1001 Albums Summary

1001 Albums Generator 1 In the days of my youth, I was told what it means to be a man Does it get more iconic than this? Play the opening of Dazed and Confused for an uncontacted civilization and they will immediately understand the appeal of advanced society. The first two chord stabs that open the album? Good Times Bad Times, for my money, has to be one of the most unforgettable opening tracks to an album ever. Meanwhile, the guitar solo for Communication Breakdown sounds like what AI would generate if asked to write a hard rock guitar solo. It's that paramount. You don't need me to convince you of the greatness of the hits on this album. The parts of this album that I have really come to appreciate are the slower moments. The folksy cover of Babe I'm Gonna Leave You. The open tuning and almost American Primitivism sound of Black Mountain Side. The way that John Bonham's drums and JPJ's organ in the chorus of Your Time Is Gonna Come hit like a ton of bricks, while Jimmy Page keeps a soft, acoustic sound throughout. These little details, while done even better in their subsequent albums, show what separates LZ from the pack. Led Zeppelin is not a band accused of high levels of originality, but I think that the derivativeness of their work does get overstated, while the creativity of their work goes relatively unsaid. This inventiveness is seen in moments such as the middle of the solo in I Can't Quit You Baby, where the band transitions from a relatively normal 12-bar blues to a strange start/stop instrumental interplay, before going right back to something more standard. Similarly, You Shook Me is a largely normal affair before Jimmy Page and Robert Plant enter into one of the strangest call-and-response sections that I have ever heard. Plant moans into the mic while Page responds in kind with a backwards echo sort of effect. The closing track, while not my favorite, has its share of creative production choices strewn throughout it as well. There are some moments I don't love. The aforementioned You Shook Me is a bit too slow for my tastes and does seem to overstay its welcome. In general, although this album was short enough to fit on a single LP, it does feel a bit overlong at times, especially considering 3 of the songs are over 6 minutes. This band had not reached their creative or songwriting peak yet, so these longer songs (with the exception of Dazed and Confused) don't justify their length the way their long jams on later albums would. Overall, this album is a great start to an even better discography. Hard rock forever. Favs: Good Times, Bad Times Dazed and Confused Your Time Is Gonna Come Least Fav: You Shook Me

Musically, the Quest is on the rise 1001 Albums Generator 2 Oftentimes, after a successful or acclaimed debut, an artist will struggle to follow it up. This phenomenon is so common, the phrase “sophomore slump” has become a common critique in music circles. A Tribe Called Quest not only avoided this fate, but surpassed their debut (and subsequent) albums with their 1991 sophomore offering. The Low End Theory is quintessential 90’s hip hop in all aspects. The chill, jazzy, sample-heavy beats, the “hippity hop” vocal delivery, the occasionally questionable lyrics. Every aspect of this album oozes the sound that would dominate the decade that would follow. The finest aspect of this album is Q-Tip’s production. The sound of a jazz bassline is as key to this album as it is to any “true” jazz album. Hell, they got jazz legend Ron Carter to play live bass on Verses from the Abstract. ATCQ’s sample choice throughout also shows their depth of jazz knowledge. From Art Blakey to Lonnie Smith, Jack DeJohnette to Weather Report, even non-jazz legends like Funkadelic and The Doors show up on this album's WhoSampled page (seriously go read through this page, it is fucking amazing to see all the elements they pulled together for these songs). The way that the beats often open up during the choruses (expemplified on Excursions, Vibes and Stuff, and Check the Rhime) show that Q-Tip is doing more than just looping samples. The attention paid to the layering is something special on this album. With all this said, it turns out this album isn't an instrumental hiphop album. Tribe has two primary MC's: the aforementioned Q-Tip and Phife Dawg. As I mentioned previously, this album exudes 90's hiphop energy, which can certainly feel outdated when done poorly. Lyrics like "Go get yourself some toilet paper 'cause your lyrics is butt" and "What type of crap is that? Yo, how's about a smack?" do not have the swagger that they must have had back in the day. Although some songs on the album, such as Everything Is Fair and Rap Promoter, do deal with conscious themes, this is not a typical heady, triple-entendre rap album. However, I think that this album is one of the best examples of this style that I have ever heard. So many albums from this era end up being "My name is Joey and I'm here to say / bitches love to blow me, every day"-core. While there is some of that on this tracklist, The Abstract and Phife are able to embrace this style while not taking themselves too seriously. Now, this is not to say that this album is parody; no, this is very much a labor of love for the artform of rap (and jazz), but at the same time, the lyrics and delivery do have a bit of a cheeky feel to them, which saves this album from falling into the trap that so many old school hiphop albums fall into. It is able to perfectly straddle the line between humorous self-awareness and serious artistry. Even in this, as with their beats, they mimic and pay homage to jazz legends such as Charles Mingus and Sun Ra, who were also known for incorporating a level of non-seriousness in their serious art. While a couple of songs near the end do not hold up to the rest of the tracklist, The Low End Theory is a must-listen for anyone that is interested in hip-hop. The beats and lyric delivery are among the best the genre has to offer. Favs: Excursions Check the Rhime Scenario Least Fav: What?

1001 Albums Generator 3 Blues is a genre that has always been a blind spot for me. While I do love some Blues Rock, a la Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, I've never really found myself listening to blues. It is fitting that the first album in this challenge that is new to me is an album from the so-called King of the Electric Blues. Muddy Waters was a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who was a highly influential figure in the rise of the electric Chicago Blues movement, which gained prominence through the 40's and 50's and began influencing musicians across the globe in the late 50's to early 60's. But while the world moved away from this pure blues sound and the rock it inspired began taking over the charts instead, Waters stuck to his roots and at the age of 63 in 1977, far beyond the peak of the genre, released Hard Again. The opening track, Mannish Boy (known previously to me as "Bad to the Bone"), is a fantastic opener, featuring one of the most famous and archetypal blues riffs of all time. While it does go on for a bit long (unfortunately not uncommon for this album), the power of the riff and the ad-libs provided by Johnny Winter make this a wonderfully memorable vehicle for the political message of the song. While most of this album, and even parts of this song, are very sexual in nature, the chorus of this song is a direct attack on Jim Crow era America, in which black men were referred to as "boy" in spite of their age, as a way to infantilize and dehumanize them. Muddy Waters wrote this song in 1955 "[as] an assertion of black manhood" goddammit, and the energy and passion of his voice, in spite of his relatively advanced age, forcefully enshrine this song in the blues cannon. As iconic as that song is, it is only one of ten. The other nine songs, to my ears, are largely less memorable basic blues, with songs such as Bus Driver, Deep Down In Florida, and Little Girl feeling much too long for my tastes. This isn't even to say that the songs on this thing are bad; they certainly aren't. Every song is masterfully played, with the guitar and harmonica being standouts throughout. Waters' voice throughout is perfect for this music; his energy is absolutely infectious. My body was moving while I sat at my desk listening to this album. However, by the time I finished it, many of the songs had gone in one ear and out the other, even on subsequent listens. A man can only hear and truly appreciate a 12 bar blues so many times. My favorite songs were the ones that felt distinct from the pack. The largely acoustic affair of I Can't Be Satisfied is a nice break, and is surprisingly one of the songs I could most see myself coming back to. I Want to Be Loved #2 is probably the most infectious song here; Pinetop Perkins prevalently plays piano... persuasively and percussively. Jealous Hearted Man features some rockin guitar and harmonica soloing, probably the best of the album. The previously mentioned Mannish Boy finds itself distinct in that it does not follow a 12 bar blues, instead being built around its signature riff, which is great. This being the first new album for me in this challenge was certainly interesting. While the highs are quite high, I wish I was able to enjoy this more. The general repetitiveness of the music, in form, tempo, and texture, make this album one that I may not come back to often in full, although there are certainly some songs that I loved. 2.5/5 Favs: Mannish Boy I Want To Be Loved #2 I Can't Be Satisfied Least Fav: Bus Driver

Looking For America, With Its Kooky Nights And Suicide 1001 Albums Generator 4 (04/08/2025) Before listening to this album, I knew precisely two things about Blur: that they were one of the big four of the Britpop movement and that they had that song that goes “WOO HOO!”. These two facts existed in conflict in my mind, as Song 2, though poppy and British, is decidedly not Britpop, but I honestly didn’t think much of it. Blur, the self-titled fifth album by Damon Albarn’s Blur solves the mystery. You see, Blur was the first of Britpop's big four to shed themselves of the genre, and Blur was the album that marked this shift in their career. It also happens to contain their biggest hit, Song 2 (the WOO HOO! song). Let's start here. When listening to this song with the context of Blur beginning to move away from Britpop, which never took off in America due to being "too British" (those Revolutionary War grudges go deep I guess), it is impossible to not feel as though this was a big fuck you to the American music industry, showing that they could have a hit in the states if they wanted to. The song is comically simple on its surface, and started out as a joke between Albarn and guitarist Graham Coxon. But, and maybe this is due to the fact that I am an American, this song is amazing. It is perfectly catchy, fuzzy, and faux-amateurish, but with the polish of a band in the midst of their prime. This album is nearly as eclectic as an album squarely in the alt/indie rock sound can be. The first five songs are an amazing run, featuring the two biggest hits in Beetlebum and Song 2, the nearly alt-country Country Sad Ballad Man, the upbeat, punky M.O.R., and the psychedelic On Your Own, which features great acoustic/electric guitar layering. Honestly, if you were to diffuse this album down to its core sounds and influences, it would probably look something like this run of five. Other highlights include Death of a Party, which has an amazing organ sound and great lyrics about the rise of AIDS in the party scene, and the hardcore punk rock Chinese Bombs, an homage to the late great Bruce Lee. Movin' On is one of the best "garage rock" type songs here. The repeated highly fuzzed riff that plays throughout the verses between vocal phrases and the chorus with its wordless backing vocals are both so catchy. The eclecticism of this album works against it at points. You’re So Great, I'm Just a Killer For Your Love, and Strange News From Another Star are relatively soft, sleepy, psychedelic songs that don’t stick with me. Essex Dogs, the experimental closing track, feels more like a studio exercise than a full blown song. Some of those exercises work; the last 2 minutes of the song are quite striking, but the song does not feel cohesive. My first foray into the works of Damon Albarn outside of his work with (as?) Gorillaz is a mixed bag. Masterfully produced throughout, there’s more good than bad here, especially in the first half, but there’s a handful of songs that don’t do anything for me. Solid 3.5/5 Favs: Song 2 M.O.R. Death of a Party Least Fav: Strange News From Another Star

When The Truths Of Love Are Planted Firm, They Won't Be Hard To Find 1001 Albums Generator 5 (04/09/2025) Talking Book is the fifteenth (!) album by world renowned singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Stevie Wonder, and the second of his five consecutive "classic" albums. You don't need me to introduce Stevie Wonder. If you know only one thing about him, it's his smash hit Superstition, the first song on side B of this LP, with its quick tempo, catchy-as-hell chorus, and ferociously funky horn stabs. If you know two things about him, it's that he has been blind from a very young age (even the title of this album is another term for an audiobook, a method by which the blind could read), If you are lucky enough to know a third thing about him, it is the fact that this blindness is a condition that does not prohibit Wonder's ability to beautifully describe things that we see and experience every day. Talking Book is an album that I had heard once before, but didn't remember much about. I have always been more of a Songs In The Key Of Life guy. While my favorites on that album are more soul than funk, my favorites here are largely the funkier tunes. Songs like Maybe Your Baby, Tuesday Heartbreak, and smash hit Superstition represent three distinct flavors of funk, but all of them will get you moving in different ways. Maybe Your Baby is like a sleeper agent activation if the agent being activated was the transfiguration of my face into a stank face. I'm sitting at my cubicle stankin' it up right now, looking absolutely insane if anyone walks in, but I don't care. Meanwhile, Superstition is quick and energetic, with some really interesting syncopated rhythms, especially in the interplay between the multiple synths and the horns, that will get you dancing in no time. Don't get me wrong, there is some fantastic soul music here too. Opener You Are The Sunshine Of My Life features sweet lyrics and a fascinating chord progression in the verse. I love the way he modulates halfway through from Cmaj to Amaj before smoothly transitioning back to C for the chorus. Masterfully written. The Moog-led You've Got It Bad Girl is the closest this album gets to the jazz fusion sounds that Stevie would play with in later albums. The way the lyrics switch from "You've got it bad, girl" to "You'll have it good, girl" in the outro is so simple, but so clever. The closing I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) - great title by the way - builds up at just the right speed, starting very chill with just Stevie's voice and his synth before building into the gospel-inspired repeated chorus and finally ending on some funky shit. The only songs that I don't love are the slow, plodding You And I and the overly smooth Lookin' For Another Pure Love. The former is a boring ballad that excels at going nowhere slowly, and the latter, while featuring interesting guitar work from the late, great Jeff Beck, contains the least memorable Stevie Wonder chorus I've ever heard (side note: "Do it, Jeff" is the original "21, can you do something for me" and I will not accept any disagreement on this point). It's not Wonder's best work, but it's a damn fine album. Nearly every song has something that will catch your ears and move your body. Fantastic 4.5/5, which I want to give a 5 so badly, but I happen to know that another Stevie Wonder album will capture that title later :) Favs: Maybe Your Baby Superstition I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever) Least Fav: You And I

Eternal Whispering Winds, Rough Discordant Seas 1001 Albums Generator 6 (04/10/2025) São Paulo Confessions is the fourth studio album by Serbian electronic musician Mitar Subotic, released under the stage name Suba. Tragically, Subotic died during the promotional cycle for this album as he was rushing into his burning studio to save the recordings. He was only 38 years old, and he has since been honored in both his birth country, Serbia, as well as the country he moved to and produced this album in, Brazil. This is an album and artist that I had never heard of, but the genres excited me. Acid Jazz is a genre I am unfamiliar with outside of Jamiroquai's incredible Virtual Insanity, which I love, and the bits of Bossa Nova and Samba I have heard are great. The album cover is striking and really feels like a candid view of the streets of Sao Paulo. I have never been, but I can say it reminds me of (and makes me nostalgic for) some streets I saw in southern Spain when I was there. This is a slow burn of an album, but there are moments where this slowness works to its advantage. The vocal tracks, especially those featuring Cibelle's sultry vox (Tantos Desejos, Felicidade, and Sereia) all stand out, and the chill production melds well with her voice. The opener particularly rocks, and had me very excited for this album. The live-sounding drums, jazz-y piano riffs, and bassline that reminds me of A Love Supreme at points, along with her voice, transport me to the streets of some big city in the wee hours of the morning (maybe Sao Paulo, but I wouldn't know). Antropofagos is potentially the most upbeat song and has the strongest groove on the album, although it does overstay its welcome just a bit, which is a theme for this project. The consistent pace of the album, as well as its length, cause the whole thing to wash over me. The songs, even the ones I enjoyed, never really build anywhere and the lack of real dynamic change throughout makes the album a bit of a slog to get through. It's hard for me to even point out specific songs I disliked, since so many of them blend together. Upon a second listen, I particularly noted the last four songs as being unremarkable to me, but maybe I was just starting to get a little tired of the album by this point. I will admit this issue may be partly due to my musical bias, as electronic music in general is not something that I have a lot of experience with, but reading other reviews, it seems I am not alone in my feelings here. Suba was undeniably a talent taken far too soon. While this is not an album I see myself coming back to as a whole, the creativity shown here feel more like an artist rising towards their peak than one that has said all that they need to say. Unfortunately, as a piece of music, this sits somewhere around a high 1.5/5, rounded up to a 2/5. Favs: Tantos Desejos Voce Gosta Sereia Least Fav: Pecados Da Madrugada

Sometimes I Feel Like I've Been Tied To The Whipping Post 1001 Albums Generator 7 (04/11/2025) At Fillmore East is a live album by The Allman Brothers Band, recorded in 1971. Recorded just half a year before the tragic death of guitarist and founder Duane Allman, At Fillmore East was the band’s first live album, first embrace of the jam band label that would define their identity from this point on, and it was their critical and commercial breakthrough. The Allman Brothers Band were foundational to the development of both southern rock and jam rock, and this album represents the finest of both in my opinion. This is a stylish album, even by modern standards. The slow build of Stormy Monday has the energy of crescendo-core post-rock, played through the lens of blues rock. In Memory of Elizabeth Reed features abrupt tempo and timing changes, as well as angular riffing that wouldn’t be out of place on a Slint record, all while maintaining the jazzy sound at the core of the song. It’s amazing how well the songs on this album have aged; I was really so surprised to hear the freshness on display, as I often think of Allman Brothers as just a (very good) boomer-core band. Whenever anyone talks about this album, the primary focus is not on the songwriting (although as I mentioned above, the songwriting is quite inspired); the primary focus is on the instrumental virtuosity on display. And yeah, this is one of the most musically impressive albums I’ve heard in all of rock. Duane Allman is oft regarded as the best slide guitarist of all time, and this may be the finest showing of his life. He is the core of the band’s sound here on every single song, and although I do love Eat A Peach and Brothers And Sisters, it is clear that Duane was an irreplaceable force for this group. His brother Gregg plays the organ and the piano and I believe his finest showing to be the upbeat instrumental jam Hot 'Lanta or the aforementioned Elizabeth Reed. The elephant in the room, of course, is the length, both of the album itself and of the two side-long jams in the middle and end of the album. The first of these, You Don't Love Me, is a cover of a 50's blues tune by Willie Cobbs. This song features perhaps the catchiest guitar riff on the album, and for the first 7 minutes or so, it sounds like a relatively standard jam. Then the band cuts out, and the only thing that you hear is Duane's slide guitar mastery. This moment is quite emotional in retrospect as it really forces you to focus only on the artistry of a man who, unbeknownst to him, was mere months from meeting his maker. This song also features incredible soloing from the oft underrated Dickey Betts. Although Betts would reach his prime after Duane died, his work here is still incredible. The other side-long jam, Whipping Post, features an opening riff in in 11/8 (talk about hip), as well as an ambient section around the 13 minute mark that really reminds me of Get Up With It-era Miles. This song is hailed as the band's greatest achievement, and while it isn't quite my favorite song here, it is a fantastic piece of music. At Fillmore East is everything a live album should be. It showcases the chemistry of a band in their prime, improving upon studio recordings, and giving extra life to the songs performed. It's a long journey, but it is one that I loved taking. My weekend was better for having listened to it on repeat. 5/5 Favs: Stormy Monday In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed Whipping Post Least Fav: Done Somebody Wrong

We Are The Kids Of War And Peace, From Anaheim To The Middle East 1001 Albums Generator 8 (04/14/2025) Even just looking at the track lengths and cover of American Idiot, it was clear that this was not going to be a return to form for Green Day. Gone were the days 2-3 minute pop punk song, filled with lyrics about masturbation, grouchy old dudes, and blowing up planes. This was a new Green Day, one that, fresh off the heels of 9/11 and the Iraq War, would be leaning into the political edge that punk music was built on originally. This was a new Green Day, one that would focus more on songwriting and dynamics than ever before. This was a new Green Day, one that could write a rock opera full of global hits, still playing on rock radio to this day. I was in diapers when 9/11 happened, so it's an understatement to say that I don't truly understand what it was like at that time. In a time when the population (somewhat) trusted that our government had our best interests in mind, at least more than people do now, it was unimaginable to the average red-blooded American that this terrorist attack could be the work of anything other than Islamic terrorists. Of course, we had to go kill them for what they did to our country, it was almost a no-brainer. The 2004 Presidential election, while relatively close, was nowhere near the nail-biter that 2000 was, indicating that America as a whole was still on board with Bush's hawkish foreign policy. Of course, the world has changed now as much as it has stayed the same. War rages on, pushed by corrupt politicians who fill their pockets with the blood of soldiers. But people, especially the young, on the left and right are beginning to realize the folly of war and some even recognize that some combination of Dick Cheney, Israel, and the CIA were fully or partially responsible for the tragedy that happened on 9/11. An album like this would hardly even register as politically edgy nowadays, besides its use of the words "faggot" and "retarded". Of course, an album must be judged in the context it was released. In 2004, this really was quite brave. Green Day were far from the first group to criticize the Bush administration, but this was a group that was not known for being political. Additionally, they were floundering commercially after their sixth studio album, Warning, so the safe thing to do would have been to release a return to form, agreeable, fun album. This is not that. Singles American Idiot and Holiday are both overtly political, and Wake Me Up When September Ends is a slow rock ballad about the death of Billie Joe Armstrong's father, and in spite of this, they were all massive hits. Why? Well, first of all, these songs are catchy as fuck. I remember so many of these choruses growing up; American Idiot, Boulevard of Broken Dreams, and Wake Me Up most of all. Some of Green Day's finest melodies are on this album. However, while Green Day albums after this would lose the punk and keep the pop, this album has a great balance between the two. The title track, St. Jimmy, and Letterbomb embody the punkier side of this album and show that in spite of what contemporary critics may have said, these boys can still rock. The centerpieces of this story are the second and second-to-last songs on the album, Jesus of Suburbia and Homecoming. The former, named after the main character of the album, and by Armstrong's admission, his attempt at making Bohemian Rhapsody of the future, is a nine minute, five-part punk and progressive rock epic that features styles from pop punk to glammy piano rock to theatrical acoustic rock. Hey, we even get some time signature changes. The titular character is a disillusioned American teen, living on pharmaceuticals since his childhood and growing up in a broken home. This "anti-hero" ends the song by leaving his home city. Amazingly, this song was also a single. The latter, Homecoming, is another 9 minute, 5 section track, and was actually written first. My favorite part of this song has to be the nearly rockabilly Tre Cool-led Rock N Roll Girlfriend. This is one of the coolest things I've heard this band do. This song isn't as good as Jesus of Suburbia, but it's underappreciated for sure. While the singles and some other songs are great, the middle section of this album does drag a bit. The run from Give Me Novacaine to Letterbomb is especially boring. Extraordinary Girl wouldn't be out of place on a modern Green Day album, which is not a compliment. Additionally, I don't like how so many songs here are combined into a single track. This is a nitpick, and is specific to the streaming version that I am listening to, but I don't understand why, for example, St. Jimmy, which is exciting and fun, is attached to the bland, plodding Are We The Waiting. This really isn't a big issue but it has annoyed me since I was a kid. American Idiot is not my favorite Green Day album. However, its level of artistic ambition was never met by the band before or since. The good songs are great, but the bad songs are completely forgettable. Overall, 3.5/5, rounded up to 4/5 Favs: Jesus of Suburbia Holiday St. Jimmy Least Fav: Extraordinary Girl

I Wish I Was A Fisherman Tumblin' On The Seas 1001 Albums Generator 9 (04/15/2025) Although the violin was originally made to play classical music, my favorite uses of the instrument (besides Vivaldi's Four Seasons) are all from outside this context. From Thank You Scientist to Sufjan Stevens' Illinois to Black Country, New Road, violin is just done best by the rock bands; I don't know what it is. By the time I reached the fourth minute of We Will Not Be Lovers, I realized that The Waterboys' fourth studio album Fisherman's Blues belongs in the rock violin pantheon. The Waterboys are a rock band with members from all four countries within the UK. While their first three albums helped to jump start the beginning of the so called "Big Music" genre, Fisherman's Blues represented a move away from that sound and features an embrace of Irish and Celtic folk music, infused with their rock sound. As I alluded to earlier, the star of the show here, besides band leader, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist Mike Scott, is the incredible violin (fiddle) playing of Steve Wickham, who appeared on only one song on the band's previous effort, This Is The Sea. I will be speaking in this review about the non-expanded edition, which is the first disc on the Spotify version of the album. Fisherman's Blues is really a story of two albums: the first is a brilliant combination of heartland-influenced rock and Irish folk instrumentation, and the second is an unremarkable Irish folk album. The first of these two albums (Fisherman's Blues through And A Bang On The Ear) is incredible. With the exception of Strange Boat and the bonus track Jimmy Hickey's Waltz, every song here is explosive. The first two songs especially highlight the incredible mix of rock and fiddle, with the second song, We Will Not Be Lovers, being perhaps my favorite song on the whole album. World Party features a really strange piano line that opens up into an almost post-punky Celtic inspired jam. There is also a cool moment in Sweet Thing where Mike starts singing Blackbird, and it is a totally dope recontextualization of that tune. The second of these two albums (Has Anybody Here Seen Hank through This Land Is Your Land) has precisely one song I like. Has Anybody Here Seen Hank? is a beautiful piece of Irish country. While it is simple, it is very well performed and Mike Scott's voice sounds great here. Every other song through to the end of the album is some mixture of boring and just plain bad. From the appallingly inoffensive When Ye Go Away to the painful slam poetry on The Stolen Child, side B of this LP has little to offer. This is a hard album to judge. On the one hand, I added two songs from this thing to a playlist, which is quite rare (normally I try to just do one per album). On the other, I have no desire to listen to this in full ever again. I can't go below a 3/5, just because the first half really is fantastic. Favs: Fisherman's Blues We Will Not Be Lovers World Party Least Fav: The Stolen Child

Is She Weird? Is She White? Is She Promised To The Night? 1001 Albums Generator 10 (04/16/2025) Made it to double digits, almost 1% done ;) Bossanova is the third studio album by Pixies, best known for their hit Where Is My Mind off their debut Surfer Rosa, famously featured in Fight Club, as well as their second album Doolittle, which is one of the most acclaimed indie and alt rock albums of the 90's. Bossanova, following these two critically acclaimed projects, had a lot to live up to. I had never heard this album, but I am familiar with Pixies' earlier work. In a lot of ways, this album is more of what I have come to love about this band: a grunge-y take on alternative indie rock, huge inter-song dynamic shifts, esoteric vocals and lyrics, and a touch of surfer rock. There are also some touches of psychedelia on songs like Ana and closer Havalina. Lead songwriter Frank Black AKA Black Francis shows some of his strangest songwriting I've heard from him on this album. 3-bar and 6-bar phrases abound, and chord progressions need not be functional here. The opening trio of songs is extremely strong. The first song, Cecilia Ann, is an instrumental surf punk song with great energy and guitar work. Rock Music is the most aggressive song on the album and features the first example on this album of something Pixies do a lot that I call "I can't believe it's not 4/4!". Normally the drums are playing as though the piece is in a standard 4/4, but the harmonic rhythm reveals that either we are actually in 6/4 or 10/4 or 14/4 or something. The chorus of Rock Music is in 6/4, but a passive listener might miss it; Black Francis just decided to have a three chord loop instead of a 4 chord loop. Velouria, the lead single, is an even more extreme example of this, as the chorus switches between 6/4 and 4/4, all while the drums stay relatively stagnant. It also has a theremin btw. Rock on. All Over The World and Dig For Fire feature really abstract lyricism, even for the band that wrote Monkey Gone To Heaven. Side note - I can't help but hear Daft Punk's Around The World during the chorus of All Over The World. I know they are drastically different, but the similar lyric and repetition just gets me. Anyway, both of these songs are quite good, with the former being the longest on the album and featuring the band's signature quiet-loud-quiet dynamic shifting. The latter is, by Black Franics' admission, their Talking Heads imitation (although it really doesn't sound like Talking Heads at all, except maybe in the second verse), and has one of my favorite examples of "I can't believe it's not 4/4!" on the album in the explosive chorus. After this, the album does falter in quality a bit for me. In spite of this album's short length, I did find myself checking my proverbial watch a bit by the time I got to Down To The Well on my first listen. On subsequent listens, it was easier, but there is some noticeable shift in quality in the second half. The Happening, the slower Stormy Weather, and Havalina (shout out to my home state Arizona) are all cool songs, so this isn't as egregious as yesterday's album, Fisherman's Blues, in this regard. Bossanova, Pixies' last really critically acclaimed record, is great, although not quite on the level as the two preceding it. I am happy that I listened to it and can say that I've completed the trifecta, but it really just made me want to go relisten to Doolittle. Gonna go do that rn. Overall, not bad at all, 4/5 Favs: Rock Music Velouria Is She Weird Least Fav: Hang Wire

Melody Nelson Has Red Hair, And It's Her Natural Color 1001 Albums Generator 11 (04/16/2025) Here we have an album about a man who falls in love with a fourteen/fifteen year old girl. The album has largely spoken vocals and the lyrics are in a language I don't understand. That's three potential strikes against this album that I was able to gather from only looking at Wikipedia and RateYourMusic before I had even heard a second of it. Now that I have heard the album, let's talk about it. Potential strike 1: The elephant in the room is this album's narrative. From reading translations of the lyrics, the protagonist of this story hit a young girl, Melody Nelson, with his car. He falls in love with her (despite the fact that she is only fourteen) and decides that he wants to take her virginity. They go to a hotel and consummate their relationship. On her flight home, she dies, and the narrator is left depressed and alone. I do feel like this story is better than I was expecting, as you do feel that it's a tragedy. Of course, it is tragic for Melody, who is groomed into sex as a minor and then dies, but I believe there is some tragedy for the narrator. My reading of the lyrics is that the narrator is alone in the world, starving for some sort of love. From his perspective, he has found love for the first time in his life, and it was taken away from him. Don't get me wrong, if the narrator of this album were a real person, I would certainly be calling for his jailing and/or chemical castration, but I do think this album forces you to recognize the humanity in someone that does one of the most disgusting things a human can do, and that makes it great art. VERDICT: NOT A STRIKE Potential strike 2: Spoken word vocals. This is where the album gets tough. The first song and the last three all feature spoken vocals, and the mixing is like... kind of terrible. Like, especially in the first song, the mixing of the instruments with his voice is just bad; it sounds like he is speaking directly in my ear and I can barely hear the instruments over his speaking. I also just hate how Jane Birkin just spends the whole album saying "Melody" and then laughing obnoxiously during En Melody. VERDICT: STRIKE Potential strike 3: Non-English lyrics on a story-based album. Okay, I'm not trying to get in trouble here; I obviously understand that people speak languages other that English. My (potential) gripe is more with the fact that I perceived this to be such a vocal-centric album that I would not be able to get a full appreciation for it. While I do think that may be the case, I don't think that it posed as much of an issue as I thought it would, because while the lyrics are important to understanding the album, the vocal style does honestly drag down the overall quality as mentioned above, so being able to not focus on it was probably a positive. VERDICT: NOT A STRIKE Hey 2/3 ain't bad. By the way, did you know there's actually music on this album? I know, it's hard to believe; we've already discussed so much without talking about the music itself, and the music is ultimately... fine. Looking at other reviews, I imagine this is blasphemy, but I don't know. The mixing killed it for me. There are moments, such as Melody and En Melody, where the band is jamming hard and I love it. However, in the former, his vocals overpower the mix, and in the latter, her laughing is really fucking obnoxious. Other moments, such as the two short songs Valse De Melody and Ah ! Melody show a quieter, more restrained approach to songwriting that really works, but these songs are so short that they struggle to make an impression in my opinion. It is worth noting that Jean-Claude Vannier's orchestral arrangements are at the core of this album's sound, and it is much better for it. The chamber elements throughout and the choral elements in the closer Cargo Culte were really great additions to these compositions. The orchestration and the way it's produced remind me of Umm Kulthum's Arabic style of pop music, which is interesting. Overall, this is an album that I believe is less than the sum of its parts. Instrumental compositions ranging from decent to great, an interesting, tragic story, and fantastic orchestration coalesce into a messy mix of pop, funk, and blues rock that bores me. I would say this is somewhere around a 2.5/5 for me, rounded down to a 2/5. Favs: Melody L'hotel Particulier Cargo Culte Least Fav: Valse De Melody

Don't Look At The Carpet, I Drew Something Awful On It 1001 Albums Generator 12 (04/18/2025) Low is the 11th album by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist David Bowie, released in early 1977. 1976 was a tough year for Bowie. It may have seen the release of his critically acclaimed Station To Station, but it also saw him at the height of his cocaine addiction, seemingly consistently in controversy that often involved views on a certain German leader and his ideology that lay far to the right of the Overton Window. In Bowie's defense, he did partially blame these comments on living in Los Angeles, which is the most hilarious defense of Nazi apologia that I could imagine. Anyway, all of this controversy led to him and Iggy Pop moving to Berlin (of all places) to get off the powder, which led to what has in retrospect been referred to as "The Berlin Trilogy", of which Low is the first album. It's time for me to admit my biases right out of the gate. Low is my favorite David Bowie album (of the four that I have heard as of writing this), and it's kind of not even close. The sound of this album is very intentionally split in two along the rim of the vinyl. The A side features krautrock-inspired electronic rock and is certainly the more accessible half. The two international singles from this album, Sound And Vision and Be My Wife, are both on this side. The B side features ambient and largely instrumental pieces. It is not at all surprising the Brian Eno was so intimately involved with this album; it has his fingerprints all over it. Side A is one of the best sides of an album I have ever heard. Every single song is fantastic and sounds contemporary today. The weird, abrupt fade in to Speed Of Life, which opens the album, catches the listener off guard, and that almost saw-like synth that plays throughout is so catchy. It feels like a precursor to the New Wave movement. Sound And Vision is perhaps my favorite Bowie tune period. George Murray should be a household name for his work on this album alone; his bass on this song (and really the entire A side) is extremely catchy and funky. Side B is what had this album at a 4.5 instead of a 5 for me for the longest time. As I mentioned before, there isn't really any rock here. All we are left with are electronic textures, ambient soundscapes, and a dark atmosphere. When I first heard this album, I didn't appreciate this, but I have come to love it just as much as the A side. The opener Warszawa is a beautiful introduction to this new sound for Bowie. More that the first half of the song is instrumental, led by Brian Eno's multi-synth arrangement, and the moment where Bowie's voice comes in is powerful. Weeping Wall, which was my least favorite track on earlier listens, has grown on me a lot. It really reminds me of some of the minimalist music that I've heard, such as Music For 18 Musicians or Terry Riley's In C. Subterraneans is a beautiful, dark finale to the album. The saxophone is haunting, and I'll be brave and admit I had no idea Bowie could play the saxophone like that. One last thing: this album is famous for having one of the most imitated drum sounds in all of rock history, and that is not without reason. Whatever black magic and crack Tony Visconti put into this drum sound, especially on the rock side, would probably be illegal if it was sold on the streets. Low marked a new era in one of the most decorated music careers in history, and it more than earns a spot on not only this list, but in the canon of Western music generally. David Bowie revolutionized popular music multiple times throughout his career, and I think this one may be my favorite. 5/5 Favs: Speed Of Life Sound And Vision Subterraneans Least Fav: Art Decade

It's Like A Whirlwind Inside Of My Head 1001 Albums Generator 13 (04/21/2025) Recently, I have seen discourse among music discussion boards that the introduction and overuse of the word "mid" has effectively destroyed music criticism. It is a word that can be employed endlessly and requires no justification. However, I would argue that the "mid epidemic" is the latest of a string of meaningless criticism - an evolution from a criticism that Linkin Park was all too familiar with: "edgy". In the 2000's-2010's, there was nothing worse that you could be than cringe (which edgy was a subset of), and Linkin Park was a total edgy cringefest. However, Gen Z is embracing the formerly cringey. As a wise man once said: "Kill not the part of you that is cringe; kill the part of you that cringes". As such, this band, especially this album and Meteora, have seen quite a critical reevaluation by the youth as of late. Is this an instance of Gen Z rebellion against their uncool Millennial counterparts, or is it a well-deserved reframing of an unfairly disrespected band? The hits off of Linkin Park's debut, Hybrid Theory, are really quite good. The opening track, Papercut, is probably my favorite song by the group. It features a really interesting electronic sounding guitar part and a great, catchy chorus. One thing that Linkin Park does not get nearly enough credit for is their pop sensibilities. It really is no surprise to me that they got as popular as they did. This song also has this really cool drum thing where halfway through the verses, the drums switch from a closed hi hat to open, which to my ears gives the impression of going into a halftime grove, even though the timing hasn't actually changed; it's just pure genius on display. In addition to this song, the two biggest hits on this album are the oft memed In The End and Crawling. The two biggest sins of Linkin Park in the eyes of the cringe police are on this album, and both of them are honestly pretty good in retrospect. The verses of Crawling are very forgettable, but that chorus is electric. In The End is the finest example of LP's songwriting trope of Mike Shinoda rapping on the verse and Chester Bennington belting the chorus. This song is iconic, and no amount of calling it cringe will change that. Outside the hits, there are a couple of other bright moments. A Place For My Head has a great Phrygian groove and is probably the most memorable guitar part on this album. It also has one of the heaviest moments on the album in its bridge. Pushing Me Away is good but ultimately comes off as a slightly worse version of In The End. By Myself has a really heavy riff, but a terrible verse part that feels so whiny. The vocals on this album in general just do not sit well with me. I feel so bad saying that about a hometown hero like Chester Bennington (the house he lived in when he tragically took his own life was really close to where I grew up), but I've just never really bought his whole thing. There are moments on this album, such as the chorus of Forgotten, where his voice sounds more nasal than oral. In general, the mixing on this album is very much a product of its time. Anyone familiar with the contemporary history of music production will know what I mean: Hybrid Theory is a victim of the Loudness War. This thing is compressed to fucking shit. In spite of this, there are production moments that I like. The electronic elements can be really cool, especially seen on Papercut and the interlude Cure For The Itch. The guitar tone on this is also one of the best that I have heard in nu-metal. So, is the critical re-evaluation Gen Z rebellion and counterculturalism or well-deserved and long overdue? Well, Hybrid Theory has high highs and features iconic pop-oriented choruses with great guitar tones. However, it has lots of filler, rough mixing/mastering, and a dated sound. I would say the good and bad elements just about outweigh one another, so unfortunately, the jury is still out. 2.5/5, rounded down to 2/5. Favs: Papercut In The End A Place For My Head Least Fav: Runaway

I Had A Feeling So Peculiar This Pain Wouldn't Be For Evermore 1001 Albums Generator 15 (04/22/2025) So apparently Travis Kelce's girlfriend makes music, who knew! This individual is named Taylor Swift and evermore is her ninth album. Written as a sister album to her eighth outing, folklore, these albums represented a new direction for Ms. Swift, moving towards some sort of folksy, 'artsy' sound that was meant to not be as poppy as her previous records. These albums were conceived during the COVID-19 quarantine and were both surprise releases. Now, as I am a human being living on planet Earth, I do have an opinion about Taylor Swift. However, I think that doing something such as this challenge is a good excuse to put aside all my biases, as best as I can, and judge this album with fresh eyes. This is a singer-songwriter album at the end of the day, so what better place to start than the lyrics? I feel like a contrarian asshole, but I struggle to find the depth in the lyrics here that is supposedly on display. Everything that I read about this album emphasizes that this album is much more introspective and focuses on character studies, emphasizing themes of escapism, but I don't see it. One of my problems with Taylor Swift has been her shallow lyrics, so I was excited to get some T-Swizzle with deeper lyrics, but maybe my expectations were a bit high. every song with the exception of No Body No Crime and Marjorie are about falling in love or heartbreak. This isn't necessarily even a bad thing, and Taylor Swift is totally competent at writing songs about these things, but calling this album lyrically deep is a bit misleading, no? Musically, there is certainly something interesting happening in a lot of these songs. Willow, the opening track, is chamber folk, with a glockenspiel, flute, and strings backing the more standard instrumentation and vocals. It also features a truly interesting finger picked guitar part. Very Americana, Ms. Swift! Tolerate It features a really interesting rhythm and is very restrained in its songwriting, staying as just piano and Swift's vocals for the majority of it until a light electronic beat slowly comes in (which totally changes how I hear the rhythm by the way. I was hearing it in 7/4 with the slower four piano chords being quarter notes when it first started, but the drums are in a triplet 10/4, with the faster four piano chords being quarter notes. Who would have thought?) Very interesting rhythms, Ms. Swift! Closure is pretty fascinating piece of glitch pop (?) with electronic drums in a 5/4 rhythm. Kind of got some IDM vibes from it, expecially with how the piano and drums are handled. Very Aphex Twin, Ms. Swift! The closing title track is perfectly simple, with a memorable piano part during the verses and choruses that change into a more high tempo bridge with Justin Vernon of Bon Iver. Very great album closer, Ms. Swift! While about half the tracklist showcases a good amount of eclecticism on display (at least by pop standards), the other half unfortunately approximates the sound of beige. The second track on the album, Champagne Problems, is boring 4-chord slop, but the guitar part between the verses is kind of cool. There's this run near the end of the album from Coney Island through Marjorie that is particularly dreadful. The only song in that run that had anything that impressed me was Ivy, which featured some cool banjo, played by Justin Vernon. In general, this album, while perhaps interesting and eclectic by Taylor Swift standards, still struggles to justify its hour long runtime. I feel as though this album is overrated due to being "more artsy" than her other projects. While this is true (although greatly overstated), artistic ambition alone does not a great album make. 2/5 Favs: Tolerate It Dorothea Evermore Least Fav: Coney Island

No More Mr. Nice Guy, No More Mr. Clean 1001 Albums Generator 15 (04/23/2025) Alice Cooper (band) was (is) a band led by frontman Alice Cooper (guy). Active during the first half of the 70's, Alice Cooper (band) was a key group in the glam rock movement that emerged in the UK, but they always had a very theatrical, American sound about them. Billion Dollar Babies, released in 1973, was their most popular album and features smash hit No More Mr. Nice Guy. It was also the last of their critically acclaimed quartet of albums that started with 1971's Love It To Death. As a personal note, as a kid growing up playing music in the Phoenix area, Alice Cooper (guy) was an awesome presence in the community. He hosted a yearly battle of the bands called Proof Is In The Pudding, and I got to play a few shows at his restaurant Cooperstown before it sadly closed in 2017. He is a really cool guy for allowing young, local Arizona musicians to play on such cool stages. Because Billion Dollar Babies, at its core, is hard rock drenched in glam, I expected it to have a very basic sound, but there are a lot of really strange elements here. The second song, the unfortunately titled Raped And Freezin', features a random Mexican sounding breakdown at the end. Unfinished Sweet and Sick Things are quite experimental, with the former featuring some droning instrumentals throughout, perhaps the closest the band ever got to Krautrock, and the latter sounding like a gothic, slowed down version of a normal hard rock song. Generation Landslide has a Beatles-esque intro and a country breakdown. Mary Ann, the penultimate track, is a vaudeville ragtime tune. The whole album features Alice Cooper's (band) signature theatrics, although it is tuned down from the show tunes of their previous outing. There is a lot more than meets the eye happening here and it's really amazing that this thing went number 1 in the US and the UK. Alice Cooper (guy) is a captivating showman and is the godfather of shock rock for a reason. His raspy voice is so distinct, showcased best on the upbeat, symphonic rocker Elected, where he screams about wanting to be elected President of the United States in a way that is very similar to Ramones' I Wanna Be Sedated. He also has a great falsetto register, which features prominently on the title track and the chorus of the iconic No More Mr. Nice Guy. The lyrics on this thing are very unserious, which I love. Alice Cooper (band AND guy) set out to shock people, and I'm sure that in the age before Liveleak and 4chan, it probably worked, although the shock value is gone with the ages a bit. I'm sure necrophilia, sexual harrasment, and the dentist were shocking topics back in 1973, but now I open Instagram and am immediately greeted by a video of a Chinese man dying in an industrial accident. However, the societal desensitization to violence is not something that I can properly hold against this album. Some of the tracks don't work for me. Raped And Freezin' feels like a pretty boilerplate rocker, at least until that outro, and it doesn't stick with me. The pair of tracks Sick Things and Mary Ann near the end of the album are also a bit of a lull, although both for different reasons. I appreciate what Mary Ann is as an interlude, and the piano really is well played, but it's a bit cheeseball for my tastes. Sick Things is certainly experimental, but I don't think the experiment works and this was the one song that I really think would have been better left on the cutting room floor. I have always thought of Alice Cooper (band) as a back-to-basics hard rock group with quality singles but not much else. Billion Dollar Babies surprised me, in both its surprisingly experimental, artistic nature and its relatively consistent quality. While there are moments that I don't like, I would say this is a solid 4/5. Favs: Elected No More Mr. Nice guy Generation Landslide Least Fav: Sick Things

I'm Swimming In Blood Like A Rat On A Sewer Floor 1001 Albums Generator 16 (04/22/2025) Two Alice Cooper albums in a row, huh? If you're curious, the odds of that happening at this point in the list (given that there are only 2 of them on the list, and I already had done 14 albums) is 1 in 577,275. The odds of this Alice Cooper double header happening on THE DAY that the band gets back together to release new music for the first time in over 50 years feels astronomical. I guess I gotta go buy a lottery ticket now. Anyway, School's Out was released in 1972 and directly precedes yesterday's album, Billion Dollar Babies. That album surprised me with its relatively artsy sound and consistent quality outside of the singles. How does School's Out compare? The opening title track is one of Alice Cooper's most iconic songs. Played by quasi-rebellious teens across the anglosphere throughout the month of May, even 50 years later, School's Out is an iconic Proto-Punk anti-school tune. Released 6 years before Pink Floyd's similar Another Brick In The Wall Pt. 2, School's Out was actually banned off of some radio stations for encouraging rebellion in children, which is how you know a song is good. I can't think of a more perfect song to be Alice Cooper's first major hit single. In the 70's, Alice Cooper was synonymous with shock and offense and is often called the Godfather of Shock Rock. As such, a single that rebels against the school system, one of the supposed pillars of Western civilization, was a perfect way to introduce people to Alice Cooper. Spoiler alert - no other song on this album nearly hits the highs of the opening track. This isn't to say there aren't great moments. Blue Turk is my next favorite song. It is surprisingly jazzy and features an awesome sax solo and super fusion-y electric piano sounds throughout. It also has a bassline that is totally inspired by walking basslines of old school jazz. Gutter Cat Vs. The Jets is a cool almost proggy song. I love the changes that happens throughout. The first one is about halfway through where the song becomes almost tribal with just drums and a picked bass. Then the song picks up to a 12/8 jam with a cool, sliding synth line. I'm not sure which synth this is, but it sounds like something I would mess around with on FL Studio. The second side is a bit weaker but still features some interesting moments, such as the growling, almost wordless vocals at the end of Public Animal #9 and the shoutout to Camelback High and Cortez High, two local high schools in Phoenix, on Alma Mater. As I alluded to, the second half of this album does fall off in quality. I find all three of the last songs to be mostly forgettable for different reasons. Public Animal #9 has great energy but not much substance behind it. Alma Mater has lyrics that are honestly pretty moving; it captures the feeling of leaving high school, and the uncertainty that comes along with it. I think of it as the Yin to the title track's Yang. Although the lyrics are good, the song is set to a slower, mostly acoustic number, which is not a style that I think Alice Cooper does particularly convincingly. I do like the doo-wop backing vocals. The final song is a perfectly acceptable instrumental, but begs the question a bit by declaring itself "Grande". School's Out is a good album. It is not as consistent as Billion Dollar Babies, but it does feature what is perhaps Alice Cooper's finest song in the title track. This, along with some other interesting moments are enough to bring this album to a 3.5 for me, rounded down to a 3. Please no more glam rock tomorrow. Favs: School's Out Blue Turk My Stars Least Fav: Alma Mater

I May Be Dumb, But I'm Not A Dweeb. I'm Just A Sucker With No Self-Esteem 1001 Albums Generator 17 (04/25/2025) The Offspring are a pop punk band from California that saw their critical and commercial peak in the 90’s. Along with Green Day, The Offspring brought punk rock to the mainstream by combining its blistering speed with strong pop sensibilities. Smash is their third studio album, released in 1994, and represents the start of their most commercially successful period. It is also the band’s most critically acclaimed record and features two of their most popular songs: Come Out And Play and Self Esteem. I had never listened to this album before, and I didn’t know any songs off of it outside these two. Both are classic for a reason. The former features its start/stop drum intro, the iconic “you gotta keep em separated” hook and its surf guitar parts in the pre-verses. This is a great song, but the latter is even stronger in my opinion. Self Esteem, for my money, is an encapsulation of everything that made The Offspring great: a great rhythm section, good guitar riffs, and Dexter Holland’s slightly ironic, self-aware lyrics that don’t take themselves too seriously. There are other great moments on this album too. The forgotten third single Gotta Get Away is a bit slower but features a great, catchy guitar part that switches from lower register to higher register chords. Perhaps my favorite song on the whole album is the extremely fun Genocide. The energy on this thing hits you like a ton of bricks and it is so fast. The speed and drums are almost thrashy. Other highlights include the ska punk of What Happened To You? and perhaps the most hardcore punk song of the whole album: the one minute So Alone. One thing I am not a fan of on this thing is Dexter Holland’s vocals. He often sounds like he’s wailing in quite an annoying way. This is most expemplified on songs like Bad Habit and Something To Believe In. The latter is actually pretty catchy and has some good riffs but his backing vocals in the chorus just kill me. Even Self Esteem is guilty of this if I’m being honest, but that one gets a pass. This album also features one of my least favorite tropes of the 90’s: the godforsaken hidden track. This one is even worse than other notable examples from this decade since it is just reprises of songs on the album after like 5 minutes of silence. This, more than anything else here, dates this album in a negative way. Overall, The Offspring’s Smash is a high octane album with as many great songs as bad ones. I’m glad I finally gave the “Keep Em Separated” band a chance and found some new favorites. Overall, I’m feeling a 3/5. Favs: Genocide Come Out And Play Self Esteem Least Fav: Bad Habit

Keep Your Eyes On The Final Hour 1001 Albums Generator 18 (04/28/2025) Last week kind of sucked. Work was annoying, my dog regressed in her behavior, and I was dealing with a lot of negative thoughts about myself. On Sunday, we had a problem with our garage door that cost us almost a full dollar for every album on this list. Ouch. In addition to that, the 5 albums last week, while varying in quality, did not contain a single album that would be on my version of this list. There was no stone cold classic, with the closest thing being Billion Dollar Babies. The same will not be said about this week, which is opening with the eternal neo-soul classic The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. I think this is going to be a good week. Lauryn Hill, along with Jeff Buckley, is the platonic ideal of a one-album wonder. Unlike Jeff Buckley, Lauryn is still alive; she just... hasn't made any new music. Noone can truly say why, as Lauryn seems to blame everyone but herself and everyone but Lauryn blames her. What is certain is her one album, The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, is more acclaimed than many artists' whole discographies. This album lives on both indirectly through its influence on hip hop, neo-soul, and R&B and directly through the nearly 200 professional examples of this album being sampled. Drake, Logic, Kanye, J. Cole, Lizzo, Cardi B, Vince Staples, and hundreds of other artists have paid homage to this album through the art of sampling. However, I would argue that influence alone is not necessarily equivalent to quality. Does Miseducation deserve its acclaim? I will have lots of hot takes as we work through this list (wait till we get to Loveless or VU&N), but my take on this album is as cold as it gets. This is a fantastic album, deserving of all the praise it gets. People often focus on the vocals of it all, but I'd like to start with the instrumentation. Many of the beats on this album are played live in the studio and arranged by Lauryn Hill. I think she deserves as much praise as an arranger as she gets as a writer and vocalist. She said "The first day in the studio I ordered every instrument I ever fell in love with: harps, strings, timpani, organs, clarinets. It was my idea to record it so the human element stayed in. I didn't want it to be too technically perfect." Her goal was achieved: this is a deeply human album. This is an album that a machine would not be able to create; the way the drums are often just so slightly early on some songs, the way the lyrics and melodies change slightly from chorus to chorus. These are things that require a human touch. That's a huge part of where the beauty of this album lies. The first four songs (after the intro) start the album off really strong. Lost One, which is firmly planted in a hip hop sound, features strange guitar chords and heavy turntablism. Ex-Factor, which is sampled in what is perhaps Drake's best song, Nice For What, is as soulful as it gets and has a legendary bridge with beautiful, soaring harmonies. To Zion, which features guitar giant Carlos Santana, has a distinctly Latin flavor and features powerful lyrics about Lauryn's choice to have a child in spite of outside pressure to do otherwise. Doo Wop (That Thing) is perhaps Ms. Lauryn Hill's most popular song for good reason. With an iconic piano beat behind her, Lauryn speaks directly to her African American community, telling the men and the women to not distract themselves with "things". For the men, this is in a literal sense ("timbs and rims") and for the women, the "thing" is more metaphorical. Lauryn tells the women of her community to have self-respect and to value themselves. Other highlights include the beautiful Christian imagery on the jazzy boom bap Final Hour (which has a similar message to Doo Wop) and the reggae-inspired Forgive Them Father. Additionally, the cover of Frankie Valli's Can't Take My Eyes Off You is a beautiful piece at the end of this album. Amazingly, it wasn't meant to be included originally, but thank God it was. The second half of this album is a bit weaker in general. The D'Angelo collab Nothing Even Matters is a sleepy bit of soul and the title track is a minimalist song that fails to stand out. The piano is nice, but this song felt a bit boring. Over half of the songs on this album are over 5 minutes, and I feel as though some of these songs are stretched out maybe 30-60 seconds longer than they need to be. I also found the skits, primarily present in the first half of the album, to really take away from my enjoyment. Especially as they are mastered much quieter, so when listening to this album in my car, I had to keep adjusting the volume. Although Lauryn Hill only released one album as a solo artist, her influence on modern hip hop, neo-soul, and R&B cannot be overstated. This album is chock full of beautiful harmonies, interesting orchestral instrumentation, and boom bap beats. However, some dim spots in the track list, slightly overlong songs, and the school gimmick keep it from a 5 for me. 4.5, rounded down to a 4/5. Favs: Doo Wop (That Thing) Final Hour Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You Least Fav: Nothing Even Matters

There Are Heroes In The Seaweed 1001 Albums Generator 19 (04/29/2025) Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut album by Renaissance man Leonard Cohen, released in 1967. Before this album, Cohen was primarily known as a writer, but after penning Suzanne and being encouraged by close friend Judy Collins to play it live, he was signed to Columbia and his music career began. The fact that someone could start their musical journey with a song as perfect as Suzanne is astounding. This is perhaps Cohen's most acclaimed record, featuring three of his most popular songs, and it features a very stripped back sound. Primarily backed only by his acoustic guitar and some light orchestration, Leonard Cohen quietly sings his way through these 10 songs with an imperfection and amateurishness that somehow add to the charm and memorability of this wonderful album. It is so sad to see people on 1001albumsgenerator.com getting one-shotted by this thing. Complaints of "boring", "minimal", and "poor singing" miss the mark in my view. The minimal production and simple vocal melodies force you to really listen. As a listener, this should be your job, but when presented with a flashy, maximalist rock album, it's easy to let it flow in one ear and out the other. If you let an album like this one wash over you, it will be very easy to call it boring. In fact, it probably is boring to listen to it in this way. Besides the bits of orchestration provided by John Simon (which led to Cohen's consternation), the sound of this album is a man and his guitar. However, I think the simplicity of this album's musicality, even by its fans, is wildly overemphasized. Listen to the baroque American Primitivism-esque guitar work on The Stranger Song and Teachers. These are seriously challenging to play, and while I would never argue for Leonard Cohen as more of a guitarist than a songwriter, his guitar work is a bit underrated. Listen to the psychedelic cabaret of Sisters Of Mercy. It sounds like a fucked up carnival, especially when listening with headphones. The first part of So Long, Marianne feels very country. This song has really interesting structure, starting out with almost full instrumentation before fading into just guitar, bass, and vocals. Then it becomes as energetic as this album gets as the drums come in. The ending of One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong sounds like a precursor to slacker rock, with its lofi sound and nearly screamed wordless vocals. With all this said, Cohen was of course a poet first and foremost. I don't think it is an over-exaggeration to say that the second verse of Suzanne could be the best stanza of lyrics ever. He describes Jesus as a sailor and then a watchman, realizing that he is only prayed to by those who need something from him. Jesus is forsaken by God through crucifixion, but he rises from the dead. However, in spite of this miracle, Cohen seems to realize that his love for Suzanne overtakes even his faith. I feel like there are even more layers here that I have yet to uncover in all my listens. This song is just beautiful. One small hit against this album is that Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye is definitely similar to Suzanne in its melody and guitar part, especially in the verses. Being similar to Suzanne is certainly not a bad thing, but I don't think this helps this album fight against arguments of homogeneity. When I think of perfect folk albums, this is one of the first things that comes to mind. Blending the incredible, thoughtful lyrics of a man who was a poet first with the minimal, yet detailed, production of John Simon leads to a perfect album. Songs Of Leonard Cohen is a 5. It was a 5 when I listened to it the first time a couple years ago, and it's still a 5 now. What a privilege to get to listen to this project today. Hopefully no Kid Rock tomorrow. Favs: Suzanne So Long, Marianne One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong Least Fav: Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye

Tonight I'm Gonna Party Like It's 1999 1001 Albums Generator 20 (04/30/2025) 1999 is the album that propelled 5'2 Prince into stardom and is largely responsible for introducing the Minneapolis Sound brand of funk into the mainstream consciousness. Defined by funky synth basslines and programmed drums, Minneapolis Sound was most popular in the 1980's, but it continues to influence artists today such as Bruno Mars and Usher. Prince is an artist who has somehow, to this point, escaped my grasp other than the fantastic song Purple Rain, so I was excited to finally listen to a full album by the man who would become O(+>. First things first, this album is horny as fuck. I feel like I just had sex with Prince just by listening to this thing. Look at the lyrics for Automatic, Lady Cab Driver, and International Lover to start. Anyone that claims that music is "too sexual" nowadays should listen to this album right here. The sound of this album is also very funky. The only other Minneapolis Sound album I have heard is Janet Jackson's Control, and this has the exact same specific types of busy programmed drum beats with lots of fills and synth basslines. The sexual swagger exuding from this little guy can be so strong that it can almost feel like over-compensation, but I'm sure that he really was gettin down and dirty. The album starts with its two most well known songs. The first song, the title track, is the most popular song on the album. Opening with Prince's voice with a robotic filter over it and based on the paranoia at the time that the world would end in 2000, Prince asks one simple thing of the listener: party like it's 1999. In the world of this song, the world is at war, and Prince chooses to dance instead of die. This is the strongest song on the album, and honestly it's not really close. Unfortunately, the second track, Little Red Corvette, is much less exciting. Prince metaphorically describes a one-night stand by comparing it to a ride in a sports car. It's clever, but the music is a bit placid and Prince croons his way through the verses until the pretty good chorus. The guitar solo is nice too. I know this song is popular, but it's unfortunately not quite as good as I was hoping. The rest of this album is quite variable in quality. Delirious features a very silly synth that takes away from the sexiness of the song. I kept getting reminded of that guy on Reddit that listened to Cbat during sex to feel the rhythm lol. Prince's energy is good, but I just can't with this instrumental. D.M.S.R. brings the quality way back up with perhaps the funkiest song on the whole album. I also felt seen when he said "All the white people, clap your hands on the four now". Thanks Prince. Free is a dreadfully cheesy ballad about being grateful for what you have or whatever, while Lady Cab Driver is a wonderfully cheesy boogie about, erm, intercourse with the titular lady cab driver. The final song is strong and has a fun little bit of theming with the whole "Prince Air" schtick. Overall, Prince's 1999 is an album that defines the period in which it was created. In doing so, it also intrinsically ties itself in the cliches of the time, making it hard to appreciate as a modern listener. While I can appreciate the influence this has, I don't find myself coming back to it in whole, in spite of some really strong individual moments. 3/5. Favs: 1999 D.M.S.R. International Lover Least Fav: Free

But I Fear Tomorrow I'll Be Crying 1001 Albums Generator 21 (05/01/2025) After graduating from Chelsea College Of The Arts, Barry Godber decided to become a computer programmer. Disillusioned with the working world, he later left this corporate job with his friend Peter Sinfield. When Sinfield asked him to paint an album cover for his band's debut album, Barry painted the only piece of album art he made in his short life, featuring a distorted representation of what he saw when he looked in his bathroom mirror. Soon after this (self-)portrait of the so called "Schizoid Man" found its way to hundreds of record shop windows, Barry Goldber died of a heart attack in 1970. He was 24 years old. While researching this album, I learned the word phantasmagorical. Don't act like you know what it means. Phantasmagorical means "full of different images, like something in a confused dream", and I think this word describes perfectly Barry's art, Sinfeld's lyrics, and the musical world that King Crimson was able to build on In The Court Of The Crimson King. Personally, this is not my favorite album by experimental English proggers King Crimson, as I believe they peaked with the proggy new wave of Discipline and the proto-prog metal of Red, but this is still a classic album for a reason. As there are only five songs here, I feel like I can go track by track. The opening 21st Century Schizoid Man is King Crimson's most well-known song, owing in part to its iconic use in one of Kanye West's finest songs, Power. Even removed from its use as a sample, this is clearly one of King Crimson's strongest songs, and may be objectively their best. I said earlier this week that Leonard Cohen starting his career with the sublime Suzanne was amazing, and 21st Century Schizoid Man is a similarly unbelievable start to an artist's career. Taking inspiration from both the psychedelic acid rock of Jimi Hendrix and the jazz sensibilities of the Duke Ellington Orchestra, this song redefined what rock music could be. In the same year that Miles Davis "sold out" to rock audiences by embracing electric elements to his jazz on In A Silent Way, King Crimson was approaching this fusion from the other side by incorporating jazz improvisation and instrumentation into a rock context. The formerly opposed rock and jazz worlds were coming together and in both cases, the results were fantastic. I Talk To The Wind is much more tame by comparison. Led largely by Ian McDonald's flute, the second song on In The Court Of The Crimson King is hardly a rock song at all. Playing more like a folk song, I Talk To The Wind was originally penned by Giles, Giles, and Fripp, the precursor to King Crimson. It's a good song and a nice reprieve from the cacophony at the end of the previous track, but not the strongest moment here. Special shoutout to Michael Giles' super interesting drumming on the chorus. The following track, the similarly chill Epitaph, is another triumph. This song also has some folksy moments, but it allows itself to rock out more, and it features some of Sinfeld's best lyrics. This song was a chilling statement against both the deadly Vietnam War and the mutually assured destruction of the Cold War. To this day, politicians play with the lives of the common man while they sit in their bunkers twidling their thumbs. As with many of King Crimson's pre-80's output, the second to last song here, Moonchild, is a piece of free improvisation, and as with many of these free improv songs, it is the weakest on the album. After a two and a half minute ballad, the song devolves into about 10 minutes of pure improvisation that goes beyond even the experimentation of free jazz that Ornette Coleman famously spearheaded in the early 60's. While that music still maintained some sort of jazz sensibility, Moonchild is something different, where even the most key elements of music, such as rhythm and harmony, are eschewed in favor of complete chaos. This is not an aggressive piece of free improv like AMMMusic, but rather a more chill, folksy take on the radical genre. By virtue of personal preference, this is just not my thing. The final song, the nearly titular The Court Of The Crimson King, is fantastic. I love the acoustic guitar arpeggios in the verses and the huge multitracked vocals of the chorus. It is also extremely jazzy and has a silly little flute part near the end. You can't go wrong with that. So, is this the first true progressive rock album? Perhaps not, as both Caravan and Soft Machine had released their self titled albums by the time In The Court Of The Crimson King released. Don't mishear me; this isn't to take away from what Fripp, Lake, McDonald, Giles, and Sinfield did here on their debut. It is a remarkable album and while its status as the first true prog rock album is shaky at best, I don't think it's a stretch to say that this is the first GREAT prog rock album. With that said, the weakness of Moonchild, which is the longest song here, puts this album at a strong 4/5 for me. Favs: 21st Century Schizoid Man Epitaph The Court Of The Crimson King Least Fav: Moonchild

Hold Me Closer, Tiny Dancer; Count The Headlights On The Highway 1001 Albums Generator 22 (05/02/2025) Madman Across The Water is the fourth studio album by British pianist, singer, and songwriter Elton John. It was far from hit when it released, peaking at #41 in John's home country of the UK, although it did perform significantly better in the US, peaking at #8. Although Wikipedia repeatedly refers to this album as prog rock, I have trouble seeing it. While it does feature elements of progressive pop, I do not see much in common with this album and yesterday's album, In The Court Of The Crimson King, which is pretty much the quintessential prog rock album. Genre labels aside, I was not familiar with this album, other than the marvelous Tiny Dancer, so I was excited to get into it and listen to my first Elton John album. This album is quite top-heavy. The first two songs (which were also the two singles released before the album) are pretty much the two strongest songs here. Tiny Dancer, the opener, is obviously a classic for a reason. I love that it takes so long to get the the first chorus, going through an intro, two verses, a middle 8, and a pre-chorus before finally getting to it. This song was actually a slow-burn single, not reaching high levels of popularity right away, in part due to this strange structure and relatively long run time. Recall, this was 4 years before Queen revolutionized what a rock single could be with Bohemian Rhapsody. Anyway, Tiny Dancer exemplifies the strengths of this album: great piano playing and singing from Elton, fun soft rock slide guitar, and lush baroque orchestration. Side note: I heard a shitty remix of this song at the gym and it killed me as all the tension that builds in the original was completely vanquished. The second single, Levon, while not as strong, is much of the same. The ending of this song is just epic and feels more like the ending of an album than the second song on one. By the way, we are 11 and a half minutes in and I haven't heard a second of prog rock. Wikipedia, what are you doing? The rest of the album is not near the quality of its first two tracks. The rest of the A side is okay, with Razor Face having a bit of a tedious tempo but featuring cool organ work from the talented Rick Wakeman and an accordion solo and the title track having some interesting guitar work but not much else going for it. Indian Sunset is another interesting point in the album. Although it is also slower, it features a good structure and tells the story of an American Indian who is at war with some unnamed white European. This is by far the closest the album gets to prog, but I would still argue it's with a distinctly pop flavor. The rest of the album kind of washes over me. Nothing in the last four songs stuck out, and this is emblematic of an issue that I have with piano-led rock music in general. I play both piano and guitar (and I love both), but I think that the guitar, in general, is a more diverse instrument. This is obviously no fault of Elton John, who is able to make the piano his bitch with the best of them, but it is truly just personal preference. Madman Across The Water was my first Elton John album, and with such a strong opening, it felt like a great way to start my journey into his discography. However a lackluster second half prevents the album from greatness. 3/5. Favs: Tiny Dancer Levon Madman Across The Water Least Fav: Rotten Peaches

Let's Start What We Have Come Into The Room To Do 1001 Albums Generator 23 (05/05/2025) I was hoping I would get some Mexican music for Cinco De Mayo, but I guess Nigeria is the next closest thing. Mexico is an observer state in the African Union after all. Fela Kuti was a Nigerian musician who pioneered and popularized the genre Afrobeat in the 1970's. Recorded near the beginning of his 70's peak in the famous Abbey Road Studios, Live! was the sixth album released by Fela Kuti and his band Africa '70. In spite of the name, this is not a live album in the traditional sense, having been recorded "live in studio" as opposed to "live in concert". However, it certainly has the energy of a live album, with banter between songs and song introductions by the ever-entertaining Fela. Additionally, Ginger Baker, the drummer for Cream, was featured on this recording after appearing on Kuti's previous album, Black Men Dey Suffer. Baker had spent time exploring Africa alongside Kuti to familiarize himself with the music and rhythms of the continent. Before this album, I had only heard one album from Fela Kuti: 1975's Expensive Shit. The way that Fela mixes western jazz and funk elements with African rhythms and instrumentation on long jams on that album really intrigued me, so I was excited to hear more from him here. What better place to start than the man himself, Fela Kuti? As a Yoruba man from Nigeria growing up in the mid 1900's, Fela experienced a lot of chaos throughout his life. When Nigeria became independent of British rule in the 1950's, tensions between the different ethnic groups in the country (including the Yoruba) were extremely high. Then in the 1960's, Nigeria saw the secession of the Biafra state and the ensuing starvation of over a million of its people by the Nigerian government. This Civil War ended in 1970, one year before Fela recorded this album. Interestingly, this chaos is translated into music not as anger, but as rebellious joy. What made Fela such a unique character in the history of music (among other things) was that while he allowed his circumstances to fuel his music through the lyrics, album covers, and messaging (oftentimes his songs would feature lyrics describing the plight of his people), he did not allow these circumstances to negatively impact the energy of his art. He instead opted to take the disarray around him and focus it into unbridled vitality. And that vitality is infectious. One needs only listen to the nearly screamed vocals of Black Man's Cry or the Hey Jude-esque la la la's at the end of Egbe Mi O to hear this. The man could command a room like no other. In addition to his duties as frontman, Fela found himself behind the organ quite a lot, with my favorite solo of his on this album being on the aforementioned Black Man's Cry. Another key element of Fela's music, and one of the definitional aspects of Afrobeat in general, is the call-and-response between the vocals and the instruments. On this album, this idea can be seen most on the B side, with Ye Ye De Smell featuring Fela's wordless vocals sparring with the Africa '70's horn section. Let's talk about this Africa '70. Africa '70 was Fela Kuti's trusty band, with whom Fela released a huge portion of his extensive output throughout his career. The most notable members are Igo Chiko on the tenor sax and the incredible drummer Tony Allen, of whom Fela Kuti once said "without Tony Allen, there would be no Afrobeat". Additionally on side 2, we get a second drummer, the equally talented Ginger Baker, who, after travelling throughout Africa alongside Fela, fits right in with the rest of Africa '70. The double drumming, along with the percussionists and conga players, make this an extremely rhythmic album. My body was moving the whole time. This really is a nearly perfect album. It is exquisitely played and the mixing is really cool, especially on headphones. Fela's songwriting, while simple in theory, is masterful in execution. While I would lean towards encouraging Expensive Shit as a better introduction to Fela, Live! may very well be just as great. 4.5, rounded up to 5. Favs: Black Man's Cry Ye Ye De Smell Egbe Mi O (Carry Me) Least Fav: Let's Start

Hang With Me Joe, Hang With Me Joe 1001 Albums Generator 24 (05/06/2025) After a series of 3 EP's released throughout the early 80's, post-hardcore pioneers Big Black decided in 1985 that their fans deserved more than just 20 minutes of tinnitus at a time; they were going to record a full length album. Vocalist and multi-instrumentalist Steve Albini started Big Black as a solo project in 1981. Before he became renowned for his work as a producer for artists such as Pixies, Nirvana, Fugazi, Slint, and hundreds of others, Albini was an innovative figure in the growth of noise and industrial rock, largely through his work with Big Black. Taking inspiration from the No Wave scene growing out of NYC in the late 1970's, Albini took its atonal, noisy energy and combined it with the industrial sounds that had become more prominent during that time, notably by Throbbing Gristle. Additional touchpoints include the early noise rock of Sonic Youth and the burgeoning post-hardcore movement of the mid-80's (although the term "post-hardcore" had not yet been coined at this time). With such a wide array of influences, to call Big Black's brand of rock "unique" would be an understatement. On the band's first LP, Atomizer, these influences exploded in a cacophonous roar, but was it worth the hearing damage? From the feedback and arrhythmic metallic clangs that start the opening track Jordan, Minnesota before leading into the quick, punishing riff that plays throughout most of the tracks runtime, Big Black do not waste time easing you into their musical world. The key sounds of this album are on display immediately: from the heavily distorted and industrial guitar sound to the fuzzed up bass; from Albini's manic, screamed vocals to the TR-606 drum machine; this song is a distillation of what defined Big Black's short career. That drum machine does deserve a special mention. While not the first instance of a rock album featuring programmed drums (The United States Of America's self-titled released in 1968), the way the drums are used on Atomizer was unique at the time. The drums are not meant to emulate a human drummer; no, the drums here are entirely unapologetically machinistic, oftentimes repeating the same 4 bar pattern over the course of an entire song. This is best represented on the blistering Bazooka Joe and Bad Houses, which has my favorite drum beat on the whole album. The lyrical themes here, unsurprisingly, are quite dark. The opener Jordan, Minnesota is about a real sex scandal that happened in the titular city and is told from the perspective of the abuser. The only single released before the album, Kerosene, is about a man in a small town who decides to set himself on fire while having sex. The closer, Cables, is about simply watching bovine get slaughtered. This one is great especially because it is a live recording, so it features even more energy and aggression than the rest of the album. Additionally, the guitar tone on this album is famously brutal. Albini used a guitar made entirely of aluminum, which still fails to fully explain the absolutely insane tone achieved on songs such as Passing Complexion. While there are many things I love about this album, and at 37 minutes, I could hardly call it "too long", I do find myself less interested in the B Side in general. What I was wondering was whether the songs on the latter half of the record really are weaker or if this sound is just hard to maintain throughout the length of an album. Upon listening to this album on repeat twice, I came to the conclusion that the writing is just stronger on the first half than the second. The first five songs are such interesting, punishing pieces of noisy post-hardcore that would have made a fantastic EP. While the second half has some songs that I really enjoy (especially Bazooka Joe and Cables), it does lose me a little. I have similar issues with No Wave albums that I have heard from Swans, even albums like Filth that I enjoy overall (side note: there isn't any fucking Swans on this list wtf). Atomizer is a strange album. On the one hand, it is exquisitely produced with more aggression than many metal albums could ever hope to achieve, but on the other hand, that aggression and the relative simplicity of the musical forms on display lead the album towards some sort of monotony (although the monotony this album lands on is quite the melting pot of influences). I enjoyed it overall and it sits right at a 3.5 for me, but I will need to round it down to a 3/5. Favs: Jordan, Minnesota Kerosene Bazooka Joe Least Fav: Strange Things

You Look Just Like Sylvia 1001 Albums Generator 25 (05/07/2025) For my quarter-centennial album, I got the sixth album by the British band Pulp, This Is Hardcore. I had a very difficult time listening to this at work because of the album cover, but I was able to get around it lol. I know Pulp only as one of the big four of Britpop, but I have never listened to them. Interestingly, this album fulfills a similar role to the 4th album I got on this journey, Blur's self-titled, as This Is Hardcore similarly represents a band shedding their Britpop sound in favor of a different form of rock music. While Blur went for a more American alternative rock sound, Pulp opted to stay with sounds of the U.K. and instead pursue a distinctly British form of artsy glam rock, a la David Bowie two decades earlier. Often cited as the definitive album of the post-Britpop era, This Is Hardcore sees Pulp embracing more experimental, electronic soundscapes and darker themes. In general, this album is best when its energy and tension is bursting from the seams. Opening track The Fear is a haunting, gothic song led by great guitar harmonics and Jarvis Cocker's sometimes spoken, sometimes yelped vocals. While it sticks to a slow tempo, the tension is palpable. Party Hard is a really fun noisy rock song that is the most obvious single on the album. Cocker is doing his best David Bowie impression here. The lyrics were written as a cynical criticism of party and clubbing culture, in stark contrast to much of what Pulp's musical peers were writing about at the time. The title track is the most popular song on the album and features a jazzy trip-hop inspired instrumental and lyrics comparing musical success with being a porn star. Talking about his inspiration for the song, Cocker said "You'd see the same people in films, and they'd seem to be quite alive, and then you'd see a film from a year later and there's something gone in their eyes. You can see it, that they've done it all and there's nowhere else to go." I wonder if these ideas are still relevant today... A Little Soul and I'm A Man are unapologetically jangly Britpop. The former is a bit cheesy with its *clap clap* chorus but it's fun. The latter features a really great guitar solo. Sylvia is one of the strongest songs here, featuring heartbreaking lyrics of memories of a lost love, sung in a flying falsetto. This one almost gave me second-wave emo vibes when the chorus comes crashing in, a la Mineral or the more emo moments on You'd Prefer An Astronaut. However, this is quite a long album and features some slow songs that, to me, do not justify their place on the tracklist. Dishes is slow and psychedelic in a way that could be interesting, but it never gets off the ground, and it feels strange as a second song on the album. TV Movie is another slow moment, a piece of chamber pop led by acoustic guitar as opposed to the synths of Dishes, but it similarly fails to really pick up until around the last minute or so. Seductive Barry has orchestral touches of the post-rock movement that was gaining traction in the U.S. and Canada at the time, but I don't think it's done as well as many of the popular bands in that movement. I absolutely love the Spotify version of the closer The Day After The Revolution, which is a multilayer glamfest through and through, but the full 15 minute version doesn't do it for me. I can appreciate the experimentation of ending the album on a 10 minute drone, but that doesn't mean that I have to like it. This Is Hardcore. This is an alright album. This is an album with some great songs and a hefty serving of filler. This Is Hardcore. This is a 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Party Hard This Is Hardcore Sylvia Least Fav: (Original version) The Day After The Revolution (Spotify version) Seductive Barry

I'm dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun 1001 Albums Generator 26 (05/08/2025) I was surprised to find an album by Meat Loaf on here. I knew that he made music, and I love his part in Rocky Horror Picture Show, but I had only ever heard I'd Do Anything For Love before, which doesn't even appear on this album. I didn't know much about Mr. Meat's career. Turns out this album has somewhere in the top 10 highest sales for any album ever. What the fuck. Okay Mr. Loaf, you have my attention. Equally attention grabbing is the incredible album cover, drawn up by Richard Corben, featuring a shadowy figure driving a motorcycle through a graveyard with a demonic-looking tombstone behind him. This may be the most power metal cover I've ever seen on an album that is not power metal. The opening title track is iconic. It is a quintessential piece of progressive rock, with more changes than I can count. In spite of this, it still manages to have an absolutely memorable, albiet cheesy, chorus. Like many songs on this album, it is essentially a self-contained rock opera. Bat Out Of Hell was written by Jim Steinman as an homage to his love of "car crash songs" and tells the story of a young man who wanted to take the love of his life out of their small town but dies driving his motorcycle to her. The whole 10 minute song is great, but the way the outro is structured is pop rock perfection, with everything cutting out as Meat Loaf screams "Then I'm dying at the bottom of a pit in the blazing sun". His voice on this song, especially at the end, is so over-the-top but it is perfect for this style of music. The other multi-part song is the incredibly titled Paradise By The Dashboard Light. While not as strong as the title track, this song certainly earns its runtime, with the jazz funk baseball announcer breakdown near the middle being my favorite part. The first three minutes, which sound straight out of Rocky Horror, are also expertly done. All Reved Up With No Place To Go is the most fun song here. Similar to Paradise, it sounds like a classic rock 'n' roll tune, you know that blues inspired 50's stuff, but it's turned up to 11, in both volume and tempo. You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth had real single potential but is certainly brought down by the weird spoken word intro that goes on for like a minute before the song actually starts. This is one example on this album of Meat Loaf and Steinman's ambitions getting in the way of their art, as opposed to helping it along. The sound of prog legend Todd Rundgren's guitar is essential to this album. Meat Loaf said that Rundgren recorded all of his parts of the title track in 45 minutes. Considering that this song is 10 minutes long, featuring multiple layers of pretty difficult guitar parts, this essentially implies that it was recorded in a single take. This is absolutely amazing. The two worst songs on this album, Heaven Can Wait and For Crying Out Loud are made worse by their lack of this guitar work. For Crying Out Loud at least has great orchestration played by New York Philharmonic and some cool build up, Heaven Can Wait in particular really has nothing going on. Favs: Bat Out Of Hell All Revved Up With No Place To Go Paradise By The Dashboard Light Least Fav: Heaven Can Wait

I’m A Million Different People 1001 Albums Generator 27 (05/09/2025) I was in Portland this weekend so no big review. It was alright, with the first half certainly being stronger overall. Bitter Sweet Symphony is a stone cold classic for a reason. Favs: Bitter Sweet Symphony Sonnet Lucky Man Least Fav: Velvet Morning

Well, I Said It Once Before, But It Bears Repeating Now 1001 Albums Generator 28 (05/12/2025) The White Stripes’ third album, White Blood Cells, packs a punch throughout its whole runtime, even the songs I don’t like. Unlike its successor, Elephant, all the songs on here are quite short, but that means the ones that are bad don’t last very long. This is an album of runs, at the first four songs are incredible and the run from We’re Going To Be Friends to I Think I Smell A Rat is also really good. Overall, 3.5/5 rounded down to 3/5. Favs: Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground Fell In Love With A Girl We’re Going To Be Friends Least Fav: Aluminum

We Are Driving On The Autobahn 1001 Albums Generator 29 (05/13/2025) German weirdos Kraftwerk are a band that largely found themselves at the forefront of the musical stylings of their time. Their first three albums are Krautrock (or “Kosmische Music”), which was a phenomenon in West Germany in the early 1970’s that saw local bands producing strange, repetitive, and experimental rock music. Often these bands would incorporate electronic elements to their sound, and no band did so more than Kraftwerk. However, their fourth album, Autobahn, hardly sounds like Krautrock at all and instead sees Kraftwerk shifting their sights towards a new horizon, thus far largely unexplored in popular music: progressive electronic music. Eschewing themselves of nearly all traditional rock instrumentation, on Autobahn Kraftwerk sheds themselves of the rock label entirely, opting instead for an ambient synth-led sound. It is worth noting that later in their careers, Kraftwerk would be the progenitor for the synthpop sound that dominated the 1980's. These boys just couldn't stay still. I suppose before we get to the music, I must express my displeasure at the album cover on Spotify. Some of you may be surprised; "it's not so bad", you say, "it may not be the most interesting art style, but it's inoffensive". If you really know your stuff, you may even say "Actually, the blue and white cover is an autobahn sign, which can be found on the side of the highways in Germany". Ah, you sweet summer child, I beg you to leave your Spotify prison and look at the original cover for this album. Painted by German artist Emil Schult, the original cover perfectly exemplifies the feeling the title track aims to exude, while the newer cover feels sterile by comparison. The original painting shows a first person view of a car speeding down the autobahn on a warm summer day, with the band crammed into the rear-view mirror. It is perfect. Autobahn is dominated by its title track, which is 22 minutes and takes up the entire first side of the vinyl. This song was simply written about the German boys' love of driving on Germany's beautiful autobahn. Amazingly, though the lyrics are so simple (largely just repeating the phrase "We are driving on the Autobahn"), there are three members of the band credited with writing them. In spite of its deceptive simplicity and repetitiveness, Autobahn is far from a waste of 22 minutes. Kraftwerk manage to fill this time with interesting textures and an ever-evolving piece of progressive electronic, pulling largely from their Krautrock roots, but through the lens of an electronic group. Surprisingly, this song was a hit, and not only that, but it was Kraftwerk's first release in the U.S. after getting play on some radio stations there. Kraftwerk then performed their first tour of both the U.S. and the U.K. largely on the back of this song's popularity. The B side varies in quality quite widely. Kometenmelodie 1 is a boring ambient piece that does not progress anywhere. While the textures are nice, this song simply does not earn its 7 minute run time the way the title track earns its 22 minute one. The only instruments present are a synth bass and a whistling synth that follows the bassline exactly, while a kick drum adds a soft heartbeat under the proceedings. Meanwhile, Kometenmelodie 2 is way poppier in a good way. It is the most upbeat song here and features a slidey synth line that has been stuck in my head since I heard it. Mitternacht is another really strange song. The shortest song on the album, all we have here is a repeated 5 note motif, played on a bass synth, with constant percussive sounds in the background and bursts of noise between each repetition of the motif. The final song, Morgenspaziergang, is very different, featuring both a flute and a piano as opposed to their electronic counterparts. The flute and piano have an almost classical sound to them strangely enough, while there are also some glitchy noises happening in the background during the first half. The second half of this song is really quite pretty. Autobahn was an interesting introduction to this band for me. The first album in their core discography, by their own admission, feels as good a place as any to get started. Luckily, the longest song here is the best one, which keeps this album, in spite of some useless meandering, at a 3/5. Favs: Autobahn Kometenmelodie 2 Morgenspaziergang Least Fav: Komentenmelodie 1

I Got Sunshine In A Bag 1001 Albums Generator 30 (05/14/2025) Gorillaz is the debut album by virtual band/art project of Damon Albarn and artist Jamie Hewlett of the same name. Albarn and Hewlett met during the former's days with Blur and the idea of Gorillaz as a band made of four fictional members came to them as a commentary on what they felt like were "manufactured bands" pushed by MTV during the boy band craze of the 90's. Although the band was created in the late 90's, their first album did not release until 2001. A quite eclectic album (similar to what Blur did on their self-titled), Gorillaz features influences from trip hop, hip hop, alt rock, and psychedelia. Do these influences come together in a cohesive way throughout this relatively lengthy album? Well, I need to be honest. I feel like I'm missing something with this one. It seems to be well loved but to me it feels as though many of these songs are completely forgettable. Of course, in such a long album, there are bound to be some great moments. The two biggest hits, Clint Eastwood and 19-2000, are both popular for a reason, especially Clint Eastwood. Del The Funky Homosapien from legendary abstract hip hop group Deltron 3030 does the verses here and they are fantastic. This song also features its iconic chorus and almost cabaret-like piano beat, which extends out instrumentally for the last minute or so. It is really great. I thought 19-2000 was a little annoying the first time I heard it with its silly little synthline, but it's grown on me. Unfortunately, these are pretty much the two best songs here. Other light highlights include the Afro-Cuban jazz inspired Latin Simone (which got me really in the mood to listen to Dizzy Gillespie's Afro-Cuban Jazz Moods (which should totally be on the list btw, it's a perfect album)). Anyway, Latin Simone features Spanish lyrics and a cool droning background instrumental with jazz stuff happening on top of it. Sound Check (Gravity) has a pretty heavy, psychedelic trip hop beat that has some interesting production, although at times it feels like it's all form and no substance. This may honestly be an accurate criticism of the album as a whole. Besides the few songs that I've brought up, a lot of these songs, even with their eclectic styles and production, go in one ear and out the other, or worse. Man Research (Clapper) is really annoying with its consistent whining vocals and Punk could be seen as an interesting change of pace, but to me, it feels extremely out of place. Songs like Double Bass, Starshine, and Slow Country, while all quite different from one another, do not have any aspects that stuck with me on any level deeper than the occassional "oh that was an interesting sound". Favs: Clint Eastwood 19-2000 Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo) Least Fav: Man Research (Clapper)

I Feel Like I'm Dying From Mining For Gold 1001 Albums Generator 31 (05/15/2025) Have you ever sat in an old gothic church and just listened to the denizens of the world carry on around you? Every sound from the footsteps of tourists walking through and admiring the glory of God to the whispers of a stranger to their loved one about how beautiful the stained glass is carries through the walls of the building. The way that the sound reverberates off of the walls is kind of unlike anything that I've heard before. I was lucky enough to have this opportunity when visiting Spain recently, as on my side of the Atlantic, there are really not many big Gothic churches, since this style had kind of fallen out of style by the time people were here to build them. However, there are a few prominent churches/cathedrals that are of the neo-gothic style, one of which was the birthplace of Cowboy Junkies' 1988 album The Trinity Session. Recorded in 1988 in Toronto's Church Of The Holy Trinity, The Trinity Session is the second studio album by Canadian (mostly) family band Cowboy Junkies, featuring alt-country music pulling from influences such as blues, folk, and Americana. Boy, what a place to record an album huh? As I mentioned, the walls and ceilings of these churches are perfect for carrying sound, so this album sounds great. Despite the relatively minimal instrumentation on most of the album and the fact that the recording was not mixed or overdubbed in post, the album does not sound empty at all. Even the opening song, a short, haunting a capella rendition of an old traditional work song detailing the horrors of working in the mines, manages to capture your ears and is actually one of my favorite songs here, in spite of its use as just an intro. The church is a perfect place to record an a capella piece and Margo Timmins' vocals sound amazing. The album continues on a strong foot from here with Misguided Angel featuring great harmonica work and Blue Moon Revisited featuring vocals that border on soulful at times and a jazzy acoustic guitar solo near the end. There are lots of covers here as well with the two best being their proto-slowcore cover of The Velvet Underground’s Sweet Jane and their heavily slowed down version of Patsy Cline’s Walking After Midnight. While an over-reliance on covers can sometimes be a negative, the covers are done so unapologetically in the style of Cowboy Junkies that they work here to add some familiarity to what can, at times, feel like a sea of sameiness. The main complaint I have about this album, besides a couple of relative weak points near the middle of the tracklist, is the fact that a lot of these songs are hard to distinguish. They almost all have a slow, swung feel with ambient acoustic instrumentation and while I maintain that the lack of overdubs/mixing is impressive, it can also be a weakness with an album whose sound is as minimal as this one. In spite of drawing from a wide array of folk/country styles, there isn’t enough happening on a lot of these songs to break them away from the pack. In short, my introduction to Cowboy Junkies left me feeling impressed overall. Their haunting take on Americana and alt country is memorable as a whole, but individual songs tend to leave a lot to be desired. Overall a 3.5/5, which I unfortunately must round down to a 3/5. Favs: Misguided Angel Blue Moon Revisited (Song For Elvis) Walking After Midnight Least Fav: Dreaming My Dreams With You

Tell Me, Where Do The Children Play? 1001 Albums Generator 32 (05/16/2025) Tea For The Tillerman is the fourth studio album by Cat Stevens, and sits smack dab in the middle of his most well acclaimed trilogy of albums. The style of Tea For The Tillerman is, despite what Wikipedia says, not rock for the most part. Aside from a few moments where the drums start knockin, this album is pure acoustic guitar-driven folk pop a la Simon And Garfunkel. Adorned with an adorable piece of art painted by Stevens himself (he went to Hammersmith School of Art for a year), Tea For The Tillerman caught my eye immediately after gracing my screen, and knowing nothing about the album going into it, I didn't know what to expect. The opening song, Where Do The Children Play? is a great distillation of the best aspects of this album. Opening with a simple, catchy melody played on an acoustic guitar and an organ with another acoustic strumming in the background before a bass and Cat's vocals come in, within 30 seconds, you have heard many of the sounds that you would get familiar with throughout the length of this album. In asking the titular question, Stevens questions the true benefits associated with the technological advancements that he had seen happen all around him. Specifically, the verses seem to hint at a level of skepticism at the ceaseless industrialization around him. With skyscrapers and roads being built everywhere, where can the children go to play? The two most well known songs on this album, and Stevens' most well known songs in general, are Wild World and Father And Son. The former was written about a real life relationship Stevens was in at the time, written as a warning to a love lost, and the latter is written as a conversation between a father and a son. The father gives his son advice and questions why he must leave and in the final verse, the son tells his father that it's his destiny and he will be okay. This song was famously featured in Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and has been covered countless times. I also love Longer Boats, with its group vocals that sound straight out of the Caribbean. This album also has some really good chamber moments with more extended instrumentation, such as the piano and string ensemble on Sad Lisa. The only complaint I can provide about this album is that there are a few songs that are laid back to a fault. The biggest perpetrator is Into White, which features an okay guitar arpeggio part, but just failed to stick in my brain. On every relisten, I had to remind myself of this song's existence. The outro title track is short enough that I don't feel justified in complaining about it, but I don't really understand the purpose of having it here. Tea For The Tillerman was a nice surprise after a week of albums that ranged in quality from pretty bad to just above average. I will certainly be taking some time to explore Cat Stevens' albums that bookend it, as I have heard good things about both. 4/5. Favs: Where Do The Children Play? Longer Boats Father And Son Least Fav: Into White

Learn To Work The Saxophone 1001 Albums Generator 33 (05/19/2025) Steely Dan was on a fucking tear in the 1970's. Between 1972 and 1980, they released 7 albums, all of which have seen critical acclaim, and they were (and still are) the most recognizable figures of the so-called yacht rock movement that they helped lay the groundwork for in the early 70's. Steely Dan's brand of yacht rock, while sticking to the West Coast, soft rock vibe that defines the genre, is undeniably jazzy, which is both due to the general composition techniques used here as well as the prominence of the saxophone, jazziest of all instruments. Aja, pronounced Ay-czah but mispronounced by me for years as ah-jah, is the most highly acclaimed of the seven acclaimed albums by Steely Dan, but it surprisingly does not feature any of their three most popular songs (all of which appear instead on Steely Dan's debut Can't Buy A Thrill). This is because Aja is a stylistically tight piece of work that is made to be listened to as a whole rather than in parts. When someone thinks of yacht rock, this is likely the first album to come to mind. The title track is perhaps my favorite song here. It has some of the finest soloing on the whole project, with clavinet and guitar solos and the legendary fusion saxophonist Wayne Shorter doing what he does best. Steve Gadd's drums in the last minute with the pad synths in the background is an all-time moment in music history. Following this song is Deacon Blues, which is one of the jazziest compositions here, with Donald Fagen's voice sounding strangely similar to Dave Lawson's from Greenslade. The sound, especially with its synth-heavy layering and smooth sax solos, often reminds me of some chill Japanese jazz fusion that I've heard, namely Masayoshi Takanaka's Seychelles and Himiko Kikuchi's Flying Beagle. Black Cow and Josie, the opener and closer respectively, are both extremely funky. This is one aspect of this album that I don't associate with it nearly as much as I should. These boys can really groove. Deriders of this band often state that the production is too pristine and that resulting tunes sound like elevator music. D Riders say "that's like the point man". I tend to align with the D riders, at least in this case, as I think this album's status as an audiophile's wet dream is not overstated. That is to say, the production is fantastic, and yeah, that is the point. I will say when it comes to Peg, there's something about this song that I just don't love. It's not bad, but if there is any song here that lends some credence to the "Steely Dan is elevator music" crowd, it's this one. Penultimate track I Got The News, out of all songs here, sounds the most empty in production in contrast, and I am not a huge fan of the verses. Aja (which I am still saying wrong in my head as I type it out) is one of the albums on here that is a classic for a reason. It is every bit as smooth, jazzy, pristine, and perfectly played as its haters claim it to be, and that's why I love it. 4.5/5 that I will round down to a 4 since there are a few slight problems here and there. Favs: Aja Deacon Blues Josie Least Fav: I Got The News

I've Got The Spirit, But Lose The Feeling 1001 Albums Generator 34 (05/20/2025) Radio astronomy is not a field of study that is ubiquitous to really any part of everyday life. The study of radio waves from space has perhaps two great claims to fame outside of those few who choose to pursue it professionally. Firstly, it led to the discovery of the Cosmic Microwave Background, a seminal piece of evidence for the Big Bang Theory. Secondly, and most importantly, it created some pretty cool shirts. You see, Harold Craft was a radio astronomer who created an image for his dissertation in 1970 that featured a collection of radio waves measured from a pulsar, cleverly organized vertically as opposed to the more traditional horizontal method of visualization. Nearly a decade later, after inverting the colors, Joy Division used the image as the cover of their debut album Unknown Pleasures, and a couple decades after that, Hot Topic made like a gazillion dollars selling the design to moody 17 year-olds. In my review for The Miseducation Of Lauryn Hill, I mentioned Loveless and Velvet Underground & Nico as my hottest music nerd takes, but I had actually forgotten about Unknown Pleasures, which maybe shows what my thoughts are on this iconic album. Out of every album in the Western music canon that I have heard, this is the one that I would say I understand the least. I hear that it had influence that it had on the music of the 80's, but it just doesn't feel as ahead of its time as other similarly regarded albums such as the This Heat's Deceit or the aforementioned VU&N. I mean, hell, Marquee Moon came out two years previous and did everything this album tries to do but way better. By virtually every measure, I should love this album. There are many post-punk albums that are some of my all time favorites, the 70's are my favorite decade in music history, and I even love The Cure, who have a similar sound to this album. But while I find The Cure's songwriting to be interesting and Robert Smith to be an interesting frontman, Joy Division and their lead Ian Curtis do not resonate with me in the same way. By the way, I know that Ian Curtis had severe mental health issues and that he took his own life. This is a tragedy, but does not affect my enjoyment of the music on display here. REST IN PEACE Ian Curtis. He died at 23. Oh and don't mishear me; I do not hate this album. Opening track Disorder and penultimate track Interzone have great energy and feature my favorite aspects of Joy Division's post-punk, which is at its best when it is danceable, rather than gothic and brooding. I am also happy to report that Day Of The Lords and New Dawn Fades are perfectly moody and show that this more chill side of the band that they are most known for certainly led to some fantastic songs. I would even go as far as to say most songs on this album aren't bad; instead the quality, unlike the energy emitted by dying stars as they rotate in space, is relatively linear. As a whole, this album feels a bit like a formless, mushy substance. Peter Hook's messy bass playing and Stephen Morris' drumming lay interchangeable foundations for all of these songs, while Ian Curtis' sings imperfect, unmemorable vocal melodies in his low register and Bernard Sumner's lightly distorted guitar plays some high register chords. Sure, Insight has some electronic stuff going on, but does that really make that song better or just more annoying? There is no X factor here that made this album click for me in the way that it has for others, even two years after I heard it for the first time. And that makes me sad. Enjoying music is so much more fun than not enjoying it. However, while everything is for someone, nothing is for everyone, and Unknown Pleasures, while never straying far from the path of "just okay", is not for me. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2/5. Favs: Disorder New Dawn Fades Interzone Least Fav: I Remember Nothing

The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune Is Upon His Merry Flight 1001 Albums Generator 35 (05/21/2025) It's always interesting to get an album and artist on this challenge that I haven't even so much as heard of. Today's album, The Beau Brummels' fourth studio album Triangle, is one of those albums. The first thing I needed to know was what the hell a Beau Brummel was. According to Wikipedia, The Beau Brummels took their name from the Regency era English dandy Beau Brummell. This definition became helpful quickly after looking up when the Regency era was and what an English dandy could possibly be ("1795-1837" and "a middle-class man who is known for emulating aristocratic style" by the way). So I guess Beau Brummel was a guy in Britain who was able to become an associate of the Prince Regent for always being bathed, perfumed, and dressed nice. I do this every day and don't get so much as an acknowledgement by my local representative. Fucked up. Anyway, this is an album from the San Francisco Sound scene that came to be in the city in the 1960's. The Beau Brummels have a distinctly psychedelic flavor to them similar to their more popular contemporary Jefferson Airplane, but while that band was more rock and less folk, Triangle is more folk and less rock. These acoustic guitar folky jams remind me a bit in style of Love's Forever Changes with vocals that sound like Bob Dylan from an alternate universe. All but two of the songs are bite size tunes, less than three minutes, and the whole thing clocks in at just under 29 minutes! All killer, no filler? Well, not really. The beginning and end of this album pop the hell off, with the middle part being a slump in quality. The 1-2 punch of the poppy Are You Happy? into the great guitar work and instrumentation of Only Dreaming Now is an awesome intro into the album. Interestingly, the longest song here, The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune, is one of my favorites. The verses feature a strange, oriental sounding guitar part with constant harmonics ringing in the background. Then the song transitions during its climax into a freaky folk part that I really can't compare to anything other than a precursor to Comus' First Utterance. The last song grew on me a lot, being one of my least favorite on first listen, but becoming one of my favorites by the end. Once you accept that the album is going to end rather anti-climactically with a rootin-n-tootin country jam in Old Kentucky Home, you can recognize and appreciate that at least it's a good rootin-n-tootin country jam. In spite of its stunted length, or perhaps because of it, this album by and large washes over me. It’s a pleasant experience, don’t get me wrong, and it’s one that I don’t regret having (I spun it three times today because it’s so digestible), but I don’t see myself desiring listening to it in the future. The stretch in the middle from Painter Of Women to And I’ve Seen Her was really hard to focus on (besides the wonderful Nine Pound Hammer). Though this stretch of songs is short, it’s a huge percentage of the music here. Triangle by The Beau Brummels is all in all a pleasant, albeit inessential, listen. Some great moments here and there, but a largely unmemorable affair. 3/5. Favs: Are You Happy? Triangle The Wolf Of Velvet Fortune Least Fav: Painter Of Women

Broken Skin, Distant Fears 1001 Albums Generator 35 (05/21/2025) Smiling Buddha was the ironic name of India's first successful nuclear test, which was conducted in May 1974 and which the Indian government assured was only meant to test peaceful nuclear explosions. The Pakistani government disagreed and a Pakistani nuclear physicist later stated that this test was what drove Pakistan into developing their own nuclear armament. Beyond Skin is an album by British artist Nitin Sawhney that was inspired by the ongoing conflict at the time between India and Pakistan and revolves around nuclear weapons throughout time. As of the time I am writing this, we are less than two weeks removed from a ceasefire between these two countries after they "effectively" went to war in a completely different, but related, conflict to the Kargil War that was happening during Sawhney's time. This conflict is the first time in my life that two nuclear armed countries have engaged in hot conflict and is the first time that I personally have really felt the pressure of mutually assured destruction. Luckily, this conflict was resolved swiftly, but who is to say we will be so lucky next time? So the ideas in this album are clearly still relevant. Unfortunately, humanity has not yet achieved nuclear disarmament, and once the nuclear genie is out of the bottle, I really don't think we ever will. Every great world power will believe (with some good reason to) that their enemies will not disarm alongside them. However, this doesn't mean that we can't dream of such a world, and this is precisely what Nitin Sawhney did in his third album, Beyond Skin. The sound of this album is strange, as it combines multiple styles of electronica with vocals that are at times soulful in a Sade-esque way and instrumentals that incorporate elements of Hindustani music. This certainly leads to a unique sound, but does the experiment work? In my opinion, no. This is my least favorite album thus far. While this album is eclectic, it somehow manages to have songs that are bad and uninteresting in completely new ways. The rapping on songs like Homelands and Pilgrim are absolutely cringey, with the chorus of Homelands featuring one of the least cool attempts at a triplet flow that I have ever heard and Pilgrim featuring verses in a whispered tone that just annoys me. The chorus features the line "Life is like a puzzle not pieced yet", which doesn't make any sense, but at least it's repeated like 200 times throughout the song. In the words of a great philosopher of our time: repetition legitimizes. Serpents features production that borders on interesting with its snake-charmer flute and glitchy vocal samples but my god, 6 minutes is so fucking long. Anthem Without Nation is a dreadful 6 minutes which features precisely nothing for its runtime. It could have been cut down to a 60 second interlude and it would still be one of my least favorite songs here. The two best songs here are Broken Skin and Tides. The former is the intro song and does a good job of introducing the theme of the album with a vocal sample of the Prime Minister of India after their successful nuclear test in 1998, the first such test since the previously mentioned Smiling Buddha. I also love the R&B vocals here. Tides is an interesting piece of jazz fusion in a non-traditional way. It features a piano part that sounds straight out of a cool jazz song (for all I know, it could be a sample) and electronic DnB-style drums. This is a cool combination, even if 5 minutes is a bit extensive. Nostalgia is a slower song with some trip-hop energy and good vocals in the chorus, and the title track that closes the album is split into two distinct sections, with the first half featuring an electronic 5/8 beat and the second half featuring a slow arpeggiated acoustic guitar and female vocals. Nitin Sawhney's Beyond Skin does not deserve a place on this list. The fusion of inspirations does not work and it is not a good representation of world music, which has much more interesting albums than this. 1.5/5 rounded down to a 1/5. Favs: Broken Skin Tides Beyond Skin Least Fav: Anthem Without Nation

Your Setting Sun, Your Broken Drum 1001 Albums Generator 37 (05/23/2025) Beck is a bit of an anomalous artist. He never found himself fitting into a box and any attempt to label him with a specific genre was swiftly discarded once he released his next album. After the melancholy and folksiness found on his eighth studio album, Sea Change, Beck completely switched it up with a somewhat back-to-basics return to form in Guero. With a sound that harkens back to his early career hits off of Odelay and Mellow Gold, Guero is certainly more similar to what people had come to expect from the eclectic multi-instrumentalist. However, this album features wide ranging inspiration beyond its alternative rock base, such as trip hop, alternative country, and psychedelia. Similar to yesterday's album, Nitin Sawhney's Beyond Skin, Guero is a melting pot of genre influences. Hopefully Guero is able to execute its experimentation better. The album opens with its biggest song and the first Beck tune I had ever heard: E-Pro. While I don't claim to know what the lyrics are about, I know that ever since I heard that chorus on Rockband when I was a young child, it's been stuck in my head. Que Onda Guero is a hip hop song with a great 90's style boom bap beat. Beck raps with his usual abstract lyricism while field recordings play that are meant to emulate the sounds of a largely Latino area in Los Angeles, similar to the area that Beck grew up in. The third track, Girl, is one of my favorites and also features the first bit of country inspired slide guitar on the album, which we will see much more of throughout the tracklist. From here, we get Black Tambourine, which struck me immediately as being like an inferior E-Pro. It just has a very similar feel but is not able to quite capture the energy of its more popular older brother. Hell Yes, the third single from this album, is another hip hop song, which I actually like even better than Que Onda Guero. It just has such an interesting beat with a kind of glitchy, cut up sample that plays throughout right before Beck says "Hell yes" in a robotic voice. This song's experimentation is great. Following this is the very unique Broken Drum, which is far and away the most heartbreaking song on the album. It was written for Beck's friend and fellow artist Elliott Smith, who had died suddenly a couple years previously. The last third or so of this album is not as high quality as the rest. I think that in general a lot of the energy found earlier on the tracklist is not present from Scarecrow to Emergency Exit. Scarecrow is kind of a boring acoustic blues rocker and Go It Alone features Jack White on the bass, which makes sense, as this song sounds a bit like a rejected White Stripes song. Farewell Ride has an interesting alt-country ambiance to it, but it fails to really go anywhere. Rental Car is my favorite song in this streak, but Emergency Exit is a weak ending to the album. I read somewhere that there were two more songs considered to be added to the album, but I'm glad that they weren't. I think that the advent of CD's, while a great technological advancement, did lead to artists being able to bloat their albums, as opposed to the constricting vinyl. Guero is an example of that. Guero certainly features more good songs than bad, but it struggles with a problem that is all too common in albums from its era: bloat. Despite this, it jumps between various styles with relative ease and gracefulness, and overall I am glad that I listened to it. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3/5. Favs: E-Pro Girl Hell Yes Least Fav: Missing

We Think We Know What We're Doing, That Don't Mean A Thing 1001 Albums Generator 38 (05/26/2025) She's So Unusual is the debut album by 80's pop diva Cyndi Lauper. Ironically, in spite of the name of this album, a huge percentage of discourse revolving around Lauper is comparing her to fellow popstar, Madonna. I have been guilty of this myself as someone who was not very familiar with Lauper outside of her two biggest hits, Girls Just Want To Have Fun and Time After Time. I was surprised to see that both of these tracks are present on her debut album, which certainly means that she started her career off strong. I was also shocked at how much New Wave was present on this album, as I do not associate this genre with Cyndi Lauper of all people, but this is undeniably a new wave album. As a pop album from the 80's, it could be either pop perfection or a total cheese-fest. Which way, Ms. Lauper? Let's start with the two biggest hits from this album, both of which are sitting at over 1 billion plays on Spotify, which is fucking wild. The first of these, Girls Just Want To Have Fun, is a total classic. Originally written in the late 70's by Robert Hazard, Lauper took it and changed some lyrics to be from a female perspective and made it her breakthrough song. I especially love the silly popping synth that comes in after the first chorus. Also, this song has like 5 different hooks that will all get stuck in your head. The other huge single from this album is the ballad Time After Time. Very different from the rest of the album, this song is a slow piece of adult contemporary that manages to still be memorable, beautiful, and sweet. One of the many moments of genius on this album is when the first pre-chorus fakes you out and goes straight to the second verse instead of the chorus. Honestly, it's somewhat surprising that Time After Time became as big as it was. Not because it's a bad song, far from it, but rather because it is so different from the rest of this album. This is a pop rock album first and foremost, and no song shows this better than the opener Money Changes Everything. From that open kick snare that starts the whole album, you can tell that She's So Unusual is going to be fun. That synth that plays in the intro and throughout the song was stuck in my head all day. There's also a melodica solo, which isn't something you can say about a lot of pop songs and Lauper's vocals in the outro are powerful and epic. She can really belt with the best of them. Meanwhile, All Through The Night reminds me of some stuff off of Sharon Van Etten & The Attachment Theory's album from earlier this year, just four decades earlier. Somehow, Cyndi Lauper crafted an album that is both squarely in its time and ahead of its time. The only real issue I have with this album is that the second half can't hold a candle to the truly perfect first half. The ending of this album isn't even bad, but some songs, such as the reggae-inspired Witness, are not my favorite. He's So Unusual is a pretty unnecessary tin pan alley interlude that leads kind of awkwardly into the fun, but slightly forgettable, Yeah Yeah, which ends the album with less energy than it started with. Again, this last run isn't even bad per say, and if it was some underground new wave EP, it would probably be regarded much higher than it is, but as the second half to an album that starts off so strongly, it's impossible to not compare. She's So Unusual is nearly as close as you can get to pop perfection. Cyndi Lauper is a convincing, talented frontwoman, and she has a great collection of musicians and producers around her helping to elevate these songs even higher. While it loses a little bit of steam at the end, there aren't really any songs that I would call "bad". 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Money Changes Everything Girls Just Want To Have Fun Time After Time Least Fav: Witness

Don't You Meditate, Sing 1001 Albums Generator 39 (05/27/2025) Ladysmith Black Mambazo are one of the most popular African groups in the Western hemisphere. Hailing from South Africa, the Zulu vocal group are known in the West for a few things. Firstly, they are the group that Paul Simon prominently featured in his magnum opus Graceland where he aimed to explore African styles of music through the group. This was the Western world's introduction to Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Secondly, they were featured on the soundtrack for The Lion King 2, which, like the first movie, featured music from African artists doing this a capella Mbube style. Shaka Zulu, named after a 19th Century king of the Zulus, is an album released by Ladysmith Black Mambazo shortly after their prominent features on Graceland, and Paul Simon even produced it, so this was their opportunity to capitalize on their newfound popularity in the West. Here's where I let my bias show. I struggle with a capella music. While I am a sucker for a good vocal harmony, I find an entire album of nothing but that to be hard to get through, despite how pleasant it is. A few months ago, I listened to Compostela Ad Vesperas Sancto Iacobi by Ensemble Organum, which is a Gregorian Chant album, and I had the exact same issues. I will say that my enjoyment of Shaka Zulu was slightly higher than that of the Gregorian Chant, since Shaka Zulu has a very upbeat sound and relatively short songs, but I still wouldn't classify my feelings here as "enjoyment". It's a completely competent album and for what it is, it really is done quite well, but the songs all blend together to me. My favorite songs, which really just stand very slightly above the pack, are Unomathemba, Yibo Labo, and Wawusho Kubani? Unomathemba is a good introduction to the album, with its call and response structure and sliding vocal chords. Yibo Labo has an extremely catchy outro and features some extended vocal techniques that are a lot of fun. Wawusho Kubani?, which is the last song, features some in and out percussion, which feels extremely cathartic after an album that had been essentially fully a capella. Overall, even these songs that are my favorite are only a hair above the rest of the songs, or they just have some specific moment that I liked. This album feels like one big song in a way, even though the songs do have beginnings and endings. It's not bad, but similar to some other "world" music I've heard on the list, I do not think that it is a great representation of the country/region that it comes from. African music can be so much cooler than this. 2/5. Favs: Unomathemba Yibo Labo Wawusho Kubani? Least Fav: Ikhaya Lamaqhawe

Mom You're Just Jealous, It's The Beastie Boys 1001 Albums Generator 40 (05/28/2025) After growing in the burgeoning hardcore punk scene in New York City and releasing a single punk EP in 1982, trio Beastie Boys (short for Boys Entering Anarchistic States Towards Internal Excellence... Boys) decided to do a complete 180 and become the first mainstream white rap group. Although they would begin incorporating punk sounds in their music again starting with their third album Check Your Head, Licensed To Ill, their debut album, features none of the Beastie's punk roots. No, this is pure mid school hip hop, cut from the same cloth as contemporaries Run D.M.C. and Slick Rick, but the Boys' high level of musicality comes through in both the sample choices themselves and the intricate ways that the production weaves all these samples together. In the 80's, the art of sampling was the Wild Wild West, so the Boys did not need to concern themselves with sample clearance process that limits modern artists. The Beastie Boys first five albums are all considered classics, but Licensed To Ill is often unfairly maligned as just a little brother of the highly acclaimed Paul's Boutique. I wouldn't argue that Licensed To Ill is inarguably better than its follow-up, as Paul's Boutique is really a natural extension to everything that this album was doing, but I think these albums are closer in quality than is often stated, and this may be my personal favorite Beastie Boys album. Rhymin & Stealin has a great Led Zeppelin drum sample and perfectly introduces us to the Beasties. The "Ali Baba and the 40 thieves" build up near the middle is especially epic, and this song is one of the highest energy songs here. I love the instrumental chorus of The New Style with it's great turntablism and funky beat. The ending of this song where the tempo slows down and we get a heavy 808 beat with the boys all yelling in the background is iconic, having been sampled prominently in Travis Scott's Carousel. The third song, She's Crafty, is the first of a few songs that are explicitly meant to be funny, and it really is quite humorous. It tells the story of the Boys getting scammed by a girl who comes to their place, sleeps with them, and then steals all their stuff. In this song, like many of the funny songs on this album, the Boys make themselves the butt of the joke, which is why I think that the humor on this album works. Even a song like Girls, which is undeniably dumb, is still funny since the perspective of the narrator is such an exaggerated stereotype of a specific type of guy that is overly confident, misogynistic, and not nearly as cool as he thinks he is. We've all met guys like this, which is why that song works so well. You can also just tell Beastie Boys are having so much fun on this song. I love in the second verse when the guys doing the backing doo wop vocals start laughing. Licensed To Ill also contains some of the Boys' biggest hits. Fight For Your Right and No Sleep Till Brooklyn show them leaning back into their rock roots, with the latter even featuring Slayer's Kerry King, which I always thought was so funny. The same year he was on one of the best thrash metal albums of all time, Kerry King made time to feature on a hip hop album by three nerdy Jews. It's just awesome. Brass Monkey was also a hit that has a surprisingly jazzy beat with some electro elements that foreshadow sounds that the Boys would explore further on later albums. Slow Ride and Hold It Now, Hit It are both underrated tracks here. Slow Ride has a distinctly Latin flavor in its beat and Hold It Now, Hit It has a super memorable chorus with fun little spoken word one-liners between verses. The closing track Time To Get Ill is a truly impressive piece of plunderphonics which samples 16 songs according to WhoSampled. I especially appreciate the CCR sample. I find Paul Revere to be the closest thing to a dim spot on this album. Even though its reversed 808 beat is unique, the verses here are the most awkward on the album and there isn't really a chorus or any moment where the song gets more energy. Overall, the Beastie Boys' debut album is a great encapsulation of an oft forgotten era of hip hop history. While some lines may be slightly dated, the plethora of clever samples and just pure energy of the three MC's make this a memorable, fun experience. It's a 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5. Favs: Rhymin' And Stealin' No Sleep Till Brooklyn Hold It Now, Hit It Least Fav: Paul Revere

They're Dying To Switch 1001 Albums Generator 41 (05/29/2025) Siouxsie And The Banshees were a legendary, highly influential post-punk band that came onto the scene extremely early. Their tentacles of influence stretch far, from more contemporary artists like Joy Division and The Cure to even later artists like Slint, with their angular guitar work. The Scream is their debut album and features dark, gothic vibes paired with unmistakably punk rock energy. I had never listened to this band before, although I was aware of them and I know that their most popular album is Juju, from slightly later in their career. Going into The Scream, I didn't have much in the way of expectations, since Joy Division isn't really my thing and I know Siouxsie was inspirational for them. The first half of the album is by far my favorite. After the strange, almost ambient intro of Pure, we get perhaps the best song on the album, Jigsaw Feeling. This is high octane, artsy punk that is an encapsulation of the sound of the album. From the angular guitars to the industrial edge on the drum sound, this song features the best elements of Siouxsie And The Banshees. From here, we get Overground, which occupies a special place in my heart for having the 5/4 clave rhythm in a context that is just beautiful and unique. They took the most common odd meter rhythm and engrained it into a post punk timbre that rocks and sounds way ahead of its time. The closing track, Switch, is the longest song and features many different parts. The guitar arpeggios that open the song are interesting and the song builds from there with some parts of the song even reminding me of new wave. The song eventually cuts to this psychedelic delayed guitar playing these strange chords with no obvious tonal center. It's really weird and certainly earns its 7 minute run time. Doing a Beatles cover is always a brave move since chances are there are probably already a million covers of the song out there. With that said, Siouxsie And The Banshees' cover of Helter Skelter manages to maintain the energy of the original but channels it in a completely different, cursed way. My favorite moment is in the chorus when Siouxsie sings the famous guitar riff after the titular line. However, her signature yelping can come to be a bit much, such as in Meal Postcard, which has some really annoying vocals in the end. The following track, Nicotine Stain, has some cool guitar parts and even a solo, but her vocals sound out of key at a few points, which just really takes me out of the song. I also, just as a matter of personal preference, find the sound of The Scream to be a bit repetitive for my tastes. This flavor of post punk nearly always fails to stand out to me, but this is just my preference. The Scream is not a bad album. It features some great songs and I can hear all of the influences on bands that I love. It's incredible that this album came out in 1978 and it features such an original sound for the time. However, the vocals and songwriting aren't as strong as I would like. 3.5/5 rounded down to 3. Favs: Jigsaw Feeling Overground Switch Least Fav: Nicotine Stain

Hang Up And Run To Me 1001 Albums Generator 42 (05/30/2025) Parallel Lines is the third album by American new wave sweethearts Blondie. Led by the charismatic Debby Harry, Parallel Lines was the band's international breakthrough, featuring two of their biggest hits of their career in One Way Or Another (famously covered by One Direction, according to my wife) and Heart Of Glass (famously covered by Miley Cyrus, according to my wife). Blondie were regulars at East Village's CBGB club, which was, in the 1970's, a sort of home base of some of America's most forward thinking punk acts. Artists from Patti Smith to Television to even Talking Heads frequented the club, but Blondie brought a sort of poppy energy to punk that many other bands in the scene lacked. Think less artsy fartsy, more dancey wancey, you heard? One Way Or Another is the first Blondie song I ever heard, as it was featured on Rock Band 2 (which is a totally cool and valid reason to know this song, unlike knowing the 1D cover, okay? Boy things are fucking sick and girl things are fucking lame-o). I always thought this song was so cool. The chorus is super catchy and that little octave riff the guitars go into between verses is really interesting. I love the little elements of surf punk in this song's rhythm too. Heart Of Glass is the other big hit here and was actually Blondie's international breakthrough single. This song is basically a disco song, which makes its huge success almost more impressive since it was competing with every disco song ever in 1978. I also really appreciate the bit that is in 7/4; very stylish. Other highlights include the infectious Hanging On The Telephone and the artsy, spacey Fade Away And Radiate, which features guitar from King Crimson's Robert Fripp. It's an absolutely insane crossover, but it works so well. When this album hits, it hits like crack, but unfortunately there are lots of songs here that aren't very good. Not bad, per say, but just not very interesting. The middle section from Pretty Baby to Will Anything Happen is especially guilty of this, and I find myself struggling to find anything particular to say about any of these songs. Parallel Lines is an album of mountains and valleys. The hits are amazing and there are some deeper cuts that deserve just as much praise, but about half of the album is not very memorable. Overall, 3.5/5, round down to 3. Favs: Hanging On The Telephone One Way Or Another Fade Away And Radiate Least Fav: I Know But I Don't Know

No One Man Should Have All That Power 1001 Albums Generator 43 (06/02/2025) The circumstances surrounding the creation of Kanye West's fifth studio album, My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, are almost as legendary as the album itself. After his infamous interruption of Taylor Swift at the 2009 VMAs, Kanye decided to hole up in Hawaii and make the ultimate comeback album. The 2009 VMAs were, shall we say, a free trial of the kind of celebrity that Kanye West would turn out to be: a man that, for better or worse, would refuse at every turn to do what others pressured him to do, and would instead do what he felt was right, regardless of the mental health state he was in that led him to those actions. In recent years, we have seen this unwavering rebelliousness taken to its logical conclusion, and I don't think many of us like where it has led. But in 2010, the worst thing Kanye was doing was saying George Bush doesn't care about black people on live TV and interrupting Taylor Swift at an event none of us would ever be invited to. Just to get my bias out of the way, Kanye is my most scrobbled artist and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy is my third most scrobbled album of all time on last.fm, and every other album in the top 5 has over 20 tracks. I love this album. It is my favorite Kanye album and one of my favorite albums of all time. It is a maximalist expression of genius and every aspect of it is done expertly and with unbelievable precision. The album opens with Nicki Minaj reading a play on Cinderella before we get the first of many iconic choruses on this album, sung by Justin Vernon of Bon Iver fame and Teyana Taylor. This is the perfect introduction to this album and features some of Kanye's best rapping ever. Gorgeous features a great guitar sample and Kid Cudi and Raekwon both provide incredible verses. POWER is the first super-duper hit on the album and it deserves it. The most famous part of this song may be the King Crimson sample, but every aspect of this song is amazing. Kanye famously claimed that this song took 5000 hours to complete, which may be an exaggeration, but if any song would take 5000 hours, it would be this one. In the last verse, Kanye ends with the line "so exciting" which echoes and begins to sound like "suicide" before singing in the outro about jumping out of a window. Maybe there is more darkness here than the bravado would lead us to believe. The other massive superhit on this album, amazingly, is the 9 minute Runaway, which features no beat switchups and instead has West humming wordless, distorted vocals for the second half after verses from him and Pusha T about being manipulative assholes. So much has been speculated about the meaning of this outro, but my favorite interpretation is that our lack of understanding the words through the fog of the distortion is precisely the point. Perhaps this is how Kanye felt his public statements were being perceived (of course looking back at this in 2025, some of his public statements seem pretty difficult to misinterpret). All Of The Lights is a song that I can't help but stare at in awe every time I hear it, even though musically it is probably on the lower half of this album for me. Gathering Elton John, Rhianna, Drake, Alicia Keys, Kid Cudi, Fergie, and more into a single track and actually making it work cohesively is such an impressive feat. I need to briefly mention a personal favorite of mine, Devil In A New Dress, which has an amazing guitar solo and the best verse of Rick Ross' career at the end. The structure of this track is really great. It feels weird to call any song on this album underrated, but I think So Appalled and Lost In The World are the closest it gets. I always felt like including So Appalled right after Monster was a bit strange since these are the two posse cuts on the album, and this seems to have led people to underrate So Appalled, when really I think these are similar quality. So Appalled may not have any verses as good as Nicki on Monster, but it also doesn't have any verses as bad as Jay Z on Monster, which is the worst verse on this album. Lost In The World was my favorite Kanye song for a long time. I still think it may hold the place as my favorite production by him and depending on the day, it could be his best song. It's a complete journey, opening with relatively strained vocals from Justin Vernon before slowly opening up with more vocal harmonies and a bigger choir. When the beat really kicks in, it is electric and Kanye's verse, which was originally a letter to Kim Kardashian, is quite beautiful. In the end of the song, more tribal drums get incorporated as a Gil-Scott Heron sample plays, which leads into the outro track. The only kind of weak song is Blame Game, with Chris Rock doing a mediocre sketch comedy bit at the end (although "Yeezy reupholstered my pussy" is really funny in fairness). The beat is good with its Aphex Twin sample, but the song as a whole is never my favorite to listen to all the way through. MBDTF is an album that is hard for me to describe. It isn't my favorite album ever, but it's up there. It's an album that gave me a new appreciation for hip hop, which is one of my favorite genres now. I struggle to find any meaningful negatives with this album, so it's obviously a 5. Favs: POWER Devil In A New Dress Lost In The World Least Fav: Blame Game

Music Makes You Lose Control 1001 Albums Generator 44 (06/03/2025) I have a massive issue with the electronic album choices of this list so far. Electronic music is a genre that I am not very well versed in besides the basics like Daft Punk, Justice, Aphex Twin, and a bit of Boards Of Canada, so it is one of the things I was most excited to learn about through this list. However, so far I have gotten 1. Suba - Sao Paulo Confessions (boring) 2. Kraftwerk - Autobahn (not bad, but not amazing) 3. Nitin Sawhney - Beyond Skin (terrible) And now the newest addition to this shitty electronica agglomeration, Darkdancer by Les Rythmes Digitales. Unfortunately, I knew from the moment that I saw the cover that this would not be the album to break the electronica curse that I seem to have found myself in. It might be the least cool album cover I've seen that is making an honest attempt at being cool. To be clear, this isn't as bad as Beyond Skin. Music Makes You Lose Control is fun and incorporates its titular sample in a catchy, memorable way. Soft Machine has a really strange syncopated beat that is initially hard to catch on to, but once you hear it, it's quite infectious. Hey You What's That Sound? is okay, with the highlight being the Buffalo Springfield interpolation that made the familiarity neurons in my brain start firing. Monkey happy. Mdc Vendredi and About Funk occupy a similar spot in my brain. Both songs overstay their welcome but they have some interesting aspects to them. The former has some ambient parts between the more standard dance stuff that are pretty cool as well as a good build up around the 3 minute mark and the latter settles into a great groove in its second half once it gets past its kind of annoying intro. The worst song on any album so far is the miserable Disco II Disco, which I saw described as sounding like someone strangling a duck. I would go to my local park and strangle ten ducks if it meant I never had to listen to this song again. My god, it is terrible. It's the first time in this challenge that I have actually skipped a song on second listen. Jacques Your Body Makes Me Sweat also has a really annoying vocal sample. Overall, the songs that I didn't explicitly mention range from bad to just below mediocre. Even the songs I mentioned as being highlights feature no reason for me to return to them. Why is this album almost an hour long? We will never know. Why is this album on the list? We will never know. 1.5/5, rounded down to a 1. Favs: Music Makes You Lose Control Mdc Vendredi About Funk Least Fav: Disco II Disco

But Then My Homework Was Never Quite Like This 1001 Albums Generator 45 (06/04/2025) Move over Nirvana baby, your cooler older brother is in town and he smokes cigarettes buddy. Chasing your lame little dollar when you could be a little cherub smokin that shit man. Lame ass. Our favorite cig smoking cherub dawns the cover of 1984, the sixth album by hard rock legends Van Halen, and the last album before founding vocalist David Lee Roth departed due to artistic conflicts with guitarist Eddie Van Halen. After an album that was reviewed negatively by contemporary critics, 1984 feels like a return to form for the band. With that said, this album saw Van Halen playing more prominently with synth sounds than on previous albums, to mixed results. There are three all time great tunes here. Jump was an interesting choice for the first single, as it doesn't necessarily sound like the rest of the album, but it's great. Playing damn near like a synthpop song at times, Jump showcases EVH shredding on his synthesizer just as much as on the guitar. That intro riff is just iconic and this is Van Halen's most popular song. Panama is their second most popular and my least favorite of the big three here, but it's still awesome. After being criticized by a reporter as being a band that only writes songs about partying, hot women, and fast cars, David Lee Roth responded that they hadn't written any songs about fast cars, and thus Panama was born. The chorus is an all-timer and the guitar part in the bridge always struck me as strangely emotional even though David Lee Roth's lyrics don't match that feeling at all. Hot For Teacher is the final of the three amazing songs on 1984 and it opens with a powerful drum solo from the overshadowed Alex Van Halen before falling into a fast, swung groove and one of Eddie's most famous guitar solos. David Lee Roth is horny again in this one, with his eyes being drawn to an attractive teacher this time. Van Halen as a band was designed to appeal to rebellious teenage boys and this song is the perfect example of that. A combination of a "school is lame" mentality with a sexual frustration is about as teenage boy as you can get. Drop Dead Legs is a slower paced rocker that has a really cool, groovy outro part and a great start/stop riff with generous hammer-ons. My main issue with this song is that the guitar solo isn't as melodic as Eddie tends to be. Top Jimmy has some interesting guitar parts that border on art rock at times, but it doesn't have as much energy as some other songs here. I also don't love the slow, crooning I'll Wait. This was a really weird choice as a single. I don't find it catchy or memorable and it has a sound that is unlike anything else on the album. I think that the non-hits on this album suffer from a lack of distinctness in general, although the sound of the album is good enough to make that not as negative as it could be. 1984 was a great way to end the David Lee Roth era of Van Halen. It features some of the strongest songwriting the band ever did and while the final product doesn't stand up to the debut in terms of overall quality, it does have more sophisticated composition and instrumentation that make it an interesting listen. It also doesn't overstay its welcome at all, coming in at a cool 33 minutes. 3.5/5, which I just have to round down to a 3 unfortunately. It's close to a 4 though. Favs: Jump Panama Hot For Teacher Least Fav: I'll Wait

The first four songs are great but it kinda falls off after that. Female backing vocals are pretty terrible tbh, but the sax was cool throughout. Favs: Enjoy Yourself Man At C&A Holiday Fortnight Least Fav: Sock It To 'Em J.B.

Birth Of The Mode 1001 Albums Generator 47 (06/06/2025) I was worried the day would one day come when there were no lyrics on an album, which kind of messes up my whole titling scheme, but oh well, at least there is some jazz on this list, good to know! We are starting our jazz journey with one of the most important and influential albums in the genre. Miles Davis had been around for over a decade by the time that he released Kind Of Blue, and it came right in the middle of his first great period between 1957 and 1960. It also saw Davis playing the modal jazz style over the course of an entire album for the first time. While he had played with this new style on his 1958 track Milestones (one of my favorite Davis compositions), Kind Of Blue was a full exploration of all that the modal style of composition could be, with Davis explicitly giving each soloist a set of scales to use for each piece of music. It is impossible to overstate the influence that Kind Of Blue had on the history of jazz, with it and Coltrane's Giant Steps from the following year both being seen as marking a sort of turning point for jazz, introducing and expanding the ideas of modal jazz on top of cool jazz and hard bop respectively. Does Kind Of Blue hold up to its reputation, or is it overrated? Miles Davis is one of my favorite artists and is definitely my favorite jazz artist. While his electric era is my favorite of his, there is something so undeniable about the era around his first great quintet. The way that Miles Davis was doing cool jazz at this time was so interesting, and Kind Of Blue is the best example of this. It is by far his best cool jazz album and the best of his 50's work. One needs look no further than the opener, So What, with its catchy, simple head chord stabs and its lead bass line played by Paul Chambers. Bill Evans' chord voicings on this song are also iconic (so much so that this particular voicing is referred to as the "So What Chord"), and they harmonize with Miles' trumpet so well. Freddie Freeloader is rather underrated as far as this album goes. It is a 12 bar blues with a slight variation on the traditional 12 bar chord progression, and it features Wynton Kelly on piano instead of Bill Evans. While I do love Bill Evans (he is one of the best pianists of all time), I think the inclusion of the more blues-minded Kelly makes this song unique in the context of this album. All Blues, the longest track on the album, is another highlight. From the first moment you hear the low trill on the piano, it is clear that this song will have some great energy. It has perhaps the most catchy head on the whole album, with Davis harmonizing great with the dual saxophones in the background. While the entire album is very chill, the really slow songs here are my least favorite. Blue In Green is one of Miles' most popular songs, but I've never really understood that. I've always felt it was the weakest piece here and it brings the album down slightly. I am aware that I sound insane right now, I'm sorry. The other real slow song here is the closer Flamenco Sketches, in which Coltrane and Adderley really steal the show. The saxophone solos here are very restrained, but interesting. I particularly love the little oriental flare that Cannonball gives near the end of his solo, which Bill Evans plays with a bit during his solo. While Kind Of Blue is not avant-garde, especially compared to what Miles would do in his second great period, it undoubtably took jazz out of its formulaic comfort zone and helped to expand the sound of this genre as it headed into its golden decade. 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5 for pure influence. Favs: So What Freddie Freeloader All Blues Least Fav: Blue In Green

Could You Stay With Me? Don't Let Me Go 1001 Albums Generator 48 (06/09/2025) I knew this guy's name sounded familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on why. Ah yes, he was the feature on that great Black Thought and Danger Mouse song Aquamarine. Okay, now I'm excited. This is the type of album that I am going through this list for. I never would have listened to Michael Kiwanuka's third studio album, KIWANUKA, without having it assigned to me. And honestly, I am surprised to see it here. Not because it's bad, far from it. I'm just surprised to see such a hip, new album on this list that often seems to be overwhelmed by the authors' biases towards British rock of the 80's and 90's (which don't get me wrong, can be great. There's just too much of it on the list). KIWANUKA is a unique combination of soul, funk, and rock all blended into a psychedelic smoothie, led by British multi-instrumentalist Michael Kiwanuka and produced by the legendary Danger Mouse, along with Inflo, who has worked with artists such as Little Simz and Tyler, The Creator. The opener, You Ain't The Problem, is my favorite song on the whole thing. It is so creative and expertly produced, showcasing the highly compressed production style that defines this album. While remaining soulful, it also features some parts that rock pretty hard, in a way similar to Funkadelic. By contrast, Rolling feels a bit derivative, and I realized that's because its main riff reminds me so much of Born To Be Wild by Steppenwolf. After this, we get I've Been Dazed, which has these amazing call-and-response gospel-like vocals. It is very moving. Piano Joint (This Kind Of Love) is a beautiful piece, led by Kiwanuka's piano, with some lush orchestration and a soft drum beat filling in the gaps. Hero is another highlight. It almost has a bit of an island vibe with its flanged guitar in both the rhythm and lead parts. Kiwanuka's vocal melodies are on point here and it makes sense that this one was a single. It also has a great noisy guitar solo that melts your face off. I think this song in particular is a great example of a theme throughout this album, where the instrumental parts are not necessarily technically advanced, but they are played with a lot of feeling and they are produced so well. Hard To Say Goodbye is the album's epic, which feels a bit too long, but weaves its multiple parts together really well. Crazy pull, but the guitar riff that comes in around 2:40 reminds me a lot of the main riff in Ronald Snijders' Soweto Friend. I am not a big fan of Solid Ground, which is the penultimate piece on the album and is a very slow song. I think that this late into a long album, it is hard for me to justify having such a slow song. This album also has a lot of interludes, 4 to be exact. From an artistic perspective, I can appreciate that these interludes help theme the album and add some flow between tracks. I believe that the interludes are largely what help the album feel very cinematic. However, they do add almost 10 minutes to an album that is already a bit on the longer side. I know that by modern standards, 51 minutes might as well be an EP, but what can I say, I guess I'm old fashioned like that. Overall, KIWANUKA is certainly a new favorite. I definitely see myself coming back to it and I'm glad that it was included. 4/5. Favs: You Aint The Problem Piano Joint (This Kind Of Love) Hero Least Fav (not including interludes): Solid Ground

Coast To Coast, L.A. To Chicago 1001 Albums Generator 49 (06/10/2025) Sade is a band? I really thought it was just the lady. Okay wow. I also have always associated Sade with the 90's because of Love Deluxe, but that was the only album they released that decade, with 3 of their albums coming from the 80's! Idk, this is probably not crazy to people that know more about music than I do but it's just blowing my mind. Diamond Life is Sade's debut album and was the best-selling debut by a British female vocalist until Leona Lewis (literally who) took that mantle in 2008. However, high sales do not necessarily imply high quality, so do Sade deserve this success and the critical acclaim that has followed them their whole career? Well, I will say that it's really amazing that Sade found their sound so immediately. I have noticed a trend with the debut albums on this list where the first song is just an incredible artistic statement that defines the sound of the artist for their careers. Led Zeppelin I, Songs Of Leonard Cohen, and In The Court Of The Crimson King come to mind. Diamond Life is no different, opening with the incredible Smooth Operator. This song is Sade's most popular for good reason. It showcases their sophisti-pop sound that they would help pioneer with a Latin flare and they manage to do smooth jazz in a way that feels unique and artistic. As someone that loves jazz, when I think of smooth jazz, I think of that curly haired fuck Kenny G. It turns out that smooth jazz is something that can be soulful and beautiful. Your Love Is King and Hang On To Your Love are also great. The former has a great 6/8 groove and almost sounds like Steely Dan at times. I don't know if that's crazy to say, but the sax solo just gives me Aja vibes. Hang On To Your Love is groovy and has a fantastic drum sound in particular. Cherry Pie is a funk-fest, which is again a sound that I do not associate with Sade in my head but damn they can groove. I could see someone arguing that this song gets stale, with its slower tempo and minimal changes in dynamics throughout, but I think that it is written and played masterfully enough that I don't have that problem with it. I do think that this album suffers at times from smoothness overload. This is an argument I also saw leveled against Steely Dan, but that album had enough technical playing that those arguments could be quickly dismissed with a simple "you just don't get it man". On Diamond Life, I think there is more of an argument to be made. Songs like Sally and Why Can't We Live Together don't add much unique to the tracklist, and they certainly don't earn over 5 minutes of runtime each. It would be hard to say that these songs are bad; they have catchy moments and sound great in the background, but I just wouldn't reach for some of the tracks here in particular. From Kind Of Blue to KIWANUKA to Diamond Life, I have been blessed the last few days with different styles of cool, smooth jazz (or jazz-inspired) music. While these three albums are very different in their approach and influence, it has been a great three days. Diamond Life deserves its praise, although it does drag at times for me. 4/5. Favs: Smooth Operator Your Love Is King Cherry Pie Least Fav: Sally

It's The Suede Denim Secret Police 1001 Albums Generator 50 (06/11/2025) 50 albums in, wow! Dead Kennedys are one of the most popular hardcore punk bands of all time. They are a band who I was familiar with for years before I started listening to any punk, and this is in part due to their highly controversial name. One thing that I think is so interesting is that their name was actually against the assassinations of JFK and RFK, as opposed to what many contemporaries (and modern listeners) believe. Dead Kennedys are defined by the unique voice of Jello Biafra and the angular, surprisingly technical guitar playing of East Bay Ray. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables, donned by a picture of cars on fire taken during riots in San Francisco, is the debut album by Dead Kennedys, released in 1980. This album is full of hits on hits. The opening song, Kill The Poor, features satirical lyrics sung from the perspective of someone offering a solution to the poverty in the US. In the words of Sam Hyde "we're just gonna kill em". The chorus is so catchy, and I caught myself singing it throughout the day, forgetting what the words are that I was saying. California Uber Alles has been my favorite Dead Kennedys song since the first time I heard it. Although the specific politician Biafra is singing about is long gone from any sort of public knowledge, the song itself is so timeless. With its surf punk undertones and the great bridge that cuts to half time, this song is just so unique. Holiday In Cambodia is their biggest song. I know Biafra said "the word" but come on, this song is so great. East Bay Ray's unique, heavily delayed guitar parts are so weird, and once again, the chorus is great. Also, does punk get better than the build-up of Pol Pot chants near the end? Just awesome. This album is also weird as hell. The manic energy of Drug Me's verses is insane. I can't claim to know a single word that Jello Biafra is saying in this song except for his signature vibrato'd "drug me" in the chorus, but I love how it sounds. Chemical Warfare features a cursed carnival part before erupting into just pure chaotic noise with the sound of people having been bombed in the background. The most underrated song on this album by far is the progressive Ill In The Head. I cannot believe that I haven't ever seen someone mention how much this sounds like a Voivod song, 4 years before Voivod released their first album. This is the only song that featured founding guitarist 6025, who left before Fresh Fruit was released, supposedly due to musical differences. The one complaint I could understand about this album is that Biafra's vocal style can be offputting. Hell, the first time I heard this album, I was not a big fan of his voice, but it has grown on me. I can't imagine a song like California Uber Alles without his amazing vibrato. Besides a few more forgettable songs in the tracklist, such as I Kill Children and Funland At The Beach, this album is quite consistent in quality. Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables is a hardcore punk classic for a reason. From its scathing satirical lyrics (remember when leftists were actually cool?) to its surprisingly diverse sound throughout its runtime, Dead Kennedys knocked it out of the park with their debut. 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Kill The Poor California Uber Alles Ill In The Head Least Fav: Funland At The Beach

Well I Feel So Broke Up, I Wanna Go Home 1001 Albums Generator 51 (06/12/2025) Man, are we sure that this "random album generator" is really all that random? Brian Wilson died yesterday. He was one of the great American songwriters of all time and was best known for his time with The Beach Boys. Pet Sounds is their eleventh album and it is considered their magnum opus, with only The Smile Sessions coming close to the level of acclaim leveled onto this album. I remember the first time that I listened to this album, I didn't really get it. I had heard "best pop album ever", "inspired The Beatles", etc., and I just couldn't see it. Don't get me wrong, I recognized instantly the genius of Wouldn't It Be Nice and God Only Knows, but I found a lot of the other songs to be unmemorable. However, due to its short length and easy listening, I found myself coming back to it over and over again. I don't think it has quite entered into my personal canon of best pop album ever, but goddamn, I have seen the light. Wouldn't It Be Nice, the opening track, is a unique piece of pop. The majority of popular music romanticizes youth. Be it partying or innocence, young love or young lust, this commonality exists amongst Western pop. However, the Beach Boys open this album (after a modulation from the A major of the intro to the F major of the majority of the song) with a simple question: "Wouldn't it be nice if we were older?" This turns the aforementioned common theme of pop music on its head, with a yearning for the future, rather than a reminiscing on the past or a narrow-minded focus on the future. This 1-2 punch of a harmonically dense and interesting modulation into interesting, sweet lyrics is the perfect way to open this album. Of course this song is a classic; you don't need me to tell you that. God Only Knows, which opens the B side, is the other transcendent piece of music on this album. Believe it or not, the invoking of "God" in the title of a piece of pop music was seen as scandalous during that time, but the song was so undeniable that it became a hit anyway. I believe, along with most of the human population, that this is one of the greatest love songs of all time, in both its lyrics and its music. That outro is particularly special. Look, basically every song here is great. The main melody of You Still Believe In Me has been stuck in my head for days. Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) has this drone in the background that is haunting and so strange. Here Today is super underrated, being one of the least played songs on Spotify. It has an infectious energy and such a fun trumpet part in the chorus. The instrumentals on this album are often cited as the weak points, and I somewhat agree. Let's Go Away For A While is the weakest song on this album. It has a strange energy, but doesn't go anywhere. Pet Sounds (the song) isn't so bad. I love The Beach Boys' take on exotica, and it does stand out among all the songs on this album. Besides these songs, there is really no obvious weak point on this album. I would also hate to fail to mention Phil Spector. His Wall-of-sound production style is in full swing here even though he himself was not involved with the album. Brian Wilson definitely channeled Spector's production techniques here, to great success. Pet Sounds is a classic for a reason. It is one of the best and most interesting pop albums of all time, and I understand why The Beatles took so much inspiration from it for Sgt. Pepper. RIP Brian Wilson. 4.5/5 rounded up to a 5. Favs: Wouldn't It Be Nice Don't Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) God Only Knows Least Fav: Let's Go Away For A While

It's A Fact That I'm A Seventh Son 1001 Albums Generator 52 (06/13/2025) Let's talk about the elephant in the room. Do you see it? Of course, I'm talking about the elephant on the cover. You don't see it? Okay, I'll give you the hint that Jack White gave me: "If you study the picture carefully, Meg and I are elephant ears in a head-on elephant. But it's a side view of an elephant, too, with the tusks leading off either side." You still don't see it? Okay, well I'm going to be honest here. I don't think I've seen a picture in my life that resembles an elephant less than the cover of The White Stripes' fourth album, Elephant. Jack White may be a musical genius, but when it comes to the shape of elephants, maybe not so much. Don't mishear me by the way, this is an amazing album cover, and I spent 10 years loving it without even knowing there was intended to be an elephant on it. There's a reason this cover has become iconic and received so many accolades. Luckily, the music behind the cover is just as great. I don't even really want to talk about Seven Nation Army. Yeah, it's catchy of course and every sports team in existence uses the riff as a theme song, but I honestly find it to be one of the least interesting songs on Elephant. There is so much more to appreciate here. Even the following song, Black Math, is so much better. It has such undeniable energy, with an awesome solo played through an octave pedal. The guitar tone on this song is so unbelievably crunchy. There's No Home For You Here is the first of many songs that features White Stripes signature trick: extreme changes in dynamic from the loud, fuzzed out chorus to the chill verse. This is one of the best examples of this trope that they have in their discography, with the addition of an organ in the verses being a great layer, and the part near the middle with the guitar feedback and the harmonized vocals is perhaps my favorite individual moment on the album. The pacing on this album is weird, because after these three great songs, we get four in a row that are softer and weaker to varying degrees. In The Cold, Cold Night and I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother's Heart are particularly unenjoyable. As for the former, any song with Meg singing is pretty much guaranteed to be one of the weakest songs on any White Stripes album. As for the latter, I don't love Jack's soft falsetto range most of the time, even though I have always had more of a soft spot for You've Got Her In Your Pocket for some reason. Maybe that's because my wife always jokes about putting people in her pocket lol (no relation to this song). With that said, I can still recognize that this is one of the weakest songs here. From this point on (besides the last song), this album is fucking perfect. I love the epic Ball And Biscuit, which is one of the coolest 12 bar blues that I have heard and features Jack White's best soloing. The spoken word at the beginning of Little Acorns with the blues-y piano in the background is amazing. Hypnotize is a great, short rocker in a way that Aluminum off of The White Stripes' last album was not. Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine is one that I always forget about until I'm relistening to this album and I start singing the chorus. Unfortunately, the album ends with the flaccid It's True That We Love One Another. This song sounds like a scene in a musical where a couple is in couples counseling and then they just start singing it. The weird thing about the story of this song is that Meg doesn't even voice Jack's significant other, she's the mediator. It's so strange. In spite of some moments of weakness, Elephant is truly The White Stripes' magnum opus for a reason. I have a lot of nostalgia associated with this album, but even beyond that, this album is great. The harder, rockin' songs are pretty much perfect all the way through, so this is a 4/5. Favs: Black Math There's No Home For You Here Ball And Biscuit Least Fav: In The Cold, Cold Night

A Proto-Ambient Masterpiece 1001 Albums Generator 53 (06/16/2025) Just play it like you don't know how to play guitar. This is the advice that trumpeter, band leader, and jazz legend Miles Davis gave to guitarist John Mclaughlin when Davis was unhappy with his complicated, chord-heavy arrangement that the first part of In A Silent Way was originally based on. Mclaughlin decided to take this to an extreme, stripping the arrangement back to revolving around a single E Major chord, one of the simplest chords on a guitar. To say it was played like a beginner would be disingenuous however; nothing about Mclaughlin's delicate, beautiful playing sounds like something a novice could play. It is also worth noting the guitar itself. This was not an acoustic guitar, which was more traditional for jazz arrangements; instead, Mclaughlin brandished an electric guitar. Meanwhile, Davis had not one, not two, but three of the greatest pianists in jazz history all playing electric keyboards. The trio of Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, and Josef Zawinul add constant layers of keyboards, with the most iconic parts being the organ that starts the whole album at the beginning of Shhh / Peaceful and the descending 3-bar chorda line that repeats throughout various points of the title track. The implementation of electric instrumentation into jazz, while not entirely new (even to Davis, whose last two albums had incorporated sparse electric elements), was very controversial. In A Silent Way is not the first jazz fusion album, as Frank Zappa and Larry Coryell had already started playing with the sound. But, both of these artists came onto the music scene with rock backgrounds. For Miles Davis, the jazz master, to incorporate rock elements into his sound was seen by some as a betrayal of his roots. Can I just say, this whole discourse is so strange in retrospect. This is not a rock album. Besides about two minutes in the title track, it's not even close to a rock album. But to contemporary reviewers, the sound of an organ or a guitar plugged into an amp was enough to classify it as "rock-adjacent". These are not the only players on the album, however. Dave Holland is playing an acoustic bass on this album, and the great Tony Williams has remained from the remnants of Miles Davis' Second Great Quintet. Wayne Shorter's saxophone adds an undeniable jazz element as well. And of course, Miles himself is still on the trumpet. I can only imagine that these reviewers' minds exploded when Davis started playing organ on later albums, but for now, he remains on the brass. His compositional skills are on full display, with his modal method of composition combining with a surprisingly ambient timbre throughout the whole thing. The greatest moment on this album is in the title track when, after 13 minutes of building, the drums open up and everyone's energy skyrockets. This is the moment. The other hero of this album is of course Teo Macero. In many ways, this album can be seen as a beta test for what would come on Miles' next album, Bitches Brew, and nowhere is that more obvious than in the production techniques. Similarly to that album, these songs are not only products of the musicians: they are products of the studio. Macero took the recordings on tape and physically put them together to create these 20 minute songs out of individual recordings of Davis and his band. For the most part, these cuts are very good (although not as good as the cuts on Bitches Brew). There is one cut around 9:07 on Shhh / Peaceful that is not very smooth, but besides that, Teo does a great job. In A Silent Way is my favorite album by Miles Davis. I have rated 50 of them, and this is the one that I come back to the most. It is a sublime musical statement and is so ahead of its time. It's an easy 5/5. Favs: Shhh / Peaceful In A Silent Way Least Fav: NONE!

I Feel Like Taking All My Clothes Off Dancing To The Rite Of Spring 1001 Albums Generator 54 (06/17/2025) What group is more appropriate to listen to during pride month than Pet Shop Boys? And more specifically their "coming out" album, 1993's Very, released during the time that co-founder Neil Tennant officially confirmed his oft rumored homosexuality. Pet Shop Boys were one of the premier synthpop bands of the 80's and 90's, and while Very falls after their critical peak in the late 80's, it still remains one of their most popular albums, featuring 5 singles that were all released to quite great success. The first of these singles, and the opening track, Can You Forgive Her? is a great 12/8 synthpop tune. There are lots of synth layers here that add a lot of atmosphere to the song. I especially love the repeated high note played throughout the chorus. It is a great touch. From here, we keep the energy up with I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing, with its bouncy beat and bloop-y synths throughout the verse. This song also has great vocal harmonies and a reference to The Rite Of Spring, which is just kind of cool for a 90's pop song. Later in the tracklist, One And One Make Five has surprisingly somber lyrics, pleading a lover to clear things up and tell the narrator that they are still in love. The last song that I really like is One In A Million, which is one of the danciest songs on the whole thing and should have been an easy choice as a single, probably instead of Liberation. Unfortunately, beyond these few songs, I just don't think this album is for me for the most part. Slower songs like Liberation and To Speak Is A Sin, while providing a nice change in pace compared with the other songs on the album, are just not very good. On the other hand, Dreaming Of The Queen is okay with its downtempo beat and very catchy chorus. Meanwhile, A Different Point Of View feels like a retreading of Eurythmics' iconic Here Comes The Rain Again. Honestly, I just don't have much to say about many of the songs here. It's another album where the difference between the best and worst songs is small. Overall, Very is a forgettable, bloated album. With a few diamonds throughout, it isn't the worst album on this list, but unfortunately, it is not great either. 2/5. Favs: Can You Forgive Her? I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind Of Thing One In A Million Least Fav: Liberation

I Make You Into A Song 1001 Albums Generator 55 (06/18/2025) Throwing Muses is the debut album by 80's post-punk band Throwing Muses, led by the charismatic Kristin Hersh. This album was kind of a pain to find due to the following: 1. It is not on Spotify. 2. Another album by Throwing Muses called Throwing Muses, released in 2003, is on Spotify. This is a different album entirely. 3. The album cover listed on 1001albumsgenerator.com is not the correct album cover. I'm really curious how many people on this site listened to the wrong album as a result of this. And it's honestly a damn shame that this album was so hard to find, because it's great. This is a truly talented group of individuals, and at a tight 37 minutes, Throwing Muses is an easy listen. Call Me introduces us to the jangly guitar and strange vocal techniques that we would become accustomed to throughout the length of the album. Kristin Hersh is one of the most interesting vocalists I have been introduced to during this journey. She is undoubtably talented, never sounding off key, but her voice can be so off-putting at times. In this opening track alone she switches between about 4 distinct timbres seamlessly, and she always seems to know which voice to use for any given part of a song. Green showcases the incredible skills of David Narcizo on the drums. Similar to Kristin, he also switches between many styles throughout the song; my favorite is in the middle when he switches to a highly precise, march-like snare pattern. Hate My Way was inspired by an encounter Hersh had with a street preacher that really affected her. She also starts singing about a massacre that happened in 1984 during the climax. It is quite a poignant piece. Vicky's Box brings in a piano, which is a great layer, and I love the chromatic vocal melody on the line "home is where the heart lies" before the tempo picks up. The following Rabbits Dying introduces us to the first bit of country influence on the album, which will appear at various points during the second half. I do think that the second half falls off in quality a bit. America (She Can't Say No) is another country-esque punk song with a guitar part that's cool, but this is the song where I find Hersh's voice to be the most grating. The next three songs don't have much to distinguish themselves from one another to me. Sometimes the abrupt switch-ups don't really work, with Soul Soldier being the worst offender of this. The last song, Delicate Cutters, is beautiful however. It is a gothic, acoustic guitar led rock song and it was genius to end this album with such a song that is so distinct from the rest of the album, but still manages to maintain its ethos. Throwing Muses was a nice surprise. In general, I had no idea how much of the early punk scene was led by female fronted bands, and all of it that I have heard so far has been excellent. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3 because it's not quite as good as my other 4's, but it's close. Favs: Call Me Green Delicate Cutters Least Fav: America (She Can't Say No)

I'm Trying To Not Lose My Head Favs: She's Fresh It's Nasty The Message Least Fav: Scorpio

This Is Religion, There Is No Doubt 1001 Albums Generator 57 (06/20/2025) Music For The Masses lies in the middle of the most critically acclaimed trilogy of albums in Depeche Mode's discography. The cover is a bright spot, bookended by the darkness in the covers of Black Celebration and the highly regarded Violator, but the sound of Music For The Masses is certainly not as bright and airy as its cover would suggest. While this is a synthpop album, there is a darkness present here, especially in the second half. I have been very late to the Depeche Mode party to be honest. Violator has been on my radar as long as I can remember but I haven't ever listened to it, so I was excited to jump into Music For The Masses. The album, like many albums on this list, opens with one of its strongest songs. Never Let Me Down Again is one of the poppiest songs here, and it works great. However, even underneath this poppy exterior lies a darkness; some sort of brooding energy lurks below and foreshadows the vibe that later songs on the album would have. Strangelove is another hit. I love the synth riff that happens in the intro and post-chorus. This is also a good time to mention the drum sound on this album. It's absolutely huge and manages to walk the uncanny valley between sounding natural but still having an electronic timbre. The first half of the album continues on a strong note from here with Sacred, which opens on a theatrical, haunting choral part before falling into its groove. Although the chorus is simple, it is one of the most affecting melodies on the album. As you can probably tell, my favorite songs on this album are largely the ones that lean more into synthpop and less into darkwave/gothic elements. The penultimate song, Nothing, is my favorite song on the whole album I think. It is so underrated; I can't believe this wasn't a massive hit. It has the gothic aura that the album exudes but it does that in such a unique and fun way. However, about half of the songs here do not have enough going on for me. The worst offender is Little 15, which just feels so silly to me. I just envision a little elf marching to the silly ah beat. The closer Pimpf is built on a good piano line, but I struggle to take its martial energy seriously and it goes on too long. As a minute and a half outro, I would think it was kind of cool, but 4 minutes is way to much. I Want You Now and To Have And To Hold don't have much distinguishing themselves from one another either, so that whole part of the tracklist drags for me a bit. Music For The Masses is a pretty good album. It features some of the best songs that I have discovered during this challenge thus far, but it also has a lot of songs that I do not care for. Definition of a 3/5 for me. Favs: Never Let Me Down Again Sacred Nothing Least Fav: Little 15

Just A Little Green 1001 Albums Generator 58 (06/23/2025) Blue is an album about love, but unlike many albums about love, it does not limit itself to purely being a breakup album or a romantic album. No, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell approaches love wholistically on her fourth studio album, Blue, taking the good with the bad. And this makes sense with her state at the time of writing it, having just ended a relationship with Graham Nash and having just started a relationship with James Taylor. Additional experiences in her life that inspired her writing on this album were her travels to the island of Crete and her secret child whom she had given up for adoption years previously. At this tumultuous time in her life, Joni Mitchell said "I felt like a cellophane wrapper on a pack of cigarettes. I felt like I had absolutely no secrets from the world". The result was the album often quoted as her magnum opus: 1971's Blue. From the opening guitar parts of All I Want, the sound of this album is quickly established. Acoustic instrumentation that manages to maintain energy (sometimes with the help of a light percussion) while Joni's unique voice and melody choices grace our ears. I think what makes her melodies so unique is her large leaps from the baritone to the falsetto. My Old Man showcases the other primary instrument in the sound palette of this album, the piano. She also wrote some great chromatic passing tones in its unique melody during the chorus. This Flight Tonight plays with some psychedelia that the rest of the album doesn't have and it works great. The part where the louder guitar and drums briefly come in is genius. River is one of the most popular songs on the album and features a melody that was largely borrowed from and inspired by Jingle Bells. Its lyrics explore Mitchell's sadness with a recent relationship ending, in reality probably the relationship with songwriter Graham Nash. A Case Of You features Mitchell's new man James Taylor playing a very percussive acoustic guitar part. Joni sings lyrics describing a deep, infectious love that she is feeling. It is one of the most romantic songs on the album. Her vocal runs in the second chorus are just incredible. With such a basic sonic palette, it is honestly incredible that Blue manages to stay interesting. The title track, Blue, is beautiful, but as it is surrounded by very similar but superior songs, it does not stick with me. I also find the closing tack, The Last Time I Saw Richard, to not be memorable either. Besides these two songs, this is pretty much a perfect folk album. Joni Mitchell is an artist that I have been missing out on. Blue is a great place for me to start with her, as it is a vulnerable look into the soul of an artist, in an honest way that is so rare to see. Some songs do not enthrall me as much, but her incredible voice keeps me coming back for more. 4/5. Favs: My Old Man River A Case Of You Least Fav: Blue

They're Taking Me To Marrakesh 1001 Albums Generator 59 (06/24/2025) So yesterday I had Joni Mitchell's Blue, and today I'm staying in the Laurel Canyon Scene with Crosby, Stills & Nash. Soon, they would be joined by Neil Young to make Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, but for now, CSN was a supergroup of just three individuals. Formed by former members of The Hollies, The Byrds, and Buffalo Springfield, CSN started performing informally together in 1968 and found that their voices could harmonize quite well. After complications with existing record label contracts, CSN finally released their debut album, Crosby, Stills & Nash, in 1969. Stephen Stills' songs are my favorite overall. The opening song, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes, is the longest and is a through-composed folk rock masterpiece. Stills wrote this song for his ex-girlfriend Judy Collins and performed it for her. They both cried but it didn't end up rekindling their relationship. Judy Blue Eyes has four distinct parts that flow beautifully into one another. My favorite is the last section with the repeated wordless vocals. You Don't Have To Cry and Wooden Ships are the other Stills songs that I really enjoy. Both are relatively high energy, with the former feeling the most like the cover in that it feels like a bunch of guys jamming out on their front porch, and the latter almost feeling like an Allman Brothers song, which is a very good thing. I'm not as big of a fan of his later contributions, the slow Helplessly Hoping and the boring 49 Bye-Byes. David Crosby doesn't have as many writing credits, but his songs are mostly great. Guinnevere has a psychedelic repeated acoustic guitar riff that I love and some of the best vocal harmonies on an album full of great vocal harmonies. He also is a cowriter on Wooden Ships, which I mentioned previously. His final contribution is the only other song that I like on the second side, the bluesy Long Time Gone. The distorted lead guitar throughout this song is great. Unfortunately, Graham Nash has my least favorite crop of songs here overall. Pre-Road Downs is okay with the reversed guitar throughout being a highlight, but it lies between two much stronger songs. Lady Of The Island is far and away my least favorite song here and feels like such meaningless filler in the middle of the album. Nash's greatest contribution here is Marrakesh Express, which has perhaps the best chorus of any song on the whole album. I love the subtle organ in the background of the chorus too. Crosby, Stills & Nash is more good than bad, but I found it to be slightly uninteresting. I saw another reviewer say that it just made them want to listen to Yes, which I thought was so weird, but I kind of get it now. When it's good, it's great, but this is a band that would truly find themselves when they became a quartet. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Suite: Judy Blue Eyes Marrakesh Express Wooden Ships Least Fav: Lady Of The Island

I'm A Motherfuckin' P.I.M.P. 1001 Albums Generator 60 (06/25/2025) I'm going to start this review with a list of hip-hop albums by artists that are not present on the list at all that are highly acclaimed AND personal favorites. BROCKHAPTON - Saturation III Dalek - From Filthy Tongues Of Gods And Griots Danny Brown - Atrocity Exhibition Death Grips - The Money Store DJ Screw - Bigtyme Vol II: All Screwed Up Koopsta Knicca - Da Devil's Playground: Underground Solo Little Ugly Mane - Mista Thug Isolation Madvillain - Madvillainy MF DOOM - MM..FOOD Three-6 Mafia - Mystic Styles Tyler, The Creator - IGOR It's easy to look at something like 50 Cent's Get Rich Or Die Tryin' and try to justify its inclusion on 1001 Albums To Listen To Before You Die using arguments that include the words "influence" and "popularity", but this list's relative lack of hip-hop albums make the available spots very valuable. Simply being popular without having quality to go along with it is simply not enough to earn a spot on this list, and unfortunately, this is the camp that Get Rich falls into. Don't get me wrong, the hits are a lot of fun. After a bit of a slow start, the album hits us with 3 great songs in a row. Patiently Waiting is produced by Eminem and features a great verse from him. This was right around when Marshall was in his prime, so he does great here. Many Men (Wish Death) is one of the most badass songs put to tape. It is about 50 Cent's near death experience after being shot 9 times in 2000. In Da Club is the song that every college girls listens to on her birthday. It's super catchy. P.I.M.P. and 21 Questions are also massive hits that I had forgotten about honestly before listening to this album. But really, 19 (mostly) forgettable songs and 70 minutes later, is my life better now? Am I glad that I listened to this album before I died? No. This style of rap is just so dated and has aged terribly. Note, many albums in the list above have very "gangsta" lyrics; my problem is not with the fact that the lyrics talk about this lifestyle, but that they do a poor job at it. 50 Cent is not a convincing MC, which is so funny because he literally lived this shit. Somehow, every time he talks, I just think about the fact that he tweeted "I can't believe my grand mothers making me take Out the garbage I'm rich fuck this I'm going home I don't need this shit" and I question my life choices. Get Rich Or Die Tryin' is a pretty bad album. If it were an EP or even just a single vinyl's worth of music, it may be a 2, but as it is, I can't justify giving it more than a 1. I'll be fine never listening to it again. Favs: In Da Club P.I.M.P. 21 Questions Least Fav: Like My Style

I Give You All A Boy Could Give You 1001 Albums Generator 61 (06/26/2025) Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is the debut album by British synthpop duo Soft Cell. If you live in the U.K., you may have heard a few songs off of this album, but if you live in the U.S., you have almost certainly heard only one: Tainted Love. I've always thought of Soft Cell as a one-hit wonder, so I was surprised to hear that this was a platinum selling album when it came out. The sound of this album is very much drenched in a very European sort of synthpop with some rock influences as well. By all accounts, this album had quite the uphill battle. The budget for this album was shockingly low, especially considering the instruments that are required for an album built entirely around synths. Additionally, the music video for Sex Dwarf was banned in the U.K. - who woulda thunk? In spite of this, Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret was huge when it released. Unfortunately, this album peaks with its most popular song - Tainted Love. This is one of those songs that everyone knows, but a lot of people don't recognize the name of. I was made familiar with this song due to my lovely mother's love for 80's pop music, and it is one of the most iconic songs from that era. The double synth stab throughout the song engrains it in your memory from the first time you hear it and the vocal melodies are extremely catchy. I didn't even know what the actual chorus of this song was until I went to the Genius page because every part is catchy enough to be a chorus. There are very few songs in this genre that are as good as this one. Although this is the peak, there are some other nice songs here too. The opening Frustration opens with screamed, stuttered vocals before a really strange instrumental comes in. I think this song does a great job of portraying a sort of nervous energy through its instrumental. Sex Dwarf will make your eyebrows raise at least 4 times, not even taking into account the initial shock at seeing it on the track list. In spite of this, it's a lot of fun. Chips On My Shoulder has a very funky bassline that I like a lot, and the closer, Say Hello, Wave Goodbye, is my favorite song outside of Tainted Love. This song is the one that sounds the least like it was made on such a small budget. There are so many awesome layers in this song that just make it sound huge and the chorus is super catchy. The rest of this album is just not very good. There are a few songs here where you can really feel the low budget of the instrumental and the recording equipment and the music ends up just sounding kitschy. The worst example of this is probably Youth, but it's really quite common throughout. I imagine that some of this perception is driven by the fact that I can't help but look at this music through a modern lens, and it is possible that in the early 80's, all of these synth sounds were unbelievable. Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret is an appropriately titled, fun debut album by a duo that have a claim to at least one piece of true genius in their catalog. I wish it was more consistent, but the good and bad balance each other out. Favs: Tainted Love Sex Dwarf Say Hello, Wave Goodbye Least Fav: Youth

Shortest Straw, Challenge Liberty 1001 Albums Generator 62 (06/27/2025) Metallica at their most progressive and technical. At least 3 absolute all time classics on here in Blackened, ...And Justice For All, and One. Harvester of Sorrow has always been a favorite of mine as well. Favs: Blackened ...And Justice For All Harvester Of Sorrow Least Fav: To Live Is To Die

A Talent Gone Too Soon 1001 Albums Generator 63 (06/30/2025) The Bill Evans Trio consisted of bassist Scott LaFaro, drummer Paul Motian, and pianist and bandleader Bill Evans. Bill Evans is one of the greatest pianists of all time and he got his start playing jazz in the mid 1950's. Before creating this trio where he would releases his most acclaimed albums as bandleader, Evans got the opportunity to play with the great Miles Davis. He was famously featured on Davis' Kind Of Blue and even wrote the most popular song on that album, Blue In Green. After getting dissed by the great trumpeter (Miles took credit for writing this song and gave Evans $25 when the pianist asked for some royalties), Evans met Scott LaFaro, who suggested a trio with drummer Paul Motian. This band recorded multiple studio albums throughout the turn of the decade. In 1961, they performed multiple shows at the famous Village Vanguard in New York and released two albums from these shows: Waltz For Debby and Sunday At The Village Vanguard. Tragically, the 25 year old LaFaro died in a car crash merely 10 days after these recordings, which makes them all the more haunting. Evans stopped performing for months after LaFaro's death and bassist Ray Brown said the death of LaFaro would set the instrument back 10 years. It's a true tragedy that he is not a household name outside of jazz circles. Waltz With Debby is one of my favorite jazz albums, but Sunday is one that I wasn't so familiar with, having only listened to it once before. Sunday At The Village Vanguard is a hard album to talk about song to song. I think that the songs tend to blend together a bit for me, so much so that while listening to this album at work, I didn't even realize I had accidentally listen to the bonus tracks. Everything about this album is just downright pleasant, with every member of the trio excelling in their craft. Evans and LaFaro especially just kill it on this album. Normally, bass solos are some of my least favorite parts of jazz albums, but LaFaro keeps them interesting. I believe his best solo is on Alice In Wonderland, but once again, these songs are not wildly different in quality or sound. Meanwhile, Evans' piano work is as wonderful as ever. His chord voicings all throughout this thing are inventive and beautiful as always. The covers here are the best, with Alice In Wonderland and My Man's Gone Now being my favorite compositions on this album. His playing on the former is particularly impressive. LaFaro wrote the opening and closing track, and while I think Gloria's Step is great, Jade Visions is probably my least favorite song, perhaps just due to its shorter length. The trio is at their best when they are all given time to breathe. Sunday At The Village Vanguard is a beautiful album with a tragedy attached to it due to the untimely death of bassist Scott LaFaro. In spite of its beauty and the immense talent on display, the songs can somewhat blend together. However, repeated listens have allowed me to appreciate these songs. 3.5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Gloria's Step My Man's Gone Now Alice In Wonderland Least Fav: Jade Visions

If You Cannot Run, Then Crawl 1001 Albums Generator 64 (07/01/2025) 1001 Albums That Make You Want To Just Listen To The Cure more like. That's a bit derisive, but seriously, Calenture is an album that left me feeling very disappointed. Looking at the genres (indie pop, jangle pop, folk rock) had me feeling excited. This list is at its best when it uncovers albums outside of the general canon that are truly unique and high quality. Some of my favorite discoveries so far have been KIWANUKA and She's So Unusual. I thought perhaps The Triffids' fourth studio album Calenture would be another such album. The opening track, Bury Me Deep In Love, for all of its cheese, is quite good. It opens with this lightly neofolk acoustic guitar part before falling into a sort of U2-esque big sound. The drums sound awesome and the piano is cool too. The strings and lyrics are extremely cheesy but underneath all that is a good song. From here the album stays strong and arrives at its strongest song, Kelly's Blues. Although its tempo is slow, the energy of this track is undeniable. I love the bass and drums during the verses. Hometown Farwell Kiss is drenched in this self-aware semi-ironic glam country sound that I really like. Blinder By The Hour has this great, dissonant piano part that plays throughout the chorus. It sounds wrong but also works so well. The last song, Save What You Can, is also great, with the interplay between the guitar and piano being a highlight for me. Much of this album is not super great or memorable however. Open For You is super annoying. It has a completely unserious sound and grating female backing vocals. I do not like the vocal style on Jerdacuttup Man, where vocalist David McComb does this gravelly voice that just sounds fake to me. The interlude title track is actually one of the nicer moments here, but as it is an interlude, I can't give it too much credit. Most of the other songs are just okay, but as I alluded to above, I spent the album wishing I was listening to something better with a similar style, such as The Cure or Sam Fender at different points throughout. The Triffids are a talented group, but their landmark album, Calenture, does not impress me much. It's a 2.5, which I will round up to a 3 since there's more good stuff here than on the albums that I have rated a 2. Favs: Bury Me Deep In Love Kelly's Blues Save What You Can Least Fav: Open For You

The Zombies are the forgotten psychedelic group of the 1960's. Lost in the fold of The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Pink Floyd, The Kinks, Velvet Underground, and more that have seen varying levels of commercial success, The Zombies have yet to become a true household name. That's a shame because their second studio album, Odyssey And Oracle, is a marvel of psychedelic production and songwriting. The first side of this album is particularly great. Care Of Cell 44 shows a higher energy version of The Zombies while still maintaining a Baroque sort of beauty and a super great bassline before A Rose For Emily slows it down to a more stripped back, piano led ballad. Brief Candles is one of my favorite songs here, with its high tempo, layered production. The way the bass and piano sound together, and especially when that organ comes in during the chorus, is fantastic. This song also shows off the wonderful vocal harmonies that The Zombies are capable of. The other song that really showcases the vocal chops on display is the ballad Changes. This is not one of my favorite songs here, but the vocals are inspired and in some ways this song has a bit of an African feel to it. At some points throughout Odyssey And Oracle, The Zombies' experiments don't work. From I Want Her She Wants Me to Butcher's Tale is not a very interesting stretch of songs, and Butcher's Tale in particular is quite boring. However, the last two songs are quite good. Friends Of Mine is a fun bit of piano-dominated pop rock and the closer is the finest and most popular song on the album. Time Of The Season does not necessarily sound like it would be a hit. The song ends on an organ jam and the chorus is pretty much just the title of the song sung in harmony. But man, this song is such a fucking classic. I had no idea The Zombies were responsible for this song. Odyssey And Oracle is a great psychedelic pop album that really should get more recognition and should be considered a part of the pantheon. The first seven songs are fantastic and it features one of the best songs of the era in Time Of The Season. Some experiments don't work, but overall, it's somewhere between a 4 and a 4.5. Favs: Care Of Cell 44 Brief Candles Time Of The Season Least Fav: Butcher's Tale (Western Front 1914)

The World Is A Vampire 1001 Albums Generator 66 (07/03/2025) This is the first really long (>2 hours) album that I have had on the list. I think that albums like this are so hard to do right. However, some albums that I love (Soundtracks For The Blind, Daughter Of Darkness, and The Epic come to mind) are extremely long, so I am not by nature opposed to them. With that said, in the context of a challenge like this, they can be really difficult to judge fairly, since I don't have much time to really sit and digest what they want to say. However, I was somewhat familiar with this album, so I feel confident that I was able to give it a fair shake. The album opens with an intro track, Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness, which is a nice, calm piano intro, although it is a bit long. Tonight, Tonight is a classic, dreamy, symphonic piece of rock. Really this album opens beautifully. From here, Jellybelly is surprisingly heavy, the guitar tone really stands out here. Zero is another classic. The whole “emptiness is loneliness” part is great and both of the short burst of guitar solo noise are awesome. Bullet With Butterfly Wings is one of my favorite Pumpkins songs. From the opening "The world is a vampire", this song just grabs you and doesn’t let go. The dynamic juxtaposition between the verses and choruses is done really well here too. This is one of the first Smashing Pumpkins songs that I remember loving. The chorus is so iconic and I love how the piano comes in during the second verse. An Ode To No One has the coolest drums on the album. Jimmy Chamberlin is doing things on the cymbals that I didn't even know was allowed. I can't believe this song wasn't a bigger hit. Porcelina Of The Vast Oceans is a true builder. The clean guitar arpeggios that open the song are beautiful and the way the drums build throughout the first part of the song before the distorted guitar kicks in is inspired. The second disk is certainly more spotty, but it has some great moments. Where Boys Fear To Tread is another heavy song, feeling sludgy at points. This is a bag I didn't know the Pumpkins had. 1979 is the Pumpkins' biggest hit and it deserves it. Somehow, it manages to sound both ahead of its time and of its time. The guitar chords are great and I love the fact that the band was playing with electronic elements in their music. X.Y.U. is another favorite of mine on the second side. It is absolutely crushing in both its guitar tones and lyrics/vocals. However, there are some songs that I don’t really enjoy. Love is a forgettable song that doesn't quite feel like the right tempo. Like it is almost in an uncanny valley between a slow song and a high-energy song. Take Me Down is a relatively flaccid way to end the first disk. I am not a fan of James Iha's falsetto vocals. Thirty-Three is a boring change of pace, especially being followed by the marginally better In The Arms Of Sleep. Having two slow songs next to each other on an album this long does not work, and Thirty-Three in particular is not interesting. I don't know how to feel about the extremely aggressive, noisy Tales Of A Scorched Earth. It's interesting, but I don't love how they distorted Corgan's vocals. Mellon Collie in general ends on a bit of a whimper with We Only Come Out At Night, Beautiful, and Lily (My One And Only) all being slow, unmemorable songs. Then, By Starlight and Farewell And Goodnight, while being much better than the three previous songs, are also relatively slow. With such a strong opening, I was hoping Mellon Collie would end with more of an oomph. Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness was the Smashing Pumpkins’ Homeric epic. I don’t think that it reaches the level of genius of Siamese Dream, but it is quite the artistic statement. The last quarter or so is just a bit soft for my tastes, and it makes the album feel even longer. Overall, 4/5. Favs: Tonight, Tonight Bullet With Butterfly Wings 1979 Least Fav: Take Me Down

Pump It Up When You Don't Really Need It 1001 Albums Generator 67 (07/04/2025) Favs: No Action The Beat Pump It Up Least Fav: Little Triggers

One For The Money, Two For The Show 1001 Albums Generator 68 (07/07/2025) It's kind of funny that yesterday I had an album by Elvis Costello and today I have an album by the much more famous musical Elvis. Elvis Presley is a man that needs no introduction and there is already so much annoying discourse about him online. Is he a culture vulture? I guess. I mean, none of the songs on this album were written by Elvis, but essentially all of them were popularized by their inclusion on this album. Is he a highly influential musical figure, without whom any history of music would be incomplete? Yes. Do I find his music interesting? Honestly, not really. It's really crazy to me how dated a lot of Elvis' music sounds, considering some truly amazing albums came out of the 50's. I have always found this style of "pre-Beatles rock" boring, and while Elvis is the king of this specific subgenre, the problems I have with the sound are still certainly present on Elvis' self-titled debut studio album. By and large, this album is divided into fast paced rock songs and slower rhythm & blues songs. I am a fan of much of the former and I dislike much of the latter. With that said, the album starts pretty strong with one of Elvis' most popular songs, Blue Suede Shoes. This song is so fun, and that "one for the money, two for the show" intro is absolutely engrained in my head for all time. I have my problems with Elvis' voice, but I think it really works here. I also love the start-stop rhythm that underlays the verses and Elvis' guitar solos are great here. Tutti Frutti is the most fun that you could have in the 1950's, and I love that Elvis sounds like he's going to explode with excitement. Money Honey is another one that I was familiar with, as I have sampled it before. I really like this one. The constant piano glissandos are a great touch and the build through the verses to the choruses is well done. As far as the slow songs are concerned, not all is bad. I Love You Because is a truly sweet song with simple but effective instrumentation. The whistles that open the song are a great touch and I love the jazzy, traditional clean guitar leads that play throughout the background are pure class. Meanwhile, Elvis' cover of Blue Moon is a beautiful rendition. It does feel a bit boring at times, since there isn't much variation within it, but it is pretty, and Elvis' voice is really quite good. His falsetto is really surprising. There are aspects of Presley's voice that I just do not like. One-Sided Love Affair is a fun piece of Rockabilly that is absolutely decimated by his goofy vibrato voice. For similar reasons, I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Cry (Over You) is impossible to take seriously, in spite of its depressing lyrics. This song also highlights the unfortunate production on this album, as Elvis' voice overpowers the instruments under it. This album is also full of dated, uninteresting pieces of slow country (?), such as I'm Counting On You, Trying To Get To You, and especially I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin'). These songs really drag down this album and make Elvis Presley feel much longer than just 28 minutes. Elvis Presley is unfortunately a bit of a disappointment. Despite having some good songs, the overall sound has not withstood the test of time. I wish I liked it more, but it's a 2.5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Blue Suede Shoes I Love You Because Money Honey Least Fav: I'll Never Let You Go (Little Darlin')

The Funky Days, They're Back Again 1001 Albums Generator 69 (nice) (07/08/2025) Cornershop are an indie band out of the UK that I was not previously familiar with. Formed in 1991, Cornershop were part of a growing wave of indie artists that maintained the underground feel of the indie OG's in the wake of the mainstreamification of indie through the grunge scene in the US and the britpop scene in the UK. Founding members Tjinder and Avtar Singh were British-born Sikhs that wanted to take their inspiration from both the British indie rock/pop of the time and from Punjabi music. Although their first two albums were not widely accepted commercially or critically, their third album, When I Was Born For The 7th Time, was a hit and is often seen as their creative peak. Amazingly, Spin Magazine had When I Was Born as their top album of the year in a year that included OK Computer, Homogenic, Dots And Loops, F#A#∞, and many other albums that are seen as all time classics nowadays. This had me very interested in this album. And what an album it is. This is really quite difficult to categorize. From the accordion in the intro of Sleep On The Left Side, this album is clearly not your standard indie slop affair. It is quite psychedelic and showcases some trip hop elements as well. I just love the accordion solos that appear throughout. Brimful Of Asha is Cornershop's biggest hit, but I hadn't heard it before. It's fun, but it's honestly not my favorite song. That chorus is the catchiest earworm on the album though. This is where the album gets truly strange. This is probably a hot take, but I love Butter The Soul. Cornershop decided that the third song on their indie rock album should be a strange bit of turntablism interspersed with raga. It's so cool, but I get why some people wouldn't enjoy it. We're In Yr Corner is the best song on the album. The way the sitar drones on with the rock instrumentation (expecially drums) in the background is great. The song ends on a wonderful jam. Unfortunately, the middle of When I Was Born For The 7th Time takes quite a dip in quality. Funky Days Are Back Again is kind of fun, but also kind of annoying. What Is Happening?, When The Light Appears Boy, and Coming Up all feel like experimental interludes that could perhaps have been better if not placed subsequently on the tracklist. But, we return to form with Good Sh**, which is another song on the poppier side of things, and while not as memorable as the earlier indie pop songs, it's still fun. It almost has an island vibe in the guitar and the synth at the end is great. Good To Be On The Road Back Home is relatively unremarkable except for the wonderful addition of female vocals that sound beautiful on top of the almost country-esque instrumental. It's Indian Tobacco My Friend is another really weird experiment, but this one really works. I don't know what it is about this song, but the constant 7/8 beat over the psychedelic pads and weird reverbed wordless vocals just really does it for me. The last song I will mention is the wonderful Beatles cover that caps off the album. Norwegian Wood is one of my favorite Beatles songs ever (I'm sure I will get Rubber Soul one day), and the emphasis of the Indian elements of that song in this cover are really nice. I won't say that this is better than the original, but it is a worthy homage. When I Was born For The 7th Time is not the best album of 1997 (sorry Spin Mag), but it is really quite an underrated one. Cornershop are a truly creative force that blend genres in a way that I have not ever heard before. Although these experiments don't always work, when they do, they really do. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Sleep On The Left Side We're In Yr Corner It's Indian Tobacco My Friend Least Fav: When the Light Appears Boy

It's Corrupt Like A Senator 1001 Albums Generator 70 (07/07/2025) Public Enemy are one of the first great and influential hiphop groups. They were lauded for both their revolutionary political commentary and their abrasive, experimental production style. I had never listened to Public Enemy before, so what better place to start than their second (and most highly acclaimed) album, It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back? The stated goal of Public Enemy was to make the hiphop equivalent of Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? This is a tall order, but it could be done. The question is, were Public Enemy going to be the ones to do it? In short, unfortunately, no. But that isn't to say that this is a poor album. The production on It Takes A Nation Of Millions steals the show. Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic is so impressive. The constant switch ups and additional layers and spoken word bits fit really well. She Watch Channel Zero? is the best song on the whole album. Its prominent sample of Slayer's Angel Of Death is fantastic. More rap sampling metal please. Honestly, the little interlude Mind Terrorist is really memorable too. It's relatively simple but doesn't overstay its welcome and is a nice break in the pace. Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos' constant dissonant piano line is really great and somehow avoids getting annoying through its runtime. Rebel Without A Pause (great song name btw) has a fun beat with a constant sax glissando and I actually like the little skit part at the end. However, some choices are not great in retrospect. The constant high pitched noise throughout Cold Lampin' With Flavor is really annoying and distracting. Flavor Flav's last verse on this song is also so cheesy and dumb. Caught, Can We Get A Witness?'s insistence for like a full minute that Public Enemy will never sell out (we gotta ask everybody in the group just to really make sure) comes off as cringey and annoying. The sound collage pieces that start each side are technically impressive, especially for their time, but are not very interesting. This album also suffers from one of the worst tropes of its time in the constant skits between songs. By the time I got to the last couple songs in It Take A Nation Of Millions, I found myself wanting it to be over, despite really enjoying some songs throughout. The production is really a show-stealer, while the vocals and skits are not great. Feeling a strong 3/5. Favs: Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic She Watch Channel Zero?! Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos Least Fav: Caught, Can We Get A Witness?

Wham Bam, Thank You Ma'am, I'll Be On My Way 1001 Albums Generator 71 (07/10/2025) The first word that comes to mind when listening to Buck Owens' 1965 collaboration with The Buckaroos, I've Got A Tiger By The Tail, is sincerity. Throughout the short runtime of this sweet piece of country, I couldn't help but smile at the beautiful simplicity of the music and the lyrics. The lyrics of these songs are just so unapologetically earnest, and Owens' voice is so great. I was cheesing so hard the first time he went into his baritone in Streets of Laredo, while the heartbreak on display in The Band Keeps Playin' On is truly emotional. I've Got A Tiger By The Tail is one of the most famous examples of a substyle of Honky Tonk called Bakersfield Sound, which developed out of the migration of poor Oklahomans into California during the beginning of the 20th Century. Buck Owens was one of the greatest figures in this scene and had many highly popular albums throughout the 60's. It's so sad to see people on this site be so disparaging against this album. This is such a cute, inoffensive album, and the songs are written extremely well, played extremely well, and sung pretty well too! The only points of contention I really have are with the mixing, which features distracting panning and some levels issues, and the fact that there are some filler tracks, especially near the tail end of the album. The instrumental A Maiden's Prayer and the forgettable We're Gonna Let The Good Times Roll are probably the worst songs. Besides that, this album is fantastic, really. I listened three times today and kept wanting to go back for more. The opening title track is the best song. Wham Bam is such a bop and I can tell that Buck was having fun on this one. Can't blame a man for being focused on his bag, although for a fella who is "afraid of weddin' bells and rice and things", Owens had a funny way of showing it, having been married four times throughout his life. That's a lot of alimony, Buck! As I alluded to earlier, this album has a sad side to it as well. The best example of this side of the album is The Band Keeps Playin' On, which follows Buck's woman leaving a bar with her old lover while her and Buck's favorite song is playing. His emotion here is palpable. The final song (on the version I listened to) is Act Naturally, which was famously covered by The Beatles. I like The Beatles version slightly better, but the original is fun too. I've Got A Tiger By The Tail was a fun surprise. The rating on both 1001albumsgenerator.com and RateYourMusic had me worried, but I really enjoyed my time with it. Pretty easy 4/5. Favs: I've Got A Tiger By The Tail Wham Bam The Band Keeps Playin' On Least Fav: We're Gonna Let The Good Times Roll

Children, Wake Up 1001 Albums Generator 72 (07/11/2025) Every music nerd has an opinion about Arcade Fire's debut album, Funeral. Many online music nerds revile Arcade Fire, and this album in particular, as Pitchfork slop. You see, in 2004, Pitchfork gave Funeral a 9.7/10, which is thought to have propelled this album into the starlight. Nowadays, we would use the term "industry plant", although I don't know if that phrase had caught on in the mid naughties. Either way, the ethos was the same as it is today and the vitriol from indie hipsters was widespread. Additionally, the style of Funeral is a mix of indie rock and chamber pop, a combination which had not been done much before, since indie had yet to really be separated from its punk roots in any meaningful way. However, those with eyes to see and ears to hear were able to understand the album for what it is. And not to defend music publications, but Pitchfork absolutely nailed this one, as Funeral ended up being the sound of indie to come, and a fantastic piece of art at that. Funeral starts (for the most part) with a 4 part "Neighborhood" saga. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) starts us off with a deceptively big and upbeat song. I love the piano line in this one and the song is quite theatrical and orchestral. It is a great introduction to both the sounds and themes of the album. Neightborhood #2 (Laika) has this great accordion (?) part throughout it and features lyrics inspired by the story of Laika, the Soviet dog who was the first animal to orbit the Earth. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) is very dance punk-y. The heavily distorted sort of synth alongside the chamber instrumentation in the background is a great combination and the drums sound huge here. Unfortunately, the neighborhood saga ends on a bit of a whimper with Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles). This song is slow and while I appreciate the change in pace, I don't think that it is nearly as good as the rest of the album. I love when this album allows itself to just rock out. The last minute or so of Une Annee Sans Lumiere sees Arcade Fire increase the tempo quite a lot and the guitars are kind of slacker-ish. Wake Up is the most popular song off the album, and for good reason. It is extraordinarily catchy and I really like the constant strings in the background. The wordless chorus will get stuck in your head no matter what you do. Rebellion (Lies) is very post-punk revival with its picked bass-driven verses, but of course Arcade Fire throw their signature chamber sound on top with the piano and strings coming in and out of the composition. The album ends with the slower In The Backseat, which is better than 7 Kettles as a slow piece. Once again, the strings steal the show. Funeral is an album that has been drenched in controversy since it came out (and I haven't even mentioned the more recent personal controversies), but it is a fantastic album. It inspired some of my favorite music of all time (especially Illinois and Ants From Up There) and manages to also stand on its own as a unique piece of art. Strong 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5. Favs: Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) Wake Up Rebellion (Lies) Least Fav: Neighborhood #4 (7 Kettles)

Heaven Is A Place Where Nothing Ever Happens 1001 Albums Generator 73 (07/14/2025) Fear Of Music is the third studio album by new wave and art rock legends Talking Heads. This was the second album that Brian Eno worked on in collaboration with Talking Heads and the band's goal was to expand on the disco inspirations that they had toyed with on their second album, More Songs About Buildings And Food. While their first two albums saw commercial success and some critical acclaim, Fear Of Music kicked off a trilogy of Talking Heads albums that to this day are considered some of the best albums of all time. I have only heard the follow-up album, Remain In Light, which I absolutely love, so I was excited to see how Fear Of Music would compare. Listening to I Zimbra, I felt that it really reminded me of something that would be on King Crimson's Red. I guess that makes sense considering the fact that Robert Fripp is on this song lol. What a distinct player and what a fun song. The slight math rock elements incorporate with Talking Heads' funky afrobeat-inspired sound very well. Cities features David Byrne's classic half-spoken half-sung vocal style and is one of the finest songs here. The middle run of this album is fantastic. Life During Wartime is widely regarded as one of Talking Heads' best songs and one of the best rock songs in general. I can't disagree, although I think there are better songs here. Memories Can't Wait has some really strange electronic elements in the background (probably thanks to Eno) and the slower tempo works well. I love when the guitar arpeggios kind of open up during the pre-chorus. The following song Air has a similar appeal with the guitar in the chorus and features lyrics about a man so depressed that even breathing feels painful. It also has a real deal distorted guitar solo, which is kind of unusual for Talking Heads. Heaven is a beautiful, touching song that unfortunately just reminded me of the chudjak meme with its chorus, but besides that, it is really a fantastic song. Byrne's vocals on the chorus feel tortured and the bassline is great. Unfortunately, the album does not stay this strong forever. I actually don't hate Animals, but it is a little annoying. Some of the guitar parts are pretty clever and it feels like one of the most technical songs on the album. Electric Guitar is a miss to me. I don't love the slower, weird tempo and the reggae inspiration doesn't feel like it meshes well with the rest of what's going on. Drugs is also not a great song and ends the album a bit weakly. I know some people like this one, but this sound is not what I want out of a Talking Heads song. It certainly shouldn't be the longest song on the album. Despite a weak ending, Fear Of Music is fantastic album. It is not as consistent as its follow-up, but David Byrne didn't just randomly become a genius in 1980; it was clear by this point that he was something special. Fear Of Music is a 4/5. Favs: Cities Memories Can't Wait Heaven Least Fav: Electric Guitar

I Want To Rock Your Gypsy Soul 1001 Albums Generator 74 (07/15/2025) It's Too Late To Stop Now is a live album from the legendary Belfast cowboy. Van Morrison puts on an incredible performance and his band does a great job too. This album features a great mix of folk, rock, and blues and the first disk is especially amazing. The last three songs are also great, with the last two being about 10 minutes a piece and letting the band just jam out. Favs: I Believe To My Soul Gloria Caravan Least Fav: I Just Want To Make Love To You

You Wanted Everything, You Needed Everything 1001 Albums Generator 75 (07/16/2025) Fugazi are a band without whom the history of punk would be incomplete. They were at the forefront of the post-hardcore movement that emerged from Washington D.C. in the mid-80's (the so-called harDCore scene), which took the hardcore punk from earlier in the decade and combined it with artsier, longer compositions and arrangements. Instead of a constant barrage of sound, post-hardcore is built on constant tension and release and took inspiration from post-punk, noise rock, and more at the time. Repeater is their magnum opus and an album that I had not heard before, but I do love some good post-hardcore, so I was excited to listen. I think the key to understanding this album is in the work of the rhythm section, especially bassist Joe Lally, whose melodic playing adds an interesting layer that interplays with Brendan Canty's drum parts wonderfully. This chemistry is obvious from the first song, Turnover, which sees the guitars essentially slowly strumming chords for the verses, while the primary melody that gets stuck in my head comes from the bassist. This continues into the title track, which also has some really crazy guitar feedback that reminds me a bit of Big Black's style of PHC. This song also shows the funkier side of Fugazi that was a surprise to me. After a slightly forgettable instrumental, we arrive at one of the most melodic songs on Repeater, Merchandise. This almost sounds like an Offspring song, which is a good thing to me. This is one of the most popular songs on Repeater, and for good reason. Honestly, I was also surprised at how low the tempo is on a lot of these songs. Blueprint, for example, feels more like an indie song a la Pixies than what I think of when I think "punk". However, that isn't to say there's no high tempo, high energy pieces of music here. Greed has this really strange start/stop intro and rhythm but once it gets going, it's probably the most punishing song here. I love it. Styrofoam also has a really cool guitar part that feels like a precursor to some pop punk stuff, but the chorus is certainly weird enough to ensure that you do not mistake it for a radio hit. I will say that the slower songs do drag this album down at times. Two Beats Off has a kind of cool palm muted guitar part, but overall, it's not my thing. I also don't love the vocals on Reprovisional or Shut The Door, although the latter has a lot going for it that I really do enjoy. Repeater is an album that is a little hard to get into at first. It took till my third listen to really crack this nut, but I get it now. It is a classic, although I didn't love it as much as I hoped I would. 3.5 that I will round up to a 4. Favs: Turnover Repeater Greed Least Fav: Reprovisional

Jefferson Airplane were the defining group of the San Francisco psychedelic rock scene that started in the mid 1960's. After a relatively unremarkable start to their career, Jefferson Airplane found massive success with the release of the singles White Rabbit and Somebody To Love, penned by newest addition to the group Grace Slick. From this point on, Jefferson Airplane remained a household name among psychedelic rock groups of the time, and the album containing these two massive singles, Surrealistic Pillow, was released in 1967. I absolutely love this album. When I went to Egypt with my wife and a couple of friends, we rented a car, and my buddy had a great idea for each of us to choose 3 albums we hadn't heard before, and these 12 albums would be all that we listened to. Surrealistic Pillow was one of my choices (along with Gunesh's self-titled and The Sun Ra Arkestra Meets Salah Ragab in Egypt), so every time I hear anything from this album, I'm transported back to the desert, visiting monasteries and being the only white people that village children had seen in their entire lives. What a great time. While this nostalgia does influence my view, I do still think this album is great on its own. She Has Funny Cars has these high energy verses before cutting to the strange chorus, where the male and female vocals interact nicely. It also has great guitar. Somebody To Love has such an amazing chorus that my wife and I were singing all weekend. My Best Friend keeps switching between a swung feel and a straight feel, which gives it a really cool feel. When the first switch from swung to straight happens, I just can't help but do the stank face. My wife said this one really sounded like a Beatles song, which I agree with. 3/5 Of A Mile In 10 Seconds (a title that was apparently a thoughtless combination of two headlines that Marty Balin saw in a newspaper) is a great way to start the second side, with the constant snare rhythm giving it a really high energy. How Do You Feel really brings me back to the Sahara; doesn't it just kind of sound like a desert song in a Mario game or something? This is one of my favorite of the soft songs on the album. I don't need to tell you how great White Rabbit is, but I will say that I didn't realize it was one of the first openly pro-drug songs that had gotten released. The marching band sound throughout mixed with the Latin American influence give it such a unique sound. It is a classic for a reason. Embryonic Journey is a beautiful piece of American Primitivism. It is amazing to think about these guys throwing on a John Fahey album (maybe after a couple J's) and being like "I could do that". Comin' Back To Me is the only song that I don't really like. It's not a very interesting acoustic ballad in my opinion, but the worst song on an album full of gold is not necessarily a bad thing. Surrealistic Pillow is really an underrated psych rock gem. Jefferson Airplane put together a tight, but stylistically distinct, album that manages to avoid some pitfalls that other psych rockers fell into at the time. Their emphasis on folk adds a nice flair as well. 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5.

The Blacker The Berry, The Sweeter The Juice 1001 Albums Generator 77 (07/18/2025) To Pimp A Butterfly is an album that I used to like a lot more than I do now. It oft gets called the best hip hop album of all time, and sometimes the best album of all time, but I don't believe that it is. I don't even think that it's the best Kendrick album, since I think the two that bookend it are better in almost every way. It feels like this review is going to be really negative, but guys it's still like a 7/10 for me. It just feels like defending this album as a 3.5 is like trying to argue that MJ is not the GOAT. I have to talk about the negatives because everyone already knows the positives. The positives are, pretty much, everything that isn't Kendrick. The instrumentals on this album are insane and they range from live jazz instrumentation to cool West Coast hip hop vibes. Even on songs that I don't like, like Mortal Man, the jazzy instrumentation is really fucking good. Production on songs like King Kunta and Alright is fucking amazing. A lot of the features are also really good, particularly on Wesley's Theory and Institutionalized. Some of Kendrick's contributions are really stellar as well. The lyrics on These Walls, How Much A Dollar Cost, and The Blacker The Berry are all as good as people say they are, more or less. How Much A Dollar Cost is a particularly moving parable. However, Kendrick's voice throughout this album really rubs me the wrong way. It is especially annoying on For Free? and u, but I just was noticing his timbre bringing my experience down a lot throughout. His rapping on Alright is also very skibidi-ribidi in a way that I see people make fun of Eminem for all the time. I don't even mind when Eminem does it, and I like this song, but come on. Again, I know this is a really hot take since this is supposed to be the best album ever, but I just struggle to see it to be honest. The poem is also not bad, and I understand thematically why he kept repeating and extending it between tracks, but I do find that a bit annoying on a full album listen. It's really not bad at all. To Pimp A Butterfly is absolutely iconic and deserves its spot on the list, but it's just not entirely my thing. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Wesley's Theory These Walls The Blacker The Berry Least Fav: Complexion

Butterflies And Zebras And Moonbeams 1001 Albums Generator 78 (07/21/2025) Jimi Hendrix needs no introduction. As perhaps the most iconic guitarist of the 1960's (if not of all time), it is surprising that during his life, he released only 3 albums, all with his trio, The Jimi Hendrix Experience. The second of these albums is the most surreal, Axis: Bold As Love. From just looking at the cover, which is quite a strong departure from the simple portrait of the band that donned their debut Are You Experienced (and was created without Hendrix's permission), it is clear that this album is going to be strange. And the first "song", Exp, which mimics a radio interview with a "peculiar looking gentleman" who non-convincingly argues against the existence of UFOs before being taken by one (?), also features extremely noisy and dissonant guitar feedback for like a full minute. Welcome to Axis: Bold As Love. Now, luckily this album does not stay this weird. In fact, I actually think that in a lot of ways, this album is more accessible than the band's debut. Jimi's guitar work is much cleaner and more jazzy, especially on songs like Little Wing and Castles Made Of Sand, which ended up being the two most famous songs off of Bold As Love. The intro to Little Wing especially may be the best piece of songwriting that Jimi Hendrix every did. The glockenspiel is also a beautiful touch. Castles Made Of Sand is an autobiographical song about Jimi's childhood that is full of reversed guitar parts. The drums and bass cut out during the beginning of each chorus, which give focus to Jimi's vocals. Up From The Skies is also a chill piece and is a very different style than a lot of what Hendrix had done before. Mitch Mitchell's drums are extremely jazzy and Jimi's guitar is drenched in a constant wah-wah sound. Spanish Castle Magic feels like metal before metal. The guitar and drums are especially crushing and the chromatic walk down riff during the verses is really heavy. If 6 Was 9 (someone doesn't know his subjunctive conjugations) is split into two distinct sections. The first is built on a relatively simple but effective blues-y riff, which transitions into a guitar solo before falling into a more free form jam with spoken vocals. Finally, the band explodes into another jam that fades out. Bold As Love starts with a riff that really reminds me of RHCP (positive) and features a relatively straightforward jam from the boys, but it is some of the finest work here honestly. I really like the flanging on the drums. Not everything here is great though. Wait Until Tomorrow has great instrumentals, but the backing vocals are annoying and childish. Actually, this is a similar issue I have with You Got Me Floatin'. Songs like She's So Fine and Little Miss Lover fail to stand out in any real way and bring the quality of the album down a bit. Overall, Axis: Bold As Love is probably my least favorite of the 3 albums by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, but it is still great. Some of Jimi's best and most restrained songwriting appears here, but some forgettable songs keep it from being as good as his best albums. 4/5. Favs: Little Wing Spanish Castle Magic Castles Made Of Sand Least Fav: Exp

Butterflies And Zebras And Moonbeams 1001 Albums Generator 79 (07/22/2025) The Byrds, the vessel with which David Crosby got his start in the musical world, are often dismissed as a "Bob Dylan cover band". After listening to their sixth studio album (and first album without Crosby), Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, I have to say that description is not accurate. I find Bob Dylan much more interesting. Okay, that's a bit of an asshole thing to say. When this album started with You Ain't Goin' Nowhere, I felt like I could hear a really interesting band that honestly sounded like it was an inspiration for a lot of great alt-country that came way later. The guitar work was interesting, the vocal harmonies were beautiful, and the song was exceedingly sell-written. Oh wait, this is a Bob Dylan song. Okay well. Damn. The second track, I Am A Pilgrim, is just classic bit of bluegrass with fiddle and all. This album really starts out quite strong. Other highlights include the piano-led You Don't Miss Your Water (again the slide guitar here is amazing) and the upbeat, harmonized Blue Canadian Rockies. The last song, Nothing Was Delivered, is also a really nice song that reminds me of the more country-tinged moments in the Beatles' discography. It also does this cool thing I love where it switches between swung and straight. However, most of this album was nothing special. As I said, the start and end are strong, but the whole stretch in the center is pretty dreadful, forgettable country rock. It's clear that the boys in The Byrds have lots of talent, and I do think that my mood on any given day will affect my feelings about that day's album (today was a shitty day), so maybe I am being unfair. However, in two listens, nothing really stuck with me. It seems that this album is quite a change in style for The Byrds. Perhaps I will enjoy their earlier records more. But as it stands now, I cannot call myself a fan. 2/5, propped up by some really high quality tunes amidst a sea of blah. Favs: You Ain't Goin' Nowhere I Am A Pilgrim Nothing Was Delivered Least Fav: Life In Prison

Generals Gathered In Their Masses 1001 Albums Generator 80 (07/23/2025) Man I'm worried that my randomly chosen order is like a kiss of death. The day that Brian Wilson died, I was given Pet Sounds, and today, the day after Ozzy Osbourne died, I got my favorite Black Sabbath album. This band was my first concert and my band always ended our concerts with a cover of War Pigs, so this album really means a lot to me. From the politically scathing War Pigs to Fairies Wear Boots, inspired by a skinhead attack that the band endured after a concert, Paranoid covers a lot of ground. Musically, Black Sabbath expanded on the sound of their previous album with even heavier riffs, better songwriting, and more musical technicality. War Pigs is one of my favorite anti-war songs from an era where every band was making anti-war songs. The way the second verse talks about the cosmic judgement on the war pigs is haunting and you can feel the fury that Ozzy had for these warmongers. Not to mention, what a way to start a fucking album. The bass-led intro leads into the iconic, simple verse riff, and the ending Luke's Wall is amazing. The title track is a song detailing mental health issues and also has some great riffs. This one is also extraordinarily catchy for a metal song. Iron Man, from its unforgettable doom intro to the riff that every guitarist learns when they first start playing the instrument, was designed in a lab to be one of Black Sabbath's most popular songs. But the deep cuts are where this album really shines. Planet Caravan is one of my favorite Sabbath songs period. It is not a metal song at all (it's hardly even a rock tune), sounding more like a psychedelic jazz piece off of a completely different album, but it is done so well. Electric Funeral has my favorite riff on the whole album at around 2:30 and the way this song changes from the slow plodding verses to the blast in the bridge is genius. Hand Of Doom is led by the brilliant bass work of Geezer Butler and is another example of Black Sabbath incorporating a jazzy sound, but unlike Planet Caravan, this is certainly a metal song. In fact, is Hand Of Doom a prog metal song? Is War Pigs a prog metal song? I am not brave enough to say that they are, but they certainly have elements of prog. I just don't have anything negative to say. Even the weakest track, Rat Salad, is still fantastic. Bill Ward's drum solo drives the song and it is amazing and technical and impressive. Paranoid is my favorite Black Sabbath album (alongside Master Of Reality) and it's an easy 5/5. RIP Ozzy. Favs: War Pigs Electric Funeral Hand Of Doom Least Fav: Rat Salad

Sometimes It Takes You A Long Time To Sound Like Yourself 1001 Albums Generator 81 (07/24/2025) I can't believe I got 3 Mild David albums in the first 100. He is one of my favorite artists of all time, so I am quite happy about that. Birth Of The Cool is a compilation album released by Miles Davis 7 years after its last recording session. All of the tracks on Birth Of The Cool were recorded by Miles' Nonet between three sessions in 1949 and 1950, with many of the musicians being different across different sessions while the instruments themselves were essentially consistent throughout. As the name suggests, these songs, many of which were released as singles around the time they were recorded, constituted a foundation of the cool jazz sound that would become very popular in the earlier part of the 50's. I'm going to be vulnerable. I kind of don't like cool jazz that much. Don't get me wrong, when cool jazz is mixed in with other sounds, like hard bop on Cannonball Adderley's Somethin' Else or modal jazz on Miles' own Kind Of Blue, it can be really great. But something like Birth Of The Cool, where even the faster paced songs are still fully entrenched in the "cool", is hard for me to fully get behind. It's not bad at all, but it fails to really be memorable in the way that my favorite jazz (and favorite Miles) albums are. Moon Dreams, while beautiful, encapsulates what I'm saying quite nicely. The arrangement and instrumentation itself is beautiful, but it just washes over me and I forget that it happened at all. Godchild has some energy behind it, but I don't know; it doesn't feel particularly high quality or anything. Again, this is just personal preference; I prefer my jazz weird, energetic, and memorable. While the songs on this compilation were inventive for the time, they do feel very much like background music to me now. Venus De Milo is extremely catchy and fun. I think the horn harmonies in the background behind the main melody are especially striking here and the melody itself is awesome. Budo has a fantastic energy that makes me long for more bebop on this thing. Rocker has always been my favorite song and it's the only one that really gets stuck in my head. Israel is uniquely arranged and composed as well, with the intro being really interesting. Overall, Birth Of The Cool works well as what it is: a compilation of early Miles recordings that were highly influential for cool jazz. It is of no fault of these songs that cool jazz happens to be one of my less favorite subgenres of jazz. 3/5. Favs: Venus De Milo Rocker Israel Least Fav: Moon Dreams

On A Tour Of One Night Stands 1001 Albums Generator 83 (07/28/2025) Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme is the third studio album by contemporary folk legends Simon And Garfunkel. Despite featuring two of their biggest songs in Scarborough Fair and Homeward Bound, PSR&T is often not held in the same regard as the duo's later albums, Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water. Personally, I had actually never even heard of this album, but man I have really been missing out. This is a wonderful collection of 2-3 minute folk songs with the harmonies that Simon And Garfunkel are known for. As I previously alluded to, the two big hits on this album are Scarborough Fair and Homeward Bound. Scarborough Fair is actually a traditional English folk tune that Simon And Garfunkel rearranged and added anti-war lyrics to. The duo actually only listed themselves as songwriters, choosing to not include the traditional source, which got the group into some trouble. The way the duo interweave lyrics from the two songs is genius and the tale of a lost love juxtaposes nicely with the lyrics of the horrors of war. Homeward Bound, on the other hand, is relatively simpler, but it is my favorite. The lyrics detail Paul Simon's homesickness while he was on tour and the chorus is probably the catchiest bit on the album. Folk pop perfection. For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her is a beautiful love song that Paul Simon managed to write in a single night. I started trying to learn this one and was surprised how difficult it is to perform. Patterns was originally featured on Paul Simon's debut album (as many S&G songs were) and has the weirdest guitar work on the album, alongside some crazy bongos. It's great. The album ends on a strange note with 7 O'Clock News / Silent Night, which is a collage of a piano-led rendition of the Christmas classic Silent Night alongside a slowly crescendo'ing broadcast of the nightly news. It's really weird, but honestly beautiful. The more rockish songs are in general not as high quality. The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine, which has a great title, is perhaps the weakest song here. A Simple Desultory Philippic is an obvious Bob Dylan pisstake, with shitty harmonica and all. As a parody, it's honestly quite funny, but on an album full of such beautiful songs, I'm not sure that it really works. Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme is a beautiful album from one of the greatest folk duos of all time. It features an eclectic mix of soft folk with folk rock that flies by in its short runtime. Some weaker moments hold it back from perfection, but it's a 4/5. Favs: Scarborough Fair / Canticle Homeward Bound For Emily, Whenever I May Find Her Least Fav: The Big Bright Green Pleasure Machine

All That Scratchin' Is Makin' Me Itch 1001 Albums Generator 84 (07/29/2025) Malcolm McLaren's Duck Rock is one of the strangest albums I've ever heard. I have no idea how to classify this without using the slightly antiquated term of "World Music". Double Dutch reminds me of some Soukous music I've heard from Central Africa, while Merengue is named after its genre, a dance genre from the Dominican Republic. "World Music" is not constrained to the global south by the way. Buffalo Gals is an early hiphop song, and Duck For The Oyster is a really shitty country song. This is world music in the truest sense of the term, in that every song feels like it take inspiration from different parts of the world. The whole thing is also interlaced with these radio broadcasts that make it sound like you're listening to the most culturally vast radio station you've never heard. Sometimes its eclecticism works in its favor. The opening tribal ambience of Obatala is the sound of a drum circle in heaven. It sounds slightly far away and reverbed and has these little synthesizers and vocal chops that are quite inspired. Double Dutch and Soweto are both wonderful bits of African inspired music that really scratch my itch. Soweto especially is really fun since it mixes Western elements with the African ones. Merengue is a really fantastic take on the genre, with the musicians and backing vocals working really well with this style. If it weren't for McLaren's shitty vocals, I could believe this was playing at one of my wife's family parties. That's the thing with this album though. The McLaren of it all. I am not some crusader against "cultural appropriation", whatever that is, as I actually believe that sharing culture is one of the most import aspects of an integrated society. However, I do believe in giving credit where it is due, and the fact that most of the musicians that McLaren brought in to record on this album were uncredited is extremely shitty. Even if he had no legal obligation to do so, I still think it is the morally right thing to do. I don't judge the quality of this album based on this fact, but it really doesn't help McLaren's case when he is the reason why it kinda sucks. And gosh sometimes it really does suck. Legba is a song where nothing ever happens, choosing instead to wander aimlessly through ambient, uninspired synth landscapes. Jive My Baby is really annoying and Song For Chango is a completely forgettable African song. Duck For The Oyster is one of my least favorite songs I've heard on this challenge. It is some sort of parody of country pop with terrible, annoying vocals and sound effects in the background. Duck Rock is a mess. Some of the songs, especially in the first half, are pretty good, but the album is extremely unfocused and many of the experiments do not work. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Obatala Merengue Soweto Least Fav: Duck For The Oyster

It Ain't Right Just To Treat Me This Way 1001 Albums Generator 85 (07/30/2025) John Mayall was a British musician who got his start in the late 1950's. He became interested in this burgeoning American style of music, the blues, and decided to form a group called The Bluesbreakers. The Bluesbreakers are not so much a band in the traditional sense, as they featured over 100 unique combinations of musicians that played under the name, with the only constant being the mastermind, John Mayall. After touring for a couple of years around Britain, John Mayall recruited the great Eric Clapton and the band recorded and released their debut album, Bluesbreakers, which was largely responsible for pushing British Blues into the mainstream. Unfortunately, blues is in general not really my thing, and boring British blues is certainly not my thing. I like Cream and Layla, but even Eric Clapton's playing feels muted here. The opening track, All Your Love is a decent enough blues track and Little Girl is a lot of fun. What'd I Say is actually interesting, starting as a piano-led blues before a nice drum solo leads us into a Beatles homage. Interesting tune. The final song, It Ain't Right has the best use of harmonica on the whole thing and a great energy. Pretty much every other song is vastly forgettable. Why did the drummer go take a bathroom break for Ramblin' On My Mind? Who listens to an electric blues song and thinks "we need to remove the percussive energy immediately"? Same with Another Man, which is basically just harmonica. At the very least, this album isn't very long, but it still drags, with every song feeling the exact same, which is partially due to the fact that it is blues and partially due to the fact that it is not very inventive blues. It's honestly mostly a matter of personal taste to not love the blues, but it seems like even blues lovers don't jive hard with this album, so it was certainly an interesting choice for the list. Bluesbreakers has a couple of interesting songs, but is overall quite mediocre. I'm feeling a 2/5. Favs: All Your Love Little Girl It Ain't Right Least Fav: Ramblin' On My Mind

For Two Weeks We Could Appease The Almighty 1001 Albums Generator 86 (07/31/2025) After the release of their fourth studio album, the underappreciated Islands, King Crimson was in a bit of crisis. Founding (and only constant) member Robert Fripp's musical vision was at odds with the rest of the band. Fripp decided to split off and find a whole new lineup to record Larks' Tongues In Aspic, notably including ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford. This new version of King Crimson had some aspects in common with their previous lineups, but the overall sound of Larks' Tongues In Aspic was quite a departure from what they had done before. The sound of this album is a highly experimental form of prog, incorporating elements of modern classical music and even some metal. Honestly, this is one of my favorite King Crimson albums. It is my favorite up to this point in their career, with only Red and Discipline being above it overall. Yes, I actually like this album more than In The Court Of The Crimson King. My biggest gripe with that album was the extensive improvisation of Moonchild. The closest thing on Larks' is the penultimate track, Talking Drum. While this is still my least favorite song on the album, it is much more structured than Moonchild (and shorter). The rest of the songs here are fantastic. From the experimental avant-prog of both parts of the title track to the classic hard rockin' of Easy Money to the beautiful ballad of Book Of Saturday, there is so much to love here. Every member of the band has different moments to shine. The album starts with this melodic percussion inspired by gamelan music that builds into a suspenseful violin riff before leading into that first punishing riff. This devolves into this crazy Fripp riff before David Cross steals the show with some beautiful violin for a while. However, my favorite part of this song is the last minute or so with what sounds like a super heavy guitar going through an octave pedal under beautiful violin and guitar arpeggios. Part II of the title track is a totally different vibe that predicts what the band would do on their next two albums. It's a total riff salad for the first half or so before cutting to an extremely heavy riff with a dissonant violin riff behind it that leads into an extremely noisy outro. What a way to end an album. The middle songs aren't half bad either. Book Of Saturday is a gorgeous ballad that serves as a wonderful change of pace after the chaos of the first track. Exiles really reminds me of I Talk To The Wind off the band's first album. Easy Money is probably my favorite song here. It is a really classic sounding rocker for the most part, but KC still puts their weird flare on it and make it really memorable. Larks' Tongues In Aspic is an album I didn't like much when I first heard it. However, a few years does an album like this a lot of good, and this is one of my favorite King Crimson albums now. It's like a 4.5/5 that I will round down to a 4. Favs: Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part I) Easy Money Larks' Tongues In Aspic (Part II) Least Fav: Talking Drum

My Heart Is Drenched In Wine 1001 Albums Generator 87 (08/01/2025) Commercial performance is a funny thing. Norah Jones' debut studio album, Come Away With Me, is the highest selling solo debut album of the 21st Century and is one of the best selling albums of all time, but I have never even heard of it. I would describe the sound of this album as vaguely jazzy with strong pop sensibilities. The star of the show is of course Norah herself. Her vocals are beautifully sultry, giving off the vibe of being in a smoky lounge downtown somewhere. I don't know how many of the lyrics were written by her, but they are consistently beautiful and sentimental. The start of this album is also fantastic. Don't Know Why through Shoot The Moon is a wonderful mix of sounds. Seven Years and Feelin The Same Way showcase a folksy sound, while Cold Cold Heart and Come Away With Me sound more akin to classic jazz. There is also certainly a bit of blues influence in some of these songs as well (see Turn Me On). However, these diverse sounds are all through the lens of pop. I think that this restriction, while being the reason for the commercial success of this album, is also the reason why I just don't enjoy it too much. It is difficult for 14 extremely agreeable pop songs to stand out in any meaningful way, even when songs like Don't Know Why and I've Got To See You Again are wonderful on their own. I don't even know if the second half of this album is truly weaker or if I was just tired of it by the end. Regardless, I struggle to call this album "bad" or "good". It's just kind of there, with some good elements, but I have no desire to come back to it. Kind of the definition of 2.5/5, rounded up to a 3. Favs: Don't Know Why Cold Cold Heart I've Got To See You Again Least Fav: The Nearness Of You

Sara, You're The Poet In My Heart 1001 Albums Generator 88 (08/04/2025) I didn't realize Fleetwood Mac had their White Album: a messy, eclectic double album with songs written by individuals as opposed to being written by the whole band. It is well documented that guitarist Lindsay Buckingham was into post-punk at this time and didn't want to make an album that sounded like their previous album, the highly successful Rumours. However, it is obvious from Christine McVie and Stevie Nicks' contributions that they wanted to continue down the soft pop rock route, with Nicks taking the ballads and McVie taking the higher energy songs. The strong swings in style are evident from the beginning, when McVie's soft rock masterpiece Over & Over is followed by Buckingham's cowpunk The Ledge. Both songs are really quite wonderful, but could hardly be more different from one another. Similar to The Beatles' White Album, the A side is absolutely perfect. Think About Me is a relatively basic, but very catchy, rocker also penned by McVie and Save Me A Place is a more stripped back, folksy piece with wonderful vocal harmonies from Buckingham. Stevie Nicks' only contribution on the A Side is considered one of the best Mac songs ever: the ethereal Sara. From the opening verse, accompanied only by piano before Mick Fleetwood's drums begin to build along with John McVie's bass, the sound is really reminiscent of dream pop honestly (seriously listen to this album through the lens of Beach House and you'll see what I mean). Instruments continue coming in, almost unnoticed, while the structure of the song remains pretty simple. This is a vibes song all the way. Songs like What Makes You Think You're The One, Not That Funny, and I Know I'm Not Wrong are so glammy and punky. It is a sound that I don't associate with Fleetwood Mac at all, but it works great and I'm glad that Buckingham brought it to the table. There are just so many songs here; I can't talk about all of them. Sisters Of The Moon sounds like it could have been on Rumours, and I'm actually surprised this one isn't more popular. I think that the album starts to drag in its second half. That's Enough For Me is autological. Never Make Me Cry is pretty boring and forgettable. The last side is the worst one (as with The White Album). Beautiful Child and Walk A Thin Line do absolutely nothing for me, but Honey Hi is kind of cute. The title track is a really interesting piece of experimental rock and is Buckingham's best contribution to the album by far. Reading about the recording of this song is nuts. Tusk is a mess, but it's Fleetwood Mac's unique mess. It has very high highs and kind of low lows, but I would say it's a solid 4/5. Favs: Sara Sisters Of The Moon Tusk Least Fav: That's Enough for Me

You Call Me Mr. Rhythm 1001 Albums Generator 89 (08/05/2025) From the scream that opens Now I Got Worry, I knew that this was not going to be an album for me. Don't get me wrong, I like some noise rock stuff (hell, I gave Atomizer a positive review), but The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion is different. Negative connotation. Even once the band settles into a groove, the sung vocals are also quite annoying unfortunately. This is also quite an experimental album, with sounds that are not just confined to rock/punk. Fuck Shit Up sounds like a really glitchy version of a more trip-hop-ish Beck track. Sticky leans into some neo-psychedelia experiments. But for the most part, Now I Got Worry is a noisy punk blues album. This is a style that can sometimes work for me (see The White Stripes), but The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion did not interest me. There are some slightly bright spots. Identify is a short burst of sound that works pretty well. Wail has the closest thing to actual riffs on the album, and is all the better for it. Love All Of Me almost sounds like a really noisy indie track, which is kind of cool. The second half of Chicken Dog, when it's mostly instrumental, is pretty good. Eyeballin is also kind of cool with its guitar that sounds puled out of some southern rock song and drums that switch from more classic rock sounds and electronic. But then there's all the rest. While songs like Skunk and Fuck Shit Up feel too experimental and out there for me, songs like Rocketship and Dynamite Lover feel overly simple, almost like a parody of themselves. Sticky is also an absolute disaster. I think this album just doesn't know what to do with itself; it tries to do so much, but most of it doesn't end up working. In addition, Jon Spencer's vocals just do not work for me at all. In spite of some interesting riffs and grooves at various points, this album is less than the sum of its parts and does not deserve a spot on this list. 1.5/5, rounded up to a 2 because there were some redeeming songs. Favs: Wail Love All Of Me Eyeballin Least Fav: Sticky

Weighted Down By Possessions 1001 Albums Generator 90 (08/06/2025) The touchpoint for understanding Alexander Spence is his much more famous, but equally tortured, contemporary, Syd Barrett. Although the music that they produced is quite different (besides Spence doing his best Syd Barrett impression in the vocals of Lawrence of Euphoria), the ethos that drives the music is the same. The story of Alexander Spence has been told a million times. He was a drummer in Jefferson Airplane on their debut, then became a co-founder of San Francisco sweethearts Moby Grape. After attempting to kill his bandmates at the behest of a self-proclaimed witch who gave him LSD, Spence was admitted into a mental hospital and would continue the rest of his life in and out of institutions. After his first release, Spence went to a studio in Nashville and recorded his first, and only, solo studio album, playing all instruments and performing all vocals. Oar is a really strange album from a tortured artist. Most of the album exists in a psychedelic folk realm, but there are bits of rock and even country in here. some of the country inspired pieces don't fit as well as the weirdo outsider folk stuff. Margaret-Tiger Rug feels like a parody of country rock and Dixie Peach Promenade is just not very interesting. However, this album is at its best when it is at its weirdest. That outro, the nearly 10 minute Grey/Afro, is so bizarre and feels unstructured in a very structured way. War In Peace leans into some rock sensibilities, but with a slow, plodding rhythm and a total Sunshine Of Your Love ripoff at the end, but honestly it's kind of genius. It feels like an intentional interpolation rather than plagiarism. Book Of Moses is one that grew on me: a strange, blues-y folk tune with constant waves crashing in the background. Some of the more normal folk songs are really good too. Little Hands is probably my favorite song on the whole thing and perhaps the closest Oar gets to pop. Cripple Creek and Weighted Down are relatively normal country-tinged folk songs, with the former being higher energy and the latter being a really heartbreaking ballad. All Come To Meet Her is absolutely drenched in psychedelic reverb and flange and is another catchy one that could have been from Spence's old band, Jefferson Airplane. Oar is the work of a really tragic figure. Alexander Spence lived to the ripe age of 52, but never got over his addictions or mental health struggles. I saw a quote that described him as a man who "neither died young nor had a chance to find his way out". Hearing this album with that context does make the music somewhat more haunting, although the music itself is pretty consistently high quality. 4/5. Favs: Little Hands War In Peace Grey/Afro Least Fav: Margaret-Tiger Rug

Mr. Tambourine Man, Play A Song For Me 1001 Albums Generator 91 (08/07/2025) Bob Dylan has gone electric. Bringing It All Back Home is the first Dylan album to feature electric instrumentation and it is split across two distinct sides. The first side is full of folk rock tunes while the second side has classic Dylan solo stuff. Now regarded as one of Bob Dylan's greatest achievements and one of the finest albums in all of history in general, Bringing It All Back Home was actually quite controversial upon release. Folk purists felt that their poster boy was abandoning them and selling out to the rock crowd. It reminds me of the reception Miles Davis would get a couple years later when he fused his jazz with rock sounds. Similar to Davis, Dylan's infusion with rock would end up producing his best albums. With that said, Bringing It All Back Home is one that I had never heard before so I was curious to hear how this journey started. The first song, Subterranean Homesick Blues, is a classic. The vocals sound more like poetry than traditional sung vocals and I really love the energy of this song. The drums, electric guitar, and harmonica are all fantastic. Similarly, Maggie's Farm is really high energy and fun and has a weird harmonic rhythm where the chorus is in blocks of three measures. Love Minus Zero is absolutely beautiful and has the best harmonica on the whole album. Once again, the guitar work here is really fun. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream has a false opening with Bob playing and singing alone before his producer busts out laughing and told him to start again. Then a later take with the whole band is stitched in. This is just a classic long Bob Dylan song with 11 verses of surreal imagery. The back side is not my favorite. I know that around the time of this album's release, the backside was more indicative of what Bob Dylan's "sound" was, but I just find his electric stuff infinitely more entertaining. With that said, Mr. Tambourine Man is an absolute classic for a reason. I read this song as a search for some sort of higher power or spiritual being, but I know that there are lots of different interpretations. Now, I'm not even a Bob Dylan harmonica hater, but Gates Of Eden is honestly a little bit annoying. The single chord blast in the chorus is almost a self-parody. It's Alright Ma is alright but too long for my tastes and the album ends on a bit of a whimper with It's All Over Now, Baby Blue. Bringing It All Back Home is the album that divided folk fans in the mid-60's. After this album would be the infamous 1965 Newport Festival incident, and music would never be the same. With that said, looking at this album with my modern eyes, it's honestly mostly the electric stuff that makes it memorable. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3 because there are Dylan albums I like a lot more. Favs: Subterranean Homesick Blues Love Minus Zero Mr. Tambourine Man Least Fav: Gates Of Eden

Is This The Real Life? 1001 Albums Generator 93 (08/11/2025) I think the reason why Queen got so popular was that they could appeal to both the rock/metal heads as well as theater kids. Their music always walked the line between the extremely theatric music hall and the truly hard rock. At the center of this juxtaposition was the legendary vocalist Freddie Mercury, who had quite a knack for the dramatic, and guitarist Brian May, who is one of my personal favorite guitarists ever and has a tone that is quintessential rock. Queen's fourth studio album, A Night At The Opera, is their best Queen because it has the best mix of these two aspects of the band. Obviously, the key track here is Bohemian Rhapsody. I almost don't even want to talk about it because like, it's Bohemian Rhapsody. What am I supposed to say? All 5 parts of this through-composed song are legendary in their own right and every member of the band is at the top of their game here. What I do want to talk about however, is the unfairly maligned little brother of this legendary song, The Prophet's Song. It is also through-composed, progressive, epic, and it has some wonderful vocal acrobatics courtesy of Freddie Mercury. The a capella canon is wonderful and gets me every time. I have always loved this song and felt that it deserved just as much praise as BoRhap. Some of the more straightforward songs here are also amazing. You're My Best Friend is another hit that is so goshdarn cute. Love Of My Life is also really sweet. I actually like Roger Taylor's contribution, I'm In Love With My Car, even though people apparently don't like this one. Death On Two Legs is a legendary opener that is kind of experimental in its production choices and also has some of the heaviest guitar on the whole thing. Speaking of heavy guitar riffs, Sweet Lady blew my socks off. I had totally forgotten this deep cut, but it is really good. Vocally, it isn't Freddie's best moment, but it may very well be Brian May's finest moment outside of The Prophet's Song. If anything holds this album back, it's the fact that members other than Freddie were allowed to take lead vocals. '39 is a stompin, hollerin romp that I can't take seriously and Good Company is one of those highly theatrical songs that is kind of nothing. In general, these very theatrical songs are hit or miss. I actually love Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon, and Seaside Rendezvous is sweet. I could do without God Save The Queen but like I get it. A Night At The Opera is the first Queen album I would recommend to people trying to get into it. A combination of very recognizable songs with great deep cuts make it their most consistent album. 4.5/5, rounded down to 4. Favs: You're My Best Friend The Prophet's Song Bohemian Rhapsody Least Fav: Good Company

Silence Ain't In Season 1001 Albums Generator 94 (08/12/2025) Stereo MC's are a British hiphop group who formed in the mid 80's and had a bit of a slow start to their career commercially. After releasing two albums that were well received by the British Underground, Stereo MC's reached true mainstream success with the release of their third studio album, Connected. I had never listened to this group before, but I have to admit that the album cover and band name combination had me a little bit worried. It looked like it was gonna be a lame 90's album that thinks it's cooler than it is. And that's pretty much what it is. There is clearly talent in Stereo MC's, especially in the production. Nearly every song has a catchy, funky, and fun beat behind it. My favorite beats are Connected, Everything, Pressure, and Creation. Fade Away is also kind of fun and, along with Pressure, really reminds me of Smash Mouth. At this point, I guess the fair question to ask is: should a band that sounds like Smash Mouth be on a list of 1001 albums you must hear before you die? I don't necessarily believe in genre exclusion, but I don't even think these guys are better than Smash Mouth. They are essentially just as good, which is to say, they are fine, but not anything special. With that said, there are some real stinkers on here. All Night Long is some sore of early version of trip hop that I just don't like. I think it's the most dated of all the songs. The album also ends really weakly with The End. I don't know man. It's fine. I liked a few songs, but did we really need 50 minutes of this? I don't think so. 2/5. Favs: Connected Pressure Creation Least Fav: All Night Long

Whether Times Are Good Or Bad 1001 Albums Generator 95 (08/13/2025) It's that song from that one Pulp Fiction scene! And holy shit, the album around it is so groovy and soulful. I think that a hatred of this album would require a complete lack of sex-having or libido. Like come on, the title track is one of the most sensual songs ever. And it's a fucking bop. Now, Let's Stay Together never tops its title track throughout the rest of its short runtime, but it comes damn close. Al Green's fourth studio album is composed of 9 soul songs with his signature crooning on top. Some of these songs, most notably the closer, It Ain't No Fun To Me, feature moments that are almost rock-ish, but for the most part, this is as pure a soul affair as it gets. Beyond the massive opening title track, there is a lot to love here. La-La For You has this old school rockabilly kind of sound in the piano that is so fun. So You're Leaving feels like it should have been a huge hit and honestly sounds extremely modern. The basswork is great. Old Time Lovin' makes me miss my wife (she's still alive, I'm just in my office right now lol). How Can You Mend A Broken Heart is the other massive hit here, and I don't know. It's good, but I don't think it's the second best song here the way a lot of people seem to. Judy is really underrated and is one of my favorite songs. There are really only two moments on this album that don't work for me. The first is the kind of forgettable What Is This Feeling. This is the only song where I don't really like Al Green's unique vocal style and the instrumental is not anything to write home about. The second moment that I don't love is the closer It Ain't No Fun To Me, which has a little bit more of a blues or rock'n'roll vibe to it that I don't think works with Al's band. Overall, Let's Stay Together is a wonderful, celebratory soul album filled with really fun songs. Al Green is an extremely talented vocalist and performer. Some songs don't work, but the album is short and easy to listen to. 4/5. Favs: Let's Stay Together La-La For You Old Time Lovin' Least Fav: It Ain't No Fun To Me

Do You Remember The Days Of Slavery? 1001 Albums Generator 96 (08/14/2025) Marcus Garvey is the third album by roots reggae artist Burning Spear, released in 1975. According to famous music reviewer Robert Christgau, it was the most African sounding and political album to be released in America at the time. I have not heard of Burning Spear before, but I do not claim to be knowledgeable about reggae. When I first saw the cover, I assumed that it was an album called Burning Spear by a guy named Marcus Garvey, but no. Reggae is a big musical blindspot for me that I often am not the biggest fan of, but I love exploring things outside my comfort zone on this list. The first two songs are great. The opening song, which is the title track, named after Rastafarian prophet Marcus Garvey, is one of the most upbeat on the album. I love the inclusion of organs in the texture. The second song, Slavery Days, is much more fun than its title and lyrical contents would imply. Musically, this is probably my favorite. Jordan River is also a really good one, and almost has a Latin sounding flair in the intro that is really interesting. However, to be completely transparent, reggae is just not for me. I can appreciate what Burning Spear are doing, and I have no doubt that they are doing it very well (and making scathing cultural/political commentary to boot), but I just have a hard time with the genre in general. I just find it kind of boring compositionally. I love all the different layers; guitar, steel drum, horns, bass, and (often group) vocals are a great combination of sounds. However, none of the actual songwriting really does it for me, even on the songs that I like more. This makes the album a bit difficult for me to enjoy. Marcus Garvey is a good reggae album, but personal bias and enjoyment are all I judge these albums on, and by that metric, I can't give it above a 2/5. Favs: Marcus Garvey Slavery Days Jordan River Least Fav: Live Good

All I Ever Needed Is Here In My Arms 1001 Albums Generator 97 (08/15/2025) This is the big one. If there is one Depeche Mode album that people have heard of, it is their seventh studio album, Violator. I listened to their previous album, Music For The Masses, about two months ago, and I thought it was okay. There were some songs I loved, but I felt like the album wasn't super consistent. However, I was very excited for Violator because it is one of those albums that every music nerd loves, but I had never listened to before. It really feels like Violator is the logical conclusion of everything that Depeche Mode was building on MftM. It's still synthpop, but I found more rock sounds on here that were really cool. The three biggest hits (Personal Jesus, Enjoy The Silence, and Policy Of Truth) are the most obvious examples. The guitar work on these songs is awesome, and they somehow manage to be both dark and gothic but still very danceable. World In My Eyes is a great, upbeat opener and is really life-affirming and positive in its lyrics. I can't believe how similar Clean is to One Of These Days by Pink Floyd. That bassline is so good. I love the Floyd song and I love this one too. Sweetest Perfection is dark and industrial, and it's awesome. I really like when Depeche Mode goes into this zone. Waiting For The Night is the only song that I don't like. These types of slow, ambient songs were my least favorite on Depeche Mode's previous album, and that is still the case on this one too. Blue Dress is also less memorable than the rest of the songs here. Besides that, this is just great synthpop. Violator is amazing. It definitely deserves the praise it gets and only has a couple of slight lulls in the tracklist. Solid 4.5/5, rounded down to 4. Favs: World In My Eyes Personal Jesus Enjoy The Silence Least Fav: Waiting For The Night

Thunder Only Happens When It's Rainin' 1001 Albums Generator 98 (08/18/2025) Last week, I had Fleetwood Mac's sprawling double album, Tusk, which was great, but extremely messy and eclectic. By that point, Lindsay Buckingham had completely moved into a more punk-y direction, so the album had lots of disparate songs on it. However, a big reason why Tusk was so experimental was due to the huge success of the album that preceded it, Rumours. Lindsay Buckingham said that he specifically did not want to make a second album like Rumours. But I mean, let's be honest, could they have made a second Rumours even if they wanted to? As much as this album is shaped by its distinct brand of soft pop rock, it is also defined by the circumstances under which it was created. John and Christie McVie divorced after touring for their tenth album and Lindsay Buckingham and Stevie Nicks were in an on/off relationship. Meanwhile, even drummer Mick Fleetwood was dealing with infidelity in his own house when he caught his wife with his best friend. Additionally, the band was doing lots of Cocaine during the recording process. According to Chris Stone, one of the owners of the studio Fleetwood was recording at, "The band would come in at 7 at night, have a big feast, party till 1 or 2 in the morning, and then when they were so whacked-out they couldn't do anything, they'd start recording". So how the fuck did the album turn out this great? Dreams is obviously a classic. I love how it is somewhat inspired by like country or something and it's amazing that Nicks wrote this song in a single afternoon. That is real fucking talent right there. Another great slower one is the acoustic ballad Never Going Back Again, penned by Buckingham. Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of Songbird, although I understand why it is here for the flow of the album. It just feels the least necessary of any songs here. However, Oh Daddy is a great slower song. This song makes me feel like I'm in the Shire (positive connotation). Gold Dust is the last song and features some country inspiration, especially in the guitar work. Nicks' vocals here also have a perfect twanginess. I do wish this song was slightly shorter, but it's good. I love the upbeat songs here too. Don't Stop has this infection piano-led groove and features lyrics that Christine McVie wrote about bassist John McVie, which he didn't realize until after the song was released. Go Your Own Way always reminds me of Rockband and has the first of many incredible basslines on the album. John McVie just pops off so hard in the chorus. Speaking of which, have you guys heard this song, The Chain? Whoa! I absolutely love the change up that happens in the last third of this song, led once again by McVie's incredible bass playing before Buckingham starts shredding. This is my favorite song on the album; it makes me very happy that this was such a big hit. You Make Loving Fun is a surprising choice for the final single. It's good, but I don't think it's one of the best songs here, although I do like that it has this sort of disco-esque sound to it. Overall, Rumours is a classic for a reason, obviously. It's one of the least hateable albums I've heard, and even though there are one or two songs that I'm not crazy about, it's still a very high 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5. Favs: Dreams Go Your Own Way The Chain Least Fav: Songbird

I Don't Believe In An Interventionist God 1001 Albums Generator 99 (08/19/2025) Well actually, I do, but that's besides the point. Mr. Nick Cave, one of the kings of post-punk, lets us know right at the beginning of his tenth album that he does not. In spite of this, he still prays for his lover to return to his arms. Into My Arms is the finest song on The Boatman's Call, and it is also the most typical. It touches religious themes and showcases Nick's knack for writing love songs. Before this album, Nick Cave had experienced a breakup with his long term girlfriend Viviane Carneiro and the ending of a short term relationship with PJ Harvey. The key to enjoying this album is to really listen to the lyrics, as Cave is channeling some real pain through these songs. All the songs here are piano led. I have not listened to Nick Cave before, but my understanding is that this marks quite a departure from his normal sound. I think it works wonderfully. It really reminded me of Leonard Cohen at times, and if you have me mentioning you in the same sentence as Cohen, that is absolutely a good thing. Lime Tree Arbour has a bit of a groove to it with the soft drums, bass, and organ. People Ain't No Good is beautiful and heartbreaking (and is in Shrek 2, which has to mean something!). I also love the soft rock of (Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For?. The reverbed, slightly tremolo clean guitar throughout is a nice layer and once again, the bass is leading the charge in a way. The second half of the album is less interesting to me. With that said, there is some stuff here that I like. West Country Girl is an interesting piece of gothic county with some fiddle and cool acoustic guitar parts. Far From Me is also gorgeous and has a great slow dynamic build up. However, the rest of the second half is just not very notable. Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere? does not justify its length at all to me. I don't like the sonic palette on Black Hair, which consists primarily of a droning harmonica and not much else. Green Eyes is far and away the worst song and almost made me laugh at how bad it was. The crooned vocals backed by the monotone spoken vocals is so goofy. The Boatman's Call is a nice, inspired album that represents a total tonal shift for an artist. However, the album is too long and not interesting all the way through. 3/5. Favs: Into My Arms Lime Tree Arbour (Are You) The One That I've Been Waiting For? Least Fav: Green Eyes

All I Really Want Is Some Patience 1001 Albums Generator 100 (08/20/2025) 100 albums in! Jagged Little Pill is a wonderful, sarcastic piece of alt rock by an artist who had previously been making dance pop stuff. This shift in genre was hugely successful commercially, as JLP is Alanis' biggest album to this day. It was also done quite well, and the songs that I tend to not like here are largely the less grungey ones like You Learn and Mary Jane. You Oughta Know and Hand in My Pocket are absolute classics, but the opening All I Really Want surprised me with how good it is; probably my favorite. Overall, it's a mixed bag with more good than bad. 3.5/5, rounded down to 3. Favs: All I Really Want You Oughta Know Hand In My Pocket Least Fav: Mary Jane

Come Tomorrow, Will I Be Older? 1001 Albums Generator 101 (08/21/2025) Jeff Beck is one of those names in the classic rock canon that I have just never listened to. Truth is his debut, and I have to say that I was amazed at the credits on this thing. Rod Stewart, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones, Keith Moon, and more are all on this album. This was also clearly a huge inspiration to Led Zeppelin, who would take the blues rock that Beck is exploring on here and turn it from good to great. The rockin' songs are really cool, especially the 1-2 punch of Shapes Of Things into Let Me Love You. The only song penned by Page, Beck's Bolero is by far the coolest song here and is a bit experimental to be honest. I also love Ol' Man River for its strangeness and the fact that Rod Stewart sounds exactly like the singer of Van Der Graaf Generator. However, not everything here is worthwhile, with the 7 and a half minute jam of Blues Deluxe being the worst thing here. Morning Dew and You Shook Me are also quite boring. Overall, it's a decent 3/5. Favs: Shapes Of Things Ol' Man River Beck's Bolero Least Fav: I Ain't Superstitious

Iron Maiden Wants You For Dead 1001 Albums Generator 102 (08/22/2025) Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden (not to be confused with Iron Maiden by Iron Maiden off the album Iron Maiden), released in 1980, is their debut album. I mean, this is what metal is all about, is it not? While other metal bands were futzing around with the rock and blues inspiration that metal originally came from, this album separated the wheat from the chaff. From the first note in Prowler (imagine starting your career with a song this good, by the way) to the powerful self-titled closing track, Iron Maiden showed definitively once and for all that metal was really a distinct genre in its own right. Not only that, but the sound of this album is all over the place. I love the speed and pure aggression of Prowler and the title track, but the obvious star of this album is Phantom of the Opera. While Maiden would much later become just an extremely boring prog band, at this point, they had the songwriting chops to justify a long song like this. The fluctuations in tempo and the virtuosic guitar solos are incredible. Like all of Maiden's first 7 albums, the true quality of this one is not in the few true standout tracks; it is in the quality of everything else around it, and unfortunately the "filler" here is not their best. Remember Tomorrow and Transylvania are awesome, but I really don't like Running Free, and Strange World is one of their most plain ballads from their early career in my opinion. Also, I am not a huge Paul Dianno fan, and I think that Maiden really gained their footing as true greats when Bruce Dickinson joined a couple of albums later. I can't necessarily hold that against this album, but the couple of weaker tracks keep this classic from 5/5 territory. Pretty clear cut 4/5 for me. Favs: Prowler Phantom of the Opera Iron Maiden Least Fav: Running Free

This Bird You Cannot Change 1001 Albums Generator 103 (08/25/2025) I'm going to be honest. I always mispronounce Lynyrd Skynyrd, even though they literally have an album that instructs the reader how to pronounce it. However you choose to say it, this is a wonderful album. There are four (count 'em FOUR) all time classic songs here, and the other four songs aren't bad either. Tuesday's Gone and Simple Man always get me kind of emotional (me and my mom danced to Simple Man at my wedding), while Gimme Three Steps is the most fun song on the whole thing, and Free Bird is of course an absolute classic of guitarmania. Other than these hits, the opening I Ain't The One is a lot of fun. Things Goin' On is just okay, but it's not bad. The acoustic Mississippi Kid is the only song I didn't really like, and Poison Whiskey almost proggy. Lynyrd Skynyrd's debut is a true titan of classic Southern rock. It's a 4.5/5, rounded UP to a 5/5! Favs: Tuesday's Gone Gimme Three Steps Free Bird Least Fav: Mississippi Kid

We Are The Swine 1001 Albums Generator 104 (08/26/2025) Suede is one of the big four of britpop (along with Oasis, Blur, and Pulp) and they are the only one that I have never listened to. Dog Man Star is an interesting album that leans into the artsy, glammy side of britpop that Pulp was also in. This album reminded me a lot of This Is Hardcore. It is long with a really strong start (the first four songs are fucking fantastic), but drags on a little bit. We Are The Pigs and The Wild Ones are especially great and energetic. The 2 Of Us is a grat ballad that earns its length, and I also like the last two songs. The Asphalt World is an epic, proggy song and Still Life is a beautiful chamber pop ending. Some songs in the middle drag along and blend together for me. The memorability factor of this album is not quite as high as the Pulp or Blur albums that I have listened to so far. This is like a 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: We Are The Pigs The Wild Ones The Asphalt World Least Fav: Black Or Blue

We'll Sail Into The Stars 1001 Albums Generator 105 (08/27/2025) Finally, a good fucking electronica album. Music Has The Right To Children is the first studio album by electronic duo Boards of Canada, and is considered their masterpiece alongside its followup, Geogaddi. I have heard Geogaddi before and liked it, although I felt that the "full" songs were pretty consistently better than the <2 minute songs that filled the tracklist. I have a very similar opinion of Music Has The Right To Children. The production here is incredible, and songs like Telephasic Workshop and Pete Standing Alone have such a nostalgic sound to them that I can't describe. Some of the production choices here are also so weird. The counting breakdown in Aquarius goes way harder than it should. How did they make counting cool? Kaini Industries and Olson are both great interlude tracks, with the former having this great sliding bassline and the latter being a beautiful, ambient piece. I do think that, like Geogaddi, the short songs are less memorable, although I understand from an album flow perspective why they are here. Rue The Whirl is also kinda long and forgettable and I think the album doesn't end super strong with Open The Light and One Very Important Thought. Overall, I'm feeling a 4/5. Definitely the best electronica album so far (I'm not including Depeche Mode). Favs: Telephasic Workshop Roygbiv Aquarius Least Fav: Rue The Whirl

Another Dirty Bird 1001 Albums Generator 106 (08/28/2025) I was surprised to see Kings of Leon on this list, whom I only knew for their indie smash hit "Sex On Fire". Youth And Young Manhood is their debut album and features a much grittier, more garage-y sound than their more well-known stuff. The guitars and drums are rocking throughout this thing, with the first three songs especially exemplifying what works well for this album. Red Morning Light is such a fun opener and Happy Alone has some really impressive guitar work. I also found Molly's Chambers to be really interesting and at just over 2 minutes, it's one of the punchiest songs here. While the rawness on display sometimes works to Y&YM's benefit, moments like the ending of Trani, where Caleb Followill's voice sounds like it is essentially completely gone, feel like they could have done with another take. There are also some weird moments here where the vocals really sound like Bob Dylan, and I don't think it really works. The good outweighs the bad, but overall, Youth & Young Manhood left me wanting more. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3/5. Fav: Red Morning Light Happy Alone Molly's Chambers Least Fav: Trani

My Only Friend, The End 1001 Albums Generator 106 (08/28/2025) Although they may have been funded by the CIA, The Doors are still one of the best psych rock bands ever and their debut album stands as one of the first I would recommend to someone getting into the genre. This album is truly perfect to me. It has hits, like massive, defining hits, in Break on Through and Light My Fire. It has some great slower moments in The Crystal Ship and End Of The Night. It has an absurdly loud organ played by the absurdly talented Ray Manzarek (I'll be brave and admit I had to look up his name, which is sad because the organ on this album is fantastic). And of course, this album also has that song. You know the 12 minute masterpiece that closes it out and features an Oedipus breakdown? Yeah, that song. Yes, The End one of the best songs ever and totally deserves the praise that it gets. The Doors never reached these heights again, but all cylinders were firing on their debut. The only song that I feel lukewarm about is the cabaret of Alabama Song, which just always feels slightly out of place to me. Besides that, The Doors is a perfect 5/5. Favs: Break on Through (To the Other Side) Soul Kitchen The End Least Fav: Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)

The Bells Were Ringing Out For Christmas Day 1001 Albums Generator 108 (09/01/2025) The Pogues are probably the most popular Celtic punk band, and If I Should Fall From Grace with God is their most popular album. While it is only debatably their most critically acclaimed (sharing the pedastal with Rum, Sodomy, & the Lash), it manages to be both a tight distillation of their sound while exploring less Irish sounds on songs like Turkish Song of the Damned and Fiesta (two of my favorites). It is also worth mentioning that some of the finest moments on this album are songs that start out slow before exploding. Streets of Sorrow / Birmingham Six has a very slow, pastoral first half before the band comes in with this great bit of Irish folk rock, fiddle and all. And of course, Fairytale of New York, The Pogues biggest song, follows this formula as well. What a song. Probably the only Christmas song with a slur in it, there is a reason why Fairytale is consistently the most popular Christmas song in the UK. The lyrics are a lot of fun and the sound of the song is just so whimsical. While there are some wonderful tracks here, the second half of the album is a bit weaker in general, with a few songs near the end bending together for me. If I Should Fall From Grace is a great, classic album with some weak moments. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: If I Should Fall From Grace with God Turkish Song of the Damned Fiesta Least Fav: Lullaby of London

Monarch To The Kingdom Of The Dead 1001 Albums Generator 109 (09/02/2025) What a fucking album. From the cover, depicting goat-headed Satan giving a Nazi Salute with multiple dismembered heads around him and the big pentagram logo in the upper left corner, Reign in Blood hits you before you even click play. And then you are greeted with one of the best metal songs of all time, Angel of Death, which also delayed the release of Slayer's third album due to its content describing the horrors of Auschwitz' "doctor of death". The rest of the album ain't half bad either. Necrophobic is a great underrated song on here that slows down exactly when it should. And god, the ending of Altar of Sacrifice where they repeat that riff and it slows down before heading into Jesus Saves is great. Jesus Saves is itself a personal favorite of mine. I think its slower tempo and incorporation of an odd time signature in one of its riffs during the first half are a great break in pace. Criminally Insane opens the second side with an iconic drum intro that offers a bit of reprieve before launching into more crushing riffs. Finally, the 1-2 punch of Postmortem (another personal favorite) and the closer, Raining Blood, ends the album how it started. It's amazing that this album manages to start and end on two of the best metal songs (and songs in general) ever. I really have no negatives to state here. Yeah, some would say that the guitar solos are meaningless wankery, but I'd like to see you try to play them. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman are some of the most misunderstood guitarists ever imo and their chaotic soloing style is genre defining. The last thing I will mention is the genre of this album. Besides obviously being one of the Big Four's albums that drew lines around what thrash metal could be, it also absolutely inspired death metal, especially early records like Scream Bloody Gore and Altars of Madness that still had some of that thrash influence. I think that Slayer's influence on death metal is often understated, and I do not think that genre would have evolved the same without Reign in Blood. It's my birthday today, and I got one of my favorite albums. 5/5. Obviously. FUCKING SLAYYYYYYYERRRRRR Favs: Angel of Death Jesus Saves Raining Blood Least Fav: Reborn

Handed Down From Fathers To Sons 1001 Albums Generator 110 (09/03/2025) Cafe Bleu is an interesting, eclectic album. The first side features much more jazzy instrumentation, with the instrumental tracks especially feeling like straight-up jazz. The vocal tracks on the first side are not as great, with The Whole Point Of No Return being especially droll. However, I really like the samba inspired Me Ship Came In! and the hard bop of Dropping Bombs On The Whitehouse. The second side (after a hip-hop song and a really weird disco-ish tune) is much more tame, forgettable sophisti-pop slop. The hiphop song, A Gospel, is actually really good in my opinion, although it seems I'm in the minority with that opinion. The disco tune, Strength Of Your Nature, is really weird in a bad way. I do not think this experiment works at all. And unfortunately, that is the last experiment The Style Council really take on this album. Everything else is unremarkable, but Council Meetin' is pretty good. Cafe Bleu is less than the sum of its parts, taking some really good flavors and merging them into a soup that doesn't sit well on the tongue. 2.5/5, rounded down to 2. Favs: Me Ship Came In! Blue Cafe Dropping Bombs On The Whitehouse Least Fav: Strength Of Your Nature

You Crawled Between My Legs 1001 Albums Generator 111 (09/04/2025) This album is so cool. PJ Harvey and her trio of musicians who had released one album together previously came together with producer Steve Albini to make Rid Of Me, an aggressive, feminine take on punk and alt rock. The opening track opens with a really quiet build that explodes into a great chorus. Missed is by far my favorite song, with angular, strange guitar and odd time signatures. I saw this song get compared with Slint and I think it's an apt comparison. While the first half of Rid Of Me largely feels like a pot of anger coming to a boil, 50ft Queenie kicks off the more concentrated anger of the second half, and it is fantastic. Seriously, every song from 50ft to the closing Ecstasy is fucking great. Dry is almost poppy, but still has its grit. I will call out Snake as well as a great distillation of anger into a 1.5 minute piece of punk. This album is seriously alomst perfect, with my only qualms being with a couple songs on the first half that don't stand out to me as much. PJ Harvey should certainly be seen as one of the best women in rock music based on the quality on display here. 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Missed 50ft Queenie Snake Least Fav: Man-Size Sextet

You're So Vicious 1001 Albums Generator 112 (09/05/2025) Lou Reed is another one of those classic rock guys that I just never got into. I'm not a big fan of The Velvet Underground, so I guess I just had no reason to check out his solo work. Imagine my shock when I find out that (i) I actually do know one of the songs on this album and (ii) David Bowie produced this album and he played guitar on the song that I knew. Listening to Transformer, the Bowie influence in the sound is obvious. It's got that artsy glam rock sound about it that Bowie was also doing throughout this time. The album opens strong with Vicious, Andy's Chest, and Perfect Day all showcasing different strengths of Transformer. Vicious is almost punk-like, Andy's Chest is poppy and glamy, and Perfect Day is a nice ballad. Of course, Walk on the Wild Side is an absolute classic and has managed to live a second life as the primary sample in A Tribe Caled Quest's Can I Kick It? as well as HAIM's hit Summer Girl. Unfortunately, the second half of Transformer is full of some musical indulgences that do not work very well. The most egregious examples of this are New York Telephone Conversation and the satirical Goodnight Ladies. While I understand what Reed was doing here in leaning into his theatrical tendencies, I think it brings the quality down. There are also a couple of more forgettable songs like Hangin' Round and Make Up that just don't stand up to everything else going on here. Transformer is pretty decent overall - somewhere around a 3.5/5, which I will round down to a 3. Favs: Vicious Walk on the Wild Side Wagon Wheel Least Fav: Goodnight Ladies

*Thom Yorke voice* Weeerd fffiiissheh 1001 Albums Generator 113 (09/08/2025) Hey look, it's the best Radiohead album. What a treat! In Rainbows is the album where it all comes together for Radiohead in my opinion. Their other two albums that are in the conversation for their best are OK Computer, which saw the band perfect the alternative rock lane that they had built in their first two albums, and Kid A, which stripped their sound down to almost not even rock, leaning into an electronic side heavily. I really like both of those albums, but it's In Rainbows where the two sides of this band are both at their peak. Listen to the first song, 15 step, which almost sounds like it could be off Kid A with its glitchy, IDM drums, but falls into a beautiful guitar and bass-led song that is reminiscent of OK Computer. Or listen to the underrated All I Need, which is built on a base that could be mistaken for trip hop, but leaves no doubt in the listener's mind by the end of its build that it is a rock song. Listen to the closing Videotape that has this haunting piano line that is accompanied by a simple bass line and really strange, glitchy drums throughout. I just love this album so much. Bodysnatchers has this iconic distorted bassline that opens up the song and this is one of Yorke's best vocal performances. Weird Fishes / Arpeggi has (it's in the name) great guitar arpeggios throughout and is probably my favorite song on the whole album. Me and my wife always laugh at how Thom says "weerd feshus" when everything but the guitar cuts out near the end. It's great. Even the interlude Faust Arp is great. It says a lot about the quality of In Rainbows that my least favorite song (Nude) is a lot of people's favorite song, and is often in those "best song of all time"-type of conversations. It is good, but one of the songs has to be my least favorite. In Rainbows is the peak of Radiohead and one of my favorite indie-adjacent albums ever. Easy 5/5. Favs: Bodysnatchers Weird Fishes / Arpeggi Videotape Least Fav: Nude

Introducing Bossa Nova to the U.S.A. 1001 Albums Generator 114 (09/09/2025) Stan Getz, one of the "great whites" of the jazz scene, had one hell of a storied career. What started as a relatively simple (but good) string of bebop and cool jazz albums took a turn with 1962's Jazz Samba, recorded with guitarist Charlie Byrd (who I am not really familiar with), which marked the beginning of Getz's long interest in Brazilian music styles. I have listened to Getz / Gilberto, which I really enjoy, so I was excited to hear more Samba from Mr. Getz. Jazz Samba starts with two of its strongest songs in the upbeat Desafinado and the fun Samba Dees Days. This is some of the best "elevator music" there is, remaining somehow very engaging, especially with Stan Getz's very subtle leans into some weird stuff. In general, the upbeat songs here are the best, while the slower tunes, such as Samba Triste and E Luxo So are not as engaging. Also, I do not find Byrd to be as engaging as Getz, but then again, not many players are. Overall, Jazz Samba is a really solid album that introduced American audiences to sounds they had not yet heard. 4/5. Favs: Desafinado Samba Dees Days Bahia Least Fav: Samba Triste

Is There Any Girls That Would Like A Little More Irish In 'Em? 1001 Albums Generator 115 (09/10/2025) Thin Lizzy, man. One of the classic hard rock groups with the most aura. With hits like The Boys Are Back In Town and Jailbreak, I was somewhat aware of them, but haven't listened to them much because this brand of relatively basic hard rock doesn't appeal to me so much. Live And Dangerous is a very representative look at this band. Opening with the aforementioned Jailbreak before going into one of my favorites, Emerald, the album opens strong. I can't get over how good the guitar solo in Emerald is. Also I was listening to this album while lifting and it was going so hard. Massacre is also great and is probably the closest Live And Dangerous gets to metal. Of course, The Boys Are Back In Town is a classic, and the live rendition is great and full of energy. In general, Thin Lizzy's surprisingly black vocalist, Philip Lynott, is the crux of the sound here. He is such an engaging performer and a real talent. I love how he gets the crowd involved. With that said, 80 minutes is a lot of Thin Lizzy, and I think that the sound just gets old after a while. It's not bad by any means, but I did find it to be a bit boring as a full package to be honest. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3. Favs: Jailbreak Emerald The Boys Are Back In Town Least Fav: Suicide

When We Funk, We’ll Hear Beats 1001 Albums Generator 116 (09/11/2025) I have never heard of Tricky before and I wish I could have kept it that way. Maxinquaye was one of my least favorite albums so far. Trip hop in general is not something that I’m crazy about, but this is probably the worst trip hop album I’ve heard. Overcome and the Public Enemy cover, Black Steel, are both okay, but they are about as good as it gets. There are two 7 minute songs on this album for some reason. The vocals and lyrics are pretty consistently bad, with the worst being Abbaon Fat Tracks. Pretty much nothing redeeming here besides the two tracks I mentioned and parts of Brand New You’re Retro. 1/5. Favs: Overcome Black Steel Brand New You’re Retro Least Fav: Strugglin’

Like A Body Needs Blood 1001 Albums Generator 117 (09/12/2025) Every AC/DC song (and thus every AC/DC album) pretty much sounds the same. But when the sound is this good, you can't really be mad. Highway To Hell is the sixth album by AC/DC and was the last album they recorded with their original vocalist, Bon Scott, before he tragically died. It features their biggest song in the title track and is their second biggest album ever. The title track opens the album and it is so obviously awesome. The chorus, riff, solo, and verses are all iconic. Girls Got Rhythm is another hit that is quite good, especially with the group vocals in the chorus, and Walk All Over You has a bit more of a restrained tempo and a less predictable structure. The opening riff of Beating Around the Bush is really cool; I had not heard that song before. It's bluesy and fun with great call-and-response between the guitar and vocals in the verses. If You Want Blood is a super hype song that just gets me real fired up. I kind of understand people's hesitation when it comes to Bon Scott's vocals; they are definitely quite shrill at times, but it just really works on here honestly. I will also say that although all the songs here are kind of the same, some of them are less than others, with Touch Too Much and Get It Hot being my personal least favorites. Highway To Hell is a great, classic example of a hard rock powerhouse that deserves its iconic status. 4/5. Favs: Highway To Hell Beating Around The Bush If You Want Blood (You've Got It) Least Fav: Get It Hot

You Took A White Orchid And Turned It Blue 1001 Albums Generator 118 (09/15/2025) The third White Stripes album that I've listened to on this list, Get Behind Me Satan, is unfortunately my least favorite. Some moments of genius are interspersed with misguided experiments. Blue Orchid is a great, classic White Stripes tune, and The Nurse is really interesting. I can't say that I necessarily like it, but I respect it. I really like how the drum groove of The Denial Twist sounds almost trip hop-y. I feel like that's kind of an insane thing to say, but it's great. Instinct Blues is another great song that has the sound I have come to expect from The White Stripes. This is the least guitar I've ever heard on a White Stripes album, opting instead for piano and marimba on many of these songs, and I think it suffers for it. The soft songs, as usual, are some of the weakest songs here. I don't really like Forever For Her (Is Over For Me) or Little Ghost. White Moon is quite boring and Passive Manipulation is another bad jokey Meg interlude. As Ugly As I Seem is a good almost country-esque acoustic song though. It has a very 70's sound to it. Cool song! Get Behind Me Satan is the definition of a "mixed bag". It is certainly the most eclectic White Stripes album that I have heard, but that eclecticism does not always lead to positive results. 3/5. Favs: Blue Orchid The Denial Twist As Ugly As I Seem Least Fav: Little Ghost

Permission To Breathe, Sir 1001 Albums Generator 119 (09/16/2025) Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire) is the seventh album by British legends The Kinks, which came near the end of their peak period in the mid 60's through the early 70's. Somehow, The Kinks have always escaped me, even though I knew they were something that I would enjoy. And, lo and behold, I do quite enjoy this album. I was really blown away by this thing. Victoria is a great thematic opener and has a really catchy chorus before ending with this powerful climax. Yes Sir No Sir and Some Mother's Son are heartbreaking looks at the effects of war on both our young men and the women who love them. A lot of this album is about war. I associate much of the anti-war music of the ate 60's with the U.S. (because we were in Vietnam), so it is interesting to hear a British perspective on these same ideas. I love that the closing songs on both sides are these jammy tunes. Australia is wonderful and whimsical and Arthur is like country-ish? Both songs sound totally different from the rest of the album (and each other), but they are both awesome. Shangri-La is also unbelievable. If I were to criticize this album, I would say that the second half is slightly weaker. She's Bought A Hat... and Young And Innocent Days are both not quite up to the par of the rest of the songs here. However, this really is a fantastic album. I can't believe I've ignored The Kinks this long. 4.5/5 rounded up to a 5. Favs: Victoria Yes Sir, No Sir Australia Least Fav: Young And Innocent Days

Just Trustin' You Was My Great Sin 1001 Albums Generator 120 (09/17/2025) There's something about this style of traditional pop (similar to Frank Sinatra) that is just so sultry and cool. I haven't listened to Ray Charles much before outside of Kanye samples, so it was a surprise to hear this style from him. Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music sounds neither modern nor like country, so the name is a bit of a misnomer, but it's still quite a good album. I will say that hearing Ray Charles say "I'll be your slave" is definitely a little strange lol. In general, the fast paced songs such as Bye Bye Love, Just A Little Lovin', and Hey Good Lookin' are probably the best. Some of the slow songs are good (You Win Again is a particular favorite of mine), and the orchestration and backing vocals are so fire here, but this sound can definitely start to blend together. A good choice for the list, even though it's not particularly my style. 3/5. Favs: Bye Bye Love Just A Little Lovin' (Will Go A Long Way) You Win Again Least Fav: It Makes No Difference Now

Let Me Be Your Everlasting Light 1001 Albums Generator 121 (09/18/2025) The Black Keys are kind of like the Portland version of the blues. I don't know if they are actually from Portland, but I think you know what I mean (also this isn't a racial thing; I am a huge Led Zeppelin defender). Nothing wrong with Portland, nothing wrong with the blues, but the combination leaves a bit to be desired. The two big hits off of Brothers are Tighten Up, which sounds exactly like a Kia commercial, and Howlin' For You, which isn't bad honestly. Generally, the worst part of Brothers is definitely the middle; the stretch from Black Mud to I'm Not The One is not super enjoyable. However, Ten Cent Pistol isn't bad. The album starts out really strong with Everlasting Light and Next Girl before the two aforementioned hits. She's Long Gone has a bit of garage grit that is really cool. Additionally, the album ends with three of its strongest songs. Unknown Brother has great guitar work, and although I was disappointed that Never Gonna Give You Up wasn't a Rick Astley cover, it still ended up being one of my favorite songs. I don't know what to do with this one. It's like exactly a 2.5/5, but I'll round it up to a 3. Favs: Everlasting Light Next Girl Never Gonna Give You Up Least Fav: The Go Getter

He's In Love With The Rock And Roll World 1001 Albums Generator 122 (09/19/2025) The Clash are one of the most important punk groups of all time, which is a title they largely earned through their rebellious double album London Calling. Before The Clash were making the forward thinking, eclectic punk seen on that album, they were a relatively by-the-books punk group. Their self-titled debut shows a very different style of punk than what I knew The Clash for, and it is to mixed results. Some songs here, notably White Riot, London's Burning, and 48 Hours, have a really raw energy to them that I really enjoy. White Riot in particular is so great. Also, if any song here predicts what The Clash would go on to do, it's the truly strange Police & Thieves. It's got some reggae stuff going on and is just by far the most eclectic (and longest) song here. Also shout out to the random intro of Protex Blue that sounds like some crazy noise rock shit. However, the vocals on songs like Hate & War and What's My Name really do not do it for me. Even on some of the songs that I like, the vocals are not very good. I also think that the songs blend together a bit too much for me, but it's not bad. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Janie Jones White Riot Police And Thieves Least Fav: Garageland

In This Great Future, You Can't Forget Your Past 1001 Albums Generator 123 (09/22/2025) Having never heard the song, I always assumed the punctuation of No Woman No Cry would be "No Woman, No Cry". I thought it would be a song about how women make Mr. Bob Marley cry, and without them, he is able to be happy. Instead, it would appear that the correct punctuation is something like "No, woman! No cry!", telling a woman in his life that it will be okay and that everything will turn out fine. The importance of punctuation strikes again, folks! Anyway, Natty Dread is a totally fine reggae album, but unfortunately, I do not really like reggae. I wish I did, because it can really be quite fun at times and, as opposed to Marcus Garvey, Natty Dread really leans into this positivity. Additionally, some of the rhythm here is much more interesting than the stereotypical upbeat guitar strums that are often associated with reggae. The opener, Lively Up Yourself, actually has a really difficult downbeat to my ears. Also, Rebel Music has a sort of psychedelic sound to it that I really enjoy. However, Natty Dread has the same problems as every reggae album that I have heard, which is that I just find it boring. Call it personal preference, but I just don't get it man. Maybe I haven't smoked enough weed to. Also, listening to this album, I can't help but remember when I was in Aswan, Egypt, and they had a random restaurant on the Nile that was named Bob Marley and was Jamaican themed. Weird times. 2.5/5 rounded down to a 2. Favs: Lively Up Yourself Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock) Revolution Least Fav: Talkin' Blues

Sometimes I Feel Lighter Than The Air 1001 Albums Generator 124 (09/23/2025) Dude what did I do to deserve 2 reggae albums in a row? It's one of my least favorite genres and this album is a particularly poor example. If Bob Marley was boring, Finley Quaye is offensively bad. You know, I had some relatively high hopes during the first couple of songs. There is a sort of psychedelic edge to this poppy reggae that gives it a bit of an intrigue. Supreme I Preme features this as well. However, the other 40 minutes of this album have next to nothing to offer. The instrumentals are all boring and blend together, and the vocals are quite bland. This was one of the few albums that I only listened to once because I just can't justify spending almost 2 hours of my life listening to it twice. 1/5 and fuck you Robert Dimery. Favs: Ultra Stimulation It's Great When We're Together Supreme I Preme Least Fav: Red Rolled And Seen

All That's Gone Away 1001 Albums Generator 125 (09/24/2025) Screaming Trees are something of the forgotten brother of the Seattle grunge scene. They never reached the commercial or critical success of the genre's big four (Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, and Pearl Jam), but listening to their last studio album from before their breakup, Dust, it isn't obvious why. After a week of albums ranging from crummy to really shitty, I was fearful seeing an album and artist that I had never heard of. But luckily, Dust is really fucking good. It is grunge, but it's a very unique brand of it, incorporating really psychedelic elements into its sound. These elements are most prevalent in the opener, Halo of Ashes, as well as Traveler, which is the "chill" song of the album. This album starts really strong with the aforementioned Halo of Ashes, which features what sounds like a sitar or some other Indian sounding instrument. Dying Days has amazing guitar courtesy of Pearl Jam's Mike McCready. Sworn and Broken had my jaw on the floor with its synth solo that really stands out from the rest of the album in a very good way. While there is subtle synth throughout a lot of this album, Sworn and Broken is where that element really gets to shine. The only moment of weakness is the slow song, Traveler. A really pleasant surprise after a week of real stinkers. Really strong 4/5. Favs: Halo Of Ashes Dying Days Sworn And Broken Least Fav: Traveler

You Love Brings Me To Life 1001 Albums Generator 126 (09/25/2025) Opening strong with the energetic Move Over, I didn't know what to expect from Janis Joplin's final studio album, but I certainly didn't expect this. I was mighty impressed by the instrumentals on display in this song, and in general, Joplin's backing band is quite a force to be reckoned with. With that said, there is so much going on here, but pretty much all of it is driven by Janis' strong, distinctive voice and most of it is somehow inspired by the blues. Parts like the powerful chorus of Cry Baby also sound almost like a show tune with the strong backing choir. Half Moon is such a fun track and is the closest Pearl gets to pure funk. I think that what holds this album back is the slightly weaker second half. My Baby, while it does play with some interesting timing elements, is not one of the strongest songs here. The a capella Mercedes Benz is really weird and Trust Me has my least favorite vocal performance on the album. With that said, Pearl is a really strong album and it certainly made me sad that it would be Janis' last, releasing only a few months after she died of an overdose. Strong 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Move Over Cry Baby Half Moon Least Fav: Mercedes Benz

Black Breast Chinese Eyes 1001 Albums Generator 127 (09/26/2025) Deep Purple In Rock is the first studio album in the so-called "Mark II" lineup of Deep Purple, which is responsible for most of their most highly acclaimed albums. I have always underestimated Deep Purple's influence on heavy metal, even though I know people would say it exists, because I only knew them for their hits, which are not particularly heavy. However, DPiR is completely changing my tone. This thing is so heavy. Speed King is an amazing display of musicality and shows that you actually can have an organ in heavy music. Flight of the Rat is insane and feels almost punky at times. The back and forth solos between guitars and organ is really impressive, as is the drum solo near the end. Into the Fire isn't my favorite song here, but it is absolutely one of the heaviest. Hard Lovin' Man just kind of sounds like an Iron Maiden song at points with its gallopping guitar and powerful drums. The other side of this album is its very proggy nature on certain songs. The most obvious example of this is Child in Time, which is an epic statement that ebbs and flows wonderfully and is probably my favorite song overall. The aforementioned Flight of the Rat and Hard Lovin' Man both have very progressive structures as well. I think that the second half of Deep Purple in Rock is a little bit weaker, but overall, this is a great album. 4/5 Favs: Speed King Child In Time Flight Of The Rat Least Fav: Living Wreck

Why Couldn't They Just Let Me Be? 1001 Albums Generator 128 (09/29/2025) Superfly is Curtis Mayfield's third studio album and was released as a soundtrack for the Blaxploitation film "Super Fly" in 1972. This album is equal parts soul and funk, and it blends these elements together wonderfully. The orchestration throughout is also extremely lush, which is a common feature of this style of Chicago Soul. I have never seen the film that this is a soundtrack for, but I can imagine exactly what it's like. Curtis does a great job of creating a world in his music. With that said, the second instrumental, Think, is quite boring. Some songs, such as Give Me Your Love and Eddie You Should Know Better, are also not very memorable, but overall, this album has a great flow and it is so short and snappy that I can't be mad. 4/5. Favs: Little Child Runnin' Wild Freddie's Dead No Thing On Me (Cocaine Song) Least Fav: Think

Play A Song For Me 1001 Albums Generator 129 (09/30/2025) I can absolutely appreciate the influence of Mr. Tambourine Man. While The Byrds' debut studio album is named after the Bob Dylan tune that opens the album, the sound of this album is really more like The Beatles than Bob to me. While the sound here is absolutely steeped in folk rock, the vocals and guitar parts sound very Beatle-y to me. With that said, this album was clearly influential in its own right, with the jangly guitars being a huge influence on the jangle pop artists that would emerge a couple decades later. It's really quite interesting that this album of primarily covers would end up having such a distinct and influential sound. The best songs here are really good. Mr. Tambourine Man and I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better are both such great, fun, jangly tunes. The Bells of Rhymney has some of my favorite guitar work on the whole album. However, my problem with this album is the same problem I have with many albums on this list that are in this style: the songs really blend together, especially on first listen. On my second listen, I appreciated the different tunes a bit more, but the problem was still prevalent. A totally fine album that is a 2.5/5, rounded up to a 3. Favs: Mr. Tambourine Man I'll Feel A Whole Lot Better the Bells of Rhymney Least Fav: It's No Use

Take Only What You Need From It 1001 Albums Generator 130 (10/01/2025) MGMT's debut album, Oracular Spectacular, is dominated by three singles that at this point are absolutely massive. time to Pretend opens the album with its huge drums and sliding synth melody. Electric Feel is my least favorite of the three, but its still a good track. Kids is really weirdly emotional and has a great instrumental interlude that I hadn't really noticed on casual listens. These three songs are all truly great and deserve their spot in the indie pop canon. However, beyond the singles, Oracular Spectacular kind of falls flat. There are some good moments, such as Weekend Wars and Of Moons, Birds & Monsters. The latter especially has some really cool transitions and layers, as well as a great guitar solo and a really interesting instrumental outro. Unfortunately, most of the second half of this album is not this good. 4th Dimension Transition experiments but fails and Pieces of What is just boring. I'm not a huge fan of the last two tracks either, especially The Handshake, which has my least favorite vocals on the album. Overall, a really strong first half and pretty weak second half leave me feeling a 3/5. Favs: Time To Pretend Kids Of Moons, Birds & Monsters Least Fav: Pieces of What

This Is The Day When Things Fall Into Place 1001 Albums Generator 131 (10/02/2025) The The is one of the dumbest band names I've ever heard. But their debut, Soul Mining, is pretty dang cool. Soul Mining is definitely new wave, but it has more of an artsy edge than a lot of other new wave that I have heard. The intro grew on me a lot. It is very repetitive and at times mechanical, but it's really cool. This Is The Day is The The's biggest hit, but I had never heard it before. It's pretty good. The other hit, Uncertain Smile, is absolutely my favorite song on this album. The whole song is great, but of course, the piano solo is now one of my favorite things in music ever; I can't believe how good it is, and in the midst of the largely electronic sounding instrumentation, it stands out even more. The title track starts out really slow but when the silly little synth and drums come in during the second half, it's good. The album ends with the nearly 10 minute Giant, which is fantastic, especially its drum solo. The Sinking Feeling and The Twilight Hour don't do anything for me, but besides that, Soul Mining is really great. It's got just the right amount of experimentation with strong pop sensibilities. 4/5. Favs: This Is The Day Uncertain Smile Giant Least Fav: The Sinking Feeling

There's Verse And Chapter Sat In Her Inbox 1001 Albums Generator 132 (10/03/2025) Having only listened to 2022's The Car when it came out and a couple of hits off of AM, I was floored by how good Arctic Monkey's debut album is. I never really understood the Arctic Monkeys thing because of my limited exposure to them, but Whatever People Say I Am is super fun, energetic piece of indie rock. Alex Turner is a great frontman; he always feels like he needs to say a little bit more than he has time to, but this adds to the feel of the album. The instrumentals on this album are also great. There's a moment near the middle of The View From The Afternoon where it cuts to just this rhythmically ambiguous guitar before the drums come in for an awesome build. This is a great example of how these songs, despite being almost entirely high tempo, still manage to have quite a bit of dynamic diversity and are very well composed. I Bet You Look Good On The Dancefloor has these reserved verses that explode into the choruses, with the last chorus being especially explosive. While I could see this formula getting old for some people, and even I found myself slightly tired of it by the last couple songs, I don't think I really have any notes about this album. The slow song, Riot Van, is my least favorite, but I understand why Arctic Monkeys put it here. I can't believe how much I liked Whatever People Say I Am! 4.5/5, rounded up to a 5. Favs: The View From The Afternoon I Bet You Look Good On The Dancfloor A Certain Romance Least Fav: Riot Van

You Love For Me Has Just Got To Be Real 1001 Albums Generator 133 (10/06/2025) What a perfect album to get just as the weather is starting to cool down in Arizona. I just felt cold for the first time in months this morning and the Halloween lights are being put out, so of course Black Sabbath's self-titled debut felt like the perfect vibe. From the rain and church bells that open the album before Tony Iommi's iconic slow tritone riff blasts in, this album screams autumn. As great as the opening track is, The Wizard may be my favorite. I love that it's inspired by Gandalf (these fucking nerds), and the harmonica is so fucking epic. Then we get to the first of two "songs" that are really medleys of shorter songs from the original release. I really wish that they didn't do this because these songs are great standalones, but sometimes I just want to listen to one without the others. As cool as the riffs in Wasp and Behind The Wall Of Sleep are, sometimes I just wanna listen to the genius of N.I.B. The second of these probably constitutes my least favorite "song" overall. Warning is amazing, but A Bit Of Finger and Sleeping Village are not the most interesting. In the middle of these two medleys is perhaps the most underrated song on this album, the rockin' Wicked World. This song mixes the heavy and more psychedelic elements of early Sabbath the best, although the Iommi solo that interrupts the song when everything else cuts out is a bit out of place. Overall, while Black Sabbath would certainly hone their craft later, their debut remains a unique piece of art in their discography that would go on to inspire thousands of metal acts that came after them. 4.5/5, rounded down to 4 bc it's not as good as Paranoid or Master Of Reality. Favs: Black Sabbath The Wizard N.I.B. Least Fav: Sleeping Village

My Stardust Melody 1001 Albums Generator 134 (10/07/2025) I understand that Stardust is not the usual fair for Willie Nelson, the so-called King of Outlaw Country, but it is quite beautiful. There's something about these covers that just feel so romantic. Something that I appreciated on second listen was the instrumental lushness on display. There are these subtle strings, pianos, keyboards, and other various bells and whistles throughout these compositions, and they never take focus away from Willie's voice and guitar, but they add to it in really subtle ways. My favorite example of this is on Blue Skies, where there's some sort of organ in the background throughout, as well as piano, harmonica, and strings at various points. I can also appreciate the downright jazziness of some of these arrangements, which mixes with the overall country vibe on display. However, this album gets kind of boring quickly and especially slumps in the middle. The qualities that are so positive at the beginning start to feel a bit cheesy and I don't know if that is due to the quality of the songs truly degrading or if my ears just got tired of the sound, but it was the same on both listens. With that said, Stardust is overall a pretty good album from a country legend, who released this "old man" album nearly 50 years ago and is still releasing music to this day. Respect for that, but I don't see myself coming back to this one often. 3/5. Favs: Georgia On My Mind Blue Skies Don't Get Around Much Anymore Least Fav: On the Sunny Side of the Street

Mountain Passes Slipping Into Stone 1001 Albums Generator 135 (10/08/2025) While I was listening to Paul Simon's Hearts And Bones, all I could think about was the greatness of songs like Sound of Silence and Homeward Bound. Even the somewhat silly I Am A Rock seems like genius compared to many of the boring and uninteresting compositions on display on Hearts And Bones. I'm starting this out so negative not because it's one of the worst albums on the list, but because I expect so much more from Paul Simon. Allergies is a really fun 80's pop/new wave tune and the title track is really beautiful. But after these two songs, there is unfortunately not too much to speak of. I do like Train in the Distance, which is a really cool, smooth piece of sophisti-pop, although it is cheesy. While most songs here are forgettable and just not great, Cars Are Cars is actively terrible and is one of my least favorite songs I've had on this challenge thus far. Hearts And Bones is a kind of weak 2/5 to be honest. Favs: Allergies Hearts And Bones Train in the Distance Least Fav: Cars Are Cars

Tell Me What You've Got To Look So Pleased About 1001 Albums Generator 136 (10/09/2025) Wow, now this is a fun punk album. The Stranglers manage to still have a raw punk energy, but are also able to not take themselves too seriously. One of my favorite lyrics on the whole thing is in Ugly when Jean Jacques Burnel says "I guess I shouldn't have strangled her to death, but I had to go to work". I guess that we would say some of the songs here may not be what we call 'politically correct', but dammit they're just good fun. Rattus Norvegicus has perhaps my favorite organ work I've ever heard on a punk album. Hanging Around sounds like a Television song with the extra layer of an amazing keyboard player. It's just awesome. The opening three songs have a lot of power and showcase the unique palette of this album really well. My biggest problems with this album are (i) the inclusion of some slow songs that break the pace in a negative way and do not fit the sound of this album nearly as well and (ii) the vocals are sometimes not very enjoyable, such as on London Lady. Other than that, Rattus Norvegicus was a nice surprise from a band I've never heard of before. 3.5/5, just barely rounded down to a 3. Favs: Sometimes Hanging Around Get A Grip On Yourself Least Fav: Princess Of The Streets

I've Got My Spine, I've Got My Orange Crush 1001 Albums Generator 137 (10/10/2025) The hits and the upbeat tunes are really good but the more psychedelic and slow songs are not really. Interesting album, but not one that I would come back to much in full. 3/5. Favs: Pop Song 89 Stand Orange Crush Least Fav: Hairshirt

Are You Writing From The Heart? 1001 Albums Generator 138 (10/13/2025) Illinois is one of my favorite albums of all time. I don't understand how someone could listen to this and think it's boring; nearly every song has multiple parts that are so catchy, they could be a chorus. I absolutely love how Sufjan applies the principles of minimalism into a rock/chamber pop context. To those who call this album boring, do we really need another indie album of basic verse/chorus song structures and song titles that could fit neatly on a bumper sticker? Don't get me wrong, I love some of those types of albums as well, but while there are thousands of those, Sufjan made something truly special with Illinois. And by the way, just because many of these songs are built on a single chord progression with instrumentals that ebb and flow, doesn't mean these songs are "basic". First of all, the variety of instrumentation on display here, nearly all played by Stevens himself, is very impressive. Additionally, my prog brain loves how many of these songs play with strange time signatures. I don't think this is the type of album where you can talk about individual songs, since the whole thing works better as a whole, but nearly half of these songs have made their way onto various playlists of mine throughout the years. From the bombast of Come On Feel The Illinoise and The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts to the soft sadness of John Wayne Gacy, Jr. and Casimir Pulaski Day, there is something for everyone and every mood here. Always a pleasure to sit down with this piece of art. 5. Favs: Come On! Feel The Illinoise! ... Jacksonville The Tallest Man, the Broadest Shoulders ... Least Fav (non-interlude): The Seer's Tower

Dark Deception Kills The Light 1001 Albums Generator 139 (10/14/2025) The fact that the only version of For Whom The Bell Tolls on this list is from a recording in 1999 is a damn shame, which is my way of saying: why is S&M on this list that is missing Ride The Lightning? I could ask 100 random Metallica fans for their four favorite albums by the band, and I would be surprised to find even one who includes 1999's S&M on the list. Anyway, it's on this list so I guess I get to talk about it. S&M released at a weird time in Metallica's career, before they had hit rock bottom, but certainly after their peak. Load and Reload are both kind of stinkers with a couple good/great songs each. And then Metallica decided to just release a live album with the San Francisco Orchestra backing them. The softer songs in their catalog, especially Call of Ktulu and Nothing Else Matters, work really well with the orchestra backing. Interestingly, the orchestra kind of brings most of the songs on the album to a similar quality, meaning the Load and Reload songs get a nice glow up, while many of the classic Metallica tunes, which constitute some of my favorite songs ever, become much worse. For example, near the beginning of the album, I loved the version of The Memory Remains here and thought the orchestra improved that song, but did not enjoy my time with Master Of Puppets, which is normally one of the best songs of all time. One is also a bit of a mess. However, this principle does have limits, since something as dreadful as Devil's Dance, originally off Reload, can only be elevated so high. Additionally, there are two new compositions here. No Leaf Clover is really cool, but "- Human" is pretty boring. I also have to mention that James Hetfield's voice here is really bad at times. I don't know if he was abusing drugs at this time or if that started later, but it certainly sounds like he was. Unfortunately, this album is quite long, so I only got one listen with it. It's fine and a novel idea, but the execution is far from perfect. Would have much preferred to spend my day with Live Shit: Binge & Purge if we're doing a live Metallica album that's too damn long, but oh well. 3/5 I guess. Favs: The Memory Remains No Leaf Clover For Whom The Bell Tolls Least Fav: Devil's Dance

Stick 'Em Up Punk, It's The Fun Lovin' Criminal 1001 Albums Generator 140 (10/15/2025) The Fun Lovin' Criminals are a group that I had never heard of, but their sound reminds me of Stereo MC's and Smash Mouth's styles of alt rock tinged with hiphop/trip hop influence. Their debut album, Come Find Yourself, features their biggest hit, Scooby Snacks. I was surprised to find out that at the time of this album's release, "Scooby snacks" referred to Valium. Nowadays, scooby snacks refers to little pieces of weed that get through the filter and into your throat. This song was very funny to me when I thought that these guys were going so crazy off the scoobs that they were robbing banks, but I guess the idea of doing that on Valium is pretty funny too. There are some really cool sampling moments on this album, like the Free Bird vocal sample in the chorus of Bombin' The L, but a lot of this album just washes over me. Also, these guys just do not sound cool. "La-di da-di, free John Gotti"? Really? La-di da-di? La-di? Okay dude. They whisper in the chorus of Come Find Yourself, I guess to try to sound edgy, but it sounds like shit. Overall, some interesting and occasionally funky/heavy moments (the ending of Passive / Aggressive is fantastic) are overwhelmed by the middling quality of nearly everything else here. Additionally, this album does not even have any historical importance or anything. No idea why it's here. It's a 1.5/5 and I have to round it down to a 1. Favs: Passive / Aggressive Scooby Snacks Methadonia Least Fav: We Have All The Time In The World

Sometimes I Can Be Up Like This 1001 Albums Generator 141 (10/16/2025) I have never heard of this band or album before, but it definitely fits on this list. That isn't to say that it is truly one of 1001 albums that must be heard before one passes, but rather that the Robert Dimery team would certainly choose this album for such a list. It's not bad, but I felt no draw towards it either. It is kind of strange in some ways, but also feels very run of the mill in other ways. At the very least, Heroes to Zeros is an interesting listen in many ways, as can be seen even in the eclecticism of the first four tracks, which run the gamut from alt rock to funk-inspired trip hop to the almost folky psychedelia of Lion Thief to finally the upbeat funk/folk of Easy, which is one of the finest moments here. The album continues in this vain, constantly switching styles, but I think this lack of a central sound is to its detriment. The more rock-oriented songs, such as Out-Side, were quite good, but a lot of the softer and more psychedelic moments throughout the tracklist were misguided. The middle of this album is especially wrought with these ideas that just kind of go nowhere. This does not feel like a necessary album for the list, but it's not the worst thing here either. I don't see myself coming back to it, but there are a couple songs I genuinely enjoy a lot. Feels like a 2.5/5 to me, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Assessment Easy Out-Side Least Fav: Troubles

He Buzzes Like A Fridge 1001 Albums Generator 142 (10/17/2025) OK Computer is Radiohead's third studio album and it's an album that I really don't need to say anything about. It is widely and often considered one of the greatest albums of all time. It represented a transition from Radiohead's more simple Britpop-inspired alt rock to something more artistic with a definite vision, albiet an abstract and at times oblique one. Musically, this is quite an ambitious undertaking, from Paranoid Android's through-composed structure to the polymeter of Let Down to the relative heaviness of Electioneering, this album does a lot to keep the listener entertained, but it also has a distinctive sound. The first half of this album is practically perfect. Even my least favorite song on the first half, Exit Music, has one of my favorite moments when it opens up in the last minute or so with the distorted bass and drums. It's really powerful. Every other moment through Karma Police is essentially without fault. I've always found the second half a little less memorable, with Climbing Up The Walls and Lucky being my least favorite songs, but No Surprises and The Tourist are both fantastic. The former is especially heartbreaking. With all that said, In Rainbows is my pick for the finest moment of Radiohead's career, although OK Computer is deserving of the praise it gets. 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Paranoid Android Let Down Karma Police Least Fav: Lucky

Dynamite With A Laser Beam 1001 Albums Generator 143 (10/20/2025) Sheer Heart Attack is Queen's third album and is kind of a transition between their more pure hard rock of their first 2 albums and the theatrics that would define the rest of their career. It is also probably the closest that Queen ever got to metal and it certainly isn't surprising that Metallica covered a song from this album. With the exception of Bring Back That Leroy Brown, which almost sounds more like a parody of music hall than the genuine attempts at it that would be on Queen's next album, the rest of Sheer Heart Attack is pretty much glam-y and/or heavy rock. I love that this album doesn't overstay its welcome, but even some of the sub-2 minute songs, like Lily of the Valley and Misfire, are really fucking good. Of course, the star of the show is Killer Queen, which is one of Queen's biggest and most acclaimed songs. Brighton Rock is also really good and energetic, but the guitar solo overstays its welcome a bit. I'm not crazy about Tenement Funster, but the next three songs, especially the huge Flick Of The Wrist, are all fantastic. While I'm not a huge fan of In The Lap Of The Gods, the "Revisited" version of the song that closes out the album is a favorite of mine. The group vocals are so powerful and catchy. It's surprising that this wasn't a bigger song. The second half of Sheer Heart Attack is surely not as strong as the first, but this album is a solid 4/5. Favs: Killer Queen Stone Cold Crazy In The Lap Of The Gods... Revisited Least Fav: Tenement Funster

Funk Soul Brother, Check It Out Now 1001 Albums Generator 144 (10/21/2025) You've Come A Long Way Baby is an album that makes me sad because some of the ideas and sample flips are so genius but others are so annoying. This may be the album thus far that has the highest standard deviation in quality. Songs like the hypnotic Right Here, Right Now, the iconic Rockafeller Skank (which gets way weirder that I imagined it would), and the great turntablism on Gangster Trippin' is interrupted by the obnoxious In Heaven. Some of the songs here are also experimental in a slightly unpleasant way, like Kalifornia and You're Not From Brighton. I was also slightly disappointed because the only other album I've heard that is in this style of Big Breaks is Prodigy's Fat Of The Land, which I think is great, but Fatboy Slim, while obviously having the production chops to run with the best of them, sometimes doesn't know when to stop himself from doing something annoying. But again, some of these songs are absolutely genius, so I guess this is a 3/5. Favs: Right Here, Right Now Rockafeller Skank Gangster Trippin Least Fav: In Heaven

Wildflowers Don't Care Where They Grow 1001 Albums Generator 145 (10/22/2025) My exposure to all three of these ladies is extremely limited. I am only aware of Linda Ronstadt from her contributions to Carly Bley's avant-garde jazz masterpiece, Escalator Over The Hill. I only know Dolly Parton from Jolene and Dollywood, and I don't know Emmylou Harris at all. What I do know is that their collaboration album, Trio, is unfortunately very boring. The genres on RateYourMusic make this out to be much more interesting than it actually is. To my untrained ear, Trio is run of the mill country, albeit with some very talented vocalists. These three ladies are all great singers and have voices that blend together pretty well. I don't have much to say, except that The Pain Of Loving You and Wildflowers are both alright, the guitar work in Those Memories Of You is good, and I will never return to this album. The soft, slow, orchestral songs like I've Had Enough overloaded my ears with cheese. I wish I was lactose intolerant. 1/5 feels so harsh for an album with some real talent behind it but I have to speak my truth okay. 1/5. Favs: The Pain Of Loving You Wildflowers Those Memories Of You Least Fav: I've Had Enough

Jeremy Spoke In Class Today 1001 Albums Generator 146 (10/23/2025) When it comes to grunge's "Big 4", Pearl Jam is by far the band I know the least about. I know the hits (most of which are on this very album), but I have never listened through an entire Pearl Jam project. While I still prefer the more metal side of the scene, such as Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and Failure, I am definitely walking away from Ten with more appreciation for the back-to-basics approach of Pearl Jam. The first half of Ten is truly no skips, but the second half is a little bit weaker in my opinion. The songwriting on Oceans, Garden, and Deep isn’t as strong as a lot of the writing on the first half. 4/5. Favs: Even Flow Alive Jeremy Least Fav: Garden

I’m Goin Down To Shoot My Ol Lady 1001 Albums Generator 147 (10/24/2025) Psych rock perfection. No review bc I’m on vacation but wow. No skips. 5/5 Favs: Purple Haze The Wind Cries Mary Foxey Lady Least Fav: Third Stone From The Sun

1001 Albums Generator 148 (10/25/2025) Some amazing guitar and bass work throughout. The end of the album is particularly fantastic, besides the meandering, weird title track. This album went so hard while I was eating a burger. 4/5. Favs: That Joke Isn't Funny Anymore Well I Wonder Barbarism Begins At Home Least Fav: Meat Is Murder

You And Your High Horse. 1001 Albums Generator 149 (10/28/2025) If I wanted to listen to an album where nothing happens, I would throw on John Cage's 4'33". Golden Hour is a boring piece of pop "country" that just completely fails to stand out in any way. High Horse is fun and the title track is okay, while the opener Slow Burn has hints of Sufjan inspiration, which is great. However, I really wanted more from this album, since I get excited to see newer albums on a list like this, hoping to find the artists of today that are making music worth hearing. When it comes to Ms. Musgraves, it feels like I'm missing something. 1.5/5, rounded up to a 2 because it wasn't necessarily unpleasant in any way. Favs: Slow Burn High Horse Golden Hour Least Fav: Love Is A Wild Thing

You Don't Seem To Care That Your Love Is Blind 1001 Albums Generator 150 (10/29/2025) 150 albums in! Man, this Bert Jansch can really play the guitar huh? Am I crazy for thinking that parts of this guitar work are almost reminiscent of, like, John Fogerty style American Primitivism? This is also an album with quite a wide array of sounds, from the bluesiness of Strolling Down The Highway to the very gentle, beautiful instrumental Alice's Wonderland, Jansch kind of runs the gamut of what can be done with simply a guitar and a voice. Needle of Death is Jansch's best known song and it is one of the finest songs here. The repetitive finger picking pattern hypnotizes while Jansch sings heartbreaking lyrics about the death of his friend. I think that Bert is much better at guitar than he is at singing, but the vocals here are really not bad. Also, what these songs lack in length, they often make up for in substance. The sub-1 minute Finches is one of my favorite tracks here. However, the short length of the songs and the consistency of the palette here do cause the album to fail to stand out if one is not listening very actively. With that said, Bert Jansch is a pretty good album that is really easy and fun to listen to. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Needle Of Death Alice's Wonderland Running From Home Least Fav: I Have No Time

You're Not Listening, You're Not Listening 1001 Albums Generator 151 (10/30/2025) Little Simz' 2021 album, Sometimes I Might Be Introvert, is perhaps my favorite female fronted rap album. The way that she uses orchestral sounds on that album is comparable only to (and is on the same level of quality as) Ye's Late Registration. Since the last version of this book is from 2019, I know Introvert can't be on here, but I am pleasantly surprised to see her previous effort, GREY Area, is on the list. This album starts off with such a bang; Offence and Boss are both much more aggressive than most anything on Introvert, but Simz sounds great here. Most of the rest of GREY Area lives in a more chill hip hop space and most of everything here is good. The Chinese beat of 101 FM is a little bit annoying and the vocal feature on Pressure really brings that song down. Besides that, not many negative notes! Selfish is beautiful piece of Neo-Soul, Wounds has an amazing guitar part, and Sherbet Sunset has super funky bass. Honestly, one thing I was surprised about on this album in general was the funky factor throughout much of it. The closing track, Flowers, is absolutely beautiful, paying homage to artists before her who died young, and I think that it predicts what Simz would go on to do more than any other song here. The jazzy and gospel elements mesh really well. Beyond a slight slump in the middle, GREY Area is a great hiphop album. 4/5. Favs: Offence Selfish Flowers Least Fav: 101 FM

You May Say I'm A Dreamer 1001 Albums Generator 152 (10/31/2025) "Man if we didn't have religion, there would be nothing to kill or die for" - guy who lived in the secular century that included the biggest atrocities ever committed by humanity. John Lennon was a retarded communist, but he can write a tune, and the songs outside the title track have lyrics that range from fine to good. How Do You Sleep? is one that I had not heard before that I really enjoyed. The cringe factor of the title track is off the charts and some of the experiments here don't work great, but it's a serviceable album. Paul and George both had better solo albums than this. 3/5. Favs: Crippled Inside Jealous Guy How Do You Sleep? Least Fav: Imagine

Every Man, Every Man Is Free 1001 Albums Generator 153 (11/03/2025) I am only aware of The Temptations through their classic song "My Girl", but Cloud Nine is something totally different. It is a deep funk style, especially on the first side, which is super strong. The title track is fantastic and energetic, and the nearly 10 minute Runaway Child, Running Wild is really fantastic. It flies by and does not feel like 9 minutes at all. The second half of the album is more forgettable and is just unfortunately not nearly as strong. It's not bad, but some of the vocals, especially the lower register vocals, are pretty cringe. Not a bad album at all, but I don't think I would come back to it in its entirety. 3/5. Favs: Cloud Nine Runaway Child, Running Wild I Gotta Find A Way (To Get You Back) Least Fav: Love Is A Hurtin' Thing

I'll Be A Thorn In Your Side 1001 Albums Generator 154 (11/04/2025) CHVRCHES' debut album, The Bones Of What You Believe, is a pretty good piece of synthpop. The first half is very good and has a lot of energy, while the second half is more inconsistent and vibey. I think the vibeyness works on songs like the closer, You Caught The Light, but not so much on songs like Recover. However, the production on this album is consistently good; the sampled and chopped up vocals throughout are my absolute favorite. Lungs also has some interesting industrial-esque elements. Also, the vocalist sounds so good. She kind of reminds me of early Lorde, which is definitely a good thing. Overall, The Bones Of What You Believe impressed me, but has its weaknesses. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: The Mother We Share We Sink You Caught The Light Least Fav: Recover

I'll Be Watching You 1001 Albums Generator 155 (11/05/2025) Although one wouldn't think it by the simple, but extremely high quality megahit Every Breath You Take, Synchronicity is a very strange album. The Police's final effort is also their most acclaimed and it is really a tale of two albums. Outside of the excellent two part title track, side A is super weird and schizophrenic. Walking In Your Footsteps and to a lesser extent Miss Gradenko are very "worldly" and see The Police getting in on the African music craze that would take the pop/rock world by storm in the 80's. The former is extremely silly, with lyrics addressed to Mr. Dinosaur. O My God is pretty forgettable, but Mother is anything but. I can't believe this is the band that gave us Roxanne. Mother is an absolute trip of a song and I can't figure out if I like it. The second half of Synchronicity is nothing but bangers. Every Breath You Take has one of the most iconic guitar arpeggios ever and is beautiful (and creepy). King Of Pain is a great piece of progressive pop which is nearly through-composed with multiple distinct sections. Lovely, underrated tune. Wrapped Around Your Finger is another huge hit which harkens back to the reggae pop of early Police, although it's probably my least favorite on side B. Finally, Tea In The Sahara is really ambient and vibey. It's a pretty way to end the album. The bonus track, Murder By Numbers, is great too, but I won't judge the album based on it. Synchronicity has some rocky moments, but it's a great piece of artsy new wave. 4/5. Favs: Synchronicity I King Of Pain Every Breath You Take Least Fav: Walking In Your Footsteps

Stars Are Never Sleeping 1001 Albums Generator 156 (11/06/2025) I was surprised to see this album on the list. My understanding of David Bowie's career was that sometime in the 80's, his quality dipped hard until his final great artistic statement, Blackstar, which came out in 2016, right before he died. So color me shocked when an album from 2013 comes up. I really don't like this album cover, which is just a white square on top of the wonderful Heroes, but the music inside is actually pretty good. Some of these songs, such as The Next Day and Valentine's Day lean into almost a punky side of Bowie that I have never heard. If You Can See Me is a chaotic, experimental piece of art that hints at some of the genius that would be seen on Bowie's following album. The second half of The Next Day is a little bit weaker, but it's honestly surprisingly good overall and I came away feeling that this album is very underrated in Bowie's catalogue. It features some sounds and styles that are really unlike anything else that he did and it's one of the most energetic albums I've heard from him. I really just wish that some of the glammier cuts, like Boss Of Me and You Feel So Lonely You Could Die, were left off, and I really don't enjoy I'd Rather Be High. However, The Next Day is a worthwhile listen that I could see myself coming back to. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: The Next Day The Stars (Are Out Tonight) If You Can See Me Least Fav: I'd Rather Be High

Who Will Love Alladin Sane? 1001 Albums Generator 157 (11/07/2025) I can only imagine what it feels like to follow up something as iconic and beloved as Ziggy Stardust. While I am not as crazy about Bowie's most highly acclaimed album as everyone else is, I still recognize that something special happened on that particular record that would not be able to be replicated on its follow up. However, Alladin Sane, to my ears, is at least as good as Ziggy. The intro Watch That Man, is one of my favorite glam Bowie songs that I've ever heard and the title track then veers into some free jazz stylings that are really fucking cool. The piano on this album in general is fantastic, but especially on this song. There is a slump in quality in the middle of this album besides Time (which is flamboyant and theatrical in the best way), but then it closes out with two fantastic songs. Lady Grinning Soul in particular is up there with the best Bowie songs ever. I wish that I enjoyed glam Bowie more, but it is what it is. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Watch That Man Alladin Sane Lady Grinning Soul Least Fav: Cracked Actor

I'll Send All My Lovin' To You 1001 Albums Generator 158 (11/10/2025) With The Beatles is the second album released by the Beatles and it was released when they were a popular boy band, but well before they became the most highly acclaimed band in the world. I actually think that With The Beatles is one of the worst Beatles albums, outranked by only Yellow Submarine and Beatles For Sale, but there are still some great moments here. The opening three songs are some of their best early work. It Won't Be Long is high energy and bombastic, while All I've Got To Do is kind of soulful. I love the staccato guitar part throughout the verses. Finally, All My Loving has these wonderful tremolo picked guitar chords and walking bass plus some great crooning backing vocals in the chorus. One of the complaints about the early Beatles albums is all the covers, but to be honest, some of my favorite songs here are covers. I love the almost Hispanic feel of the acoustic guitar-led Till There Was You. You Really Got A Hold On Me is one of my favorite early Beatles songs period; I just find the vocal harmonies to be gripping. Some of the songs are pretty forgettable and just overall, this is a weird choice over Magical Mystery Tour, which would absolutely be my personal choice for a seventh Beatles album over With The Beatles. Still, The Beatles' weakest output is at a certain level of quality, and there are bits of genius throughout. 3.5/5 rounded down to a 3. Favs: All My Loving Till There Was You You Really Got A Hold On Me Least Fav: I Wanna Be Your Man

When Your Lonely Heart Has Learned Its Lesson 1001 Albums Generator 160 (11/12/2025) I know that there absolutely has to be a Frank Sinatra album on any list like this, and I won't deny that. His deep, crooning vocals and lush orchestration are iconic. And In The Wee Small Hours is a really sad, vibey album. It really does sound exactly like its cover and made me want to go smoke a cig in the rain and feel sad. I just wish that the songs stuck out more to me. This may just be a personal failure or lack of taste, but this style of silky smooth vocal jazz is really hard for me to focus on. Besides the first two songs, which are really good, the rest of the album flowed together. The version of It Never Entered My Mind was also really pretty. I can acknowledge the importance of this album and this artist in music history while also saying that he just isn't for me, outside of his hits, none of which are on this album. 2/5 for being technically high quality, but just so outside of what I consider "my thing". Favs: In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning Mood Indigo It Never Entered My Mind Least Fav: Ill Wind (I guess, no strong feelings here)

Do You Wanna Dance? 1001 Albums Generator 161 (11/13/2025) The Beach Boys Today! is widely considered the first "great" Beach Boys album. And it really is great. The first side is filled with bombastic, dancing tunes, and the second side is filled with more introspective ballads, but both sides have some pop perfection on them. I am partial to the energetic side of The Beach Boys generally and I think that side A is pretty much perfect except for the kind of annoying Don't Hurt My Little Sister. Do You Wanna Dance? is one of the best pop songs I have ever heard, and Dance, Dance, Dance is also great. When I Grow Up features some really strange harmonic content in the chorus that hints at what the group would do later on Pet Sounds. Side B is also pretty good, with Please Let Me Wonder being one of my favorite songs on the album. I'm So Young is also prog pop perfection, albeit with some really cheesy lyrics. The album ends with some studio sounds, which is an interesting choice, but not very interesting. The Beach Boys Today! is a great album, but The Beach Boys would certainly go on to do better stuff. 4/5. Favs: Do You Wanna Dance? Dance, Dance, Dance She Knows Me Too Well Least Fav: Don't Hurt My Little Sister

You're All Just Pissing In The Wind 1001 Albums Generator 162 (11/14/2025) On The Beach is Neil Young's sad boy album. I am not super familiar with Neil Young outside of his work in CSN&Y, but I loved this. The first side has a bit more high tempo, whereas the second side is more slow and features long tracks. I loved the country and almost Fleetwood Mac-esque vibe of Walk On and the Bob Dylan sound on Revolution Blues. See The Sky About To Rain is led by a cool organ, while For The Turnstiles is very minimal and features a banjo very prominently. After a kind of boring blues rock jam, the second side opens with the title track, which is quite heart wreching. Young talks of his complicated feelings of isolation through his fame. "Though my problems are meaningless, that don't make them go away". Damn. I would also be remiss not to mention the impact that this song in particular had on the slowcore movement that started over a decade later. Overall, I really enjoyed my time with On The Beach, but I did find it dragging a little bit at the end; even though the closing track is really good, 9 minutes was a bit tough. Great album though, and the first half is especially eclectic and interesting. 4/5. Favs: Walk On Revolution Blues On The Beach Least Fav: Vampire Blues

Paradise Is Love To Be Sure 1001 Albums Generator 163 (11/17/2025) War is a band I am only familiar with through their immense influence on the hiphop scene through sampling. I've never actually listened to them before but I was quite pleasantly surprised. I don't know exactly how to categorize The World Is A Ghetto; it's primarily funk and soul, but it has some influence from jazz and rock as well. The Cisco Kid starts out with a deep, complex groove that almost sounds Latin inspired at times and honestly could have gone on for 10 minutes and kept my attention. Luckily, the two songs here that are over 10 minutes are probably the strongest songs on the album. City, Country, City is a really strong instrumental jam that some people may say goes on too long, but I found it really intriguing the whole time. The World Is A Ghetto and Four Cornered Room are both more slow and vibey jams, with the latter being especially psychedelic. If I were to choose a favorite solo on this album (a daunting task to be sure), the sax solo around the 6 minute mark of the title track would definitely be up there. It's so impressive. The only point of relative weakness to me is Where Was You At, which isn't necessarily bad, but didn't stick out to me much and I found the kind of bluesy sound a little bit cheesy. Beside that, I don't have many notes to be honest. Fantastic album. 5/5. Favs: The Cisco Kid City, Country, City The World Is A Ghetto Least Fav: Where Was You At

Ya Mama's An Extra On The Simpsons 1001 Albums Generator 164 (11/18/2025) Bizarre Ride II The Pharcyde is the debut album by hiphop collective The Pharcyde, who are known as the funny guys of 90's hiphop. Look, I'm no fuddy-duddy, but if I wanted to hear a bunch of dudes spitting Yo Mama jokes at each other for like 5 minutes, I'd go hang out by an elementary school playground. The Pharcyde are very talented, especially in the world of production (where this album really shines), but they consistently use their talents for bullshit. Nearly every song has either a really annoying verse or chorus (or both). The two biggest examples of this are the terrible prank call verse of 4 Better Or 4 Worse and the "um, excuse me" chorus of I'm That Type Of Nigga. Like, I think the point of the latter one was to sound like an annoying nagging woman and yeah it worked. Why would I want to listen to that? Especially as this repeated chorus. It's not all bad; Oh Shit is a perfect song and Passin' Me By is also amazing. No comment on either tune. Officer and Otha Fish are also both great and I love the old school feel of Return Of The B-Boy. It's also worth mentioning that the skits/interludes, which I normally dread on 90's hiphop albums, were actually largely pleasant, consisting of short, jazzy beats and normally just one verse or idea. Overall, Bizarre Ride is definitely bizarre and it's just not for me. It's definitely dumb, harmless fun and I really enjoyed parts of it, but I wish The Pharcyde knew when to stop themselves from doing something annoying. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: Oh Shit Officer Passin' Me By Least Fav (not including interludes/skits): 4 Better Or 4 Worse

This Stuff'll Probably Kill You, Let's Do Another Line 1001 Albums Generator 165 (11/19/2025) Heartattack And Vine is Tom Waits' seventh studio album and was the last album he released before his trio of experimental and highly acclaimed albums in the 80's, starting with Swordfishtrombones (get the man a spacebar please). The opening title track is extremely gritty, drunken blues, and it is very representative of Heartattack And Vine as an album. The instrumental is interesting at times, the lyrics are pretty good, and Tom Waits' voice really annoys me. This is why In Shades is the best song here; it's a great instrumental jam. Downtown is a fun, almost jazzy tune with a great organ part and Waits' voice kind of works here. I had no idea Jersey Girl was by Tom Waits, but I really like this version, even though the strings border on saccharine at times. On The Nickel (which has some cool modulations) and 'Til The Money Runs Out are also painfully cheesy. Saving All My Love For You is also way too soft, and Tom doesn't alter his singing style at all on these softer songs and it's just really weird honestly. It's too bad this is my introduction to this legend who I have been meaning to listen to for a long time, since this is one of his lowest rated albums on RateYourMusic, but I won't let my negative view on this album dissuade me from listening to Waits' other work. Some good-to-great songs are weighed down by boring pieces and Waits' strange voice. 2.5/5, rounded down to a 2. Favs: In Shades Downtown Jersey Girl Least Fav: Saving All My Love For You

She's An Evil Chick 1001 Albums Generator 166 (11/20/2025) !!!Here Are The Sonics!!! is a trip. It's pretty amazing that an album this raw and punky could come out in 1965, a year largely dominated by avant-garde, spiritual jazz and, like, Bob Dylan. Then just snuggled in the middle of all that is this proto-punk album from Seattle. Musically, The Sonics have some really interesting ideas, which is especially evident on original songs like The Witch and Boss Hoss. This album is probably held back by the fact that most of it is comprised of covers of rock'n'roll songs. Some of these covers are really good, like Have Love Will Travel and Good Golly Miss Molly. My biggest problem with this album is that it largely all blends together. The most egregious example of this is when Have Love Will Travel, which is a cover, goes into Psycho, which is an original. The guitar riffs are pretty much the exact same. The vocal yelping also gets a little old after a while. With that said, this is still a solid burst of energy, and at under 30 minutes, it's an easy listen. I'm sure that The Sonics were very influential for the punk movement that they were over a decade removed from, so for that, it's certainly interesting. 3/5. Favs: The Witch Boss Hoss Have Love Will Travel Least Fav: Roll Over Beethoven

Kelly Watch The Stars 1001 Albums Generator 167 (11/21/2025) Finally, some good fucking electronica that I've never heard of. So much of the electronic albums I've had thus far on this list have been real stinkers, with the only good ones being the obvious ones that I'm already familiar with. Air's Moon Safari is both very good and I've never heard of it. The opening song reminds me very much of Can's Future Days, which is an album I love. This is probably the best song on the album, but it's far from the only good one. In fact, the next three songs are all bangers, with a special mention to the wonderful vocoding on Kelly Watch The Stars and to Sexy Boy, which is perhaps the closest we get to rock on this album. My only real note is that some songs, like Talisman and You Make It Easy, feel a little bit unnecessary to me. However, most of Moon Safari is wonderful and it really just makes me feel so happy. Great, fun album with some small flaws. 4/5. Favs: La Femme D'Argent Kelly Watch The Stars Ce Matin-La Least Fav: You Make It Easy

Won't You Come And Wash Away The Rain? 1001 Albums Generator 168 (11/24/2025) Superunknown and Badmotorfinger are the albums that Soundgarden fans argue about being their best. I am personally partial to Superunknown. As great as hits like Black Hole Sun, Spoonman, and Fell On Black Days are, the quality of an album this long is determined by the quality of its deep cuts. And man, this album has some amazing deep cuts. Let Me Drown is this heavy, alt metal piece with great guitar and My Wave has these great verses in 5/4. Oh yeah, these guys love their odd time signatures. That bridge riff of Black Hole Sun in 9/8 and Limo Wreck, in 15/8, are two of my favorites. Apparently they would just write riffs and then find out the time signature later when they were recording it, which is why it always sounds so natural. Anyway, I have seen some people say this album falls off in the second half, but I think that's just fatigue talking. The run from the criminally underrated Fresh Tendrils to the devastating Like Suicide is amazing. 4th of July in particular has always been a favorite of mine. With all this said, there are a few songs that I don't really like sprinkled throughout the tracklist, so I have to call this a 4.5/5, rounded down to a 4. Favs: Fell On Black Days Spoonman 4th Of July Least Fav: Head Down

He Can Only Hold Her For So Long 1001 Albums Generator 169 (11/25/2025) Great pop soul revival and fun production is weighed down by a few bad and/or forgettable tunes. The classics are classic for a reason though. 3.5/5 rounded up to 4. Favs: You Know I’m No Good Back To Black He Can Only Hold Her Least Fav: Just Friends

Swingin' On The Gallows Pole 1001 Albums Generator 171 (11/27/2025) The black sheep of Led Zeppelin's 4 self-titled albums, Led Zeppelin III is certainly the one that I have spent the least time with. Although it opens with one of their most famous songs, the hard rockin' Immigrant Song, this is not representative of what much of the rest of the album has in store. You see, LZ3, especially its second half, is Led Zeppelin's "folk rock" album, which has mixed results. Gallow's Pole and Tangerine are up there with my favorite Zeppelin songs, but Friends and Hats Off To (Roy) Harper are really not great. The latter especially has some experimenting that just falls flat unfortunately. Meanwhile, we've got a few other lesser known hard rock songs here that are overall pretty good. Celebration Day and Out On The Tiles are really great deep cuts and Since I've Been Loving You is really soulful and honestly, quite beautiful. In general, the second half of the album is just weaker and is probably the weakest side of any of LZ's first 4 albums, but it still has some great tracks. Led Zeppelin III deserves its reputation as the worst of the first four albums, but it should not be overlooked; there is a lot of quality here. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Immigrant Song Since I've Been Loving You Gallows Pole Least Fav: Hats Off To (Roy) Harper

Double Time On The Seduction Line 1001 Albums Generator 172 (11/28/2025) Anybody who has been playing for a year or two could play bass, drums, or rhythm guitar for AC/DC. Seriously, listen to the drum parts on any two songs here and I guarantee you that they are nearly identical kick-snare-kick-snare classic rock beats. The basslines are largely just eighth note chugging on the root of the current chord, and the rhythm guitar parts are normally these sort of "new guitar player's first riff" riffs. The amazing thing about this band is that, in spite of this, they manage to have four (count 'em - FOUR) iconic, all time classics on their 1980 album Back In Black. Between Hell's Bells, Shoot To Thrill, the title track, and You Shook Me All Night Long, there is no shortage of classic tunes here. However, while Highway To Hell had great deep cuts too, Back In Black does not have nearly as much outside of the hits. If someone were going to accuse AC/DC of being a "singles band", this would be a great album to do so. What Do You Do For Money Honey, Givin The Dog A Bone, and Shake A Leg are all pretty bad. This makes Back In Black a tough album to rate, but the nostalgia factor is just too strong. 4/5. Favs: Hell's Bells Shoot To Thrill Back In Black Least Fav: Givin The Dog A Bone

Making All His Nowhere Plans For Nobody 1001 Albums Generator 173 (12/1/2025) December already! Wow. Wat better way to start the month than one of my favorite albums by one of my favorite bands? Rubber Soul is the first "great" Beatles album (although their early stuff is slightly overlooked by modern listeners in my opinion). But, this is the first album that is really, truly great cover to cover. There are only two songs here that I don't love, which are Lennon's The Word, which feels just like a bit of a leftover, and Run For Your Life, which is one of the weakest Beatles originals generally. Besides these, we have an excellent platter of songs here. Norwegian Wood sees the band playing with psychedelic and Indian influences. You Won't See Me is one of the most underrated Beatles tunes and has some of my favorite vocal harmonies. Nowhere Man is notable for being the first Beatles song not about love in some form, and is generally one of the catchiest Beatles songs ever. Michelle is a beautiful love song, while What Goes On is a fun, country inspired jam. Of course, In My Life is one of those special songs that will really affect you in different ways at different times of your life. What a tune. Overall, I don't have a lot of notes and these 35 minutes fly by. 4.5/5, rounded UP to a 5. Favs: Norwegian Wood Nowhere Man In My Life Least Fav: Run For Your Life

High As A Mountain, Deep As A River 1001 Albums Generator 174 (12/2/2025) I wish that I cared more about Ray Charles. I understand that he is super influential, but this old style of big band/vocal jazz is just so boring to me. Vocally, it reminds me of the Frank Sinatra album I had recently, which is to say, the vocals themselves are mint quality. The humbly titled The Genius Of Ray Charles is a collection of standards, with the first half being largely bombastic big band arrangements and the second half being ballads. Both sides have a couple of great songs, but most of the songs here are really nothing to write home about. Let The Good Times Roll and Alexander's Ragtime Band are my favorites off the first half. The latter is especially fun. Don't Let The Sun Catch You Cryin' and the hit Come Rain Or Come Shine are my favorites off the second half. Pretty much every other song I could leave. Even choosing a least favorite is hard because, like on In The Wee Small Hours, most songs are approximately interchangeable. I guess Am I Blue is pretty boring. I don't know man, neither Ray Charles album on the list spoke to me at all. 2/5. Favs: Let The Good Times Roll Alexander's Ragtime Band Come Rain Or Come Shine Least Fav: Am I Blue

Something Takes A Part Of Me 1001 Albums Generator 175 (12/3/2025) I don't want to do this right now... This week started out so good, I finished my Master's class with an A and got to relisten to Rubber Soul. Now I'm spending over $1000 on car repairs and all I have to show for it is this lousy Korn album. Look at this fucking thing. Look at the stupid, edgy album cover. Take it in. You're gonna be looking at it for over an hour. This list's metal choices piss me off. Death, TOOL, Deftones, Opeth, and Gojira, just to name a few obvious ones (not to mention personal favorites like Deathspell Omega, Blood Incantation, and Between The Buried And Me), are all omitted. Luckily, we have room for Korn, Limp Bizkit, Linkin Park, and Kid FUCKING Rock. Anyway, honestly the first few songs on Follow The Leader made me think this might not be so bad. Follow The Leader is unfortunately a classic and Got The Life was surprisingly good too, but much like the children on the cover, the album falls off a cliff around Children of the Korn and never comes back. Every time Jonathan Davis does that retarded thing with his voice (you know the thing), I die. All In the Family is so dumb and I'm laughing at it, not with it, but it makes total sense that this is the song that Fred Durst is on. I guess it's a "strong 1", since the first 4 songs are "technically" alright, but I'm just kinda pissed off that I had to listen to this. Favs: Freak On A Leash Got The Life Dead Bodies Everywhere Least Fav: All In The Family

She Moves In Mysterious Ways 1001 Albums Generator 176 (12/4/2025) Achtung Baby is the final U2 album that has seen consistent praise from critics, and it's not unfounded. This album, especially its first half, is made up of some really nice pop/rock songs. The biggest hit is by far "One", which is actually one of my least favorites here. Songs like Even Better Than The Real Thing and Until The End Of The World are absolutely huge. Edge gets dismissed as a guitarist because he uses delay pedals a lot, but the guitar on this album is consistently great. Who's Gonna Ride Your Horses is perhaps the most similar to U2's 80's style of Big Music, but its got a bit of a heartland/Springsteen thing going for it too. So Cruel is my least favorite song on the album. The almost trip-hop beat is just dated and not great. However, The Fly is like proto-shoegaze and Mysterious Ways is one of the most danceable songs on the album. Unfortunately, after this, the album is largely forgettable and starts feeling way too long. Besides Acrobat, the last four songs all blended together for me. Achtung Baby was a pleasant surprise for a guy who has always dismissed U2, perhaps unfairly, but the album has some glaring issues, especially in its second half. 3.5/5, rounded up to a 4. Favs: Until The End Of The World The Fly Mysterious Ways Least Fav: So Cruel

If Only I'd Thought Of The Right Words 1001 Albums Generator 177 (12/5/2025) Disintegration is largely considered to be the greatest album by The Cure, and there is certainly good reason for that. Between Lovesong, Lullaby, Pictures of You, and Plainsong, you've got four of the biggest songs the band ever did (which is ironic considering Robert Smith had a distaste for the band's newfound success and wanted Disintegration to be less accessible), and there are some truly excellent deeper cuts on this thing, like the title track and Closedown. The atmosphere of this album is so ethereal, but in a very dark way; it's really one of the gloomiest albums I've ever heard. Musically, these compositions are extremely washed out and dense in their production, with countless layers of heavily effected guitars on top of a loud echo-y drumkit and deep basslines. As much as I love this album, there are a few songs I'm not a big fan of, most notably the closing track, Untitled, which sits at the end of this 72 minute album and just doesn't really introduce any new or notable ideas to my ears. Overall, some parts of this album can drag on a bit, but it is still really good, and if I were a more depressed person, I would love this album even more. As it is, 4/5. Favs: Plainsong Pictures Of You Lovesong Least Fav: Untitled

Cash Rules Everything Around Me 1001 Albums Generator 178 (12/8/2025) Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) is pretty much the only album by legendary hiphop collective Wu-Tang Clan that I've ever heard anyone talk about. I've given this album a lot of tries, but I always walk away with the same opinion: it's alright. The beats are pretty consistently great and the opening 1-2 punch of Bring Da Ruckus to Shame On A Nigga really gets my hopes up every time I come back to this thing. Unfortunately, I really do not like the skits here and I especially hate that they aren't even split onto their own tracks, so I can't add any of these songs to playlists really. It's funny because a lot of songs here get a like from me, so it looks like I enjoy the album more than I really do. Most songs go on too long, especially Can It All Be So Simple, Method Man, and Protect Ya Neck. However, as I mentioned before, the beats are amazing; The RZA is such a great producer. Beats like C.R.E.A.M. and Wu-Tang Clan Ain't Nuthing ta F' Wit have become all time classics of the genre, and Tearz has always been a personal favorite. It has always felt weird that I don't love this album as much as everyone else, but I just don't get it. I see 36 Chambers as a pretty decent collection of classic New York hiphop tunes, but it seems that the consensus on it is that it's one of the greatest albums ever. I just don't get it. 3.5/5, rounded down to a 3. Favs: Bring Da Ruckus C.R.E.A.M. Tearz Least Fav: Can It All Be So Simple/Intermission