A strong start to the 1001 Albums project. Nostalgic, bittersweet, uplifting all at once. Some music truly earns its reputation. Lyrically simple, but it speaks of experiences broadly shared — you could spend a lifetime memorising and singing along. The songs are often upbeat and easily danceable, even when the narrative is sombre, although the album seems to take a brief detour towards a more serious sound midway through. One thing I'll take away from this is that the vocalists (presumably John and Paul?) harmonise in a way that instantly rejuvenates the soul and may very well be unparalleled throughout music history. I'd like to revisit this when I am more knowledgeable about music in general, and see what other insights I can uncover. Favourites: Norwegian Wood, I'm Looking Through You, In My Life, If I Needed Someone (6th Jan '25, 0726h.)

A strong start to the 1001 Albums project. Nostalgic, bittersweet, uplifting all at once. Some music truly earns its reputation. Lyrically simple, but it speaks of experiences broadly shared — you could spend a lifetime memorising and singing along. The songs are often upbeat and easily danceable, even when the narrative is sombre, although the album seems to take a brief detour towards a more serious sound midway through. One thing I'll take away from this is that the vocalists (presumably John and Paul?) harmonise in a way that instantly rejuvenates the soul and may very well be unparalleled throughout music history. I'd like to revisit this when I am more knowledgeable about music in general, and see what other insights I can uncover. Favourites: Norwegian Wood, I'm Looking Through You, In My Life, If I Needed Someone (6th Jan '25, 0726h.)

I didn't listen to the second part of the album before the challenge reset, but I deeply enjoyed what I did listen to. This can be considered an attempt to map all corners of negative feeling; some songs embody bittersweetness, nostalgia, heartbreak, and indeed melancholy, whereas others are substantially angrier and express grievances about life and the world — for this reason, the album could appeal to younger people in particular. In my opinion, this record is at its best when its passions accumulate and burst into explosions of sound: on 'Here Is No Why' and 'Muzzle' for example, the instruments and vocals combine in force to rush the eardrums and invade the mind of the listener, twisting and twirling and steering and skirling within the skull. When this happens it's extremely difficult not to mirror and participate in that intensity of feeling. Not only will I go on to listen to the second part of the album, but I will also most likely replay this several times in the future. Favourites: Jellybelly, Here Is No Why, To Forgive, Love, Muzzle, Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans (2/1001, 8th Jan. '25, 0414h. Recreation of lost first draft created at approx. 0235h.)

I've no familiarity whatsoever with the artist, the genre, or live albums in general, but there's no disputing the fact that this music is fantastic and its energy is infectious. I adored listening to Brown's voice, and the band played perfectly. Perhaps the most notable part of this album is how it memorialises the love and fervour of the audience — you can hear their screams of adoration throughout the record. Favourites: Try Me, Lost Someone (3/1001, 11th Jan. '25, 1407h.)

Beautiful music. Undoubtably I am missing the full context here as this is the first Bowie record I've listened to — there are surely a few references to previous work and other recurring themes placed throughout — but I can still recognise its significance, the sorrow and pride that intertwine to create a swan song that knows it's a swan song. Surely this is not the first time that Bowie has dabbled in jazz, but he has given it a modern flair; you can especially hear the influence of contemporary music on 'Girl Like Me'. I want to listen to music that sounds like this more often. Favourites: Blackstar, Lazarus, Girl Like Me (4/1001, 12th Jan. '25, 1657h.)

The singles on this album stand amongst the greatest rock songs of all time, but there is little else of note that distinguishes the other tracks. Maybe it's because I'm more tuned in to this kind of thing from just hearing 'Blackstar', but I felt that the influences of jazz were especially noticeable here. Pleasant listening, but I wouldn't mind if I never heard this album again. (5/1001, 13th Jan. '25, 0954h.).

It's difficult to analyse the album on a more objective basis when it stirs up such emotion in me. I really couldn't care less if you're supposed to be embarrassed or ashamed to enjoy Coldplay or not, I'll always believe that the band put out some of the best mainstream rock music of the '00s. Although I was extremely young when this particular record released, to my mind it still perfectly captures the overall mood of that early period of my life; it hurts me and inspires me in equal measure. Perhaps this is by design, as Chris sings as if he has already lost in the sands of the past what can never be found again. Favourites: A Rush of Blood to the Head, In My Place, Clocks, Daylight, Green Eyes (6/1001, 19th Mar. '25, 1909h.)

Incredibly wacky in both good and bad ways. I can't honestly say this means as much to me as it does for some but I can definitely appreciate the passion and the earnestness that drives this project. It goes through so many twists and turns and you can never guess where the narrative goes next. I guess the modern equivalent would be those forum threads where everyone has to write one sentence of a story, to predictably unpredictable results. Favourites: The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, In The Cage, Lilywhite Lilith, It (7/1001, 19th Mar. '25, 2144h.)

Favourites: Le Freak, Happy Man, I Want Your Love, At Last I Am Free, Sometimes You Win (8/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2228h.)

Favourites: Song of Love, Anyway, Bound to Fall, Move Around, What to Do (9/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2229h.)

Favourites: Money For Nothing, The Man's Too Strong, One World, Brothers In Arms (10/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2229h.)

Favourites: Something, Octopus's Garden, I Want You (She's So Heavy), You Never Give Me Your Money (11/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2230h.)

One of the first albums I ever learnt how to love. Favourites: All of them (though Midnight Show and Believe Me Natalie never stuck like the others, and Change Your Mind was not on the version I listened to as a youth) (12/1001, 8th Aug. '25, 2230h.)

Sometimes he sounds a little like Brian Molko and it's kind of jarring. Favourites: Lazy Days, Life Thru A Lens, Old Before I Die, Let Me Entertain You, Clean

Favourites: Schizophrenia, Catholic Block, Pipeline/Kill Time, Tuff Gnarl, Cotton Crown

Favourites: Joe the Lion, Heroes, Sons of the Silent Age, Moss Garden, Neukölln

Favourites: Up The Neck, Space Invader, Kid, Lovers of Today

Favourites: Blackened, Eye of the Beholder, One, To Live is to Die

Favourites: Dishes, Help The Aged, This Is Hardcore, Seductive Barry, Sylvia, Like A Friend

Favourites: Five Years, Soul Love, Starman, Ziggy Stardust, Suffragette City, Rock 'n' Roll Suicide

Favourites: Come All Ye, Matty Groves, Tam Lin, Crazy Man Michael

Favourites: oh baby, i used to, how do you sleep?, call the police, american dream, emotional haircut

Favourites: Miss Judy's Farm, Stay With Me, Debris, That's All You Need

Favourites: Among The Living, Efilnikufesin (N.F.L.), Indians

Favourites: Green River, Tombstone Shadow, Lodi, Cross-Tie Walker

Favourites: Rio, Lonely in Your Nightmares, Hold Back the Rain, Last Chance on the Stairway, The Chauffeur

Favourites: Satanic Reverses, Famous And Dandy (Like Amos 'N' Andy), The Winter Of The Long Hot Summer, Socio-Genetic Experiment, Music And Politics, Water Pistol Man

Favourites: Born to Go, Down Through the Night, Space Is Deep, Orgone Accumulator, Brainstorm, Seven by Seven

Favourites: Can You Forgive Her?, Liberation, A Different Point of View, The Theatre, One and One Make Five, Young Offender, Go West

Favourites: The Kid from Red Bank, After Supper, Flight of the Foo Birds, Teddy the Toad, Midnite Blue, Lil' Darlin'

Favourites: Never Let Me Down Again, Sacred, Little 15, I Want You Now, Nothing

Favourites: Lonely Weekend; Butterflies; Oh What A World; Wonder Woman; High Horse; Golden Hour

Favourites: Tutti Frutti; Ready Teddy; Long Tall Sally (The Thing); Miss Ann; Rip It Up; Jenny, Jenny; She's Got It

Favourites: I Wanna Destroy You, Positive Vibrations, Tonight, You'll Have To Go Sideways, The Queen of Eyes

Favourites: Heroes and Villains, Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine, Song for Children, Surf's Up, Vega-Tables, Wind Chimes, Good Vibrations

Favourites: Do It Clean, Stars Are Stars, Monkeys, Crocodiles, Villiers Terrace

Favourites: Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life On Mars?, Quicksand, Queen Bitch, The Bewlay Brothers

Favourites: Rendez-Vu, Jump 'n Shout, Red Alert, Always Be There, Same Old Show, Bingo Bango, Stop 4 Love, Being With U