195
Albums Rated
3.14
Average Rating
18%
Complete
894 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1980s
Favorite Decade
Metal
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
26
5-Star Albums
23
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Among The Living
Anthrax
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
Mask
Bauhaus
|
5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
|
Damaged
Black Flag
|
5 | 2.87 | +2.13 |
|
Black Monk Time
The Monks
|
5 | 2.94 | +2.06 |
|
Double Nickels On The Dime
Minutemen
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
Under Construction
Missy Elliott
|
5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
|
Ritual De Lo Habitual
Jane's Addiction
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Fetch The Bolt Cutters
Fiona Apple
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Little Earthquakes
Tori Amos
|
5 | 3.23 | +1.77 |
|
Juju
Siouxsie And The Banshees
|
5 | 3.33 | +1.67 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
The Queen Is Dead
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.66 | -2.66 |
|
Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
|
1 | 3.57 | -2.57 |
|
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
|
1 | 3.53 | -2.53 |
|
Arrival
ABBA
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
The Marshall Mathers LP
Eminem
|
1 | 3.49 | -2.49 |
|
Strangeways, Here We Come
The Smiths
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
|
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
|
1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
|
Lost In The Dream
The War On Drugs
|
1 | 3.38 | -2.38 |
|
25
Adele
|
1 | 3.36 | -2.36 |
|
1989
Taylor Swift
|
1 | 3.27 | -2.27 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Beastie Boys | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Smiths | 2 | 1 |
5-Star Albums (26)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Prince
3/5
Better than Purple Rain? I don't think so. There are some very good songs on here, but I felt like it overstayed it's welcome. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it, but my first impression is that it's just OK.
14 likes
Stereo MC's
2/5
Having commercial success doesn't make something a must hear, despite the heavy volume of albums included in this project that are trying to argue otherwise. This is another forgettable, tedious album, and it makes you question if it's really so difficult to come up with 1001 essential albums. If you can name me 3 artists that wouldn't sound the way they do if this album/artist never existed, then maybe you can justify its inclusion. I suspect, however, that you can't.
4 likes
Tori Amos
5/5
Back in high school, a friend tried to get me into Tori by playing me "Past the Mission", assuming that my love for NIN would transfer over just because Trent sings backup vocals on it. It didn't stick. A couple years later, I heard "Professional Widow" and that lured me in. I picked up Boys for Pele and worked my way backwards, then kept up with her until we started drifting apart after the 90s ended. Her 90s run remains undefeated (and I'd argue all 4 albums could have a spot among these), and while Boys has long been my personal favorite, there's no denying the power of Little Earthquakes.
I know every word and note on this album, and yet the emotions still hit me like they did the first time. Her sense of humor and word choice endears me to her, and I'm as moved by her strength as I am her vulnerability. For whatever reason, I can't think of a single song that's ever made me actually cry, but there are at least 2 on here that bring me close to it. That's worth celebrating. As is everything else about this album.
2 likes
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
I never could get into Pet Shop Boys growing up, and this didn't change that fact. I've never cared for Neil Tennant's vocals, and when they're combined with the music they make it all grates on my nerves. I forced myself to sit through it all, but spent most of the time wishing it was over so I could listen to something else. I can't even think of anything complimentary to say about any of it.
1 likes
Duran Duran
3/5
Tough to say at this point whether I can appreciate songs like "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf", and "The Chauffeur" due to hearing them periodically throughout my life or based on their own merits alone. I never really got into Duran Duran, preferring other artists and styles over them and theirs, but they're good at what they do. None of it hits me on an emotional level, but it's catchy and danceable which are essential qualities in pop music. And I know they've influenced other bands, some of which I even like. This is one of those bands though where you really only need to hear the hits, not necessarily the albums that surround them. I've sat through worse albums though.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (23)
All Ratings
The Hives
1/5
Back when The Hives came out, I wrote them off as being a pale imitation of The Stooges based on their singles. Listening to this today, I'm not convinced I was wrong. Granted, there are far worse bands in the world to emulate, but that doesn't make it okay. This collection of their songs occasionally makes some decent noise ("The Hives Are Law, You Are Crime" is my favorite, mostly due to the lack of vocals), but overall I just can't take it seriously or find much to enjoy about it.
The Black Keys
3/5
Brothers is a decent, if unexceptional, record. I like the songs okay, but it's not an album I'd return to often. I get why it helped them cross over to a larger audience, because it's well produced with a handful of catchy songs. (Danger Mouse knows what he's doing). People tend to like that sort of thing, which is fine. I want music that really grabs me and carries me along, preferably with a sound that distinguishes itself as being both genuine and distinctly different, and these songs fall short of doing that. They're trying though. I'm not sure anyone NEEDS to hear this album, but if you're going to check this band out you could pick worse places to start. For blues rock from the current century, I'll take The White Stripes over all the competition, and they've got 5 albums out of 6 that I still enjoy regularly.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Thanks to this project I finally found a starting place with Wonder's discography, and I appreciate that. I've only heard his singles over the years, so I recognized 2 of these songs. This is the first album from the project I listened to again and saved to my collection. Every song on it is excellent. I'll have to dig through his other albums soon, and we'll see if my rating changes.
ABBA
1/5
I challenged myself to sit through this whole thing, and while it's doing what ABBA set out to do much of it annoys me. "Money, Money, Money" is the only song I kinda liked, though it's tough to take it seriously given the band delivering it. They're competent musicians, it's just that none of this is my taste at all. I had to chase it with Black Flag's Damaged and the first 3 Stooges albums to scrape it back off my soul. Y'all can have them.
Van Morrison
3/5
The title track is a good song, but otherwise it's fine for what it is. After a while all the songs blurred together without much to distinguish between them. It's listenable, but forgettable. Nothing challenging here, just average songs that roll on past without an impact. Definitely nothing I'd insist anyone needed to hear.
Grateful Dead
3/5
Sleepy, dull, not my taste. Yet another album I don't think is remotely essential, though I'm sure Dead fans would disagree.
Queens of the Stone Age
3/5
This is the first album in our run of this project that I already know well. QOTSA has been a favorite of mine ever since Songs for the Deaf, so I like all their albums to varying degrees. Josh kicked things off by laying the groundwork throughout this album, and spent the subsequent albums building and improving on that foundation. I really enjoy this album through "Mexicola", but the rest of the songs after it overstay their welcome. And while that makes for a challenging final stretch that I respect (none of the other albums I've heard from this list so far have been this abrasive or proudly weird) it can also get on my nerves sometimes. For me it's really half of a great album. Thankfully that gets better from here, but it also means that this is my least favorite of their albums. Technically this is a 3.5 for me, but there's no option for that on here that I can figure out.
Jack White
3/5
I listened to this twice in a row and it's not bad but also isn't really sticking with me. "I'm Shakin'" steals some melody from the "Heat Miser"/"Snow Miser" songs, which probably accounts for it gaining popularity. None of it is nearly as good as anything Jack did in The White Stripes, and out of all his post-Stripes work the only album I've genuinely enjoyed is No Name. Maybe this list could swap that album for this one?
Pentangle
3/5
I generally struggle to find my way into folk music, so when I read the overview of this album I was kinda dreading the experience. Then add to that the fact I'd never heard of Pentangle until now. Thankfully those fears were unfounded. Yes, it's folk music, but there are layers to it that bring in other genres too, and in ways that feel natural. The variety of vocals also keeps things interesting, rather than just having one singer. My only complaint really is that the version I listened to with my daughter today (linked from here) was the deluxe edition, which has 3 versions of "Sally Go Round the Roses" for some reason. It's a decent song, but not worth repeating when there's not much difference between them (unless I missed something). Otherwise it's pretty good. I don't know that I'd put it in my regular rotation, but I wouldn't mind revisiting it periodically.
The Divine Comedy
2/5
There are some interesting musical arrangements here, but for an album that's claiming to be about love there's a lack of heart. Dude may be crooning about love, but I'm just not feeling it come across. It sounds like he's working hard to come off as clever instead of being genuine and honest, which doesn't satisfy me at all. This is yet another album that's far from being a "must hear" in my book.
Beatles
4/5
Absolute classic. Not a bad song on it. I've always preferred the later albums, especially with all the ways they pushed boundaries and expanded their sound. Only thing keeping me from rating it any higher is that The Beatles have other albums I personally prefer over Revolver.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
I never could get into Pet Shop Boys growing up, and this didn't change that fact. I've never cared for Neil Tennant's vocals, and when they're combined with the music they make it all grates on my nerves. I forced myself to sit through it all, but spent most of the time wishing it was over so I could listen to something else. I can't even think of anything complimentary to say about any of it.
Suede
2/5
This confirmed that Suede are not my taste. I even tried listening to their first album to see if I was missing something, but gave up on that after the first few songs. I'm hearing Bowie in their sound, but none of these songs connect with me like his have. They're good at what they're doing I guess, it's just not for me.
Bert Jansch
2/5
This album is all right. I'm generally not big on folk music, but it's fine for what it is. Can't say any of it will stick with me or I'd listen to it again, but I also didn't hate it. That said, I'm also not hearing anything essential here either.
The Cure
4/5
I'm glad this was on here, because while I've always liked this album it was a good reminder I don't listen to it often enough. Same goes for most of The Cure's discography. They're very much a band I have to be in the mood for with most of their albums. Listening to them on a gloomy, snowy day was perfect. I listened to this twice and then kept going with other albums of theirs. Gallup's basslines are great throughout, proving he was a worthy addition to the lineup.
Michael Kiwanuka
2/5
Not sure whose ears aren't working right, but I'm not hearing anything to justify it being added to the 1001 albums list. Then again, given how much I've already heard so far from the list that's average at best, maybe it fits perfectly in there. The musical compositions are good, but not exceptional. There's nothing in the songs that other artists haven't done & better. His vocals are okay, but I'm not feeling any emotions coming across from his delivery. It reminds me of that line from Rob Gordon in High Fidelity, where he says, "I just want something I can ignore." This album would be ideal if that's all you want.
Missy Elliott
5/5
Missy Elliott was a blindspot for me, and this album made me feel dumb for that. It's pure fire, a wonderful celebration of hip-hop's past that also pushes the genre forward. I'm totally on board with everything she's doing here (well, aside from the "Missy Elliott exclusive" thing on every track), and the handful of guests shake things up a bit without stealing the spotlight from her. Totally loved it and will be spending more time with it, and then digging into her other albums.
Lauryn Hill
3/5
For as much as I've heard great things about this album for almost 30 years now, my expectations for it were pretty high. At the same time, however, the praise never encouraged me to give it a listen before now, and I couldn't recall ever hearing a song from it either. Now that I've finally heard it, I can't say I'm very impressed. Ms. Hill sings pretty and raps well enough, and the music is put together well for what it is. "Every Ghetto, Every City" and "Everything Is Everything" are good songs, and the closing title track has some interesting choices going on musically. But overall, none of it connected with me. None of it was bad, but I didn't think any of it was very great either. Possibly it's just not my taste, which is fine. And that could be why I felt like it was overlong too, a fact not helped much by the skits (which make sense as a backbone to tie it all together, but they did wear out their welcome with me). I had hoped to like it more than I did, but oh well, at least now I've heard it.
Insane to me that Rolling Stone recently placed it above Revolver and Thriller in their 500 greatest albums of all time list.
Black Sabbath
4/5
No arguments here. It's not Sabbath's best album by any stretch, but it established their sound and its influence is undeniable. It's crazy how brief this version linked to is, with just 6 songs and clocking in under 30 minutes (the 2014 remaster has 7 songs, delivering a more full album experience). Half of those songs remain among the best the band ever recorded ("Black Sabbath", "The Wizard", and "NIB") and have long been personal favorites. Metal wouldn't be what it is without this album, so it deserves respect and attention. I know they recorded better albums though, which keeps me from rating this one higher.
Various Artists
3/5
Yep, that's Christmas music. I guess it's fine for what it is, I'm just generally not a fan of the standards because I've heard them all a million times. So unless you're doing something truly unique with the songs, I don't care. Also, while I recognize he made contributions to music that many respect and revere, maybe we should've stopped honoring Phil Spector by now.
The Doors
5/5
The Doors had a great run while Jim Morrison was alive, and this album showcases them at their best. There's not a single misstep along the way. Every song is great, mixing all their elements together wonderfully. It's a shame we lost Jim when we did, but at least he went out on a high note.
Sufjan Stevens
4/5
I remember critics losing their minds over this album back when it came out, but for reasons I can't recall I ignored that. I know I've heard a handful of Sufjan Stevens's other songs and they did nothing much for me, but I'm not sure whether that was before or after this one. I held off on listening to this today until my daughter was with me, and she mentioned the fact this was turned into a musical, which I'm pretty confident helped unlock it for me. I'm genuinely impressed by the music throughout. I let it all wash over me and enjoyed it more than I'd anticipated. I'll have to spend more time with it to determine how much I like it, but for now I'm just glad this project pushed me into it.
The Byrds
3/5
There's some interesting musical and sonic experimentation scattered across this album that I appreciated. The Byrds play their instruments well, and the whole thing is listenable enough. After a while though, the songs all blur together for me, and there's not enough going on to encourage me to come back to it. I suspect they'll have at least one other album on here for me to listen to, so there's a chance yet they may win me over. Doubtful, though, given their 2 best known songs are covers, but I'm keeping an open mind about it.
Common
4/5
Really digging Common's lyrics throughout this album, and the music hit me in good ways. There are a handful of touches that I'm not sure about on my first spin, but I'll definitely listen to it a few more times to see if my opinion changes. For now I'm not sure it's great, but it's definitely worthy of attention and I'm glad this project gave me a reason to listen to it. I may need to dig into his other albums too.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
There's no denying the historical impact left behind by the Velvet Underground. They continue to influence bands and probably always will, which is why it's only sensible to include them among these albums. And they were good at what they did. Some of these songs are legendary, for better or worse. I've never been able to fully embrace them though, no matter how much respect I have for their legacy. I find some of the lyrics to be problematic, and some of the songs are kind of a mess. That's part of their identity, so I get it, but that doesn't mean I've got to love it. So if my personal rating seems low to you, that's because I've based it as much on the fact they're not entirely my taste as on their artistic merits.I'm glad they existed though, because a lot of artists I love wouldn't sound the same otherwise.
Duran Duran
3/5
Tough to say at this point whether I can appreciate songs like "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf", and "The Chauffeur" due to hearing them periodically throughout my life or based on their own merits alone. I never really got into Duran Duran, preferring other artists and styles over them and theirs, but they're good at what they do. None of it hits me on an emotional level, but it's catchy and danceable which are essential qualities in pop music. And I know they've influenced other bands, some of which I even like. This is one of those bands though where you really only need to hear the hits, not necessarily the albums that surround them. I've sat through worse albums though.
Adele
1/5
Her voice is pretty and fairly dynamic, but the music doesn't do anything for me. It all feels calculated and produced for mass consumption. There's nothing here that's essential or "must" be heard.
Aimee Mann
2/5
The only Aimee Mann song anyone needed to hear was "Give Up", which is not on this album. The songs that are on here are mediocre and forgettable. Maybe it's essential to her fans, but it didn't win me over at all.
The Rolling Stones
4/5
It starts with "Gimme Shelter" and closes with "You Can't Always Get What You Want", of course it's worth listening to.
Brian Eno
3/5
Not really sure where I come down on this album, even after listening to it twice. Really respect the musical talent on display and the challenging nature of the music overall. I liked some songs better than others, and there are a couple where Eno's vocals annoyed me. It's clearly his artistic vision, and it's interesting to listen to. I don't think I enjoy it very much though, in the end. At least, I didn't connect with it on a personal level and it didn't leave me wanting to listen to it over and over. That's not to say it's bad by any stretch, just that it's not quite my taste.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
I've listened to this album since I was a teenager, and it's long since been absorbed into my soul, my brain, and my identity. Most days it's my favorite out of Zeppelin's albums, though their first 4 albums could all rotate into that spot at any given time. It flows wonderfully from one song to the next, and I can recall hearing radio stations play "Heartbreaker" immediately followed by "Living Loving Maid" regularly as if they couldn't ever be played separately. The influence of this album is undeniable, as it echoes throughout countless songs from the artists that came along in Zeppelin's wake. Like those artists, I wouldn't be who I am without this album.
Pixies
5/5
Top 10 album for me. Pixies set the blueprint for the alternative wave that followed them, and the influence is everywhere. They walked so Nirvana could run. Every song on Doolittle rules, and the album flows perfectly from start to finish. As far as I'm concerned, they peaked here and never managed to reclaim the magic.
Lou Reed
4/5
Unsure why I've never listened to this album before today, especially given Bowie was involved. And I've always liked "Perfect Day" and "Walk On the Wild Side", both of which are on here. So what was I waiting for? No idea. It's as good as I've always heard, and I prefer it over Lou Reed's work with Velvet Underground. Guess now I'll have to finally dig into his other solo albums.
Scott Walker
4/5
Scott Walker had one of my favorite voices in music. It was beautiful, and I'm glad albums exist that captured it for everyone to keep listening to. His lyrics are always interesting and thought-provoking. The musical arrangements here are pretty decent, definitely well suited to his voice and words. The closing song feels like it ends the album sooner than it should, is my only (minor) complaint. It ends and I expect another song to follow it, but nothing. Overall it's good, but it's not The Drift.
The Damned
4/5
Really digging the diversity of sounds across this album. The Damned expand their range while still maintaining their identity. My two favorite songs on here, "Anti-Pope" and "These Hands" are distinctly different and I love it. I spent all morning with this album on repeat today and didn't get tired of it. Good stuff.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
Yep, that's a Sinatra album. It's good for what it is, some of these songs you pretty much can't avoid hearing in life, which means I know them. I don't mind listening to it, it's just nothing I'd normally put on for myself.
Ray Price
1/5
I enjoy my share of country music, but I really don't care for Ray Price's vocal delivery. I made it through the first 3 songs (and the overlong intro) and bailed on this. His version of "Night Life" is grating. I'll stick with Willie Nelson's.
Boston
4/5
I pretty much wrote off Boston in my youth, but listening to it today I wound up enjoying this album more than I expected to. Musically this mostly rules. It's fun to listen to, and I kept being impressed by the solos and instrumentation. I'm not as excited by the lyrics and vocals, but they complement the music well enough. It's pretty strong overall, though I felt like the final track ended things on a weaker note. I also didn't realize until now that literally every song of theirs I've ever heard before today is on this album, and, with the exception noted before, the songs I hadn't were as good or better. Bonus points for the way the band handled the recording process for this album.
I don't know that I need a Boston album in my life, but if I did then I'd only need this one. So I'm fine with it being on this list.
Massive Attack
4/5
I should do better about listening to Massive Attack. Good album. They walked so Bjork and Portishead could run.
Bob Dylan
4/5
This is the first time I've sat down with any of Dylan's albums, and I find it amusing that this was the first one this project delivered to me given I just saw A Complete Unknown last month. Turns out, at least where this album is concerned, I prefer the electric songs over the acoustic ones. It's all pretty good thanks mainly to his lyrics, though I felt like "It's Alright Ma" drags on a bit too long. I enjoy that they kept the take of him laughing at the start of "115th Dream", and that song is pretty fun. Once that song ends, however, my interest starts to wane as it winds slowly to the end. I understand he'll have more albums in this project, so I'll look forward to hearing this and comparing them to this one. Perhaps my feelings will shift over time, but after 2 listens today I'll call this good, but not great.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
I had completely forgotten Neneh Cherry existed until this popped up. The album is fine, nothing great but nothing annoying. Also nothing essential, but always good to see women of color represented. I appreciated her lyrics providing something different at least.
Femi Kuti
3/5
This is good for what it is, and I can listen to it, but it's not connecting with me. It mostly just rolled along in the background. Chalking it up to my personal taste.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
5/5
Arguably the best album RHCP ever recorded. I've loved it since my first listen back in 1991, and still know every word to every song. Flea's funky basslines mix with the emotions Frusciante pours into his riffs, and the cumulative effect is undeniable. Chad Smith brings the beats, and Kiedis is on fire, dropping rhymes and imbuing the softer songs with soul. Best of all, the whole album just flows smoothly from beginning to end. This lineup of the band remains the best, and I'm forever thankful this album exists.
Peter Tosh
3/5
Yep, that's a reggae album. Can't say I'm impressed by any of the songs here, but I also don't dislike any of them either. And thankfully it's not too long. If I'm going to listen to reggae, I'd rather listen to Bob Marley.
Klaxons
3/5
Theoretically I should love this album. There's a unifying concept, lots of dissonance mixed with melody, and some rewarding compositions. Unfortunately, no matter how interesting it is to listen to, I don't feel it. It's not connecting with me beyond on a surface level. I've even owned a copy of this album for over a decade, but only listened to it twice. Today was the third time sitting through all of it. Thankfully other artists were mining similar sonic territory at the same time, like !!! and Liars whom I prefer over Klaxons by far.
Prince
3/5
Better than Purple Rain? I don't think so. There are some very good songs on here, but I felt like it overstayed it's welcome. Maybe I just wasn't in the right mood for it, but my first impression is that it's just OK.
Iron Butterfly
3/5
Solid classic rock album that's mostly known for the title track, which you pretty much can't live long without hearing at least the single edit. It's popular for very valid reasons, and I've always enjoyed listening to it sandwiched in with other songs from that time period. The full version is weird enough to be interesting, but I felt like the edit kept the best parts. The rest of the songs are smaller doses of that style, but nowhere near as memorable. I'm sure the whole thing sounds better if you're not sober. I am though, so it's good but not blowing my mind, maaan.
Screaming Trees
3/5
I like this album better than the other albums I've heard from Screaming Trees. Not sure I'd say it needs to be heard, but I'm glad it's on the list so I could hear it.
Favorite song: "Traveler"
The Monks
5/5
Not sure how I've gone so long without ever hearing anything about this album or artist, but very glad that's been fixed now. This totally rules. Great proto-punk. Now I've got to track down a physical copy.
ZZ Top
4/5
Solid album from ZZ Top at the peak of their powers. I've always liked this album, it just falls shy of being an album I love.
John Lee Hooker
3/5
This album feels very safe and calculated for most of the time. It's very well produced and polished, which kinda ruins blues for me. Ideally it should be driven by emotions and lacking in polish, coming together naturally. And reading about the album, it was very much the plan to drag in as many guests as possible to help him reach a wider audience. I'm not mad that it apparently worked in his favor, but no matter how well arranged the songs are or how much talent there is making the music, there's nothing here that pulls me in and makes me want to listen to it over and over. I'll have to dig into his earlier stuff at some point, I suspect it'll be more rewarding to listen to.
2Pac
3/5
The gangsta rap subgenre has always been one I've struggled to find an appreciation for, and this album is no exception. There are a handful of songs here that aren't completely mired in braggadocio and posturing, and while I can appreciate 2Pac reflecting on the life he lives, it's a world I've never fully been able to connect with. Not that I'd ever expect to. That handful of songs does make this worth sitting through, even if it's not for me. The stream of similar sounding tracks glorifying violence? Not so much.
So yeah, I appreciate the opportunity to sit down with an album I ignored back when it came out, but I don't expect to revisit it. Give me De La, Tribe, Public Enemy, The Roots, or OutKast over this any day of the week.
Blondie
3/5
Look, it's got "One Way Or Another" and "Heart of Glass", so, yeah, it's worth hearing. As a whole it's not great, as some songs are better than others, but it's enjoyable enough and a solid representation of Blondie's sound as most of us recognize it. I wouldn't consider it a must hear album, but I also don't mind that I listened to it.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Glad I noticed there are 2 mixes of this album, because I prefer the Closet mix. I feel like one's appreciation of this album will largely depend on how much you like their musical output. For me, The Velvet Underground has always been a band whose music and influence I respect, but it never fully connects with me. This album only reinforces that. The songs are good, but I feel like other artists who heard it built better music from it in the years that followed. Granted, we also got a lot of poor imitations, compared to which this sounds brilliant. Judging it on its own merits isn't easy over 50 years later, unless it's somehow the first music you ever heard. But I did listen to both mixes, and it's a good collection of songs. I don't love it, but that's OK.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
The context and central idea of this album is far more interesting to me than the end results. Musically it's not bad, but only one song managed to impress me: "A Funky Space Reincarnation". The rest all blur together, though I can appreciate some of the sentiments expressed. Not sure I needed to listen to it.
The Mamas & The Papas
4/5
Good songs, good vibes, good music. Always liked their singles, but never stopped to check out any albums. This felt like a good place to start. Cheers for the excuse.
Beastie Boys
5/5
I know this album's def cuz we all applauded.
Impossible to understate the influence this had on the evolution of my music tastes. It was my gateway into hip-hop, and sampling Van Halen and Led Zeppelin dovetailed nicely with my initial interests in heavy metal. Sure, some of it is dated and maybe hasn't aged so well, but it's such a fun album all the way through that I don't care. And its influence on the music that followed is undeniable.
So, yes, it deserves a spot on this list. Matter of fact, you could put any combination of their first 4 albums on here, and you'd get no arguments from me.
Common
4/5
Well, this confirms I like Common. Most of this album is really really excellent. Wasn't crazy about the opening track, but maybe that'll change over time. It's not perfect, but the music is great throughout and I appreciate most of his lyrics. I'll definitely have to dig through the rest of his work now.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I briefly dated someone who ripped me the first 4 of Rufus Wainwright's albums, which included this one. I dutifully listened to all of them at the time, and then left them sitting in my collection untouched ever since. Listening to this album again today, I'm reminded why. He's a talented songwriter who makes some beautiful music, but his vocal delivery quickly gets on my nerves. I can't take a whole album of songs with him crooning his way through them. Didn't realize until today that one of these songs is about Jeff Buckley. That's cool. But yeah, this just isn't for me.
Radiohead
4/5
So, to everyone who ever tried to get me into Radiohead, you should've started here. This is the first album of theirs I've been able to sit through all of without any complaints. Matter of fact, I spun it twice. I then decided to check out Pablo Honey, which mostly bored me after "Creep". Unsure if that's my fault for pushing myself too far with them today, or if that's just not a very good album. Anyways, I'll stick with this one for now, and then see if it eventually helps me find my way into anything else.
k.d. lang
3/5
Either not my taste or I just wasn't in the mood for this one. Kind of a downer of an album mostly, which is fine sometimes but not what I was looking for today. Lang does her thing well enough though.
In my brain, her name is forever synonymous with this obscure song that used to pop up on the radio in the early 1990s: https://youtu.be/TlHfvXTOB2k?si=1fR0cZwrj7gRn5Ye
Tori Amos
5/5
Back in high school, a friend tried to get me into Tori by playing me "Past the Mission", assuming that my love for NIN would transfer over just because Trent sings backup vocals on it. It didn't stick. A couple years later, I heard "Professional Widow" and that lured me in. I picked up Boys for Pele and worked my way backwards, then kept up with her until we started drifting apart after the 90s ended. Her 90s run remains undefeated (and I'd argue all 4 albums could have a spot among these), and while Boys has long been my personal favorite, there's no denying the power of Little Earthquakes.
I know every word and note on this album, and yet the emotions still hit me like they did the first time. Her sense of humor and word choice endears me to her, and I'm as moved by her strength as I am her vulnerability. For whatever reason, I can't think of a single song that's ever made me actually cry, but there are at least 2 on here that bring me close to it. That's worth celebrating. As is everything else about this album.
X-Ray Spex
4/5
I've meant to check out X-Ray Spex but just hadn't got around to it until today. Really great stuff. I can hear their influence echoing through lots of other punk and riot grrl bands, especially everything Kathleen Hanna has done. I like the horns too. Will definitely listen to this again.
Judas Priest
3/5
Eh, it's fine. At least it's got "Living After Midnight"
Jane's Addiction
5/5
Love the sonic journey this takes me on. I've been enjoying it since the 90s, so I'll gladly take any excuse to experience it again. "Three Days" is arguably the best song they ever wrote, and I've always felt they made the right call to break up after this album. If they'd stayed broken up they'd have 3 masterpieces and be considered legends forever. I'm not mad they reunited with Flea on bass in 1997, since that was my first time seeing them and it remains in my top ten concerts. But that should've been the end of it, because they've never recorded anything that comes close to the magic of that run and every year Perry's voice gets worse.
Anyway, this album still rules, though I prefer Nothing's Shocking.
Randy Newman
2/5
Hey, I know the Dancing Bear song from when Scooter and Fozzie performed it on The Muppet Show. And I prefer that version. I don't mind a Randy Newman song now and then, but a whole album of them wears out its welcome before it's over.
Little Richard
4/5
This was good, and the influence is undeniable. It's also really just a collection of songs more than an album, and some shine more than others.
New Order
2/5
Sorry, I've never been able to listen to New Order without wishing Ian Curtis was singing instead of Bernard Sumner. I recognize that's impossible, but the heart wants what it wants. Sumner has always sounded to me like a poor man's Robert Smith, lacking the qualities that make Smith's voice worth hearing over and over. Add to that the fact that synthpop rarely does anything for me, and you've got an album I can't really get behind. I guess the first song was okay aside from the vocals, and the lack of vocals on "Elegia" made it easier to sit through, but the rest of it failed to win me over.
Fiona Apple
5/5
Now THIS is a must hear album.
Fiona dropping this album during lockdown wound up being a major highlight of 2020. It's a perfect album to get lost inside of, and grows more rewarding with repeat listens. You can tell having the freedom to complete the album in her own way yielded benefits across the board. Every song feels personal, fueled by her emotions, driven by her piano and the percussion. It's easily her best album since When the Pawn... Just don't ask me to figure out the actual rankings between the two and Tidal.
Hopefully we don't have another long wait between albums, but if we do, well, at this point I completely trust it'll be worth waiting however long it takes.
Frank Sinatra
3/5
"This love of mine goes on and on..." like this album. I can respect the historical significance of this album now that I'm aware of it, but after a while it feels repetitive. I lost interest somewhere in the second half. It sounds fine, and I'm sure fans of Sinatra would love it. Between this and Swinging Lovers it's clear I'm not a fan. I don't mind listening to his songs when mixed in with other artists, but alone he doesn't do much for me. I'd rather watch him act.
Depeche Mode
3/5
It's fine, but Violator is better.
UB40
2/5
Starts off well enough with "Tyler", but as it rolls along the whole thing mostly blurs together to the point I couldn't tell you much of significance about the songs I heard. They play their instruments well for what they're doing, and occasionally I'd hear something that made me think of a Gorillaz song which may mean UB40 was an influence on them. None of it connects with me on an emotional or visceral level though, unless you count it upsetting me by sapping the soul out of "Strange Fruit". Not sure how you listen to Billie Holliday and Nina Simone deliver that song and then do...this with it. Argh. Also there's no justifiable reason for this to be over an hour long.
The Divine Comedy
4/5
Unsure how they went from this album to A Short Album About Love. Casanova is a dynamic album experience, full of passion, fire, heart, and personality. The follow up is bland and empty by comparison. Listening to that album, I didn't get why it'd be included among the 1001. This one deserves it's spot. The songs are memorable, lots of great lyrics, and I liked it as much on a second spin.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I never really got into Maiden, preferring other metal artists in the 80s. This is fine, it just doesn't do much for me.
Rush
3/5
Liked it fine through "Limelight", but after that I was done with it. I don't mind Rush in small doses, but this proved yet again that I'm not into them enough to become a fan. Totally respect their influence on other artists though.
Fairport Convention
3/5
I wasn't really paying attention. I'll give it a 3.
I played it while working, and it never annoyed me and occasionally did something I'd notice positively before fading into the background again. Maybe I'll circle back to it, but I'm more likely to forget about it. So, again, it's a 3.
Frank Black
3/5
Absolutely loved Pixies until they reunited and decided to make new music without Kim Deal, but I've never fully explored Frank Black's solo work. I saw him at least once when it was him and The Catholics, and maybe one other time without them, but unsure on that. And while I've known of this album since 1994, I never picked it up.
Listening to it today, just over 30 years later, I've got mixed feelings on it. There are some truly excellent songs on here, and I appreciate that he's just making whatever music he wants without being limited to a single style. That yields some interesting results. On the other hand, the quality of the songs doesn't feel consistent across the album, a fact not helped by how long this thing is. If you cut it down to the best songs, it'd be less than 45 minutes instead of over an hour, and you'd have a far more engaging and rewarding album experience. Maybe I'll figure out which songs specifically and make a playlist of them so I can enjoy them without the weaker songs that feel like filler. Or maybe not. Anyway, glad I've finally given this a listen even if I didn't love it.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
I can see the appeal of this album, but I'm not in love with it. There are a few songs here I'm already familiar with thanks to radio play, though I maybe didn't realize they're all from the same band until now. The songs are well composed and inoffensive to listen to, there's just not much here that speaks to me personally. Which is fine. It's nothing I'll go out of my way to listen to again, but if someone else wanted to put it on to listen to I wouldn't be mad about it.
Johnny Cash
4/5
Love Johnny Cash, and there's not a single bad song on this live album. My only issue is that the whole thing feels oddly Frankensteined together. Like he talks about playing "A Boy Named Sue" and then doesn't until a couple songs later. Or the fact that they kept in both performances of "San Quentin" instead of picking just one of them. Or the way "Folsom Prison Blues" cuts off early for no apparent reason. These quirky things make for a less rewarding and cohesive listening experience than At Folsom Prison. Maybe I should listen to another version of this album, and I likely will, but this version didn't impress me much. It's saved by the fact the songs are great regardless of the presentation.
Bonus points awarded for the part where he talks about people telling him how to behave and act during the recording.
Small Faces
4/5
Never heard of this band or album (or even the product the title is referencing) until now, but I'm glad it's in the 1001 albums list/project so I could experience it. I like the songs, the spoken word parts amused me, and my lack of expectations benefitted it. It's clearly a late 1960s record, and I mean that in a complimentary way. I'll be listening to it again, and will likely dig into their other albums soon.
Pulp
3/5
So much whispering I thought it was ASMR.
Seriously though, it's all right. There are some well composed songs here, I'm just not crazy about Jarvis Cocker's vocals at times. And Britpop continues to not be my taste, though in fairness I spent most of the 90s deprogramming myself and moving away from pop in most of its forms, especially when it appealed to the mainstream masses. No regrets on that choice.
Hanoi Rocks
2/5
I'm guessing this is on the 1001 albums list/project because Hanoi Rocks influenced glam metal/hair metal, and I hear that. There were several times I'd hear a riff or melody and connect it to the more popular band that borrowed it or stole it (intentionally or not). But as far as I'm concerned, the bands they influenced took what Hanoi Rocks did and improved on it (at least the better ones did). The farther I went into the album, the less I enjoyed it, and eventually I just wanted it to be done. Thankfully it's not some ridiculous length like an hour. If this is the band's best album, then there's not much sense in wasting time digging into the others. It's definitely nothing I'd push on someone else to listen to either.
King Crimson
3/5
Some interesting noises here, and I can hear their influence on other bands I like. I respect King Crimson, even if they're not fully my taste. The songs on here are a bit too meandering and overlong to sustain my interest despite the occasional stretches I vibed with. If technique was all that mattered, I'd give it full marks. I need something that connects with me beyond that though. I even gave it a second spin, hoping my feelings toward it would change, but no such luck.
Jethro Tull
3/5
Oh hey, I definitely know that riff from the title track. Just didn't know what the song was or who it came from until now. Overall I thought this was pretty good. The instrumentation is more varied than expected (if you need some flute action with your rock n roll, here ya go), and I liked most of the songs on this album. I wouldn't say it's made me a fan of Jethro Tull, but maybe I'll have to dig into other albums to see if that changes.
The Smiths
1/5
There's some decent music on here, but it's ruined by the fact Morrissey sings on every song. I don't like his voice, and really don't like him as a person either. That's not the rest of the band's fault, but it pushes me away from them regardless. If I'm going to listen to The Smiths, I'd rather listen to covers than hear him.
My Bloody Valentine
4/5
I already know I like this album because I've owned a copy for a long time now. It's maybe not as good as Loveless or mbv, but that's okay. It's still better than lots of other bands can manage. It's dissonant and pretty and flows nicely from start to finish, plus you can feel the emotions contained within. It ticks most of my boxes, so really the only thing keeping me from rating it any higher is, as I mentioned, I think they have better albums. It's an excellent start though.
Crowded House
1/5
Imagine listening to all the great albums released in 1991 and genuinely thinking that this mediocre nothing of an album deserved to be remembered. Crowded House had one song that everyone likes, and it's not even on here either. Some critics' opinions aren't worth paying attention to.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Maybe not my favorite Bob Marley album, but it's really good. This was the first album of his I ever heard when I was in high school, but I heard it at a friend's house and couldn't give it my full attention as there were several of us hanging out while it played in the background. But I liked what I did hear then, and getting to revisit it today was very welcome.
3/5
I'm not blown away by this album, but it's worth hearing. Lynn's vocal delivery is strong and heartfelt, and the lyrics are good regardless of who wrote them. Musically it's pretty standard for country at the time, but I'd rather listen to it than what passes for country now.
Kraftwerk
4/5
I liked this album better than I'd anticipated. It was clearly ahead of its time, and has aged well. A couple of songs feel like they're repeating themselves for longer than seems necessary, but for the most part it keeps things moving nicely. "Showroom Dummies" is a highlight, easily my favorite of the bunch.
Madonna
3/5
Growing up there was no escaping Madonna. I knew her singles whether I wanted to or not, because they played everywhere. I never bothered to listen to any of her albums though, so this was my first. It gets points for having Prince involved with it, and anytime you hear his voice and/or guitar, it's good. There are 4 songs here I can say I enjoy listening to and could listen to again. 3 of those are singles I already knew though (the other is "Love Song"). The rest of the songs are not bad, but rarely impressive. Thankfully, none of them are annoying either, they're just very average, especially compared to the rest of it. The closing track is amusing, but unnecessary. At least it ends on a fun note I guess. Overall, not blown away by any of it, and I don't think it's a must hear for me, but I see the appeal.
Oasis
1/5
This says it all: https://youtu.be/UgSdj79-Bvs?si=a3JjZMJX21dOPUH7
Emmylou Harris
3/5
This album is pretty good. Emmylou's voice is pretty and soulful, well suited to the songs collected here. The music is good across the board, nothing I'm super excited about but nothing that I dislike. This was worth hearing, and while it's unlikely I'll go out of my way to listen to it again I'm glad this gave me a reason to listen to it.
Bob Dylan
3/5
Folk music has never been my taste, and I can't say this changed my mind on it. Don't get me wrong...I understand the historical and cultural significance of this album, and I respect that. Dylan proves over and over what a gifted lyricist he is, which went a long way to propelling him into stardom. "Masters of War" is easily in my top 5 of his songs, and the more humorous songs like "I Shall Be Free" keep things moving along. Musically it fails to sustain my interest though, as the acoustic guitar and blasts of harmonica feel repetitive after a while. I would probably like it more if it was all mixed in with his electric work, but as it is I think it's fine.
Kendrick Lamar
3/5
Kendrick Lamar is unquestionably an important voice in hip-hop, and I respect his contributions to the genre. The ideas delivered throughout this album clearly have thought put into them, and he speaks a lot of truth. There are also a few fun tracks to shake things up and keep it from being too serious. On the music side I like the variety of sounds and influences, they also keep it interesting. I find the overall experience to be a mixed bag though, and it lost my interest at times. The back half of the album really dragged for me for the most part. I'm sure most of that is just my personal taste though and not just a result of what he's doing. So yeah, I see why a lot of other people love it, and I'm bummed that I'm on the outside of that somewhat. That's fine though, if you want to throw on "King Kunta" I'll get down with you.
Franz Ferdinand
1/5
Absurd to me this album is among the rest for this project. Just because a bunch of people bought it because of one hit single doesn't make it good or worth sitting through. Their musical style is done better by any number of bands, and most of these songs are grating.
Ms. Dynamite
4/5
Never heard of Ms. Dynamite until today, so I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed this. Excellent lyrics, varied musical arrangements, and I like her delivery. Will listen to this again.
Fred Neil
3/5
Better than expected. Neil has a strong voice and I enjoyed some of his lyrics. Most of all I appreciate the varied music throughout. I was expecting just acoustic guitar, but there's more present than that. I'm not saying it's a favorite, but I wouldn't mind listening to it again.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Tribe was one of my favorite hip-hop groups, and this remains arguably their best album. I loved that they were socially conscious and provided an alternative to the gangsta and hardcore rap, much of which I've struggled to connect with. Tip and Phife are great lyricists, and their respective vocal deliveries allow them to stand out among their peers. The music across this album displays their influences while perfectly accompanying their words, and I love the uses of humor as much as the serious messages. I'd give this top marks based on songs like "Buggin' Out" and "Scenario" alone just for how those songs make me feel. When those hit, I've gotta move with a smile on my face, every time.
The 13th Floor Elevators
3/5
I already like "You're Gonna Miss Me" thanks to High Fidelity, but never took the time to seek out this album. Now that I've heard it, overall I find it to be more interesting than enjoyable. I can hear where it's influenced other bands like The Stooges or Pixies or Velvet Underground, so clearly it's got historical value. As an album experience, however, it's very uneven with some songs either grating on the nerves or simply overstaying their welcome. Clearly it didn't earn them a new fan in me, but I can respect it despite not loving it.
Goldie
1/5
Oh yeah, Goldie. I saw them open for Jane's Addiction in 1997 and was bored out of my mind after about 5 minutes. And here's an album that's almost 2 hours long. Greeeeaaaat. I tried. I did. I thought I was on the second song, checked in on it, and discovered I was only halfway through the first one, which still had about 10 minutes to go. Couldn't make myself go any further.
This should be called Endless, because that's how it feels.
The Smiths
1/5
There's some decent music on here, but it's ruined by the fact Morrissey sings on every song. I don't like his voice, and really don't like him as a person either. That's not the rest of the band's fault, but it pushes me away from them regardless. If I'm going to listen to The Smiths, I'd rather listen to covers than hear him.
Peter Gabriel
2/5
I'm not sure what's great about this album. Sounds like a mess of songs with varying degrees of quality crammed together. An hour after listening to it, I couldn't have told you anything specific about it. But hey, thankfully it's short.
David Holmes
2/5
Umm, yeah, that's an electronica album. Didn't mind this as much as the Goldie album, but several of the songs still overstay their welcome. Which I guess is the thing, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. But hey, they're not all 10+ minutes long, which I do appreciate. The interludes or skits or whatever were interesting though, and it at least gets points for doing something different with the Bond theme. Overall I thought it was fine for what it is and certainly could've been worse. Not sure it belongs here, but then I'm generally not a fan of the genre.
Stan Getz
2/5
Today in jazz music anyone can enjoy... This was fine if you like easy listening jazz stuff. It's nothing challenging or impressive, but apparently selling a bunch of units is sufficient to get anything on this list.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Unsure why this album is on here instead of Full Moon Fever. "Breakdown" is a classic, and "American Girl" is good enough, but the rest is mostly forgettable. Petty establishes his sound, but thankfully evolved over time from here so I'm not sure this is the best representation of his music. Not that it's bad, especially if you're a fan, but it's nothing I'd call essential or need to revisit.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
Miriam has a beautiful voice, and you can feel how passionate she is when she's singing. Musically it's somewhat minimal, which allows her vocals to be the main focus. I suspect that if I understood her native language I'd appreciate this even more. Overall it's nothing I would've found my way to without this project, and while I didn't love it I do think it's worth hearing.
Steve Winwood
1/5
Points to Steve for playing all the instruments himself, but this is absolutely not for me. The whole thing feels mediocre and soulless, and like the kind of thing only the yuppies were excited about when it was released. I guarantee you nobody is thinking about this album anymore (except when this project forces it on them) and I'd be shocked if it's sold a single copy in the past 35 years. If you want music from someone who could do it all, go listen to NIN or Prince or anyone else but this dude.
Soundgarden
5/5
Absolutely deserves its place among these albums. Badmotorfinger is my favorite album of theirs, but this is a close second. Not a bad song in the bunch, from the one-two punch of "Let Me Drown" and "My Wave" through album closer "Like Suicide." I still listen to it a few times a year. Can't tell you how welcome this was after a week of duds.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
3/5
I've heard about this album for years, but never got around to listening to it for whatever reason. Now that I have finally heard it, well... I can appreciate the swing. It's certainly an original work that's challenging, and there are aspects I could appreciate. It's not much fun to sit through though, and by the midpoint I was ready for it to be done. I stuck it out, but really if you get that far and aren't enjoying it then that won't change for you. I'd rather listen to Zappa or Butthole Surfers, both of whom could craft songs that were as out there as anything contained here, but they could also make them more enjoyable than this album (which I'm sure they loved).
Michael Jackson
5/5
No idea how many times I've listened to this album over the years, given Michael Jackson was my first favorite artist, and yet I tend to forget there's a song on here he did with Stevie Wonder. It's a good song, but it says something for the quality of the rest of the songs that it's the least memorable of the bunch. I mean, you'd think having Stevie freaking Wonder on your album would be pretty memorable, right? Anyway, all bangers on here. Legendary album from a legendary artist.
Blur
3/5
Maybe I should try again, but first impression is that this is a mixed bag. Some songs I really enjoyed, some were just okay, and a few annoyed me. It was more Blur than I wanted this morning, and overstayed its welcome. I'd rather listen to the first 2 Gorillaz albums or The Good The Bad The Queen.
Anthrax
5/5
The year this album dropped, a slew of metal bands started taking over the airwaves. I instantly gravitated to most of them, mainly because they were often close enough to the pop music I'd been immersed in, but also because Back to the Future made me fall in love with guitar solos. Plus, I was nearing teenhood, so their obsession with sex fed right into my hormones.
I'm not entirely sure when I found Among the Living, probably in 89 or early 1990. I never heard them on the radio in those days, but thankfully I had a friend who was into them. I do know that it was critical in shifting my tastes though. Zero songs about love and getting laid, which I'd come to believe was the center of the genre. Their lyrics were more thoughtful. They had opinions to share with the world on social issues. And for a nerdy kid who was into horror and comics, the fact they had songs inspired by both completely resonated with me. Oh yeah, and they had a sense of humor too, though they weren't heavily leaning on it. I kept up with them through the 90s, eventually getting to see them play a few times and getting to meet Scott Ian once thanks to my decision to wear my Public Enemy tee to their concert.
You could argue Joey's vocals are dated, and while I won't disagree much I think it perfectly fit them at that time. I've lived with their music long enough it's never bothered me, but I'm sure plenty of uninitiated listeners won't be on board. Their loss though. Hopefully the riffs, basslines, and Charlie's beats, all of which are timeless, can still win over new fans. Listening to it again today, I'm reminded there's not a weak song in the bunch. It never loses steam. And, yeah, I still love it.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
It's fine, but it's no Innervisions. Other than "Superstition" none of the songs do much for me. They're not bad, but I listened to this twice and that's the only one that's sticking with me.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
The songs are composed well, and I can appreciate the historical context. Lyrically, it's interesting, especially given the concept Gaye focuses everything on. Maybe it's just my taste, or maybe I wasn't in the right mood for it, but I'm not especially impressed by it on a first listen. Certainly not enough to deem it one of the greatest albums ever. It's all listenable, but it also fades into the background after a while. Perhaps I'll circle back to it later to see if I feel differently, but for now at least I've heard it.
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
Never been a fan of Springsteen, and this didn't change that fact. There were a couple songs I kinda liked, but mostly it sounds like he's trying to be Dylan. Which might be fine for a first album, but not for a (checks notes) 6th. Dylan does this better, as do Johnny Cash and Nick Cave, who have covered similar territory thematically.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
Nothing crazy impressive, but makes for decent background music. The African style that flavors it keeps it more interesting than it'd be without it.
Alexander 'Skip' Spence
1/5
Oh boy, over an hour of demos someone decided didn't need to be re-recorded. Tedious is an understatement, but y'all go ahead and keep trying to convince people it's somehow secretly great. The only thing interesting about this album is how it came together, and then Columbia deleted it from their catalog within a year of releasing it.
Funkadelic
3/5
I usually like Funkadelic, but this was just okay. A few songs are longer than feels necessary, which makes the album feel the same.
The Kinks
2/5
"Party Line" is fun, but as this rolled along I couldn't escape the feeling that I've heard it all before and executed better. By that I'm referring mainly to their contemporaries. Unsure who influenced whom, but most of these songs sound like lesser versions of songs The Beatles and The Stones wrote. And why bother with pale shades of better music? The second half really blends together into a forgettable repetition of ideas, and it took me a moment to realize it ended because it wasn't holding my attention anymore. Yet another album I'm dropping into the larger pile from these that I can't say I needed to hear.
Devendra Banhart
1/5
He's got some decent lyrics here and there, but his vocal delivery kinda ruins it for me. Other than that it mostly feels like I've walked into a coffee shop for open mic night (derogatory), especially since almost every song just ends. There's no real flow here, which to me is an essential quality of a great album experience. It's just a collection of songs. If you love it when white guys play guitar at you though, you'll probably enjoy it far more than I could manage.
Kraftwerk
3/5
It's not bad, but it's no Trans-Europe Express. "Neon Lights" definitely goes on longer than feels necessary.
The Beta Band
2/5
It's got moments here and there ("Broke" comes the closest to being a good song), but it's mostly bland and forgettable. Not surprised it fell off the list. The title makes me want to watch the Hot Shots! movies instead, which is assuredly a better use of one's time.
Mudhoney
3/5
You can totally hear how they influenced bands that followed them, there's even once or twice I heard riffs Nirvana lifted. Unfortunately for Mudhoney the world never found them as interesting as the so-called grunge bands they helped spawn. And sadly I'm in the same camp. I like their music fine, but prefer the same style as done by other artists. That's at least partly due to Mark Arm's vocals, which I only appreciate intermittently. If all I cared about was the music, I'd rate this one higher.
P.S. I didn't listen to the full deluxe version, so this review is for the main album only.
Solange
2/5
There's some important messaging here, the production is good, and Solange has a decent voice. None of the songs really grabbed me though, and after a while it all blurs together. I was initially excited to see Q-Tip credited, but he doesn't even rap which is bizarre to me. He's only there for backing vocals, and if you weren't paying attention you wouldn't know it's him. Overall it's fine, but nothing I'd keep in rotation.
Paul Simon
3/5
Paul Simon isn't always my taste, so most of this album I find just okay. "Me And Julio Down By the Schoolyard" and "Paranoia Blues" rule though, which saves it.
Les Rythmes Digitales
3/5
I generally dislike dance music because it often feels soulless, empty, and obnoxiously repetitive. This album doesn't avoid those things entirely, but I'll give it credit for at least trying to vary things from one song to the next. Most of the songs have vocals in them, which also helps when it's giving me something to focus on besides the loops. "Take a little time" stands out mainly thanks to the vocal performance from Shannon, for example, and you sure couldn't call her singing soulless. The album also gets points for not having too many songs that run over 6 minutes. I wouldn't say I liked it, and sure wouldn't have heard it without this project, but compared to other similar albums I've heard it's fine.
Stephen Stills
4/5
I was already familiar with "Love the One You're With", and was expecting the rest of the album to fall in line with that song. Pleasantly surprised to find that wasn't the case. As the album rolls along, Stills pulls from gospel, blues, and psych to deliver a fascinating and varied album experience. It feels like he set himself up to go anywhere with his solo career, so I'm not curious to see how that went. It's also very much a debut album, with some songs being stronger than others. Thankfully the production is consistently good and the music is well made regardless of my feelings about individual songs. Overall I wasn't expecting to like this as well as I did, and I'm glad this project brought it to me. Bonus points for having a giraffe on the cover.
*This is a 3.5, but rounding up instead of down.
Green Day
3/5
I bought this album not long after it came out, and within 2 years I wasn't listening to it anymore. I'd moved on to other bands, and Green Day growing in popularity did nothing to lure me back. Today was the first time listening to it in almost 30 years, and I still remembered like half of the songs from before. Of those, I can't say I missed many of them as they're mostly the singles. The rest weren't even vaguely familiar beyond sounding like Green Day songs. Overall it's fine if you like them, but there are better punk bands to spend time listening to. For 1994, I'll take Bad Religion's Stranger Than Fiction for my personal favorite punk album of the year, and it's not even included in this project.
The War On Drugs
1/5
I've never figured out why critics lose their minds over this artist. The music is aggressively mid and grows more tedious as it rolls along. There's nothing in here that others artists haven't done better, but some people want to act like they reinvented music.
Public Image Ltd.
2/5
I can't really argue with the critics that initially hated this album. It feels designed to irritate at every turn, which I can respect, but it's tough to enjoy much of it. And yes, I hear it's influence on post-punk, which I can also respect. Thankfully there are plenty of those artists I'm happy to listen to instead of PIL. I might like it more if it were just instrumentals, though I did enjoy the lyrics on "Religion". Weird that John Lydon wound up like he is given the way he started out, but the upside is it makes it even easier to not support his work. Especially when I'm not into it as is the case here.
Nirvana
5/5
Let's face it, Nirvana never put out a bad album. Kurt solidified that when he punched his ticket out of here. I do wish, however, that we could have Albini's production untouched, as I'm sure the album would be even better. Labels gonna label. It's still pretty great though.
Metallica
5/5
Only one of my favorite albums since I first heard it more years ago than I care to mention. Even Metallica will tell you it's their best work. The riffs slay, Burton's basslines crush it, and the drums fall in perfectly with everything else. James's lyrics are thoughtful, exploring the variety of ways humanity can be manipulated. Really love that there's a whole song about Cthulhu too. It's all killer, no filler. Truly perfect.
Coldplay
1/5
The Monkees
3/5
And that's how I learned Del the Funky Homosapien listened to The Monkees.
This is fine. There's a few songs I genuinely liked, but most are just okay. I've always felt like The Monkees were a discount version of The Beatles, though they had their share of decent songs. This album reinforces that feeling. Even if I find it very average, it's at least better than some other albums that made the list.
3/5
There's some interesting music throughout here. I heard a few instances of direct influence from Queen. I find the vocals irritating at times though, which is keeping me from liking it any better. Overall, not bad but not my taste.
The Residents
3/5
Yeah, I'm not sure what to do with this one. My main takeaway was that I could hear several times how they've influenced Primus, a band I've always loved and will be pleasantly surprised if they actually pop up here at some point. Not holding my breath though. The style of The Residents is a unique and challenging one, which I respect. I don't find this album to be much fun to listen to, but I'm sure that's the intended effect. There's a lot going on, and it's messy, but it's more interesting at least than a lot of albums I've sat through for this project. I don't know. Whatever rating I wind up giving it will feel wrong no matter what, so don't put much thought into it (I've thought enough).
Deep Purple
4/5
Solid album overall. Everyone (rightly) knows "Smoke On the Water" and I've heard covers of "Highway Star", but the rest of this was new to me as I've never sought out their music. I can hear their influence on the metal bands that followed, and I think it's totally worth hearing, especially if you like metal/hard rock. "Space Truckin'" is a new favorite now.
And of course if that's the story behind how you found the place to record your album you turn it into a (legendary) song.
Todd Rundgren
1/5
I was bored with this mediocrity after 4 songs, so I gave up on it. Then I checked the reviews from listeners, some of which indicated it changes as it runs along. So I skipped around, and, sure, there's some variation musically. But it still feels empty and soulless, and none of them could hold my attention long enough to stick with it. It didn't help that several songs have at least 30 seconds of jabbering that should've been cut. Y'all have fun with it though.
Sister Sledge
4/5
Really enjoyed this one, even though I generally dislike disco. There's enough funk, soul, and R&B mixed in to keep me from turning against it, and the vocals are terrific.
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
Oh great, Rufus again. I've heard this one before a long time ago, so I'll pass.
Black Flag
5/5
Perfect album. No notes. And its influence is undeniable, even the punk and hardcore bands of today have absorbed it.
LCD Soundsystem
3/5
I liked this better than I'd anticipated, but it's not really my taste. There are some decent songs on it and a handful I didn't care for at all. I first heard album closer "New York..." last year when English Teacher covered it, and they're not crazy different but I'm content to stick with their version. I also recognized a few times where other bands have been inspired by this and borrowed from it, so clearly it's made an impact that makes it worth checking out. I doubt I'll sit through it again, but not mad this project brought me to it.
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
This album isn't bad, but after a while it just sounds like the same song over and over with little variation. It doesn't do much for me, but I also don't dislike it so I guess that's something.
Belle & Sebastian
1/5
Yep, still not my taste. I had to force myself to sit through it all, which only confirmed I could've bailed out at any time prior.
Turbonegro
4/5
Eminem
1/5
I really can't stand this guy. Never could. The misogyny is overwhelming, don't like his flow, and there's not enough going on musically to make up for any of it. I bailed like 7 tracks into it.
Sex Pistols
4/5
I mostly like this album, even if John Lydon has spent his life making me wish I didn't like anything he's touched. Lot of good songs on here, and the influence it had is never in question. The homophobic slurs make "New York" my least favorite, though even if it dropped them it'd be the weakest song of the bunch. Overall it's a good punk album, though thankfully there are many other punk bands I can listen to instead who took the template and improved on it.
2/5
Kind of interesting, but some tracks overstay their welcome and a couple hours later I'm already forgetting it.
Derek & The Dominos
2/5
Listenable enough, and a couple songs are even close to being good. Clapton sucks though.
Bauhaus
5/5
I tend to listen to In the Flat Field most frequently out of Bauhaus's albums, but they've never put out one I dislike. Mask pushed their sound further, evolving it in fascinating ways. Really love the horns on "In Fear of Fear"; it, "Kick in the Eye" and "The Passion of Lovers" became staples of their live shows and sound equally good either way. The album is close to perfect. Maybe the 5 bonus tracks aren't needed, but they don't detract from the experience. Bonus points for "fishcakes".
BTW, every Bauhaus studio album should be in this project. If it was my list you'd get all of theirs instead of every Smiths album.
Manic Street Preachers
3/5
I never bothered to listen to this band before now, but this was solid. I like the music for the most part. Undecided how I feel about the vocals, they're not bad but they're my least favorite aspect of their sound. Might dig in to some other albums to see if that changes my mind.
Elton John
4/5
You could give this 5 stars for the hits alone, and I could respect that choice. "Candle in the Wind", "Bennie and the Jets", the title track, and "Saturday Night's Alright" are legendary. I like them as much as the next person. Really thought I'd rate this higher too, but then "Jamaica Jerk-Off" steps in and ruins the party. From there on it's a mix of good songs and filler that could've been cut. Double albums are really tough to pull off and create something that sustains the momentum throughout. There's very few that manage it. I don't feel like this one does. It's still worth hearing though, I'd just like it a lot more if it had been cut down to the best songs.
Parliament
5/5
Absolutely a masterpiece. Parliament is in regular rotation in my home, and this album is usually up to bat first. Every song is great, it makes me wanna dance and groove and sing along. P-Funk forever.
Joanna Newsom
3/5
This is interesting. The musical arrangements are good, the production is great. It's only engaging me intellectually though. I don't feel much from it. I'm not crazy about her vocals, but they work fine for what she's doing. Adding this to the ever growing list of albums in this project that aren't my taste.
Taylor Swift
1/5
I've heard some of these songs before, but not by choice. Trying to get through the album only served to reinforce my belief that everything Swift does is manufactured for wide appeal. The songs sound like they're put together by focus groups and industry execs running algorithms to determine how to sell as many copies of the album as possible. There's no soul in it. Someone knows what they're doing though, because this mediocre product does sell millions of units no matter how empty and disposable it is. Which is fine for them and Taylor, but it means nothing to me. If people like it, good for them.
Dolly Parton
4/5
Hello Dolly, we've always liked you. More albums should be under 30 minutes, especially for this project.
Beatles
3/5
Far from my favorite Beatles album, but not bad. Obviously it's an important step in their evolution, so from a historical perspective it's worth a listen. The trouble is that the overabundance of covers serves to break the spell for me and makes me want to go listen to those artists instead. It feels like they didn't have the confidence to stand on their own compositions, so they pulled in other songs they liked to support what they had and avoid a potential commercial failure. That makes this a mixed bag for me. None of it is especially bad, but it pales in comparison to their albums that followed.
Doves
1/5
Not my taste. All these songs are putting me to sleep, and I'm not liking the vocals. Further proof there's entirely too much bland mediocrity that made the 1001 albums list. Guess that's what you get when you let white dudes dominate music criticism.
Goldfrapp
3/5
I remember one of my friends was obsessed with Goldfrapp after this came out, and I never bothered to check them out. I can't say that was the wrong choice, unfortunately. It's not a bad album, but it doesn't do anything for me personally. Portishead, Bjork, and Massive Attack mine similar sonic territory and far better than this. Felt Mountain mostly fades into the background until I forget I'm still listening to it, and by tomorrow I probably won't be able to tell you what it sounded like. If we're putting Mercury winners on here, then someone needs to add English Teacher's This Could Be Texas from 2024.
OutKast
5/5
Only one of the Greatest albums ever, & rightly included. OutKast never put out a bad album, and here they're at the height of their power. Every song is a banger, and the skits are amusing without derailing the album's momentum. Crazy to think I've kept this in regular rotation now for 25 years, and you can bet it'll stay there for at least that many more.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
About time one of Nick Cave's albums finally popped up. It's good all around, but falls shy of being a favorite for me. I prefer the more sonically diverse albums he's made with The Bad Seeds.
Fugees
4/5
The year this dropped I was more immersed in rock than hip-hop, particularly underground artists, so when The Score became a major hit I ignored it. I definitely heard "Killing Me Softly" because it was unavoidable, but if I heard any other singles I didn't realize it then, nor did I recognize any others today. So I was pleasantly surprised that I mostly enjoyed it. I'm not in love with it yet, but the songs are pretty good & I enjoy the group dynamics. I do feel like it's a little lazy to have 2 covers included, but at least they're both solid. It didn't hook me in as heavily as most of my favorite hip-hop albums, so time will tell how often I'll return to it. But I definitely get the appeal now, and I'm glad this project gave me a reason to finally sit down with it.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
Yeah, this is decent. I'm not in love with any of it, but I enjoyed the songs for what they are. Well, maybe not so much the "Silent Night" one, but the rest were pretty good. I prefer Paul's songs, which doesn't surprise me. I don't see myself adding it to my rotation, but it was worth hearing.
Elliott Smith
3/5
I'm generally not big on singer-songwriters, especially ones tagged as folk, so while I've known for years who Elliott Smith was I never had an urge to check him out. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find that I liked several songs on here. The first half is really good. The back half blurred together for me though to the point I was ready to be done with it before it ended. Which is a bummer given the strong start. Maybe I'll give it another spin to see if it grows on me.
MC Solaar
3/5
This is decent, but loses me because I've never learned French. For hip-hop to be truly successful the lyrics matter the most, so I'm missing out. That's not the artist's fault, I think he's got a good voice and flow. The music is good too. I'm just limited in how much I can enjoy this. Pity I'm not French. "Ragga Jam" slaps though.
Ali Farka Touré
1/5
Yeah, I'm not listening to an hour of this. 2 songs was more than enough. Y'all have fun though.
Foo Fighters
4/5
Solid album, there's not a song I don't like. I do think One By One is a better album all around though and more worthy of inclusion than this one.
Britney Spears
1/5
Arcade Fire
3/5
I never got into Arcade Fire, and this didn't change that for me. I think the songs are fine, but none of them grabbed me or particularly stuck out. The music is good, the vocals are okay. There are far better bands and albums in the world than this one.
Aerosmith
3/5
Aerosmith were always better at writing singles than a full album experience, and this is proof. Of course it sold a ton of copies, it's got "Sweet Emotion" and "Walk This Way", arguably their best and most important songs (though the latter wasn't nearly as important until Rick Rubin talked Run-DMC into touching it). The rest of the album is fine by comparison, a mixed bag of solid songs and weak ones. None of it is especially terrible, thankfully, but it's safe to say most people won't remember the non-singles for very long after it ends. If you want a good collection of Aerosmith songs, your best bet is to make a playlist of them as it'll save you from all the filler.
Motörhead
4/5
Motorhead is here to rock and doesn't care what you think about it. Mission accomplished. "Ace of Spades" forever.
Snoop Dogg
4/5
Another really good hip-hop album I ignored when it came out. Not thrilled with the misogyny, but thankfully it's not every song. The music is excellent across the board & it's Snoop so the delivery is smooth. I like that there are some collaborations too to shake things up.
Arcade Fire
2/5
Still sounds completely average to me, now that this project has made me listen to more Arcade Fire than ever. Two albums in a week has only served to confirm they're not my taste. If you like inoffensive, middle of the road music, that's fine. They're not bad musicians, but there's no spark to it, no fire (maybe they should call themselves Arcade), and minimal variety between songs. By Monday I'll have forgotten what they sounded like.
Here's hoping we're stopping at 2 albums with this, as 1 was too many.
Tim Buckley
4/5
Solid album, every song on it is good. It didn't immediately earn a favorite status, but maybe with more time spent it could. For now I like it well enough and would listen to it again. Glad this project gave me an excuse.
Beatles
4/5
I've owned a copy of this since high school, but it's been a while since I last sat through the entire thing. The first disc is perfect, not a single bad song on it. The second disc is more of a mixed bag. There are some really great songs in there, but there's also a handful that are just okay. And "Revolution 9" is an interesting experiment, but a chore to listen to more than once. It drags on for so long it kills the momentum. Luckily there's only one song left after it, but still. The good mostly outweighs the bad, but I can't give it full marks.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Sure, about half of these songs are covers, but they're making those songs their own, so I'm not too mad about it. "Good Times Bad Times" and "Communication Breakdown" remain great and show their talent right out of the gate. We can argue over who gets credit for "Dazed and Confused", but the fact is nobody cared until Zeppelin took it and made it Amazing. The only thing holding me back from rating it higher is that they went on to make better albums, like II and IV. It's a strong debut though, and the influence and impact on music is undeniable.
Garbage
4/5
I've liked this album since it dropped & caught them when they supported Smashing Pumpkins on the Mellon Collie tour, so I'm good with it being included. Always happy for an excuse to listen to it again.
Favorite song: "Not My Idea"
Stereo MC's
2/5
Having commercial success doesn't make something a must hear, despite the heavy volume of albums included in this project that are trying to argue otherwise. This is another forgettable, tedious album, and it makes you question if it's really so difficult to come up with 1001 essential albums. If you can name me 3 artists that wouldn't sound the way they do if this album/artist never existed, then maybe you can justify its inclusion. I suspect, however, that you can't.
Minutemen
5/5
The first time I heard Double Nickels was in a CD store where it was playing. The music grabbed my attention, and as the songs fired at me I was really getting into it. So, naturally, I had to ask the guy at the counter what it was. And then I had to buy a copy. We've been good friends ever since. I've got several favorite songs (10 to be exact) and still genuinely enjoy the entire album experience. D. Boon's lyrics are smart and funny, with song titles reflecting that mix. It's too bad he died long before I found my way to The Minutemen, but I'm glad he recorded as much music as he could with Watt and Hurley while he was here. Very happy to have an excuse to listen to this again today.
Beastie Boys
5/5
Fine, I'll listen to one of my favorite albums for the thousandth time. Thanks.
While I'd heard most of Licensed to Ill and "So Whatcha Want", I didn't own any Beastie Boys album until this one came out. That's probably because I had to buy this one for myself, a decision made after hearing "Sabotage". After listening to the entire album a ton of times, I worked my way back through their discography, plus thanks to "Get It Together" I found my way to A Tribe Called Quest. I love the eclectic mix as they hop genres, while also doing their fair share of playing live instruments. Plus, unlike their first couple of albums it doesn't sound dated. There's a good flow between the songs from start to finish, the lyrics are consistently excellent, and it puts me in a good mood. It also wound up being their last great album in my book, so I'm very glad it's included here.
Leonard Cohen
5/5
His voice may have had a low register, but Leonard Cohen went out on a high note. As usual, his penchant for brilliant lyrics still shines through. I'm not religious, but I feel his sentiments here anyway and clearly understand what he's doing here. It's even more impressive given his poor health when he recorded it, and no wonder he's staring down mortality. Thankfully his wit was still intact, which keeps this from being a total downer. Really great album, and a reminder I need to dig deeper into his catalogue than I have. "Traveling Light" is a new favorite.
Slint
4/5
Not sure why it took me so long to listen to this, it's pretty good. I definitely hear the music on this album echoed on others that followed it. It's not an instant favorite, but it is worth hearing. Maybe it'll grow on me if I spend more time with it.
The White Stripes
5/5
I remember spotting this at a listening station right after it came out, the cover caught my eye immediately. By the end of "Hotel Yorba" I was hooked, and I've been a fan ever since. I prefer De Stijl over all their albums, but this is a close second and will always be cherished for introducing me to The White Stripes. Out of all the bands labeled as garage rock in the '00s, The Stripes were the only one that felt like they were coming at it genuinely. Their energy was unmatched by their peers, and it wasn't surprising they outlasted most of them before falling apart. I still feel their music on a visceral level, no matter how familiar the songs are now. Plus, the lyrics are great. But there's something magical about the chemistry between Jack and Meg, which explains why none of his other efforts have captured me as well as The Stripes could (No Name is the closest he's come).
Back to this album, there's just not a bad song on it. They all flow seamlessly together, complementing one another nicely. My favorite pairing though is "Little Room" and "The Union Forever", going from that driving rhythm into the opening chords, love it. I still keep their music in my rotation too. As far as I'm concerned you could kick a few albums off the list and replace them with the first 5 White Stripes albums, they're all worth hearing (sorry, Icky Thump, you've got moments but overall a step down from everything that preceded you).
3/5
Not much fun to listen to, but it's got some interesting ideas. I prefer the latter part of the album where there's some actual melody, but mostly feel like this would mean more to me if I was at all familiar with Ornette Coleman's work. I'm not sure how many people ARE familiar with his work, so the lack of context doesn't do this any favors. Part of me thinks it's kinda great though that something this dissonant and out there made the list at all. Ultimately, I respect it but wouldn't listen to it again.
Björk
4/5
Björk has been my favorite female artist since the '90s, so of course I like this album. It's not a personal favorite, but that's okay. I'll still give it 4 stars on here.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Nice timing dropping this the day after Brian Wilson died. I hadn't heard any songs off this before, but it's decent. "Student Demonstration Time" rules. The rest was fine.
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
I find the singles that kick off the album to be the least interesting ones. Once I got past "Bluebird" I found a handful of songs I genuinely enjoyed, which was a nice surprise. I guess I can understand including this from a historical perspective, but even though I liked some of it I don't think it's a great, essential album experience overall.
Steve Earle
3/5
Not sure why this must be heard, but it's not bad. It's all pretty average for '80s country. It's also clearly a debut, as it's just a collection of songs rather than having any real album structure. Confident it won't stick with me, and it sure won't get added to my rotation, but at least it doesn't overstay its welcome.
Iron Maiden
3/5
I know Iron Maiden are metal royalty, but I've never found my way into their music. They're not bad, but also not my taste. This album was fine for what it is. None of the songs annoyed me, but they also didn't impress me or resonate with me either.
Public Enemy
5/5
Absolute hip-hop classic. Maybe not my favorite hip-hop album, even by Public Enemy, but there's a lot of brilliant songs on it and the influence is undeniable. I've owned a copy for years now, and always appreciate any occasion to revisit it. I'll give it full marks on here, but if we could do halves it's a high 4.5 for me.
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Maybe I should give it another spin, but my first impression is that this was just okay. They're good musicians, but after a while the songs started blurring together for me. The cover of "Summer Breeze" fits their style, but I think it falls short of the original (and Type O Negative's cover for that matter). Overall not bad, but nothing I feel like I need to keep listening to.
Digital Underground
3/5
"Humpty Dance" is a classic, of course, but the rest of this is pretty average in my book. None of it is bad, and if you love mellow hip-hop it's a good example. Definitely appreciate the lack of the n-word and lack of skits that a lot of hip-hop artists tended to overuse. I wasn't really feeling it today though. Maybe if more of the songs were as fun as the big hit, or maybe it needs more sonic diversity, but the longer it went on it felt like too many songs with little payoff.
4/5
Siouxsie And The Banshees
5/5