Track 1: Those guitar riffs are landscapes. They are so real they are not even sound landscapes. Makes me think of the desert. There is something unsettling, even dangerous about it - the other part of it is melancholic.
Track 2: At times gospel choir like - not a fan of the deep male voice. Love ~ Money / Credit
Track 3: Groovy. Not a fan of the singing. I love the melodies though.
Track 4: A musical embrace. Incredibly moving. Somewhat. Somehow.
Track 5: Rocks and groovy. So danceable. Landscape again.
Track 6: No fan of the singing. Repetitive. Makes me tired. But maybe it’s because I’m tired. It’s almost 3 am.
Track 7: obscure. Incredible. What is this? I’m moved to another planet / landscape once again.
I have never heard anything like this. A tour de force I guess.
I think I understand the FUNK, groove and appeal but it’s not really my cup of tea. Where Maggot Brain by Funkadelic felt exhilarating and exciting, this felt more like a pop bob. There is nothing wrong with this and the album is nice to vibe to. But I did not enjoy it. It’s actually exactly the kind of sound and music I turn off whenever I come across it. I don’t like the washed-out sound. The album felt very repetitive to me. But I finished it and it was a new experience. Some of the vocals in the song Unfunky UFO were actually a bit rap-like. Interesting!
I never listened to AC/DC and I think I only knew two of their songs prior to listening to this record. I have to say I’m a bit disappointed. AC/DC is such a big name after all - so let’s check what is behind this name. But these songs all sound so similar to one another. The lyrics are so mono-thematic. Some of the lyrics are funny but ugh we get it. You like sex. Okay, cool story bro.
2/5 stars
I had never heard of this band and album before. I like the indie sound and vibe. The music is full of longing. It’s the perfect soundtrack to some kind of obscure indie movie that makes you hurt all over your soul while watching although you don’t really understand all the intricacies of what’s actually going on. I think the song We Used to Wait is a good example of this. This song somehow deeply touched me. What I found interesting is the changes of perspectives that occur through some of the songs, e.g. children are described and a few lines later, the lyrical We / singer are /is these children. Very nice way to keep you engaged.
The album contains several hints at feeling like living on the brink of societal collapse/ life after societal collapse. If this is the soundtrack to the apocalypse, it could be worse. But it could be better too. The sound does get repetitive after a few songs.
Definitely an experience to listen to a Stevie Wonder record (for the first time!) A very passionate album with funk and a bit of a gospel touch. He sings his ass off. I enjoyed a few songs but it is like the songs are either a hit or a miss (to me). Great insight and throwback to the times back then.
Finally a record I already knew. I grew up around the time that this album became a hit. Back then I had a contradictory relationship to this album. I had friends who listened to it on repeat and whenever I was with them, it would play in the background. I somehow liked the music but, the friends who listened to it, they were not in a happy place, and they were not happy and I was not happy either. This music is tied to my memories of this time. So it’s a bit hard for me to rate this. I acknowledge the musical quality. It’s a dense and atmospheric album. An experience. My past memories keep me from enjoying this music (too much). I think I would give this album a much higher rating if it weren’t for my memories. I can only give it 3/5 stars.
Incredible. And not in a good way.
The sound is the typical 80s rock sound (with a touch of glam rock imho) that sounds like the singer and band were recorded in an excessively large and empty hallway. But that could be okay, actually, if the rest of the record worked out.
But I hate the singer‘s voice. I hate the crooning vibrato and how he stretches words and syllables. He sounds like he’s lamenting all the f****ing time. And the lyrics show that he is drowning in self-pity. So he is lamenting! He is and sounds so terribly pathetic. The worst track of the album is Late Night, Maudlin Street. It’s six minutes of pure misery so pathetically written and sung that I actually laughed out loud multiple times. He is so desperately begging for love, it’s no wonder he is unattractive to whoever he addresses with his songs. He sounds like an 80s incel. “Treat me like a human being“ followed by “I don’t mind if you forget me“. Dude. Get some self-respect.
I could shit-talk about this record for hours but I‘ll leave it at that.
I like rap music but I feel like this album aged poorly. This is an important milestone for gangsta rap and Compton. But I would not listen to this again except for two songs. Sad. Profanities fall out of time.
This is the worst “music“ I have listened to so far. The instrumentation is okay and even nice at times. But this singer‘s voice is nightmarish. In German we would refer to his voice as Katzengejammer / Katzengejaule. (Caterwauling in English according to ChatGPT.) The only track that was bearable was Thriller! because the singer shut up for the whole song. This album reminds me of awfully bad musicals or distorted music used in theatre plays. Terrible but so terrible it made me laugh a few times.
This record is strangely fascinating but I struggle to comprehend the vision and I struggle to enjoy it. It’s taxing to listen to. But I can see the musical merit and the mood you’re in when you want to listen to it.
Typical Slim Shady. The flow is still incredible and kicks ass. Would have been better with fewer songs though.
This is difficult to rate. I don’t have much experience with or insights into jazz. How do you listen to it? What matters? I don’t know. But it was pleasant.
I‘m not entirely sure what’s considered to be so special about this album that it would be included in the list. What am I missing? It is a nice pop record about love. But it sounds generic to me. Like I’ve heard this sound 100 times before. Maybe this speaks to its influence but I really don’t know. It was nice but nothing I would choose to listen to again.
This did not grab me. I found the lyrics obscure. They did not invoke much for me. I wasn’t very fond of their rock sound. The singer‘s voice threw me off in some songs. I can imagine that some people love them and their sound. But this was not my cup of tea (with the exception of three songs.)
Never consciously heard trip hop. Till today. The opening track and Shara Nelson’s voice blew me away. What a powerful voice! I was a bit sad when I saw that she is not on every song.
The song Unfinished Sympathy is incredible! What a gem - and this album gets one star for just this incredible track alone. Hymn of the Big Wheel is amazing as well.
3/5 stars because I did not always enjoy the dudes‘ voices and their rapping. It felt a bit corny and too forced. But this record is still worth remembering.
Vulgar attack on my ears. I can appreciate the soundscapes and portrayed anger. But I would never listen to this again. It's too larger-than-my-ears.
Never listend to this person and did not even know they existed. This record is a beautiful, warm embrace and I can already say it will be one of my favorite albums (outside the generator).
I’ve listened to maybe only 15 records so far on the generator and gave a lot of 3 stars to records and was already wondering when / if I‘d ever come across anything that would instantly make me love it and make me dish out 5 stars because I feel like I’m hard to amaze and maybe overcritical.
But Nick Drake… wow. This is just beautiful to listen to. It’s melancholic but not too much to bear. Just perfectly hit my sweet spot. A gem, a truly marvelous record.
This was a bit abrasive and harder to get into than expected. It’s less palatable than the songs Springsteen is famous for.
I still enjoyed a few songs, especially the longer ones like Backstreets and Jungleland. I liked the melancholic aspects of the songs and where I couldn’t warm up to his voice, which occasionally happened, I could still appreciate the instruments in the background.
First time appreciation/ listen to the Beatles. I was surprised by how much I liked this “old“ music. The album kicks off with a tremendous selection of songs. Loved Taxman, Eleanor Rigby and I’m only sleeping. But the record could not sustain my enthusiasm. Some songs felt not very interesting and the soundscapes are very similar to one another too. But I’m looking forward to listening to more of their albums!
Taxing to listen to. Chaotic. Nihilistic. Violent. Misogynistic. I did enjoy some of the humor in this record (Hamlet and Big Jesus Trash Can) but that’s about it. Almost impossible to listen to in its entirety.
I‘m clearly not used to listening to songs without singing but this is a nice record to listen to. I enjoyed it and admire the drummer and pianist in particular. Impeccable skills. I didn’t really like the brass instruments on every song but they grew on me (and they sound like they are singing) and I can hear their undeniable skills too. Pleasurable album. The first song is the weakest in my opinion. But after that it only gets better.
I liked the melodic rock soundscapes. They are exhilarating and one of the reasons why it’s 3 stars. The singer does not necessarily convince with his voice but with his energy and enthusiasm. I appreciate this. And look at his grin on the cover - heart-melting!
Did not feel this. At all. It felt soul-less, empty and actually annoying too because it was so boring. Every song sounded the same, had the same topic, the same vibe, etc. It does not get more mono(tone) than that. An unpleasant experience and dreadfully long as well. And no, I would not even party / dance to this. I would leave the party if this came on. There is no excitement that this record could evoke. There are no rough edges to this record. This record gives (me) nothing. (However, I had already worse on this list (looking at you Morrissey and Pere Ubu).)
Funny that this is the next album after CHVRCHES. Another “electronic / EDM“ album, but this time from the end of the 1980s.
At first I dreaded another CHVRCHES experience especially when the first song started with a female singer. But the listening experience of this album was far more exhilarating than expected. (There is only the first track that features a singer.) I’m not into EDM by any means but I found myself enjoying a couple of songs (especially but not limited to Ancodia and Pacific 202). This record was experimental and led me to unexpected soundscapes and I appreciate this. I liked the scratches on Ancodia and I feel like I know of at least two hip hop records from the 2010s that show that they are rooted in these 1980s sounds. A fun record!
Exciting and fun! I really enjoyed Richard‘s voice and energy. This felt like a time travel and took me to the fifties to dance. The recording is not the greatest quality - but it adds to the charme.
I feel like this record was never re-mastered but maybe I’m mistaken. Just saying that the quality is not the best. Overall surprisingly melancholic after it started with the live opening track (a bop.) I did not know that this was where Papa was a rollin‘ stone became popular. An interesting musical snap shot of the 1970s for sure.
I hated all the tempo changes in every song. What is this record even trying to achieve? It was incredibly obnoxious - constant tempo shifts, pseudo-religious lyrics, and what sounded like some weird Western music influence. Every song tried so hard to be everything at once and just ended up feeling messy and all over the place. I didn’t enjoy the singer’s performance either, and the organ (an instrument I particularly despise) on Blues, Pt. 2 almost killed me - the song felt like it would never end. I did appreciate the long break from the singer, but unfortunately he eventually started croaking again. The voice cracks were painful.
My first non-English speaking album! I like some songs I’ve come across that are in (Brazilian) Portuguese - but this record was not for me. I’m not a fan of the singers‘ voices and performances. Their voices sounded the same in each and every song and that applies to the instruments in the background too. However, the instruments really shone in some of the songs and I did like that. I had ChatGPT make short translations so I had a clue of what was going on in the songs. I liked the lyrics! They were simple but effectively melancholic. So I’m rating it two stars, one for the instruments and one for the writing. But overall this was exhausting to listen to.
I don’t think I get the vision here. The lyrics are obscure and almost every song sounds the same. My favorite tracks: Devils Haircut, The New Pollution and Derelict. The saxophone that was audible a few times was good. But the rest of this record… an interpolation of Swan Lake? Beeps noises? Distorted voices? What is going on?
This was rather unremarkable in my honest opinion. The songwriting felt banal. The sound was kind of uninteresting too. I feel almost bad saying this because I can tell that Gene tried hard. But I just don’t vibe with it and it didn’t click.
An emotionally intense record to me. To some lyrics I could relate a little too well and I was actually uncomfortable. That is not the record‘s fault, just my own vulnerability. But it probably speaks to the strong writing on here. I liked how socially conscious they were - most of the love songs were not traditional love songs either which I liked.
Trouble Every Day was very interesting and then followed by Help, I‘m A Rock was hilarious - Help I‘m A Cop lmao. 3 stars for all this and the added obscurity on top.
An actual choir? … The first song was charming and a bit touching with the male voices singing together but by the second song that feeling wore off already. Fortunately not all songs have a choir element for their entirety. That’s not my cup of tea. I preferred the songs where the chorus was not such a prominent element like eg in Almost Cut My Hair or 4+20. I would not listen to this again but I enjoyed the vibe and a few songs.
This felt like some garage band but not in a bad way. Raw, unpolished but still good. I liked that he sounded more like rehearsals or bad audio live quality. It’s not a bug, it’s a feature. Nice guitar playing and drums too.
I only knew the Pet Shop Boys from their notorious radio hits which I never liked. Not a fan of these synths and this particular 80s sound. I turn the radio off when this comes on.
But to my surprise I could now really enjoy this sound and immerse myself in it. I liked the lyrics too. Although I’m still leaning towards saying that it’s not my cup of tea.
What an opening track! A bit sad that there was not more singing on the record because this is the kind of voice you want to listen to and hear more from! But damn that record was so groovy! I can imagine listening to this while driving through the night. That saxophone was amazing. This album is a whole mood as they say these days!
Timeless. Classic. The essence of rap. If I could play only one album to make a person understand rap music, this might be it.
Never listened to a Swift album and I only know her top hits. Listening to this album felt very intimate like she told me her innermost feelings. That’s something I rarely feel when listening to music. That was a bit touching.
Some songs felt nonsensical (no body, no crime) or I just did not enjoy them (eg dorothea).
Still, while I appreciate the overall experience, the vibe and the sound, this is nothing I would listen to in its entirety again. It dragged on a bit.
What a touching record. When The Stars Go Blue made me tear up and Sylvia Plath was very emotional as well. There are so many good songs on here but to be honest: 21 songs and 90 minutes of playtime is way too much and overwhelming for such an emotionally charged album*. I still enjoyed it and probably will return to it - and maybe get even more into it. This is such an American record! All the local references to cities and places… nice flavor. I liked the singer‘s voice and the lyrics and the band was great.
* my bad - only after reading up on this I saw that it is 16 songs and Spotify does not show the distinction of the extra songs.
Epic opening track Come Together. But what on Earth is Maxwell's Silver Hammer? Haha!
Listening to this album channeled melancholy for times long gone. I enjoyed the rock'n' roll - the guitars on I Want You (She's So Heavy) were awesome and Here Comes The Sun was just beautiful... Plenty of great songs on here. Definitely a phenomenon and an experience. I really enjoyed it but the last songs of this album felt very rushed. They were all pretty short and faded into one another. As if they had to have a certain amount of songs and did not care for their respective lengths. But it still had a nice flow so I don't really care about this. What a great life to be able to listen to music.
That’s my second non-English album. I like French singers but even more so if they are female. This record was not bad or anything but I did not enjoy it either. He did sing his ass off though. One star for the beautiful French, one star for his effort.
I expect some people to dismiss this as elevator music but I don’t agree. I think this is wonderful, groovy and chill all at the same time! I enjoyed this a lot but I must admit that it gets a bit repetitive. However, it’s a great art to produce all these immaculate tracks that form such a cohesive album.
Sounded airy, light and a bit like a science fiction movie soundtrack. Interesting.
Not enthused by this. This felt … forced. I can’t really explain where this notion comes from but that’s the impression I got. Going Home did not come off as genuine impro. This album was repetitive in the sense of the songs sounding very similar to one another and I did not like how often the lyrics kept repeating in every song. The song It‘s Not Easy was annoying …. „Not easy…. haaaAAArd“.
The best song is obviously Paint It Black.
That was fun! Liked the energy and the guitars, and loved the attitude and lyrics! (Eg The Worst Band In The World and Somewhere in Hollywood) How is this band not more famous? They are insanely funny and talented - funnier than other bands from this time that achieved mass popularity and stardom.
My third Beatles album and I’m not even 50 albums in!
I liked Abbey Road very much and I still liked Revolver though I wasn’t as impressed by Revolver as by Abbey Road. This album With The Beatles was rather mono-thematic. While I’ve come to learn that they always sing a lot about love, I appreciate it when they don’t. Still, there are some bangers and bops on here that I can enjoy. I’m giving it 3 stars because it’s six covers songs.
To the uninformed listener (aka me) this felt like the Beatles with a bit more variety in sound as well as lyrics that were a bit more elaborate. Friends of Mine was beautiful. Butcher‘s Tale was a big surprise - an expressive, positive one! Giving one star for this track alone. This was just a nice album!
Too long and the songs sound more or less all very similar to one another. The religious songs did not appeal to me. It was not a bad album but the length, the decision to put on some songs twice in different versions, and the mushy mixing in many of the songs absolutely killed it for me. 2 stars.
Due to all the fandom surrounding The Beatles and John Lennon I would have expected more. A decent record with some highlights. Nothing less, nothing more.
Neighboorhood #3 (Power Out) is a Tour de force! But I am still not a fan of the singer’s voice. I preferred The Suburbs over this record. I did not like the overall sound and the occasional yelling eg on Wake Up frustrated me. Haiti and In The Backseat annoyed me too. I don’t know what exactly it is that put me off.
I had taken a break from the project and I had started listening to this record several times before taking my break. So I actually thought this sound would not appeal to me but turns out if you try listening to A Mother And Child Reunion a few times you suddenly start digging it and also recognize the funniness in Duncan.
I think occasionally taking a break saves you from listener‘s fatigue.
This was a quiet record with a good sense of humor and mischievousness. I also liked the instrumentation of many songs, especially Armistice Day.
I did not vibe to this. This was uninteresting to me. I only liked the last song on the album.
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t like country music and never listened to Johnny Cash. Probably I will never listen to this record again either.
But. This was an engaging and entertaining record. The lyrics were clever and funny and occasionally sad and touching. I liked the interaction between Johnny and the audience. It’s a great ride! But more importantly it was an uplifting and touching experience - even if you’re not a member of the imprisoned live audience. Somehow, this is a very profound album, a hallmark that is bigger than music. I understand why this is included in the 1001 albums even if it is not my usual taste and something I’d never listen to again. That is a new situation for me and it makes it difficult for me to rate this album. Can I give it 5 stars although I will not re-listen to it? I think so.
I really liked this! Energetic, powerful, strong! Every song is a hit!
Finally. I don’t know how often I started this album only to give up on it again. But now I’m done. It is interesting and unique. But the music is often bordering on sonical schizophrenia and that’s not always my cup of tea if you know what I mean. Still I liked some of the songs and could enjoy them.
I dig it. Pleasant, gentle, accessible.
Enjoyable big city soundtrack with all the dark shadows.
This is incredible and now you know why it’s called Soul.
It’s albums like these that make me keep going with this project.
Beautiful. Utterly beautiful.
Pleasant. I wish you would is a banger. But apart from this and Welcome to New York this did not invoke much for me. It was not painful to listen to unlike worse records but it was not that enjoyable either.
