136
Albums Rated
3.52
Average Rating
12%
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953 albums remaining
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1950s
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16
5-Star Albums
2
1-Star Albums
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You Love More Than Most
Albums you rated higher than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gold | 5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
| Under Construction | 5 | 3.14 | +1.86 |
| Coat Of Many Colors | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
| Aja | 5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
| The Atomic Mr Basie | 5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
| Raising Hell | 5 | 3.51 | +1.49 |
| The Gershwin Songbook | 5 | 3.53 | +1.47 |
| Band On The Run | 5 | 3.67 | +1.33 |
| New Boots And Panties | 4 | 2.7 | +1.3 |
| Automatic For The People | 5 | 3.82 | +1.18 |
You Love Less Than Most
Albums you rated lower than global average
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| E.V.O.L. | 1 | 2.89 | -1.89 |
| Hail To the Thief | 2 | 3.44 | -1.44 |
| Raw Power | 2 | 3.32 | -1.32 |
| Trout Mask Replica | 1 | 2.28 | -1.28 |
| Entertainment | 2 | 3.25 | -1.25 |
Artist Analysis
Favorite Artists
Artists with 2+ albums
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Stevie Wonder | 3 | 4.67 |
5-Star Albums (16)
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Popular Reviews
Sonic Youth
1/5
Remember that friend from school who started teaching himself guitar in his bedroom and then started a band with some other friends a month later and now they're playing their first "show" at the VFW and excitedly shoving a flier in your hands cuz "you're gonna come, right? RIGHT?" Yeah, that's how Sonic Youth sounds to me. If there's a Master Key to understanding this band I'd love to see it because they make no sense to me.
1 likes
Ian Dury
4/5
This is the album version of that old adage "The more I drink, the prettier she gets!". Seriously, 'New Boots and Panties' starts off okay, but the deeper I got into the record, the more raucous, crazy and fun it gets to the point where I actually enjoyed Ian Dury's voice. All the musicians and song compositions are crazy good too. This was a nice little discovery.
1 likes
Beatles
5/5
I had no idea the back half of this record (or side B of the vinyl) was a medley of many songs. That's what I love about this project. I've been learning so much about records I've been listening to for ages.
1 likes
Missy Elliott
5/5
This swept me right back to TRL when Missy videos played back-to-back with Limp Biscuit and Brittany Spears and Three Doors Down. What a time to be alive! Timbaland beats, Missy's rhymes, this album is Phat! Could've done without the long, rambling intro and outro. It's really kinda silly and breaks the flow of the album, but whatever. Missy can do what she wants.
1 likes
Kings of Leon
3/5
3 1/2: Listen, Sex on Fire and Use Somebody are soaring rock bangers carried by the crackly cry of lead singer Caleb Followill. I had this album back in the day and I never really dug deeper than those 2 tracks. But I was glad to revisit this record as this week's assignment. The rest of the album is pretty middling, but their are a few other standout tracks including Notion. I've lost track of the band. Are they still even making music anymore?!
1 likes
1-Star Albums (2)
All Ratings
Led Zeppelin
4/5
Nick Drake
3/5
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!
Pretenders
3/5
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.
Paul Simon
4/5
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.
4/5
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.
Queen
4/5
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.
Simply Red
3/5
3 1/2 Stars. Solid debut with some groovy tracks. Shout-out to the session musicians that make this whole thing work.
Hole
3/5
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.
Talking Heads
3/5
Who knew half of 'Psycho Killer' was in French. Bouncy, light, silly but ultimately a pretty forgettable record.
Dolly Parton
5/5
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.
The Dictators
3/5
Peter Frampton
4/5
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.
The Black Keys
3/5
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.
Wu-Tang Clan
4/5
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.
Joan Armatrading
4/5
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.
Beth Orton
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: I haven't listened to this album since my college days and it's still the same moody listen carried by Orton's unique vocals. The only downside is the album starts to sound "samey" after a while. To top it off it's got an hour runtime, so by the 30-minute mark I was ready to move on. Still, her sound might make a good first listen for the uninitiated.
Mekons
2/5
It's not unlistenable, but it certainly sounds like a relic from a time and place. Lyrics touching on topics of War and Labor during 1980s UK is standard fare for the time. I favored the back half of the album where the songs are shorter and much more catchy. I appreciate being exposed to this album, but I certainly never need to hear it again.
The Strokes
3/5
It cannot be overstated how much of a juggernaut this album and band was when it came out. That raw garage band sound. The upbeat rhythms so sorely needed in the shadow of 9/11. But I never could REALLY get into The Strokes. There was a sort of NYC It-Band Pretentiousness that seemed to permeate their image and the hipster crowds that ate it all up. A silly reason to dismiss a band, but it all just kind of annoyed me. Listening back I appreciate their upbeat tempos, syncopated lyrics and general rawness, but it's still the type of record I'd borrow a few tracks for a mix tape, and not the kind of record I'd spin from front to back. Someday and Last Nite were the radio hits, but for me Hard to Explain is the absolute standout on the album.
Fiona Apple
4/5
Incredible debut! Took me right back to my college days where that incredibly sexy video for 'Criminal' played endlessly on MTV's TRL every afternoon. If Tidal has a downfall it's that the back half of the album doesn't quite stand up to the energy of the front half. This a record made for headphones. The production is so vibrant with it's strings and instruments, that's it's easy to not see (or hear) what's right in front of you. Seriously...for those saying this sounds the same, go back and intently listen. You'll be rewarded.
Johnny Cash
3/5
Johnny Cash has never really been my jam, and I just generally hate Live albums, so I'm already going into this with a bad taste. However, you can't help but hear that some sort of history is being made on this recording that It's at least an interesting spin. Love the prisoner reaction to the lyrics and interactions between songs.
R.E.M.
4/5
I can see how 'Murmur' can be dismissed listening with modern ears, but in its time there's no mistaking this was a helluva debut. Garage band vibes with a pop underbelly. Lyrics that make no damn sense whatsoever. It's no wonder this was the grandfather of Indie Rock. 'Moral Kiosk' has to be the most underrated unreleased radio track on an album ever!
The Rolling Stones
4/5
The Stones aren't generally my jam. I truly don't get their appeal and have always chalked it up to Boomerism-you-had-to-be-there sound. But 'Exile...' straight up sounds like a helluva fun basement party, and I'm here for it. Bluesy rock, playful lyrics. It all sounds like brewskis with the babes and bros with the stereo cranked to 11. They're still not for me, but I had fun with this.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
3/5
In college, I played in a short-lived band called The Spazzo Funk Monkeys. 'Stir it Up' was part of our catalogue. I thought we did an okay job as a 4-man band of drums, guitar and horns. All this to say this was my favorite song to play as a Funk Monkey and is without a doubt the strongest track on this album. Unfortunately the rest of the songs sound like politically minded filler in a career that pumped out some of the absolute best reggae. I'll probably never find my way back to this record again. Those Spazzo Funk Monkeys, however...
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
The Zutons
3/5
A poor man's Modest Mouse. That seems harsh, but it's got that same playful earworm sound, but not quite as elevated. Light, digestible, but ultimately forgettable.
Bruce Springsteen
3/5
I'm being a little generous with my rating. I get how important this album is to Springsteen's career and it's place in Rock history, but even at 8 songs it all sounds so...middling. Born to Run is the highlight. and Jungleland is pretty great but sounds like a rip-off of a Billy Joel song. But the rest is just all so-so. I don't know. Maybe I'll revisit at a later date and change my mind.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
I only knew the hits, but so many other exceptional tracks hidden within this album. And to learn Stevie played nearly all instruments on most of the tracks?! No wonder it's considered an all time classic.
The Stooges
2/5
2 1/2 Stars: Hard to believe this was the seed for Punk Rock. It's much more melodic and not quite as raw as I was expecting. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it. Probably the first album since I started this project that didn't elicit much of a feeling about it one way or the other.
Jimmy Smith
4/5
Finally!!! I was wondering when I was gonna see a jazz artist on Blue Note with engineering from the great Rudy Van Gelder. And even though I'm not terribly familiar with Jimmy Smith, there's no denying this is great lazy Sunday afternoon listening. This is a great entry point for jazz -- not terribly heavy on the riffing and improv. Just enough to feel the back and forth and vibing. Bring on more from Blue Note!
Throbbing Gristle
2/5
So here's the thing...My initial reaction like many on here was to immediately dismiss this album as garbage. BUT if music is considered auditory art, then I've got to at least consider this as an art form. It may not be a Caravaggio or Picasso or Jackson Pollack, but it is a banana duct taped to a wall so it's gotta be for someone out there, right? I was dreading listening to something so experimental, but it's not 100% terrible and there are maybe 2 tracks that I find at least tolerable and listenable. Not for me, but I think I understand it's place in "music" history.
Method Man
3/5
I don't think I've ever head a love song done as rap. Great flows. Great production. I could come back to this one for sure.
Faust
2/5
2 1/2 Stars: This has been a weird week for 1001 generator picks. Can you throw me something somewhat normal today, please?!
The Isley Brothers
3/5
Great grooves, harmonies and musicianship. Half of these songs you'll recognize as covers or originals written by other artists (James Taylor, Seals and Croft, Doobie Bros.). Good tracks for a mixtape.
Earth, Wind & Fire
4/5
Pretty sure if everyone on Earth set their alarms to Shining Star we'd reach world peace fast than you know!
3/5
Stripped down garage rock/punk isn't my jam and I generally despise Live albums, but there's a lot of spirit in this concert recording from these grandfathers to punk music, that it's actually not half bad. It's raw, unfiltered, kinda messy sounding, but certainly not unlistenable. I doubt I'll ever come back to it, but I appreciate it for being in this collection.
The Beach Boys
4/5
There's some real clunkers on this late Beach Boys attempt at being socially conscious. There's a song that's an ode to caring for you feet. Seriously! And a homage to our oceans and how bathing pollutes them. Uhh...okay Hippie. But it's the back half of the record that really gets going. In fact, Feel Flows has to be one of the best Beach Boys songs I've never heard of. It's got some pretty out there lyrics, but the production and melody are incredible. All in all, Surf's Up is uneven, but the highs hit really high.
Funkadelic
4/5
This has one best album covers of all-time! Although I had never actually listened to the album until now, I'm very familiar with the album cover which has stoked my curiosity for years. Not much for lyrics, but these songs pack a lot of badass funkery. This is a feel-good vibe record that will go firmly into my regular rotation.
Steely Dan
5/5
I played Steely Dan when I was a jock on the radio ages ago, and for the longest time I just didn't "get" them. Then I stumbled upon their Live album and it all popped into view like one of those 3-D Illusion pictures. Donald Fagen, Walter Becker, and the whole lot are quintessential musicians and understanding that makes me finally understand their entire catalogue. The lyrics are somewhat goofy, and Fagen's voice isn't the greatest, but the musicianship is off the fuckin' charts, and it's all over Aja. I'm disheartened by all the negative reviews, but hopefully people will find their way back to Steely Dan over and over until they finally "get" it. Also, Michael McDonald on background vocals for the Win!
The Byrds
3/5
2 1/2 Stars: Listen, it sounds like a classic country album, but the lyrics at times makes it sound like a parody of a country album -- most likely earnest at the time, but plays differently for modern ears. I just don't know why anybody would choose this record when there are so many other elevated artists of the era.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
I made it 22 minutes in and had to bail. It’s like listening to a homeless man beating on pots and pans and speaking gibberish. Who is this even for?!!
Count Basie & His Orchestra
5/5
Green Day
4/5
Van Halen
4/5
This was the age of MTV, Baby! Some real bangers on this record. And what's the deal with all these 1-star reviews? Are you kidding me?! Those Van Halen guitar solos, the tailpipe-imitating drumming opener on Hot for Teacher, David Lee Roth's undeniable charisma, the glorious synth solo on Jump? It's all so glorious and worth so much more than a measly one-star. Who's letting the plebs vote around here?!
John Martyn
3/5
5 stars for rhyming 'Romancing' and 'Fancypantsing'. 1 star for his inability to enunciate. 3 star average for average songs.
Missy Elliott
5/5
This swept me right back to TRL when Missy videos played back-to-back with Limp Biscuit and Brittany Spears and Three Doors Down. What a time to be alive! Timbaland beats, Missy's rhymes, this album is Phat! Could've done without the long, rambling intro and outro. It's really kinda silly and breaks the flow of the album, but whatever. Missy can do what she wants.
Beatles
5/5
I had no idea the back half of this record (or side B of the vinyl) was a medley of many songs. That's what I love about this project. I've been learning so much about records I've been listening to for ages.
Electric Light Orchestra
4/5
Undeniable sound and genius from Jeff Lynne. Production is impeccable. Pretty solid record front to back, but there is some filler inside. 'Summer and Lightning' is one of the best ELO tracks I've never heard.
Richard Thompson
3/5
2 1/2 Stars: This album sounds like the color beige.
Björk
4/5
Sure, the lyrics are a little simple like they were taken from a lovesick high school girls diary, but the tribal beats and orchestrations and Bjork’s one of a kind vocal shouting make this Debut a pitch perfect…err…debut!
Pink Floyd
5/5
I played the hell out of this album when I worked in radio years ago, and it's seared into my soul. That David Gilmour guitar hits those pockets like no other. What a record!
Sabu
3/5
This is the type of music that probably plays better in a live setting that to sit and listen through a pair of headphones. It's all fine. Lots of energy, but pretty percussion focused in very specific niche of music (afro-cuban) that will probably only appeal to a certain audience. I enjoyed listening to it, but have no need to revisit this album anytime soon or ever for that matter.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Doesn't sound nearly as dated as all the other reviewers are making it out. Cohen is a definite vibe with his low, growl. Some decent tracks with the outstanding Everybody Knows as the highlight. A few forgettable considering it's only 8 songs long.
Anthrax
4/5
For years I thought this devil worship music, and to think all they wanted to sing about was the plight of the Native Americans. Who knew?!
Radiohead
2/5
What felt daring and important in its time comes off pretentious and depressing quite frankly. I've never liked Radiohead from their Beep-and-Boop era on, so I wasn't bound to like this. Come to think of it, I'm pretty sure I bought this CD when it came out, but never even cracked it open. I'm such a completist that way. I guarantee there isn't a soul alive who has a hankering to listen to 'Hail to the Thief' on a Saturday afternoon. Would be nice to see Thom Yorke and crew come out with a record lambasting their own authoritarian government at the present moment, but identity politics only works one direction, I guess.
Jimi Hendrix
5/5
Just my little gay self listening to 'Purple Haze' singing at the top of my lungs 'Scuse me while I kiss this guy!
Pentangle
3/5
This is giving 1970s me doing construction paper and Elmer glue crafts at my babysitters while watching Marian the Librarian on PBS and listening to her talk about the dangers of talking to strangers. In other words, it's a vibe. Good musicianship, but I'll probably never visit this again.
Guns N' Roses
4/5
When this album's good...it's very good. And when it's not, it's just okay. The hits are the heights of Appetite for Destruction. Axl's vocals on Welcome to the Jungle are killer. And that Slash opener in Sweet Child O'Mine sends electricity to my soul. It's the rest of the record, the songs that didn't chart, that are just so-so. Regardless, this is worthy of this 1001 project.
Elis Regina
3/5
They way I felt like I was shopping in an early 80s Brazilian mall listening to this record.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
3.5 Stars: After years of playing the Stones on the air, and listening to classic rock radio, and hearing their hits on various playlists...I still can't find my way into this band. I've tried and I just don't get it. Their music's fine, but overall it's just not for me. Don't get me wrong. The writing on this record is great. And the hits on Beggars Banquet are the best in their oeuvre, but I can't help chalk the group as a whole as a "you just had to be there" type of band.
Stan Getz
3/5
3.5 Stars: It's an ambrosia salad while smoking a Chesterfield at a swinger's party kinda album. I prefer my jazz with far more improvisation and riffing off one another. But if you're looking for something as more of an easy entry to Jazz music, you can't do any better than Jazz Samba.
Sade
4/5
Sade is the nightclub singer in an 80s film noir. Slinky, black dress, diamond earrings while singing over the saxophone in a smoke-filled room. Sade is a vibe, and if you weren't there, you have no idea how much this album and this sound dominated the early 80s. Sure, it sounds a little dated, but the instruments are tight on this record, and her vocals are sexy and unmistakable. This really was the certain sound of an era.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I've spent my entire life avoiding Black Sabbath mainly due to the myth (Not entirely interested in a band that bites heads of bats) and because "Hard" metal wasn't my thing. Happy to say this project forced me into listening to my first Black Sabbath record and it was...pretty good. Excellent musicianship and the lyrics were surprisingly insightful. I look forward to digging into more of their work.
Scott Walker
3/5
Never heard of the guy so it was nice to get introduced to an artist I've never heard of. Lots of mid-tempo ballads with a Barry Manilow flair. Strangely his singing from stanzas and chorus follow the same the vocal inflections and notes with no deviating. At times, it felt like you were listening to the same lines on repeat over and over again. All in all, I'm glad I know about Scott Walker, but doubt I'll ever seek out his music.
The Kinks
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Has the upbeat, earworm of Beatle-like pop of the era, but lacks the overall depth and polish. Still a lot of fun to listen to. Can't beat a full album of 2 minute pop ditties.
The Killers
4/5
Not a lot of albums have a solid 5-track run of really great radio hits. Hot Fuss comes in hot and doesn't let up. It's just that the rest of the album is made up of 5 very forgettable and 2 moderately interesting songs. The sound of this band was so fresh at the time -- a sort of garage band edge surrounded by synths -- that it was almost a you-had-to-be-there kinda of musical moment if this record isn't connecting with you. Listening back it sweeps me to a particular time and place and it will always hold a special place in my heart.
Merle Haggard
3/5
A perfectly amiable classic country voice and album. Wasn’t particularly moved nor turned off, so just gets an average rating from me.
ZZ Top
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Bluesy ZZ Top is just as good if not better than their turn into Adult Rock in the 80s. Tres Hombres is a good mix of bangers and middling tracks. But c'mon...La Grange is one of the all-time great songs, rock, blues or otherwise. It's what makes this record.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
I know nothing about the Velvet Underground, so I was excited for this to pop up in my assignment since I knew this was a blindspot in my music knowledge. Sadly, this was not at all what I had in mind. Slow-to-midtempo songs with repetitive choruses. Nothing entirely memorable while some tracks are just downright bizarre (The Murder Mystery). I'm not surprised at all this band doesn't get ANY radio airplay and never makes it to mix tapes. It's all so middling. Why does their reputation precede them?! Hopefully, I'll find out if I get another assignment for The Velvet Underground.
Ella Fitzgerald
5/5
I'll confess, I only got to the halfway mark on this tome. I fully intend to go back and complete. This is a project! But I think a lot of the low star reviews are missing the forest for the trees here. Yeah, it's Fitzgerald and her silky beautiful voice is the star. But let's not dismiss the great American songbook of the Gershwins. Playful, soulful, undeniable songwriting here. And the orchestrations are top-notch. All 3 of these players bring this great project to life. It's a LOT to listen to all at once, but my journey through these 60 tracks has been lovely.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Wow! Tight production, tight playing. All the themes we expect from Stevie in Love, Religion, and the lived Black experience. It's just so damn good. This record was made for headphones. I will be coming back to this one often.
Arcade Fire
3/5
3 1/2 stars: Makes me feel like I'm back in Colorado in the early 2000s at the dawn of the hipster revolution sipping craft beer at Red Rocks. Not every song works but they'll all sound EPIC. It's their signature I guess.
The Stone Roses
4/5
I'm a Gen Xer, but I never made it around to listening to the Stone Roses in their day. Incredible how this 90s sound took me right back to my butt-part hair and baggy jeans and sweatshirt days. Solid record front-to-back. However, a little of that wall-of-sound composition goes a long way.
Elastica
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Honestly, I don't know if this is an album you MUST listen to before you die, but by the time you hit 'Connection' queues up, I'm glad it kinda is. Tight little 2.5 minute pop-punk ditties. Great vocals and tight production. A one-hit wonder with an album full of other gems.
Underworld
3/5
Perfectly fine techno beats. Yes, the first two tracks alone equal 30 minutes of an 8-track album, but so what. Press play and focus on the task in front of you. It fueled my workout today. Thanks Underworld.
The Clash
4/5
Shocked to find so many influences throughout, Blues, Raggae, Pop. End-to-end 3 minute catchy tunes, although Strummer's naggy punk voice kinda wears halfway through. I've only ever know their hits. Glad an intentional listen opened up this classic album for me.
Rush
4/5
Prog-Rock Libertarians with wonky time signatures, excellent writing and overall musicianship. What's not to love?
Cornershop
3/5
It’s as if I’m writing code in a Mumbai cafe. Lo-fi Indian beats. I always wondered if there were more beyond Brimful…the answer is not much.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
Wow! All these years I thought I didn't like Elvis Costello, then comes this assignment and I'm floored. Lyrically weird and playful. Excellent compositions and a fun, mid-tempo record overall. A little overstuffed, but who cares? I'll definitely be revisiting this soon.
Ryan Adams
5/5
The power of this album is found in its release date. Dropping weeks after the Twin Towers fell, it was the perfect salve for a shocked, and grieving America mostly anchored by that opening track New York. 'Gold' takes me back to such a specific time and place and age, that I hold it so dear to my heart. It's got an incredible opener of 8 solid tracks. The back half of the album is a little middling and overly long, but still quite good. Ryan's career was never able to quite reach the heights of 'Gold', but this album was so terribly needed than all the unremarkable and unfair reviews on this site would care to admit.
Beatles
4/5
I mean even the throwaway tracks aren’t terrible enough to throw away.
Adele
4/5
Production a tad overwrought and polished to appease those AC radio listeners, but that voice makes even the middling tracks on this record soar.
Giant Sand
2/5
Never heard of this album or band and I'm Gen X. I'm sure this sounded right for its time. But at 16 tracks, interest wanes 5 tracks in. No wonder it's barely survived its era.
The Police
4/5
It's weird but I always hate the production they put on Sting's voice so it sounds like his breathy, upper level tone is singing into an echoey, empty hall. It's why I've never really liked The Police. But damn, can these cats jam. Great musicianship and even their deep cuts on this album sound fresh and exciting.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: What a killer one-two punch with those opening tracks. Zero and Heads Will Roll are absolute, bounce on the dancefloor bangers. Sadly, the rest of the album never reaches those same heights. The audio equivalent of blowing your load early.
R.E.M.
5/5
R.E.M. had a magnificent 5-album run starting with Green and ending with the highly underrated New Adventures in Hi-Fi, but Automatic For the People is the absolute peak of that wave -- a masterpiece in their oeuvre. Not much to add that's already been said a million times before, but listening to this album for the umpteenth time I hear really outstanding production front to back. I hadn't listened to this one in a while, so I was pleased to see it pop up as my daily assignment.
Kings of Leon
3/5
3 1/2: Listen, Sex on Fire and Use Somebody are soaring rock bangers carried by the crackly cry of lead singer Caleb Followill. I had this album back in the day and I never really dug deeper than those 2 tracks. But I was glad to revisit this record as this week's assignment. The rest of the album is pretty middling, but their are a few other standout tracks including Notion. I've lost track of the band. Are they still even making music anymore?!
Sonic Youth
1/5
Remember that friend from school who started teaching himself guitar in his bedroom and then started a band with some other friends a month later and now they're playing their first "show" at the VFW and excitedly shoving a flier in your hands cuz "you're gonna come, right? RIGHT?" Yeah, that's how Sonic Youth sounds to me. If there's a Master Key to understanding this band I'd love to see it because they make no sense to me.
Paul McCartney and Wings
5/5
It's kinda silly but this album has some of my favorite cover artwork of all time. Band on the Run is catchy as all hell and the production is tight, tight, tight. What's not to love about this record?!
Nine Inch Nails
3/5
This album came out when I was in high school and listening to its nihilistic (albeit amateur) lyricism, I can't imagine a record like this being released in this current age of the male loneliness epidemic. It's angry, and violent evil and hopeless. So let's set that aside, and listen to the music which is...okay. Aside from 'Closer' which continues do be an absolute badass track 30 years later, the last 3 tracks make up for what's a pretty not-so-great record overall. Interestingly enough, Trent Reznor's current foray into movie scores is the more interesting version of him, in my opinion.
Johnny Cash
4/5
There's a rawness and vulnerability in this late album from Cash. At 15 tracks it's also overly long. Not all the covers work, but damn, does Hurt hit just as hard as it did the first time I saw the video air on MTV at 4 am all those years ago. Also, administrators getting cheeky scheduling this the day after I received The Downward Spiral as my album of the day.
The Roots
3/5
Hip Hop's not my thing, but this was a perfectly amiable album albeit a little long.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
This is the band playing in every bar scene from movies in the early 80s.
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
4/5
Wow! I could take or leave Nick Cave's voice, but the poetry of the lyrics, the lush orchestrations, the gospel choir back-ups...It all blew my socks off even at a 90-minute runtime. I'll revisit this one in the future for sure.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
We're talking a near front-to-back album of hits. Not just Fleetwood Mac hits, but the greatest songs in their catalogue altogether. So much fuckin' talent -- Mick's drumming on The Chain and Go Your Own Way give me goosies. Solid production, and an all-time memorable album cover. No wonder this is consistently a Top 10 record of all time.
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Third Stevie album since I started this project a few months ago. Like I get it. Stevie’s one of the best. Can we get some more jazz please?!!
Slade
3/5
Neil Young
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: The second best Young album featuring 'Harvest' in the title. I almost feel like an appreciation for Neil Young is found in the you-had-to-be-there-in-the-moment. It's a unique voice, but let's face it, not great. The hits here are all-timers, but I almost feel like it's the tracks 'Alabama' or 'Words' are what make the record overall a little more interesting.
Alice In Chains
4/5
Another one of those albums that if you weren't there at the time you probably don't get. The grunge sound hit hard and fast in the 90s and Alice in Chains was at the front of the pack. Some surprisingly good writing here and the hits are really solid. It's just at 13 tracks that heavy, dark sound starts to wear especially with most songs pushing 5-6 minutes.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
'Rehab' never did much for me, and because it was the lead single of this record, I only had a mild interest in Winehouse. It's really too bad, because if any other track on this record had been released I woulda been sucked in hook, line, and sinker. Lush production, and has their ever been a voice more suitable for a music style?! I wouldn't say I'm late to the game on Amy Winehouse. It's just that this project really forcing me to listen has made me a fan.
Afrika Bambaataa
3/5
This album is like The Blair Witch Project -- Very low budget, lo-fi but effective. And like that movie, it's place in hip-hop history is notable, but not necessarily something I want to go back to all the time. It's a genre placeholder. A historical piece. And at only 7 tracks pushing nearly 7 minutes each, it's only good in bits and pieces.
Love
3/5
Sounds like the special guest star band on an episode of Scooby Doo Where Are You?
Arcade Fire
4/5
Crazy good debut with poetic lyrics and a wall of sound that just sounds gorgeously epic. Wake Me and Rebellious are all time greats.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Not me waving a middle finger with one hand while holding my burning draft card in the other!
Steely Dan
4/5
This to me sounds like the most accessible Steely Dan has ever been. A more "traditional" pop song structure. Short, Catchy and not as much time devoted to solos. The solo work is always what I appreciated about the band, so maybe this one isn't my favorite, but their skilled musicians and I'll listen to them any way I can get them.
Bad Brains
3/5
That guitar sound spoke directly to my little Gen X heart. As a whole, It's all just kinda okay. I would've blasted the hell outta this from my Toyota Corolla back in the day.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Listen, I get the Rolling Stones in terms of their cultural impact and history. I get why their music speaks to a certain generation, but they just aren't for me. Even some of their best tracks don't move me one way or the other. I appreciate their music but at the end of the day I've determined they just aren't my taste. All that to say Sticky Fingers was okay, just like a lot of their music, for me.
Crowded House
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: A perfectly cromulent album. Nice harmonies and some clever writing. Catchy tracks, but nothing that really sticks with you long-term. It's perfectly...fine.
David Bowie
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Heroes is probably my favorite Bowie song. The rest of the album is solid but never reaches the heights of that single. Brian Enos orchestral tracks are actually the highlight of the album for me.
The Temptations
4/5
Great vocals. Great compositions. Glad I found my way to this album.
Astrud Gilberto
3/5
Love the jazzy samba vibes, and although Astrud doesn't have the greatest voice, it tonally fits the sound and era. My only gripe is the uneveness of the tracks. One minute I'm touring the 1960s Italian countryside, the next I'm in a collegiate marching band...What?!! Anyway, It mostly succeeds and with each track at 2 1/2 minutes tops, it's a pretty breezy listen.
Madonna
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: It's undeniable what a huge commercial and critical success Ray of Light was at the time. This follow up found our Queen of Pop dabbling in European EDM and it's really kinda strange on one hand, but pretty great on the other. Don't Tell Me and Music are highlights, but it's the dirty electro sound of Impressive Instant that gets me. I love this album as the marker it serves in my own life.
Femi Kuti
4/5
Activism disguised as some really great fuckin' afro-dance music. I prefer Kuti's next album 'Shoki Shoki', but really you can't go wrong with any of it.
Black Sabbath
3/5
What's this metal obsession with Wizards?! Great licks and Ozzy has a surprisingly good voice.
Rush
4/5
That 20 minute opener is a hard sell, but you have to remember it in the context of the age of vinyl where that opus played on one whole side of an album. It helps to know it's story before trying to decipher the lyrics of its sci-fi concept. The rest of the album is rounded out by some tight tracks with some truly exceptional musicianship. I didn't recognize and hit singles from the album, but if you enjoy hearing musicians excel at their craft, this is a great record for you.
Skunk Anansie
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: The reason I'm listening through this project. Skunk Anansie was a band I've heard of forever, but hadn't ever heard a single song from. Honestly, it's just a band that never got radio play in the U.S. Glad I finally got this introduction. Excellent late 90's alt-rock sound with a fantastic lead vocalist. I'm excited to explore more.
3/5
My history with Blur started at Parklife, so visiting this early record was interesting. It's an odd mix...some nice Brit-pop although not many radio-ready hits. All in all, there's not a lot that's very memorable. It's almost like the album they play on the overhead in a used record shop.
Beatles
3/5
You can hear something special trying to break out of the cliche' pop ditties they were pumpin' out in those days. Surprising to hear just how mid the filler tracks on this album are. What more can be said about a band studied to death?!
The Band
4/5
I don't know if I quite "get" The Band, but all in all these guys are helluva great group of musicians, and I can see why a concert film like The Last Waltz is considered one of the all time greats. I bet The Band was a site to see live. The Brown Album as a whole was solid. Couple of hits while the deeper cuts hold their own with a hint of silliness.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Lyrically it's all a little silly as writers were in that hippie dippie period, but damn, the playing here is 10-stars! And I loved all the wild stereophonic, Left-Right channel he was exploring with in this record. This is a great listen with a good set of headphones.
I think what a lot of 1-star reviewers are missing is context. This was 1 of 3 albums released just weeks following the fall of the Twin Towers on 9/11 that brought peace and healing to a nation that was left truly stunned and grieving what happened to them (Ryan Adams "Gold" and Bruce Springsteen's "The Rising" are the other two). Listen, all in all this isn't the best of U2 by any means, but this album pushes out a great run of 6 solid and highly catchy tracks, and rounds the other 5 out with the most pat and boring pieces of music this band has ever done. Regardless, this album is a memory marker for an important piece of American history and for that, I'm rating it higher than it probably deserves.
The Undertones
4/5
Why have I never heard of this band?!! Too Pop for Punk. Too Punk for Pop. Perfect little bite-sized nuggets of truly great music craftmanship. The Undertones is probably one of my favorite discoveries of this listening journey so far.
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
4/5
With a sigh, I had to hype myself up to settle into some antiquey rock-n-roll. Wow, did I have fun with this record. There's actual craftmanship in building out these ditties. And I'll give that lyrically it's all a little pat, but damn, that Buddy Holly voice is so charismatic. Count me in as a Crickets fan!
Jimi Hendrix
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Generator needs some tweaking. In 2 weeks, I've received 2 Hendrix albums as an assignment out of a 1,001 options! At this point I should be good on good ol' Jimi for a while. Regardless Electric Ladyland is just as good as Hendrix has ever done, although the album was a little bit of a slog to get through. Some editing needed. But it also contains what are undeniably his greatest songs with All Along the Watchtower and Voodoo Child (Slight Return). A bit of a mixed bag overall.
Portishead
3/5
It's perfectly fine. What probably sounded fresh and edgy in the 90s doesn't play as well with today's ears. Dummy stays in one gear over 11 4:00-minute (average) tracks. I'm glad I listened to it, but doubt I'll ever revisit it.
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Who knew Ridiculousness would single-handedly rubber stamp residuals to Devo for all eternity?!
Randy Newman
4/5
This is the Piano Man Billy Joel was singing about.
Gang Of Four
2/5
Little Richard
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: These bops are catchy as hell. That's undeniable. The record starts to sound samey after a while, but with tracks at 3-minutes and under it's no issue to get through the album.
The Smashing Pumpkins
5/5
One of the pillars of Alt-Rock's greatest all-time records. I love the drama on this record. The opening of that solo guitar before exploding into a wall of sound in 'Today'. The quiet breakdowns bookended by the guitar thrashing and drums smashing in 'Geek U.S.A.' and 'Silverfuck'. Siamese Dream has it all. I saw the Pumpkins in concert in the late 90s and Billy Corgan played the shit out of that guitar. What might sound as electric 'noise' has actual talent behind it. This hits all of my Gen X buttons.
Ian Dury
4/5
This is the album version of that old adage "The more I drink, the prettier she gets!". Seriously, 'New Boots and Panties' starts off okay, but the deeper I got into the record, the more raucous, crazy and fun it gets to the point where I actually enjoyed Ian Dury's voice. All the musicians and song compositions are crazy good too. This was a nice little discovery.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: There's a little bit of finger-in-the-cheek cheese about this 60s-era sounds, but damn, do these harmonies wiggle there way in and take hold. Love the whole stereophonic Girls to the left Channel, Guys to the right coming out of the speakers. Lyrically not a lot of depth, but it's still a fun capture of that 60s sound.
Eminem
4/5
Me buying the Slim Shady LP from my local Wal-Mart unaware that they only sold and carried Clean Edit CDs at the time.
Bob Dylan
4/5
I could give or take Dylan. There's no traditional verse-chorus-bridge to his songs and songwriting. It's all verse after verse after verse, sometimes for 11-minutes and your mileage may vary for that type of "droning", especially for a man who's voice is not very good. And lyrically it's absolute poetry, but nonsensical for the most part. Dylan's a vibe and I'm either in the mood for it, or not, and Blonde on Blonde goes on for far too long, so that vibe be harshin' after a while.
David Bowie
3/5
I appreciate what Bowie was charting out to do here, and I appreciate the instrumentals on the back half, but I don't think this album lands as more than a curiosity through his discography. I mean truly, aside from the die hards, what Bowie fan is gonna dig this out of their stack of vinyl over something else? It's good, but doubt I'll ever find my way back to it.
808 State
3/5
If I was rollin' my tits off at a late 90s rave and this was on in the background, I wouldn't be mad about it.
Rod Stewart
3/5
3 1/2 Stars: Ol' Rod always seems to be the forgotten voice of 70s and 80s rock music. I mean, does anybody ever ask the person in charge of the music while driving in the car to throw on some Rod Stewart?! But, don't tell me when one of his songs comes on that you can't jam to it. That voice and some catchy hits over the years, it all works especially on a great mixtape. 'Gasoline Alley' is perfectly fine. A little bloated by the end of its runtime, but overall catchy and pretty unoffensive.