1001 Albums Summary

This is the first album I’ve had the time to listen to since I’ve been getting the daily recommendations. It’s an album I was previously familiar with; Mayfield is one of my favorite artists. The title clearly lays out the subject matter, turning a common positive statement into a more negative one. The album harps on people needing to have personal responsibility, specifically those in the black community, while firmly addressing society’s attempts to make financial security an impossibility to achieve. Later songs lose the layer of personal responsibility and switch more to just complaints about the black community, and how individuals within it operate. Jesus might be my favorite track, outlining the hypocrisy in many followers of Christianity. They preach about Jesus but fail to follow his practices. So In Love is interesting, the love is never named so my interpretation is that the love is America. Though it has its problems, especially in its treatment of black people, Mayfield still preaches his love for the country, saying “don’t ask me why”, either unable to put into words the reasons or a reference to his own blind patriotism due to maybe media or our tendency as humans to participate in tribalism. Overall, this is an absolute banger musically and exists in the peak time of one of my favorite genres. Add in the commentary from Mayfield on the world around him and you’ve made a 10/10 album.

fuck elvis hes a thief didnt listen i refuse worse than r kelly or chris brown or p diddy

Godfather of Punk, influence on the genre is clear. Absolute legend, The Passenger is a classic.

Absolutely influential Early 2000s rock band. Incredible album. No Seven Nation Army though so 0/10

Didn’t get to finish but enjoyed the vocals and the range of sounds