I suspect a lot of listeners were introduced to Nick Drake when 'Pink Moon' was so perfectly captured in that ad for Volkswagon that ran in the early 2000s. It was my first introduction. Listening to this album years later it's pretty clear that lyrically this album is a bunch of the nonsense the Folk generation was writing in those years. The songs in and of themselves aren't terribly well composed. The only real memorable track is Pink Moon. And had he not cut his life terribly short, would Drake managed to make it into classic status and not relegated to the halls of one-hit-wonder? It's hard to speculate, BUT what I do know is this album is a complete vibe; a perfect listen curled up with a hot bevy on a cold autumn day. It's the vibe, people!

What an energetic debut. First half doesn't nearly hold up as well as the back half of the album which feels more polished and realized. But let's face it, Pretenders hinges on those deep tones of that one-of-a-kind voice from Chrissie Hyndes. With all due respect to her bandmates, she IS the Pretenders.

Nothing says I'm no longer part of a musical duo than posting a close-up of your mug in a parka as the album cover. This is Simon publicly announcing his new direction as a solo artist, and it couldn't be clearer from the reggae inspired beats of the opening track 'Mother and Child Reunion', just one of his legacy hits. The rest of the album is filled with pep and playful lyrics. There's no doubt this continues to forge the path of a masterful storyteller with music that forecasts the international flavor that would in fuse his music throughout his career.

Here's the thing...I didn't love this. But I couldn't help but really be drawn in by its concept and really far out lyrics. Musically the middling songs are just middling. But when the hits hit, it's a rocker. Suffragette City is a banger that's still stuck on the brain.

Metal with a lot of polish. The clean blends and multi-tracking make this a perfect listen on headphones. A handful of hits with a few new deep track finds. This was a pleasant surprise.

3 1/2 Stars. Solid debut with some groovy tracks. Shout-out to the session musicians that make this whole thing work.

I was never a Hole fan during my grunge days, so I wasn't terribly excited to revisit this album. But after all these years later, the sound actually holds up, while Courtney Love's voice is nearly as grating as I remember. There's even a few more tracks beyond the hits that sound pretty great.

Who knew half of 'Psycho Killer' was in French. Bouncy, light, silly but ultimately a pretty forgettable record.

THIS is why I love this project! Finding hidden gems like this Dolly album that I would've never listened to in a million years. Her writing is simple but earnest and heartfelt. Not to mention catchy as all get out. It's no wonder Dolly is such a nation treasure.

I'm not a fan of Live albums, but this put me in those 70s house party vibes with the smell of weed and Budweiser wafting in the air while trying to talk with friends over that Frampton guitar. Quality stuff here.

3 1/2 Stars: I'm all for the distorted guitar sounds of bluesy rockin' roll, but much like AC/DC, I could never sit down and listen to a full hour-long record of it for fun. Good for bits and bites and crafting a playlist, but a full length Black Keys "album" will never be a go-to for me.

I always thought I didn't like Wu-Tang and that's without having ever listened to them. Rap and Hip-Hop has never been my thing so I've avoided it. Where the hell has this album been all my life. Raw and Lo-Fi with nonsense skits and lyrics. Sorry I came to this record so late. It will fuel my workouts for years to come.

A wholly unique and hypnotic voice, it's unfortunate that Armatrading isn't more well known today than she was in her time. The songs on this self-titled record aren't necessarily "radio-friendly"; Her melodies aren't exactly ear worms, but the production is impeccable and the writing is honest and heartfelt. This has been a nice little find as part of this 1001 project.