VERY 1970s; Stones-y blues-rock feel, with vocals maybe more stonery/a bit Pink Floyd-adjacent. Bass has chops, a bit bluesy, lots of rocking 5ths. Would listen again, a nice album. Highlights: Cosmic Dancer, Monolith, Bang a Gong (I've heard this song before, but it doesn't appear to have been used in any movies etc.)
What an absolute classic of an album. The power of unison guitars and stacked, soaring vocal harmonies. Pretty much every song on this album was a single and I've heard before — some I couldn't have told you were Boston. The fact that this was largely a one-man show is unbelievable. Pretty basic bass parts, which is what happens when you don't have a dedicated bass player writing parts I think, but there's so much going on melodically that I think it fits.
Wow, that is interesting. It's Queen, all Freddie Mercury, overdubs, and tight, distorted soaring guitars, but it's much more experimental and feel-based. There's no Fat Bottom Girls, no Another One Bites the Dust; but there IS Ogre Battle and Seven Seas of Rhye. Clearly an evolution on its way somewhere, and you can hear echos and beginnings of the hits in the walk from Ogre Battle to Nevermore to The March of the Black Queen.
From the PS1 system-on opening, I kind of figured this was going to be something. Thinkin Bout You is pretty middle-of-the-road R&B for 2012; Sweet Life has maybe a bit more; Super Rich Kids had me enjoying Earl Sweatshirt more than Frank Ocean. The interludes are interesting. Back half of the album opens up a lot more with Pyramids, Lost. Ultimately it's eclectic and pretty cool, but I'm surprised it was as hot as it was in 2012. It doesn't really feel special most of the time.
Yoooo this album goes HARD. Maybe the most fun I have ever had listening to music. From the opening track, it is just so COOL. Great funk basslines obviously, lot of mud, a little wah, vocal talent that stands on its own and good chorus unison/octave work. Makes me want to listen to more funk. And all of this before I realized this was the album with Give Up the Funk! The power of great vocal hooks and great riffs.
Look, it's a western album because it was the 1950s and everyone was obsessed with the wild west for some reason. Marty Robbins can definitely sing! El Paso and Big Iron are pretty solid. But it just isn't my jam. You can hear the western/Mariachi influence, but the weird cowboy falsetto work and edgy lyrics make it out as something distinctly not for me.
I get it, if you like it. Vocal-forward country with some popular covers on the album. The bluesier Don't Get Around Much Anymore made my list, and Stardust is a good track. Can't imagine this being many folks favorite version of Georgia on My Mind. Fine for what it is, it isnt for me.
Ben Folds vibes; piano and solid vocals with dramatic, narrative lyrics and extensive orchestration. First song is interesting and hits hard. Has the energy of Eleanor Rigby, or Carrying Kathy. At his best with tongue-in-cheek stuff like Oh, California! but also enjoyable with Love's Enough or One Night Stand. I would only listen to this in extremely specific circumstances; but I'd enjoy it then, as it's excellent and interesting.
Early pop-punk with strong female vocals — a much more musically interesting contemporary of bands like Paramore and Evanescence. Really nice work on the bass parts; the intro track drives fantastically. To be honest the 2021 remaster is where the money is — the original suffers from the oversaturated mids of the 1990s. Really enjoyed it.
Just fucking talent. Another album where every song is a single. And man, the bass player! Absolutely dominating with a warm, mid-forward bass tone like Jaco on a P-bass. Something out of an earlier era that works on every track. I'm not the single biggest fan of this sound, but goodness the artistry and tracks are a consistent banger.
It's a Soul album from Bowie! Mostly it's surprisingly Sax forward in a way that I don't think works entirely. I get the mixed reviews. Musically "Right" is pretty fun and funky, as-is "Fame" (best track on the album for me) and the title track is a single for sure; but while there's a cohesive vision, for me it ends up being a great artist producing a mediocre soul album. I take the point about its influence on white artists collaborating actively with Black musicians, but I don't think I'll listen to it again.
Just a great album. Unrivaled vocal talent, excellent songwriting, and a stellar band behind her. Nothing boring, though Chain of Fools and A Natural Woman are the singles off the album for a reason. Deserves the accolades.
Interesting, beautiful and unique voice with tight vibrato. But this soul album is just... thin? In a way that Moses Sumney, e.g., doesn't. Is it the mix? The instrumentation? "Fistful of Love" is a bit fuller. Anyway, it's cultural significance is unquestionable, and the moments of raw emotion in "What Can I Do?" did get to me, as did "Lady Story" etc. But ultimately it feels more poetry than music, and that doesn't do it for me.
Really interesting. Def an 80s album, some synth, Talking Heads vibes (not just the vocals) but also a distinct funk element from the envelope filter in the opening track down to some of the featured vocals and basslines. I ended up really liking the sound, even if none of the tracks besides Rip It Up will make the rotation. Some of OJ's later stuff is an evolved version of this and I thinks benefits from the maturity.
Great album, really just show's off Cash's unparalleled vocal talent. The emotion he is able to pour into his voice makes his covers of already excellent songs like "Hurt" and "Desperado" worthwhile takes in their own right. One of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time tells heart wrenching stories in "Give My Love to Rose" and "Laredo," and lyrics that would come off as hackneyed from a lesser talent stir the soul. Great album. Some misses so not 5* from me, but excellent.
Honestly? It's fine. Good vocals, a few hits obviously (Son of a Preacher Man, obviously, Windmills of Your Mind); it's a solid R&B/blue-eyed soul album. It's just that it's overproduced and honestly not that interesting in 2025. I can imagine its importance in a historical perspective, but I'm not listening again. For my money, give me Nina Simone, someone not trying to do pop instrumentation and focusing on music that makes you feel something.
Pretty kickass classic nu metal album. Vocals are raw and furious. Bass is bright and driving, double kick is going. Not my cup of tea necessarily, but certainly interesting. The Brazilian/Latin vibes the Wiki mentions are more on the periphery, and I would not have caught them if not listening (aside from the few chants).
Yeah that's pretty fun! A lot of Tropicalia brass give it a New Orleans Jazz vibe sometimes, with 60s guitars layered on. But apart from A Minha Menina, not a ton of memorable tracks. Ultimately, a good listen, probably a great example of what it is, not my style.
Pretty damn good rock album!
I'm absolutely biased as this album came out when I was in high school, but I still think it's great. Super tight musically and consistent with Green Day's signature sound. At the time I found the political slant kind of cringey, and maybe it still is, but it was also prescient, and brave in a way that main stream bands were not being at the time. The double-song format is interesting, and works most of the time. Ultimately I think this deserves it's spot, though it's at best Green Day's third best album.
Pretty good! Scotch Irish folk rock, with the violins and mandolins that implies. The title track is great, as was We Will Not be Lovers. Not my style of music, but definitely a great album that exemplifies its style.
Actually pretty dope! Goes from sounding like the Beatles a la Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds to more of the driving psychedelic rock that grew out of it. Great vintage sound, tight vocals, good artistry. A band I was born in the wrong decade to appreciate.
Pretty forgettable after the opening track. A little singer-songwritery in a way that just did not grab me.
I mean, yeah. It is an absolute classic. It's Carlos Santana at his best, with indigenous-inspired percussion, Mexican songs with a nicely overdriven twist and impeccable guitar work. Amazing how something so lyrically minimal can have so many iconic and memorable songs. This album in particular will have you realize just how many Santana songs have made their way passively into your head. Great album, 5*.
Great album, but to be honest the sound kind of bounces off me. The songs have a similar feel, and "ambient" is right. I feel like there must be 1001 better albums than this; for the second Bowie production I've had so far, I really am not blown away with his stuff beyond the mainline hits. It's possible that it's about the influence it's had downstream, the diversity of genres etc., but ultimately I am not saving songs off this for a future listen.
Eh. It's a good live album, but it feels too soft rock, too Dave Matthews, too Counting Crows. That's definitely not fair in historical context, but I did not enjoy this album.
20 years on, Eminem still doesn't do it for me. Guy means a lot of things to a lot of people, and he's an incredibly talented artist who has done some amazing things for rap, but the songs just aren't for me.
Honestly, perfect album. An album that will make you ask "Does my band need an organist?" Early rock sounds delivered in the tradition of a Jazz combo. Fantastic musicianship, songs that tell the story without needing vocals. They do blend together a bit given the same sound on each track (not a lot of tonal variation despite the use of electric instruments), but they are also 100% bops.
The Big Band sound does not mess around! Let the Good Times Roll is such a slapping intro to this album from that first powerful blast of brass. The ballads work well, too; Ray's voice has such character that it is never boring or plaintive. This is a great album, maybe has a bit less character than some of his more successful offerings but is honestly a great listen.
First track is a masterclass on balancing a track. Lots of competing melodic instruments, but it never gets muddled. It's overall a nice sound; at its best it's a stripped down LCD Soundsystem. Definitely a vibe. But didn't hook me. Just not sure what it was trying to say. Glad I listened, probably won't revisit.
Not my usual fare, but honestly a pretty good album. Good energy, some real vulnerability. It's vocal forward, musically kind of one-note country, but it's country at its best before the stadiumification of it all, and there's some real emotion behind the songs. I enjoyed it!
Honestly love the vocal, narrative style. I already had a few of these tracks on some playlists, which has been uncommon for this 1001 Albums journey. It's not my favorite style of music, but the stripped down soundscape with compelling vocals feels like the best of Johnny Cash with a more modern, indie instrumentation. Here for it.
Holds up well as a classic blues album. A bit one-note, with many of the songs blending together, similar progressions. But it's all listenable, excellent, emotive. I stuck a couple tracks on the playlist for later listening.
Flawless. How can you not love it? Such a wonderfully considered session, not just Nirvana's greatest hits but the songs that would play best to the room. Meat Puppets, Man Who Sold the World, so many moments in one set. For a band that was so influential to have one of the biggest unplugged moments of all time is truly iconic.
Conceived as a soundtrack to an imaginary film indeed! I admire the diversity of genres and sounds, but it all ends up a little ambient, except for Something Wicked. The Vibes is a great ambient jazz... uh... vibe, but again, not so special. I could have died without hearing this and been OK.
Hey, I enjoyed it. Weird energy, a bit poppy but never really driving; almost lyrical adult pop. Really enjoyed Presidential Suite, apparently a pretty deep cut; Juxtapozed was fine. Nothing's getting saved, but fine.
I... I think I like Rufus Wainwright? Singer songwriter but more produced, almost a Sufjan vibe with a little less melody but no less poetry. A great album, added some tracks.
Great singer songwriter musicianship. Lyrics that are poignant and never corny. Super authentic. Not my speed.
This is fine! Country-bluesy rock. Some real originality here and there, but the album as a whole doesn't hit. I will listen to Sultans of Swing again.
It's fine! Maybe it was revolutionary for the time. Added Halcyon+On+On to my ambient/work playlist.
Rocky with a touch of folkiness with the vocals and the acoustic layers; some driven guitars and chugging bass, rocky drums; then some acoustic guitar in the background.
I largely agree with the folks who say this is long and unfocused; but man, it's good stuff. If it were 5 tracks this album could be a 5. Listen to Brown Paper Bag and Hi-Potent and tell me this is a one star.
I mean, come on. Every song a hit. One of the greatest albums of all time, with signature Zeppelin sound but not afraid to experiment a bit. Nothing but love for this album.
I mean, OK. The problem may be on my end, but this feels generic compared to music of the same period. Maybe it's just a great distillation of the principles that made rock of the 70s sound like it did, but Frampton has less of a voice for me.
Time of the Season is a good song and this is a good recording. The rest of the record is fairly middle-of-the-road 1960s psychedelic. Lots of tiny cymbals and isolated vocals. Doesn't do it for me.
Holds up. Great, catchy beats, bombastic rhymes that tell a story and get you hyped. Foundational.
Absolutely killer. Rock with excellent vocals, some interesting beats, great instrumentation. Hard to categorize - a little pop, a little rock, even a little D&B. Enjoyed it start to finish.
A not-quite-as-good Alanis Morissette. I could say more — there's some more rock vibes with more distortion on some of the instruments, but the vibe is similar without as interesting instrumentation. Maybe other albums of hers are better!
Yeah, I liked it. The horn section works! It's a punk album, no doubt, but some more ballady stuff, some R&B elements. Will listen again.
Definitely interesting, memorable, but it does feel like a collection of ideas and not an album. There's a reason that there's not a track on this album that comes to mind when you think off Fleetwood Mac's collection. It's good, but definitely not great.
You could have just said "Movin' Out is on this one" and I'd have been into it. Scenes from an Italian Restaurant has never done it for me, but overall the album is an absolute vibe by a great artist.
Definitely something! It's fine. Not my style, and I don't know enough about the genre to appreciate the influence this has had on music downstream.
Sometimes it's the Cranberries if they'd found a synth and been more experimental, other times it's a punk band with a bit more melody. It's all pretty good! But I could have died without hearing it.
Funk perfected bass tone 50 years ago and everything since is a step backward. Just the best dang music, and the fact that it still has influence everywhere should tell us that.
Stellar album. Just the right kind of distortion and unique sound. Beck is an absolute legend for the sound he created and passed on. You can hear the slight hip hop influence in the drumming/beats, but it's just so interesting and so Beck.
This bounced me around a lot. Cult of Personality is a classic, and feels very 80s rock in an Aerosmithy kind of way. But then there's some funk thrown in (Favorite Color), but also some new wave Huey Louis type stuff that doesn't hit for me. None of it's bad, but none of it is coherent. Ultimately solid given great bass parts and classic rock instrumentation, though not as much of a viewpoint as I'd like.
Most 4* album I have found so far. Universally good, never truly great. I really enjoy the McCarthy-esque basslines, and Costello's vocals have nice character and keep things interesting. But overall it's good but a little one-note, would enjoy a live show but wouldn't travel for it.
This is hard to rate as it's one of the first albums I loved at a time in my life when I was developing my own taste in music. But damn, it hits. A nice bridge between RHCP the funk band with sweet melodic influences and RHCP the alt rock band with a funk legacy. Flea at his best with counter-melody basslines. Love it, no notes.
Honestly, the musicality is nice, the vocals are honest and emotional, but the energy is just a drag for me. Listened to it in pieces and could not have told you when it started to repeat. Really have a hard time telling you one song on this album.
Probably foundational, not my cup of tea. Great vocals, interesting Brazilian beats, but a little ambient/lounge vibe just didn't hit for me.
Yeah it's pretty good! Hadn't heard QMS before, and it's kind of a Stones-meets-Dead crossover, a bit more bluesy than most Grateful Dead stuff. Very psychedelic rock. Interesting exploratory parts. I'm not usually one for long-form improv, but it was an above average listen that kept me hooked in.
