1001 Albums Summary

1984 - Spaceshippy; instrumental; not much to say - I guess it works as a decent opener? -3/5 mostly for its inoffensiveness Jump -Familiar refrain; very 80s synthy -Again, a distinctly 80s guitar solo -I'm convinced I've heard this before in a movie or a commercial, but the closest I can think is that it might've been in the 2016 Sing trailer? Because I haven't watched Ready Player One or Glee, and Wikipedia says that, a McDonald's commercial, and Herbie: Fully Loaded are the only places its been featured. -3/5 just for the feeling that I know this, even though probably don't Panama -I'm getting the vibe that this is gonna be a distinctly 80s dad rock album, but not one that I personally will like. -Sprechgesang, mostly, which I like to think I'm not really a fan of (seems to be popularized especially now these days in pop) but I do like some Nick Cave songs, so I don't know -Yeah, I'm not really a fan of this. Just realized I've not been listening to lyrics as much as the guitar line. Says a lot about the fact that I prefer melody. Also, apparently this is about a car? Panama Express? According to Wikipedia -"The Toronto Maple Leafs began to use the song when scoring at home against Original Six teams in the 2023–24 season" SICKENING. -Apparently the US played this when trying to psychologically torture Noriega into coming out. Well. I think it would've worked on me -1/5. Would've been a 2/5 if not for the Leafs part Top Jimmy -I do have to kind of appreciate the sparkly synthy bits of the guitar, which kind of makes me think this must've inspired whoever inspired who inspired etc etc. Radiohead for bits of Let Down -Dad rock guitar solo -Hate the overaffected feminine moaning of "Oh Jimmy" at the end. Knocks this down to a 1/5 probably will not listen to again Drop Dead Legs -I don't hate this much as much as I've disliked the previous couple of songs. Just read about Van Halen and the "brown sound" Described at roland.com as "Van Halen’s guitar tone had distortion. A lot of distortion. Distorted guitar tones were of course par for the course in the 1970’s, but this was something else entirely. The sheer amount of overdrive gain was immense. Also, rather than the sometimes “raggedy” or “harsh” tone that often comes out of heavily overdriven tube amps, this sound was somehow liquid, organic and warm," I don't know much about guitars or the sounds that they should produce, but it does have a sort of liquidy smooth sonic quality. Well I don't hate it. The outro is probably the best part of this -I might include it on a playlist, but I'm not sure I'd listen to it by itself. 3.5/5 Hot For Teacher -Well. I've made jokes about this one, so let's see where/how it goes. I'll Wait -Synthy opening, menacing bassline. Wikipedia says that the Doobie Brothers' Michael McDonald involved. Okay. I think I might be inclined to feel a little less sus of him because Genevieve Oliver put him on a playlist -Sonically, I think it's nothing really intriguing, but the textures of the synths and the distortion and the amps are kind of interesting. Especially when you get that warm brown sound coming back in. -Probably shouldn't have read the part where this is apparently addressed to a rl underwear model who the band didn't know. Feels a little. Not great. -If I wrote Supernatural fanfiction, I'd probably make Dean Winchester like this album. Seems like what he'd like -3/5. Might put it on a playlist one day if it fit. Wouldn't listen to it voluntarily Girl Gone Bad -Moved to car backseat; wasn’t really paying attention. Um it’s just kind of inoffensive and noisy I guess. Didn’t hold my attention so best I can give it is a 2/5 House of Pain -Again, noisy. Last half is just instrumental. It seems a little too hair metal for me. I should probably research why this band connects with people and what the impact of this album is, because it doesn’t do much for me -Also I find the “na na’s” during the instrumental kinda trite 2/5 1.5/2 stars for me overall

Introduction -First part syncopation off the shits tbh -Jazzy horns in the quieter parts -Third part jazzy; all together just really enjoyable. 4/5 Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? -Piano opening; kind of interestingly dissonant in a modernish Gershwin-esque way? -Yeah, I like it when the horns come in; vocals coming in surprisingly almost. Wouldn't mind if it this was all instrumentals, comes off a little trite in that early 70s way. But I can vibe with it 3/5 Beginnings -Horns in the opening; major key. Lyrics, again, kind of "I'm in love" cliche -3/5. I might be overrating this because I like jazz, but there're worse crimes to commit. The ending gets cowbell repetitive Questions 67 and 68 -Sounds like something you'd thrown on at the end of a coming of age movie (complimentary). Chill vibes. 3.75-4/5 Listen -Like, it's fine. I don't imagine myself putting it on, but I definitely would pick it over a Van Halen album. Although I might say that about most of jazzier albums. When the bass kicks in I go "Ah, the Arctic Monkeys or their influences ripped this off you, probably. But you probably ripped it off someone too. Such is contemporary music." Says more about me tbh... 2/5 Poem 58 -Kind of long, enjoy the bom-bom-bom-bom-bommmm(trill_bom) motif. 2/5 just because I was playing sudoku and it didn't really catch my attention + the a little too long thing I mentioned earlier Free Form Guitar -Jimi Hendrix-ish fucking around with warmups opening -Oh, "free form" is right. Can't be disappointed when the title doesn't lie. Actually, as a sound exercise, I think I'd like it (am I saying this because I'm "supposed" to like avant garde stuff? Idk.). As a lyrical enterprise? Not so much. Genius says "No electronic gimmicks or effects were used in the recording of this selection, the intent being to capture as faithfully as possible the actual sound of the performance as it occurred." -Rating 1 (song) 0.5/5 would not listen again. Rating as a piece of art (3/5) would, in fact, listen just for the textures South California Purples -Ambient laughter to start it off. Okay. I like the title. Initial impression: a girl could really get a groove on this. Yeah, I do like this. 4/5. Probably bumped the rating because South California Purples is a solid title and I appreciate when Southern California isn't a catch-all for Los Angeles and Los Angeles isn't a synecdoche for Hollywood I'm a Man -Appreciate the 60s holdover of the world. "Man yes I am" motif is catchy. It's solid. 2.75/5 just because the drumming at the end isn't my jam Prologue, August 29, 1968 -From Genius: "This song and its title refer to the Democratic National Convention of 1968 which is notorious for being extremely violent, as Mayor Daley gave the Chicago Police virtual free range to do what they saw necessary in order to stop the rioters." Don't feel like I can rate this. Really good use of current events, I guess? Blends well with next song. Someday (August 29, 1968) -4/5. Mix with Prologue, and the whole thing is just a really solid piece. Was doing laundry so I can't remember the details, but I did like it enough to make a note that these two were a combined 4/5 Liberation -Decent. Was doing laundry so not entirely paying attention to some of this, but I didn't hate it. Broken up into many sections (14 minute song), I liked the last one best. 3.5/5 Overall: 4/5 stars. Cool Wikipedia fact: This album was recorded and produced in "only five days of basic tracking and five days of overdubbing by the recording company." They also almost got sued by the CTA, so changed band name to "Chicago"

Speed Trials - Acoustic indie; nothing very complicated; chord progressions simple. First lyrics are nice imagery "He's pleased to meet you underneath the horse / In the cathedral with the glass stained black" -2/5. Just not very interesting Alameda -I have a soft spot for places where I've lived/lived close to. Feels very, I guess, "indie guitar," but better than the previous song. 2.5/5 Ballad of Big Nothing -I can see how this influenced a lot of its successors in indie rock. It's like. It's fine. I think if I listened to it a lot more, it might grow on me more, but my initial impression is a 3/5 Between the Bars - "Drink up baby, stay up all night / With the things you could do / You won't but you might / The potential you'll be that you'll never see" Ouch. Called out. Musically, it's just a very simple acoustic guitar ballad. 2.5/5, I think. If I caught it in a different mood, I might rate it higher, but for now 2.5/5 stands Pictures of Me -Just feels rather repetitive. Same chord over and over again. 1/5 No Name No. 5 -1/5 I'm sorry. I find it repetitive and boring in terms of chord progression and complexity. I know this probably says more about me than it does about him, because he's an indie darling, but that's how I feel. A GQ interview with Steve Holmes says "Yeah. If you actually try to sit down and figure [his songs] out, they're way more complicated than you realize. Which is why he's great. He used a lot of interesting progressions and chords. It's not, like, Oasis or something. His chords were more complex, and his finger-picking style was unique. He like finger-picked and strummed at the same time, which I've never seen anyone else do quite the same way." I guess it just doesn't hit my ear the right way. Rose Parade -1.5/5. Better than the others, but I'm getting kind of tired of this album. Punch and Judy -Melancholy. I kind of like the motif; I can see how it might be interesting in another song, but again. While this might be technically interesting, and he has a nicely soft voice here, it's just not great. 2.5-3/5. Angeles -Starts off by fingerpicking. I know this song from before (Los Angeles playlist) and liked it enough to keep it on the playlist. 2.5-3/5. So far the highest rated song, and I know it's in part because I've got a soft spot for Los Angeles. Cupid's Trick -The lyrics say "Sugar lick me up, it's my lie," but I thought the original lyrics were "Shootin' me up, it's my life," which feels a little more fitting, I guess, from what I know about the guy. Apparently there's no real consensus on the lyrics (according to Reddit) because he never wanted to share the actual lyrics...well anyway. There's more texture to this one. I actually don't mind it. 3/5 2:45 AM -1/5 just boring. Sorry. Say Yes -Wasn't sold on this, but I genuinely did like the harmonies. 2/5 Overall rating: 2/5, based on my averaging

Feel It -3.5/5, enjoyable, a little repetitive. I might put it on a playlist if it fit the vibe Chain Gang -4/5, really love the vibrancy of the crowd and the way Cooke interacts with the crowd. Beautiful song too, gospel-inspired, which I have such a soft spot, even if it's absolutely a terrifying song, lyrically Cupid -2.5-3/5; I mean, it's a classic and I've heard it before. Not really my song, but it is pretty Medley: It's All Right/For Sentimental Reasons -"Is everybody in favor of getting romantic" like how he cheerfully introduces it, and then the la la las. -You ever hear something so beautiful and sweet and it's clear he's having a lot of fun? 4.5/5 but I'm tempted to bump it up to a 5 Twistin' the Night Away -BANGER OF A FUCKING SONG! SAVED IN MY SPOTIFY LIKES SINCE 2019!! 5/5 partially because I love it, partially because I know it already, partially because I just like it Somebody Have Mercy -5/5 Sax solo, the joy and the raspiness of that voice Bring It On Home To Me -5/5 again with one I know before and love dearly Nothing Can Change This Love -5/5 another classic!! Today's been a good day. Having a Party -5/5 "'Having a Party' became the closing song of Cooke's live performances from the time it was recorded to his death. These concerts would typically end with all other acts joining Cooke and company onstage, throwing confetti while Cooke worked the audience to "keep on having that party" after the show is over. A version can be heard on Cooke's posthumous live recording, Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963." - Wikipedia. What a beautiful thing. "When you go home, keep on having a party," he finishes with. Overall Rating: 4.72 according my averaging. I guess it's close to a five. What a hell of a song.