the reason might have been, MM showed up out of nowhere and people paid attention. Now, rap still isn’t my thing, but the way that MM rhymes is third to none, as second to none is Jacques Brell.. you might want to look him up. What do I give this LP? I don’t know… I liked some stuff, didn’t like some other stuff… 3* down the middle...

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

4/5

The Good: We are given pieces of the sky! The Bad: Sometimes, the sky, is vast and even a piece is too much… The Ugly: When one starts choking on the pieces… To think that I worked for a company which made a signature guitar for this lady, and I never did bother listening to any of her music… So, now I have. And I can state that, though her voice is purdy to say the least, it is too much honk-ee-tonk for me. Should one have a little party, this could serve more than ample as background music though… So, straight down the middle, as I don’t want to pull the lady down. 3* Edited… all of a sudden Boulder to Birmingham starts playing… damnit. 4*

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

4/5

The Good: We’re keeping it in the family! The Bad: Shouldn’t it be Sisters Sledge? The Ugly: Well… it’s disco music! Holy shit! Though I dreaded having to listen to it, as the wikipage reminded me that this is just a clone of Chic, I was really happy with the experience as these ladies do a much better job than Chic ever did—this is my opinion, for what it's worth. Album just flew by, not really a single song that I did not like… and boy oh boy the amount of hits is impressive. So, here’s to the sisters and their short-lived success 4 1/2*

Foo Fighters

2/5

The Good: We’ve got Dave Grohl The Bad: the Foo Fighters are a band, not a one-man piece of entertainment… The Ugly: you guessed it… another album named after the band, which in this case, isn’t a band… When this album came out, I did not really pay much attention to it, though I did enjoy the music video a lot! Just listening to the drumming on this album, it is so basic, and many of the songs just kind of exist to fill space. I really appreciate Dave Grohl, for all he did with Nirvana, the Foo Fighters, or just in general. This album, I could have skipped it, which makes me sad… I do hope that The Color and The Shape is included in this list, because that album is an easy 4* This one, hardly a 3*

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

1/5

The Good: We’ve been warned that we are playing with Fire… The Bad: That we still aren’t sure who the third spaceman is… The Ugly: That aliens still don’t know how to communicate with us as their grammar sucks; it is 3 Spacemen First song made me think “Shit”, second song made me listen a little more attentively, song 3 (see what I did there!!???!?!) made me think “Shit” again… There was a song that I actually liked, but by the time I was over 1 hour into this experiment of sound, I had totally forgotten about it. Is there a reason that I have to listen to a 2 hour album of noise? Is there something in the noise which will make me see the light? Is there something which Spacemen 3 want me to know except that I’ve lost time and a couple of hairs today? I am reaching 30% on this musical journey, and my patience is starting to wear thin, or my ears are starting to become too critical. Where I used to listen to music at least 4 hours a day, I am finding that this is now becoming limited to the album of the day, and then 1 album from my 5* list just to wash away the bad taste in my mouth. Here’s to my crossed fingers hopen for a stellar album today!

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

3/5

The Good: We drink as much milk as we want to! The Bad: That it isn’t Doctor Beefheart who’s telling us that… The Ugly: Realizing that we’ve been tricked by magic… Ry Cooder… He’s alright. To an extent. Then, he ain’t… I’d say that the first couple of tracks were straight forward, no nonsense, blues. After that, we don’t know what to call it. The fun part about participating in this little experiment of 1001 albums, is that we start becoming more critical while we are listening to anything. The bad part about participating in this little experiment of 1001 albums, is that we start fearing the unknown on the list, as there is too much forced weirdness, and not enough “this is awesome”… 2 1/2*

Zombie

Fela Kuti

3/5

The Good: we know the singer is a he, cause he’s a fellah The Bad: we did not need to know he’s a cuty too, besides, that’s only for mothers to know… The Ugly: realizing that this cute fellah will be devoured by zombies in no time… African style jazz. For me neither here, nor there. Yet, I can understand that Fela did not have it easy and that he used his music as a way to place attention to a horrid situation. But we are here for the music, not the politics… and though I found the music palatable, I was kind of glad when the 4th song was done… Run of the mill rating for me… 3*

I Should Coco

Supergrass

3/5

To be reviewed later... Not bad, not great either

Devotional Songs

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan

3/5

The Good: It’s all about devotion… The Bad: In a language I don’t understand… The Ugly: a double album… There really isn’t too much one needs to say about this album, except that the rhythm and cadence can bring you into a lull and make time fly. As it is impossible to know what Nusrat is trying to tell us, I will go by him, most likely, wanting there to be world peace! Maybe, at some point, I will listen to this album again, for now, straight down the middle 3*

My Generation

The Who

3/5

The Good: it is my generation! The Bad: if my generation is their generation! The Ugly: which is not my generation… and that is why there is stuttering on the record! Don’t know what to think, or say, about this record. It isn’t bad, but it isn’t my thing either. I do really like the song My Generation, so that’s a bonus… However, I am not the kind of person who’d listen to a The Who album over and over, so I will run of the mill them at 3*

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

5/5

The Good: We are going on a roadtrip! The Bad: Destination is hell... The Ugly: We packed for a ski trip... My wife has the title song as her ringtone, needless ti say I am familiar. However, I had forgotten about the other songs, and what a lovely trip this has been. I agree with many who state that Touch Too Much is the best track in the album, however, too many great songs IMHO Easy 5*

Something/Anything?

Todd Rundgren

2/5

The Good: It isn’t nothing! The Bad: Still don’t know if it is something… The Ugly: Wasn’t really hoping for anything… Is it easy listening? Is it pop? Is it Rock? Is it experimental? Todd needs to make up his mind, that’s for sure. I am grateful that he’s been able to totally explain to me what hiss sounds like! In good faith I can’t score this album higher than 2 1/2*, and because he’s unsure as to what the album is, that means a downgrade…

Halcyon Digest

Deerhunter

2/5

The Good: We’ve got an Oscar winner! The Bad: It did not win an Oscar for best musical score… The Ugly: It did not get nominated for a Grammy either… I’ve said it once, I will say it twice, and might even repeate it thrice to bring across the message: not much good has been produced post 2000s, and this album, IMHO, proves my words to be wise and true… Why do I have to listen to this “sonic exploration” of the “Indie canon”? The previous according to music critics… who also happened to rank this album as #3 between 2010-2014 according to Pitchfork… well, if they didn’t rank the album Albatross #1 the list is absolute garbage. So, Lo-Fi… not my thing. Deerhunter, not my jam. Halcyon Digest, after three listens, not to be listened to ever again. 2* for effort, as I reserve 1* for Rap...

Slayed?

Slade

4/5

The Good: An inquisitive album title! The Bad: Wondering who’d like to know if we have been slayed… The Ugly: realizing that it was a misspelling and should have read “Laid?” Setting aside the obvious double-entendre, and the fact that at first listen this album is a little difficult to get through if you are not in the right mindset, all in all it ended up being an enjoyable treat, thanks in great part due to Janis J! Yes, when the song Move On started playing is when I started to pay closer attention… Still, though the album was not too shabby, and my rating of the album will be a 4* (yes, that is a spoiler alert), I can’t but wonder why it has been included on this here list? Do you have to hear Slade before you die? Well, unless one has been in a coma every Christmas season of one’s life, one will have heard Slade with their Christmas song ad-nausea...

Stankonia

OutKast

4/5

The Good: They warn us where we are heading… The Bad: What if we aren’t about the Stank? The Ugly: Feeling like an outcast listening to an Outkast album… I do my very best to always push down on Rap… but for me, Outkast, and more importantly Andre3000, isn’t rap. Outkast is funk the way that Flea from RHCP explained what funk is all about: mixture of fun and fuck… Anyway, can’t give the album a 5* because it is a little on the long side for me… but, I did have a funky time, so here’s to their 4*

With The Beatles

Beatles

5/5

The Good: We know who we are with… The Bad: What happens if we suffer from entomophobia? The Ugly: Being left without the Beatles… I was NOT looking forward to listening to this album… not because of who they are, but more because the album cover warned me that this could be a little too campy… Boy was I wrong! Again these four freaks from Liverpool prove they are the GOAT, and I really do my best to not like them. There weren’t too many songs on list that looked familiar to me, so you spin the album (stream… sorry) and you realize that you’ve heard almost all of them before… Whether or not it is in movies, or tv shows, or just on the radio… And the tunes are wonderfully short, so even if you aren’t enjoying a tune too much, it is over before you can say “what the fuck am I listening to?”!!! FUCKERS 5*

Vauxhall And I

Morrissey

2/5

The Good: We are going on a road trip, in a Vauxhall! The Bad: I am more of an Opel kind of guy… The Ugly: the flat tire we got 3 minutes in… Somewhere there is a parallel universe in which I appreciate Morrissey, just haven’t found that universe. So, I need to be grateful that this is the 4th album that includes his vocal shenanigans for me to not enjoy… 2* because I am gangster like that...

Bert Jansch

2/5

The Good: You guessed it; an album named after the artist! The Bad: Nobody knows how to properly pronounce the name… The Ugly: Nobody cares… With all the lists that are floating around in the world, I still need to fully understand why this album needs listening to? It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t great. The style has been done by others, and much better. Chalk the experience up to one which, though definitely preferred over rap, can be skipped with ease… 2*

Larks' Tongues In Aspic

King Crimson

3/5

The Good: The sound a lark can make with it’s tongue! The Bad: Aspic acts as an irritant, not a soothing agent… The Ugly: That the lark was being choked while singing… This was a first and, honestly speaking, one that I was kind of looking forward to, as I am a fan of Pink Floyd, and was curious to see what the real prog rock founders sound like. This is not a first where, it becomes obvious, that one needs to really take the time to listen to some of these albums prior to making a judgement call. This album, for example, at first listen, gets a 2* rating, potentially lower, depending on your state of mind. Regretfully, I haven’t had the chance to sit down and really listen to this album so that I can properly form a judgement… So, as I am certain that the oddness factor of this album will be something to intrigue me down the road, I will reserve a 3* rating, and, once I’ve had the proper time to listen to this album, hopefully, I will re-rate this… but don’t hold your breath.

The Doors

3/5

The Good: Straightforward song naming; the last one on the album is called “The End”! The Bad: Yes, a self-titled album, and it’s a freshmen endeavor! The Ugly: It seems like the ‘60s are giving the 00’s a run for their money… I was excited to see this album pop up, especially considering that I have already had to sit through 2 The Doors albums and I was craving Break on Through… So yeah, three massive songs, escorted along by several songs I, quite frankly, never need to hear again… Does this album belong on the list: YES! Will this album get plenty of replay by me: NO!!! 3*

Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Red Hot Chili Peppers

5/5

The Good: 4-words make up the band name, and the album name! The Bad: Trying to decipher the meaning of the album title without reading the wiki page… The Ugly: Finding out that the album title is but a rouse… Back in the days when I was a younger me, and when one actually had a “record” collection, actually heading out and buying an album was a normal thing. RHCP did not fit in my record collection in the ‘80s, though I was made aware of them by a friend of mine, and it wasn’t till this “album” “dropped” in the early ‘90s that I, along with thousands of others, started paying attention to RHCP. I was in college, and another buddy of mine had bought the CD, and we would play this album start to finish daily, multiple times on the weekend, it was the soundtrack for 1992 I guess you could say. And 1992 was a good year for me… Then, as life moves on, one stops listening to one album, and one startsm listening to other albums, and maybe other genres, and one forgets about certain albums. About a year or two ago, prior to me starting this little 1001 experiment, I bumped into “Under The Bridge” on a auto generated playlist, and decided to give the album a whirl… and truth be told, I can’t recall the experience being special… Yesterday, when this iconic album cover greeted me in the morning, I wasn’t sure what to think… and then I played the album, and I found myself sitting in my buddies car, while driving around time, talking about stupid shit that youthful people talk about, and a massive smile crossed my face. Blood Sugar Sex Magik isn’t the greatest album in the world, however, it marked the early ‘90s, it put RHCP on the map, for better or for worse, and I have played it 3 times already today! 5* (upgraded from 4 1/2*)

White Light / White Heat

The Velvet Underground

3/5

The Good: Smooth public transportation! The Bad: Finding out that, on this underground, there isn’t anything velvet, just a bunch of annoying travels living in their own sphere… The Ugly: The white light intensifying photophobia for those who suffer from that… I am about 1/3rd into this list, and I believe this is my first Velvet Underground, or, as the hip cats call them VU. Couple of things which have become clear to me: I am not a hip cat I don’t understand hip cat music It is becoming increasingly clearer to me that the author of this list is a hip cat with so-so taste in music—that is a personal opinion, however, based on the amount of people who start this journey to only bail-out before having rated 100 albums is astonishing Anyway, I am in it for the long run… Regarding the album; first time I listened I was paying closer attention to work related things and had this on the background, and the experience was not a bad one, while the second time I paid closer attention to the album and the last song just about killed my nerves… What was interesting, at least, was how the album just starts—I believe this to be the first time and the experience is very interesting. Overall, I will give the album a 3* because the noise at the end, the song which all the hip cats swoon over, is the one that makes me want to punch a pencil into my ear after 1 minute, knowing there are 16 minutes of that annoying noise left to listen to.

Tracy Chapman

5/5

The Good: Album named after the artist… again The Bad: Nothing really… The Ugly: I am not going to say it… Like most people of my generation, we heard Fast Car first, and then we probably heard one more tune of the album, and then we forgot about Tracy… Paint me pleased and happy when I listened to this album from start to finish… Though I don’t like songs that are too political, Tracy just get’s away with it. The songs, as many have pointed out in their ratings, have stood the test of time… and even regretfully, it seems that Tracy was not able to make much of an impact on how society treats its citizens… Personally, I feel bad that I never really paid attention to Tracy her work, and I am glad that this is, rightfully so, on this list, as it will now be part of my 5* list for sure! Go on Tracy, tell me about the revolution!

Licensed To Ill

Beastie Boys

3/5

The Good: We’ve been given green light to be sick! The Bad: Turns out that this license has been revoked… The Ugly: Trying to shake off our “ill” feelings… Back in high school, my buddy and I started a hip hop thing, cause we be all cool like that… I forget what we called ourselves, though I am sure that it my name had Double something in it, and his was Triple … Anyway, silly teenage stuff, trying to do body pops, and break dancing, and “browning”, at least, that is what my buddy called the foot shuffly dancing thing… Anyway, he was the one who would buy hip-hop records, and I would be the one listening to it and trying to figure out if there was a future in it for this double something. Now, you know I am no fan of rap, but there are exceptions to this rule, like Public Enemy and Eminem, yet the Beasty Boys, for me, have always been something that wanted to be more then it actually was. This album proves how primitive hip-hop was back in the day, however, it was also filled with a more positive outlook on life, unlike that gangsta shit that followed soon… Going to rank this straight down the middle as I had fun listening to this album for memories sake, but probably won’t be listening to this anytime soon again… 3*

The Good, The Bad & The Queen

3/5

The Good: Duh, an album named after the band… The Bad: That the band stole my concept… The Ugly: Do I have to spell it out? What can I say about this album? I had never ever heard of these guys before, and when I clicked the “Wikipedia” button and started seeing the bands Blur and Gorrilazzzz show up, my heart sank, as I am fan of neither. So color me happily surprised with this mellow album, that is easy on the ears, and a great filler of space when you are just doing some work. Sonically, I guess, just fine… just nothing special either. 3*

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

The Good: We’ve got the Beach Boys! The Bad: Very little beach included here… The Ugly: Boys… what about aging men? I am not judging this album based on the lyrical content—I know one too many persons who don’t pay attention to lyrics, instead they listen to the music…—which means that this album, from a musical standpoint, is your basic “easy listening” you could expect to hear in a department store as you are picking out your next pair of socks. Is the album bad? No… and it contains some whistling, which is always preferred over crying… Is the album good? No… and that is just my opinion. Off to rate this album so that I can find out what joyful album awaits me today… hopefully The Black Crowes, because I need some serious rock and roll at the moment. 3* for run of the mill music that isn’t neither here nor there...

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

3/5

The Good: We’re getting water from a well! The Bad: The well has been dry for a while… The Ugly: Trying to ask for more water with a dry throat… What? So, we’ve got jazz. So, we’ve got some politics. So, we’ve got another album listed which makes me wonder why I am even bothering anymore… To respond to that last comment, it is so that I can 5* to all those albums which I believe to be worth 5* And this album isn’t one of them. Simply put, you take a classic style of music, but record it decades later, and we need to be impressed? The list could have just added a great Swing album from the Swing era instead, no? Sorry Abdullah, you are getting 2 1/2*

Kid A

Radiohead

3/5

The Good: We’ve got Radiohead! The Bad: They are too Radiohead… The Ugly: Wondering if a radio can give head… Like many people of my generation, I found out about Radiohead via the musings of those two intellectuals called Beavis and Butthead. Need I say more? My brother bought Pablo Honey, I bought OK Computer… Kid A was never part of the collection. Though I can’t pin-point the reason why neither of us had the album, based on my listening to the album, I would say that for me, it is too experimental; and I am finding out, via this 1001 list, that I am a down-the-middle kind of music person. I probably need to give this album another spin to really get a better grip as to what rating I should give it, but my gut feeling tells me that I am not going to appreciate it more than the 2 1/2 * I am giving them now… upgraded to 3

Chris

Christine and the Queens

1/5

The Good: Is it an album named after the singer? The Bad: Who is the singer? The Ugly: Me still not understanding where we are heading… If someone would have asked me when this album was published, I would have told them late ‘80s to early ‘90s pop styled RnB. I would have put money down on it. And, to make matters worse, I would have said that, though it isn’t my cup of tea, it sounds okay. 3 Decades later, this album launches… and to make matters more interesting, it seems that the our entrepid author of the 1001 list deems it more than good enough to be added to his list… why? What makes this album so important that we need to hear it before we die? If an artist would come out with a new evergreen style album today, would we need to listen to it? Sure, if this album would have made some kind of massive change for a generation, it has the right to be on this list… but I had never heard of this damn album… So, sorry Chris, I guess I won’t be invited to your next birthday party… 1*

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

5/5

The Good: An album named after the artist… The Bad: It’s not their freshmen attempt… The Ugly: Figuring out that Meat Puppets isn’t a reference to porn… Though I am not certain, it would not surprise me a bit if there are many people who are attempting this 1001 album listening journey, that they get to a point where “having to listen to a new album every day” stops being a fun endeavor, and instead becomes a chore… and we all hate chores! Due to the above, at times, I kind of skip a day, or two, and then try to catch up by listening to several album during one day… and today would be one of those days. Now, why am I bringing this up? Well, prior to listening to this album, I listened to Nirvana’s In Utero, and ranked that 3* as I could not find too much pleasure in listening to it.. The Meat Puppets, a band I’d heard off, however, I can’t recall having listened to any of there albums before today… and holy cow. These guys are the genesis of so many bands, from an influence standpoint, that it’s not even funny. It’s sad! Sad that it has taken me 40 years to start listening to them. Though not worth 5*, I am going to give them that score because of the albums I have been listening to, with great pleasure, might I add, over the past decades, which are clearly directly influenced by these gentlemen!

In Utero

Nirvana

3/5

The Good: We’ve got ‘90s grunge! The Bad: It’s Nirvana… The Ugly: Anything that comes from the womb is either making noise crying, or causing tears… I can appreciate that this album is on this list, and I know that there are countless of people on this earth who will rate this album 5*, possibly stating that it is the GOAT. Don’t count me amongst these people. Yes; Kurt, Krist and Dave, were the voice of a generation… but they did not speak for the entire generation. If not we’d have a lot less Gen-X’ers walking around, as they’d all have blown their brains out. I might give this album a second spin, maybe, however, I don’t believe it is going to change my mind that, aside from “the hits” on this album, it is indeed nothing but noise. Though, fucking Dave is an amazing drummer, and Krist just keeps the beat, and Kurt, well, Kurt can never be blamed for showing too little emotion… and maybe that is what’s wrong with this album for me: I like to listen to music so that it get’s me nice and relaxed, not pumped enough to start slamming myself into walls. Will go straight down the middle as that’s the way I roll…. 3*

The Blueprint

JAY Z

1/5

The Good: Nothing… The Bad: Everything… The Ugly: My face after listening to this album for 3 minutes… It’s (c)RAP… nuff said. I tried listening to it, but the grandioseness of the egos just was too much for my little person. So, to remedy all that negativity, I listened to some great albums I’ve come to know thanks to this voyage, and my day all of a sudden was a lot better… 1*

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

5/5

The Good: Fuzzy wuzzy wuzz a bear… The Bad: Fuzzy wuzzy did not care… The Ugly: Thinking about fuzzy being a buffalo… tatazzy… What? The entire portion above is just total weirdness. Yet this album is anything but weirdness… it is greatness! Here I thought I was a connoisseur of all ‘90s independent music, but color me surprised to having discovered something new! And what a bummer… I can just see them back then, in the early ‘90s, just playing a gig here, and getting a great reaction from the crowd, and people thinking “this band is going to go somewhere!”… to fall into oblivion. Now, don’t get me wrong, though really enjoyable, it is a little on the repetitive side, and if you aren’t into their sound, then I can understand that one would skip the album… But I dig it! This is the perfect album for a cold winter night, with plenty of hootch and a nice fire crackling in the background… maybe some good company, old friends? This is going to be an album on my repeat list, second one of the week… so this week is proving to be an enjoyable one for sure for me!!! 5* because I dig it!

Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches

Happy Mondays

3/5

The Good: Mondays can be happy! The Bad: If we take pills… The Ugly: That same Monday without the pills… Yeah… not my thing. And too long to boot. Why? I guess the love for all that is British, from Manchester, or Liverpool, is all that matters at times? Any why does the “next Beatles” always need to try so hard in reinventing music? Why can’t they just make nice music in a way that hasn’t been done before? Will go down the middle… but should give this 2*

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

The Good: late ‘80s hip-hop The Bad: late ‘80s… The Ugly: hip-hop… De La Soul… what is there to say? It seems that my musical pallet is not in-synch with what great musical journalist would argue, as this, so it seems, is definitely one of the greatest albums ever… For me, I appreciated the Me Myself and I song, and enjoyed the fact that these three cats were out there trying to stay positive and have a good time. So, yeah, good for them. But I listened to this song playing far on the background, mainly because the rhythm in the rhyming was starting to get on my nerves as it is so basic, and the drum machine too monotonous for my liking. Still, in stark contrast with the east/west coast bashing that was going on, it is refreshing to have this album to listen to at least once in one’s lifetime. So, shooting it straight down the middle… 3* GASP

Rubber Soul

Beatles

4/5

The Good: We are safe from lightning striking us due to our soles! The Bad: Dyslexia… The Ugly: The rubber not protecting us from anything… Ah, the Beatles; or, as they say in Spain Los Be-at-les… I have nothing to say about this album. I listened to it, I recognized one too many songs, I realized it was good… But, unlike plenty of other people, I am not going to fall over this album as it being the kit-n-kaboodle, or that there isn’t anything quite like this made since, except for other Beatles albums… So, I am shooting slightly north to across the middle, and will give it 4* for posterity’s sake.

System Of A Down

2/5

The Good: self-titled album! The Bad: Is it a play on words? The Ugly: If it is a play on words, what is the point? So yeah, SOAD… not my thing. I hear screaming, I hear syncopated time-signatures, I hear avantgarde, I hear old school… I hear, but I can’t listen… Don’t know if I should give it a 2 or a 3 just to be kind, what I do know is that this album will not be on my repeat list… 2* I guess

Fear Of Music

Talking Heads

5/5

The Good: Talking Heads… part 3! The Bad: It seems that they fear the music… The Ugly: Trying to figure out what it would sound like if it were Love the Music instead… Yes, third Talking Heads album! We’ve done 77, and Remain In Light, now Fear of Music. Previous albums both getting 4* because, though very entertaining listens, they were missing that special something to boost them to 5*. Which leaves me with this album… does it deserve 5*? Let’s see… it contains the song “Heaven” which, in my opinion, is one of the greatest songs ever written… and I only was exposed to that song as it was included in Simply Red’s freshman effort Picture Book… But then, then the most insane thing happens, while I am listening to this album, my brain instantly recognizes a song, but I’ve never listened to this album before. Then it hits me, Living Colour… and their freshman effort Vivid contains These Memories Can’t Wait… What???? So I played the album again… and listened with different ears… and I am going to have to dish out 5* as this album is what 5* albums should be, a trip through some soundscape that makes you wonder what is coming around the corner!

Happy Sad

Tim Buckley

3/5

The Good: We are Happy! The Bad: We are Sad… The Ugly: Understanding where Jeff got his from… This was my first time listening to anything from Tim, at least, to my recollection… And I can say that with certain certainty as I am not very keen on the whole folk-type music in general. So, I listened, I could hear similarities between dad and son, which made me sad thinking about the son, but happy that he had such musical influence… happy sad… Don’t know if I should give this a 2* or a 3*… I guess it all depends on the mood one is in while listening to this—today being a sunny day, I’d shell out 2… but will upgrade due to pedigree

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

The Good: A city having figured out how to make a phone call! The Bad: The city being London… The Ugly: The need for a double album to convey London’s message… I know that The Clash are viewed as Punk royalty… but this here album, for me, has got nothing to do with punk music… but that is me, and I am an ignorant bastard at times. What is there to say about this album which other people have not voiced more eloquently? It is a double album that makes time fly by… the tunes are almost all great, the freakin’ thing starts off with one of the most familiar songs in Rock’s history… Color me happy… and will dish out a 5*

Ten

Pearl Jam

5/5

The Good: We’ve got jam! The Bad: It isn’t strawberry… The Ugly: Fill in the blanks… Ah, to be young again… and that is not the first time that I started a review this way. Though I was not on the PJ bandwagon when it hit town, I had plenty of friends who were, while I was, I guess, still trying to get into the whole rock n roll kind a thing. So, grunge… I love me some grunge! I hate me some grunge too! And, when you think about it, there is a reason that grunge only lasted as long as it did… who wants to stay angry all the time, and find a need to hide in a spoon full of h? Eddie V’s vocals are second only to Chric C, in my humbles of opinions, and both of them huge frontmen during the grunge scene. Then there’s the band… just awesome… Then there’s the hits… when you’re freshmen effort lands you 5 massive hits, you know you’re on to something good! So, though I would not rank this album a 10… it sure is getting 5*

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

4/5

The Good: Again we are treated to a wonder! The Bad: At times, it feels that we’ve heard the wonder before… The Ugly: FFF… Oddly enough, I thought I had listened to all of Stevie’s “classic period” albums, but I guess that this one escaped me. I really liked it, and technically speaking, I should be giving this album a 5*, however, I frequently felt like I was listening to something I had heard before, but not as good… and that’s because his Opus was still to come… Let’s flip that coin… 4 1/2* becomes...

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

1/5

The Good: There is a trial… The Bad: We aren’t sure who is at trial… The Ugly: the fucking album Never heard of the fall. Couldn’t care about the fall… Will never play the fall again. 1* because I don’t care to listen to someone who is tone-deaf semi-sing “odd poetry"

Damaged

Black Flag

1/5

The Good: We’ve got pirates! The Bad: They forgot to add some skull ’n bones… The Ugly: missing the flesh too… Two days in a row I am being presented with punk-esque music, and though I can stomach me some, I believe that I have reached my fill with punk and will need to place it close on the list to rap… So yeah… but I will give it 2* as it isn’t as bad as The Fall…

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

5/5

The Good: The Queen of Soul The Bad: The album being called Lady… thus confusing us… The Ugly: This being the second album of Mrs Franklin where several tracks are repeated on the album, without it making sense… Some classic tunes here, but one of the greatest voices of the 20th century. I really have nothing to say… just listen to the album and enjoy, I guess! 4 1/2* upgraded for balance

Brothers

The Black Keys

3/5

The Good: It’s a family affair! The Bad: What about the sisters? The Ugly: I always confused them with the Eyed-Peas… Post 2000 modern music isn’t my thing. Though I recognize several of the tunes on the album, and they aren’t bad, it’s the kind of music which, in my humbles opinion, sounds forced… I will put them together with the likes of Imagine Dragons (I think that’s the name of the band), and just say “nice try, you failed”. Down the middle, though I believe I will have to go back and re-rate loads of my previously listened to albums as yesterday it turned out that I ranked Aja by Steely Dan with a 4… and that’s just wrong.

Ctrl

SZA

1/5

The Good: We’ve got nothing but ACROs!!! The Bad: We are missing some acros… The Ugly: … SHIT Simply Horrible Idiotic Trash CRAP Couldn’t Really Appreciate Phonograph Modern music sucks… 1*

Live!

Fela Kuti

2/5

The Good: Live! The Bad: Live! The Ugly: The scratches on my head while I am trying to figure out why I’ve had to listen to 2 albums from this fella… Seriously… Zombie, or whatever the other album was called, already made me wonder why I had to listen to this… and now I get served a Live! album to boot? Seriously? I better get to listen to 3 Oscar Peterson albums, just to cleanse my pallet… This album is getting 2*, only because I am not going by me mood, which would turn it into a 1* album and seriously make me re-think spending another 2 years on this daily journey...

Urban Hymns

The Verve

3/5

The Good: It’s a Symphony! The Bad: It’s bittersweet… The Ugly: Having to wait 10 minutes to hear a baby cry… I recall thinking, when the video of the only hit these lads ever had came out, that here’s a clone of Oasis, also thinking they are god’s gift to humanity… I never listened to an entire album by The Verve, so this was a first… and my thoughts are bland… as that is what the album was for me: bland. It didn’t make me sit up and pay attention, it didn’t want me to hit the skip button… except by the time the last track came into play. So, I ask again, why is this an album that one needs to listen to before one dies? It contains 1 hit, and only thanks to the Rolling Stones, the rest of the album generates imagery of a pseudo nerd just sharing his thoughts… nothing rock n roll about this album at all. 2 1/2*

...Baby One More Time

Britney Spears

1/5

The Good: nothing The Bad: nothing The Ugly: everthing I refuse to listen to this album. Nothing against Britney as a person, or a singer, or a dancer. The reason I refuse to listen to this album is that I don’t understand at all why this is something you need to listen to before you die? We’ve all heard “hit me baby one more time”, and now we can die...

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

2/5

The Good: We are being guided! The Bad: The voices… they are guiding us… in our heads… The Ugly: The aliens that don’t know how to stay in their lanes. I listened to the album, because it was on the list… I forgot to rate the album the day that I listened to it… and now I can’t even recall what the album sounded like… Thus the album is forgetable… 2* because I can’t even recall if I hated it

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

2/5

The Good: It’s not a small thing… The Bad: That it’s attacking us… The Ugly: Where the blue lines are taking us! Trip-Hop… so it seems… I used to call this ambient, or lounge. Guess we can call it whatever we want! 1 MASSIVE hit, the rest just trip-hop, I guess… I could listen to the massive hit multiple times, but I couldn’t be bothered with the rest. 2* because of the Unfinished Symphony… maybe 3* if they would’ve finished it?

Haut de gamme / Koweït, rive gauche

Koffi Olomide

2/5

The Good: High Level! The Bad: Something something left… The Ugly: Not understanding the level that we are high in… Who’d have thought that one needs to listen to an album by a Congolese artist before one dies? I was always under the impression that Senegal was where it’s at… Also, to all those snowflakes who rate this album low because they scan through a Wikipedia page to read something about a rape and instantly cancelling the artist… keep reading the damn page, to see that he was never convicted of rape, but he did receive a conviction for assault… Anyways, I’ve listened to the album, guess I can die now?

Qui sème le vent récolte le tempo

MC Solaar

2/5

The Good: We’ve got prophecy! The Bad: Looking at the artist is like looking at the sun… The Ugly: it is rap… Even in French rap remains rap… I mean crap… However, holy crap towards the end, Ragga Jam… that was amazing, and I will dish out an additional star just for that. 2*

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

2/5

The Good: … The Bad: tomato ketchup? The Ugly: in both ears… I don’t know if it is the app, but I all of a sudden have had 3 french based musicians in a row… what is up with that? Did I like it? Did I hate it?

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

3/5

The Good: We’re traveling to Oz! The Bad: Oh, wait, this isn’t Kansas… The Ugly: The state of America today? Did you see what I did there? I made this political, when this shouldn’t be political… I know of Curtis Mayfield, and I’ve heard his staple hits as I’ve been listening to popular music since for ever, yet I was totally unaware of this album. It listens easy, made the 34 minutes go by without a hitch, but not once was there something which made me sit up straight and really pay attention… maybe that’s just me, or maybe I am becoming insensitive to music due to this 1001 list? Shooting this one straight down the middle… 3*

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

3/5

The Good: Prodigy The Bad: Not reserved for talent… The Ugly: Fat land… bad for your arteries… What? Firestarter? Breath? Anyone who was old enough to drink in the ‘90s knows those songs. I can understand that the album is on the list, as this band was everywhere (at least where I lived at the time) and infectious in it’s upbeat hooks. Yet, we are a couple of decades later, and it just starts to rub the wrong way… EDM is like rap, for me, I can stand it for a little while, but then I need to flip the switch… Just because of the couple of massive songs that are on this album it deserves more than the 3* I am going to dish out… that, and the album cover rocks!

Trans Europe Express

Kraftwerk

3/5

The Good: We are traveling express! The Bad: We don’t get to choose where we are heading… The Ugly: Work being misspelled… Second Kraftwerk album on this experience, and I believe that we’ve heard enough, no? It is electronic music, it is ahead of it's time, it is still not to my liking… Good thing is that this is from the period where an album lasted around 40 minutes max, so it is manageable… I gave their other album 4*, this one is being downgraded, though I have to admit that it isn’t something that made me want to punch a hole in a wall… 3*

Parachutes

Coldplay

4/5

The Good: If the plane shows issues, we can jump out of it! The Bad: Who the hell wants to jump out of an airplane? The Ugly: Parachutes that don’t open… Wow, didn’t know there was so much hate towards a single band who’ve done nothing more but be successful… Myself, I was not on the Coldplay bandwagon, so to speak, when they emerged in the 2000… but, like many, I found their hit songs easy to hum-along-to. I recall thinking that this band was the “lite” version of Radiohead… call me crazy. 3 1/2* as this album isn’t bad at all…

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

3/5

The Good: These boys aren’t illegal… The Bad: Aggression against poultry… The Ugly: Everything! Wow! This is what I signed up for when I started this journey, listening to something so bizarre it makes you wonder about everything and nothing at all. Did I like it? At times I really did, and at other times I was counting the seconds before I would allow myself to hit the skip button… This has changed my perception on avant-garde music though. And I applaud the effort… 3* because the odds of me listening to this a third time in my life is doubtful, but a second listen is in the cards...

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

3/5

The Good: We get a break! The Bad: Trying to count the instruments being played… The Ugly: Not knowing why we are getting a time out… What did we do wrong? Can we make up? Did you hate that movie you saw last night too? What? The music snob in me says that this is a great album, instead 5* The hungover guy in me says that I need an aspirin and no way in hell will the smooth jazz make me feel better The Gen X’er in me doesnt’ understand why people are complaining about the color of Dave’s skin… I know that I will give the cover art 5* Doubt I will be listening to this with much frequency… So 3* straight down the middle… which is odd as this album, it seems, is supposed to open up one’s ears to Jazz… and I like jazz… just not this album… that much

Smokers Delight

Nightmares On Wax

2/5

The Good: We’re in for a treat, a delightful treat… The Bad: But I quit smoking… so I get snubbed, right? The Ugly: Wondering what Nightmares On Stone would feel like… This is repetitive music, repetitive music, that repeats, and repeats… First thought I had was “geez, this is like those cool music producers who try to get people to buy Chord Packs so that they too can make lovely jamzz…” Except that this album is from the middle ‘90s and back then there were no such simple cheats…. but that doesn’t take a away the fact that it is all repetitive. If you find that sweet spot on the volume knob, you can have this play inoffensively on the background all day, and then, when you awaken from the hypnotic state you were in during which you probably strangled something, you will know what caused it… 2*

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

3/5

The Good: Brilliant corners are better than sharp corners! The Bad: If corners are too brilliant… The Ugly: Realizing that cutting corners would’ve been better… We’ve got Thelonious Monk, one of the larger names in the Jazz game… if you are into jazz. If you are just into listening to music, then you probably would not have listened to this, as it takes a compass and several maps, and one of those army knives, in order for you to be prepared for the unknown. This album was not my thing, as it is the kind of Jazz that I am not such a big fan off… Give me swing, give me easy… just don’t give me this. However, glad I did get to listen to it, and will dish out a lovely 3*

Imagine

John Lennon

3/5

The Good: We get to use our imagination! The Bad: The knowledge that this would be the last time JL get’s to create more stuff The Ugly: That last tune on the album. Yes, we all know that John Lennon is Rock n Roll royalty, and we can all appreciate the wonderful music that he left us with. And yes, we can all agree that the song Imagine, purely by itself, is a 5* song, and I’ll lump on Jealous Guy with a 5* too. Can we then also agree that, aside from the two songs listed above, the rest of the album is just mediocre? You can hear several “Beatles” songs on there, but none that are of the kind your instantly start to whistle or hum… Do we blame Yoko for this? I really wanted to like this album, I really did… but it just isn’t worth more than 3*, even if it contains 2 stellar songs… the rest just pulls it down too much. 3*

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

5/5

The Good: We’ve got Too Rye Ay! The Bad: We don’t know if that is hootch… The Ugly: Finding out that midnight runner is slang for skid-marks… Damn, here I thought that these guys were nothing but a bunch of weirdos who, somehow, managed to pen one good number, which turned them into the the one-hit-wonder we all know… And then you listen to the album and you wonder why realize that, like it or not, image is everything. I don’t want to call this album a hidden gem, and I don’t know if I would have appreciated it back when it came out, however, I’m about the spin this disc (figuratively) for the fourth time, because I’m really enjoying it… Does this merit a 5*? It kind of does, even though I understand that this album is not worth 5*… 4 1/2* for sure… Too Rye Ay!!!!

Is This It

The Strokes

4/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a question that isn’t The Bad: Giving it an answer that isn’t The Ugly: Realizing the above is like a dog chasing it’s own tail… The Strokes… what are they stroking? It is fair to say that I really enjoyed this album. I knew 1 song, and am happy that I’m now familiar with the other 10 too. For ones, a 2000 album that I am glad to have listened to. Also, please do note that I am tired… so I will just play the album again and enjoy, and dish out 4*, maybe I should stroke something too?

Grievous Angel

Gram Parsons

4/5

The Good: It is Angelic? The Bad: No it’s not? The Ugly: Anything grievous is, as the dictionary will tell us, no fun thing… I had never listened to anything from Gram Parsons, yet I had read his bio a while back while I was listening to Emmylou Harris’s album Pieces of the Sky, which is also on this hear 1001 list. Anyway, to me, this sounds country, but very acceptable, almost easy-listening. My ears perked up when I heard “Love Hurts”, which I thought was written by Nazareth, but turns out that this was written by a husband/wife duo who’d I’d never heard about either, which lead to another visit to wikipedia… All in all, though I don’t want to like the album that much, I fear that a 4* is in order… does that turn me into a redneck? Also, RIP Gram Parsons, your grievous angel finally came a calling I guess...

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

5/5

The Good: It’s automatic… The Bad: What if we like to have things more manual? The Ugly: Realizing that R.E.M. stands for Retard Eats Manure… All kidding aside… what an album! R.E.M. were royalty for a decade, and I would argue that this was their Opus Magnus. It must be age that is making me really enjoy this album, because I recall that, when this album launched, I did not want to hear it at all. I guess my ears had been bludgeoned to death with R.E.M. on the air-waves, and I was not ready to listen to their sad stories… Today, however, I think I’ve played the album 4 times and can’t get the song “Man on the Moon” out of my head… I blame Jim Carrey! Truth be told, it might not just be melancholy that makes me appreciate this album more today than back in the ‘90s, it might very well have to do with the horrid state of affairs when it comes to modern music, and it all sucking balls… So, here’s to R.E.M lulling us back to days when things were better! 5*

Tom Tom Club

3/5

The Good: Tom Tom!!! The Bad: Wasn’t invited to the club… The Ugly: The fact that the only album available on Spotify was 2 hours+ long… When the first track started I was wondering what kind of shit early hip hop I was about to listen to, as the drums are electro-electronic! But then the sons actually kicks in and I was instantly brought back to the early early days of the ‘80s, playing in the pool with my buddies, and just having a dandy of a time. Sadly, that thought only lasted for 1 1/2 songs, at which point it all started to sound the same. What I did find interesting is that, while having the frikin’ long as album playing along on the background, time just kind of past by. So, if you are ever going to have an ‘80s party and you want something that will allow people to actually just have a good time, I can easily recommend this album. Yet, if you are lounging in your favorite seat (chair or sofa) and you want to have an excellent listening experience, you can skip this record without a doubt… Shooting this one straight down the middle… 3*

Harvest

Neil Young

4/5

The Good: We’ve got a harvest! The Bad: Not knowing if the harvest is good… The Ugly: … that voice … I’ve said it ones, I’ll say it again: Neil Young’s voice is grating on my soul… painful at times, irritating other times. So I was NOT thrilled to have to sit through this album… And then I listened to the album 3 times… if something’s good, it’s good. There. Who would’ve thought? I knew most of the songs, which is normal, as any classic rock station (when we stilled listened to radio) would have this album on regular rotation. What a pity that listening to a radio station is no longer done… Anyway, I enjoyed the listen, though I don’t know with which frequency I would play this album again… because, let’s be honest, that voice starts grating again at the end of the day… 4*

Spiderland

Slint

2/5

The Good: A land of Spider! The Bad: What if we suffer from arachnophobia… The Ugly: Realizing that the band probably suffers from the afore mentioned, which explains them all being neck deep in water, so that the spiders can’t get to them. I tried… I really tried… but I just can’t like this album. I think I’ve listed to this album 4 times over the course of 3 days, so where’s my medal? Problem that I have with this album is that it’s neither here, nor there, nor anywhere. Yet, upon investigation, it seems that it is here, and there, and everwhere… at least, that is what hte music snobs have to say. Won’t totally rain on the unfortunate parade of Slint… will stick with 2*

Queen II

Queen

4/5

The Good: Queen! The Bad: Not my favorite album… The Ugly: not a damn thing! We are 4 1/2 months late on reviewing this album… not because I did not listen to it, but more so because I did not know what write… And today is no different. It seems that those who know, will rate this album 6* as it is so good that you don’t even know it. So I listened to it, probably 6 times, or 8, in the past 4 1/2 months, trying to see if I can find that missing something that will make me part of the elite crowd that knows that this album is Top-5 GOAT of any recording, ever… To quote U2, I still haven’t found what I’m looking for. I like the album, but I prefer News of the World, A Night at the Opera, or Sheer Heart Attack, even The Game I prefer to Queen II So, I will give the album 4*, knowing that I will play countless times more just to see if I can finally see it… and then give it 6*

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

4/5

The Good: An album that clearly explains where we are! The Bad: Our destination being a shack instead of a palace… The Ugly: Trying to get all the chicken poo out of the shack… When I was a younger lad, I would choose my books based on the cover art… and I believe that, for a little while, when I started buying albums, at times, I would apply that same principle: you can imagine what my thought was about this album based on the cover… Chalk one up for the ol’ saying about judging based on cover. I don’t believe I have ever heard anything from Jimmy, till this album, which makes sense, as it is jazz music, and I tend not to own jazz music—which isn’t to say that I don’t like jazz music, just not enough to invest in… Anyway, I enjoyed the album, as it is of the easy-listening kind, though the electric organ gets on my nerves after a while… I have the same thing with Booker T and his MGs… Will I play this album again? If i remember… I need to start creating a list of the 4* and 5* albums and make sure I listen to them again… maybe I need to go to 3* at times, and listen to those too? The Chicken Shack… I just realized… there are a boatload of CK’s in that title, is this where Louis CK got his name from? 4*

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

2/5

The Good: We get a kiss! The Bad: Not the kind of kiss we expected… The Ugly: Realizing that the punishment isn’t limited to the kiss… Tit for tat… that’s all that comes to mind. As in, somewhere out there, there is a person, or persons, who actually enjoyed listening to this album. We should not judge… right? Myself, I am conflicted as the experience did not leave me with inner-ear damage, as I did not jab myself with a pencil to make the sound go away… however, neither did I find myself in a state of euphoria… Chalk it up to an experience which I won’t repeat… 2*

Channel Orange

Frank Ocean

2/5

The Good: We’ve got Orange! The Bad: It has nothing to do with The Netherlands… The Ugly: Seems that there are people who can see colors while listening to music… I call those people charlatans Never heard of Frank Ocean. Read the Wiki page, and now I am an expert in Frank Ocean… while my memory last regarding this expertise… what were we talking about? There are plenty of comments about how one can hear the influences of a Stevie Wonder and Prince, and I agree. However, and here’s where my ears started to shut down, I also noticed that the period which is similar for Stevie Wonder and Prince is the period where most people stopped listening to Stevie Wonder and Prince. Did I like it? No. Did I hate it? No. Will I listen to it again? Maybe, by accident, as I will be removing the memory of this album from grey matter. 2 1/2*

My Aim Is True

Elvis Costello

5/5

The Good: An album by The King! The Bad: Turns out that Costello isn’t an Italian version of Presley… The Ugly: wondering what Elvis was aiming at… Holy moly! Obviously I had heard the song “Alison” as it’s been overly used in tv-shows and movies, and I know I’d heard “Welcome to the Working Week” as well… but the rest… This is probably the most replayed album so far on this journey, I think I am on spin #5 within 24 hours. And while listening to this album I couldn’t but make comparisons with another album that was released in 1977; Mink DeVille’s Cabretta which I doubt will be on this list, but should be!!! Anyway, 1977 seems to be one of those magical years when several of my all-time favorite albums were released. Don’t know if it is the music, or just the age when you start discovering the world that just reminds you of all those great memories… 5*

Illinois

Sufjan Stevens

1/5

The Good: Illinois baby! The Bad: Turns out we’re not heading to Chicago… The Ugly: Trying to figure out what his album “Iowa” would sound like!??!?! I deserve a price for having survived this ordeal! Honestly, I don’t even know what to say about this listening experience. It wasn’t terrible, it just wasn’t, and that is worse than terrible. If you would put a gun against my head and ask me to hum 1-bar of any song on this album, then my brains would get splattered all across the floor. And that is not a good thing. What does make me happy is the simple fact that, again, I am proven right in so far that there’s little music made post 2000 that is worth spending one’s time on. So yeah, another notch on my belt for a 1* album due to its absolute mastery at nothing.

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

4/5

The Good: We won’t have to worry about college tuition for our Babies! The Bad: Finding out that the dollars are play money… The Ugly: Trying to get Alice Cooper to give you your money back… Of course the song No More Mr Nice Guy is a classic… yet I’d never listened to this album before, so most of the songs were new for me. While listening, the thought that constantly ran through my mind was “how can this album from 1973 sound like an album from the ‘80s?” By the way, this is my second AC album on this list, the second album I never listened to, and the second time that I have wondered why I’d never listened to his albums before, because they’ve all been really enjoyable. So does this mean that I will dish out 5*? No, and the reason is simple: too many songs drag on too long, which results in one wanting to press skip to next if you are really paying attention to the album. However, I am not going to nit-pick, I will give this album 4 1/2* downgraded to 4*, but definitely an album which I will be playing again!

White Light

Gene Clark

4/5

The Good: We know we are not in the dark! The Bad: If I would have added “thanks to Gene Clark” above… The Ugly: My failed attempt at songwriting… or writing, for that matter 3 of the last 4 albums to show up on this here list, were released in the ‘70s, and interestingly enough, the surnames of these artists all started with a C, yet each belongs to totally different genre. What’s my point, you might be asking? Well, guess what I am trying to say is “bless the ‘70s!” It’s not the kind of album that you would whip it out during a cocktail party, the other two albums would serve that purpose a lot better. However, if the day requires you to relax a little, maybe focus on a singular task, like trying to make risotto, or preparing your expense account, then White Light is a good choice. Don’t know if this album deserves a 4*, or if I should drop it a little lower as it is very mellow, and one could argue, a little bland—the cover version of Stand By Me is enough to put any one to sleep—yet it sits there in your memory, and asks you to listen one more time… I am dreading more singer/song-writers from that era though, as I am pretty certain that I won’t be as generous with the *’s I am about to dish out…. 4*

Nevermind

Nirvana

4/5

The Good: Where in Nirvana! The Bad: Turns out that you have to live in Seattle to experience it, wear flannel, and do drugs… The Ugly: Oh well, whatever, nevermind… I am genius! When this album came out, it was not my cup of tea as I was still enjoying other rock related music back then… looking at The Black Crows, not so much the hair bands. Together with countless others, we were wondering what the hell an albino, a mosquito, made one fear ones libido… They certainly were interesting times. Personally I listened to Temple of the Dog, as well as Pearl Jam more so than Curt and Co (unfair towards Novoselic and Grohl, and I probably wrote the same thing while rating In Utero). So what do I think of this album? I think that ANY BAND IN THE WORLD would sacrifice their drummer to have the first 5 songs on their record be Smells Like Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Breed, and Lithium… to follow that up with Polly… the only downside is that the remainder of the album just kinda disappears on you… And that is the reason that I can not score this album a 5*, because at the end of the day, it would never be able to finish a marathon as it starts off as a sprint. I will repeat though, and smile whilest remembering those lovely years of the early ‘90s while in college, chasing women and being happy with a D in Anthropology! 4 1/2* downgraded...

Electric Music For The Mind And Body

Country Joe & The Fish

3/5

The Good: We’ve got music for the mind and body, and it’s electric! The Bad: Wondering how country Country Joe really is… The Ugly: Trying to figure out what a fish has to do with the entire thing… Before I proceed, note that I did not listen to this album 2 times, like I pretty much do all the time… not because I think the album sucks, like many people do, but more because my mind, and body, were not ready for psychedelic music today. I did spend some time reading other people’s commentary, and had to giggle a couple of times. It seems that certain people believe you shouldn’t listen to these cats as they are RED commie Bastards (don’t ask why some of that was in caps, and other portion not…), or that there are better bands that made this kind of music… true. However, once I got over the bad production aspects of this record, I have to say that there are only 2 tunes on this album which I don’t like, one being the last tune on the album, and way too long. I forget which song is was, but I got a massive Jeff Buckley feeling with one of the tunes, which made me perk up, as I realized that I was listening to something that ended up being influential to many artists, both contemporary as well as later. So what shall I score this? Given that I did not get pulled into the album, I think I am going to shoot down the middle and not mess with the overall score of this album… 3*

If You're Feeling Sinister

Belle & Sebastian

2/5

The Good: We are forewarned, that this music is for those who are sinister The Bad: What are we to do if we are not sinister? The Ugly: Finding out that Belle is Stuart, and so is Sebastian… The only light-point for me is that the length of the album is an acceptable 40 minutes. Aside from that I found the entire experience forgettable, almost to the point of a massive waste of my time. Also, and I am only ranting here, but what it is with people not knowing which category music belongs to? If you check the wiki page then you see the terms “Indie Pop”, “Indie Rock”, “Chamber Pop”, “Chamber Folk”, “Twee Pop”… I am missing the term “Shit Music”! There was a time when music was limited to; classical, jazz, rock, pop, folk… I would label this folk and that’s it. One final thing, to be fair, the production is great, no complaints there. 2*

New Boots And Panties

Ian Dury

4/5

The Good: We get new boots! The Bad: You need to walk them in… The Ugly: You picturing me wearing panties… what??? Sex & Drugs & Rock n Roll, it’s good for the soul! I remember being a little kid and singing the first part of the song, and not understanding the meaning behind it. Same goes for Rhythm Stick, which I found on an anniversary version of this album, but not the original… The two afore mentioned songs brought me back to my pre-teen years, the rest of the album, on second listen, made me reflect on all the years after, and that was not what I would have expected when I listened to the first song on this album. Ian Dury not an easy life lived. Ian Dury with words had a gift. Ian Dury bound to repeat again. Ian Dury found his dad the same. I will be listening to this album several times again. Not because the songs are the greatest, nor Ian’s voice, nor the production value. I will be listening to this album because it is so damn creative and stirs up emotions, and that’s what good music should do. 4 1/2* which I’d like to bump to 5, but my conscience will not let me...

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

The Good: The artist cares about our opinion… The Bad: He technically did not state it as a question… The Ugly: Nothing really… Is this the best album ever? No. Does it contain some of the best songs ever? Yes! Should this album be mandatory listening? Yes. I can’t recall when I heard Jimi’s guitar playing for the first time, but I believe it is going to be late late ‘80s most likely, which means that my musical pallet was already colored. I wish I could go back and tape my reaction to hearing the intro the Hey Joe for the first time… if only we had time-machines… or maybe it’s a good thing we don’t… I’ve tried to learn how to play several of these songs on the guitar, and I’d argue that The Wind Cries Mary is the one which I dominate the best… Where, in my humblest of opinions, Red House would be the hardest. Regardless, there are too many good songs, and even more great songs on this album—my guilty pleasure being Remember, which wasn’t even on any of the original pressings, which makes rating this album a cheat. I will give this album 5*, however, if you go by the original realeses, not knowing if you need to pick between UK or the US release, potentially this album would get a 4 1/2*, which potentially could be downgraded… just saying… 5*

The Lexicon Of Love

ABC

3/5

The Good: A band inspired by Sesame Street, as we get to learn our ABC… The Bad: The poison on the arrow was not real poison... The Ugly: The hair… For me, ABC is like Spandau Ballet, which means that the entire band is dressed to impress, the singer holds the microphone like a 13-year old boy would hold a tampon, and the “lads” in the band wish they actually know how to play their instruments well… And yet, for all the loathing I have for, what I consider to be the worse example of New Romantics, the missus and I found ourselves dancing in the kitchen to these bastards… Shoot that poison arrow… So, that leaves us with a conundrum as to what kind of score we would like to dish out to the lads… Well, should this album belong on a list of 1001 albums one should hear before dying? Based on the amount of absolute shit one has been forced to listen to, I’d argue that this was an enjoyable 40 odd minutes spent. 3*, as we will shoot that arrow straight down the middle...

Black Monk Time

The Monks

3/5

The Good: No escaping what time it is! The Bad: That we have to do it in the dark… The Ugly: Realizing that these monks are not religious… Always nice to have a virgin experience, even if it is with some monks. Did not know what to expect and reading the initial information did not really assist much either. What is undeniable is that I am getting sick and tired of labels… proto-punk, garage rock, psychodelic rock… oddly enough what would really apply here, in my humble opinion, would be alternative rock. Due to the country I live in, Spotify only had a couple of songs not greyed out, which meant that I had to scour the internet and find the album in streamin’ format, thankfully YouTube always comes to the rescue. So what did I think about the album? Well, it sure has rhythm, that’s no lie. And to be frank, the album flew by in a no time, which means that it was not a bad experience. However, there is little that I would say is memorable… so I will need to be simple here and give them Monks a 3* Maybe at some point in the future, should I recall the album and find it again on YouTube, I might give another score… 3*

Paranoid

Black Sabbath

4/5

The Good: We know we are being followed… The Bad: We think… The Ugly: Constantly having to look over one’s shoulder… Okay, Okay, that was terrible… thing is, I am way behind on rating the last 7 albums which were released to me, and several of these albums were enough to break my spirit… Not this one! What an album! I never realized that I really do appreciate metal music… I know I like rock, but hot damn, the way that this album just kicks off, is more than awesome! The only gripe which I have with this album would be the fact that there are moments when you just wished they’d get on to the next tune… which made me give the 4* Should this list ever be redone, where we could score through 10, then this album would be a 9!

Music

Madonna

1/5

The Good: We get Music!!! The Bad: It is 2000’s Madonna music… The Ugly: That gold grill… Really? Music? This is what the list is turning into? Yesterday I was excited… Today I am distraught… Music will do that to you… And to think that I have 600+ albums to go before the journey ends...

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

4/5

The Good: a mountain made of Felt! The Bad: Felt can start chafing… The Ugly: Or rug-burning, depending on what you are doing with the felt… This was a very curious listen… because I thought I was going to be indifferent, and then I found myself being engaged… At times, I felt like I was at a circus. At times, I felt like I was just sitting in a room… I hated it. I liked it… Not in any specified order… This leaves me with no other choice than to give the album 4*, as I know I will want to listen to it again at some point...

Smile

Brian Wilson

3/5

The Good: Smile, you’re on candid camera! The Bad: Oh wait, that was a lie… The Ugly: My teeth… which is why I don’t smile so much… Mr Wilson, RIP. Don’t know if it is coincidence that the album presented himself the day after he passed away, but needless to say it was a little different listening to an album knowing that the person had just passed… Having said that, I could have past on the album. Not that it was bad, but there is a point where I just can’t stand falsetto harmonies any longer. I would rather have a root-canal performed… All over the intrawebs “God Only Knows” was being heralded as the most perfect song, and I will agree that it is as close to perfect as songs are going to get. However, this album does not include that song, so I am going to shoot down the middle… 3*

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

2/5

The Good: We know it is going to be bland… The Bad: I don’t live in the suburbs due to blandness… The Ugly: Lo-Fi… I can understand that there are persons born around the mid ‘90s who will totally love this album, as it will remind them of their youth. I get it. Thing is, I was not born in the mid ‘90s as, at that time, I was partying my ass off not wanting college to end… My main thoughts about this album; too long, too pretentious, too much of too little. I fear I will have to score below 3 on this one...

Street Signs

Ozomatli

2/5

The Good: We know where we are! The Bad: Seems like the street signs are all greyed out… The Ugly: Have you ever lost yourself in a neighborhood where you don’t belong?… I was not able to listen to this album, as Spotify has it greyed out in my country. I tried look for it on the Tube, but got sidetracked by other videos… Head scratcher for me… I tried listening to 2 other albums by this group that weren’t greyed out, and did not like either of them… So, based on the 2 songs I was able to listen to… 2*

MTV Unplugged In New York

Nirvana

3/5

The Good: Being unplugged in New York… The Bad: As it’s the city that never sleeps, we should have brought along some ac/dc… The Ugly: THE FUCKING CARDIGAN… There are people who will die defending this album, all about the rawness of it all, and that this is the way music should sound… which explains several of the other dreadful albums I’ve had the displeasure of listening to on this journey. The only real positive thing to be said about this performance was when the Meat Puppets joined for three of their songs! Actually, that’s not fair, as several of the tunes performed by Nirvana were not totally ruined by Kurts purposeful false screamin’ which needed work… I lived this period, have many wonderful memories of this time, and I am NOT one to die on the sword defending this album… Straight down the middle on this one 3*

Tapestry

Carole King

4/5

The Good: We are being treated to some good ol’ fashioned arts and crafts! The Bad: Nobody checked to see if the tapestry had mites in them… The Ugly: The many scratched sores I have on my arm now… What? Did I just call this album old? Guess I did… What I did not (yet) call this album was great, which it sure as heck is. As many other commentators, there are so many known songs on this album, it is scary to realize how important Mrs King has been for modern music. During the day, I ended up playing this album 3 times, mainly due to the fact that I was too focused on a project that has a deadline three days ago, and I was too lazy to even click a saved album, or favorite playlist on the spotify… After three listens, you start to feel a little tired… which, I guess, is what easy listening music will do to you. Still, the dame deserves credit where credit is due, and I want to make sure that, once I finished this journey, I will find this album back on the 4+* list I am keeping. Good job Carole!!!!

Vento De Maio

Elis Regina

3/5

The Good: We’re getting a weather forecast! The Bad: Seems like a storm might be brewing... The Ugly: All our umbrellas are broken… So, I listened to the album, then I started reading some comments, so I decided to give the album a second spin to see if I had been listening with the wrong ears on… I was fortunate to live abroad when I was younger, and my father would embrace all music from the countries we would live in… and we lived in Brazil, though only for a year, then again, that was plenty… I guess what I am trying to say is that I am, by proxy, a slight expert on Brazilian music—no, not really, but neither is Mr Dimery. For one, this specific album is not an album, as it was published about 15 years post-humously, and would qualify more as a “best of”, which, I thought, was not allowed on this journey. Is the album bad? No. Is the singer bad? No. Are there better albums of this genre, that one should hear before dying? Yes… Gilberto Gil, for one, who I’ve not found on this list so far, and can’t find while searching. Again, nothing wrong with the album, but I believe that I could die before having heard it… 3*

AmeriKKKa's Most Wanted

Ice Cube

2/5

The Good: We get an ice-cube, and that is appreciated as it’s summertime and hot as hell! The Bad: The ice cube just kinda melted… The Ugly: Me melting as the ice cube did not manage to cool me off! Maybe, just maybe, the whole term Ice Cube has nothing to do with cooling things off, instead of irritating people when it starts to melt? What? I like Ice Cube, as an actor… and he’s had some good tunes too… just not this stuff… which get’s on ones’ nerve after a while. But then again, that is what Hip Hop does to me in general, so I should not bitch. I do always find it interesting though to listen to ‘90s hippidy-hop-you-don’t-stop as it is a stark reminder that certain musical waves should just be avoided at all cost… Also, where my ho at? I need some food and a refreshing drink… 2*, because I’m gangsta like that

Murder Ballads

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

2/5

The Good: We’ve managed to plant seeds… The Bad: Do I have to say it?… The Ugly: How these ballads left me… There is a universe where Men in Black rule, and I am not talking about the kind who need to go chase after aliens. This is a universe where gloom and doom, at least the way that they present themselves, is all the rage, and people will throw themselves at the feet of these Men in Black, and herald them as kings… It is the universe where Johnny Cash and Nick Cave vie for supremacy… I don’t live in that universe… So why have I being dragged into it? I’ve listened to the album, I can put the notch on my belt… and dish out 2* as there was nothing that stood out for me, shame on those who want to live in the MiB universe...

Horses

Patti Smith

3/5

The Good: Horses!!! The Bad: We didn’t get to ride them… The Ugly: Having to shovel up behind those imaginary horses… I don’t recall that I’ve listened to Patti Smith before, at least, not consciously. I get it that she’s a great poet, and a key figure in NYC punk scene during the CBGB thingy-ma-hoogie… hurrah. Me, I’d rather listen to some Ramones, or even Blondie, if I am going to invoke that era in my mind. Shoot me for not understanding the genius that she seems to be. 3 1/2* downgraded… wish we could score on 10 though, I would give that 7...

Young Americans

David Bowie

4/5

The Good: We understand that this album is for the Young Americans! The Bad: Not being a Young American… The Ugly: Wondering if Bowie would still want to call the song/album such in today’s epoch? I get it, there are people who feel that this is cultural misappropriation. The same people who will scream in your face if you are eating a hamburger… Me, on first spin, this album did not do it for me… yet today, I find myself doing some cleaning, while the album is gently doing it’s thing in the background, and I have to say that I am starting to really enjoy it. Would I agree that this is soul music? Not for me, as I equate soul music with a specific sound and voice, and though the unknown Luther V pops in to show it should be done, DB just does not have that vocal style. But damnit, the songs are all catchy, and I have been humming the title track for the past 24 hours, so that should mean something. Don’t know if the album just happened to have caught me at a certain mental state, and that if I would listen to it in 3 weeks I would start having issues with the over-used saxophone. But today, today I am going to dish out 4* well deserved!

Heartbreaker

Ryan Adams

4/5

The Good: We get to break hearts! The Bad: What if we don’t like to be mean? The Ugly: The 1* score by virtue signaling morons who are the end of modern society… So Ryan (ab)used his position of power to get dates… wow. To my knowledge he’s never been found guilty of anything illegal. Is he a prick? I don’t know the man. Is he full of himself? Yes, yes he is. I remember seeing the tv-show where he, together with some other musicians (one of them the guy from Crowded House), were talking about music and singing songs, and Ryan was being a prick indeed… then again, if memory recalls, Crowded House man wasn’t really helping the cause either. Anyway, we are here to bitch about an album, not the artist. Did I like the album? Well, I listened to it 3 times in a row, while I was working on a project, and there are several songs which I recall really enjoyed listening to, while the rest of the tunes were kind of filler material. I would give this album 3* normally, but I am going to crank it to 4* as I am sure I will want to listen to the album again at some point...

Sheer Heart Attack

Queen

5/5

The Good: If you’re going to have one… The Bad: Who wants to have one? The Ugly: Imagining being found on the floor, after having had one, and maybe having soiled one’s undies… What have I been smoking? Nothing… What a lovely album! My mother’s favorite! And though not my favorite Queen album, it was such a pleasure to listen to that I’ve been humming Leroy Brown all day! Obviously, this album is getting the highest mark… nothing else to mention...

Crosby, Stills & Nash

3/5

The Good: You know… an album named after the band… The Bad: That the band had no imagination, thus called themselves Crosby, Stills & Nash… The Ugly: … There are two bands who’s followers are willing to go to the edge of the world for them: The Gratefull Dead, and this band. I’ve never been willing to go to the edge of the world for either of them. Sure, there are some more than classic tunes on this album, the opening song having been overly used in TV and Film scores whenever something hippy is needed… So I listened to the album, the first time I actually recall listening to a CSN album, and it was okay, I guess. One of the thoughts that kept popping into my head was “do you really need to do that fucking harmony again?” I was getting visions of some hippy chick telling me “listen man, let the world flow through you” or some such bullshit like that. Then the pen-ultimate tune started playing, and that sealed the deal for me: I do not like CSN! Their cover of Everybody’s Talkin’ just proved my point above that there is a point of too much something… I guess I would be of a different opinion if I were into the MaryJane, maybe… But I am not, so there… 3* for cultural value, but soooo close to droppin’ it down to two...

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

The Good: We are getting fed! The Bad: Wait, that’s dread, not bread… The Ugly: What is natty bread? Suh Wi git tuh listen tuh Bob Marley an im Wailers! Yea, that’s about as much as I am going to use a free online translator to pretend like I speak patois… I am not into reaggea, though I did appreciate the previous couple of albums that I got to listen to, roughly a year ago. This album did not put me in a good place, it did not put me in a bad place, it just made me listen and wonder what my next album on the list will be… Guess wi a gwine fine outta yah inna ah second... bikaaz mia kool like that!

Fishscale

Ghostface Killah

3/5

The Good: An album for people who like symmetry! The Bad: That’s not why it’s called fishscale… The Ugly: Realizing that the album refers to some desease you get from oral sex… I just made that up… you can’t get a venereal desease from eating fishscales… I think. What fischscales refers to is a different musical scale, one that doesn’t stick to a set norm… one that allows people to sing so off key that it is considered an art-form! For those reading one of my reviews for the first time; I hate rap music… except, it seems, when it’s Em or any one related to WuTang… Don’t know what it is with Ghostface Killah, but he just makes me ignore my hatred for rap, and I will actually dish out a 3*...

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

4/5

The Good: A glorious morning! The Bad: Ruined by a bunch of screamin’ The Ugly: The fight that ensued when the singer was asked to STFU… Damn… Fucking Oasis… and their catchy tunes… Based on the comments I’ve been reading, most people on this journey were in their teenage years during the ‘90s, and they all agree that this album is nostalgic for them. Well, I was not in my teenage years during the ‘90s, but I too find this album dripping with nostalgia, and making me wish I could relive those lovely carefree days of enjoying a 4-day weekend every week—it’s good to be a college student back then—buying cheap ass beer, hitting on anything that was willing to give you a smile, and not looking back in anger… damnit, there I went and did what I wasn’t going to do. What I did not know, until reading the wiki page, is that the original drummer of the band was fired at the start of recording this album… and here I was, all the time thinking, the drumming is annoying with those fucking fills all the time… Guess I am more of a Ringo kinda chap, as was the original drummer. Anyway, I was not an Oasis fan in the ‘90s, but obviously there were tunes one could not escape from back then, and several of them are found on this here album, meriting the 4* I am going to shell out. Also, FYI, I went and listened to their debut album after listening to this one twice, and I gave Definitely Maybe 4* as well… If they wouldn’t be so arrogant, I might even shell out a 5*...

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

The Good: We know who we’re listening to… The Bad: She’s a woman, which means we need to listen to the songs in a different way… The Ugly: That damn eye-liner… I know I had heard her stuff before, but never an album. Then you read Wiki and you realize what a massive influence she’s had on music… I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was waiting for some goomba to come out of the woodworks to shoot a cap in my back. Felt like I was watching Good Fellas all over again… Having said all that, after a while, the music all blends in to become bland, and that isn’t what I was after either. Don’t know… I think I am going straight down the middle with this one, even if she kind of deserves a minimum of 4*… Let me read some reviews….

Pink Moon

Nick Drake

3/5

The Good: A pink moon, is special! The Bad: A red moon, it turns out, is more special… The Ugly: A green moon… Mr Drake, he was not one of them happy chaps… I had to check to my history for this journey we are on, and it turns out that I have already reviewed one of Mr Drakes’ albums, a glorious 4*, as I was not aware of his work. 4* stars, as I am calculating scores at the moment, means that the album will be included in a list of albums I do want to listen to again… So, the question is, do I want to listen to this album again? The previous album, called Bryter Layter, it had a lovely weird album cover that one can look at for a while before finding out 1 hour has come and gone. This album has similar art-work, that merist an additional score… The real question is: am I ready to have two albums on my list which could, depending on the state of mind of a listener, place sharp objects near ones wrist… Thus, nothing against the album per-say, I will have to give it 3 1/2 which will be downgraded to 3...

Marquee Moon

Television

4/5

The Good: We get television! The Bad: It’s neither cable, nor streaming… The Ugly: My trying to find the remote control for a television from the early ‘70s… Never heard of them before. Bonus. ‘70s is quickly becoming my favorite decade from a musical standpoint. I believe that television and film of the ‘70s, though definitely with some cult classics, in general can be considered shit… So, yeah, NYC punk/rock trendsetters… but then with guitars being used as actual instruments, instead of as percussion or projectiles to keep the angry mob at bay. I listened twice, and though it wasn’t bad, I wasn’t as impressed as it seems I have to be… The main question is: do I want to become a poser and have an obscure band on my playlist that only the cool kids can talk about? In fairness, I could easily give this album 3*, add 1/2* for it being ‘70s, and then round the damn number upwards… So, about those chordal switches on Marquee Moon, and the influence it has had on the Strokes, with the three/quarter/fourth on a C-sharp diminished flat… Good thing I have a second pressing vinyl, the first one lacked the additional bass boost...

Let England Shake

PJ Harvey

3/5

The Good: We get to let England shake! The Bad: The shaking wasn’t enough to really change anything… The Ugly: Inadvertently we will have increased England’s sense of superiority… Let it be known that this is my first PJ Harvey album on this list, and I’m well over a year in on this adventure… and I don’t get it. Let it also be known that, to my knowledge, this is the first time in my life that I’ve listened to a PJ Harvey album, potentially song... Maybe our friend Mr Dimery has a secret crush on PJ? Maybe she’s a relative? Maybe there is something to this artist that I just don’t get… However, as she’s got 4 albums on this list… I do hope that the other three do not pretend to be something made back in the dark ages, with lutes, and bongs, and sparrow screetches… Not my thing, but not terrible either…. down the middle we go 3*

This Nation’s Saving Grace

The Fall

1/5

The Good: We are being saved! The Bad: It is lacking grace… The Ugly: The scratches on my head while I have been searching the intrawebs as to where NAT-ION’S is located?… I don’t normally start writing reviews while I am actually listening to the album. This is due to the simple fact that, normally, I will listen twice to an album, and frequently I start understanding what makes an album interesting on the second listen… This was not the case with yesterday’s album (PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake…), nor is it the case with this waste of vinyl… To make things worse, this is the second The Fall album I’ve had the displeasure of having to sit through… and this one is 1 hour long. Why am I listening to this album? What makes it so special? Could it be that there are about 5 persons in the whole world who appreciate this, and ass-hat Dimery is 2 of them? If I want to listen to someone blaring into a microphone without much emotions, nor desire to really be there, then this would be my thing… and repetitive guitars… nice… it’s a punk version of techno music… So, I will do my job to better prepare people for the shit that is the Fall by downgrading their efforts to 1* Shoot me…

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

1/5

The Good: We are confronted with a riddle… The Bad: We aren’t given the answer to the riddle… The Ugly: Turns out that it was all a joke… It never dawned on me, but the band-name, is that a reference to “we are all depressed”? We don’t want to live, we’d rather be dead… gratefully? Be it as it may, this album could have been buried with the dead… What a total waste of my time. There’s nothing special about this album, there’s nothing in it that has opened my eyes and converted me in a Dead-Head. Live albums tend to suck, and this one is the suckiest of the all. 1* for being a total piece of crap

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

3/5

Will rate later… for now, will give it 3* as it wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be...

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

4/5

The Good: We get Spirit! The Bad: It did not include alcohol… The Ugly: Trying to explain to our shrink all about the 12 dreams of Dr. Sardonicus without the shrink writing us up for being nutcases… As hard as I try, I do not recall having listened to any Spirit albums before in life, and potentially singles neither. However, I do recall having heard about the band, or even read about them… all very odd, and very much in line with having 12 dreams. What is interesting is that I listened to the album a couple of times in my office, with great speakers, and once in the car as background filler due to the co-passengers not being open for a sonic journey. They are totally different…. In my office the album comes over as much heavier, while in the car, at times, I was reminded of Jethro Tull, which really has little to do with Spirit, except that they both are labelled as prog rock… For this album, knowing that I will want to be reminded about it in the future, and give it at least 1 more spin, I will grant the 4* as the experience was, surprisingly, positive.

A Nod Is As Good As A Wink To A Blind Horse

Faces

4/5

The Good: Faces… always nice to look at! The Bad: The faces aren’t top-model quality… The Ugly: The look in my face while trying to figure out the album name… Going to keep this one short. We’ve got early ‘70s pop-rock. Some songs upbeat, others downbeat, all with a good beat. Fun album to listen to, with 1 massive hit. Though I will give this album a 4*, I don’t know why it is listed as an album you have to hear before you die...

Out Of The Blue

Electric Light Orchestra

4/5

The Good: I’ve got Electric Light! The Bad: Missing Second Sight… The Ugly: There go my amazing powers of observation… Did you get that one? Just thought I’d throw that curve ball out there. Did I enjoy the Out Of the Blue? Yes I did. Is it the next best thing after sliced bread? No it’s not. Will I listen to the album again? Hell yeah. So what do you give an album like this, one where it at times feels like a chore to get through, yet when the last tune is done playing you kind of start missing out on all the fun that this album seems to embody. I can’t in good conscience give this album a 5* rating… so the next best thing!

Pearl

Janis Joplin

5/5

The Good: We get a Pearl! The Bad: Unlike a diamond, a pearl is very fragile… The Ugly: nothing really… except for the damn hair! What an absolute joy! My wife hated it, as she doesn’t like JJ’s voice… I guess we will have to agree to disagree, because a divorce is really expensive… Though I am uncertain about the exact first time I heard Janis her voice come exploding through some speakers, I believe I had not reached the gentile age of 10 yet. My monther bought the “Greatest Hits” album, and I recall being fascinated by the chopper… go figure. Highlights? Try the entire album… even the Mercedes Benz song, which, depending on my mood, can actually get a little on my nerves… Bobby McGee… best song ever! Off to spin the record again! 5*

Rings Around The World

Super Furry Animals

2/5

The Good: We are living on Saturn… The Bad: it seems to be inhabited by Super Furry Animals… The Ugly: Imagining all those Super Furry Animals in zero gravity doing what them furries do… Never heard of the band before, which shouldn’t come as a surprise as I, as an old fart, know very little about anything released after Y2K. So, yeah… don’t know. Not my cup of tea. It’s neither here, nor there. It’s not meat, nor fish… And I can’t get past the band’s name… There’s nothing on this album that made me sit back and listen, there’s nothing on this album that I can even recall having sat through… I guess the poor furries are getting a low score today… 2*

Rejoicing In The Hands

Devendra Banhart

2/5

The Good: We get to rejoice!!! The Bad: We were not told that it would be of the tree-hugging kind… The Ugly: Realizing the massive effect that parents choices have on their children’s future… Devendra Obi… really? Never heard of Devendra before, and by the amounts of listens he gets on Spotify, I am not the only one. Prior to listening to the album I started reading the Wiki page, and maybe I should stop doing this as it does color one’s initial reaction… My reaction was “okay, this isn’t half as bad as I’d have thought” But then song #2 starts, and #3, and I am getting ready to hit the skip button. I forget the song name, however, I was reminded about the album Grace by Mr Buckley, who also does that thing with his voice… the difference being that he doesn’t solely rely on this trick, where Obi does. So, I believe that a 2* rating is merrited, and I wish Devendra all the best with his future endeavors...

Southern Rock Opera

Drive-By Truckers

3/5

The Good: We know these boys aren’t going to stop… The Bad: Maybe they could have considered stopping after song #7? The Ugly: Trying to imagine what a real southern rock opera would sound like… I know I’ve heard of the band, but I can’t recall having listened to a single song of theirs, and when you start reading the bio it becomes apparent that these truckers haven’t had a lot of luck when it comes to gaining attention… Though not the best album ever, compared to some of the crap I’ve had to listen to, this is actually not a bad album… just wish that they weren’t being so preachy about Alabama, or only fully embracing the “southern rock” ethos… look at the Black Crowes… those bastards have managed to publish several excellent albums which are “southern rock” yet what they really are is good music. I am conflicted between giving this a 3* or a 4*… however, if I would have to listen to this album again right now I would opt to skip… 3*

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

3/5

The Good: We are wished a good night! The Bad: The room is lonely… The Ugly: Realizing Dwight’s real name is Akam… Having lived in Texas in the ‘90s, I am more than familiar with Dwight’s work. Not from a fan standpoint, but more a “you live in a zoo, you’re going to know some animals…” I’m not a big fan of C&W, and this here album, being so similar to ranchera music, as far as I’m concerned, is not my cup of tea. However, I do prefer to listen to this than many other shit albums on this list… so I will shoot down the ally and hope I don’t hit Dwight off of his horse… 3*

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

1/5

The Good: Something’s rising… The Bad: It’s not the what we’d like to see rise… The Ugly: age… For all you youngsters out there who feel the need to refer to this as boomer rock, or dad rock, get a life. This is shit music for one, and for two, though Springsteen might be a boomer himself, those who started listening to his music were Gen X… get your facts straight. Skip this album if you like music… it was painful to listen to. If you want to hear an album by a boomer in his later years, give Blackstar by Bowie a spin… now that’s an album. This was just shit… Couldn’t even get through the whole album as I feared I would start breaking things… I would rather listen to The Chronic… Nuff said… 0*

Tago Mago

Can

4/5

The Good: Yes, we can! The Bad: Wait… not that kind of can… The Ugly: Wondering what canned tago-mago tastes like… This album is what we are on this journey on. When the album cover showed up my initial thoughts were “okay, this is going to be interesting” and I was not disappointed. Today I learned that Kraut-Rock is not Opus’s Life is Life, or Nena’s 99 Luftballons… silly me. What I did learn is that there was a period in time when musicians tried to alter the norm, infuse art and philosophy into their works, and inspire future generations for making new kind of music. Listening to Can, I am amazed at the quality of sound, the “freshness” of it all, especially considering that, should you be unaware of when this album was recorded, you’d easily think this album could come from the ‘90s or later… Then there’s Suzuki’s vocal performance… puts you into a trance. The only reason that this album is not getting 5* is due to the length of most of the “songs”—7 tunes for a double album, boy oh boy… Should people listen to this before they die, absolutely! 4 1/2*

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

2/5

The Good: We know that this album is going to blow something up! The Bad: That it did not blow itself up after roughly song #3… The Ugly: Getting all excited about “need you tonight” thinking it would be an INXS remix… fucking Mylo… On a positive, I really do like the album art! About the album… well, take into consideration that Mylo never published another album, we know that these 55 minutes and 5 seconds are all that there is to convince us of the need to NOT have to listen to this again. I will give Mylo 2 stars for the effort on the first couple of tracks, and the fact that he made this all on a computer when most people didn’t know you could do that… he should have stuck to Academia though…

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

1/5

The Good: We’re in heaven… The Bad: It’s ranked 17th… The Ugly: At least we thought we’d stay in the penthouse… turns out that it is on the pavement… What in the actual fuck? And this is NOT the FIRST time I am writing this as the opening comment to a review… For a second I thought that we’d hear something incredible, as I’ve not had too much synth-pop show up on the list, and there are some amazing bands/albums that came out in the early ‘80s… Of course, if you lived in that period and you can barely recall hearing a Heaven 17 tune, you should know better… then again, I was pleasantly surprised with those Scottish lads from Orange Juice, or even better, the art pop from the Assocaites—believe you me, 1000% better than this horrid of an album. Can’t say that I really enjoyed listening to this… I believe that my thought was “can we get it over and done with so I can listen to Can’s Tago Mago album again?” Yeah, I feel bad for the chaps, guess they should never have left the Human League…

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

3/5

The Good: We get Soulful Rock! The Bad: Turns out to be Rockful Soul… The Ugly: Last name not being Grundy… Obviously it is a great thing when one get’s to listen to some soul music after the amount of shit that I’ve had to endure through so far… however, any album, and I mean ANY album, by Otis Redding blows this out of the water… so why am I listening to this one? Sure, the opening tune is a fucking gem, and should be on everyone's 5* playlist. Yet the rest of the album is neither fish nor fowl… and I really wanted to have a religious experience while listening to Mr Burke preach to me… Also, as a Public Service Announcement to all who might be curious… don’t go playing the album which finally got Solomon a Grammy… what a piece of shit that was. His voice is stellar, and we know he’s got soul… but this album is just… not worthy of more than 2*… but I’ll bump it up thanks to Cry To Me 3*

Post Orgasmic Chill

Skunk Anansie

4/5

The Good: We are in a post orgasmic state! The Bad: We didn’t get to experience the orgasm… The Ugly: Wondering why we’d want a skunk to get us to a post orgasmic state… Ahhh, the late ‘90s, the end of a millennium, and more so the end of consistent great music. I was in a phase where the music I was listening to all involved female vocalists: Macy Gray, Sarah McLachlan, and Skin were the main ones. This album, for me, was perfect as it mixed a lot of the “modern” sounds, like drum & bass, as well as house, into a straight forward rock concept. I had a colleague years later who tried to convince me that Skin did not know how to carry a tune, and that she was always singing behind, or in front of, the beat… go figure. While going through a phase of over a week where this 1001 list spurned out nothing but shit, I went into my own CD collection as started listening to albums I hadn’t listened to in a while… and this album was one of them. Thus, a big smile presented itself when the album cover presented itself as the album of the day! I am, however, conflicted as to what score I should give this album… and I know that, though I really love the album, it isn’t 5*… So I will downgrade 4 1/2* into a more than solid 4*

Kings Of The Wild Frontier

Adam & The Ants

2/5

The Good: I guess we are going on a safari! The Bad: That our guides seem to be ants… The Ugly: Finding out that the ends are freaking red ants… because of all the face painting… what? I recall Adam and his ants being on MTV, and me wondering exactly what it was I was supposed to like about them. So, when his face popped up this morning, I got a little exited, because I figured that I would not understand all about Adam and his ants… I guess that I am no fan of Adam and his ants… The album, thankfully, only lasted so long, so there was no need to hurt myself. There’s really nothing to mention about this album aside from the fact that I did not like it and started getting annoyed with the stupid chants here and there. 2* because it isn’t total shit, but be warned that you probably will want to punch something if you listen to this album twice in a row...

New Forms

Roni Size

1/5

The Good: We get something NEW!!!! The Bad: The forms are illegible… The Ugly: It seems we have to fill them out a million times, all identically… Imagine you have a cousin who always stutters for about 3 minutes when he needs to say the words “one” or “nine”. Now imagine that you have 2 options: listen to him count to 1000 and receive a million bucks, or you can opt to clean the bathroom and get a cheese sandwich as a reward… I’d pick the bathroom and cheese sandwich before I’d ever have to listen to this album again… because this album is like listening to that cousin count to 1000… It’s not that I have a problem with drum and bass, except for the simple fact that, like most EDM related music, I hate it and would only be able to enjoy it if I were in a different state of mind—booze or drugs induced—it’s more that I don’t understand why I need to listen to an album that lasts about 1 hour too long… I am getting the serious suspicion that Dimery is really a sadist trully enjoying putting us through this fucking ordeal! Not my cup of tea… 1 1/2*

Legalize It

Peter Tosh

3/5

The Good: We’re going to legalize it! The Bad: Because if we don’t, we aren’t going to like this album… The Ugly: Even after having legalized it in many places, we still can’t give a (Peter) Tos(h) about it… During my college years there were people in my circle of friends who believed themselves to be Rastafarians, to the point where they had nappy hair, wore clothes made from hemp, played hacky-sack, and needless to say, smoked their clothes too. You knew that, if you’d visit their abode, you’d find a Jamaican flag, even, sometimes, you’d find the Etheopian one with the lion on it… I’d partake of the ganja once or twice, after all, I was in college… And you’d listen to Bob Marley and the Wailers, and you could check your list of things to do while in college. At parties, every now and again, someone would, inevitably, play a Bob Marley song or two, we all know which ones… Oddly enough, very few people played Peter Tosh’s album. Not that there is anything wrong with it, per say, just that it all just sounds the same, and we are familiar with Bob’s work, and his “greatest hits”. So, I’ve listened to this album, which I believe to be the fourth, and hopefully the last, of the reggae style, as I don’t believe I can listen to another one… Don’t know if I want to label this 2 or 3*… then again, for all the shit that is out there, let’s go down the middle.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

3/5

The Good: legs… The Bad: Not seeing the video’s while listening to the songs… The Ugly: The elimination did not start sooner… Like many of my contemporaries teenage idiot, we really dug ZZ Top when their videos started showing up in the mid ‘80s. Flashy cars. Flashy clothes. Flashy beards… and flashy girls. I don’t care if the lyrics are deemed misogynistic by many, or that the use of synths and drum machines ruined the sound… the singles that launched from this album were hits, and they still sound nice to listen to… The problem is that the album is 11 songs long, and really there are only 3 great songs on it, where the remaining 8 sound a lot like the afore mentioned three… and then there’s Mr. Gibbons guitar soloing, which starts getting on one’s nerves after all a while, as it’s the same trick, over and over… not that it sounds bad, but should be limited to the 3 hits… So, that means that the score of this album should reflect 3 hits out of 11, which equals 2*… should I be nice and make it three?...

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

4/5

The Good: We realize that, if we like this album, there are, at least, 3 more albums by the band… The Bad: What if we don’t like the band? The Ugly: What if we like our Sunday with light? Poor Ozzy, RIP. I am going to assume that I am not the only person who was presented with an album featuring the Prince of Darkness the day after his passing. Makes one wonder how random these albums get generated… I saw Sabbath play live on a triple bill back in the ‘90s, and memory wants to tell me that it was Tool, and the Butthole Surfers who were the other 2 bands. However, my and my buddy were too busy trying to get more beers, instead of listening to the bands, so I can’t recall too well what my real impression of the concert was. This Vol. 4 has been a pleasant surprise. It is hard. It is heavy. It is tender. It is an excellent listen, and should belong on this list. Of course, my judgment is clouded, as I am a Gen X and rock is what I was fed while growing into a responsible 30-year-old ;-) Here’s to Ozzy, may his bad temper live forever!

The Soft Bulletin

The Flaming Lips

3/5

The Good: We not only get an album that starts with The, but also a band! The Bad: Those lips were too much on fire, makes wonder about std’s… The Ugly: Fearing the next the bulletin… I know that I saw this band live, at least once, back in the ‘90s. The problem is that I can’t recall what I thought about the show… and I can’t blame the booze I was drinking, as I remember all concerts I saw back in the 90s as I was still young, and with a well functioning brain… Anyway, when this album dropped this morning, I was excited to listen to them, as I’d seen them on many a list of bands/albums you need to hear… and I heared them… and now I don’t know what to think about them. It is nice, but it is lengthy. It is catchy, but forgettable. It is this, and it is that… Maybe my current state of mind is not helping as I am dealing with some kind of summer flu, and I am way behind on work… so I will have to give the album a fair try when things are a little more relaxed. For now, through the middle I go 3*

Transformer

Lou Reed

5/5

The Good: We get to see a car turn into a robot! The Bad: No we’re not… The Ugly: Realizing one can not be transformed… This album contains two of my favorite tunes on my top 1000 tunes one needs to hear before one dies! Yet, I had never listened to this album as a) take a walk on the wild-side is just a classic and one will have heard it on countless classic rock radio stations (if you are old enough) and b) a perfect day was ingrained into my memory via Trainspotting and Rents journey to the bottom… So, I was excited to sit down and listen to this album, and by the second spin I kept thinking that Lou had been stealing from David… to then read that Bowie produced the album, and all made sense… This one is not getting a 5* rating, not because I don’t believe that it should, but more so because those should stay reserved for the absolute banger 5* which, potentially, this album might turn into if I have had the opportunity to listen to it several more times and finding that I look forward to listening to it again… fuck it, 5* it is

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

4/5

The Good: For once little is better than much! The Bad: Much Earthquakes does not sound correct… The Ugly: Earthquakes… If my memory is correct, than many moons ago Rick Beato mentioned this album in one of his hour and a half talk about something or another. If I am not mistaken, while Rick and a friend were doing something or other, one of the songs off of this album came on the radio—because people still listened to the radio back in the ‘90s—and they knew that they were listening to something special… Me, I probably heard the same song around that time, also via the radio, but it was not something that my ear was ready to listen to as I was more into rock and grunge and roadhouse blues at the time… Today, marking roughly 3 weeks since this album showed up on my 1001 list, I can understand how this album is something special. I’ve listened to it 4 times in the past weeks, and upon each listen I am starting to like the album more and more. For now, 4* easily granted to Tori! Maybe, just maybe, I will have to come back and numb it up to 5* at some point...

Faith

George Michael

5/5

The Good: We get to have faith! The Bad: We don’t know in what… The Ugly: Getting caught… When I was still in my teens, I made a huge trip to the other side of the world to stay with family and work in their business. It was still the time of cassettes, though CD’s were slowly crawling into mainstream. One could still light up a cigarette during a long haul flight. We had big hair, not thick, just big! Oh, and we were nearing the end of the cold-war… There I was, living far away from my comfortable home, with my portable cassette player for which I can’t recall the brandname, nor can I recall excactly how long fresh batteries last… was it 8 hours? Anyway, I was reading a lot back then, detectives, thrillers, the odd weird thing, and I was listening to the albums that mostly reminded me of my friends home. This album was one of the ones that got a lot of airtime as it launched the year before, and I had listened to the hits at one too many parties! You listen differently to albums when you are far away from home, and don’t know how much longer the batteries will last… Playing this album, brought me right back to those lovely years. The travels I did, the new people I met, and the new memories created. For that, a huge thank you to George M. For those who feel that this album sounds too ‘80s… well, that’s because it was released in the middle of that ‘80s sound, where things were already becoming more polished. Also, if my memory serves me right, GM performed most, if not all, instruments on this album, and only for that we should give him another round of applause and thanks. a 5* without a doubt, for me!

Better Living Through Chemistry

Fatboy Slim

1/5

The Good: Hopefully my last Fat Boy Slim album on this journey! The Bad: That this is my second Fat Boy Slim album on this journey… The Ugly: My lab after me trying to get to better living through chemistry… The other day I was grateful to Mr Demiry’s list as I was listening to some stuff that I’d never listened to before, and probably never would have listened to if it hadn’t been for this journey—Tago Mago by Can, for those of you wondering… Today, I am ungrateful to Mr Demiry’s list as, for the second time, I’ve been exposed to absolute shit EMD which, if we are being truthful, does not deserve more than 1 to 2 albums on a list of 1000… and yet I’ve had the displeasure of being forced to sit through—Just checed, and under pure electronica, I have currently listed 14 albums, with an average score of 2.4, due to Kraftwork and Moby getting good reviews. Anyway, I’ve already wasted too much energy reviewing an album which I will never listen to again… Sorry Fat Boy Slim, hope your ego can handle the second 1* I am handing out to you...

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

1/5

The Good: We get to learn something new today! The Bad: It is a lie… The Ugly: Trying to decipher the rest of the album to see how many more lies are in there… Every additional word that I add to this review is a word too many. I don’t like rap… I don’t understand why I have to listen to an album which is not even rated in the best 50 best rap albums ever… so thanks for wasting my time. 1*

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

1/5

The Good: It’s all about the miseducation! The Bad: Probably shouldn’t have been mis.. The Ugly: The ego… I don’t like rap. I’m no big fan of modern soul, and this has nothing to do with R&B as far as I'm concerned. Also, does one have to fake a Jamaican accent in order to do reggae rap? I don’t like it when music feels pedantic, and I abhor how many albums in the 90s tried to glue tracks together via small monologues or conversations. It is trite, and has been done once too often to still make a WoW impact. So, surprise surprise, here’s my 1* If only someone could create modern soul/r&b without feeling the need to constantly do vocal scales on every 2nd and 4th beat...

No Other

Gene Clark

3/5

The Good: We know we are the only one! The Bad: Maybe we should have had some variety, as it is the spice to life… The Ugly: Finding out that we’re the only one due to an obsession… Well, that was unexpected. Judging by the cover of the album, one’d think that you’re in for some light jazz, maybe a waltz or two? Then the music starts and you try to figure out what you are listening to. I’m no fan of the Byrds, nor The Byrds, nor any of the late ‘60s psychedelic stuff, unless it’s Hendrix wailing on his guitar. Thus, just by the name, I was not instantly aware of who, or what, I was about to be exposed to. It wasn’t bad. It wasn’t great either. It was just kind of no other… Reading the wiki information I did have to scratch my head as, according to wikipedia, Goats Head’s Soup and Innervisions were two albums that influenced Mr Clark while making this record… and those are two album which I really like—believe that the GHS isn’t on this 1001 album list, probably to make space for more bland crap like this album… Anyway, turns out that the album failed to make an impression, the artist blaming the record company, and decades later, when released again, it was found to be a lost gem… not for me though. Will I ever listen to this album again… yes, I will. Not because I found it great, but more because it makes me curious about my musical taste… as it seems to be a hidden gem… but not to me. Scoring wise, I am conflicted… And I really do wish that we’d be able to score on a scale of 10, as this would get a 5* rating

Mask

Bauhaus

4/5

The Good: The house is built! The Bad: We’re not certain what’s behind the mask… The Ugly: Hair of the dog… never a good thing. I’ve known Bauhaus, as a band, since the mid-80s, yet this is the first time that I consciously listened to one of their albums. Why? Well, let’s just say that during the ‘80s I did not listen to “New Wave” (as we lumped all the “alternative” music), instead I was a pop boy. However, during the ‘90s I started listening to Depeche Mode, the Cure, Tears for Fears, etc… and via this list acts like The Associates. It is the latter that is my favorite discovery so far on the 1001 list, so when I started finding certain acoustic similarities on this album, I was getting a little excited. At this moment my excitement is lowered, yet, I’ve not had the perfect opportunity to really sit back and listen to this album. Therefor, it is possible that I might just end up being a bigger fan than I currently am of Mask. I’d say this album is a solid 3* for the moment, and I will give it 1 additional * for the album cover, as I really like it… also, at 4* I know that I will be able to find this album again to have a better listen down the road...

Bossanova

Pixies

3/5

The Good: We get a bossanova! The Bad: It’s not that kind of bossanova.. The Ugly: rinsing the other bossanova out of my mind… If there is one thing that I believe most participants to this 1001 journey can agree on is that nobody would like to listen to a full album of bossanova, it becomes tedious after a while… Maybe that is why this album is called just that? Because it becomes tedious after a while? And I really want to like it, but I can’t… sorry… Guess I don’t like tedious? Or I just don’t understand what the big deal is with the Pixies? Anyway, as I was away for almost 2 weeks I am playing serious catch up on the list and will leave this album with a 3* rating as it was neither here, nor there, for me...

Endtroducing.....

DJ Shadow

1/5

The Good: It’s a clear end… The Bad: yet we were still troduced to it… The Ugly: fill in the blanks I’ve waited over a week to rate this album… why? Because slowly but surely my patience is being tested too much…. I think that I have been forced to listen to over 10 albums that were released since the late ‘90s, and we all know that hardly anything good was released since the introduction of 1 too many electronic/rap/numetal/pop crap So here’s to me finding out just now that yesterday’s album is Sign ‘O the Times, and that is going to be an easy 5* for me… This album, is a skip 1* Sorry DJ Shadow

Will The Circle Be Unbroken

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band

2/5

The Good: It’s an easy question… The Bad: Uncertain if the band will like the answer… The Ugly: Double album... I knew of the band name when I saw the album pop up this morning… what I wasn’t ready for was the genre. I thought it was going to be some kind of stoner rock… Though I could spend minutes explaining why it is plausible that one should listen to this album at least once in their lifetime, I fear that I am going to be tarred and feathered, in good hillbilly style, for wasting people’s time. Yes, this is detrimental to American culture, so is throat singing to Bhuddist culture, yet I’m sure there isn’t a single throat chanting album on this list, and if there were, I am pretty certain it won’t last close to 2 hours… And to think that there is a Vol. 3 and Vol. 4 to this album… 2* for musicianship, it would have been 3 had it not been for that same annoying little mandolin lick being played...

Ray Of Light

Madonna

2/5

The Good: We’re not left in the dark! The Bad: Turns out it is midday… The Ugly: This album should have been left in the darkness…. I was never a Madonna fan. However, during her Material Girl period, I, and countless of my fellow teenage morons, all wished our girlfriends would look like her… We can’t deny the fact that Madonna has been able to adjust her image to stay important, or even trendsetting… Jean-Paul G would not have a live were it not for Vogue. Yet, do I need someone like Madonna to tell me about the importance of spirituality? The ray of light, in so far as to this 1001 album list, is that we get to read some wiki on a daily basis to see why an album is on a list, or what might be special about the album… and in this case, it seems that Madonna had been using the training she had received for the Evita musical, and it is apparent as hell… no need to have a little ray of light shine on the fact that the voice is annoying, like listening to a musical that one is forced to listen to. The album did produce several hits, and they are instantly recognizable, as the production on the album is really well… so, just because of that, I will grant Madonna 2*… while crossing my fingers that I don’t have to listen to another album by her… though, I believe that I am missing at least 1...

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

2/5

The Good: Milk, it does a body good! The Bad: Turns out tigermilk is some kind of instrument… The Ugly: the album cover… This is my second B&S album I’ve seen on the list, and I do hope this is the last. I’ve done the math, and with 1001 albums to go through since the 1950s, it means roughly 140 albums per decade… which is 14 per year… That’s a lot of albums if you think about it. So, what did I think about Tigermilk? Not much, to tell the truth. It was okay. It didn’t ruin my day, like some other albums tend to do. But I was more interested in figuring out what a tigermilk instrument looks like, and then I couldn’t stop looking at the boobies of B&S founder, which led me into a whole retrospective about me getting older and becoming a dirty old man… The few B&S fans that I know are all wimps… and that is the best way I can describe this music: whimpy. At least goths are scary… 2*

D

White Denim

2/5

The Good: We know the grade before hearing the album… The Bad: Too many listeners seem to think that it is a C+ The Ugly: White denim… I mean, who in their right mind wears that? There are times when a totally unknown album/group gets you slightly excited before hearing the first song, and then makes you wonder about people’s taste in music by the time the last song has played… Austin, TX, is a hotbed for music, and the launching pad for several international stars… White Denim not being one of them. I guess that if your sound is too eclectic, at times making you think you are listening to Pink Floyd, then The Rolling Stones, then The Grateful Dead… well, you got to some choosing to do. Was the album bad? No, yet, I listened to it twice and can’t recall a single song. Will I listen to the album again? Most likely not… it just didn’t hit the right spots for me. 2*

The Dark Side Of The Moon

Pink Floyd

5/5

The Good: Knowing that there are two sides to the moon! The Bad: Still unable to see what’s on the dark side of the moon… The Ugly: Nothing… Is it the easiest 5* around? No! I can even understand that there are people unable to recognize that this is that great albums are all about… For me, there are better albums, including Pink Floyd albums, than this one. Which means that, for the moment, Pink Floyd is going to score 5* on all their albums. To those, who don’t understand why this album is 5*… place all your 5* albums on a row, listen to them start to finish, and then play this...

Nowhere

Ride

1/5

The Good: We were warned… The Bad: We still ended up nowhere… The Ugly: Total waste of a ride to get there… It’s so interesting how regionality colors the music that you listen to. Imagine that you were living in Bozeman, Montana, when this album came out… This ain’t no Bridger Creek Boys! I’t is hard for someone who missed the shoegaze phase, and doesn’t have suppressed anger hidden down deep in his soul, to listen to this and think “golly, that is some soothing music”. I listened to this album… check it off the fucking list—pardon my language there, but the noise just got to me and I guess that I did have some suppressed anger hidden down deep somewhere, and this music has pulled it out and ruined my day… 1* for being shit

New Wave

The Auteurs

4/5

The Good: We know what genre this belongs to! The Bad: We’ve been fooled… The Ugly: Being fooled by auteurs, is like being schooled by morons.. Okay, I will let you in on a little secret: I am playing catch-up on all these albums which I did listen to, yet at the time did not have the time to rate. In the case of this album, almost 2 months have gone by, and I can only recall the album cover, but not a single song… What does that tell you about the impact that this album had on me? Maybe I am getting insensitive to music, after forcing myself to listen to a different album for almost 500 days… So what should I do here? Should I go through the middle? I do recall that the album did make me want to hit the skip button… but no impact… does that deserve 3*? Gonna listen to it real fast, brb… Okay, mid ‘90s stuff… and I like the ‘90s… maybe I will add this to my list of things I need to listen to again at some point in the future… which means 4*

Scissor Sisters

3/5

The Good: We know two women are having a good time! The Bad: The good times don’t last forever… The Ugly: Per always, an self-named album… I am tired, because it is hot here, and we are in the middle of summer, and no a/c… So, my review is going to be simple, and short. Actually enjoyed it more than I thought I was going to… however, a disco cover of Comfortably Numb is herecy… 3*

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

5/5

The Good: We are taught the sign ‘O’! The Bad: We aren't taught what that ‘O’ really means… The Ugly: Realizing it is a future reference to the movie Officespace… It this Prince’s magnum opus? Not for me. What it is for me is the culmination of a creative period that started with Controversy, switched to 1999 (included in the 1001 list), drove us to higher spheres with Purple Rain (also on the 1001 list), surprised his fans with Around the World In A Day (regretfully not on this list), couldn’t repeat the Oscar with Parade (also, not on this list… I believe), to finally get us all excited with this album. For me, that’s 6 5* albums in a row… but I am a fanboy… I saw the tour… and what a fucking show! It was my third Prince concert, and my last. This album has a little of this, a little of that… and for me, never get’s old. Made my day seeing this gem pop up! If you can’t dig it, give it another spin, and another, and you will come around! Oh Yeah...

Bookends

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

The Good: We know how the story ends… The Bad: We aren’t always sure where the story started… The Ugly: Paul Simons haircut… 30 minutes… that’s what this album lasts, and technically speaking, just for that, it should get an additional star ranking, because the fear that enters me when I see an album I don’t know with a runtime of around 1+ hour, mainly product released post 1995… This album serves to make several points; don’t judge a book by its cover, being the main one! I did NOT know that the song America was them performing it, and I’ve heard that song countless times. And it’s not that I don’t like the song, it’s just that I had placed it away in the folder labelled “pantsy hippy shit”… Then you are forced to sit down and listen, and I actually tried to pay attention to the lyrics (for which I deserve an extra star rating)… Before reaching the much known Mrs Robinson, we are treated to sonic delight… what the fuck? And reading about how, when one would be listening to the album, side one starts and ends with the aptly named bookend… fuckers are just giggling while my mind starts to understand a little bit more… And then comes the hammer… A Hazy Shade of Winter, one of the greatest songs ever performed by The Bangles, turns out to be a cover! Fuck me! I spend some time trying to see if I can get the movie “Less Than Zero” on any of my streaming services, but alas, just like the movie “Under the Cherrymoon”, this ‘80s gem will be denied, for the moment… I am struggling as to which score to give the album… it is nice, and it is special… I am just not certain if I wan’t it to have 5*… why can’t we rate to 10???

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

5/5

The Good: We are introduced to The Hardline The Bad: They are never really featured… The Ugly: Neither is Terence Trent D’Arby… What a lovely album this is, and what wonderful memories it always reminds me of… to be young, dumb, and full of …. TTD came along in a period when the New Romantics / New Wave were slowly fading away, Madonna was Queen of Pop, and Prince and Michael Jackson were the contenders for the King spot… Upstart TTD never stood a chance. But this album has 2 massive hits on it, and several hidden gems, and the massive hits are always omnipresent on “best of” or “greatest hits” compilation albums. For those of you who believe that this sounds like the ‘80s… it might… it was, after all, a period when digital was starting to replace analog aspects of recording and publishing, and it heavily influenced the sound in the trebles and upper mid-range. However, this album has nothing to do with the sound of the Royalties mentioned before… so clear out your ears, and give it another spin!

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

4/5

The Good: We know who’s calling us… The Bad: It’s not a booty call… The Ugly: nothing, as it’s a purdy valley! Amazingly non-offensive, relaxing background music. I managed to get a load of work done, and will definitely want to play this album again in the future when it’s night time and I am trying to catch-up… So, 4*… because the like the Call of the Valley

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

2/5

The Good: It’s a family affair! The Bad: It’s a family affair… The Ugly: Family affairssss… I never understood what the big deal is with Sly and his stone family… This album did nothing to change my mind… I listened to it. I feel like I didn’t accomplish anything meaningful by doing so… funk is overrated, as far as I'm concerned—unless Stevie Wonder does it! So, emblematic album, yes, should someone listen to it, yes, and am I breaking grammar rules by placing all the previous in one sentence, yes! 2 1/2*

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

2/5

The Good: We are warned to be attentive to rattling sounds! The Bad: This rattlesnake has lost its rattle… The Ugly: Getting fuckin’ bitten… What in the actual fuck? This album contains 1 listenable song, which happens to be the first song on the album, and also the only real hit Lloyd ever managed to score… Why? Because his voice is annoying as hell and only works ones. So, though I started off the album thinking “this might be fun”, I quickly found myself trampling bushes, hoping that there was a rattlesnake lying in hiding, ready to strike and take me out of my fucking misery. Not scoring this album 1* due to Perfect Skin...

Moondance

Van Morrison

4/5

The Good: We are dancing on the moon! The Bad: Lack of gravity and lack of rhythm make the event a disaster… The Ugly: Trying to find a ride home… I forget the name of the show, but there came the song, and my ears perked up… it was Into the Mystic and became my song for a month, listening to it at least once a day. Due to this, I obviously listened to Moondance… but I did not listen like I am listening to music today… So, there are some awesome songs on this album, that should be on top-10 lists left and right… but at the same time, the album does go into some kind of funk where you stop listening. I don’t know if it is the voice, the instrumentation, the composition, or a combo of all… So no 5* for Moondance… but I will grant it 4* as it is a 3 1/2* that deserves additional play.

Idlewild

Everything But The Girl

3/5

The Good: We are made aware that what we are listening to is “everything but the girl” The Bad: We are being lied to… The Ugly: Lies will make our noses grow… Familiar with the bandname, unfamiliar with their music, except for, one other two songs that I probably heard while also hearing the bandname being mentioned… and notice that it’s bandname, not band name, just like the title of the album. Does the singer have a nice voice? Yes. Are there issues with the arrangements? No. Did the album irritate? No. Was I looking at the album cover thinking that this band was a side project for Morrissey? Yes! Will I listen to this album again? Probably not… However, maybe out of curiosity… 2 1/2*

Face to Face

The Kinks

2/5

The Good: A face to face experience! The Bad: I didn’t like the face I was paired with… The Ugly: My face to the paired one… what??? It would have been nicer had this album shown up on a Sunday, and I would’ve had the opportunity to say that “on a lazy sunny Sunday afternoon…” Alas, it was Tuesday, and that means it wasn’t… Though there are reasons enough to really enjoy this album, I have a difficult time finding them. The sound—I believe that on Wiki they refer to it as baroque—has never been my thing. As a matter of fact, it ranks close to the bottom with rap and psychedelia… Yes, the songs are well written. Yes, the songs are of a nice time limit. Yes, there are good harmonies. Still, aside from the sunny afternoon song, I find all the other tunes to be similar, and boring… 2 1/2* downgraded

The College Dropout

Kanye West

3/5

The Good: Saving money, by dropping out… The Bad: Maybe some more higher education could’ve helped the man? The Ugly: Stupidity of people not recognizing serious mental health issues… Here comes my skipping record: I don’t like rap. However, this album was actually “easy listening” for me. It was musical, it has structure, just easy listening. Now, if they could stop with the damn sketches, maybe I can start taking certain hip hop albums more serious. 3*

Dear Science

TV On The Radio

3/5

The Good: we know we are not going to get bored… The Bad: turns out that there’s nothing worth watching on the TV or hearing on the radio… The Ugly: still not understanding what science has to do with this! Bland… Or, blink and miss it… That’s the best way to describe the music. It’s not bad, but it’s just not there… So, I am reviewing an album that I played twice back to back and I can’t recall the experience… and that’s not the first time it’s happened to me during this here 1001 list. I do wish we could score on a 10 base, as this album isn’t 2*, but kind of isn’t 3* either. Guess it’s sticking to the trend it set for me with just not being anything...

Raw Power

The Stooges

5/5

The Good: We know what we’re in for! The Bad: Too little time to get into it… The Ugly: The album cover… Though I’ve not been too positive about the previous The Stooges albums I’ve listened to, this one just hit the spot right. Don’t know if the product has anything to do with this, or if it just is pure luck. From song 1 through song last, one just nods one’s head in approval, while hiding a slight grin under one’s nose. Maybe I need to re-listen to the previous albums with a different ear? 4 1/2* which I’ll upgrade to 5 to get my buddies off my back!

Maxinquaye

Tricky

3/5

The Good: … The Bad: … The Ugly: … What the hell does Maxinquaye really mean? And why does the artist name himself Tricky? For belonging to a musical genre I really don’t give a crap about, I actually enjoyed the listen. Most likely will never listen to Tricky again, but then again, one never knows, right? Down the middle… 3*

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

4/5

The Good: We finally get it… at least the band’s name! The Bad: We don’t fully understand what they are hunting for… The Ugly: The falsetto… Take on me… to think that I always thought the girl in the video was of Scandinavian roots too… yet no… This is high-level ‘80s pop, made by 3 lads from Norway. I always wondered why they looked so pissed off, guess that is the Norwegian way of looking cool? There really isn’t much I can complain about this album. It made me want to listen to some better stuff… so I will play Tears for Fears next… Still, good job to a-Ha! 4*

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

5/5

The Good: Gold rush is over! The Bad: We don’t know if we hit the source… The Ugly: Neil Young’s voice… I hate Neil Young’s voice, hate it. Yet, there’s songs that he’s recorded which, in my humble opinion, are more than gold. Like A Hurricane, that’s a top 20 GOAT song… Then there’s this album… of which I was familiar with Southern Man, like most people, and only because Lynyrd Skynyrd told us Neil Young should remember… Anyway, back on track… FUCK ME. What an album. I’ve played it twice, back to back, and the last setting I just kind of stared into nothing… You will not hear me say this much, but thank you mr. Dimery, for introducing me to this album, which is going to stuck in Top 10 for the moment being. 5*

The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter

The Incredible String Band

3/5

The Good: At least the Hangman’s got something positive… The Bad: What’s the use of having such a daughter if you’re hanging people? The Ugly: Realizing that there’s nothing incredible about the strings, or the band… Weirdest thing happened: when originally this album was presented to me, I did not know what to think of it. So I listened, and then I listened again, and I believe that I gave it a third spin after that… Yet still I was uncertain if this album is just one of those sleeper things, or my taste in music is getting worse and worse. Fast forward a couple of months, and I decided to give the album one more spin prior to rating it… and I was not able to find anything special about it. More so, I was starting to really not like it… So now what do I do? Do I rate it low, like so many people have done? Or do I shoot down the middle?… Gonna give it 3*… Might listen to it again in the future, if I recall of the album...

Warehouse: Songs And Stories

Hüsker Dü

4/5

The Good: We not only get songs… The Bad: Most of the stories are the same… The Ugly: Trying to find the double dots on the keyboard… Yes, I was familiar with Husker Du (with the double dots… sue me) prior to this list starting. No, I had not listened to many of their albums… none to be exact. So, after listening, and then reading, I guess I am Du for some additional album listens. Did I like this album? Yes. Will I likely listen to the album again? Not in its entirety. At least, not soon. Mostly because the damn thing is repetitive in sound. Sound is energetic though… maybe another spin prior to the end of the year is called for… 3 1/2* upgraded!

The Idiot

Iggy Pop

4/5

The Good: We are allowed to name call! The Bad: Idiot is so 1973… The Ugly: Pop… he’s just not model material like Bowie is!!! After listening to this I felt a massive urge to go watch Trainspotting… and to listen to Lust For Life… Oddly enough, though at first listen, there were moments where I thought “can we start sounding more interested”, by spin #2 I just got into this odd groove… Idiotic, really… I also don’t believe I will ever be able to listen to Bowie’s “cover” of China Girl the same way. I am going to give this album a 4 1/2* downgraded… however, I shall reserve the right to upgrade this to 5* at some point.

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

3/5

The Good: It is only for today The Bad: what if we like it and want to listen to it tomorrow? The Ugly: listening to them yesterday… If there is anything to learn from this album then it is to show the importance of choosing a good name for your band… If Elvis Presley could have recorded any style of music, people would’ve accepted it. The Beach Boys should stick to beach kind of music… not that ‘50s rock n roll classics are beach worthy, just not what one thinks about… Also, note that I am not a beach boys fan. I listened to the album. Appreciated the fact that it wasn’t too long, while bobbing along to several tracks. That’s it. Probably will not play that album again… and if the album that is going to presented to me now is not pleasing, I will go and listen to The Idiot by Iggy Pop again, which is quickly becoming a top-10 all time favorite for me… 3*

Green

R.E.M.

4/5

The Good: Green means go! The Bad: I don’t believe that this is what it’s meant to mean… The Ugly: Trying to figure out all acronym solutions for G.R.E.E.N. Back in those days, especially when this album came out, I was living in a part of the world where REM were not that well known, so this album was not on my radar, nor was the band, until their real break-through Losing My Religion hit the charts. And yet, there are 4 songs on this album that are more than familiar to my ears… What’s there not to like? The music is peppy without becoming annoying, like it would be with the B-52s There’s a little bit of everything on here, and while I am on my fourth spin, I am still without the urge to hit skip… However, I really want to know which album will be today’s revelation, so I will stop listening to the REM, keep my fingers crossed that the album is on par with this one, resulting in a favorable day… 4* as I need to be more specific as to which album I would never have a problem listening to (which is a clean 5*)

Orbital 2

Orbital

3/5

The Good: We know what to score to give the album… The Bad: What if we like to give it a higher score, do we change the album name? The Ugly: For those who didn’t like it the album would be called Orbital Shit… EMD… it be what it be. Having said that, oddly enough, I found that this album worked perfectly as background sound while you are working on a project… and for this I would almost go so far as to give the album a 4* score… almost. My main gripe with this album, and similar works, is that they tend to suffer from too many extended mixes—I don’t want to listen to a rhythm pattern for 9 minutes long… It could have been a 4* album had the play length been shorter...

The Message

Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five

4/5

The Good: I am not close to the edge… The Bad: I might still be going under… The Ugly: Still wondering about that Stevie W song… Ahhh, the joys of OG hip-hop. I remember seeing Beat Street in the theatre, and trying my best to learn some of the dances… to be young again… Obviously I knew the song The Message, but not the album. And I did my best to just listen to the original album, as 1 hour+ is a little too much for a Monday morning. Having said that, what a difference this is versus what the west-coast started shelling out via NWA et al. Going against the grain on this one and will dish out a 4* to our OG’s…

Close To You

Carpenters

2/5

The Good: We know where they are! The Bad: They could’ve listened to The Police and not “stand so…” The Ugly: The fact that this is the easiest of easy listening. Poor Karen—I mean that respectively—what a terrible life she had. Listening to this, and knowing what a great drummer she was, it must have hurt even more to be stuck with this pantzy music. Of course I know the tunes, and they are agreeable, however, I’ve come to realize that doing a different album every day really makes one want to listen to specific sounds after a while, and this album does not contain them. I will give them a 2* that should’ve been pushed to 3*, but I can’t get myself to do so...

S&M

Metallica

2/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like a little spanking??? The Bad: The spanking is done using Lars’s drumsticks… The Ugly: Having to listen to Mr Hettfield’s “Yeah-Yeah” all the time… For fuck’s sake, really? One thing is having to listen to a live album, another thing is having to endure a symphonic backing band to a metal(lica) soundtrack… Where half the time you aren’t even able to hear all instruments clearly. I hope the gents enjoyed their cultural blowjob, and that the crowd felt like their IQ went up 2 points… me, I’ve seen Metallica live more then any other band/artist, and I can’t recall it sounding so “forced”. So, fuck it… 2* Not because I don’t like the songs, nor the band, nor do I have an issue with classical music, it’s just that I will not be wasting another 2 hours of my lifetime listening to this album ever again… 2*

The Next Day

David Bowie

3/5

The Good: We’ve got Bowie! The Bad: Again… The Ugly: It’s the next day and nothing’s happened… I get it, he’s one of the greats that walked among us, that shared his sound and vision through countless albums, and by the time he recorded this album it was indeed countless… Still, I fear that I am getting a little satiated. Blackstar was a great last swan, The Next Day was just another day… Sorry Bowie fans out there, but I will have to score this one low as I could not get into the flow a single time… to think that the album ranked high—guess that’s more reflective of the shitty state of affairs in music at the time, then marking this a great album. Here’s to tomorrow bringing me a fun album! 2 1/2*

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

5/5

The Good: Fucking Jethro Tull! The Bad: Finding a good version of the album online… The Ugly: The fahking beard on the homeless man… Mr Aqualung! Fuck Yes!!! That was my instant reaction when I saw the iconic album cover this morning. I think that I’ve listened to this album at least 5 times today... So, there. To all that don’t like it… close your eyes and listen to it again, and again, and again. This album was a staple of my college days—and no, I am not of that generation—where my roommate would play this album constantly as we played cards, talked about life, or just sat back and got wasted. Great memories. Also, jazz flute! For the moment, might just be my favorite album from the list… 5*

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

5/5

The Good: Apply-named album! The Bad: My reaction to seeing the album on the list… The Ugly: Me realizing I should not be so judgmental… Young… Neil Young… Don’t care if he likes his martini shaken, not stirred. Don’t care that he drives a lovely Austin Martin… Don’t even care that Mrs Moneypenny believes he’s the kit ’n kaboodle… I don’t like the man, and it depresses me when I see his name is on the list… I pressed play, Carry On was not offensive and sounded vaguely familiar, Teach Your Children is one of those songs which only those living under a rock have never heard before, and for once the harmonizing was found desirable… Almost Cut My Hair, well, that’s when the Deja Vu kicked in… The rest of the album became a blur, as I was brought from one Deja Vu into another… and then I played the album again… and again… I don’t like CSN (with, or without the) Y, but this album is pure gold. For me, there isn’t a song that makes me want to hit the skip button, it also has that lovely play time that is just under 35 minutes… That’s like watching 1 1/2 episodes of your favorite sitcoms—if one still remembers sitcoms… 5* given with a thumbs up and a smile

The Hour Of Bewilderbeast

Badly Drawn Boy

1/5

The Good: We are getting bewildered… The Bad: It seems I am dyslexic… The Ugly: The drawing of the boy… Yes… I mean, No… I mean, WTF? Opinions, they say, are like assholes… Everyone’s got one… I am having too many difficulties fathoming why this album needs to be listened to at least ones before I die… I really can’t understand it. Just out of spite, and for wasting my time, I am going to be a prick and change the artist’s name to Badly Rated Boy… 1*

The Bones Of What You Believe

CHVRCHES

3/5

The Good: We are not limited to one Chvrch! The Bad: We don’t understand why… The Ugly: Having your believes be compared to a femur… Okay, so the above is silly, and makes little sense… kind of like this album being part of the 1001 list. Then again, it wasn’t bad, it just wasn’t great either… and here I sit, realizing that it just is all about believing, and bones, and chrvches… I will say this, for now, and I’m over 500 albums into this list, I will argue that this is my favorite 2010+ album, so there’s that! 3*

Celebrity Skin

Hole

3/5

The Good: It’s about celebrities! The Bad: We don’t like tabloids… The Ugly: Trying to listen to skin… Reading Courtney Love’s bio, I did a little cheer for the girl, as she’s not had it easy… however, what an interesting, and sometimes depressing, life she’s had! One thing she’s not had, in my humblest of opinions, is a quality singing voice, which makes listening to an entire album feel like I am being forced to listen to a Neil Young album, or, god forbid, Morrissey… The album, in and off itself, isn’t bad at all. Kind of pop. Could have been a record produced by Dave Grohl, as one too many songs sounds like it is a cover of a Foo Fighters song… And you can tell the Billy Corgan influence in the guitar sound… So what to give this album? Technically, I should be giving it a 4*, howevr, as I know that I will not be listening to the entire album ever again, I will have to stick to a downgraded 3 1/2* Sorry Courtney, and the rest of the Hole band <—see what I did there!

Get Behind Me Satan

The White Stripes

3/5

The Good: We’re in front of satan… The Bad: I’d rather be able to see what he’s doing… The Ugly: … What? Marimba? There are those who view The White Stripes as godlike, which probably explains why the album is named as it is, and then there are those who don’t… Not that the album is bad… it’s actually pretty good for the time frame. However, if you compare this to rock albums by those who ruled rock when rock ruled… well, then this is just another rock album that somebody has plastered on a 1001 list… 3*

The Wall

Pink Floyd

5/5

The Good: This album is NOT a political statement about illegal immigration! The Bad: We can’t find Humpy Dumpty… The Ugly: Not a damn thing! There are people who find this album boring, give it a 1* rating, but then turn around and give a 5* rating to Harvest by Neil Young… I guess taste is indeed subjective… Is this the best album ever made? For me it sure is. To think that I did not get introduced to this album but 15-odd years after it’s initial release. I blame my parents, as around that time I was listening to Queen’s A Night at the Opera, Stevie Wonder’s Song in the Key of Life, and potentially Supertramp’s Breakfast in America… maybe some Abba… A good friend of mine, who was a massive Door’s fanboy, introduced me to Hey You, and the upward spiral was started for me. Around this time I started playing guitar as well, and damn if I didn’t hate, and still do, David Gilmour for his touch and grace, on the best solo ever on Comfortably Numb. To date I still try to play that solo… and to date I still am but a noob and amateur. Top-3 all time album for me, so easy 5* For those of you who don’t get this album… I don’t know what to tell you; maybe you need to get your heart broken, or experience a couple of setbacks, then find yourself a comfy chair and play this album, and you will see the light.

Bug

Dinosaur Jr.

2/5

... Did not like it, will place a more thorough recap at another time...

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

5/5

The Good: We get to shake our money maker! The Bad: I am always getting told I lack in the money maker department… The Ugly: Me taking a critical look at my ass… What is there to say about this album that hasn’t been said before? Oh, I know, I remember people thinking I got into a car accident as Jealous Again kicked in on my car radio with the volume at full throttle! I’ve had copies of the album on cassette, CD, and vinyl. Why? Because it was such a refreshing sound in an era of too much hair-spray metal, and my old car got replaced by a new car, and this and that… Anyway, to those who don’t like this album; your loss! 5*

Le Tigre

2/5

The Good: We finally get a French band! The Bad: It’s a lie… The Ugly: please don’t make me say it… Yeah, that was grt if Yr into that stfffff. I will hand it to the ladies, some of the tunes were catchy, and are worth a second listen… but only for a second, and then you want to head on off to a different place. Not my cup of tea, though I can understand that there are others who really enjoyed it… 2* because ...

I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Sinead O'Connor

3/5

The Good: Makes sense to not want what you don’t have. The Bad: Seeing the economy take a tumble as there is no more trade… The Ugly: Realizing you’ve got nothing… Poor Sinead, tragic life. While listening to this album it sounded like you’re witnessing a fortune teller reading their own palm and realizing that it’s all for naught. Did I like the album? Not particularly… but then that anthem kicked in, and I was propelled back to those lovely ‘90s days, when I was in uni and hanging with friends and life just seemed to never have a tomorrow… Here’s to Sinead, hopefully, having enjoyed that which she did have! 3*

Court And Spark

Joni Mitchell

4/5

The Good: Joni Mitchell is back! The Bad: I think that the court still hasn’t managed to pass judgement… The Ugly: No spark… at all… So yeah, after a very pleasant listen to Cafe Blue, I think, this album was a nice skip session for me. It is possible that this is due to me becoming more and more picky when it comes to albums I don’t know… And I feel bad, because I was really looking forward to this album… maybe I should give it another spin? Okay, I just listened to the album again, and here’s what is critical about my viewpoint now… right before listening to Joni, I was listening to the album of the day, by a band called Red Snapper… which was absolutely not up my alley… and now, Court and Spark is getting the following score from me 4 1/4* Yup… way to go Joni!!!

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

3/5

The Good: We are finally told the truth! The Bad: Didn’t know hell is was so popular… The Ugly: The freakin’ outfits being worn in hell… So, second time around for the Cocteau Twins on this list, and, truth-be-told, this album was better received by my brain than the previous one. Also, maybe I finally understand what the term shoegaze is in refers to: one gazing at one’s shoes!!! Oh well, there goes my future as a comedy writer… 3*

Timeless

Goldie

4/5

The Good: We can listen to this anytime… The Bad: Finding out it is EDM… The Ugly: The looks I get when calling this EDM, as it seems to be D&B… I hate EDM, most electronical music, and gangsta rap… It seems that I don’t hate Goldie, go figure. It was an enjoyable listen, it serves great as background music when you are trying to get shit done… I don’t have too much else to say, except that I will give this a 4*...

Apocalypse 91… The Enemy Strikes Black

Public Enemy

3/5

The Good: Well, we survived the apocalypse! The Bad: If the enemy was public, then are the goods guys hidden? The Ugly: What if the 91 means 2091???… Here’s me being a skipping record stating the “I don’t like rap” line again. However, as with the other offering from Public Enemy, there is always an exception to the rule. I don’t know what it is that makes me sit back and actually listen and, dare I say, enjoy their music? Maybe it is due to the fact that I don’t like I am being preached to, instead I am being educated? Anyway, this one is getting 3*, which means it is 5* yet losing 2* due to it being rap...

Slipknot

2/5

The Good: We learn a knot… The Bad: It is mainly used for one thing… The Ugly: Screwing up the knot… Band and album name match… so boring. What did I think about the music? Well, most of my colleagues are fans… but then again, they also all drink the same piss beer… so there’s that. Slipknot is not my cup of tea, probably because I don’t like the mix where the drums take front-stage sonically speaking, and I rather hear some guitar… The screamin’ voice thing, well, that’s just fun for a minute, not an entire album… 2 1/2* downgraded

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

The Good: There’s no doubt which color we are talking about! The Bad: What if we don’t like that color? The Ugly: The insecurity of the album, not even knowing what kind it is… I can understand why there are so many people applauding the heck out of this album. It is a staple, and one that can played without problem, anytime a day… as far as I'm concerned. Yes, I understand that all hail the great Miles, as well as Mr Coltrane or Adderley, not to forget about Evans and Kelly on the ivory! However, Cobb and Chambers steal the show, keeping the rhythm tighter than a sheep’s sphincter at a herder convention. I’ve played 4 times in the past 24 hours, because it is relaxing, and just lovely… 5*

Third/Sister Lovers

Big Star

3/5

The Good: We know this band is massive, based off of the name! The Bad: We really have never heard of them… The Ugly: Trying to calculate what 1/3 divided by a sister is… guess it depends on who’s sister we are talking about?… Never listed to Big Star, to my knowledge… maybe I have… just not to this album… Would have to check out their other oeuvre to get a better indication. But I can’t be bothered at the moment… I liked it, yet it left me not wanting to hit the play button again. To me, at times, sounded like the Manic Street Preachers… for the manic portion. There sure are many artist who feel these Nashville boys are the Bee’s Knees… at least it ain’t country, right? Gonne give them a 3*...

Shalimar

Rahul Dev Burman

2/5

The Good: We get an awesome movie poster to look at… The Bad: That’s it… just look… don’t listen. The Ugly: Finding out that Shalimar is Hindi for crap music… This album actually starts off great, making me look forward to the rest… till the rest starts, and then I start looking forward to the album ending… It’s a little of this, too much of that, and not enough of everything. Shame… However, I’ve listened to it, and can now stand proud knowing that I have been baptized in the lore of Bollywood, knowing that it’s not my cup of tea… 2*

Djam Leelii

Baaba Maal

4/5

The Good: We learn a different language! The Bad: We can’t find a teacher for this language… The Ugly: Trying to figure out if Djam Leelii means Pearl Jam… I wonder how many will figure out that last line… What’s there to say about these “world” albums that we are given every now and again? I would say, not enough… However, as with my comments on any other world albums, it would be nice to know what exactly the singer is singing about. Reading the story of Baaba Maal, I am fascinated by this story, and thus by this album. Listening to his mentor wail in Pulaar makes me feel like a baby trying to understand what the grown-ups are telling me to do. I will agree with some of the comments people have left regarding the album, that it is a tad too long… if this would have been around the 35 minute mark, this would be a 4 1/2* album for me… instead, 3 1/2*

Connected

Stereo MC's

2/5

The Good: We get stereo! The Bad: Might as well have been mono… The Ugly: Still trying to find the connection… Flash back to any ‘90s party, when the evening was still young… because later, grunge will kick in, followed by golden oldies… Back to the start of the party, not bad, as background music… but get’s repetitive fast, and loses its allure even quicker. So what are we to do with the Stereo MC’s? Maybe put them back in the box? Or reissue them? Nah… They’re probably hanging on to their “good ol’ days” kinda vibe… Want to give them 3*, but can’t… EDM and all...

Blunderbuss

Jack White

5/5

The Good: We are taking the bus! The Bad: Apparently it’s a mistake... The Ugly: Our dyslexia is fucking with us… Ok, so when this album presented itself this morning, my initial reaction was “ah, fuck”… You see, for me, Jack White means White Strypes, which in turn means 7 Nation Army, and nothing else… So, as I was hoping to find 1 more 7NA while ready to press the skip button for all other songs, I was more than pleasantly surprised with this gem of an album. I guess mr Dimery was right for ones… Then again, the styles being used on the album are straight up my alley. Anyway, great/fun/worthwhile album to include to any list! 5*

Van Halen

5/5

The Good: Eruption, babay! The Bad: All wannabee guitarists who tried playing Eruption… The Ugly: Yet again another album named after the band/artist… Fuck me. 1978, should have been disco balls and roll-skates, not this wizardry. That, really, is what’s most amazing about this album. Listening to a young DLR, flashing his feathers, EVH mesmerizing us all with this insane sound, and MA and AVH just being tighter than virgin… what a blast this must have been to have seen live during those days. I was going to rate this album a 4*… but I can’t… it is a must hear, and hopefully enjoy, for all!

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

3/5

The Good: We get to visit the country club! The Bad: We don’t play golf… The Ugly: It seems that nobody does as their all stoned… I’d written an entire review on this album the day I was listening to it, yet, somehow, it seems that it did not save it… So, here’s the recap of my review in note form: Feels like I’m at a mall. Don’t want to buy anything. Not hungry either. Wanna go home and play something totally different. Nothing wrong with the voice, or production… Dimery, why the F do we need to listen to this, and countless other bland albums that really won’t make us feel better? 2 1/2* upgraded as the voice didn’t want me to hurt something...

The Queen Is Dead

The Smiths

4/5

The Good: This album is informative… The Bad: Nobody likes to be informed off someone’s death… The Ugly: Finding out that the Queen does not reference Morrissey… I am no fan of Morrissey. I find his singing style more annoying than Neil Young’s singing… go figure. The knowledge that The Smiths/Morrissey have 7 albums on the list is the only reason for me to get exited when I see this album as it means I’m 1 album closer to never having to listen to The Smiths/Morrissey ever again—unless, by accident, one of their songs is present on the soundtrack of a movie/tv show and I get side-swept… I just checked, this is my second Smiths album, and with the 2 Morrissey albums I’ve already been bored with, it means there are three left… So, if the three remaining ones are like this album, then I am okay with it as I actually enjoyed this album. Johnny Marr’s guitar playing is more than wonderful. It is it’s own storytelling mechanism, and one that provides a safe-haven away from Morrissey’s annoying voice. I will give the album a 4* to remind myself, at some point in the future, that there was a reason that The Smiths had such a massive following in the ‘80s! 4*

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

The Good: We get to see a funny movie! The Bad: No McLovin in this movie… The Ugly: Went on a beer-run for nothing… I am starting to doubt my memory… could have sworn that I listened to this album, and that I hated, to find out that I did not listen to this album, and that I don’t hate it… This is close to perfect background music, nice and relaxing, doesn’t overbear at a single moment, while it just kind of takes you from left to right and back. So yeah, here’s to a funk album getting 4* from me! Who’d have thought?

John Barleycorn Must Die

Traffic

3/5

The Good: An entire album dedicated about beer! The Bad: The artists believe beer must die… The Ugly: Traffic… I really wanted to like this album. Not because I like beer, which I do, but because I appreciate Mr Windwood’s efforts. Anyway, early ‘70s fusion jazz, so it seems, is not my thing… unless it is done by Jethro Tull… which Traffic isn’t. Having said that, I will still give the album 3* as it is worthy of a spin, just not on repeat spin…. 3*

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

2/5

The Good: Knowing we are not alone! The Bad: Not knowing one’s name, when it is clearly listed on the album… The Ugly: Realizing that my name isn’t David… or Crosby… After having sat through the album Deja Vu, by CSNY, I was kind of looking forward to this here little excursion… but then I found out that we don’t know who we are, leading me to stop the excursion before getting lost in the woods too! So yeah, this was not was I was hoping it would be. One too many songs just drag along, probably loved by plenty a hippy, enjoying a little acid trip, while trying to recall their own name. Chalk this album up to an experience which I will not be repeating. 2*

Time Out Of Mind

Bob Dylan

4/5

The Good: Dylan… The Bad: Not 60-70s Dylan The Ugly: Not understanding the title… time out, out of mind, time? Why not just all it Bob Cooder… I see plenty of comments about putting on this album while sipping a glass of hootch, late at night, when there’s nothing else left to say… Could be correct… Yet, it’s not midnight, and I am not ready for a glass of hootch… Should I give this album 4* so that I can remind myself to play it at some point in the future?

Giant Steps

The Boo Radleys

3/5

The Good: A clear band name… The Bad: Using “Boo” in said name… The Ugly: When you find out that Radleys is slang for boobs in some distant corner of this here globe… Yeah, I took Giant Steps in creativity right there before. So, album actually started with a bang… but then it slowly started losing me when the music, to my ears, started turning into nothing but noise… Either that, or I starting to lose my mind. Anyway, I might listen to The Boo Boobs again, if I can remember them, though the band name does help. For now, shooting down the center… and to think that I really like boobs...

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

The Good: We’ve got a little bit of this… The Bad: We’ve got a little bit of that… The Ugly: Finding out that Orpheus Lyre isn’t what we thought it would be… Guess the word Cave and Seed should have given us a fair warning! What a lovely double album this turned out to be. I am no fan of Nick, his previous outing on this list I believe was ranked with 2*, however, this double outing, this is worth double that no problem. That’s it, all I’ve got… guess I’ve got nothing better to do than to listen to this double outing again! 4*

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

The Dandy Warhols

2/5

The Good: We get art from the factory! The Bad: Oh wait… dyslexia is a bitch! The Ugly: No art to be found here. IMHO… I’d heard of them… I might have heard a song, on the radio, maybe… Never bothered to buy a CD of theirs… After listening to the album, I doubt I will ever listen to them again. Noise… alternated with something resembling good music, yet not good enough to leave a lasting impression on me. Don’t know what to rate this… maybe it is because I am playing catch up, again, and I still have 8 more albums to rush through before I am up to date… 3* down the middle… though it should be 2* Edited, on the same day that I rated… So, uncertain if I was being fair, I decided to quickly listen to this again, also based off of commentaries I was reading from other people regarding this album… and I’ve decided to rate the album 2* and here’s why: a 7-minute intro song that hardly changes beat or chords, with shit lyrics, to have this followed by similar drivel, it is enough to make me really dislike the Dandy Warhols… so, please, stay down...

L.A. Woman

The Doors

3/5

The Good: We love it, I love L.A.! The Bad: Oh wait, that is a different song… The Ugly: Accidentally watching the Billy Idol cover video… What’s there to say… I love several of the songs on this album. And the closer, well, the closer has a special spot in my heart as it belonged to a mix-tape a buddy of mine made for me while I was in college… I can vividly recall driving in the rain, listening to Riders On The Storm, while all just made perfect sense… Yet, this album, I had never listened to… and though, again, there are several songs on here that I absolutely LOVE and can listen to on a weekly basis, there’s some filler on there that just made me want to hit the skip button… and that is never the sign of a 5* album, nor a 4* one… So, this one’s down the middle… sad really...

E.V.O.L.

Sonic Youth

4/5

The Good: We are evolving… The Bad: Into what, we don’t know… The Ugly: Finding out that the actor Ving Rhames took his name by filling out the blanks… At times I felt like I was listening to Jeff Buckley, which means that he took inspiration from these peeps. I knew of Sonic Youth, I just did not know them, so this has been an interesting listen, which, I believe, will have to be repeated as there is too much to take in all at once. Unsure of what to call this, may I call it Noise? Also, am I now officially allowed to wear a Sonic Youth t-shirt and be one of the cool kids? Really tempted to give this album a 4* rating, as I want to listen to it again, however, I don’t believe that it merits more than 3*

Before And After Science

Brian Eno

4/5

The Good: There was science applied, and we all like science The Bad: Not knowing which part of the science was before, and which part was after… The Ugly: The damn album cover… I promised myself I would not judge… but damn, that’s ugly! Never having heard of this album before, yet knowing who Mr Eno is, I was a little worried about title, thinking this was going to be another experimental type album. What a relief! Maybe it has something to do with me just going through a “all music from the ‘70s is awesome” phase, but this was a joy to listen to. At times, closing my eyes, I wasn’t certain if I was listening to a Brian Eno album, or a Talking Heads album… maybe there is something I don’t know and I should read up on the intrawebs all the secrets about this album, but I can’t be bothered with that today. So, 4* as I know I will want to sit back and listen to this album again some day!

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

3/5

The Good: We are in the company of genius… The Bad: We don’t know why… The Ugly: Well, I guess you could say that this is, yet again, an album title referring to the artist, which isn’t genius A little swing, plenty of big band, some great classics… it's an excellent album. Yet, I can’t get myself to grade this higher than a 3* Not that there aren’t plenty of reasons to give this album 4-5*, however, not today. I would rather listen to his other album on this list and if not, just find an excellent playlist with all his greatest hits. Sorry Ray, but this album is not genius...

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

3/5

The Good: We get some SrV!!! The Bad: It’s a different kind of blues... The Ugly: It seems that we need a script to hang at Mister Kelly’s If one is not into jazz, this is not your album. I am not into jazz… Having said that, what is refreshing is listening to a set in a jazz bar, by one of the greatest jazz singers of her generation, know that there is no room for autotune et al… I would have given this album a 4* thanks to the inclusion of “Just a Gigolo”, however, the last track on the album removed that star as I am not ready to listen to freestyle scatting again… Sorry SrV. 3*

Triangle

The Beau Brummels

3/5

The Good: The Brummels are purdy! The Bad: Looks like can be deceiving… The Ugly: Sitting through the entire album waiting for the triangle to kick in… My disdain for ‘60s music has grown disproportionately since starting this musical journey… Needless to say, when an unknown album, by an unknown band (to me) presented itself, I could but sigh and press the play button with fear. Imagine my surprise when I noticed that my head started bobbing along with the first chorus line “how do you feel?”… guess the Brummels are making me happier than I thought I could be. From a production standpoint, this album is lovely, the sound is clear and well mixed… what’s even better is the runtime being just over half an hour… yet, by song three I am finding myself fidgeting with the skip button… So, I guess Beau is getting a pass… Not because the album doesn’t have it’s merit, but more so because I am unhappy with the musical style… 3*

Foxbase Alpha

Saint Etienne

3/5

The Good: It’s a saint, it’s got to be good! The Bad: Seems like we have been deceived… The Ugly: Foxbase Alpha, FA, Fucking Assholes… Slowly, but surely, I am starting to believe that we are being duped… Though we think we are listening to 1001 albums that we need to hear before we die, half of them are albums we DON’T need to hear before we die. Not that this album is bad, it’s just not great, nor good, nor will it improve my life now that I’ve listened to it. As with many albums on this list; it’s neither here, nor there it’s neither good, or bad it’s neither fish, or meat, or vegan, for that matter. Off to listen to Anthrax, next one on my list… St Stephen is getting 3*

Among The Living

Anthrax

3/5

The Good: We are Among The Living! The Bad: Anthrax will kill us all… The Ugly: … well, the corpses everywhere… This is album #500… a milestone… A milestone that let me note that I am almost 1/2 way there… which means that I have one too many shit albums still left to bear through… I am not a thrash metal guy. I am not really a metal guy… I am a guy though. This music serves a purpose, which is to pump you up if you are about to start breaking things! So I guess there is a reason why one would need to listen to this at least once in one’s lifetime… 1 thrash-metal album… not the one too many I’ve already had to listen to, and the ones that I am still going to get exposed to… *3 because...

Quiet Life

Japan

4/5

The Good: Land of the Rising Sun!!! The Bad: There isn’t a single reference to Ramen on the album... The Ugly: This was sooo quiet that most people didn’t even know the album existed… Holy crap… like listening Duran Duran and the Psychedelic Furs before they became themselves. Or any other New Wave band from the year 1982 onwards. Guess Japan has been a trendsetter not only regarding martial arts, or food, but also music! Kobuki theater anyone? It would get a 5* if the damn thing wasn’t so depressing at times… and not depressing in a nice way… more depressing with the blade slicing skin from elbow to wrist, like you’re supposed to do… 4* well deserved though!

The White Room

The KLF

3/5

The Good: We have get to visit a white room. The Bad: It’s not like a darkroom… The Ugly: So now you get to see the faces of all the perverts… I am certain that somewhere there is an explanation of what KLF stands for. Keep Licking Fallus (because KLP was already taken…) Having lived the ‘90s, I had heard of KLF but I couldn’t for the life of me recall any of their songs, so I thought I was in for a shit 1 hour journey… Color me confused, as I actually didn’t hate the experience. Guess that mixing EMD with a little soul isn’t a bad thing after all…

Fragile

Yes

3/5

The Good: Well, it’s positive. Right? The Bad: It is kinda forced on you… what if you like “no”? The Ugly: So fragile, that it breaks too easy… Right, or left, it is what it is. Great opening song, the rest could have been a giant skip, as far as I’m concerned. Prog music is a tough nut to crack, sometimes it can be really nice, other times it feels too forced. In Yes’s case, it’s more than forced. I can understand that the musicians are all top notch, they show it constantly, which is why it is hard to listen to. Anyway, I think that I will stay positive and give the album an upgraded 2 1/2*

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

The Good: It’s all about the coalition! The Bad: Love isn’t bold… The Ugly: Jimi’s mood when he saw the album cover… Little Wing… nuff said. What a glorious album, where only 1 song feels out of place and we can blame Mr Redding for this. Not going to waste words, just gonna listen to it one more time! Here’s to Jimi being Bold as Love!!!

Oedipus Schmoedipus

Barry Adamson

4/5

The Good: Excellent album name! The Bad: Awful album cover… The Ugly: a schmoedipus… is ugly… Reading comments from other folks, it seems that most are a little upset that they are listening to a soundtrack of an imaginary movie… why? Not knowing what to think, I have been pleasantly surprised by the album. I can’t recall any of the songs, but having this play on the background made the day go by faster, and that is always a good thing. Though the album might not be worth more than 3*, I will splurge one additional star just because I know that I will want to listen to this album again at some point. Good on ya Barry 4*

Arise

Sepultura

4/5

The Good: The only way is up! The Bad: Sometimes, arise only refers to getting out of bed… The Ugly: Finding out that your bed is a coffin… Maybe it was my mindset while listening to this, so I get it… and I was banging along with the strong riffs, and I even did the horn sign with the hand… though at no point did I pretend to be a vampire. It is interesting how one day you listen to this band and think “this is total shit” and another day it is just awesome! There’s no explaining this… So, am I to be considered a metal head now? Will I start painting fingernails black, get a fucking arm-sleeve tattoo that spills into the hand too? Will I need to change my wardrobe so that it includes predominantly black clothes? 4*, because I know that I will want to listen to this album again...

Our Aim Is To Satisfy

Red Snapper

2/5

The Good: One can not ask for better intentions from a band than to Satisfy… The Bad: The aim of the band is way off! The Ugly: The reputation of a red snapper took a nose dive… Not my thing… Did I mention that this is not my thing? Not my thing… And to think that I really liked the album art… 2* just because of that… and the name of the band… thought I should remove a point for the terrible aim… conflicted...

Mama's Gun

Erykah Badu

2/5

The Good: Mom will be able to hold off the bad people… The Bad: Mom doesn’t know what is good, or what is bad… The Ugly: Seeing mom in front of a judge, getting sentenced for having shot Erykah… Just as a quick question; if Erykah is phonetic, then is Badu racist as Asian people are being made fun of? Neo Soul… Neo anything tends to be shit, not much different here. Yes, sure, the beat is fine, while the groove is great… but the damn singing, and attitude, is just enough to make me not want to listen to this again. My biggest gripe, at the end of the day, is the runtime of this album… they should have made 40-minutes an industry standard when it comes to max album lenghts… CDs just ruined music I guess. So, should it come as a surprise that I will be dishing out 2* for this album? Mrs, or Ms, or whatever Badu should not be on this list… IMHO

Hotel California

Eagles

5/5

The Good: We get to spend some time in a hotel! The Bad: Seems we are not safe in that hotel… The Ugly: The stabby with the beast with the knife with the fail with the never leave… I don’t know about the millenials, or even the Gen Z, however, anyone prior to those lost generations knows this song, no matter where they are from. From the opening 12-string strum, to the double tom-tom, to the dark desert highway… Then there are the classic New Kid in Town and Life in the Fast Lane… 1-2-3 That this album lost to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumors only goes to show you what a great music hails from that era! Myself, obviously I know the title song, and several of the other tunes, however, I can’t recall ever having sat down to listen to the album from start to finish… so color me surprised that the album starts off with the title song, the big hit, leading me to think that this could mean a premature ending to the enjoyment. After all, one normally ends with the big hit… Boy was I wrong. What an album. I don’t believe that there was a single time that I felt the urge to hit skip, or walk away, or do anything but sit and listen with utter enjoyment to the fruits of the bands labor. And that closing song… what a closer… So, here’s to one of my new Top -10 albums

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

The Good: We dumb things down by including pictures in our book! The Bad: The Pictures aren’t what we needed… The Ugly: We don’t like the color red… A couple of weird things have been going on lately, most importantly that, all of a sudden, a multitude of albums which previously were not to be found on Spotify are suddenly available—though I am still hoping to find “Goodbye Blue Sky” one of these days… This album had been missing from Spotify these past years, yet all of a sudden there it is, and I had been looking forward to finding the album again, as I had owned a vinyl copy when it originally came out in 85, because this was the album the cool kids, like me, listened to. Oh brother, what to say about being re-united with this album? I wish it hadn’t happened, as I wish I could have kept my nice memories of the “known” songs on this album. Boy oh boy, this is NOT what I recalled it to be. A couple of years ago, when I was going through a discovery phase while listening to all Talking Heads songs, I bumped into the song Heaven, which I knew from Simply Red… little did I know. Having heard the song today, comparing it to the original, I will place this album back into the dusty bin of old memories, while smiling recalling what my teenage self was thinking about this at the time… ignorant fucker… Sorry Red, you have a lovely voice, but this album did not stir up what I had hoped it would have… 2 1/2 * which I am upgrading just to be nice...

Dry

PJ Harvey

4/5

The Good: If it’s going to get hot, it’ll be a dry heat… The Bad: Dry was not referring to the temperature… The Ugly: Guess we are missing lubricants… PJ, Polly Jean, is indeed an interesting person, and one who I don’t know too much about, except that she is repeated several times as an artist on the 1001 list… This album, of the previous ones I’ve had the displeasure of listening to, has been the most favorable. I am still uncertain if I want to give 4*, or shoot down the middle… It was kinda grungy, and I do like grunge… so I will add it to the list of albums I need to listen to again!

Goodbye And Hello

Tim Buckley

1/5

The Good: This album serves as a reminder that there are people out there who suffer from dyslexia! The Bad: Mr Buckley suffers from more than just dyslexia… The Ugly: My dyslexee being awakened by thiss album? At some point I will have to find a library which includes the 1001 book in its collection, so that I can find out which criteria resulted in so many shit albums seem to be important to listen to before one dies, while there are one too many albums missing on this list which, IMHO, should be listened to. 1967, it seems, has one too many psychedelic folksy crap albums one might be forced to listen to if one, like this fool, is attempting at finalizing the 1001 list. Here’s to my fingers being crossed that this is the LAST of this kind of shit albums I have to listen to… 1* out of pure spite, though one could bump it up to 2*… but I already did that with his last album, so fuck it...

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

2/5

The Good: We know before hand that this will be strange, in ways… The Bad: I cheered too soon thinking that this was my last Morrissey/Smiths album to endure… The Ugly: I’ve got 2 more to go after this one… So, about a month ago I listened to The Queen is Dead, which to my horror I actually found more than pleasant to listen to. This album, thankfully, puts me right back into not liking Morrissey at a high-high level. So, I won’t waste more time then I already have writing about an album I will never listen to again, ever. But, I will give it 2* as it’s music, with musicians and such...

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

4/5

The Good: We are in the presence of royalty! The Bad: We aren’t sure if the kingdom is worth visiting… The Ugly: This rating having taken 1 month to write… Yes, it was a month ago that this album presented itself, and seeing as I’ve started paying closer attention to Prog music lately, I thought that I should give this album a critical listen so that I could hand with the cool kids… Thus, on the first spin, I was paying close attention and thinking that this wasn’t that bad at all… On the second spin, I don’t recall what I was thinking as I wanted to experience the album while cleaning my office… By the 5th spin I was starting to get confused… Yesterday, partially thanks to a weird jazz album, I thought I would give King Crimson another go… so here’s my thoughts: 4 songs that comprise the album of 35 minutes… I wasn’t able to finish the first song, and by the first minute of the second song I decided to play Stevie Wonder’s Song’s in the Keys of Life… For now, I know that I will have to listen to this several more times… which means that I need to give the damn album a 4*

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Devo

3/5

The Good: We get to attend a Q&A session!!! The Bad: The questions are kinda stupid… The Ugly: The answers are even worse… Damn this album kicks off straight away… don’t believe there is even a second of silence… bam, in your face, here we go. Nice and refreshing… but it also gets a little repetitive after a while. We are Devo has been reverberating in my mind for two days now. Can’t seem to get that out of my head. The weird thing is that one would expect the album that contains Whip It Good to be the representative Devo album, but I guess I don’t know what I should listen to before I die as well as Dimery… Normally I am all for the ‘70s and their eclectic tastes of music and such, so I am at a loss regarding what I need to rate this album with… Shooting it down the middle… if it would have included the Whip It Good song, it would have been 4* for sure!!!

Odessa

Bee Gees

2/5

The Good: We’re gonna be Jive Talkin’! The Bad: No disco in Odessa… The Ugly: Non-disco Bee Gees!!! Fuck me, that was horrid. Like many people of my generation, we know the Bee Gees for introducing us to John Travolta, white leisure suits and the power of the falsetto! As time went by, we probably got to see a documentary or two about these brothers and how they, single-handedly, were responsible for the collapse of the disco movement… So we have known that there was a period when the Bee Gees were just another group trying to get famous while jumping on the bandwagon of popular music at that time… regretfully for us, that time was the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, when tambourines were still considered critical additions to cool… To make things worse, this album is over an hour long of this pseudo hippy, singer-songwriter, folksy crap. To make things even worse than worse, the Bee Gees have 2 albums on this list, both hailing from the same dreadful period, while their opus majestus (is that spelled with a y?) is missing from the list as it is considered a compilation album / soundtrack, and fuck-face Dimery refuses to add these to the list. Sorry Barry, Robin and Maurice, you are responsible for iconic music, and should be celebrated, but I can’t give you more than 2* for this album which just isn’t at all to my liking.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

4/5

The Good: We get sugar cubes! The Bad: They aren’t good for our health… The Ugly: Too many sugar cubes and life is anything but too good… Bjork… should there be double dots above the O? She is an interesting character for sure. What is more interesting is that I can’t stand her, but here she isn’t getting on my nerves… So, yeah, I saw the sugarcubes, I wanted to go on a diet, as I did not feel like adding some Bjork to my daily diet… but then I listened and I found myself nodding along to the music… to the point where I know that I will want to listen to this again at some point in the future… 4*

Bummed

Happy Mondays

2/5

The Good: We’re trying to start the week off positively! The Bad: Try as we may, Monday’s tend to not be too happy… The Ugly: Bummed should have given us a clue… I think that bit by bit this list is turning me into a massive music snob, resulting in my instant disdain for anything that hailed from the British Isles and was, predominantly, only known in said isles… Not that this album was bad, just a little late to the party in my opinion. They are trying to be something that was cool in a previous period, while adding something new… that just sounds old. If I were to start a band that tried to sound like Led Zeppelin, I would fail hard… this is evident with all the new bands being hailed as the new Led Zeppelin, who nobody ever listens to, as there is only 1 Led Zeppelin… On a brighter side, so as not to stay bummed, this is the last album of this band I have to listen to! 2*

Fever Ray

3/5

The Good: We have a ray, of light I am hoping… The Bad: Noticing that the ray is a little hot… The Ugly: Being shot by a fever ray? Of course we have another album by someone we don’t know, who is creative enough to name the album after themselves… My thoughts on the actual music? Well, I was kind of expecting some kind of sonic Viking to jump out of my speakers so that they could rape and pillage their way through my home… Supposedly the music is electronic, just as much as Enigma is electronic… though there are vocals, and some kind of instrumentation… for me, electronic is Fraftwork… but that’s just me. Anyway, I listened to the album, it was nice on the background, and I could probably listen to it again, however, the damn “shouting” would just start annoying me, not to mention my Viking paranoia! So, summation, yeah…. no… 3*

Disraeli Gears

Cream

3/5

The Good: This is NOT a politically charged album title… The Bad: This is NEITHER a technical manual… The Ugly: Finding out that Cream does not refer to what we add to the scones… As much as I am starting to really dig the 70s, I am also starting to really dislike the 60s, which made this a difficult album to listen to. All these great musicians, all falling for that momentary laps of reason when psychedelia seemed to be the cool thing. I am sure there is merit to the genre. Maybe. Just not to my ears. Which is what is wrong with this album… it just brushes too close to that awful genre—one that is starting to irritate me more than hip-hop… Sunshine of Your Love is nice though, and who doesn’t appreciate a little Strange Brew now and again? Still don’t understand what the album title refers to… leave your thoughts in the comments below!

Elastica

2/5

The Good: We know this music is going to bend! The Bad: Turns out it bends the wrong way… The Ugly: album = artist name… I will say this, it is nice to have a bunch of <3 minute songs on an album. It is punky, so there’s that… However, I didn’t care for Suede, and I don’t care for Elastica. If singer-lady would have really cared for music, she would not have given it up for art, to eventually marry a professor of meteorology… I mean, seriously? Fucking Dimery could’ve chosen a couple of the awesome bands of the early/mid-90s that were dominating US college radio stations, but alas, hardly any of those are represented on this list… instead, I got to waste another day hoping to find something great to add to my collection. 2* because I am starting to HATE 90s alternative british bands...

Rum Sodomy & The Lash

The Pogues

5/5

The Good: We get to have some rum! The Bad: We’re not certain about the sodomy… The Ugly: Fuck the lash! What a gem of an album for those who’ve never heard it before and who actually like folksy-punky-bluesy stuff. Plenty of comments referencing the fact that this is best listened to whilest under the influence of a pint or many, and I will agree that a pint or many does make the album more of an experience, however, that doesn’t mean it is the only way to have the experience. So, here’s to me cracking open another can or beer, while I pretend to join in on a merry sing-a-long in a pub I wish I was at… 4 1/2* upgraded for posterity!

Happy Trails

Quicksilver Messenger Service

2/5

The Good: We are on happy trails! The Bad: They lead nowhere… The Ugly: The messenger service wasn’t quick enough… Not my cup of tea… The only positive thing I can say about out this is that the album title reminds me of a Godley & Creme song “The Last Page of History”, which is followed by this insanely great song which nobody knows, but I do… So, thanks to this, I spend a lovely 44 minutes listening to an album which is NOT on the 1001 list, because Mr Dimery seems to think that my life will be better having listened to this crap… 2* for it being music...

Hysteria

Def Leppard

4/5

The Good: We get to be hysterical! The Bad: We also have to be def… They Ugly: The spots on this leppard… I have a connection on LinkedIn who was a record executive back in the hay-days of records and he can do nothing but sing the praises for this album, which he worked on. In his opinion, the greatest rock album. I wouldn’t want to go that far… however, I’ve been playing this album 4 times already in a 24 hour period, not because it is the greatest music ever, but more because it is the kind of music which allows an older fart such as myself to grin while I think back to when this album came out and girls were hysterical about the boys in the band, while the boys wished they were in the band… Just like with the other DL album on this list, Pyromania, this album is stained in cheese, but such fun cheese that I believe I am doing all a disservice if I don’t rate this album at least a 4* As far as ‘80s rock albums go, it is technically speaking a 5*… but I was into Prince in the ‘80s… so there...

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

5/5

The Good: Well you better… to me! The Bad: The fucking hair… The Ugly: Nothing, really! Tiny Turner, what a tour de force! My brother was the one who played this album over and over, so I really didn’t like it at all, because my brother had a shit taste in music… But there was that one song that I couldn’t get enough of, Steel Claw! Probably the only song on the album that wasn’t a hit! Years later, I would blast that one in the car, while my rocker friends were wondering who the hell this hell cat was! Listening to the album, 40 years later, what an absolute treat and gem of what the ‘80s was about! 5*

Medúlla

Björk

4/5

The Good: The Medulla! The Bad: Seems that this one is missing the rest of the brain… The Ugly: … a cappella… I am no fan of Bjork… and this is the second Bjork tinted album within a week… so yeah. Still, I must say that I was a little intrigued about this album. It has that certain J’est N’est C’est P’as <—yes, I totally butchered that one. Anyway, back to Bjork and here oddity. Odd enough for me to be intregued and wanting to listen to this again at some point in the future… so here comes a 4*

Songs Of Love And Hate

Leonard Cohen

2/5

The Good: Always nice when an album title explains what you are going to hear! The Bad: The album title not explaining that it refers to how you will feel about the songs… The Ugly: The fact that there’s more to hate… Oh Leonard, what troubled life you live. Is he a great poet? Yes. Does he know how to pluck a string or two? Yes. Is his voice particular? Yes. There, that’s the positive stuff to say about the album. I will not dive into the negative portions of the album, as I believe those who’ve not had to listen to this album yet should dig in with a blank slate! Don’t let my score discourage you for, potentially, loving the album… I hated it… 2*

Rage Against The Machine

1/5

The Good: We are warned that the band is pissed off! The Bad: Why they are pissed off, I don’t understand… The Ugly: Using the image of the poor monk… I never dug deep into RAtM, maybe I should have sooner, so I could have told anyone who I know that is a fan, that they are being duped. Tom Morello does what he does, and it is even commendable. Mr singer man, on the other hand, is a douche. Anyone who likes to defend the Zapatistas can go and eat shit. I have little to no respect for violent protest, however, it seems that this is perfectly okay for this band… To think that I have read a gazillion boo’s regarding Dire Straits and their misogynist song Money for Nothing, yet nobody offers a word here? Well, though the music at times ain’t bad at all… Here’s a 1* as a massive FU to all you numbnuts applauding this shit.

John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band

John Lennon

2/5

The Good: We are regaled by non other than Mr John Lennon The Bad: This isn’t JL from the Beatles… The Ugly: The fucking screamin’ One can enjoy any kind of therapy one likes, does this mean that I have to exposed to said therapy? Listening to the wailing on Mother, all I kept thinking was “suck it up butter cup”… Don’t want to get into mental health discussions, but this is just sad… Anyway, I listened to the album, and will not ever want to listen to the album ever again. Thanks for bummin’ out my day JL 2*

Feast of Wire

Calexico

2/5

The Good: We are in for a Feast! The Bad: I am not that much into Wire… The Ugly: The album cover… I mean, really? Don’t believe I had ever heard of these chaps before, and now that I have, don’t really believe I have a great wish to know these chaps anymore. I can understand that one would like to do a little fusion music, but I don’t understand how it is even attempted by blending the styles they are blending… it’s like watching a 7-year old having fun at the soda fountain, mixing all the drinks into one cup, proudly taking that first sip while keeping the positive look on his face while in reality the desire would’ve been for just a Coke… without all the other shit mixed into it. Calexico is just an odd duck that makes no sense in my world… 2*

Darkdancer

Les Rythmes Digitales

4/5

The Good: A polyglot knows what this is about! The Bad: We aren’t all poly-wants-a-cracker… The Ugly: Not understanding what a darkdancer means… and I don’t want to seem insensitive here… I am playing catch up on rating albums, which means that I am listening to several albums in a row, and this one just kind of hit the right spot today… I can’t recall what I thought about this album the first time I heard it, however, today, I would argue that I would want to have this album in my “party albums” list for sure. There’s not a single moment when you’d think “okay, this is getting ridiculous”, the beats just keep coming, the groove is just tight enough not to be constrictive… and then there’s the multitude of musical influences from rock, to rap, to RnB to you name it. My real gripe with this album is that spotify only has the “extended” version available and I am not ready for remixes of this album… Technically I should give this album a 4*… fuck it...

I Against I

Bad Brains

4/5

The Good: Me against Me… Masturbation! The Bad: Finding out that the second me is the rest of the world… The Ugly: Getting assaulted by the rest of the world and Ja… Bad Brains, interesting name for sure, especially if you dig into the history of the band. More interesting is the fact that these are some awesome musicians who just one day decided to switch from fusion jazz to punk… Problem is that I am not the biggest punk fan, though I am, according to my yearly roundup from Spotify, a fan of proto-punk, post-punk and on and on. Needless to say that Spotify does not understand that I am on the 1001 journey, so my entire yearly roundup is massively influenced by the terrible taste of Mr Dimery. Which leaves me with the question, how many stars is this album worth? Though it wasn’t the most enjoyable listen, it wasn’t terrible either… how I wish we could rate these from 1 to 10*… this would be a 7 so that I know to listen to it again at one point… 4* just to keep it on my list of things to hear again in the future at some point...

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

3/5

The Good: Trying to preserve a society is always a good thing! The Bad: Some societies are not meant to be preserved… The Ugly: Too many kinks… It is interesting to find out the little one really knows about anything if one isn’t a true expert, let alone a massive fan. I like cars, but I hardly know how to change the oil as I leave this for the experts… likewise, my Chicken Parm is ordered in a restaurant. What’s my point? Well, I listen to music because I am not a musician, but I do like nice sounds… and it seems that these chaps are really good at making sounds if you take into consideration the amount of bands who list these guys as mayor influence. I guess these bands know something I don’t know… So, hurray for the experts… Here’s my opinion… 2* upgraded to 3 out of respect...

Broken English

Marianne Faithfull

2/5

The Good: We won’t have to worry about getting cheated on… The Bad: Faithfull isn’t the same as faithful... The Ugly: Trying to put back together the English… I really tried to understand why I had to listen to this… I really did, and I still don’t understand it at all. Could it be that the list of 1001 is not really about good music, but could be about lyrics, which I am not paying attention to?.. I am glad for Marianne that she was able to put her life back together, I really am. However, this album was a bit tough to get through… Regretfully, I will have to rate this at 2* because I can’t honestly see any redeeming qualities to this except for a kudos for getting one’s life back on track!

Music From Big Pink

The Band

4/5

The Good: We get to listen to Big Pink’s music!!! The Bad: They forgot the Floyd… The Ugly: Forgetting what The Band is called… You get a little of this, then a little of that, but you never get what you are looking for… that’s the way I feel about listening to this album. Sure, there are some great hits on this album, and the production is spot on, at least while the sounds are coming through my speakers… Yet there’s something missing… Cohesion, maybe? Then there’s the vocal shenanigans going on… where I am not a big fan of Dick’s voice, instead wishing that there were more songs involving Helms vocals wizardry… Yet, for all my bitching and complaining, I will still dish out 4* to this outing, but I know that I want to listen to it again, maybe on a nice relaxed day while I have nothing better to do then take a country road ride, or just sit in a nice recliner while having a nice cold beer...

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

The Good: If we find ourselves in times of trouble… The Bad: Mother Mary isn’t coming… The Ugly: The mental image of Mother Mary trying to come… what???!@!!?!??!?!??!?!!! Sorry about that, it seems that, at times, my brain just kind of goes loopy for no other reason than it can… A couple of years ago, while I was going through some ‘80s deep-dive, I landed on this album and it did not click… Today, the album did manage to click… and I don’t know why… maybe because I have been subject to one too many shit albums lately on this list, which has turned this one into better than it was several years ago? Also, could be just me, but I am going through a nostalgia phase, maybe because Christmas is almost upon us and you start being bombarded with nothing but nostalgia… Anyway, the album is what it is… not so good as the Beatles, however, considering they are Replacements, they are better than the houseband… if you know what I mean. 4* as they also represent Minneapolis!!!

Penance Soiree

The Icarus Line

1/5

The Good: This is going to be an interesting evening! The Bad: I missed the memo that stated a Soiree can also be shit… The Ugly: Nothing can get uglier than the penance of listening to this… Noise… Shit noise… 1*

Hypnotised

The Undertones

3/5

The Good: Who doesn’t like to look at a pendulum swing? The Bad: I don’t like walking like a chicken… The Ugly: Me, standing but naked once the hypnosis has stopped working… The Undertones, such a perfectly qualification for a band’s name as they are undertones… or nontones… neither here nor there… The only thing I can recall about this album was scratching my head and asking myself if that was Mr Sharkey I was hearing… and it was… and that’s when my good heart was no longer hard to find… Still, doubt I ever want to listen to this album again… really… unless someone pulls out a pendulum and tells me that, when they snap their fingers, I will love this album and rate it a 5*… 3* guess the pendulum didn’t work...

Music for the Masses

Depeche Mode

3/5

The Good: We get something for all! The Bad: Sometimes the masses don’t know what they want… The Ugly: Hearing this at mass… 540 albums into the journey and I am starting to become very uninspired when it comes to The Good, The Bad and The Ugly… but, like Depeche Mode, I refuse to give up! First time I heard the band was 83, I think… could’ve been 84, with the People Are People song. Checked the Wiki, it was 84. I did not like that song enough to buy the album, which seemed to be what one would do back in those days… It wasn’t till the ‘90s that I really started listening more intently to DM, though still not intently enough to purchase an album… which brings us into the now, where we have spotify, or YouTube, or any other service, where we can listen at hardly a cost to music… Did I like the album… well, yes, but oddly enough, today is the 15th, and I can’t recall a single song that I listened to… which means that I am not going to give it a 4* which would probably be fairer… 3*

Violator

Depeche Mode

4/5

The Good: Uhmmmm… two Depeche Mode albums in a row? The Bad: Getting violated… The Ugly: By your own personal jezus… In my memory this album came out later than 89… I don’t know why. I was not a big Depeche Mode fan, though I knew/know all their mayor hits and appreciate them. My biggest problem with this album is that, setting aside the known hits, the rest of the songs just don’t do it for me… which leaves us with a conundrum as to how to rate this album… We will have to leave it at a 4* for the moment, as this seems to be acceptable in general.

Pump

Aerosmith

5/5

The Good: We get automotive pornography! The Bad: We’d rather hear our partner moan… The Ugly: The cloud of smoke once the diesel engine is rev’d… Spring Break 1990! If only I could go back in time… This album blaring out of the car speakers as we headed south for a week of drinking, getting shot down by all the ladies we were interested in, and not giving a shit as we contemplated hitting on the next one! Little did we know that grunge was going to be showing up shortly… these marked the hay-days of rock n roll… the way that it was “meant” to be. I really don’t know what to say about this album except that it is tattooed on my brain! For me, every song is great… however, based on what I like, I am certain most people won’t agree with it! 5* let’s all be F.I.N.E!!!!!!

A Night At The Opera

Queen

5/5

The Good: We get to go out for the evening! The Bad: We really aren’t that into opera… The Ugly: The look on my face while I am reading comments written by people giving this album a 1* score… This album is the first album I can recall hearing as a human being… must have been 5 or 6, and my mother had received this as a birthday gift… I remember that Bohemian Rhapsody scared me enough not to want to listen to it ever… Then one gets a little older, a little wiser, the taste buds start to form… what a joy of an album! There’s a little of this, a little of that, all great… for me. I could listen to this album weekly till I die and still enjoy it… well, maybe that’s a lie… Monthly shouldn’t be an issue though! 5*

Revolver

Beatles

3/5

The Good: We have a means to defend ourselves!!! The Bad: Seems that the gun came without bullets… The Ugly: The hair… the damn hair… Oh great, we get another Beatles album!… See what I did there? I used sarcasm, which is the Brits greatest means of self defense… No, the album isn’t that bad… however, imagine, if you will, that this album was recorded by 4 lads who were note the Beatles, nor with their previous albums, would one still be applauding this album as the greatest? Now, it could be the era. After all, the ‘60s has some god awful shit, and this album isn’t doing to great a job to make me want to herald Revolver as something that one should appreciate and listen to, especially if you’ve never heard it before and you’re about to die… Worse of all is that, setting aside the known hits, which are great as there is no denying that Eleanor Rigby is a gem, with only a runtime of just under 35 minutes, I was still counting the seconds before I could shut the album off… 3*, because it isn’t total shit, but I doubt I want to play it again soon...

Blood And Chocolate

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

The Good: We get chocolate! The Bad: It is laced with blood… The Ugly: Realizing that the attractions aren’t that attractive… I think this is my third album from Elvis C, either with or without that backing band, and the main thought that was going through my mind listening to this album was “been there, done that” While I am writing this review, I am listening the album Main Course by the Bee Gees, which is having me scratch my head as I don’t understand why Elvis Costello has 6 albums listed, fucking Morrissey/the Smiths roughly 7, yet these three brothers, who wrote nearly as many NUMBER ONE hits, only have 2 albums on this 1001 journey? I am dreading having to listen to the other 3 albums by Costello… will dish out 3* as it was still listenable stuff, but it kind of deserves a 2 1/2*… Back to listening to an album that is giving me more enjoyment… go Bee Gees go!!!

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