1001 Albums Summary

Never listened to this back in the day. Feels a like basic and samey samey, but good energy. I probably would’ve liked it more when it was new (I was 24). Kinda like blur without the depth, the strokes but British, reminds me a little off the hives too. Closing track was the only one I really liked.

Already know I’m a fan of this one. Excited to listen to it again. First time I really listened to the mortal man interview… not sure how I missed that so many times in the past

Shockingly, an album I only know a couple tracks from. Excited to dig in. Holy shit, what an album. Didn’t talk lose the whole thing was such a protest anthem. Super relevant today. And the way the first several tracks blend together is wild. Felt like one big song in a great way. Also never really realized how great his voice is. Listening to Save the Children while feeding my 10 week old baby was powerful stuff.

Classic favorite. Excited to listen to this one again even though it’s long. It’s been too long since I’ve dusted this one off. Might bring up a lot of nostalgia for me. Man I forgot how good this album is. So dense lyrically and musically. The first 10 tracks or so are basically a perfect album. Admittedly it gets kinda exhausting for me before it’s all said and done… there’s just so much going on for so long, it’s a tough album to digest in a single serving. Still a 4.5 for me at least, and I’m rounding up.

I’ve only listened to (and enjoyed) their self titled album from ‘99. Excited to dig into their earlier stuff. Great energy & chord progressions. A lot of fun and some earworms even on a first listen. Having just listened to an Arctic monkeys album…it feels like this was the blueprint for what they were trying to do (but less successfully). Anyway, really enjoyable listen.

On one hand, I’m ready to get an album from an artist I’m not familiar with. On the other hand, this album is a classic and I don’t think I’ve listened to it front to back in ages. So… bring it on! Solid album… probably a 3.75 for me. A little skit heavy, a little samey samey by the time it’s said and done… but still great to revisit.

Only a little familiar with Nick Cave. I like the name and art. Let’s see how it goes. Jesus Christ, Stagger Lee. Okay, I see what we’re dealing with here. Ok. So ok one hand I appreciate the lyrics — dark and often beautiful. On the other hand, does every nick cave song sound like a guy talk singing in a low voice? I love me some Dylan and waits and others with non-traditional voices but Nick cave’s just sorta bugs me. Otherwise this album kinda reminds me of the magnetic fields 69 love songs, just… murder themed. Some surprises: didn’t expect Kylie Minogue to show up, the aforementioned stagger Lee, and to a lesser extend PJ Harvey’s appearances. All in all something I’m glad I know about but wouldn’t seek out again. I wanted to rate it a 3 throughout most the album but the 14 minute o’malley’s bar was like a torture I never thought would end. By the end of this album, I think it’s a 2 for me.

Only vaguely familiar with dire straits coming in. Didn’t even realize they were British. Boy, this comes out of the gate sounding like a greatest hits album. What a start. The rest of the album is fine. Hard to say if this is a 3 or a 4 for me.

Off the bat, I recognize a couple tracks. Didn’t realize he had an album called harvest (without the moon). Rounding up to a 4, it’s not quite there but too good to be a 3.

Hard to know whether it’s a 3 or 4. On one hand, it’s The Beach Boys… the harmonies are on point, the melodies are interesting, the lyrics are all about youth. On the other hand, will I seek this album out again? Probably not. I think it’s a 3.

First band I straight up have never heard of. Neat! Awesome energy right off the bat and throughout. Some of these tracks sound like they could’ve been recorded decades later. Having just listened to The Beach Boys before this, the lack of harmonizing really stands out. Add more harmonies and you get something sounding like a lot of early Beatles tracks. Of course, since this came out in ‘65, the Beatles were already doing that. Lots of covers that I recognize too—makes me wonder how many covers I’m not recognizing and how many are actually original tracks. All in all glad these dudes are on my radar

A U2 album I didn’t know existed. Admittedly I haven’t listened to a lot of U2. Surprised how much I enjoyed this. My knowledge of u2 is more focused around “beautiful day” and preloaded albums on Apple devices, so this was a lot more interesting than that. Some of it almost sounded like the cure which I didn’t expect.

I thought I’d prefer the back half, with orchestrated ballads, over the big band first side — but the energy of the first half is infectious. Both highlight different aspects of Charles’s great voice.

This is among the hardest for me to rate — I get the skill involved in putting something like this together, but it’s not something I plan to come back to. It’s a 2 or a 3 for me.

As a fan of psych rock I thought I’d like it more. The whole thing sounded pretty samey samey and didn’t really hit many highs or lows. Sunshine of your love is a jam but nothing else struck me. I’ll insist that strange brew is a better movie than song.

An artist and album I know nothing about going in. Surprisingly fun to listen to. Punk, ska, layered ideas with a lot going on. Discordant at times, but I’m feeling it. This is at least a 3 for me, maybe a low 4.

Madonna’s country album? Ok then. I only remember the single off of it. Let’s see where else the album goes. Well first off I stand corrected: not a country album at all. I don’t hate the late 90s-early 2000s electronica production at all, it’s actually kinda fun. 3 stars if you ignore the bonus track, which we don’t talk about.

This album takes me back to working at Starbucks as a 22 year old. I still think of it as “new” beck, in fact. Wonder how it’ll hold up. Not his best album, but maybe the best sampler platter of the breadth of his work. Jangly guitar tracks, string laden slower numbers, talk-rapping, everything is on the menu here. A nostalgic 4 stars.

I get why many think this is corny, but it works for me.

Super effective at being what it’s trying to be—music for teenage boys of a certain era—even if it does very little for me.

I wanted to like it more, especially given how much I came in loving the last 2 tracks. But the rest of the album was only okay for me.

First cd I ever bought with my own money. This is probably a 5 star for me based on nostalgia alone. Haven’t listened to the whole thing in probably 25 years, so I’m excited to give it another spin. Giving it a listen, I could make the same criticism I did for Guns N’ Roses’ album — music for teenage boys of a certain era — and it doesn’t hit the same way now that I’m in my 40s. Still a great example of pop music from the 90s though, and something I enjoyed coming back to.

I don’t often “get” jazz, but I felt like I got this. Standouts are the first track and take five.

Being more familiar with vol 2 and Drukqs, I’m surprised how straightforward and chill this album is… but I still really enjoy it.

Well this is a departure from runaround Sue. But really enjoyable, actually. Easy listening for sure, but he’s got a nice voice. Not something I’d put on to listen to often, but an easy 3 and a contender for a low 4.

Good voice, nice twang, it’s just… a little dull. It’s a 3 for me.

May be my 3rd or 4th favorite Elliott smith album and it’s still a 5.

From a gentle guitar driven ballad to synth heavy video game boss music, this album has everything including the kitchen sink and for me at least… it worked? What a trip.

Was previously only familiar with his greatest hits — surprised how amanubshiw up on this album.

Man, I just don’t get the police at all. No idea how this was ever as popular as it was.

Loved the radio hits off this album when I was a teenager but not stoked to listen to this whole album. Pretty over RHCP. Having listened, this is the first album I’ve come across that I want to rate a 4 and 2 equally. Some of the songs are great (even if nostalgia plays a part) but some are straight up embarrassing, and the mix sucks. I guess it’s a three.

I know virtually nothing about New York dolls but love the cover! Ultimately I liked the vibe but wish it was… glammier? Less Rolling Stones lite? I dunno. I can understand why they were big on the scene back in the day but it didn’t feel timelesss the way some other music from the era does.

I get why somebody would like this, it’s just not my jam.

I’ve known of Elvis costelllo forever but never listened to any of his stuff. Really enjoyed this — sounded like Ted Leo before there was a Ted Leo.

Glad to learn about Buck Owens and the Bakersfield sound. Hope there’s some Merle haggard on this list too. With that said, this isn’t something I’d expect to come back to a lot.

I remember hearing dizzee rascal when this album was new and loving the beats… the beat still sound futuristic and the flow is fine but boy is this Alain just exhausting to me today, especially at 15 tracks long.

Hey, it’s my third-favorite pixies album! Listening for the first time in a while, I like it even more than I remember. It’s very melodic, surfy, and fun. Needs more kim deal, though!

Listened to the main album, not all the bonus tracks. But I gotta say I really liked it. It’s hard to listen to at certain moments, including right off the top—but really beautiful often. Reminds me of Hair.

I understand he was a pioneer on the forefront of a lot of things I like, but this album was both boring and long for me.

Did very little for me. Some of the tunes were catchy, but only in an 80’s sitcom theme song sort of way. Not something I’ll try to listen to again.

Fun, bouncy, but also kinda repetitive and boring. Other than a couple standouts it didn’t do as much for me as remain in light.

It’s the album I think of when my baby tries to talk! I dunno, maybe I don’t get Sonic youth… I like the guitar parts but the vocals turn me off.

Nice, if not all that memorable, tunes.

A couple really catchy tunes (the hits), a good overall vibe, but not something I’d likely come back to.

Man, how to review this one? Melodically beautiful, lyrically frustrating, inconsistent in instrumentation but overall something I really liked?

I liked it — cool to hear a clear contemporary of Pixies — but I dunno if it’s something I’d come back to. I think it’s a 3, but a high one. Nah, ok, I’ll give it a low 4.

Pretty enjoyable listen. Was more familiar with his stuff with Art Garfunkel (which I still think I prefer) but glad to have this in the rotation.

Easy 5 stars for me here — this album was core to my identity for a spell back in the early 2000s. Will be good to go back for a listen. Post listen: it holds up!

Perfectly fine.

Loved it. Normally not a fan of talk-singing but the words were beautiful and so was the music.

I know the hits… now to hear the rest! It was just… fine?

I expected this would land similar to the GnR and AC/DC albums I’ve heard so far, but it was worse. Every single song feel my long and dull, I just wanted it to end.

Bland grunge-lite. Sounded more like adult contemporary music that happened to use fuzzed out guitars because of the era. Nothing offensive about it, just boring.

Catchy tunes with deeper lyrics than I would’ve expected.

Completely fine.

I don’t think I’ll ever be a fan of Rush, but I appreciate what they’re going for I suppose.

I could close my eyes and imagine movie scenes to accompany each track, and doing so was novel. But the music itself felt cheesy and wasn’t particularly enjoyable.

It was s’posed to be so eaaaaaasyyyyy! This was a fav when it was new, we’ll see how it holds up. Yeah, honestly, it still holds up! Lots of criticism about the flow in the reviews, but I think it helps to think of this more as a piece of musical theater and less as a rap album. Solid easy 4.

Three songs in and I don’t know how I’m gonna get through this one. Couldn’t do it. I said I’d listen to every album but this wasn’t even music. Genuinely worse than the kid rock album I sat through.

3.5 stars for me, but rounding up at the sheer audacity of putting the lime and coconut song right after without you.

Some interesting musical ideas, but kinda bland overall.

A little all over the map but in a way I enjoyed.

I wanted to like this album more than I did.

Songs to make your mom and dad chuckle out of second hand embarrassment.

I rarely choose to put on a bjork album but every time I do it’s a nice time.

An album and band I’d never heard of before, and a love it. It’s like meeting the Cure’s dad. For coming out in ‘81 some of the sounds on the album are wild. Unexpected five stars.

Hard not to be influenced by nostalgia here. It’s a high four but I’m rounding up because it contains the single greatest pop song of the 2000s.

Long timen aware, first time listener. Reminds me of some Bowie, with a little more rock and a little less space cadet. I dig it.

I like this much more than I expected to. The part of me that who’s a bath and some Norah jones really enjoyed this. A little boring she, but calming with a beautiful voice.

First time getting a second album by the same artist! Other than the hits, it was only ok for me. I think it’s a three because my expectations were higher.

Every track hits. Easy 5.

Distracted listen because I was on a plane holding a baby, but fuck it — 4 stars.

Vocals didn’t do it for me, lyrics didn’t do it for me, album didn’t do it for me.

Perfectly nice album, but nothing revolutionary or particularly memorable. It’s a high three.

Great album by a band that would only go on to make greater albums.

There’s a four-star album in here, if it wasn’t a double album.

A favorite and an easy five.

A slower burn than I remember, but still really good.

Barely scraping a 3 here. I considered myself a fan of office based on his hits, but this made me like him less.

I don’t get it, and that’s okay.

I never really got the Fleetwood Mac love. They’re… fine? And this album was… fine. Big portions, though!

Sometimes I give threes to albums that display a ton of talent but aren’t my thing. This is one of those threes.

Another album where the artist is clearly talented but the music doesn’t do much for me.

Spiritualized fan but first time I sat down with this one. The title track is killer and the rest delivers solidly.

On one hand, was the music that great? I dunno. On the other hand, I appreciate how tactile it was — it felt like you could see or feel the music playing out — so I’ll call it a 4.

Longest 39 minutes of my day. It’s a 2 even separating the art from the artist… a 1 when you factor in how much Clapton sucks.

I really enjoyed this. Was really only familiar with Crazy Train (which is just Ozzy anyway) so this was a pleasant surprise. Great riffs and energy, a lot of zeppelin in there.

Maybe I’m just not digging on the vocals, but this feels… soulless? I’ve heard them compared to LCD Soundsystem, daft punk, and others I really like, but this does nothing for me. Just bland.

Morrisey is a miserable bigot but some of the music is catchy.

I used to LOVE the first two tracks, but overall the album was kinda corny.

Holds up.

Honestly, I thought this was in the running to be a 4 but things drop off after the first track. It’s fine, an enjoyable listen, but not something I’ll think about a lot.

I wanted to like this more. Just didn’t do a lot for me even though I like a lot of similar music.

Hotel California is so good… and the rest of the album is so mediocre.

Didn’t hate it, but it didn’t do much for me either.

A high 3, and maybe a 4 if I spent more time with it.

I liked helicopter — the rest meandered and was pretty boring.

It’s a high 4 or a low 5… rounding up.

Really really hard to get through. Karma chameleon is a highlight, and I hate that song.

Great energy up front before settling into ballads in the back. What I hoped prince’s most recently reviewed album would be. Ahead of its time (or, at least, still relevant today) lyrically.

Even early/not fully baked Beatles are good Beatles.

If forgotten how much I listened to this (and the first 2) album. I learned nearly every song in the guitar. Hard not to give this a 5 for nostalgia’s sake.

Expected a 2 star album, got a 4 star. Would be shocked if early modest mouse wasn’t fans of these guys.

Great energy, infectious.

Other Van Halen albums might rank higher for me; this one’s just okay.

I didn’t give this my full attention. Perfectly pleasant but didn’t make an impact.

Didn’t do as much for me as the earlier albums.

A couple standout tracks but a 3 overall for me

A couple standout tracks but overall just a 3.

Wonderful start to back.

Cool to understand these guys better and put a name to the first track, but got pretty tedious. 3 for the music, 2 for getting bored listening… low 3 overall

Kinda holds up out of nostalgia… but partly doesn’t hold up at all.

Surprising and beautiful.

So close to a 4… and a 2. So much worked for me, so much didn’t.

First track was a groove… the rest was forgettable.

Still holds up. Not a lot of the same sound of later Radiohead but the foundations are there and it’s just as good in its own way.

Didn’t hook me the same way stories… did, but still solid

Really good to have this on my radar.

I could - should - keep coming back to this one.

I appreciate what they’re going for but it didn’t hook me this lifetime. Makes more sense knowing they’re Scottish. These are getting harder to rate.

I like Beastie Boys more than I like their music.

Jazz I feel like I understand.

Reminded me of stereolab

4 killer tracks and the rest I could forget about.

I appreciate the ambition… but the album kinda exhausted me.

Half the songs are classics. Hard to argue with that.

Dated but historic.

One of the most fun things about this experience is discovering contemporaries of bands I love. This is an awesome precursor to Pixies and I’m glad to have heard it. Not crazy about the racist lyrics in one song (edit: TWO songs, woof) and the confusing album cover (maybe there’s something I’m just not getting)

Glad I got Ali Farka Touré a few days ago to be able to put this one in context. Really good stuff and a good lesson in world history too.

The title track is about as good as it gets, but a lot of the rest of the album is just fine for me.

Managed to get three stars from an album of Rod Stewart singing, which is more than I thought I’d ever give. So there’s that. But British blues just ain’t my jam.

I get the feeling 2Pac kinda sucked as a dude, but no doubt he’s a talented rapper. So… split the difference, I guess?

Some really beautiful stuff in here but you have to wade through a lot of noodling to get it.