Mar 22 2025
Illinois
Sufjan Stevens
What an album to start this journey with! The lyrics are fairly impenetrable for me, but I love their feeling. The music is genre defining -melodic indie with folk and rock. It feels li-fi, but is so well produced and comped it is on another level. Wonderful 5β
5
Mar 23 2025
Sea Change
Beck
4 stars
4
Mar 24 2025
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
5 β
5
Mar 25 2025
Is This It
The Strokes
Top 10 favourite. 2001, 21 years old at University. It was like this album was made for me - angular guitar underwritten with classic 60s pop sensibilities. I can remember where I was when I 1st heard Last Nite, and that is what your Favourites are all about.
5
Mar 26 2025
The Score
Fugees
The songs that aren't covers have 1 musical idea, repeated to the point of medium. The covers are ok, but hardly greatest album material.
I don't appreciate it lyrically, and I feel that it is where it's got to hit you, as the songs are so repetitive.
2
Mar 27 2025
In Rainbows
Radiohead
The aim of doing this is to 1. find great albums I'd never listened to and 2. reasses albums I had once dismissed. This is one I am glad I have reassessed.
After OK Computer, Radiohead dropped off a cliff for me. Kid A etc left me absolutely cold. This album had a cursory listen at the time, but the purchasing process was odd and I considered it less of a proper release because of it. I know I did prefer it to their post-OK releases at the time, but I never listened to it again until it appeared here.
What I like about it is that there are songs with melodies and bass lines that groove a bit. And rhythm. Overall, it feels like these songs are allowed to breathe - all the intensity is dialled back a bit to let the tunes rise to the surface.
Glad I listened again. The first time it was almost a 5, but a 4 is probably closer - it's not that great, but very, very good.l and one I will listen to again.
4
Mar 28 2025
Faust IV
Faust
After slogging through 11mins long track 1, I was dreading the rest of the album, but I found I quite enjoyed the rest! It was weird, but inventive.
3
Mar 29 2025
The KΓΆln Concert
Keith Jarrett
I had a friend who said "Why would I go and watch **** live? I can listen to all their songs perfectly on CD." For me, this album is the reason. Songs shouldn't exist in one perfect form - they are living, evolving things. And on this album, with Keith Jarrett improvising them from the musical either, that is demonstrated to perfection. He shows music isn't about the best piano, the best rehearsed, the best produced. It is also about the immediacy of the moment.
My only problem with this album is that it sometimes reminds me of the theme tunes to those 80s US law dramas! They really spoilt melodic jazz for me.
5
Mar 30 2025
Elephant Mountain
The Youngbloods
Inoffensive and pleasent, but hardly exciting. Obviously not up with the real big hitters of the period and lacks the standout tracks that elevate bands from the crowd
3
Mar 31 2025
The Bends
Radiohead
5
Apr 01 2025
Live At Leeds
The Who
3
Apr 02 2025
Bitte Orca
Dirty Projectors
This was going to be a 4, but caught me on the wrong day where the angular and spiky songs hit wrong and annoyed me. Ultimately the instruments and vocals sounded so distinct from each other, rather than helping into a coherent sound.
3
Apr 03 2025
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
5
Apr 04 2025
Walking Wounded
Everything But The Girl
Music with no soul. I can hear the midi instruments as they beep and click. It's redeeming feature is that it is largely inoffensive and recedes to the background.
2
Apr 05 2025
There's No Place Like America Today
Curtis Mayfield
2
Apr 06 2025
Pieces Of The Sky
Emmylou Harris
7/10
4
Apr 07 2025
The Hour Of Bewilderbeast
Badly Drawn Boy
5/10
3
Apr 08 2025
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
9/10
5
Apr 09 2025
The Age Of The Understatement
The Last Shadow Puppets
It's nice! I enjoy listening to it. But it is hardly exciting, and I'm not sure I MUST listen to it before I die?
The orchestration seems a bit lame really, perhaps signposting the garbage heading out way from the Arctic Monkeys. But here, the tunes remain and Alex isn't wholly up himself.
6/10
3
Apr 10 2025
More Songs About Buildings And Food
Talking Heads
9/10
5
Apr 11 2025
The Sun Rises In The East
Jeru The Damaja
2/10
Got very bored after the first couple of tracks. Had to skip Da Bitches, with it's terrible, dated lyrics. Also was about to skip Mental Stamina with it's atonal, arythmic phone beep thing. Not good.
1
Apr 12 2025
Stardust
Willie Nelson
Hmm, incredibly inoffensive and safe - although I appreciate the background of the album. Kind of music that is like a warm bath or good to recover from major surgery from. It ain't going to get you too ruled up. However, I can't deny that these are some of my favourites versions of the behemoth songs. I'm just not that much of a fan of the songs.
5/10
3
Apr 13 2025
Liege And Lief
Fairport Convention
9/10
Traditional British folk is an odd genre - I listened to this on my way to a beer festival in the West Country (UK), and I couldn't think of anything more fitting!
I love it because the band, and the guitar especially, lifts above the trad folk. And Sandy Denny's vocals are genre defining. Thoroughly enjoyable, much better than I expected
5
Apr 14 2025
Rid Of Me
PJ Harvey
7/10
Angry, frantic, but also tuneful. Aged very well compared to other music from the early 90s.
4
Apr 15 2025
Bayou Country
Creedence Clearwater Revival
9/10
Maybe a bit generous - sometimes the noodling is a bit, sometimes the tracks are too long - but Born on the Bayou and Proud Mary are excellent and I love the general feel of the album. Go on, have 5 stars.
5
Apr 16 2025
Born To Run
Bruce Springsteen
6/10
1st up, I hate sax. 2nd, the songs are so earnest, so pained, so overwrought. It's exhausting. At times they are like they are from a musical, where everything has to accommodate the lyrics, and be damned the tune and the song structure.
But it is obviously still a great album, with some brilliant songs.
3
Apr 17 2025
Cupid & Psyche 85
Scritti Politti
2/10
Little to redeem this. It is everything I dislike about 80s pop - it's music with the soul removed.
1
Apr 18 2025
21
Adele
6/10
4 good pop singles sat amongst some fairly bland tracks. Lyrically, a relentless breakup album, which gets tiresome after a while
3
Apr 19 2025
Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
8/10
Great guitar. Very angry
4
Apr 20 2025
If I Could Only Remember My Name
David Crosby
3
Apr 21 2025
Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo
Devo
7/10
4
Apr 22 2025
London Calling
The Clash
7/10
Definitely an extra star for its influence. At times it's excellent, at others it just sounds a bit rubbish! One of the many double albums that would have been a solid 5 β single album.
4
Apr 23 2025
Lady In Satin
Billie Holiday
4/10
Music I can't relate to, so it's hard to give it a decent score. It's just so syrupy-thick. Maybe if I were to hold a dinner party and invite some mid 20th century intellectuals, this could play low in the background, smothered by the smoke from our cigars.
I find it hard to grasp how raw emotion can be conveyed by such bland music, but what do I know. I was glad when it finished.
2
Apr 24 2025
So Much For The City
The Thrills
4/10
Painfully average. The 3 singles I remember are still decent slices of jangle pop, but this album is one of those that is sorely out of place on any list of greatest albums. Even 1001 of them.
2
Apr 25 2025
I See You
The xx
4/10
Another album that doesn't need to be on this list. I counted 18 yawns during my listening. I can't put my finger on particularly frustrating tracks, it's just as a whole piece it is massively underwhelming.
2
Apr 26 2025
Who's Next
The Who
10/10
The best 1st song/last song combo I can think of, and what's in between is great too. All the better for not being a rock opera - these are just brilliant songs with no agenda other than to be awesome.
Potentially a top 10 all-time favourite. And probably the only Who album that'll get 5stars as they always seem to let themselves down with a few dodgy tracks. But none of that here.
5
Apr 27 2025
The ArchAndroid
Janelle MonΓ‘e
8/10
Well, well, well. My heart sank when this came up. I didnt know it and I was all set to be granting it 2 stars.
But I was wonderfully wrong! It's funky, funny and clever. It's superbly varied. It has SONGS that evolve and are coherent. It has some guitar!!
The point of doing this is to challenge oneself to listen to things I wouldn't normally in the hope of finding things that are fresh. Hooray
4
Apr 28 2025
Odessa
Bee Gees
4/10
I wouldn't have guessed this was a Bee Gees' album, although there is the odd moment where the future distinctive vocal can be discerned from the largely forgettable late 60s pop on offer. Sounds so much like the Beatles at times, it is almost comical, as are most of their lyrics. I have no doubt that in is time it would have been a decent listen, but today, with the wealth of other music around, it felt irrelevant.
2
Apr 29 2025
At Folsom Prison
Johnny Cash
10/10
It's wild! A great live album gives you an inkling if what it was like to be in the audience, and none does it better than this one.
5
Apr 30 2025
Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus
Spirit
8/10
Well, ok then. Never knowingly heard Spirit before, but I thought this was rather awesome. They sound like they're having fun and have a sense of humour. They know how to rock and how to write a song. Thank you 1001 STHBYD
4
May 01 2025
La Revancha Del Tango
Gotan Project
4/10
It sits in the background and rumbles along in its inoffensive way. It's well produced, but an hour? Oof, it was a bit of a slog.
I don't begrudge this album being on the list, assuming it represents a high mark in Euro-electronic reinterpretations of Tango music. I would question how they have managed to take the soul out of something meant to be so raw. It does nothing for me - most of it feels like it could be on a Brittany Ferries infomercial
2
May 02 2025
Elvis Is Back
Elvis Presley
5/10
3
May 03 2025
Superfly
Curtis Mayfield
5/10
Love the bass, appreciate the instrumentation and arrangements. But I get a bit bored and I don't get grabbed by the songs. Glad I heard it, but I'm unlikely to revisit.
3
May 04 2025
In The Wee Small Hours
Frank Sinatra
3/10
It's harsh, but I just don't like this type of music. It was absolutely vital though: the antithesis that rock and roll needed to become the phenomenon it did. You got to have something to rebel against and these perfectly orchestrated, perfectly sung, perfectly bland songs were that.
2
May 05 2025
In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida
Iron Butterfly
5/10
A bit too rough round the edges, but solid psychedelic rock. And it made me think of the Simpsons.
3
May 06 2025
Brothers In Arms
Dire Straits
7/10
Money for Nothing is epic, 10/10. So Far Away and Walk of Life are great. But it does lag and drift for long stretches - you just want to give it a boot up the butt in the 2nd half.
4
May 07 2025
Le Tigre
Le Tigre
6/10
3
May 08 2025
Me Against The World
2Pac
4/10
So I thought I was going to hate this album but, while I didn't actually like it, I definitely enjoyed it more than I thought I would.
2
May 09 2025
Isn't Anything
My Bloody Valentine
5/10
I feel I should like this more than I do. It's so flippin noisy though. And discordant.i can appreciate it.
3
May 10 2025
Mothership Connection
Parliament
6/10
Could have been 4 stars - the best bits are great, although the 1st track has my least favourite elements of meandering.
3
May 11 2025
Group Sex
Circle Jerks
3/10
Out of context, there is little going for this album. Mercifully short. Ridiculously short, in fact.
2
May 12 2025
Queen Of Denmark
John Grant
6/10
At times I think it's great - I find his lyrics funny and interesting, and musically it can be melodic and solid indie folk.
But this does not need to be 72 mins long. An album should be 42mins, 12 songs. It can be longer, but you need a good reason. Like books over 306 pages, or movies over 1hr 44mins. It's doable, gee, most of the top albums ARE. But this album does not make its case. Easy to find 4 songs to cut and 20mins. Now that would have been an excellent album...
3
May 13 2025
Buena Vista Social Club
Buena Vista Social Club
6/10
It's cool - the musicality is top drawer and I like the feel to the album. However, there are no stand out tracks I'd say I love and it gets a little too jazz for me. But obviously great and worthy of it's place on this list
3
May 14 2025
Pornography
The Cure
6/10
Enjoyed more than I thought I would. It stays the right side of dirge on all but the title track, which, on an album of only 8 songs, resulted in it losing a mark and this a star. Bad luck, The Cure.
3
May 15 2025
3 + 3
The Isley Brothers
7/10
Funky, obviously. The musicianship is top notch, and the song writings great - whether it is theirs or finely picked other people's.
4
May 16 2025
Germfree Adolescents
X-Ray Spex
9/10
A great punk album. Tunes, energy, funny lyrics. Even the Devil Horn saxophone doesn't spoil the tracks it appears on.
5
May 17 2025
1999
Prince
6/10
I was firmly of the opinion that Prince is overrated. For the first half of this album, I had serious doubts about that belief.
But then I listened to the second half and read the Spotify bio, and he definitely is.
I enjoyed parts of this album much more than I thought I would and it was a very strong 4 star. However, the longer the album lasted, the further the score dropped ...
3
May 18 2025
Spy Vs. Spy: The Music Of Ornette Coleman
John Zorn
1/10
Oh god. The devil horn. In stereo, playing different random notes while a drummer violently disagrees with them both on anything that might be construed as a cohesive sound.
It's relentless, although on a couple of occasions a tune tries to break out, only to be brutally assaulted around the head with a barrage of sax notes blasted at the full limit of the infernal instrument's gasping worst.
I ran out of time and inclination to make it to the end, but unless there is some kind of musical epiphany halfway through, I don't think anything was going to happen to change my mind.
1
May 19 2025
Vulnicura
BjΓΆrk
2/10
I don't like Bjorn. I recognise the need for unique voices, and I salute her for having one. It's just I really dislike it. The staccato, broken delivery does my nut in.
Maybe slightly harsh on this album, but it took a big effort to make it through
1
May 20 2025
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
7/10
Am I giving this an extra star cos I feel that I'm obliged to? Maybe. Sir Duke, I Wish and As are superb songs. But I don't like a lot of the album, and there is a lot of it. I never liked Isn't She Lovely's sickly pop, and to have 6+ mins of it is bordering on torture.
If it's your thing then 1hr45mins is probably heaven, but for the casual fan it is far too much.
3
May 21 2025
Shaft
Isaac Hayes
4/10
It's a soundtrack. It sounds like a soundtrack. It has one song and then lots of sound tracks. They sound ok in places, but rarely hint a cohesive album in the way I think this list understands it to be.
2
May 22 2025
Kollaps
EinstΓΌrzende Neubauten
2/10
I want a survivors T-shirt for this album. It's comical really, banging and drilling and shouting. Being in German, the lyrics are obviously pointless to me as a non-speaker, so there is nothing to gain from it there.
Why not 1/10? Well, there is some rhythm to it and it is certainly challenging. Kind of made me think about what is the point of music - is it to only be beautiful or meaningful? How wide is that bracket, and isn't it boring if nothing else is worthy?
I don't think I know, but ultimately this didn't bring me any joy or touch me in any way other than the satisfaction of making it through.
1
May 23 2025
Django Django
Django Django
7/10
I enjoyed it. Totally passed me by when it came out, but that was when my attention was elsewhere.
Hard to justify it being in this list, but 1001 is a lot of albums and this is probably in the top 1000 LPs. It's just hard to think of it as something exceptional, something for all time. Maybe this list is too long.
4
May 24 2025
Are You Experienced
Jimi Hendrix
10/10
Wow - what an album. Guitar rock, redefined and the bar set for everyone else. The one thing Jimi had that so few other guitarists do is the FEEL of the instrument. He's technically awesome, obviously, but that what his playing is about.
Every song is great. For me, the drums and bass are much better on this than Electric aladypand, where they were trying too hard to keep up with the virtuosity. They didn't need to.
5
May 25 2025
Trio
Dolly Parton
5/10
Full-on country. It couldn't be more country. It can be twee and overwrought but the harmonies are great and they three superstars sound nothing like they look on the cover. Which is a good thing, as I was fearing an 80s C&W album with synths and the like. Maybe that isn't a thing.
Whenever C&W comes up, it reminds me of my grandad, so that is a good thing.
3
May 26 2025
Rattus Norvegicus
The Stranglers
7/10
Really solid punk album. Much more interesting than some of their peers who get more plaudits.
4
May 27 2025
The Stranger
Billy Joel
6/10
It's a good album and Billy Joel is a Good Songwriter. But I don't particularly like it. Is it too polished? Is it the constant threat of the devil horn? Too many jazzy chords? I think so, but it is so Radio 2 l, it hurts l. Bet Ken Bruce loves it.
3
May 29 2025
Slanted And Enchanted
Pavement
8/10
So painfully cool, to my way of thinking. Always been in my peripheral, but missed them in the 90s and never revisited.
Really liked this - noisy but tuneful and interesting. Super slacker indie
4
May 30 2025
Toys In The Attic
Aerosmith
5/10
Pedestrian - kinda weak sounding for a hard rock album. Sweet Emotion is great, but the rest is fairly average fodder. Yes, even Walk This Way, which has an obviously excellent riff, but was strangely flat
3
May 31 2025
The Next Day
David Bowie
5/10
Fine. If it wasn't Bowie, it wouldn't be here as it is at best average. Nothing stands out for me - no real tunes or catchy hooks.
3
Jun 01 2025
American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
9/10
5
Jun 02 2025
Damaged
Black Flag
4/10
While on the one hand I can see how the Angry lyrics could connect, and musically it isn't terrible - although punky, it has definite skill to it - on the other hand I'll happily never hear it again.
You can hear how this would go into to be honest and polished into the influences of later US punk bands and deserves it's place on this list. I just don't happen to like it.
2
Jun 03 2025
Purple Rain
Prince
8/10
A great pop album. The man was obsessed, and that is to it's detriment, but I guess it was one of his defining qualities, so what are you gonna do. Musically it is funky and upbeat.
I don't love any of the tracks but equally I like all of it. Just please get him a cold shower.
4
Jun 04 2025
New Gold Dream (81/82/83/84)
Simple Minds
7/10
Enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Very 80s, but in a good way. It drifts at times, but the songs are good and it holds a lot of strong nostalgia for me
4
Jun 05 2025
Deserter's Songs
Mercury Rev
10/10
This is NOT the greatest album ever. Maybe it wouldn't make some people's top 1001 - I wouldn't hold it against them. It's not a 10 if I could be ston-cold objective about it. But I can't.
It hits me hard in whatever it is we call a soul. It captures a time and takes me back there. It fills me with the emotions of that time, of being that age. It reminds me of my friends and my future wife who I'd just met. It reminds me of the hope I held at that time and the abandon of enjoying myself with life stretching out in front of me. And yes, Opus 40 might make me cry a little bit because for 4mins, it almost becomes too much.
"I'm alive" she cried, "But I don't know what it means". That lyric defines it all
So what I'm saying is that I hope YOU have an album like this, that holds memory and emotion, love and joy, nostalgia and hope. It almost certainly won't be this specific album, but that is not the point. There will be an album out there that does it for you and I hope you know what it is.
I think that might be what they call Art...
P.s.Even the Devil Horn on Hudson Line is almost acceptable.
5
Jun 06 2025
Eliminator
ZZ Top
7/10
Slightly generous, maybe, but it is solid, chunky rock.
4
Jun 07 2025
Fleet Foxes
Fleet Foxes
10/10
I knew I already loved this album, but maybe underestimated how much.
5
Jun 08 2025
Bert Jansch
Bert Jansch
7/10
British folk - pretty much one man and his guitar. No polish here, just the quality of the playing and the songs. Sometimes it's excellent, others it is a bit too folksy. Maybe music I prefer to play than listen to.
4
Jun 09 2025
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
10/10
The album that started it all for me? 14-years old and it blew me away. Ive not listened to any album as much again, and although there are many I now consider better, I know I won't hear anything that will consume me so wholly as this album did.
For such an album that was The One for me back in the day, I'm glad it still holds up as an excellent piece of guitar rock. The lyrics are really poor, but everything else is sublime. Still love it.
They never matched it again, and I moved on, but this will always be a top 10 album.
5
Jun 10 2025
L.A. Woman
The Doors
6/10
Enjoyable in parts, but it has the issue I have with a lot of the Doors stuff, which is I'm not sure they are very good. It's the kind of music I kind of like, but it lacks any Oomph. They don't seem too bothered and it's hard to generate any enthusiasm when the band sound bored.
3
Jun 11 2025
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water
Limp Bizkit
2/10
Really bad. The guitar riffs almost boosted it to 2 stars, but lyrically it is just awful. And then the Outro track had to be skipped, which is an automatic point deduction.
1
Jun 12 2025
Cloud Nine
The Temptations
6/10
Nice tight album. Maybe missing some big tracks that really grabbed me, but I loved the second half of really solid Motown.
Not the biggest fan of their cover of Heard it through the Grapevine. And not happy about the track with a baby crying. Don't do it! It's horrible. Lost a mark for that.
3
Jun 13 2025
The Beach Boys Today!
The Beach Boys
8/10
Well, what a coincidence that this album comes up today, the day Brian Wilson passed away.
The Beach Boys are a core pillar of pop music and when the songs on this album are good, they are very, very good. The music and harmonies are immaculate - you can feel it defining what pop is and what it can do.
At times, it is a bit weak and a bit wet, they feel like they are so desperate for girlfriends that they are a bit pathetic. And it is so short - the last track is nonsense, so it is 11 songs long at about 25mins! But it didn't need to be any longer.
Hats off to Brian Wilson, a true legend.
4
Jun 14 2025
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
6/10
3 good songs, the rest are just ok and largely forgettable. Disappointing, really, as I was expecting some solid 80s nostalgia and then a realisation how much better Tears for Fears are than I gave them credit for. This happened with Simple Minds.
But here, the musical landscape between the hits felt great. Couple of chords, lots of synth. Bloody devils horn grating on my ears.
3
Jun 15 2025
Transformer
Lou Reed
9/10
A healthy smattering of classic tracks, and the roots of so muchusic I now love. There are some duff lyrics (rhyming nose with toes not once, but twice!), but maybe that's the point.
5
Jun 16 2025
The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
10/10
I'm a big Dylan fan and I've listened to this album a lot. Don't Think Twice is one of my top songs ever. Hard Rain, Masters of War, Blowing in the Wind are excellent.
The songs are sparse - Bob, a guitar and a harmonica. For me, they are like exquisite pencil sketches - the songs are so good that Dylan achieves with a few strokes of his genius that which very few manage with all the production, songwriting team and instrumentation money can buy.
5
Jun 17 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
9/10
Ooh, finally a Beatles album. I'm interested how i feel about these.
This is a classic example of my issue. Loads of it is so, so good Drive My Car, Norwegian Wood, In My Life - it is a 5 star album. But it also has at least one garbage track: here it is Michelle. And the horrible gasp bit on Girl.
And lyrically, I'm sorry, but most of the time I feel they were so far behind not only Dylan and Cohen, but also Ray Davies, Jagger/Richards and the other members of the British Invasion. But then they were leading the Art of the Pop Song, so I can forgive them that.
I often think I'm hyper-critical of the Beatles cos they are placed on such a high pedestal - there's some truth in that. They still get 5 stars, so they can't complain too much.
5
Jun 18 2025
Vol. 4
Black Sabbath
9/10
What an awesome album! Really surprised...
Black Sabbath, or at least Ozzy Osbourne, we're a joke really for all the time I've been into music. Stupid reality show, Sharon, biting heads off bats etc. But that did them a massive disservice, because this is a great album with Rick solid riffs wrapped up in great songs.
Maybe only an 8, but my Mum was a fan in the early 70s, so they get a nostalgia point.
5
Jun 19 2025
At San Quentin
Johnny Cash
8/10
A little too disjointed as an album - half a Folsom prison, two San Quentin, a whole lot of talking. But the songs here are good, especially A Boy Called Sue
4
Jun 20 2025
Life Thru A Lens
Robbie Williams
4/10
The bullet in the back of Britpop's head - after this, guitar, jangle indie was deeply uncool. Oasis were never the same again. Death of an era.
It's guitar pop and mostly dull, perfectly crafted pop songs with no soul. Hated Angels and Entertain You back then, but I didn't skip em.
2
Jun 21 2025
Born In The U.S.A.
Bruce Springsteen
9/10
Absolute stonker of an album. Near perfection of the heartfelt, good ol' boy American rock. After having Born to Run earlier this month, I didn't have high expectations, but where that album is almost musical theatre, this is proper songs keeping to the right side of overwrought, heart bursting emotion.
Every song is good, a few are great. Well done Bruce.
5
Jun 22 2025
The Genius Of Ray Charles
Ray Charles
3/10
Nope. The blasting if the trumpets is like the painful pangs of a migraine. The sickly strings are waves of nausea. I need to listen to it with my head between my knees to try and make it go away.
I could probably tolerate it as background music, but then what's the point?
2
Jun 23 2025
Henry's Dream
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
7/10
I thought I didn't like Nick Cave, but turns out I was wrong!
4
Jun 24 2025
Wish You Were Here
Pink Floyd
9/10
5
Jun 25 2025
Groovin'
The Young Rascals
5/10
Perfectly servicable 60s jangle pop. Probably more of an impact in its day, but with everything else that has happened since, it is hard to get excited about it
3
Jun 27 2025
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
3/10
Like an alcohol free version of Hendrix/Prince/Beatles - none of the depth of flavour, no edge and it won't make you want to dance.
Lame songwriting. Teenage poetry lyrics, uninspiring music. This album had added nothing to the world and does not need to be listened to.
"Does anybody out there even care?" asks Kravitz. 'Fraid not, mate.
2
Jun 28 2025
Green
R.E.M.
8/10
4
Jun 29 2025
Chore of Enchantment
Giant Sand
6/10
At times it's almost beautiful, raw and tuneful. At others it is the sound of a coma, dragging you down into a long, endless sleep.
I like the guitar and some of the songwriting, but I think it is the sense of energy actively draining from my body as songs lull past that means I can't fully fall into it
3
Jul 01 2025
The Atomic Mr Basie
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/10
The best jazz album I've heard so far, which ain't to say a lot. If perhaps we could remove the BLAST of the brass, I could tolerate it more, but there it is. Mostly reminds me of Police Squad and the intro music to all those 60s comedies on when I was a kid, so not all bad.
2
Jul 02 2025
Fear Of Music
Talking Heads
10/10
One of my all time favourites. Interesting, experimental, funny, funky. No bad songs.
5
Jul 03 2025
Exile In Guyville
Liz Phair
6/10
Pretty good, actually. But 15mins too long - why is it so hard for artists to know when to stop?
Enjoyed the lofi-ness of it all, although feels a little dated now. Lyrically, pfft, don't know - I can't really relate.
3
Jul 04 2025
Rumours
Fleetwood Mac
10/10
Top ten album, for sure. It's massive for a reason - near perfect
5
Jul 05 2025
OK Computer
Radiohead
10/10
Monster album - it kind of felt Radiohead completed alternative rock and said everything they wanted to say. They never produced an album as good again, and nor did anyone else - at least, not in this "genre". Superb.
Meant a lot to me as it was The Album of my A-Levels. Listening to it now, I can picture my teenage bedroom, my desk, my cd player.
5
Jul 06 2025
Gasoline Alley
Rod Stewart
7/10
I enjoyed it well enough - some good tracks, albeit with nothing amazing
4
Jul 07 2025
Bookends
Simon & Garfunkel
8/10
Love America, although the low sax is detrimental to it. Also Mrs Robinson is obviously excellent. Just a bit too much is meh to lift it to 5 stars, but it is very good.
4
Jul 08 2025
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
8/10
Two of the best 60s songs in Somebody to Love and White Rabbit earns it 4 stars. The rest is good, but mainly forgettable.
4
Jul 09 2025
Heartbreaker
Ryan Adams
7/10
Enjoyable, and was a solid 4star, but outstayed it's welcome and got a bit dull.
Ah, but I did enjoy it. Go on, have 4 and count yourself lucky
4
Jul 10 2025
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
3/10
Music is about connections - between the notes and rythms, harmonies and voicings, about how individual elements fit to make something bigger than the parts. Jazz fights this. Each instrument is on its own journey - they often seem to wilfully ignore each other. So where is the magic and the beauty? I can't find it in the jumbled mess of a jazz track.
I don't want to hear the tip tap of a hi-hat, the tedious meandering of a double bass, the incessant stabbing of a discordant piano. And most of all, I don't want to hear the rasp of a reedy clarinet searching through every note to see what fits.
So no, I don't like jazz. I don't get it, and that's ok. You don't have to get everything. I could say I wish I did see it, but I don't need to. I'll leave it, thanks.
2
Jul 11 2025
Underwater Moonlight
The Soft Boys
8/10
Totally new to me. Excellent album.
4
Jul 12 2025
good kid, m.A.A.d city
Kendrick Lamar
3/10
Jeez, what a slog. There is nothing here for me. No tunes, no bass lines of bot. Rythms are about as tedious as they can get. Stupid answer phone messages. And lyrics? That's all it's got and I don't care for them. At all
It did lift me at the end cos I thought it was 1hr18, but the last two tracks were bonus repeats, so I didn't need to listen to those. The nobber out a 12mins track in near the end, but that couldn't deter my glee at knowing I was going to make it to the end! Never will I need to listen to this album again. Hoorah!
2
Jul 13 2025
Let It Bleed
The Rolling Stones
9/10
So it isn't all great, but Gimme Shelter and YCAGWYW are another level and I love Let it Bleed too
5
Jul 14 2025
Histoire De Melody Nelson
Serge Gainsbourg
7/10
Some great sounds, although at times it is a bit weak and I'm not a fan of those Beatles style strings that really date the music. But the general feels is sooo cool. Just a shame about the subject matter...
4
Jul 15 2025
My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy
Kanye West
4/10
I must be as soft as lily white marshmallow, ready to melt in the salty rain of my liberal tears, but the lyrics are horrendous! It's porn, not art. What on earth do they say that is of any value? I mean, not everything has to be Dylan, but hell, this stuff is just filthy.
Musically I was pleasantly surprised. Ok, so it is kind of 1 idea, tweak it once and that'll be another song done, but it was alright.
But jeez, those lyrics are disgusting.
2
Jul 16 2025
All That You Can't Leave Behind
U2
5/10
So incredibly "Meh". The songs have so little soul. What band sounds like when they know how to play and write, but have zero spark.
3
Jul 17 2025
Morrison Hotel
The Doors
8/10
I like this more than most Doors I know. The additional guitar and bass really lift it and Peace Frog, especially, is great
4
Jul 18 2025
First Band On The Moon
The Cardigans
5/10
It's... Fine? Jingle, jangle pop guitar. Very much of its time.
3
Jul 19 2025
Blood Sugar Sex Magik
Red Hot Chili Peppers
4/10
A load of relentless Meh, punctuated by the awesome Under the Bridge.
Rest of it is too long and boring
2
Jul 20 2025
British Steel
Judas Priest
7/10
A really enjoyable metal album, especially when the songwriting comes through on the less heavy tracks.
4
Jul 21 2025
Take Me Apart
Kelela
3/10
I experienced some weird glitch listening to this album. I could have sworn I'd listened to an hour. I would have put a lot of money on it.
But when I checked, I wasn't half way through! How was it possible?? Either I fell into some kind of time warp, or the bland, mono-pace of this music caused the audio illusion of time slowing to a snails pace. Please make it stop.
2
Jul 22 2025
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Oasis
8/10
A huge album for me when it came out. But it's always been one tainted slightly with disappointment. Wonderwall, Don't Look Back, and especially Some Might Say are obviously great, but equally Roll With It, Hey Now and What's the Story are all a bit rubbish. And ultimately it was the last hurrah for Oasis, after only 1.5 good albums, before the rot set in.
4
Jul 23 2025
Too Rye Ay
Dexys Midnight Runners
6/10
The tunes are alright - gets a bit much at times.
3
Jul 24 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
8/10
4
Jul 25 2025
1984
Van Halen
7/10
It's all about the guitar, which is always excellent. The songs are good, but the lyrics peurile. That doesn't bother me much though
4
Jul 26 2025
If I Should Fall From Grace With God
The Pogues
9/10
A passion and feeling that is all too rare in a lot of albums. Musicianship is top notch and the songs are angry, informed and funny. Loved it.
Fairytale of New York got skipped as it is a baking hot day in July and I ain't listening to a Xmas tune, no matter how great it is.
5
Jul 27 2025
Horses
Patti Smith
8/10
Obviously a great album. The lyrics are poetry. Imagery like few others have ever created in the world of Rock music. And some real energy and performance. But maybe, just maybe, the slower songs are too slow.
4
Jul 28 2025
There's A Riot Goin' On
Sly & The Family Stone
5/10
3
Jul 29 2025
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
6/10
I like parts, but it's all a bit sincere and overwrought. Pretty sure I used the same word in my review of Born To Run. Thing is, I feel like I should like Bruce more, but there is some many songs you need about breaking free from a crappy town, right?
3
Jul 30 2025
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
8/10
Rock opera at its best - the title track is awesome. The rest has its moments too, obviously, although it often feels like the sum of its parts. My wife hates Meatloaf, so let's keep my admiration for this between ourselves, shall we?
4
Jul 31 2025
Arise
Sepultura
3/10
2