275
Albums Rated
2.38
Average Rating
25%
Complete
814 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
How you rate albums
Rating Timeline
Average rating over time
Ratings by Decade
Which era do you prefer?
Activity by Day
When do you listen?
Taste Profile
2010s
Favorite Decade
Electronica
Favorite Genre
other
Top Origin
Critic
Rater Style ?
35
5-Star Albums
104
1-Star Albums
Taste Analysis
Genre Preferences
Ratings by genre
Origin Preferences
Ratings by country
Rating Style
You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rock Bottom | 5 | 2.39 | +2.61 |
| Calenture | 5 | 2.55 | +2.45 |
| Rising Above Bedlam | 5 | 2.61 | +2.39 |
| Colour By Numbers | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Viva Hate | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| The Dreaming | 5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
| Music From The Penguin Cafe | 5 | 3 | +2 |
| Architecture And Morality | 5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
| In Our Heads | 5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
| Queen Of Denmark | 5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rage Against The Machine | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| In Rainbows | 1 | 3.84 | -2.84 |
| Is This It | 1 | 3.82 | -2.82 |
| At San Quentin | 1 | 3.8 | -2.8 |
| Highway 61 Revisited | 1 | 3.77 | -2.77 |
| Pearl | 1 | 3.73 | -2.73 |
| Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not | 1 | 3.73 | -2.73 |
| Grace | 1 | 3.71 | -2.71 |
| Live At The Regal | 1 | 3.68 | -2.68 |
| A Love Supreme | 1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Talking Heads | 3 | 5 |
| Prince | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Radiohead | 3 | 1.33 |
| Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | 2 | 1 |
| Deep Purple | 2 | 1 |
| Leonard Cohen | 2 | 1 |
| Sonic Youth | 2 | 1 |
| The Rolling Stones | 3 | 1.67 |
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 1.5 |
| Dusty Springfield | 2 | 1.5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 2 |
Controversial Artists
Artists you rate inconsistently
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Johnny Cash | 5, 1 |
| Jimi Hendrix | 5, 2 |
5-Star Albums (35)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
1/5
SERIOUSLY?! Someone needs to audit the algorithm! I'm fairly sure two Clapton albums within three days is a violation of the Geneva Convention.
That said, this one wasn't nearly as terrible as the last (largely due to their comparative lengths), but in the end, trash is still trash.
4 likes
Kings of Leon
2/5
Kings of Mehsville, more like.
While this album is by no means unlistenable (well, the vocals do come dangerously close at times); I struggled to identify what makes it must hearworthy. I gave it a few playthroughs throughout the day, and even then, I don't think I'd be able to hum back nor positively ID any of it by tomorrow.
In a word: forgettable.
2 likes
The Beau Brummels
1/5
Serious question: How the Hell did anyone survive the 60s? I COMPLETELY understand now why The Beatles were so popular.
That said, I'm grateful these songs were mercifully short and leaned slightly more toward unremarkable than grating. Slightly.
This is clearly not an album anyone needed to hear before he died.
1 likes
Arctic Monkeys
1/5
It's been a while since we've had something this century. Unfortunately, this isn't very good. Kinda just noisy and boring. I'd probably have given it a 2, but I feel compelled to give it a 1 to offset its undeserved hype.
1 likes
Talking Heads
5/5
Having given LCD Soundsystem a 5, I couldn't very well give Talking Heads anything less. Even if this isn't your type of music, you have to appreciate that this was released in 1980. Groundbreaking.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (104)
All Ratings
Sly & The Family Stone
3/5
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
Own it. Love it.
Peter Gabriel
5/5
Clearly a classic. I know videos aren't part of the challenge, per se, but because So came out in a time when videos carried weight, this album has even more magic in that context. Plus, Kate Bush is enough to immediately give anything 5 stars.
Talking Heads
5/5
Having given LCD Soundsystem a 5, I couldn't very well give Talking Heads anything less. Even if this isn't your type of music, you have to appreciate that this was released in 1980. Groundbreaking.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
Kinda torn on this one. As far as reggae goes, Bob Marley nails it. Great merger of uplifting music with heavy subjects. However, without much variety from one song to the next, it felt like the album overstayed its welcome. Would have been a better experience in smaller doses.
Fairport Convention
1/5
Uh... What is this?
I am loath to hate on anyone's art, but this was positively grating.
Salt in the wound: I endured the bonus tracks edition.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Ahh... just the ear bleach I needed after that Fairport Convention nightmare.
Seriously though, the first time I heard this album I was much younger, and I didn't get it. But after seeing the movie and letting the music sit with me a while, I've come to appreciate it more.
Earth, Wind & Fire
2/5
First two tracks are great, but there's only so much falsetto and horns I can take in one sitting.
Ozomatli
1/5
¡Ay, caramba!
Madonna
3/5
Before today, I had actually never listened to this album. Sure, I was familiar with the title track, but everything else was new to me. Sitting here in 2024, I can see the importance of this album, insofar as Madonna using her brand to bring electronica into the mainstream, but this confirms what I assumed when I heard the title track back in 1998: she was headed in a direction I was unwilling to follow.
In fact, knowing what I know now, I'd say this "ray of darkness" is the very harbinger of the overproduced garbage that has been the Top 40 ever since the turn of the century. In that "light", Madonna is responsible for the destruction of modern music. I jest, of course, but this album DOES kick off what I dislike most about today's music.
At any rate, there were a few nice moments on here (i.e. the ones without the clubby drum machines), but I, personally, didn't care much for it. Still, I'll give her credit for being the trailblazing queen she is.
Astrud Gilberto
4/5
I do love that this challenge is introducing me to music I've never heard before!
This was nice. Light. Melodic. Simple. It gives more to its listener than it asks of him. No, it didn't change my world, nor will it make its way into my playlist, but I'm happy to have spent a short and pleasant time with it on this journey called life. Perhaps we'll meet again someday :)
Derek & The Dominos
1/5
Welp... didn't think we'd be dethroning Fairpoint Convention so quickly, but here we are...
Before today, I had never been so relieved by YouTube's intrusive ad practices. I almost quit this one several times, but the challenge IS to listen to these albums before you die... even when they try their categorical best to kill you before you can...
Everything from the vocals to the guitars seemed to be pathetically and PAINFULLY whining "boo friggin' hoo". It's as if someone managed to harness the dark acoustic energy of Fran Drescher and channeled it into an album. Unnecessary.
Paul Simon
3/5
A very Paul Simony album. Peaceful and toe-tapping at times, but largely background music.
John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers
1/5
SERIOUSLY?! Someone needs to audit the algorithm! I'm fairly sure two Clapton albums within three days is a violation of the Geneva Convention.
That said, this one wasn't nearly as terrible as the last (largely due to their comparative lengths), but in the end, trash is still trash.
Nirvana
2/5
I know I'm supposed to like Nirvana and all... but I just never have...
Some would assert they should be respected, if not merely for their importance in music history... OK, but I'd argue the Huns were pretty important in European history - does that mean they deserve respect for it?
Still, I'll give it a 2 since Eric Clapton didn't have anything to do with its production.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
A twofer... or possibly threefer... Glad I had the day off!
Some hits and misses here. A few tracks would definitely benefit from a radio edit, but overall, I do appreciate the eclectic nature of the album.
Thin Lizzy
2/5
On a different day, I might have been more open to this... but today was not that day...
The Police
3/5
Ah... finally... an album I don't have to set aside half my day to get through...
There are some enjoyable nuggets in here (mostly the songs written by Sting), but there are an equal number of tracks that feel kinda throwaway to me...
Nitin Sawhney
3/5
I could imagine hearing a few of these tracks at The Bronze... and that pleases me...
Overall, however, this felt more like mood music than active listening... which would likely be fine if that were your aim, but the repetition does wear a bit if you're fully present. I guess I neither love nor hate it.
Ministry
1/5
Even chicks in tight shorts couldn't save this album...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WADa5ItkV6o
It's simply beyond the limits of good taste...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8X9x9VqtciA
Tom Waits
1/5
After recently reviewing a number of extremely long entries, I was relieved to see that this had only 9-tracks of mostly reasonable lengths.
Unfortunately, it FELT just as long as those double albums.
Seriously. This POS shouldn't even exist, let alone be on ANY requisite listening list.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
Classic arrangements. Flawless vocals (obviously). It took me back to riding in the car with my grandparents. Though it's not really my thing, I'm giving it a 5 because, as an artform, it's on point. Plus, several of these tracks were featured on the Golden Girls, so that's pretty much an automatic win.
R.E.M.
4/5
Beyond the three singles, I was unfamiliar with the other eight songs - so it was nice getting to hear these for the first time. I wouldn't say they're overly strong tracks, with the side A four being noticeably better than the side B four, but I still dug the experience.
Love
1/5
I'm really not sure what to make of this... I'm pretty sure I don't like it, but I could be wrong... No, I'm positive I don't like it... But on second thought... Wait, does this mean I hate Love? Ah, the 60s were such a confusing time...
Beck
2/5
Beck is sorta hit-or-miss with me... He offers flashes of brilliance but then muddles it all up with what can only be described as noise... I can appreciate an artist wanting to mashup genres, but it's always seemed to me that Beck mixes in one part glorious with two parts laborious...
I'll give it a 2 because I do enjoy the singles, The New Pollution and Where It's At, but I really must flush the rest of this rackety rot...
The Kinks
3/5
Diet Beatles. For when you want to listen to British pop without all of the catchy hooks.
Completely neutral to this. Nothing amazing; nothing offensive. Next.
Duran Duran
5/5
Timeless.
Funkadelic
1/5
Not enough drugs in the world...
Minutemen
2/5
The very definition of "death by a thousand (two-minute or less) cuts".
While I didn't find anything of particular value on this MULTI-album, I did pick up vibes here and there of other bands I do like... ones that have a more structured approach to actual song writing.
So, in that regard, I'll give it a 2 for having the right ingredients set out on the counter... just wish they had bothered to bake the damn cake.
Various Artists
5/5
Phil Spector's extreme creep factor and criminally murderous behavior aside, this was a great Christmas album. Full props to all of the talented performing artists.
Grateful Dead
1/5
Unequivocally awful.
Why was this even made? I refuse to believe that anyone would listen to this under their own free will... let alone pay money for the displeasure...
Steely Dan
4/5
Nice! An actual standard studio album to review!
And it's a fairly good one! Despite some unnecessary meanderings and questionable noise (particularly within the title track), I enjoyed most of this.
I'm still not willing to venture forth into the swamp of jazz, but I thank Steely Dan for showing me that there are some fringe elements that don't completely suck.
The Go-Go's
2/5
Meh... other than the two singles, I hadn't heard any of these songs before... and based on those two singles, I had always (correctly) assumed I didn't really need to, either...
If I were a young girl hearing this for the first time in 1981, it probably would have hit harder... but I'm not, and it isn't, so it doesn't...
1/5
Garage rock? More like garbage schlock.
Nirvana
2/5
I know this was a critically acclaimed event and got tons of coverage back in the day... but I just don't like live albums... nor Nirvana...
That said, compared to the other live albums I've had to endure on this list (and Nirvana's In Utero), this is slightly more tolerable... so I'll be generous and give it a 2...
Big Star
4/5
Wow... This was really quite good... I have the cover of Thirteen by Garbage, but otherwise this was all new to me - which after reading up on the history of the album, I understand why... Too bad... They really could have been Big Stars...
Janis Joplin
1/5
Oof... that voice, tho... seriously...
Thankfully, none of these tracks had particularly outrageous runtimes, though they did all seem VERY long...
Big Brother & The Holding Company
1/5
W. T. F.
I guess yesterday's review fell on deaf algorithms...
And now I wish I were deaf...
Elton John
2/5
Meh... Other than the two (rather weak) singles, I had never heard any of this, and I don't know how I ever really would have, either... There's certainly nothing even close to radio worthy here...
More-or-less, it's just a boring, longer-than-necessary, story-telling experience...
But it didn't outright assault my senses, so I'll give it a disappointed 2...
The Residents
3/5
This was a tough review to write...
On the one hand, I greatly appreciate experimentation with sounds, and without pioneers in the field, we wouldn't have the greatness we have today.
On the other hand, this particular album just isn't landing with me. I listened to it three times just to be sure, but it failed to trigger that internal magic that sparks when you've found something special. While it does have its moments, it ultimately hits more like noise than music.
As a contemporary comparison, put this up against Kraftwerk's 1978 Die Mensch-Maschine. One is CLEARLY more polished.
I'm still going to give this a 3, though - not quite for what it is, but rather for what it was at the time, and for what it no doubt helped inspire afterwards.
FKA twigs
3/5
This is of a genre I usually enjoy, but there isn't enough variety here. It felt like one 40-minute song. I listened to this twice, and I think the issue has less to do with the musical arrangements and more with her voice. Ethereal falsetto is nice in small doses - just not for an entire album. The electronic mix was decent, though. I was reminded of The Range at times; so, I'll give it a 3 for evoking some of that energy.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/5
Ugh... College... Not sure I can be impartial about this one given my personal association, but I'll try...
I guess, all-in-all, it's not a bad album... The singles are strong, even if they do bring me back to the dorms... The non-singles are also fairly decent, for the most part...
Dire Straits
3/5
I would have expected "Brothers In Arms" to be on this list (and it probably is), but this was a surprise. OK album, if not somewhat unremarkable.
The Teardrop Explodes
1/5
Genre-ly speaking, this is the kind of stuff I love. Unfortunately, this album misses the mark, and the one thing I can absolutely point to is how most of these tracks ultimately devolve beyond mere refrain into an endless loop that feels downright burdensome. I hated when "Message In A Bottle" did it, and I hate it here, too. Shame - because there are some elements on this album that could have been used for greatness.
It hurts me, but I have to fail this.
Adele
3/5
Another completely new experience for me.
There's no arguing that Adele can sing. If I were in a different place in life, I could see these songs hitting pretty hard. Thankfully, I'm not.
Though not in relevant resonance with me, it's still a very strong work of art. Maybe a 3.5? Tell you what, I'll do Adele a favor and round down so that she has some new material to lament about on her next album.
The Electric Prunes
3/5
I think in 1967 this would have been pretty tight - err groovy. I'm not so sure I have a place for this in my life today, but it's certainly far from offensive.
There - I stayed away from any and all prune-related humor.
David Bowie
5/5
Full disclosure: I'm unable to be unbiased when it comes to Bowie.
Low may not be one of his more commercial ventures, but this is still an excellent atmospheric album that I could listen to on repeat (and have).
I don't know what the afterlife is like, but I really hope its soundtrack is written and performed by David Bowie.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
I've always sorta hated Sympathy for the Devil... it's too long-winded, and the background woo-woo absolutely grates after the millionth time...
My hangups with that particular track aside, I found the rest of the album (save for the rebellious rock classic, Street Fighting Man) to be very... dirty country diner... which I suppose is what they were going for based on the cover art...
I guess if I'm being fair and honest, it was a slightly less than middle-of-the-road experience...
Randy Newman
1/5
So... it seems the algorithm's theme for this week is country diner... at least we're getting these albums done and over with...
I guess if I had to identify one positive thing about this experience, it would be that it made me feel better about myself knowing that this album had zero resonance.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Well now - this is distinctly NOT country diner! Thank you, algorithm, for the palate cleanser!
Only 7 tracks, but what an array! Title track is a classic and a clear standout. For 1982, Scorpion was totally rad. And then, mixed in between some old skool rap and a gospel ballad, there's Dreamin'... talk about an awkward man crush - but I still can't say I hated it!
Jorge Ben Jor
4/5
I have no idea what's going on, but it's got rhythm - and the honking Muppets! At least, that was the interpretation in my head...
And if it's good enough for Rod Stewart to rip off, it's good enough for me!
If you want my Muppet and you think it's honking, come on rate this album now!
The Doors
4/5
I bought The Door's greatest hits in high school, and most of this album made the cut, so that's impressive for a debut, I suppose... Or maybe that just means they were never able to fully recapture the same magic?
At any rate, there wasn't much to discover here for me, and maybe because I've heard most of this countless times it felt sorta boring... But it IS a classic... and I can respect it for that... So, for what it is, it would be unfair to give it anything less than a 4.
Aretha Franklin
2/5
Hmm... not so sure about this one... there are songs I recognize (and like better) that were done by other artists, leaving "A Natural Woman" as the only song of real value... which I can't say I love, either...
At the end of the day, I prefer singing to screaming, but there are far worse albums on this list...
Hugh Masekela
1/5
The sax on the first track set the early, agonizing pace... and it was all downhill from there...
Seriously, trumpets are the Devil...
But at least there weren't any drum solo - - - ugh...
And unholy Hell were these songs long and rambling...
Definite contender for worst album yet...
Jane's Addiction
2/5
Meh. I wanted to like it, but it felt like every time I heard something interesting, it led to a dead end. I know there's talent here... and lots of energy... but it just felt like a runny, chunky puddle that didn't set well overnight in the fridge...
Johnny Cash
5/5
Johnny Cash is one of the best there ever was and ever will be. He's a consistent performer and great storyteller who makes you feel. This album delivers the goods.
Violent Femmes
1/5
Outside the two singles, this borders on unlistenable... and even those are brought down by the overall experience...
Thelonious Monk
1/5
Ugh... MORE jazz... I'm sure for what this is, it's wonderful... For me, however, it's just discordant background noise...
Sabu
1/5
Whew... I can finally stop worrying that rumba was going to be unfairly underrepresented on this list...
John Lee Hooker
1/5
Add another corpse to the pile of recent disappointments...
Frank Zappa
1/5
This exercise is challenging assumptions I've had about myself for a very long time... I thought I enjoyed all types of music... I guess I was wrong...
Or maybe I just really hate meandering instrumentals, jazz, blues, bluesy jazz, jazz-infused blues, folk anything, and *gulp* rumba - which, based on the first 60 albums reviewed, makes up about a fifth of this list. Hopefully, this has been just an unfortunate randomization of the algorithm and not a foreboding of what the next 3.6 years will be like.
Rush
1/5
Sure... kick me when I'm down...
Seriously - Rush is terrible, and this album doesn't change that opinion. There's nothing interesting or catchy with the music, and Lee's shrill vocals tear through my very soul. I appreciated that he wasn't screeching on Tears, but that moment of calm was, sadly, not enough to undo the damage on my psyche done by the rest of this rot.
Tracy Chapman
5/5
Thank you, algorithm. This is exactly what I needed after last week's debacle.
Excellent album that has something to say and makes you feel something.
Jimmy Smith
2/5
OK seriously, enough with the jazz already...
But I'll give it a 2 because the drummer's name is Donald Bailey.
Prince
5/5
Thank the sweet baby Jesus algorithm! I hope this is a sign o' the times that we can finally be done with jazz!
Prince is right there with David Bowie for me. I know I'm biased, but I can only describe this as brilliant. Like Bowie, Prince does things that no one else has done - good things. I guess I should clarify because I've heard some unique things on this list that were not do good.
Rufus Wainwright
1/5
This was... odd...
Based on other recent entries, I now have a new perspective on what awful truly is, and I can't say that this is that particular shade of bad... But it definitely isn't even close to good, either... In fact, it really is awful... Just in a very inventively odd way... I dunno... I struggle to imagine the target audience this was meant for... It sorta feels like clips of it would appear in a Hallmark movie or something...
In the interest of mending my average score from the damage done by jazzapalooza, I'd love to give this a neutral 3 and move on, but it definitely doesn't deserve that...
So, I guess the lesson here is that evil just comes in different flavors... Oh, and under no circumstances should Rufus ever be allowed to sing again... His whiny vocals are as deadly as any jazz horn...
Bob Dylan
2/5
Someone take away that man's harmonica this instant!
Unless one were drunk and had given up entirely on life, I can't imagine another reason to willfully select this off the shelf when there are SOOO many other things to listen to in this world.
But to prove I'm not a monster (or a bot programed to lower the global scores of this challenge), I'll give it a 2 because there are moments of good song writing here - just zero moments of good song performing.
The Mamas & The Papas
5/5
I'm utterly offended by the obscene cover art...
That aside, this album is totally groovy. A number of recognizable hits, no 20-minute-long ramblings, full motivation for multiple playthroughs. Everything a good album should be.
Bob Dylan
1/5
Soooo....
I can see my pleas for harmonica extraction have fallen on deaf ears... which mine now are...
Is Dylan's M.O. to lead with one well-written (and badly performed) classic, and then fill the rest of the album with rambling garbage? If so, couldn't we have given him just a greatest hits entry and saved some room for other groups (possibly of non-Anglo origin) that absolutely should have appeared on this list but likely don't?
Unfortunately for this album, my generosity for Dylan's songwriting was spent on the last rating.
Morrissey
3/5
Hmm...
There are plenty of songs I enjoy by Morrissey and The Smiths, but I found this particular album somewhat lacking for a reason that I can't quite articulate. I gave it a second and third playthrough hoping that something would click, but I'm not sure that it did. I will say that, like most Morrissey-related works, subsequent listenings did reveal additional layers, so I think there's probably something here if you're willing to work for it - I just ran out of time in the day.
So, I guess I'll give it a neutral rating. I'd probably have given it a lower score if not for the recent slew of painfully unlistenable garbage, which I certainly wouldn't lump this into. It's not bad - it's just not the best he has to offer.
The Triffids
5/5
Wow! I had never heard of this band before, and I love this album! This, THIS, is the reason we've taken on this challenge! I love finding something new that I love - especially when it's been out for such a long time - a whole new discography to explore!
David Bowie
3/5
Now, you know I love Bowie. However, this was just an OK experience for me. It's got Bowie-level production quality, and it's still better than many of these other "must hear" albums, but nothing here felt particularly special. I wish it had been half the length with twice the depth.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Big beat. This subgenre will forever hold a special place in my heart, given my age when it was popular; but as I and the world have evolved, it's just not as tangible as it once was. For one thing, this is dancing music - not casual listening music - and I do much less of the former nowadays...
However, given this album's release date and purpose, I think it's fairly good. It's got exceptional mixing, some trancey rhythms, and lots of energy. All the things a good dance-oriented album should have. It's definitely not a casual listening album, though - so if that's the forum (like this challenge), then it can come across as repetitively oppressive at times. Still, for what it is when it was, I can't give it less than a 4.
Oh, and a special shoutout to Praise You - that's a classic track.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
OooooooooooooooooK...
I guess there's a purpose for this, but I'll be damned if I know what it is...
The lyrics detract from whatever musical quality this might have otherwise had. It's like barf on a wedding cake.
Dwight Yoakam
1/5
No.
Jack White
2/5
This is pretty much White Stripes, and like White Stripes, it just doesn't land with me.
I have tried REALLY hard to enjoy White Stripes, but their music (like this album) always feels too busy and noisy to me. In some cases, it's the guitar (Jack), in more cases it's the drums (Meg) (or more specifically - the damn cymbals), and in even more cases, it's both. Even without Meg, this still has that busy noisy cymbal thing.
Like several White Stripes albums, I've given this a fair shake, and I can only conclude that Jack and I are just not compatible.
Talking Heads
5/5
Another excellent album by Talking Heads. Though, if they have a bad one, I've never heard it.
The Band
3/5
Not at all my thing, but I can't say it's an affront, either. A 3 in the truest sense.
Joni Mitchell
1/5
Eh... less falsetto, please...
I know this is allegedly a classic, but I just really, really hate folk...
I was willing to consider giving this a 2, but her voice caused me physical pain at times, and that goes beyond just not liking it for being boring and pointless...
The Beau Brummels
1/5
Serious question: How the Hell did anyone survive the 60s? I COMPLETELY understand now why The Beatles were so popular.
That said, I'm grateful these songs were mercifully short and leaned slightly more toward unremarkable than grating. Slightly.
This is clearly not an album anyone needed to hear before he died.
Frank Sinatra
2/5
Swingin' from the gallows, maybe...
OK, it's not THAT bad, but I can only take so much big band and ol' blue eyes...
Furthermore, this can't possibly be the best Frank has to offer, so I don't know what this album is doing on this list... make room for something better...
Arctic Monkeys
1/5
It's been a while since we've had something this century. Unfortunately, this isn't very good. Kinda just noisy and boring. I'd probably have given it a 2, but I feel compelled to give it a 1 to offset its undeserved hype.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Not my genre, but I certainly can't knock the guitar work. Seriously, I kinda HAFTA give it a 5. It really is an important album.
Portishead
2/5
Some interesting ideas here, but at times I couldn't help but feel like this was more a demo than a studio album. I think there's probably some treasure here if you've got the time to dig for it among the rubble, but unfortunately, I only had time for two playthroughs today, and that wasn't enough to uncover the goods. Regardless, I think the weak vocals and "misery chick" vibe bring it down; so, it's a 2 for me.
T. Rex
3/5
None of these songs break the five-minute mark (most under four), but they all seem to drone on longer than they should. I guess that's not a very good sign. Now, I know very little about the technics of music, but maybe this "lag" is because the songs are written in a strange half-time or something? I mean, I like Robert Palmer's version of "Get It On", but I don't like it as much here. I dunno...
All-in-all, it wasn't a painful experience, though - so I'll just slap a 3 on it and move on.
The Clash
4/5
I enjoyed most of this, but the choice to make it a double album keeps it from greatness. There's far too much redundancy and filler here. If you're going to produce a double album, variety is critical; and this definitely doesn't have enough.
Had it been a 9-10 track fare, it would have been a 5.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
An undeniable classic. These songs have touched your life somehow at some point. Even if you don't like Led Zeppelin (I'm not crazy about them, myself), you've at least enjoyed music that's been influenced by them. Gotta show the respect.
Sister Sledge
2/5
What I kinda was expecting. Title hit, and a bunch of filler. I'm relocating today, so I have neither A. the time nor B. the inclination to give this a another playthrough. Sorry, Sister.
Brian Wilson
1/5
So... let me get this straight...this is a fragmented collection of scaps and debris that wasn't good enough for The Beach Boys, but it's good enough for this oft questionable list of "must hear" misfits? Got it.
Radiohead
2/5
Only really half-listed to this... too much going on... but from what I heard, it sounded like it was only worth half-a-listen, to be honest...
I'll give it a free star for my lack of effort, but I'm fairly certainly it doesn't deserve any more based on their lack of effort...
Orbital
4/5
You had me at "(featuring Alison Goldfrapp)."
By its nature, this isn't something you're going to be able to actively listen to very easily, but as an ambient artform, it delivers. I will say, however, that it runs a bit long (as an album and, at times, as individual tracks). Still, not bad for what it is.
I'd probably have given it a 3, but Alison's worth an extra star.
The Strokes
1/5
I don't get this at all. It's the most monotonous album I've heard on this list (yet). I couldn't tell one song from another. Vocals are washed out and muddy. Music is repetitive and hookless. This honestly just sucks.
A trash album that definitely doesn't deserve a place on this list... or even space on a dusty shelf at FYE.
Metallica
3/5
Metallica's good at what Metallica does - I just don't care for what Metallica does.
As an artform, I'm sure it's probably worth a 5, but my personal preference keeps me from giving it anything higher than a 3.
Teenage Fanclub
1/5
Not a fan. The guitar work is downright terrible. It's that noise pop crap I hated in my youth.
It was a struggle to finish this (even with YouTube gratefully blocking 5 of the 12 tracks - which I didn't even bother to subsequently track down). I guess this means I didn't technically hear this album, but I can totally live with that.
Culture Club
5/5
This has everything a good pop album should have: catchy hooks, actual music (as opposed to noise), clear, well-executed vocals, variety between songs, reasonable track lengths. I really can't find fault with this - especially in juxtaposition to many of the other albums on this list. In fact, I'd probably have given this a 4, but the other garbage I've had to listen to recently compels me to give this a 5 as a point of comparison.
Throwing Muses
2/5
This one required a lot of work without much payoff... I hated the first listen, but I decided to try again (for some unknown reason) and surprisingly only kinda hated it the second time... I skimmed through it a third time, and the noise got less noisy, but my hate stain remained...
There might be something of value here, but I don't want to risk injuring myself any further digging for it, lest I becoming as damaged as the vibe this album gives off...
I'd like to give this a 1, but its being released in 1986 is pretty pioneer-y, so that's worth an extra star...
B.B. King
1/5
Another case of "this is probably good for what it is, but I hate the genre, so no amount of perfection is going to sway me" kinda thing.
Talking Heads
5/5
I'm sure Talking Heads having so many entries on this list is going to elicit some eyerolls, but fortunately I love them, so you'll get no complaints from me.
This is probably the weakest of their three Brian Eno-produced albums, but that still didn't stop me from listening to it multiple times; and I see no reason to rate this any less than the other two albums considering a Talking Heads low is still way better than an alleged high for many of these other artists.
R.E.M.
5/5
Excellent album. Beautiful with an aura of sadness. This is an album you should hear (more than once) before you die.
Portishead
4/5
Oh no... it's the misery chick again...
Actually, this one wasn't as bad as the last one... hooks are much tighter, and the vocals (while still not very strong) aren't quite as washed out...
If I were going to throw a pity party, this is the album I'd choose... but I hate parties... of any kind...
Seriously - this was pretty decent, though.
Bee Gees
2/5
I'm not overly familiar with the Bee Gees' library, but I find the selection of Odessa for this list highly questionable... as if someone had an agenda to push this obscure (and fairly terrible) album onto the masses who otherwise would not have (and should not have) ever listened to it.
And yet, there have been worse things on this list; so, I guess it'll get a 2 for its relativity.
Rage Against The Machine
1/5
I've been told for a very long time that Rage Against the Machine is good... and I've for an equally long time disagreed.
I suppose if I were angrier at "the machine," this would resonate, but I figure, I voted, so if things turn out to be a shit sandwich, either I'm partially to blame or fully free of fault. Getting angry at those in power and/or the idiots that put them there has just never felt like a good use of energy... I'd rather reserve my ire for more sensible things like malfunctioning technology and lousy coworkers.
But I digress... back on topic: this album sucks. Any redeemable guitar work (and there is some) is completely lost in the splatters of screamy and oft silly cliches... seriously... I was more convinced of Alanis's anger on Jagged Little Pill than I was by the forced "rage" on this after school special...
DJ Shadow
4/5
There's a lot of great stuff here. As with most albums of this genre, it's not really an "active listening" event, but more of a subliminal mood setter. And, for the most part, I totally dug the mood that was set. There were, however, a few noisy misses and some run-on sentences, but I'm overall more pleased than pissed with the experience.
Buzzcocks
3/5
A band hailing from the sacred origin: Manchester, late 70s.
Considering the historical context, this is pretty good; but unfortunately, the Buzzcocks were more punk than post-punk... not terrible by any stretch, just slightly off the sweet spot...
The Isley Brothers
3/5
I'm neutral to this. Nothing compelling; nothing repelling. I had never listened to The Isley Brothers before; so, I guess I'm glad for the exposure, even if it was underwhelming.
Besides, the title was just begging for a 3.
Tina Turner
5/5
I mean... how could anyone give this less than a 5?
And now that I'm done with my review, I've reviewed the other reviews, and apparently a lot of alleged "people" could and did give this less than a 5 - as in, like, 1s and 2s. Assuming no one would bother putting in the effort to spambot this silly challenge, I can only, once again, conclude that I'm simply living on a different planet than the majority of humanity... and thank goodness for that!
Wu-Tang Clan
3/5
Golly gee whiz! These fellas sure do seem angry 'bout somethin'!
Seriously, this brings me back to high school with a bunch of country white kids (who had never even seen a black person) listening to this thinking it somehow gave them a dangerous aura of protection from bullies and invisible gangs. Meanwhile, I simply perfected my resting bitch face to much greater effect.
Anyway... back on task. In a vacuum, I'm not sure I would be able to find much value in this beyond a few clever moments (found particularly more on the back end). From a cultural and temporal perspective, however, I do have more appreciation for what this inspired - directly and indirectly.
An example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g2UmNA9T3T8
The Stooges
3/5
I don't think I like this, but I also think I might like this more than I think.
Because it was short, I listened to both the original and the remix. The latter IS cleaner, but grime was an essential ingredient in the original... so, I think they both have merit depending on what you're after.
50 Cent
1/5
Admittedly, this isn't my favorite genre, but I've heard better... way better... This radiated a stiflingly lazy vibe to me. I felt like I was being asked to put more energy into listening to it than 50 put into producing it.
Honestly, this doesn't even deserve a 1 since I'd rather have an album outright disgust me than induce such a feeling of ennui.
The Boo Radleys
2/5
Some interesting ideas here, but it seems like that's all it is: ideas experimented with and then quickly abandoned in pursuit of other ideas; attractive moments of pleasant melodies interrupted by unnecessary noise.
I would describe this as a dirt-encrusted gem found lying in the woods somewhere. There's beauty here, and you might even see a twinkle if you tilt it the right way, but the caked-on dirt prevents you from really enjoying it - not to mention, the dirt adds an additional 50%-75% weight (in this case length) that makes you put it back down and look for more easily-accessible sparkle elsewhere. Shame.
Hüsker Dü
1/5
So... uh... I guess I needed to hear this before I died... at least, that's what I've been told...
There wasn't a single thing about this that was particularly enjoyable, interesting, or revolutionary. Plus, it ran way too long. If this had been consolidated into 30 minutes (with ANY variety), I MIGHT have given it a 2 for being considerate of my time, but as it is: Crap x 2 = 1 Pile of Shit.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
Even though (all but one of) these tracks don't have unreasonably long run times, they sure do FEEL unreasonably long. I think, perhaps, it's the incessantly bland and repetitive melodies in the background with nothing vocally or harmonically interesting in the foreground that makes this an absolute chore to listen to.
In the face of undeserved hype, I very confidently give this dross a 1.
Cream
1/5
Oh, joy! The moment I knew had to be coming is finally here! Clapton's third gig! I sure do hope this list contains ALL of them - not the least of all his solo career!
Look, I hate Eric Clapton. And nothing is going to change that. Not even the iconic riff on Sunshine of Your Love. While this is better than the Bluesbreakers and Derek and the Dominos, it's still Crapton.
Ute Lemper
1/5
Well... this was certainly... different. I can't say it was the worst thing this challenge has thrown at us, but it was quite possibly the most pointless.
Who is the intended audience for this? The lyrics don't speak to "every man", and the music isn't for casual or even background listening. It's like a Broadway soundtrack without the plot. Very confusing. And, probably more than any other album we've heard thus far, NOT something that needed to be listened to before death.
I will say, however, that other than the last track (which I mercifully ended at the 2/3rds mark), the overall orchestration and Ute's voice are strong, but does that REALLY matter at the end of the day? I mean, the bassoon's a great instrument, but if you're just using it to fish out lint from behind the dryer, you're squandering the potential of its true function.
Sadly, this is yet another 1 for me. I know... I'm a monster...
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
3/5
I really, REALLY do hate harmonica solos of ANY kind...
That aside, this was OK. It's not something I'd listen to again, but I do recognize that it has its moments. Back half is stronger than the front.
Beatles
3/5
I've never felt strongly about the Beatles one way or the other, but this challenge has given me a new appreciation for them. Especially in the 60s, it seems the alternatives were bleak. And knowing what came later, it's clear the Beatles were important to the evolution.
This is actually the first Beatles album I've ever listened to in full, and while it doesn't feel particularly impressive, it's nowhere near as bad as many of the other entries this algorithm dropped these last few weeks. Plus, I really appreciate that the Beatles stick to the radio standard of not droning on beyond a couple minutes per song. Smart. This keeps the weak tracks from dragging down the experience, and there are a number of them - "You Can't Do That" being particularly cringy.
Overall, and in the greater context of what I've heard so far in this 1,001 stack, I'd say a 3 is fair.
Lorde
5/5
I appreciate that this album challenged some of my preconceived notions about this type of music (i.e. modern pop) and about how I consume music, in general. I would never have listened to this without participating in this challenge, and without overanalyzing why I enjoyed it, but, instead, just enjoying it because I enjoyed it, it felt nice to not take this process so seriously.
Anyway, I hear a little Fever Ray and a little Kate Bush here; and since I love
both of them, this is an easy 5 for me. Sure, it's a little melodramatic at times, but it DID come with a label, so I can appreciate that it's also not taking itself too seriously.
The Doors
3/5
Much of what I said about their debut album applies here, too. Putting the two together, I conclude that The Doors are the textbook archetype for justifying the need for a "Greatest Hits" album. Glad that that was my initial experience with them and not these individual albums, which are islands of hits in seas of calm meh to choppy ugh.
Even so, this is still far better than most other entries on this list, and fillers aside, the hits do hold some personal nostalgia for me. I'd say this is a 3.5; so, since I gave their debut a 4, I'll give this a 3 and call it even.
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
5/5
I enjoyed this obscure little nugget far more than I had any reasonable business to.
And then I proceeded to ingest the entire discography of studio albums:
Music from the Penguin Cafe
Penguin Cafe Orchestra
Broadcasting from Home
Signs of Life
Union Cafe
I was not disappointed.
George Harrison
3/5
TRIPLE? A triple album? Brah...
There's some truly great stuff in here, and with the proper editing I could have easily justified giving it a 5, but the bloat drags it down. Way down.
This could and should have been 1/3 5-Star Album, 1/3 Deep Cuts Album, 1/3 unrecorded scrap (i.e. Apple Jam).
fIREHOSE
2/5
Hmm... There are some splashes of interesting flavor here, but nothing ever gels... Unsatisfying... Like having a few bites at a buffet and leaving hungry... Disappointing... A taste of honey is worse than none at all...
Sufjan Stevens
1/5
pre·ten·tious
/prēˈten(t)SHəs/
adjective
attempting to impress by affecting greater importance, talent, culture, etc., than is actually possessed.
Boring, annoying, and unquestionably overlong. Even the track titles disrespectfully demand too much energy to fully read them.
Beatles
3/5
Lots of well-known hits here, obviously. In fact, I skipped those because I've heard them a million times (which IS still a credit to the Beatles and to this album, regardless).
The other stuff that was new to me was mostly meh. 'I Want You' felt unnecessarily long (even despite my skipping a third of this album), and other than 'Here Comes the Sun' (which, again, was skipped for familiarity), nothing on the back side grabbed me.
Like their last album, it's hard to be completely impartial when some of these songs have been sewn into the very fabric of Western existence. On the other hand, it's inevitable that their lesser-known tracks are unfairly held to that same standard. So, I'm just going to punt again here.
Mariah Carey
1/5
Look - I know Mariah can sing. However, I don't feel like she did that here so much as just sorta breathily sighed her way through this album. A very questionable use of a very powerful instrument.
Furthermore, not one track stood out to me. Admittedly, 1997 was a very busy year for me, but I swear I never heard any of these alleged singles - or maybe I did, and they truly were/are that unremarkable. In fact, I hypothesize that if these songs had corporeal form, I could hang wallpaper with them.
Oh, and I lied. The Prince cover DID stand out to me - for being a grotesquely unnecessary capital offence to the institution of good taste. KEEP YOUR CLAWS OFF PURPLE RAIN!
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
I'm a little conflicted on this one. I can appreciate what this was when it was, and a few of the beats/background ambiances are tight, but I don't think the overall sound has aged particularly well 40 years out. It feels a bit too rough... a little too bare bones.
Still, this needed to exist for better things to come after, so I'll be middle-of-the-road with my rating.
Simon & Garfunkel
2/5
This was weird. Thankfully, unlike 1968, Wikipedia was there to explain why. Without that, I would have been left wondering what the point of the first side was, and why it clashed so much with the second.
Even with an explanation, however, it's still weird. I'm not completely convinced that the first side has a cohesive concept, and the second side feels like padded cheating. I do like the singles, though, so I guess I won't completely fail this meager effort.
Run-D.M.C.
3/5
My familiarity with 'Walk This Way' compels me to separate that from the rest of this review. 'Walk This Way' is a great track. I love me a good mashup, and it's one of the best.
On the other hand, I found myself pretty underwhelmed by the rest of this album, unfortunately. Coming hot off of their debut album, I'm able to recognize that they've fleshing out the production and their overall sound, but it feels like this album has even LESS variation than their first. Maybe not a full step backwards, but certainly no better than a step sideways, I'd say. Feels like a 2, but I'll give it a 3 to stay consistent with their debut.
Prince
5/5
The perfect album doesn't exi-
Moby
3/5
Kinda an odd mix of mostly passive listening with a few awkwardly placed active listening tracks like Southside (which was, itself, oddly different than the single version I'm familiar with). Furthermore, even the passive listening is a bit odd in its energy variances - like I'm unsure what mood Moby wanted to put me in here. Odd. It really is the best word for it.
I think I'd like the individual tracks more on their own than I did the album in its entirety. So, with that in mind, I'll try to walk away feeling neutral.
Rod Stewart
1/5
WTF.
Maybe there are other Rod Stewart albums on this list (don't know yet), but considering his EXHAUSTIVE library, it's stupid that this was selected as one that needed to be heard. It's not. It's weak. Too weak.
Complete failure by the admin.
Jeff Buckley
1/5
This was awful...
I'm trying to think of a reason not to fail it, but I got nothin'... tunes are bland... his voice is grating (especially when he goes for the high notes)... songs tend to linger longer than they should... and at times, it's just plain noise...
I also see that its reception wasn't so hot when it originally came out, and it was only after his foolishly unnecessary death that opinions warmed... suspicious...
Deep Purple
1/5
At least it wasn't long... and yet, still too long...
But hey, there's that famous guitar riff - which is, I suppose, why this album hasn't been otherwise forgotten by the human conscious.
Janelle Monáe
3/5
I worked really hard on this one. I gave it three playthroughs - which I feel was quite generous given its unnecessary length and my initial, confused impression of it.
The final verdict? Mixed. I think there are some really great ideas here, but it feels like a manic brain dump with zero focus. Her voice, the instrumentation, the production - all great - no complaints. But damn, pick a lane. There are, like, four different stories trying to be told here, and I'd love to hear each one of them, but just as she's making progress in one direction, she then goes hurling off into another.
Look. Editing is a thing. An important thing. Making cuts shows maturity as an artist. I get it - this was her debut album and it's hard making something and then not using it. But if it's not up to snuff (and there are definitely tracks on here that aren't), you need to be able to recognize that and respectfully not burden your audience with 30+minutes of your B game. On the other hand, if it IS up to snuff, but it doesn't fit the current motif, you need to save that for a later, more appropriately themed album.
Bottom line: I like many of the pieces here, but I hate the composition. I enjoy chocolate, mustard, apple cider, and broccoli, but that doesn't mean they should all go into the same bowl. Since this was more-or-less the same gripe I had with Moby last week, I'll give her a 3, too.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
1/5
Zzzzz...
*Snort* *Mumble* What was that?
Oh, just another YouTube Ad...
Zzzzz...
Hot Chip
5/5
I admit it. I'm a synthoholic. I'm completely incapable of suspending my bias when it comes to this genre.
However, there is something about this particular album that feels off. Like I'm being sold a packaged product instead of enjoying authentic art. Just about everything this does was done better by someone else decades earlier (and seriously, some parts are straight-up ripped from other artists like Soft Cell, Depeche Mode, Erasure, and even Kate Bush). I suppose, therefore, one could postulate that these were the acts that were "in their heads" when they made this album.
Outside of that context, it was a pleasant enough experience, though. It's just super unfortunate that I couldn't shake the feeling that I was hearing weak, phantasmal echos of things I'd rather be listening to. A disappointing feeling to have but have it I did.
So, now how do I rate this? Part of me wants to give this a 5 since it IS something I would (and probably will) add to my personal library (something I can't say about most of the other entries in this challenge), but another part of me wants to penalize it for breaking the 8th commandment. Meh. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone and all that, right?
New York Dolls
4/5
I feel like I took a wrong turn somewhere and ended up in a frightful, albeit non-dangerous situation. Despite my not being the intended audience, the girls diligently entertained me for a time and then sent me on my way; confused but unharmed. Upon reflection, I felt strangely yet pleasantly changed somehow and knew, with both relief and regret, that I would never have that experience again.
Not really my genre, but I'll give it a base score of 2 and tack on an extra star for its fearless trailblazing and another for its unquestionable relevancy. This actually IS an album you should hear before you die.
The Flaming Lips
4/5
Who needs drugs when you have this? Though, I'll bet if you DID have drugs, it would take this to next-level slow-trance.
I actually liked this more than I thought I would - and as an album overall, more than I did at certain times during it. It tends to meander, but I suspect terseness would prohibit sufficient runway for tripping.
In the right mood, and on the right prescription, I would voluntarily revisit this.
The Cure
2/5
SMH. This is the same story as Rod Stewart's Gasoline Alley (oddly, also his second album). Considering all the Silver, Gold, and Platinum certifications The Cure's OTHER albums have received, it's pretty stupid that THIS one was chosen as (one of?) their representative(s) on this list.
If Wikipedia is to be believed, this challenge "compiles writings and information on albums chosen by a panel of music critics to be the most important, influential, and best in popular music between the 1950s and the 2010s." If that's so, then the selection of this album, like Gasoline Alley from Stewart's library, is a tone-deaf blunder by the admin. I'd give this entry a 1 in protest, too, but I actually do own this album and like The Cure too much to fully penalize them for the failure of others.
David Crosby
1/5
This is the perfect album for when you want to feel like you've wasted 3 hours of your life but only have 37 minutes to spare.
Jah Wobble's Invaders Of The Heart
5/5
Oh, boy. I can already hear the haters bitching about cultural appropriation and such. You know, I think I'd be more liberal if my, then, constituents weren't such whiny assholes.
ANYWAY...
I quite enjoyed this - well enough to want to listen to it several times today, at any rate. It really is obscure gems like this that make this challenge worth the effort.
Overall, I think this is a solid 4, but I'm giving it a 5 just to piss off some overly sensitive schlub out there. Is it you? Good.
The Blue Nile
2/5
My only previous exposure to The Blue Nile was tracking down their original version of the song, 'The Downtown Lights' - which I had first heard (flawlessly performed, by the way) by Annie Lennox on 'Medusa'. While I did enjoy the dark and moody atmosphere of the original, it wasn't enough to hook me, and I forgot all about them.
Until now.
If you're into this genre, there's some great stuff here. If you're not, I imagine this would be as painful for you as all the jazz, blues, and folk tripe on this list has been for me.
That said, this has been a repeat experience for me for them: I love the mood that's set, and there are wisps of brilliance (e.g. the instrumentation on Tinseltown is choice), but once again, there's just not enough here to hook me. Sadly, I'll likely be forgetting about them all over again as I pursue other, more interesting finds throughout this challenge.
Air
5/5
I've listened to this one far too often over the years to be impartial. These tracks are part of my chemical makeup by now.
Fun fact:
When I visited France in 1996 (about a year and a half before this album dropped), I bought me a stuffed monkey on the streets of Paris as a travel companion. Said monkey is one and the same as the star of the 'Sexy Boy' video and, coincidentally, sitting next to me as I write this review. Indeed, what a wonderful travel companion he has been!
Pretenders
4/5
This is a solid debut with some genre-influencing elements. When listening to 'Mystery Achievement', for example, I couldn't help hearing Adam Ant's 'Desperate But Not Serious', and 'The Phone Call' reminded me of Aerosmith's 'Shut Up And Dance' (both released well after this). I think I also heard The Kinks, but they would have come before.
At any rate, this is great. Probably not one I'll add to my personal collection, but I'm glad I listened to it, and it DOES deserve to be on this list.
The Divine Comedy
1/5
Le sigh.
I suppose this is this challenge's attempt to claim unbiased legitimacy by including a(nother) token entry from this subgenre (though "Punishing Kiss" by Ute Lemper was MORE than sufficient representation).
2/1001 = .1998%; which is proportionally more than the population listening to this crap; so, can we please consider it "represented" and move on?
M.I.A.
1/5
This was a fairly painful experience.
There were things on here that I think I might have enjoyed, but I really don't want to listen to it a second time to confirm. It would be like running back into a burning house just to save a few knickknacks that I'm sure I could find better replacements for on Amazon.
Anyway, somewhere in this fiery mess I heard a sample of the Pixies (who are pretty much perfect on their own, though, so this did nothing for me). Oh, and as I barreled through this inferno, I also picked up some Lady Gaga vibes (who wasn't yet on the scene for another couple of years or so); so that's noteworthy, I guess.
If this could be run through some magical, noise-cancelling filter, maybe it could be clutched from the jaws of Hell. But as it is in this state, it's unlistenable trash.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
Well... if I'm being absolutely honest... I hated this.
While I AM thankful that it took little more than half an hour of my life, even THAT seemed too long for what this is. Maybe if it were consolidated into a single track (which, considering its monotony, it essentially is), and then shortened to a reasonable length, I could appreciate it as an artistic statement. But the novelization of what should have been no more than a sonnet really drags the experience out and down.
Radiohead
1/5
Tch... Did Radiohead really deserve a second seat at this table? No. No, they did not.
Other than the way this album was released and "sold", I can't see any other reason why it deserves attention or a spot on this list - which is for albums you must HEAR before you die - not albums that disrupted the industry or have an interesting backstory.
Judging it solely for its auditory value, it's terrible. The vocals are whiny and mumbly, and the instrumentation is bland and repetitive.
Patti Smith
1/5
I didn't get this at all.
Though now that I see that it was produced by a member of the Velvet Underground, it makes total sense. And just like my review for them, I deem this to be over-hyped tripe enjoyed by the same people who gush over paint splatters on a canvas and call it "art".
MAYBE if I had heard this for the first time in 1975, I'd have praised it, too, for daring to do something different. But, as I am not a product of that time, and I have the benefit of having heard a wealth of better things that came in the 50 years hence, I'm grading this for what it is and not for what it may have been.
Some things simply DO NOT age well - regardless of what they may or may not have inspired.
Lenny Kravitz
2/5
Yeesh... enough with all the shouting, already...
This has always been my problem with Lenny... I could dig his music... I could dig his vibe... but I just can't get past his propensity for screaming...
I'd have probably given this a 1, but as I've had a long string of 1s lately, and this isn't quite as 1y (though very close), I'll give it a 2 and hope we're on an upward trajectory...
Linkin Park
2/5
Who hurt you, Chester?
I was familiar with the singles; but then, how could you have been alive at the turn of the century and NOT been familiar with them? They were blasted everywhere. And I suppose, for that, they do carry a bit of nostalgia for those especially angsty times. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing depends on your pain tolerance, I guess.
The unfamiliar non-singles were sorta meh for me, which makes me wonder if the singles are of an equally meh caliber but get a pass because of their familiarity? I don't think there's enough here for me to spend too much time pondering it, though; so I'm just going to move on to better things. Which seems apropos considering the parallel this album's anger and historical time period share with my own life's timeline.
The Beach Boys
1/5
Not today or any other day.
Beta male music from the Boomer era rubs me the wrong way for, admittedly, personal reasons. But I get it. The Beach Boys DO deserve a seat at this table - but only one - and that one should have been reserved for either 'Pet Sounds' or something from the height off their vapid surfer days. Oh, who am I kidding? I'm sure both of those are on this lousy list, too.
*p.s. I hope it was just a coincidence that Brian Wilson died yesterday and that the algorithm isn't showing favoritism...
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Seriously? Right away with the harmonica? Talk about an ambush. At least if this were Dylan, I could have steeled myself first.
I've never been to Nebraska, but this album captures exactly how I imagine it would be: desolate, desperate, and dull... and full of harmonicas...
Atlantic City is a solid track (uncoincidentally, not in Nebraska), but a single hit does not a good album make. 4 stars for the track, 1 star for the album.
Muddy Waters
1/5
Live AND blues???
I almost just outright skipped this, but then that wouldn't have been true to this challenge - which is becoming exponentially more challenging by the day...
As expected, this was dreadful. Simply repeating the title of the song is NOT good music.
Stan Getz
1/5
I was wondering when these two titans were finally going to clash. No, not Getz and Byrd - jazz and samba!
On the one hand, jazz has been one of the lowest ranking genres in my lineup; whereas samba has been THE highest (mostly because I've only had two albums and gave them both a passing 4).
And the winner (or loser, as it were) is jazz. It's like the two had a baby called Bossa Nova and, while it did inherit some of the pleasantries of its mother, Samba, the boring drone of its pointless father, Jazz, doomed it to dumpster life.
I might have mercifully given this a 2, but I'm pissed at the algorithm for giving me garbage for two weeks straight now.
Bill Evans Trio
1/5
I.
HATE.
JAZZ.
Slipknot
1/5
It's like jazz without the horns.
Cat Stevens
2/5
Perhaps it's because I'm coming hot off of a Nu Jazz Blues binge, but I didn't hate this. I certainly wouldn't elect to listen to it again, but it was nice not feeling like the day's album was actively trying to break me on a personal level.
Solomon Burke
2/5
Hard to be impartial with anything from the "Dirty Dancing" soundtrack. Otherwise, the rest was all new and just OK. Better than most of the last three weeks' worth of albums, but not something I'd revisit.
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Color me impressed.
You've managed to find an "album" worse than any other thus far.
It's shuddering to think we have yet to reach the bottom.
3/5
An observation:
For artists with large discographies (e.g. Rod Stewart, The Cure, The Rolling Stones, Elton John, Bruce Springsteen - Hell, The Beach Boys, even - and now XTC), they seem to think the least accessible album is the one "you need to hear before you die" rather than any of their more commercially successful albums that would better fit the moniker. Maybe the latter are also on here, and the algorithm just so happens to be giving me the deep cuts first (since Abbey Road and Purple Rain would be counterexamples), but I'm in the business of identifying patterns, and this pattern seems puzzling and a bit disappointing to me. On the one hand, I guess it's nice not hearing the things you already know, but on the other hand, not hearing the best an artist has to offer can unfairly disincentivize you from further exploring what could be a great new find.
Anyway, about this particular album. It's OK. One of XTC's weaker outings but still OK.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Title track is a classic. The other seven are middling. And he knows it; otherwise, one of them wouldn't be a refrain of the title track. Given this dynamic, this really is more of an EP than a full album - and a weak one, at that.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Ah - so, this is who did that nameless song that's been featured in every movie and commercial ever.
Wait a second - did they just rip off Mickey and Sylvia? What is even happening here?
I guess for what this is - a background mix of mostly instrumental covers - it's OK. There's a distinct vibe they've managed to capture here, but it's a single vibe, and active listening to it for over 30 minutes gets repetitive and dull fast.
U2
4/5
After weeks of unlistenable garbage, it was nice having something that wasn't a challenge to get through.
Somehow, I had never listened to this, despite it being huge in my youth. I would have said it seems like a safe, adult alternative album, but given its release date, I guess it was sorta a pioneer in that space. So, I suppose it would be more appropriate to credit U2 for helping to create that genre instead of just lazily parking there. Whether that's good or bad is up to the listener, I guess.
It's probably a 3, but I'll bump it up for being what it was when it was (plus, I've always had a soft spot for 'One', which came out during an impressionable age).
The Modern Lovers
3/5
I think if I were in 1976 with only the music available to me in 1976, I'd have liked this a lot more. But with 50 years' worth of available alternatives, I'm afraid it hasn't aged well enough to be competitive with all of the artists it undoubtably influenced.
That said, it's very impressive that this was recorded in 1971/1972, and that undeniably gives them proto-punk street cred. That's not to say, however, that they were completely original ('Old World' was clearly inspired by 'L.A. Woman', for example), but if other, more well-known artists deemed this album worthy of a cover or two, that shouldn't be discounted.
Hmmm... rating this one is tough. I gave it two playthroughs, but nothing really grabbed me (except 'Hospital' - that was a keeper). But I also can't deny that this feels like a pretty important precursor to music I really do enjoy. So, I guess a 3 it is.
Napalm Death
1/5
There's no denying this is pure crap, but I still found it easier to listen to than Clapton.
Richard Hawley
1/5
What even is this? At least Napalm Death, Lightning Bolt, and Slipknot had the decency to be directly offensive. This one tries to slow kill you with silky boredom.
Jimi Hendrix
2/5
I generously gave 'Are You Experienced' five stars for being an important album despite not really caring for it personally. I can't say this album feels as important, so the tide has rolled out on the rating...
A Tribe Called Quest
2/5
I'm told this was pioneering, and I believe it - I just don't care for the trails it blazed. The tracks are too repetitive within themselves and even amongst each other. Without its historical context, this would have been a 1.
Queens of the Stone Age
2/5
Yep. Definitely stoner rock. This album made me think of sitting on a musty couch in a dank basement playing Killer Instinct on SNES trying to escape the humid July heat before my evening shift of flipping burgers and twisting soft serve at the miniature golf course. I'll give it a bonus star for somehow managing to evoke that nightmare.
LL Cool J
3/5
L can certainly throw down, even if his lyrics do feel a bit cheesy at times. Overall, I found the experience less challenging than most others in the genre (despite running long). I wouldn't go out of my way to listen to this again, but I'd also be fine letting it roll if it ever DID come back around.
LTJ Bukem
4/5
This is OK as an ambiance, but its need to be included on this list is debatable and polarizing because of the inherent conflict between active and passive listening. There's no way anyone should or realistically could give this album their full attention for two hours. So, it's then, by necessity, relegated to mere background music. And that's too bad because there's good stuff here - just not much you'll be able to hold onto with a single listen - and it's far too long for multiple playthroughs when you've literally got 1,000 other albums competing for your time.
Not sure how to score this. I enjoyed it, but its core characteristics make its being on this list seem flawed - which, I suppose, really isn't its fault but the fault of the challenge designers.
Bottom line: if I bought this, I wouldn't regret the decision. And while I wouldn't likely listen to it from start to finish very often, I'd also not be upset if a few tracks made it into the greater shuffle.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2/5
There are parts of this that I really liked ('Skeletons' is a keeper), but unfortunately, it had quite a lot of meh, too. Kinda tough to pin down exactly why this isn't better than it is. I mean, it seems like they've got a winning recipe here, but it's just missing some important ingredient that would have made it gel. Perhaps an egg?
Johnny Cash
1/5
I like Johnny Cash.
I hate live albums.
I fucking hate live albums with lots of talking.
XTC
4/5
Solid album - and more accessible than "Apple Venus Volume 1" - but I think XTC should have only one seat at this table, and it should have been reserved for "Oranges & Lemons".
George Jones
1/5
A truly horrifying experience.
Slade
1/5
This pretty much sucked.
Sure, it has no doubt influenced other metal bands (Quiet Riot, for example, straight up owes their "success" to Slade), but outside of inspiring others to do a better job, this has zero value.
Deep Purple
1/5
This is an absolute Living Wreck that needs to be tossed Into the Fire. Immediately.
At least they're consistent in their suckitude... except this time they didn't even have the benefit of that 'Smoke on the Water' riff.
Meat Loaf
5/5
Objectivity is not possible here. I've listened to this literally hundreds of times in my life. And it looks like I'll be adding another time (or two) to that total today.
Bonnie Raitt
4/5
For me (and possibly thanks to VH1), Cash and Raitt are pretty much the only tolerable artists who dabble in the dark arts (i.e. country, folk, and blues). This album has a few forgettable misses, but there's more good than bad, overall.
Black Sabbath
4/5
Based on how this algorithm handled Brian Wilson, I would have bet good money this was going to show up today...
Metal's not my thing, but if I had to listen to an album, this would probably be the one. A-side is definitely stronger than the B-side.
Elvis Costello
1/5
Again with the "let's give you an obscure and unremarkable album by an artist who has a literal library of more accessible material to choose from". True, in this case the "accessible library" is much smaller than the other artists who have fallen victim to these shenanigans, but still...
Anyway, despite giving Elvis Costello plenty of chances throughout the years, I'm not a fan. Furthermore, what I DO sorta like by him isn't here, and nothing here is as good or better than what I do sorta like by him; so, this gets a hard 1 for wasting my time (and nearly a full bloody hour of it, at that).
Seriously though, can you honestly say that this album has ANY business being on a list of must hear material? No.
And another thing. I'm DEEPLY concerned that the "Album Summary" indicates that there are SIX Elvis Costello albums on this list. Sure, one of his early albums for representation - MAYBE two if compelling evidence could be furnished - but SIX?!?! Dude doesn't even have six good songs, let alone six essential albums. Bollocks! >:(
Duke Ellington
1/5
More live jazz... smashing...
Since you already know I'm giving this crap a 1, let me take this opportunity to explain my umbrage with live albums. It's the same issue I have with people taking videos of concerts, fireworks, weddings, etc. By being so focused on trying to "capture the moment", you end up completely missing it. What's more, odds are you're never even going to watch that stupid video again - or worse, you'll try to make people who weren't there watch it, and trust me - they don't want to.
All that said, I still would have hated this performance live. Jazz sucks. Period.
The Beach Boys
3/5
So, 'Pet Sounds' IS on this list, after all. Fine. It deserves to be. But then I stand even more strongly by my earlier assertion that 'The Beach Boys Today!' does NOT warrant taking up a second spot on this list which at least 1,001 other albums could and should have had.
Anyway, about THIS album. It sucks. Since it's (thankfully) short, I even gave it a second playthrough just to be sure. Yep. It sucks. The three tracks everyone knows are passable, but the rest of this is a singsongy snoozefest.
"(Brian Wilson's) goal was to create "the greatest rock album ever made"—a cohesive work with no filler tracks." Uh... really? Guess "filler track" had a different definition back in 1966.
I understand this album's historical context and significance, and so, for pushing production boundaries and for using a theremin (if for only but a moment) it gets a bump in its rating - but I'm unwilling to bend any further for what is essentially an overrated, outdated slice of beta male Americana.
James Brown
1/5
Live = Shit
James Brown belongs on this list - this album does not.
Caetano Veloso
2/5
It's nice to step outside of the UK/USA for a change, but surely, there must be better options than this??? Sadly, this album doesn't inspire me to explore that hypothesis.
To be clear, I didn't HATE this, but it certainly didn't interest me in any way. That groovy organ on the last track was, I'm afraid, too little too late.
Digital Underground
2/5
Meh. Kinda a mixed bag for me. Contrary to popular opinion, I thought the concept section on the back end was the strongest part of the album. The front end oscillated between bland and juvenile and ran undeniably too long.
I can understand why some would find the lyrics cringy, but I found them no more offensive than, say, Prince - just with more emphasis on camp than class.
Far, far from the worst this journey has to offer, but not a particularly interesting nor pioneering entry, either.
1/5
Man... what was with the 00s? Did that decade REALLY suck this badly, or did the bot that put this list together just really miss the mark? Thinking back to around that time, I recall being preoccupied rediscovering obscurities from the 80s, so I'm probably not the best judge... though, maybe I was subconsciously in survival mode shielding myself from what would have otherwise broken my will to ever listen to music again... hmm...
Right then. That musing aside, back to this Muse. I had never heard, nor will I ever choose to hear again, any of these tracks. Sadly, I have to re-ask the question that's been asked all too often on this journey: was this REALLY something that needed to be heard before one died? What makes this special? It's not innovative. It's not particularly good. In fact, it's objectively quite bad. Was it just randomly selected as a token representative from what was simply a terrible year in music? Equal parts puzzling and troubling, this.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
Finding unfamiliar artists (well, serious artists who aren't obvious farces like Lightning Bolt and Napalm Death) is what makes enduring this challenge's weeks of garbage worth the effort.
I really enjoyed this despite it not quite reaching greatness for me. I found Joan's voice and vibe to be very approachable, but the musical arrangements were somewhat wispy and weak. It felt like she was bigger and better than these songs were able to support. Perhaps the poor production was just a product of the times? Shame. With stronger musical accompaniment, I think Joan could have shone much more brightly.
Overall, I'd say this was good, and I'm glad I got to listen to it (a few times. in fact).
Nirvana
2/5
Good. Not yet a full fifth into this challenge, and we can hopefully be done with Nirvana. At least, I hope Bleach isn't also on here. Nirvana doesn't deserve 100% representation. No one does.
Nevermind, like In Utero and Unplugged, is a very uneven experience. 'Lithium', 'In Bloom', and 'Come as You Are' range from decent to good, but the rest of this falls somewhere on the meh to flushable spectrum, including the leading track, which is, in my opinion, the most overrated and overplayed song of the decade - possibly ever. Maybe it was a good song at some point, but I can't tell anymore. It's been beaten to death; a victim of its own success, I suppose.
Malcolm McLaren
1/5
I prefer Duck Stab.
At least that was original material.
Suede
1/5
Ya know how some people just shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a mic?
Yeah. That.
Iron Maiden
2/5
As far as metal goes, this was fine, though a bit insipid.
Ramones
3/5
Some strong pros and cons here. I appreciate the far-reaching influence and ingenuity of this album, but I don't think it's particularly good, itself.
It is short, though - so, I'll give it an extra point for not taking up too much of my time.
Plus, without this, we wouldn't have Rob Zombie's version of 'Blitzkrieg Bop'; and that track turned up to 11 has gotten me through many a day in corporate America - so, that's worth another point.
The Libertines
2/5
Joy. More 00s Indie.
This one challenged me. There were ideas splashed here and there that could have worked, but nothing ever felt fully executed - making the songs, and by extension this album, weak and forgettable.
I even gave it a second and third playthrough later in the day to see if I'd have an "aha moment", but alas, it actually got worse the more I listened. Maybe if they had implemented more structure and chorus to capitalize on the promising parts, this would have landed better. But as it is, it feels rather sloppy and, ultimately, unremarkable.
Still, this is one of a very few albums from the 00s that I didn't outright hate, and the fact that I even bothered to listen to it three times says something... though perhaps more about my effort to be open-minded than the quality of this album, itself.
Stephen Stills
2/5
Well, that's three of the four. Will Nash be making an appearance next? Stay tuned!
Lead track is a classic; the rest falls somewhere between O.K. and W.T.F.
I guess to differentiate this from Crosby's trainwreck of a solo debut, I should give it a 2. You should thank David, Stephen... he set the bar WAY low for you.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
People:
"This is brilliant!"
"So ahead of its time!"
"You have to listen to it more than once to get it."
"You're just not smart enough to understand."
Me:
"Fuck your fish face."
Pixies
2/5
Pixies have their moments, but those moments are mostly on their next two albums. Only thing worth saving here is "Where Is My Mind?"
Sorry. As influential as 'Surfer Rosa' may have been, its poor production and preference for experimental noise over melody make it subpar at best.
A year ago, I'd have given this a 1, but there have been SO many more heinous albums on this list, it would seem unfair to put this among them.
John Coltrane
1/5
Jazz is an affront to the senses, and this steaming cowpat of dissonance does nothing to prove otherwise.
Morrissey
5/5
Oh, Morrissey. The poster child for "love the art; hate the artist."
I own this album (with 'Hairdresser on Fire'), and I have to admit that I do love the art.
Sure, Morrissey can be a cunt, but so can I. So can we all.
Kate Bush
5/5
Look, I love Kate Bush, and she'll get nothing but 5s from me, but I can understand how this album would be a tough sell to the uninitiated (especially upon first listen).
I urge you. If this is the first time you're hearing her, and you're like WTF, do yourself a favor and start somewhere else. Her next album, 'Hounds of Love,' is still Kate, but quite a bit more accessible.
Don't get me wrong - there is no "shallow end" to her pool, but I'd hate for you to miss out on a truly great artist just because this challenge pushed you in at the deepest point possible.
Steely Dan
4/5
See! Jazz (or at least jazz elements) CAN coexist with melody and chorus!
The singles are classics. The rest is an easy enough listen, and nothing ever feels like it overstays its welcome. Good stuff.
Kanye West
1/5
Hoping the algorithm had set a precedent with Brian Wilson and Ozzy, I eagerly raced over to Wikipedia to read about Kanye's untimely demise...
Alas...
Having never before heard anything on this album, I was concerned I might enjoy it and be conflicted. Thankfully, that didn't materialize. I can confidently say that both the art and the artist have been given far more attention than they deserve.
Let's be honest. Even if you like this, you can't deny that a 76-minute album with trite skits and a presumptuous, self-important outro could be objectively described as anything but tedious.
Radiohead
1/5
After ending last week on a low note, I was really looking forward to starting this week off with something better.
So, you can imagine my disappointment (and horror, frankly) as I ran headfirst into this monster first thing on a Monday morning.
NOTE TO ADMIN:
Do you think this is Radiohead's best album? Or even their second best? No? Then why is this particular whiney drivel taking up valuable space that other artists could and should be occupying?
New rule: no one gets more than two albums within the 1,001. If you're doing your job correctly, the two albums you've selected should be sufficient representation of what an artist has to offer - thus empowering the listeners to track down deeper cuts, if interested, while not burdening them with your enigmatic agenda.
So, pick your champions and make your peace. It's time to make room for more artists who should be on the list but aren't - even if that takes a little bit of effort and further research on your part.
The Smiths
4/5
A fairly good album, overall, with some of The Smiths' best work. There are a few filler tracks, however, so I can't quite give it a 5.
G. Love & Special Sauce
1/5
I deserved this.
It's my just punishment for ranting about how this challenge needed to feature more obscure artists and less Radiohead.
Well played, Karma. Well played.
The xx
1/5
I hadn't realized albums were now available in those red quarter vending machines at the grocery store.
Willie Nelson
2/5
Ugh... Country... Does anyone REALLY need to hear Country before they die?
For me, Willie Nelson is sorta the polar opposite of Morrissy: love the artist; hate the art.
Though this was fairly painful, I'll give it a bonus star for being more "must hear before you die" Country than Dwight Yoakum. That twangy, hyper-masculine shit Dwight was peddling is the Devil; and as awful as this album may be, it certainly isn't that brand of insecure, hateful garbage.
Lou Reed
3/5
Hmm... while 'Transformer' is far better than 'The Velvet Underground', it still feels just kinda OK to me.
'Walk on the Wild Side' is obviously a classic, but as it has been for other entries throughout this challenge, a killer single doesn't make the entire album "must hear".
That said, I do appreciate Lou's songwriting and the inspiration he's given other artists. It's just that, unfortunately for Lou, I've grown up with Duran Duran's cover of 'Perfect Day' and Eurythmics' cover of 'Satellite of Love', and as is often the case, I prefer the familiarity of the versions that are already etched into my brain - even if they aren't the originals.
Side note: 'Vicious' might have been a keeper for me, but I couldn't stop hearing Steppenwolf's 'Magic Carpet Ride' (which, again, is a better song than what Lou's offering here).
The xx
3/5
If ennui had a soundtrack, this would be it.
The minimalist electronica is serviceable, and in fact, even good at times, but the lazy, oft asynchronous mumblings are a real downer. I get it. This is likely the exact vibe they were going for, and I, therefore, commend them for hitting their mark, but talk about sucking the energy out of a room.
Unlike the stupefyingly generic 'I See You' (which we had to listen to just three albums ago and had zero business being on this list), I can see the somewhat unique value this album brings to the table. I think its resonance, however, is completely dependent on the listener's biorhythms at the time of consumption. If you're feeling broody, this might hit like a 5; else, it'll probably land much closer to a 1. Guess I'll split the difference.
Elliott Smith
1/5
Uh... I guess it captures that angsty, dark depression vibe of the 90s well enough, but who wants to relive that?
Ian Dury
1/5
The only reason this is "must hear" is because Robert Dimery is English.
Beastie Boys
5/5
This is actually pretty good. I like all of the tracks I knew beforehand, but there's more than just nostalgia at work here. The tracks I didn't know are well mixed and, frankly, brilliant in their sampling. The lyrics are undeniably shallow and, at times, outright obnoxious, but the whole thing somehow works really, really well.
All things considered, in conjunction with its achievements and impact on the industry, this has to be a 5.
Nick Drake
4/5
This is not casual music to be enjoyed.
This is dark poetry to be experienced.
As I listened to each song on my second playthrough, I followed along by reading the lyrics (http://www.nickdrake.com/main_lyrics_page.html), and that really enhanced the art. Without that added effort, most of this album would have been inaccessible (as it was during my first listen) due to the weak, breathy vocals and instrumental minimalism. In this case, the lyrics are not only an essential ingredient, they're the main draw with the vocalization and instrumentation serving as merely the (still important) frame and setting of the artwork.
Final verdict: this is some pretty potent stuff. I'd be afraid to linger too long with it for fear that my empathetic senses would pick up what Drake's putting down. I'm giving this a 4 for its artistic value and for being unlike anything else we've heard thus far (except for maybe "I See a Darkness" by Bonnie "Prince" Billy - but for whatever reason that album came off as more artsy boring than artist authentic).
Paul Simon
3/5
Like his last album, this is neither particularly painful nor provocative. A safe 3.
P.S. Holy shit, are there some overly sensitive reviewers on here. Cringe.
Oasis
1/5
Somehow, I ended up in possession of this CD back in high school (I know I didn't buy it, myself), and after a single playthrough, I remember thinking it completely sucked and never touched it again.
Fastforward to today and... well... it seems that I had quite discerning tastes as a teenager.
Robert Wyatt
5/5
Thus far, no other album has challenged me quite as much as this one. I've given it more playthroughs than I've given any other, and after each listen (and even at different times within each run), I've wanted to give this 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 stars. To say this is a complicated piece of art is an understatement.
It doesn't follow the formula of a traditional album. It's not a collection of jingles, and it doesn't feel like a story put to music. It's more like a painting of sounds - as if Wyatt uses various instruments (his voice included) as audio brushes to create something without definition. Like any abstract art, it's up to you to figure out what it means to you - which means, "I don't get it" or "I absolutely hate this" are perfectly sound conclusions to make. No one appreciates everything in a museum, but everything is appreciated by someone.
So, where does this land with me? It's tough to say. There are moments that aggravate me (e.g. the horns and vocals are often agitating), but there are also moments that I find quite enjoyable - almost soothing (e.g. many of the keyboard, piano, and string pieces). Despite having it on repeat nearly all day, it's not something I would want to play very often. It demands far too much attention for casual listening. It's avant-garde, but not in that "let's be weird just to be weird" way that anything Frank Zappa has ever touched feels like. I sensed authenticity here more than I sensed artiness.
I guess, given how much thought this has evoked from me, my personal assessment has to be a 5 - though I simultaneously understand and can fully respect the position of the 1 camp (and everyone else in between).
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1/5
Wait. What? 82 minutes of this dude again?! Cruel and unnecessary.
While this thankfully wasn't as artificially macabre as "Murder Ballads", the overdramatization was still about as compelling as a high school musical. And like such productions, it ran painfully too long. This should have been two shitty albums instead of one large pile of crap... or better yet, not have existed at all.
Seriously, I might have considered giving this a 2 for the quality of its instrumentation and production, but the combination of its unconvincing delivery and relentless length fail it.
Amy Winehouse
1/5
I hadn't heard a single song by Amy Winehouse before today. I had only ever heard of her "amazing talent" and her personal troubles that ultimately consumed her.
So, now I've heard a full album, and... well... I hated it.
Some of the arrangements are pleasant enough - a few even catchy - but (and I guess I'm in the minority, here) I found her voice irritating and, by the end of this overlong album, downright Macy Grayting. And my god, that last track just WOULD NOT END.
I've a simple rule: if an album causes me prolonged auditory pain, it's a 1.
Marvin Gaye
2/5
Sigh. I guess it's time to give up trying to figure out the mind of Robert Dimery and just go with whatever's put in front of me.
Fine. Now that that's settled...
Like 'Let's Get It On', I found this to be mostly meh. If I had gone through a similar life experience, it might have hit closer to home, but fortunately, I'm too smart for marriage.
Worse still (and like divorce, I suppose), this felt unnecessarily drawn-out... though such ruminations are probably inevitable, given the topic.
It wasn't all bad, however. 'Anger' could be my theme song, so I'll give it a bump for bringing that little gem into my life.
Kings of Leon
2/5
Kings of Mehsville, more like.
While this album is by no means unlistenable (well, the vocals do come dangerously close at times); I struggled to identify what makes it must hearworthy. I gave it a few playthroughs throughout the day, and even then, I don't think I'd be able to hum back nor positively ID any of it by tomorrow.
In a word: forgettable.
The Thrills
1/5
Wow!
"The Thrills" doesn't quite capture the glory that is this! I think a more appropriate designation would be "AIreland".
2003?! I'm seriously impressed the Irish were already implementing some fairly advanced AI techniques way back then! The music, the vocals, Hell - even the album cover! If I didn't know any better, I'd have totally believed those were real people on there!
And how about those lyrics?!
Repetitive? Check.
Vapid? Check.
Repetitive? Check.
Amazing!
Dusty Springfield
1/5
I mean... it's OK... but there's nothing innovative nor even original here - and that latter point pretty much kills it for me.
I don't think this 1,001 list contains soundtracks, compilations, greatest hits, etc. (no matter how "must hear" some of those truly are). So, why include an album of nothing but covers? Oh, that's right. Dusty's English.
This is a protest vote and nothing against Dusty. If these songs are "must hear", then the original artists should be on here instead. And if it turns out those artists are also on here, then this entry would still be unnecessary per its redundancy.
Blur
2/5
This is the kind of album you'd buy for one track and then spend months trying to convince yourself you liked the rest of it so you didn't feel ripped off.
To their (dis)credit, Blur does a pretty good job here of capturing the esthetic I hated most about 90s music: that noisy, lo-fi alternative garage sound with overbearing drums and simple-yet-flawed guitar riffs that sounded like a couple teenagers jerking around after school.
I'm kinda tired of handing out 1s, though... and we HAVE had so many worse things on this list... so, since I was able to get through this twice without rage quitting, I guess I can justify tossing it a generous 2.
Christina Aguilera
1/5
Basic math:
(Appalling x 2)/78 Minutes = Egregious
John Grant
5/5
Wow. There's quite a lot to unpack here. An effort I could see being difficult (or impossible) for some. No judging. That's why music comes in all forms.
This is not pop. This is personal. At times, uncomfortably so. Psychologically speaking, I'd say it's self-deprecating humor used as a defense mechanism to mask the raw hurt, bitterness, and anger that become more palpable the longer you sit with this.
But I get it. I've been there, too. Sometimes, I'm still there. Maybe once you've been there, you never really get to permanently leave.
As an emotion-radiating catharsis, this gets top scores.
As a broadly accessible musical album, not so much. Unless you've "been there" (or are still there), this is probably going to come off as weird or possibly even annoyingly self-indulgent.
Lyrically, it's a mixed bag. Sometimes it's on point; sometimes it's basically unrhymed prose; sometimes it's outright nonsense. I can't decide how I feel about this point, but I will say it's a very distinct characteristic of the album.
Some hooks and vibes are liberally borrowed from others (I heard 'Across the Universe', 'Free Bird', 'New Age Girl', some Pink Floyd, The Magnetic Fields, maybe Scissor Sisters, possibly Bill Withers, etc.), but if there's one thing I've learned throughout this challenge, it's that everything has pretty much been stolen from somewhere else - so this is more just an observation than a criticism.
Anyway, I'm glad this was included on the list since I'd have never known about it otherwise. It's not perfect, and being of a personal nature, it's not for everyone - but I'm comfortable giving it a personal score of 5 since it does resonate with me, and I enjoyed it enough to want to listen to John's other albums to see if/how he evolves from here.
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
Having flashbacks to 'The College Dropout'... especially with that (almost equally insufferable) Outro... oof...
It's unfortunate that what I think could be the strongest part of this album (the lyrics) is somewhat obscured and overshadowed by its weaker elements (e.g. dull hooks, uninteresting samples, and length (even without that unnecessary Outro)). I often felt like weighty things were flying by too quickly to absorb them. Multiple plays might help more of the message to shine through, but the cited weaker elements are a real deterrent to that approach.
Still, I did give it two listens (minus that (and I can't stress this enough) fully skippable Outro), and there are a few decent tracks ('Kick, Push', 'The Instrumental' and 'He Say She Say' stand out), so it wouldn't feel right outright failing it.
Guns N' Roses
5/5
Gonna try to be objective with this one...
Pros:
Some classic tracks
That 'Sweet Child o' Mine' opening
Slash
Cons:
Classic tracks have been overplayed
Some cringy lyrics that have only gotten worse with age
Original album cover is in the running for worst of all time
Aw, Hell - just take my 5 and fuck off.
The Allman Brothers Band
1/5
"The best live album of all time," huh?
Fine. 1,000,000 * 0 = 0
Seriously, this was absolutely pointless.
Soul II Soul
2/5
This album is essential-
ly generic garbage.
But it was short and relatively painless. And as pathetic as it may be, that's enough to clear the failure bar so many other albums on this list could not.
Foo Fighters
2/5
Ugh. Another album of that 90s "overbearing drums and loud, muddy guitars for the sake of being loud" thing. I hated it then, and I still hate it now.
While there are a few passable tracks I might consider adding to a larger playlist, as a complete experience, this pretty much sucks.
Look, I can give Dave credit for proving he had more talent than being just a drummer, but this album suffers from the same problem 'Nevermind' and 'In Utero' had: there's just too little substance for the amount of crap one needs to wade through to get at it.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Hey! Nut Rocker was my nickname back in college!
And speaking of gratuitous organ abuse... DAMN, Emerson!
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
This was OK. When it comes to funky soul, I prefer the tones of Isaac Hayes over the falsetto here, but the instrumentation was pleasant enough, I guess. Overall, this was pretty light on the hooks and felt largely forgettable, but it was short and didn't cause me any pain - and that's more than I can say for most of this list.
The Notorious B.I.G.
1/5
Déjà vu... or I suppose in this case, déjà entendu...
Here we have yet ANOTHER debut rap album that runs too long and is littered with superfluous skits. Could someone please explain the obsession with this formula? And the obsession with avocado appliances in the 70s? I've never understood that one, either.
I don't want to fail this, but I'm struggling to find a reason not to... I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't listen to it again, it's too long, the skits are an unnecessary distraction, the lyrics are one-dimensional (and base)...
Biggie may have flow; it's just too bad he couldn't use his talent for something more... wholesome.
10cc
1/5
So bad it made me wanna
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ypMnBuvP5kA
Which, incidentally, was a much better song than anything they're offering on this album.
Leonard Cohen
1/5
So, I'm in the business of recognizing patterns, and based on just two albums from Mr. Cohen, I'd hypothesize he misapplied his talents. He should have been a poet (or perhaps a lyricist); but he had zero business attempting to be a performing musician.
Still, I don't blame him for this abysmal repeat experience today. Instead, I have greater contempt for Robert Dimery for leading us to believe that listening to more than one album by Leonard Cohen was a mandatory life experience. At best, this lazy decision was a shameful way to pad out his list of 1,001 albums so he could sell a book. Disappointing.
Dusty Springfield
2/5
I could have cut-and-pasted my review of her last album onto this one. It's practically the same experience. At least this time SOME of the tracks weren't covers, I guess...
Nina Simone
2/5
General takeaway:
So, having just gotten done with Dusty Springfield's two albums, I'm starting to think that maybe women in the 60s weren't often performing their own/original material? Even though I'm not a huge fan of the "American Idol" feel of that, I'll try to be less judgy on this point going forward.
Album-specific takeaway:
Before today, the only song I'd ever heard by Nina Simone was 'My Baby Just Cares for Me' from the "Peter's Friends" soundtrack (a very good album, by the way, which, incidentally, is more "must hear" than most of the albums on this list - but I digress). None of the songs on this album feel as polished at that song - which I guess makes sense if this album is just a collection of leftovers. This, once again, has me completely questioning the author's decision to include this album over what are, no doubt, much stronger options from a fairly legendary artist's library. Yet another missed opportunity to hear some actual "must hear" material.
Otis Redding
2/5
So, it would seem we're now in a rut of 60s cover albums. Shame the algorithm couldn't be modified to mix things up a bit more thoroughly.
This album is fine, but I prefer the original material. And ironically enough, Aretha's cover is better than the original material here - so the fault, once again, lies with Robert for selecting this album for his 1,001 when there surely must be other albums by the artist that would be better suited for the "must hear" moniker.
The Flaming Lips
2/5
This is a lot like "Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots" in that, outside of each album's one obvious radio single, there's not a whole lot to grab onto.
That said, the overall experience here felt weaker than "Yoshimi", and I really had to force myself to listen to it a second time to see if I had missed something. I hadn't. The lyrics are simple and repetitive, and the meandering filler tracks (including two redundant remixes) felt even less relevant and more forgettable than the fillers on "Yoshimi".
Raekwon
1/5
This tired formula AGAIN? *Yawn*
Debut rap album? Check.
Runtime over an hour? Check.
Weird intro track? Check.
Stupid skits throughout? Check.
Macho posturing? Check.
More padding to write a book of 1,001 albums? Check.
Cheap Trick
1/5
Robert Dimery, my dude - you're officially fired.
While certainly not the greatest band of all time, Cheap Trick DOES have a number of strong albums, and this live shit is NOT one of them. Seriously, Robert - you're honestly trying to tell us that THIS album above all others is THE must hear experience from their library? Have you ever listened to ANY Cheap Trick albums? Did you even listen to this one? If this were a road trip, and you were my DJ, your sorry ass would be walkin'.
The Verve
2/5
A quote from my "Blur" review:
"This is the kind of album you'd buy for one track and then spend months trying to convince yourself you liked the rest of it so you didn't feel ripped off."
While it's not as janky as the other Britpop albums we've had thus far, it is pretty boring and (like several of its individual songs) runs too long. If I had no basis for comparison, I'd have given this a lower score; so, it definitely benefits from its place in the algorithm.
The Rolling Stones
1/5
Music for when you want music but don't want to actually listen to the music.
Honestly, this was pretty damn boring... and over an hour of pretty damn boring crosses the line into annoying.
Simply Red
3/5
At first, I took the "must hear before you die" criterion literally and panned albums that clearly didn't meet it.
Then, after handing out 1 after 1, I came to realized that nearly ALL of the albums selected by this asshat don't meet that criterion, and that he had just scraping together a list of 1,001 albums (mostly British slop he'd heard the ONE single off of at some point in his life) just to sell a book.
So, now I'm approaching this as just a challenge where (a rather poor) AI has randomly selected 1,001 albums to listen to. I hope focusing on the "what" and less the "why" will help me enjoy this experience more.
All that said, this wasn't a very strong album. It's a single and some filler. Still, I didn't actively hate it, and it is of a reasonable length; and that's enough to score a C around here.
Megadeth
1/5
This gave me creepy vibes. It felt too hard on one end of the spectrum and too lame on the other. Like a cute, kiddie cartoon with adult themes, it alienates all possible audiences - save possibly freaks.
Soft Machine
1/5
Another spin of the Robert Wyatt roulette wheel.
Unfortunately, this time the ball landed on 00.
Sorry, mate - there was simply no recovering from that first track. Oof.
Aretha Franklin
2/5
This wasn't terrible, but as I noted in my review of "Lady Soul", I prefer singing to screaming, and this has just a bit too much of the latter for my taste.
And then there's the matter of covers (which we've since learned was just the way of things in the 60s). Having just heard Otis Redding's original, it's undeniably clear that Aretha's cover is the superior product (screaming aside). However, I definitely do prefer the Sam Cooke originals.
Garbage
5/5
This came out when I was an angsty teenager, and there's probably not another album I've listened to more in my life than this one. It would be impossible to provide an impartial review here.
Sonic Youth
1/5
Noise just isn't my bag, baby.
This reminded me of Pixies. Like 'Surfer Rosa', there are some good ideas here, but they're corrupted by and ultimately lost to all the unnecessary dissonance.
Unlike 'Surfer Rosa', I didn't hear ANYTHING enticing enough to want to ever revisit this again; so, even after giving this two playthroughs to prove itself, it's a fail for me.
Mike Ladd
2/5
Quite a mixed bag.
The poetry slam on the last track is alright. Some of the groovy, synth lounge parts aren't half bad, either.
Unfortunately, the rap parts are pretty terrible and drag down the overall experience. Still, it's better than Kanye. But really, what isn't?
John Cale
2/5
Quite possibly the twoiest two that has ever dared to two.
I can only imagine this was deemed "relevant" because it's the British dude from The Velvet Underground.
Blur
4/5
Cor blimey! It's these blokes again!
Honestly, I didn't hate this. In fact, compared to the other albums on this list that are tagged as Britpop, this was quite good. Bonus star for surprising me and bucking the trend for this genre.
The Rolling Stones
2/5
Overall, this was another boring experience brought to you by one of the allegedly best groups of all time.
I'm starting to think The Rolling Stones are like The Doors in that they're a better singles band than a producer of comprehensively great albums.
My evidence:
The two best songs on this album are on two different versions of it. This makes each version inferior to the other and forces the listener to track down the missing single. In that regard, I have yet to hear on this list a must hear ALBUM by this group.
Eric Clapton
1/5
The best part of this experience was finding an alternative listening source on YouTube so I didn't have to directly contribute to Clapton's view count revenue.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Well... this is likely going to be the apex for Mr. Costello, so I guess I should be generous with my rating.
In fairness, this album does have a few decent tracks, so I don't feel like I'm being completely & unjustifiably charitable - just lenient.
The Band
1/5
I'm not sure if it was the tempo, or the instrumentation, or the vocals, or all of the above, but this felt actively lazy to me. Like it was trying to be boring on purpose. Sorry, but "The Weight" isn't strong enough to carry the... er... weight... of the rest of this wallpaper paste.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
2/5
This felt more like a fieldtrip to the Smithsonian than an album of the day experience.
I can appreciate the historical relevance of this artifact like I respect, say, Pong; I just wouldn't want to voluntarily spend my free time playing it.
The Stone Roses
1/5
My first impression was that this was pretty meh... then I read all the rave reviews on Wikipedia (and here) and gave it a second, customary playthrough to see what I missed. My opinion didn't change. In fact, now I'm even more sure that it is, indeed, as mehsome as they come.
Seriously, there's not a single standout track here. Nothing about this is interesting or memorable.... other than maybe those last two tracks being way longer than they should be. I can find no value in this, and I'm puzzled why it's so highly rated.
Dizzee Rascal
1/5
Stop Dat!
No, really... please stop...
Tricky
2/5
This ultimately left me feeling super disappointed.
I usually love dark, moody electronica, but I was never able to get any sparks to ignite here despite a few playthroughs. Overall, this felt kinda boring & forgettable... and even mildly annoying at times - I'm lookin' at you, "Strugglin'".
Sigh... not even Alison Goldfrapp could save this, but I'm required by law not to completely fail anything she had a hand in, no matter how small.
John Prine
3/5
From the twang to the hay bales, everything about this screamed, "RUN!"
However, setting my disgust for the genre aside, I think the lyrics and storytelling are actually quite good at times. This isn't really music to be enjoyed - it's more witty observations and wordplay put to (regrettably) country music.
I'm shocked, but I'm giving this a 3. Despite its cover and chosen medium, I appreciate the content of the book.
Jethro Tull
1/5
I'm coming to the realization that "Progressive" is just an efficient way to say, "Pretentious strung out suckfest".
Seriously... the concepts covered on this concept album range from stomach turning to eyerolling... to call it "cerebral" is laughable... and a bit sad.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
1/5
Man, do I hate jazz.
And big band is basically the hard rock of jazz.
System Of A Down
1/5
More like System of a Clown.
This is what Rage Against the Machine would sound like if they did comedy... poorly...
Gang Starr
2/5
*Shrug*
Playthrough was fine, but there was nothing drawing me in for a second pass.
Bauhaus
4/5
I can't say this exactly floored me with its greatness, but I still enjoyed it more than most other albums on this list.
While I do have Peter Murphy's "Cuts You Up" in my library, I hadn't heard of Bauhaus before; so, I'll definitely be adding them to the (sadly small) list of interesting new groups uncovered by this challenge -and that's worth a bonus star.
AC/DC
5/5
The only negative is that I won't be discovering any new music today.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
This is OK, but we ONCE AGAIN have a questionable selection from an artist with a ridiculously large library of better options.
There are a number of must hear albums by Tom Petty, this just isn't one of them.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
5/5
Not a perfect album, but its innovation and influence more than make up for its few, minor flaws.
Coldplay
1/5
Other than 'Yellow', I hadn't heard (or at least consciously retained) anything by Coldplay before today. The only thing I knew of them was that, like Nickelback, they were the target of much hate.
So, now I've heard a full album and... well... I'm not impressed...
It's hard to describe this. It feels like a non-thing. Perhaps being an ethereal non-entity of sorts was the intent? I don't know. And it didn't much inspire me to care, either.
Nonetheless, I did give it a second full playthrough, though, to see if anything would stick, and sadly, the most memorable moments I'll be taking with me are the cringy falsettos which were outright obnoxious. So yeah, not a great experience, and I feel like I've now wasted more time on this review than the album deserves.
Conclusion: the haters were right.
Sonic Youth
1/5
To quote my review of Sonic Youth's last album:
"There are some good ideas here, but they're corrupted by and ultimately lost to all the unnecessary dissonance."
And frankly, given the abundance of better music in this world, I'm unmotivated to dumpster dive for a few salvageable scraps.
Yes
1/5
Sorry, Yes - it's a hard No.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Hard to be objective with the two hits - they're ingrained classics. The rest was new to me, and it was OK enough. As a whole, this is a solid 4.
Les Rythmes Digitales
4/5
Oh, boy - I'm sure this one's going to go over like a lead balloon with this crowd...
Having lived in a college town in France in 1999, I can confirm that this is an apt example of what was playing at the time - everywhere. For lost and confused university kids at the turn of the century, this totally resonated. For middle-aged adults just trying to get through their album of the day, probably not so much.
For what it is - specifically, a late 90s time capsule of Euro dance music - I think it's a good representative of its genre, and I personally enjoyed most of it.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
2/5
There's a lot going on here, and I think this is probably one of those albums that requires a lot of work to really pick up what's being put down.
Unfortunately for Mr. Costello, his overrepresentation on this list has created knee-jerk disgust, and not many listeners are going to bother putting in the required time (myself included).
I did give it a couple of full playthroughs, though, and I'm willing to toss it the benefit of the doubt.