This one really challenged me with the experimental soundscapes that are a bit beyond my musical comfort zone, which is what I absolutely love about the 1001 album listening journey! BJÖRK is an artist I’ve been somewhat familiar with beyond her early career with The Sugarcubes and understood to have significant accolades for her unique and inventive song structures, however I’ve always been reluctant to dedicate the time required to fully absorb her music. Primarily, my listening experience to her output has been with the more mainstream tracks from the 90’s records Debut and Post, as I tend to overlook the more pure electronic and ambient genres, however I have appreciated elements of these styles that bands such as Radiohead and to a greater extent Portishead have brilliantly incorporated into their discographies. The recording here includes an array of instrumentation that transcends a fixed category, as BJÖRK fuses electro-beats with strings and even music boxes! Having listened to this album in its entirety, as a full body of work, is what makes me appreciate what the artform of a record can be as a true sensory experience. Dreamy, melodic, ethereal and wintery are feelings this album emotes, adding that it also appears to be deeply personal and intimate through the evocative vulnerability in her lyrics. Classic Track- Hidden Place Hidden Gem- Harm of Will Personal Favourite- Pagan Poetry Toss Away- Aurora Now BJÖRK’s voice can be an acquired taste and at times distracts from the lush sensuality of the album’s production. It will demand repeated listens to fully grasp the broad scope of intricate details and meaning, however my initial reaction was a definitive 4 rating!

Groundbreaking essential listening! Pixies helped pave the way for what would become mainstream alt-rock of the 90’s. To those that don’t seem to ‘get’ Pixies music or the critical legacy they have garnered, particularly with their first 3 releases, you have to remember the time in which these albums were released; an era in which 80’s synth pop and hair metal bands were dominating the charts. Pixies were simply WAYYYY ahead of their time! There is a famous quote that sums this up best- ‘in 1987 Pixies sounded like no other band. By 1992 every band sounded like Pixies with loud…quiet…loud song dynamics’. I may be a bit biased here as Pixies are among my all-time favorite bands, however without them many of those others would simply not exist within the same realm. Classic Track- Where is My Mind? Hidden Gem- Vamos Personal Favorite- River Euphrates Toss Away- I’m Amazed The vocal delivery of Frank Black Francis’ howling aggressive shrieks against Kim Deal’s mellifluous melodic harmonies, blended with Joey Santiago’s uniquely creative guitar whaling and David Lovering’s masterful drum beats continue to be unmatched by any other band to this day (including the current incarnation of Pixies). Mr. Albini can also thank Pixies for the record production and engineering career notoriety he would receive with capturing such raw sounds with helping many other bands achieve (namely The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Nirvana & Low, in addition to his own bands Big Black & Shellac). *4.5 as Pixies would further build upon the solid foundation they laid on this record and Come On Pilgrim with the INCREDIBLE Doolittle only a year later. **Although their 1990 album Bossanova is also included in the 1001 list, for my money their 1991 release Trompe Le Monde is even better and serves as a great appetizer to Frank Black’s extraordinary solo discography. **I also HIGHLY recommend listening to Kim Deal’s band The Breeders first release Pod (1990), which was also produced by Steve Albini. That recording contains a very similar raw sounding and punchy drum aesthetic.

Nothing revolutionary here and although pretty straightforward and uninspired easy listening soft rock, this collection of songs is executed quite nicely. I do prefer albums with MUCH greater creative ambition, those offering real emotional depth to challenge my listening ears with embracing something edgy and far less mainstream (the comments on this being textbook elevator music are spot on!). Having said that, I do respect the musicianship on display with this recording and Mr. Piano Man can clearly carry a note as a singer. Classic Track- Just The Way You Are Hidden Gem- Vienna Guilty Pleasure- Movin’ Out (‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack) Toss Away- Get It Right The First Time While this genre of musack is not quite my cup of tea, there is nothing offensively bad with the record and produced some notable big hits. Cheesy sure, but it’s fine :)

Although a pioneering showcase of the new wave sound and influential with blending elements of several pop genres, this album was not as enjoyable a listen as I remember it to be. It is not a bad record, there are some really great songs, I would say quite overrated for what is presented overall based on the legacy it has. Costello’s voice was a challenge to endure at times, especially on “Lip Service”. Classic Track- Pump it Up Hidden Gem Track- Lipstick Vogue Throw Away Track- Lip Service I appreciate the lyrical themes of Costello’s songwriting and the musicianship of what The Attractions brought to the recording! *3.5 As this was the first EC listen as part of the 1001 list, understanding there are (gulp) 5 more to experience, perhaps at least one of his others will impress me more than This Year’s Model.

Having never listened to an entire Zeppelin album from start to finish, I was struck by the heavy dose of blues throughout this record! Wow what have I been missing all these years…There is much more to enjoy here than I would have thought, going in with a preconceived expectation of simply hearing a pure ‘classic rock’ sound. Sure there is much sampling, however isn’t that what most great artists do in some form or another? Their specific take on those specific songs was rocking to my ears and my foot was tapping all the way through. I’m looking forward to experiencing further deep cuts and hopefully a few more surprises by this legendary (indeed classic rock) band!

Having never listened to an entire Zeppelin album from start to finish, I was struck by the heavy dose of blues throughout this record! Wow what have I been missing all these years…There is much more to enjoy here than I would have thought, going in with a preconceived expectation of simply hearing a pure ‘classic rock’ sound. Sure there is much sampling, however isn’t that what most great artists do in some form or another? Their specific take on those specific songs was rocking to my ears and my foot was tapping all the way through. I’m looking forward to experiencing further deep cuts and hopefully a few more surprises by this legendary (indeed classic rock) band!

Although a pioneering showcase of the new wave sound and influential with blending elements of several pop genres, this album was not as enjoyable a listen as I remember it to be. It is not a bad record, there are some really great songs, I would say quite overrated for what is presented overall based on the legacy it has. Costello’s voice was a challenge to endure at times, especially on “Lip Service”. Classic Track- Pump it Up Hidden Gem Track- Lipstick Vogue Throw Away Track- Lip Service I appreciate the lyrical themes of Costello’s songwriting and the musicianship of what The Attractions brought to the recording! *3.5 As this was the first EC listen as part of the 1001 list, understanding there are (gulp) 5 more to experience, perhaps at least one of his others will impress me more than This Year’s Model.

How was this created by the same brain child as the kid that provided backing keyboards to Slam Bamboo? Trent must have stumbled across some Skinny Puppy…and thank God he did for us to be gifted this astounding musical achievement! Classic Track- Closer Hidden Gem- A Warm Place Throw Away- The Becoming For a non metal head, this album was much more accessible than anticipated to keep my full attention throughout the layers complex arrangements of emotional depth in Trent’s lyrical overarching conceptual theme. However dark and unsettling the subject matter is, the messages resonate strongly. *4.5

Groundbreaking essential listening! Pixies helped pave the way for what would become mainstream alt-rock of the 90’s. To those that don’t seem to ‘get’ Pixies music or the critical legacy they have garnered, particularly with their first 3 releases, you have to remember the time in which these albums were released; an era in which 80’s synth pop and hair metal bands were dominating the charts. Pixies were simply WAYYYY ahead of their time! There is a famous quote that sums this up best- ‘in 1987 Pixies sounded like no other band. By 1992 every band sounded like Pixies with loud…quiet…loud song dynamics’. I may be a bit biased here as Pixies are among my all-time favorite bands, however without them many of those others would simply not exist within the same realm. Classic Track- Where is My Mind? Hidden Gem- Vamos Personal Favorite- River Euphrates Toss Away- I’m Amazed The vocal delivery of Frank Black Francis’ howling aggressive shrieks against Kim Deal’s mellifluous melodic harmonies, blended with Joey Santiago’s uniquely creative guitar whaling and David Lovering’s masterful drum beats continue to be unmatched by any other band to this day (including the current incarnation of Pixies). Mr. Albini can also thank Pixies for the record production and engineering career notoriety he would receive with capturing such raw sounds with helping many other bands achieve (namely The Breeders, PJ Harvey, Nirvana & Low, in addition to his own bands Big Black & Shellac). *4.5 as Pixies would further build upon the solid foundation they laid on this record and Come On Pilgrim with the INCREDIBLE Doolittle only a year later. **Although their 1990 album Bossanova is also included in the 1001 list, for my money their 1991 release Trompe Le Monde is even better and serves as a great appetizer to Frank Black’s extraordinary solo discography. **I also HIGHLY recommend listening to Kim Deal’s band The Breeders first release Pod (1990), which was also produced by Steve Albini. That recording contains a very similar raw sounding and punchy drum aesthetic.

Nothing revolutionary here and although pretty straightforward and uninspired easy listening soft rock, this collection of songs is executed quite nicely. I do prefer albums with MUCH greater creative ambition, those offering real emotional depth to challenge my listening ears with embracing something edgy and far less mainstream (the comments on this being textbook elevator music are spot on!). Having said that, I do respect the musicianship on display with this recording and Mr. Piano Man can clearly carry a note as a singer. Classic Track- Just The Way You Are Hidden Gem- Vienna Guilty Pleasure- Movin’ Out (‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack ‘ack) Toss Away- Get It Right The First Time While this genre of musack is not quite my cup of tea, there is nothing offensively bad with the record and produced some notable big hits. Cheesy sure, but it’s fine :)

It feels all too formulaic to be considered among the best recorded albums of all-time, so you’ll have to forgive my confusion for it being included on this list. There are some moments of intriguing creativity that are admittedly catchy with Lorde’s songwriting being introspective and self-aware, albeit clichéd. Classic Track- Green Light Hidden Gem- The Louvre Guilty Pleasure- Homemade Dynamite Toss Away- liability (reprise) Unfortunately, Lorde’s unique vocal delivery and the glossy production are unable to influence my greater interest with these collection of songs. However the album artwork notches it up a half mark. *2.5

2PAC Against My Ears! I have never been a fan of pure rap music, especially of the gangsta variety, and this album only exemplifies my distaste for it. Overtly self-indulgent, misogynistic obscene songwriting littered with profanity which is supposed to be taken as ‘poetry’? Musically there are digestible grooves here, however the vibe is completely offset by such offensive lyrics and tripe subject matter. It is laughable that Mr. PAC seemed to think that the world owed him something for the many perils he directly caused for himself. I mean wasn’t he incarcerated at the time this was released? 2PAC’s attempt to brand himself as a martyr right at the onset of the ‘Intro’ track was immediately a turn off and nothing that I heard throughout the rest of the recording redeemed itself for me. Classic Track- ?? Hidden Gem- Old School (if not for the vulgarity) Least Objectionable- Dear Mama Toss Away- All tracks as I lost count of how many N* & F* bombs were delivered to my ears. Fu** The World was particularly egregious! I’m hopeful that other rap & hip hop records on this list can help redeem the genre for me. This garbage was certainly not it.

This one really challenged me with the experimental soundscapes that are a bit beyond my musical comfort zone, which is what I absolutely love about the 1001 album listening journey! BJÖRK is an artist I’ve been somewhat familiar with beyond her early career with The Sugarcubes and understood to have significant accolades for her unique and inventive song structures, however I’ve always been reluctant to dedicate the time required to fully absorb her music. Primarily, my listening experience to her output has been with the more mainstream tracks from the 90’s records Debut and Post, as I tend to overlook the more pure electronic and ambient genres, however I have appreciated elements of these styles that bands such as Radiohead and to a greater extent Portishead have brilliantly incorporated into their discographies. The recording here includes an array of instrumentation that transcends a fixed category, as BJÖRK fuses electro-beats with strings and even music boxes! Having listened to this album in its entirety, as a full body of work, is what makes me appreciate what the artform of a record can be as a true sensory experience. Dreamy, melodic, ethereal and wintery are feelings this album emotes, adding that it also appears to be deeply personal and intimate through the evocative vulnerability in her lyrics. Classic Track- Hidden Place Hidden Gem- Harm of Will Personal Favourite- Pagan Poetry Toss Away- Aurora Now BJÖRK’s voice can be an acquired taste and at times distracts from the lush sensuality of the album’s production. It will demand repeated listens to fully grasp the broad scope of intricate details and meaning, however my initial reaction was a definitive 4 rating!

Another high note listening experience courtesy of the 1001 album list :) This one has been on my radar to immerse myself in for quite sometime but somehow fell through the cracks, so I was delighted when it came through the generator today as my album to review. I was already familiar with the two opening tracks as well as the reputation this release has for sounding very Dylan-Springsteen-Americana-esque, which it very much dose, however not to the degree that it compromises from its own distinct identity. This is a very cohesive album, each song perfectly flowing into the next, contemplative in feel that is pleasantly airy and dreamlike. I put this on while I was driving along rural backgrounds and the scenery complimented these tracks beautifully. Classic Track- Under The Pressure Hidden Gem- Suffering Toss Away- In Reverse The slow burn instrumentals are exquisite albeit extends the runtime of the album overall a tad too long, coming in just over an hour averaging 6 minutes per track. A phenomenally produced indie rock gem that I look forward to revisiting!

Wow what an album! Combining Dylan’s trademark folk acoustic sound with the first introduction of electric instrumentation in his music that would help reshape the then emerging rock scene to what it would become for generations to come. Now I’m no Dylan super fan and this was my first listening experience with this particular album, courtesy of the 1001 album project…which really makes me wonder how I missed this for so long, as my relationship with his music had been HWY 61 onward. Essential listening that absolutely deserves its place on this list among the others! A classic, dare I say best Dylan offering? Time will tell (I’m only 10 albums into this journey), however I’m confident in rating this as my first 5 Star ***** :) Classic Track- Mr. Tambourine Man Hidden Gem- Outlaw Blues Personal Favourite- It’s Alright ma (I’m Only Bleeding) The album artwork further solidifies my rating as the visual symbolism compliments his personal lyricism perfectly. Before Highway 61…Blonde on Blonde…Blood on the Tracks… There was this masterpiece of daring musical innovation for its time, that boldly challenged its contemporaries in the face of divisive criticism. Bravo Mr. Dylan! I will now be on the lookout for a clean original vinyl pressing of this record to add to my collection!

Avant garde krautrock that will thrust your music listening experience well beyond the boundaries of conventional sounds and song structures, however dedicated patience will reward your ears! This one gave me classic Residents vibes, a band that purposefully would make it difficult to endure their inharmonious songs, similarly found here beneath the uncomfortable surface textures is wondrous cerebral discovery. This will not be for everyone, as the songs can run long with unpredictable time signatures and random mixes of disparate instrumentation, which remarkably can work together in most songs resulting in a creatively unique and profoundly influential style. Progressive, atmospheric, psychedelic, punky and at times folk like, in arrangements that are made all their own. Classic Track- Krautrock Hidden Gem- The Sad Skinhead Toss Away- Läuft...Heißt Das Es Läuft Oder Es Kommt Bald...Läuft The opening track itself apparently coined the entire krautrock genre, to which I am now more open to delving into after having listened to this surprising offering.

Ah Dinosaur Jr. the brainchild of J. Mascis, as one of the key pioneering forces of the 1980’s underground SST indie punk & emerging alt-rock movement. I highly recommend checking out the book “This Band Could Be Your Life” as Dinosaur Jr. are one of the bands profiled and linking the tremendous influence they had on crafting the sound more household names Pixies & Nirvana would become legendary for. This album hits all the right notes, a welcomed mix of aggressive guitar, melodic and shoegazy pop textures with Lo-fi production. If this is ‘slacker rock’ then call me a slacker McFly! Classic Track- Freak Scene Hidden Gem- Yeah We Know Personal Favourite- Let it Ride Toss Away- Don’t (Mascis screaming vocals are a bit over the top here!) It is difficult to pinpoint which Dinosaur Jr. album rises above all others, especially given they’ve had three distinct eras across their career. Bug is a worthy addition to this list nonetheless!

Much more post-punk sounding then I was expecting, not that it’s in the same vein (or quality) as Joy Division or PIL, as the very 80’s mainstream aesthetic is on full display that could be no more evident then the peppered in saxophones. This was further showcased through lead singer Richard butler's drawling British accented vocals. Pretty in Pink is the obvious big hit here, however there are some other good songs to be discovered across the ten tracks making up the album. Having said that, it also contains definite filler. Classic Track- Pretty in Pink Hidden Gem- Mr. Jones Personal Favorite- Dumb Waiters Toss Away- She is Mine This one interested me to garner repeated listens, however not memorable enough to move the needle from good to great.

It might be off the wall…but it’s on funky fire !🕺🔥 The one and only Michael Jackson coming into his own as an emerging sensational talent on this record, musically leaps and bounds beyond all output he released proceeding it. The first in a trifecta of albums (Thriller & Bad were on the horizon) composing brilliant R & B danceable beats with funky disco pop and strong ballads with soul vibe. Track 7 is the outlier here, however the lyricism and emotional performance delivered reserves its place. Layer in Michael’s signature vocals and Quincy Jones’ smooth production and you have quite the remarkable sound mix that created a lasting legacy for who would become known as The King of Pop! 🎧 Classic Track Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough 🎧 Hidden Gem: She’s Out Of My Life 🎧 Personal Favourite: Get On The Floor I was nowhere near expecting to be as impressed with this album as I was, especially after repeated listens that convinced me this is worthy of top marks. Bravo to the masterful duo of Jackson & Jones as together they were on the precipice of superstardom! 🖼️ Album Artwork: Awkward