1001 Albums Summary

5 talking heads out of 10. This was really cool, I didn’t know taking heads was going to be like that. I thought they were a bit goofy and samey but I like the structure of some of their songs, they take a phrase and just keep adding to each and that’s pretty much each song. Some cool electronic music. I bet it was super fun to make.

7.5 Springsteens out of 10 I knew of one of these songs before listening - promised land - and had heard a few when being around my dad. There’s definitely a nostalgia to this album, maybe it’s because of my dad that I feel it, but there’s something very sweet and atmospheric about the way Bruce describes his home town. I could feel the evening summer air in ‘Racing in the street’. The Boss’ voice is gorgeous and at 2:35, this small phrase really pulls at my heart strings. This album reminds be of the first time (and many times after that) that I listened to Green Day’s American Idiot. I wonder if my dad felt the same way about this album that I did listening to some of my favourite artists and concept albums. There’s definitely a story in this album, and I can’t wait to listen to it many more times.

5 Zombies out of 10. A nice blend of voices and gentle woodwind sounds. With the cover art, I expected the music to have much more of a dreamy or psychedelic sound. I’d describe the album as having more of a daydream feel that of a trance or fantastical journey which I’ve heard from other albums of the 60s. This album gives us ‘Time of the Season’ which is a pretty sick song to be fair. It’s sexy and a little bit spooky - it sounds super autumnal and I love the little ‘ahhh’ instead if a cymbal in the little phrase we hear throughout the song. The most memorable for me after that is ‘changes’. Very simple song but the layers of voices is very satisfying to listen to and pull apart. I could definitely see myself covering it just for the fun of trying to recreate the layers. This sort of music isn’t really my style but as albums go, it definitely has many catchy songs and some contemporary sounds going on there. I could see why a 20 something from the 60s would totally dig it.

6 Illanoises out of 10 This album is a huge feat, there's 22 tracks ranging from 19 seconds to 7 minutes. Its a very whimsical album which sounds like it takes inspiration from a lot of American culture, people and events. I really enjoyed the album until about the 6th track in and then most of the tracks afterwards sounded very similar. The album is praised for its complex orchestral arrangements but I'd argue that the orchestra is arranged well or layered well rather than being complex. Its pleasant and atmospheric. The lyrics are wonderful, I'd imagine what makes this album critically acclaimed is the figurative language each song is laced with. Its an a sound of optimism which 2007 media would have been saturated with so I can totally see how this album did well. Its not my sorta thing but I'd be lying if I said it didn't fill me with warmth and cozy hues - It sounds like the theme music for a fantastical, colourful whimsical, manic pixie drama/romcom from the late 2000s.