1001 Albums Summary

Heartbreak on every level: personal, interpersonal, political, national. Sad and lovely. And perfect.

Didn't hate it, but not sure I loved it, either. Seems frozen in its late-80s context, so it's hard to get past the production and arrangement choices to connect with the songs. So it's all about the sounds. Some are captivating, some annoying and opaque because of the overwhelming coldness of the synths. Learned to truly respect David Gahan as a singer and the way his voice weaves with the synthetic production. A solid, middle of the road 3 for me.

Not a love, but a very strong like. The title is apt; this is big music. Cinematic and widescreen, big-hearted and grandiose. Wish everything was as strong and compelling as Supercut, alas not everything is on par with that high point. But, it all comes from a truly unique voice.

Pros: Attitude, snarl, sound, band vibe; guitar playing and vocal gymnastics. History: put Hair Metal in the rearview mirror. Cons: songwriting, misogyny, stupidity, Steven Adler (terrible drumming), and a couple of obvious filler tracks. It’s a shame because this should be a record I go back to. But I won’t.

Pros: beautiful performances, incredible set list, all the pure, raw talent of Nirvana—from Kurt’s voice, to Dave’s unbelievable musicianship, from the against-the-grain choices to the dynamics and sensitivity of the individual performances—on vivid, aching display. Just a perfect live album capturing the band in an entirely unexpected, naked way. A breathtaking masterpiece. Cons: not a single thing.

Pros: groundbreaking fusion of jazz, R&B, rock, and nihilism. And killer playing throughout. Denny Diaz omg. In addition: the hooks! And it all feels so casual and as if it were just there, all along. Con’s: some weaker songs in the back half. An amazing debut and a point toward the future.

Frank, Frank, Frank. Listen, buddy, I know you’re going through a rough patch, but there’s lots of fish in the sea, okay? You just gotta pick yourself up and get yourself back out there. I know it’s been bad, and I know you miss her, but maybe it’s for the best, right? But I’ll tell you this: nothing’s gonna change if you just sit around singing these sad-sack songs all day. Listen, it’s okay to lick your wounds, but you gotta make some changes, buddy. How’s about we go out tonight? No pressure… we’ll just go out get a drink or two and have a couple laughs. You’ll see. You’ll feel better. The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, am I right? Let’s get things moving in a positive direction, Frankie. I love you, man. You know that, right?

It all comes down to that voice. Just one of the most glorious things to ever happen to popular music—the grit, the bell-like tone, the vibrato, the precision runs. Set the template for every single belter and shouter to ever follow. Also has aged incredibly well. Not a note on this album sounds antiquated. Everything in it is still alive in the music today. Incredible. “Ready Teddy” is a ripper from start to finish.

The Apex Mountain of dumb rock. You gotta give the ZZers credit for moving their boogie thang into a more contemporary, early-80s wrapping. But the lyrical sentiments have aged like milk, making this a tough listen in 2025. The idea of “fun” in rock has changed a lot in 42 years. A solid 2.

Wanted to be surprised and absorbed by this, but wasn’t.

Just incredible. Loved all of it!

Perfectly serviceable jangle pop. Thought I was going to have a revelatory experience after Perfect Skin and Speedboat, but it seemed like the rest of the album just fizzled from there. Some great guitar tones and playing, but didn’t enthrall me.

Perfectly serviceable jangle pop. Thought I was going to have a revelatory experience after Perfect Skin and Speedboat, but it seemed like the rest of the album just fizzled from there. Some great guitar tones and playing, but didn’t enthrall me.

David Bowie has always been an abstraction for me. As much as I've been told to admire him and his art over the course of his career, he has never really connected with me. It might be his voice or his lyrical curiosities, or just the way most things he does seem to have an icy, intellectual remove for me. But this album finally did it for me. "Word on a Wing" and "Wild is the Wind" finally hit me in heart more than the head. I felt it and it seemed like I got it. At last. The production values of this album are also amazing. A great sounding record. Golden Years alone seems like masterclass in guitar sounds and mixing. Not a 5, but certainly a 4.

There’s something to be said about an album that—within just a few notes—instantly transports you back to the time and place where you first heard it. I think that means it’s powerful and unique. I think that’s a testament to connecting with the head and the head. I think that’s about making music that has meaning and staying power. I think I always thought of this album as lightweight. Upon listening again, I think it has gravitational power—a true landmark in late 90s music. It creates its own unforgettable world. A great album and a minor classic.

I know this is supposed to be a landmark album and all, but, um....no. I can't believe this album is mentioned in the same breath as Rubber Soul.

A very strong album, front-to-back, with some beautiful and incredibly powerful moments. "Boulder to Birmingham" is simply one of the greatest songs ever written.

All told, feels like kind of a lightweight album. Some real and incredible highs surrounded by what seems like a lot of filler. Somehow, I was exposed to the fact that you can hear John Bonham’s kick drum pedal squeak during Since I’ve Been Loving You and now it’s all I can hear. Ugh.

Greg Dulli, blessed with one of the most punchable faces in rock, couldn't find a melody if its location was programmed into a fucking GPS. The vocal performances ping-pong back and forth between two modes: faux-sinister whispering and tuneless scream-shouting, in a failed attempt to emote their way past the total lack of lyrical substance. And it's made all the worse by the way this album radiates pretentiousness. I'm down with 90s indie and alt-rock, but this is some awful shit. Ruined a beautiful morning walk.

A revelation. Having never really listened to her work, just based upon a whole host of things, I would have thought it would have been kind of…twee…? But I was really engrossed by her voice and her artistic VOICE. Despite my attempts to dismiss this album as pretentious and posturing, I just kept getting, I guess…charmed by it. By the earnestness of the whole thing. And you can hear so much of the good part of the future 80s in this music (digital instrumentation applied smartly and with heart, instead of cold and icy). The Morning Fog was an amazing first-time listen. A classic. Brava!

Largely forgettable Trip-Hop. Some pleasant moments, but unremarkable and burdened by songs that stay long past their welcome. I won’t come back for more.