197
Albums Rated
3.03
Average Rating
18%
Complete
892 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1980s
Favorite Decade
Punk
Favorite Genre
US
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
29
5-Star Albums
28
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
New Boots And Panties
Ian Dury
|
5 | 2.7 | +2.3 |
|
Reign In Blood
Slayer
|
5 | 2.96 | +2.04 |
|
Throwing Muses
Throwing Muses
|
5 | 2.98 | +2.02 |
|
Tuesday Night Music Club
Sheryl Crow
|
5 | 3.05 | +1.95 |
|
Another Music In A Different Kitchen
Buzzcocks
|
5 | 3.09 | +1.91 |
|
S&M
Metallica
|
5 | 3.26 | +1.74 |
|
The Slim Shady LP
Eminem
|
5 | 3.29 | +1.71 |
|
From Elvis In Memphis
Elvis Presley
|
5 | 3.36 | +1.64 |
|
Ready To Die
The Notorious B.I.G.
|
5 | 3.37 | +1.63 |
|
Eliminator
ZZ Top
|
5 | 3.38 | +1.62 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
A Love Supreme
John Coltrane
|
1 | 3.63 | -2.63 |
|
The Velvet Underground & Nico
The Velvet Underground
|
1 | 3.62 | -2.62 |
|
Low
David Bowie
|
1 | 3.55 | -2.55 |
|
The Suburbs
Arcade Fire
|
1 | 3.5 | -2.5 |
|
Green
R.E.M.
|
1 | 3.48 | -2.48 |
|
Unknown Pleasures
Joy Division
|
1 | 3.47 | -2.47 |
|
Parachutes
Coldplay
|
1 | 3.46 | -2.46 |
|
Ellington at Newport
Duke Ellington
|
1 | 3.43 | -2.43 |
|
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Bruce Springsteen
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
Different Class
Pulp
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Creedence Clearwater Revival | 3 | 4.67 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| The Cure | 2 | 1 |
| The Who | 2 | 1.5 |
| R.E.M. | 2 | 1.5 |
| David Bowie | 4 | 2.25 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Paul Simon | 5, 2 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 1, 4, 2 |
5-Star Albums (29)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Carole King
5/5
Wow. I've always heard the name Carol King, but never knew the songs she sang. Some really timeless hits on this album, and the ones I didn't recognize were amazing as well. i definitely will look out for the vinyl of this album. No other notes. This album is perfect. ~ 5 stars
My only regret is I only get to put one song into my 1001 playlist. It was a tough decision, but "I Feel the Earth Move" is universally great, so it'll be that
2 likes
Sigur Rós
1/5
Well, I heard it. I guess I can die.
What a difficult listen. The etherealness gets old quickly. The random screeching is grating. And then I found out on wikipedia that they are often not even speaking Icelandic, instead they coined a term for the gibberish they're speaking as "Vonlenska". I bet these people enjoy smelling their own farts. 1 star (only because zero isn't an option), and no I didn't need to hear this before I die.
2 likes
Soft Machine
1/5
The Wiki for this album states: "Not exactly rock, Third nonetheless pushed the boundaries of rock into areas previously unexplored, and it managed to do so without sounding self-indulgent"
I couldn't disagree more. It's a highly self-indulgent album with solo's that go nowhere. Quick shifts in tone out of no where that disrupt your rhythm. The entire first track is unlistenable. The rest just leave you feeling anxious and confused.
The wiki is right about one thing. It explored previously unexplored areas. Ones that probably shouldn't have been explored. Not the worst album on this list, but still only 1 star. And no, none of these 4 excruciatingly agonizing and long songs will make the 1001 best of playlist. They're that bad.
1 likes
Ian Dury
5/5
I accidentally listened to the tribute album first. I honestly recommend it, they did a really good job of it. The whole time I was thinking, "This is really good recording for '77".
Anyway, my opinion changed slightly between listening to both versions. I think I like the tribute album slightly more, but they're both still 5 star albums. Ian experiments with different sounds in a way that is fun and not offputting. It's a rare talent. While i rate his version at 4.2 star I rate the tribute as a full 5 star so I'm bumping this one up to 5 as well.
It's hard to pick, but I'm gonna go with "Billericay Dickie" to make the 1001 playlist.
1 likes
1-Star Albums (28)
All Ratings
Sam Cooke
4/5
Soulful and energetic. So many classics. The live recording is very clear.
Sigur Rós
1/5
Well, I heard it. I guess I can die.
What a difficult listen. The etherealness gets old quickly. The random screeching is grating. And then I found out on wikipedia that they are often not even speaking Icelandic, instead they coined a term for the gibberish they're speaking as "Vonlenska". I bet these people enjoy smelling their own farts. 1 star (only because zero isn't an option), and no I didn't need to hear this before I die.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
Only know of CCR from the Greatest Hits album that I played extensively back in high school. So I wanted to pay extra attention to the songs I didn't recognize on this album.
I have to say, that even the tracks that didn't make the hits albums are amazing. I didn't realize they played as much harmonica as they did. Songs like Graveyard Train and Keep on Chooglin' are gems I didn't know existed.
I'll have to keep an eye out for this one for my vinyl collection.
Bob Dylan
3/5
First half of the album was pretty good. The back half drags pretty heavily.
Dylan is certainly unique and a great songwriter. His singing style can wear on you after a while. Perhaps that's why the back half seemed to drag.
Not really my cup of tea
Steely Dan
5/5
The father of Yacht Rocks greatest album. So yeah, it's pretty good. Every arrangement is flawless. ~ 5 Stars
LCD Soundsystem
5/5
You can't help but bob your head throughout most of this entire album. Because they somehow managed to make me enjoy EDM I'm bumping it up a bit. ~ 5 Stars
Jurassic 5
5/5
Bringing that 90's hip hop vibe into the 2000's. Did not find a single track that I disliked. Gonna add "What's Golden" into my 1001 albums best songs playlist.
ZZ Top
5/5
ZZ Top are obviously legends. But I didn't expect so many great songs on one album. Tough to pick just one for the 1001 best songs playlist but going with "Gimme All Your Lovin'" as it's the most groovable, imo. Not a bad track on the album. ~ 5 Stars
The Pogues
4/5
I'm a sucker for Celtic Punk bands. They just make me happy. I was already familiar with their bigger hits on this one. Was happy to hear that the rest of the album was also pretty good. A couple duds on their though, so only 4 stars. The titular song will go on the 1001 playlist.
Pixies
3/5
Two consecutive songs about bones? Another involving a broken face which I assume is also bones? Pixies are a pretty strange band. There's some stinkers, and there's some alright tunes. "Where is my mind?", is a classic however, and will be going on the 1001 playlist. Bumped up to 3 Stars just for that song alone.
Sonic Youth
4/5
Didn't quite know what to expect from this album. I only knew their name and not anything they did. Didn't recognize anything on this album. However, it's a pretty solid representation of the Grunge era. Songs are mostly easy to bop to. Suger Kane is great, as is 100% which will be making it to the 1001 playlist. I'd go out and listen to more of them, but considering they're on this list 5 times, It won't be long before they show up again. ~ 4 Stars
David Bowie
2/5
I don't know. It's ok. Not great by any means. There is some weird fascination with Bowie on this list, Do we really need to hear 9 different albums from him when we can't even get a single Sublime album? Fame is my favorite off this one and will be going on the 1001 playlist. ~ 2 Stars
Beastie Boys
5/5
"What's the time? It's time to get ill!"
One of my all time favorite albums. Front to back every song is great. Makes me want to grab some White Castle and hit up a kegger. The way they blend metal and rap with the seamless trade-offs in vocals has never been duplicated. It's hard to pick just one for the 1001 playlist, but it's gotta be "No Sleep til Brooklyn" which is universally great. ~5 Stars
Madness
3/5
Overall it's pretty good. Apart from the all-time classic "Our House" it lacks any other big hits. However, the music is very well done, and fits that new wave aesthetic. I'm glad to have heard the rest of this album. "Calling Cards", was just a fun little romp that had me smiling.
"Our House" of course will make the 1001 playlist, and overall I rank the album at just above average. ~ 2.8 stars
1/5
Just 85 minutes of annoying noise. It seems his strange singing cadence is exaggerated in his live performances. The live recording of the full band is not very well recorded, so my best description of this entire album. is "85 minutes of unpleasant noises". Why Bob needs to be on this list 7 times, I'll never know. Seems the editors lacked imagination.
I have to put something on the 1001 playlist. But I don't want to. Thinking "Leopard Skin Pill-Box Hat" just because it's hard to mess up a classic blues progression. It was the least offensive to my ears.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
Too much obsession with "D's" and her own looks for my tastes, which isn't my kind of Jam in a song-writer. I think she'd be a great artist if she could change up the subject matter a bit.
Not too much to like on this Album. I enjoyed "The Other Side" the most, and it will make the 1001 playlist.
But to rank this album as a whole, 1.5 Stars. Rounding up for it being different.
The Allman Brothers Band
3/5
Bluesy! The Jam sessions were pretty neat, but I need a shorter song for my 1001 playlist, so I'll go "Done Somebody Wrong"
For a live album, this one sounds amazing. ~ 3.2 Stars
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
Very talented. The songs are all very well produced and they flow well together. Not something I'd likely listen to again though.
I think the opener was my favorite. "You Ain't the Problem", will make the 1001 songs playlist. ~3.7 stars
The Who
1/5
Overall, it's just bad. The only song worth a listen is, "I can see for miles" ~ 1.3 stars
Sugar
3/5
Some interesting works in this one. I like the use of the synth in "Hoover Dam". Sounds like something Collective Soul would do. "IF I can't change your mind" sounds like something out of the gin blossoms. They're a bit everywhere with this album
Overall, it's good, not spectacular. About 3.3 stars are so. Going with "A Good Idea" as the song for the playlist. The opening bassline gave me Weezer vibes and i dig that.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Todd's got a funny streak in him. I appreciate that. Some real good tunes on this one, but as an entire album, it falls short. The Yacht Rock Classic "Hello it's me" will go to the 1001 best of playlist. ~ 3 stars
Thelonious Monk
1/5
Album very Jazz. Contains much sound. It is rated. I respect how the other members play well with this pianist.
Bruce Springsteen
1/5
Didn't like this album. The only song I enjoyed was Badlands. 1 Star
FKA twigs
1/5
Boring. Not ever needed to be on a "must listen to before you die". Not a single redeemable song on the album. None of it is going to the playlist
R.E.M.
1/5
Never really liked R.E.M. They've always come across to me as a band that loves smelling their own farts, and they expect you to enjoy it as well. The only redeemable song on the album is "Stand" but even that one gets old fast.
The Mothers Of Invention
2/5
I always meant to getting around to hearing what Frank Zappa has to offer. Well, now I just did. It's pretty strange stuff, but I did like "Trouble Every Day" so that one will make the playlist. The rest didn't do much for me. "Wowie Zowie" was kinda fun too I guess.
Duke Ellington
1/5
Album very Jazz. Contains much sound. It is rated
Joni Mitchell
3/5
The Big Yellow Taxi lady. Hadn't heard much else from her so it was nice to hear more from her. Beautiful voice, and they don't write lyrics like this anymore.
However, this album is just too depressing for me to rank any higher than 3. "A Case of You" was nice and will go on the 1001 playlist.
OutKast
2/5
It's OutKast. They're weird. But in a good way. You'll get filthy songs, and then you'll get earworms Ms. Jackson that you can't help but bop too.
Overall, not my kind of sound, but I've always dug Ms Jackson. And I'm not even nasty! I'll add that to the playlist. Overall, about a 2 star album
Pink Floyd
3/5
I still need to try the whole wizard of oz thing sometime. Another Brick in the Wall is a classic of course. I'm rating this a 3 but it could go up depending on how my experiment plays out. :)
4/5
Muse has some pretty good songs, My favorite of which isn't on this album. However, Supermassive Black Hole is a banger as well.
The record overall is pretty good. About 3.7 stars from me.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
I'll pronounce it however the hell I want!
Great album though. Might have to pick it up on vinyl. Used to listen the crap outta Tuesday's Gone back in the day. That said, I think Gimme Three Steps is a better choice for the playlist.
Beatles
3/5
Docking it a point for playing around too much with left/right audio. I usually listen with one earbud, and my new music service doesn't allow me to set it to mono. It was jarring. Other than that, the music was really good on this one, and I don't really like the Beatles much. Elanor Rigby is the favorite here.
The Psychedelic Furs
2/5
More post-punk that just fails to move the needle for me. I think the fact this album peaked at 89 on the Billboard top 200 in '81 is proof that there are at least 88 more deserving albums to be on this list than this one... But sure, I absolutely MUST hear it before I die, I guess. And now I have. It's not as bad as other post-punk albums on this list though so 2 stars
AC/DC
3/5
It's AC/DC alright. Never did like the lead singers voice, but the music bops.
Thought Night Prowler was a good tune then Wikipedia said it was the "Night Stalkers" favorite tune and now I wonder what that says about me.
All in all it's an ok album. Not my favorite from them though.
The Doors
2/5
I was not high enough for this.
The Kinks
3/5
Easy listening. Could put it on in the background while doing other things. Can't say I recognize any of the songs. But I might have to bust out "Death of a Clown" when you know who finally kicks the bucket.
Paul Revere & The Raiders
4/5
These guys are all over the place. At one point I get the Doors vibes, the next I get Rolling Stones, and then they're going off talking about a car and sounding like the Beach Boys.
Either way, no matter what they did, these 60's classic rockers sounded pretty good. Couple of sloggers though so only 4 stars
Def Leppard
3/5
While the 80's hair metal scene has lost it's power, Def Leppard are still legends. I would give up my left arm to see them in concert, just to check off that box.
However, while this album has a couple classics, the rest of the album can't hold up on it's own. ~ 3 stars
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
This is Jimi. What makes him a legend is how he uses the guitar to speak to the audience. Little Wing is guitar perfection, even though I prefer the much longer instrumental take Stevie Ray Vaughn did back in the day.
While this album is great, I could have done without that annoying screeching intro track. I guess I should have expected that from a psychedelic rocker like Jimi. It was borderline a 5 star album, but for that reason alone I'm dropping it down. ~ 4 Stars
Fela Kuti
2/5
The songs are well constructed. But not really my thing.
Simply Red
4/5
Not usually my kind of music, but this album is a pretty good. That synth pop 80's vibe is very present here. I definitely recognized "Holding back the Years", but I also kind of liked the titular song as well. Probably more a 3.5 for me, but I'll bump it up since it surprised me a bit.
Pulp
1/5
Can't stand the singers style. Overly whiney and pretentious.
Instruments are overly saturated making them difficult to distinguish from one another. Thankfully not every song is like that, and some are very clear, but the ones that aren't are jarring. Idk, maybe I just need to be more depressed to enjoy this band.
I have trouble believing this ranks 6th of all-time in the NME rankings. Maybe Brit-pop just isn't my thing.
Since I have to add at least one song to my 1001 songs playlist, I guess I'll pick "Common People" but even that one is little annoying. ~ 1 Star
Iggy Pop
4/5
Iggy Pop is someone I've always heard of, but could never place anything he's done to his name. Didn't recognize any of the songs on this album, but I really enjoyed them all. Apparently Bowie helped produce this one, and I can certainly hear that influence here. The B-Side kind of lost me a bit though. "China Girl" will be making it to my 1001 best of playlist. ~ 4 stars
Buddy Holly & The Crickets
3/5
It's like a time capsule. A little slice of Americana I liked a few songs off this Rockabilly classic. "Oh Boy", "Rock me my Baby", and of course, "That'll be the day" which will make the playlist.
I mean none of those are on the levels of Pink Pony Club, but what is? ~ 3 stars
2/5
It's the Beetles, I don't think a review from me is all that necessary. It was OK. Some real weird choices on this record though so I'll have to dock it a point. "With a Little Help from My Friends" will be making it to the playlist. ~ 2 Stars
The Flaming Lips
3/5
I forgot just how weird The Flaming Lips were. While I didn't really enjoy this albums melancholy vibe, I respect it when an entire album is themed around a one premise. It shows commitment to the bit. I dug the instrumental "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots, Pt. 2", which will make the playlist. ~ 3 stars for creativity alone.
Carole King
5/5
Wow. I've always heard the name Carol King, but never knew the songs she sang. Some really timeless hits on this album, and the ones I didn't recognize were amazing as well. i definitely will look out for the vinyl of this album. No other notes. This album is perfect. ~ 5 stars
My only regret is I only get to put one song into my 1001 playlist. It was a tough decision, but "I Feel the Earth Move" is universally great, so it'll be that
Bob Dylan
3/5
It's Bob Dylan. I get he's some sort of great songwriter and stuff, but his vocal performance is just so grating on nearly every song he sings. This is probably his best album so it'll get a passing grade from me, but my god, I can't understand why he's so popular. ~ 3 Stars
The song that annoyed me the least was "Meet me in the Morning" so that'll make the 1001 playlist.
Van Halen
2/5
I feel the need to tell my story about this album. See, I bought "Van Halen 1" it was the best damn record I ever owned. I picked it up from a TG&Y in 1978. That two hand tapping guitar technique it really got me off. I mean full Eruption, YEAH!, I ain't talkin' bout love, I'm on fire! Afterwards, I bought "Woman and Children First", "Fair Warning", and "Van Halen II" and danced the night away. "1984" was my favorite record. I listened so much I wore it down, I was so sad that I thought, I might as well jump. Up on that bridge in quiet reflection I thought to myself, "Tomorrow may come, Tomorrow may never come". Then the strangest thing happened, I could hear my long dead sister Jamie crying, and I knew she was running with the devil, I shouted "oh lord!", and left that bridge. Just one short year later and they go and change singers. Is this what you wanted? Sammy Hagar? I mean, SAMMY HAGAR?? Is THIS what we wanted, man? No! I'll never buy their lousy records again.
Long story short, Van Halen is over-rated. ~ 2 Stars
The Velvet Underground
1/5
What the heck was that? I've seen this record around the stores. That giant banana is hard to miss. I've been wanting to buy it just for the cover art alone. I no longer have that desire after listening to it.
I do not know who the guitarist is on this album, but it's absolute trash. I could chicken scratch something that sounds way better than that. Maybe it's all by design to be "weird", but it was quite off-puting. It's a struggle to find a single song that doesn't annoy me to add to the 1001 playlist. "There she goes again" takes that honor. ~ No Stars
The Fall
2/5
The Wiki has this listed as "Post-Punk", which I can understand why it has that label. The singer wants it to be punk, but the band insists on something more pop.
The combo is not really for me. There wasn't anything too terrible on this album, but nothing inspiring either. L.A. is a decent enough add to the 1001 playlist. But the album as a whole gets ~ 2 Stars
Sabu
3/5
My first thought was, "An old Spanish language band, what am I getting myself into". And then I hit play. What followed was some insanely catchy tunes with an almost tribal feel to them. I have no idea what they were saying but I bopped along to the beat.
The Wiki didn't give me much info on the band, and I wish they had more.
An amusing observation. The album is produced by "Alfred Lion" which is funny because Jeremy Irons played both Alfred in a Batman movie as well as Scar from the Lion King. There's even a song called "Simba" on the album. Just a funny coincidence.
They weren't all great, "Simba" was down right unlistenable. But most were good enough for me to give it 3 Stars
John Lee Hooker
4/5
John Lee Hooker is a Blues ledged. This album is him at his best. Personally, I can't really enjoy Blues for an extended listening period. It always kinda drags after a while. This album was no exception. But that's more of a me problem.
I think his duet with Bonnie Raitt was the best thing on the album. Sultry and smooth with that classic blues chord progression that defines the genre. So "I'm in the Mood" will be making it to the 1001 playlist. ~ 4 Stars
Nick Drake
3/5
This is my first time hearing Nick Drake. He invites you to pull up a seat and wallow in his melancholy together. The tracks were all perfectly fine, nothing too off-putting. But nothing stands out as a must listen. I have a hard time picking a song for the 1001 playlist, but I guess I'll pick "Hazey Jane II" as it was the most pleasant despite the strange cadence. It's probably a 2.5 star album, but I guess I'll round up.
Franz Ferdinand
5/5
I've only heard their main hit which is enough to sell me on the album. But the rest of it is also very good. That indie / garage rock style fits very well with his vocal style. The songs are well written. What else is there to say. "Take me out" will certainly make the 1001 playlist. A full 5 stars from me.
Soft Machine
1/5
The Wiki for this album states: "Not exactly rock, Third nonetheless pushed the boundaries of rock into areas previously unexplored, and it managed to do so without sounding self-indulgent"
I couldn't disagree more. It's a highly self-indulgent album with solo's that go nowhere. Quick shifts in tone out of no where that disrupt your rhythm. The entire first track is unlistenable. The rest just leave you feeling anxious and confused.
The wiki is right about one thing. It explored previously unexplored areas. Ones that probably shouldn't have been explored. Not the worst album on this list, but still only 1 star. And no, none of these 4 excruciatingly agonizing and long songs will make the 1001 best of playlist. They're that bad.
The Cars
5/5
I really needed this after just having to suffer through Soft Machine's "Third".
This is why I'm here. To listen to some of the greatest artists of all time at their best. And maybe discover a few greats I hadn't known before. The Cars are legends, and this album is amazing.
Hard to pick just one for the 1001 playlist, but I'll go with "Just What I Needed"
~ 4.6 Stars
Kate Bush
3/5
I was aware of Running up that Hill from it's recent resurgence in popularity from the Stranger Things show. But can't say I knew anything else from her. She's got a great voice that can bring the emotion out of her songs. Probably a good album to listen too if you're in a bad mood.
That said, it didn't really do much for me. Good, but not great. "Running up that hill" will make the best of 1001 playlist.
~ 3.2 Stars
Paul Simon
5/5
Quite possibly the greatest singer/songwriter of all time. This album is Paul at his finest. The infusion of South African musical influences shouldn't work, but it does.
"Call me Al" will make the 1001 best of playlist, because duh.
~4.8 stars
Beck
4/5
Beck is just what I needed to hear today. If you like odd lyrics with catchy beats, this is the album for you. Not every song is a winner, and that's to be expected from a band that tends to experiment with different sounds. But Odelay overall has more hits that misses. A great album all around. ~ 3.8 Stars
"Where it's at", will get the honor for the 1001 playlist, but "Devils Haircut" was a close second.
Ian Dury
5/5
I accidentally listened to the tribute album first. I honestly recommend it, they did a really good job of it. The whole time I was thinking, "This is really good recording for '77".
Anyway, my opinion changed slightly between listening to both versions. I think I like the tribute album slightly more, but they're both still 5 star albums. Ian experiments with different sounds in a way that is fun and not offputting. It's a rare talent. While i rate his version at 4.2 star I rate the tribute as a full 5 star so I'm bumping this one up to 5 as well.
It's hard to pick, but I'm gonna go with "Billericay Dickie" to make the 1001 playlist.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
Don't know what to make of this band. They're good, I just don't see greatness here. This was that transition period from more classic rock/punk into the glam rock era. I can certainly hear that influence on this album. It makes me want to tune into a radio station on GTA: Vice City and just cruise around a bit.
The problem? None of it is memorable. I had to do a quick double check just to find out what song to put on the 1001 playlist. It will be, "Malibu Beach Nightmare". I think that encapsulates the band in it's entirety, and is quite catchy.
~3.2 Stars
Dennis Wilson
1/5
Not great. Did I NEED to hear this before I died? No. Dennis probably should have stuck with the Beach Boys. Some of the choices on this album were strange. Is that a didgeridoo on the song "Dreamer"? IDK, but it's weird.
There's just no soul to this album. Nothing that sets it apart from better works.
Anyway, I don't recommend this album. The song that will make the 1001 playlist will be the title track, "Pacific Ocean Blues". That one is at least a bit bluesy. ~ 1.2 Stars
Leonard Cohen
3/5
Cohen's last album. The Hallelujah man himself. I was excited to hear what else he has to offer as he was primarily before my time. For 2016's "You Want it Darker", there is a certain foreboding in the album that's hard to escape. Almost like he was aware it would be his last album. The strange thing is it works. There's only a few artists that can rock a slow and low register and not sound off-putting, and Cohen pulls it off.
It's nothing I would sit and listen to on the regular as it tends to drag after a bit, but it was a nice change of pace. ~ 3.3 Stars
I thought "On the Level" was worthy of the 1001 playlist.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
First half of this album is a bit of a slog. "America" is the only winner on the A side. The second half of this album is where the money is. Mrs. Robinson is the clear winner for the 1001 playlist. ~ 3 stars.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
3/5
It was interesting. Glad to have heard it. But it's not for me. I may skip adding one of these to the playlist. If they weren't so long I'd toss one on there though. ~2.7 stars
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
I was procrastinating on this one cause it's not really my thing. But, I was pleasantly surprised. Kinda had an old school vibe that I liked. I'll toss Backseat Freestyle onto the 1001 playlist. ~ 3.6 stars
The Beach Boys
2/5
It was fine I guess. But there's much better Beach Boys out there. I assume there's more on the list I'll get to hear later.
This album hit a little harder today, as it's the day after Brian Wilson passed away. RIP Brian.
I couldn't get into the tunes on this one though. There were a couple decent ones. "Long Promised Road" and "Student Demonstration Time" (The former which will make it to the 1001 playlist). But outside those two songs, the album was a dud. ~ 2 Stars.
Bill Evans Trio
1/5
Album very Jazz. Contains much sound. It is rated.
Louis Prima
5/5
This guy bops. Upbeat and fun. I would not mind finding this one on Vinyl. Think I'll put the classic, "Jump, Jive, an' Wail" on the 1001 playlist. ~ 5 Stars
808 State
3/5
A lot of EDM that I'm certain I've heard on late night Cinemax before. It's all very standard stuff. Nothing too groundbreaking here. ~ 2.5 stars, but I'll bump it up to a 3 for the song "Donkey Doctor" alone. That's funny.
Blur
2/5
Well, today I learned the lead guy here also formed Gorillaz. That's pretty neat. This album is just ok. Song 2 about the only notable piece. It'll go on the 1001 playlist. ~ 2 stars
David Bowie
1/5
I'm over Bowie on this list already. This one is the worst one so far. Only "Sound and Vision" is worth a listen. ~ No stars.
Dire Straits
4/5
Already own this Vinyl because the Dire Straights are awesome. Interesting that in the Wikipedia, it described the "Sultans of Swing" song as having an "inescapable hook" and "Bob Dylan-like snarl in its vocal. Luckily it's not the case, cause Dylan sucks as a vocalist. Mark is a much better singer than Bob.
Anyway, Sultans of Swing will make the 1001 playlist, and it gets a 4.3 star rating from me.
Beatles
4/5
It's the Beatles, it's an auto 3 star minimum. This one has some good tunes. "Can't buy me love" is one of my favorites and will be going to the playlist. ~ 3.9 Stars
Korn
4/5
When Jonathan Davis hits that "GO!", it's musical perfection. The Nu Metal sound dominated my late 90's early 2000's. ~ 4 Stars cause some tracks on this one are pretty bad.
Machito
2/5
It's nice. Hearing that early mambo style was certainly a treat. Not something I'd put on, but I could see it being used in a lot of 80's movie soundtracks. ~2 Stars
Yet another album where I don't feel the need to add any tracks to the 1001 best of playlist.
The Clash
5/5
This is one of those bands that I know of, but never know anything specific about them. Now I understand why they are so well regarded. This is one of the best albums I've heard in a very long time.
Upbeat punk-lite music that goes just hard enough to be enjoyable, but not too hard as to be off-putting.
All the songs were great, but the one that will make the playlist will be, "London Calling"
I could have picked about 10 songs from this album. Songs like "Revolution Rock" with it's reggae feel is right up my alley. I just think the London Calling is more of what The Clash represent.
You know what, there's been a few albums I didn't add any songs from, so I'll add Revolution Rock as a bonus track. My list, my rules. lol
5 Stars, and quite possibly the best album on this list that I've seen to date.
The Clash
4/5
You'd think out of 1001 albums I wouldn't get The Clash on back to back days, but I'm not complaining. This one isn't as great as London Calling. This one goes a bit harder and not all of them land. Still, it's my kinda jam and I have to rate their first album ~ 4.1 Stars
"White Riot" will make it to the 1001 playlist.
Booker T. & The MG's
2/5
Green Onions is a classic song, there should be a lot more of this on the record. This album as a whole though? I'd respect it more if it was original work. The 9 instrumental covers are nice and all, but 3 originals does not an album make. I think this album should be ranked higher on the talent alone, but I just can't give them a good rating for benefiting so much from others work. Obviously, Green Onions will make the 1001 playlist here.
The Stooges
3/5
I really question the selections on this list. I'm positive someone is just a big Iggy Pop / Bowie fan, and made it their mission to include everything from these two artists.
This album isn't amazing, but still holds some decent tunes. And I do enjoy myself some punk. The opening track "Down on the Street" was the most enjoyable for me and will be heading to the 1001 playlist.
The album, just a middle of the road 3 stars here.
The Shamen
1/5
Removing one star just for spelling "Energy" as "NRG". For the album, I was only able to find the later issue, so it's not a complete match. It's standard boilerplate EDM. Nothing special.
The last song "Progen 91" had a fun little rap in it and wasn't too bad so that'll go on the 1001 playlist. I have no idea how it compares to the "Progen" version that was on the original release, and I don't care to go find it. Would have been a 2 star record, but "NRG" ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
CHIC
4/5
Good times, good times. Honestly thought the Sugarhill Gang came up with that beat, didn't know it was sampled from CHIC. It will go on the 1001 playlist.
Other songs like "My feet keep dancin'" are fun little ditties as well. Not the kind of music I usually listen to, but found it quite enjoyable. Boosting it up to 4 stars for being a nice surprise.
Paul Simon
2/5
It's ok. Not great. Me and Julio is the only memorable song on the album. 2.3 stars.
The Police
3/5
When Sting mysteriously disappeared one day from the Band, the fans were devastated that the Police had no leads. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
As for this album. It's alright. I appreciate the reggae influences in songs like "the Beds to Big Without You". But "Message in a Bottle" is the headliner here. 3 stars
Morrissey
2/5
More "post-punk" garbage music. Not sure who this style of music is for, but it's definitely not me. You'll occasionally get some half decent but forgettable tunes. On this album, those would be the singles "Suedhead", and "Everyday is Like Sunday".
The best song though despite the grating guitar midway through is "I Don't Mind if You Forget Me". Which is barely good enough to make the 1001 playlist. I might remove it later who knows.
Joy Division
1/5
Back to back post-punk records for me. Ugh. 1 star
"Interzone" was the most traditional punk song on the album, and will make the playlist.
Brian Eno
3/5
Hadn't heard of Brian Eno before. Coming in at the tail end of the British Invasion, his song's lack the punch that came from that era. What results is forgettable tunes that are just OK and not all that special. Nothing too grating on the album though so I think I'll rank it 2.6 stars.
It's a shame too, because a lot of songs had the potential to be better than they are, but Brian messed them up. I put "Baby's on fire" into the playlist.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The Boss at his best. The album does drag a bit in the middle, but it has some of the best songs ever recorded. While "Born in the USA" is probably the consensus best song, I've always liked "Dancing in the Dark" better which will make the 1001 best of playlist. 4.2 stars
John Coltrane
1/5
Album very Jazz. Contains much sound. It is rated
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
I'm not sure what I thought Elvis Costello was like, but it wasn't this. I liked it. I'll have to check out more. "Pump it up" gave me "Outlaw -Wild Wild West" vibes, which considering when they came out i guess is the other way around. It's the best song on the album, imo and will go on the 1001 playlist. +1 star because I was pleasantly surprised.
Talking Heads
4/5
I don't know how to describe this other than it's just an incredibly fun album. None of it was particularly groundbreaking, it was just simply fun. I have to pick one for the playlist. The obvious choice would be "take me to the river", but I think I'm going "I'm not in Love" . I just really enjoyed that one.
Radiohead
2/5
Most of Radiohead is too weird to be enjoyable. Maybe not so much wierd, but pretentious. But they occasionally put out a banger of a song like, "Creep", "Karma Police", and on this album "Idioteque" Which will make the playlist. The album as a whole though? ~ 2.4 stars.
Honorable mentions;
- How to Disappear Completely
- Optimistic
Beck
2/5
Beck is one of those old school bands / artists that you never realized kept making a ton of music. He hadn't made anything notable since Odelay, but there are a few good albums he's made over the years. This one is not one of those. This list could have included "Colors" which came out in 2017 and is one of my favorites.
With that rant over, I'll just say that Sea Change is a somber romp of easy listening but with nothing notable worth mentioning. He apparently wrote this after he found out his fiancée was cheating on him, and it shows. There's a ton of wrist slitters on here... I'm now sadder for having listened to it. I'm not sure I want to add any of these to the playlist as I hate killing the vibes. I might just pop this one on after I finish all 1001 albums if you know what I mean.
Despite the depressing tone, It's nice enough work to rate at 2 stars here. After all, Beck is a legend.
Duran Duran
4/5
Pretty good album overall. While it's a bit too early for my time, I say screw it! Let's bring on all the 80's Nostalgia. "Hungry like the Wolf"? Not hungry enough. I want more!
Spacemen 3
3/5
Not my typical Jam. But I didn't hate it. I think in the right headspace this can be a real trip. However, listening to it while at work was not the right space.
What I really want to know is what happened to Spacemens 1 and 2? These questions MUST be answered!
Revolution was a pretty good track, like a friend said in his review, a very "Monster Magnet" style track.
Anyways I'll bump it up from the 2 I think it is now because I know I'd like it better at home.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Why ya gotta do this to me, man? Black Sabbath the day after Ozzy's passing? That has be intentional, right? If not, then it's a huge coincidence.
As for rating this album. Not my favorite from them, but still pretty good. Would rate it a 3.6 or so, but he's getting a full 5 stars today. RIP Ozzy.
I know people dig the "Changes" and "Snowblind" according to the number of plays it gets, but I think the one I like most is "Under the Sun", and that one's going on the playlist.
Mudhoney
3/5
All I could find was the deluxe version, which had a few more interesting songs than what was on the original release. But rating it from the original release, my best description of the album is they sound like a really good opening act just aching to be the headliner.
They're not too good, and not too bad. as such, I'm rating this one a 3
Led Zeppelin
3/5
I want to like Led Zeppelin more than I do. But I just don't. They have a few really great songs. This album does not contain them. That said, it's still good enough for an average rating. Of the songs on the list, I think I liked the first one, "Good Times, Bad Times" the best.
Michael Jackson
5/5
I don't really need to tell people how good this album is. It's iconic. The trouble is in deciding which single song to add to my 1001 best of playlist.
While my personal favorite is "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'", I think "Beat it" is the clear winner here.
Hüsker Dü
3/5
I think it's time I ordered this book just so I can read the authors explanations as to why certain albums are on the list. This entry offers nothing groundbreaking or unique. And it seems like the majority of people think other works of the band are better. This album didn't even crack the billboard top 100, so what are we doing here?
That said, it's not terrible music. It's just boring generic pop-punk and others do that thing much better..
And I did take a peek at New Day Rising and Zen Arcade, and both of those albums are much better offerings from the small sample I listened to.
Dr. Octagon
4/5
They had me at "Half shark-alligator, half man".
Paul McCartney and Wings
3/5
It's weird hearing the song "Band on the Run" without a guitar controller in my hand playing Guitar Hero. This album starts off pretty good, Fades towards the end. I like it better than the Beetles though, so that's something. I'll certainly add BotR to the playlist.
Stan Getz
3/5
Pretty good easy listening. "The Girl from Ipanema", is of course iconic.
Coldplay
1/5
These clowns ruined my life by putting me up on camera at one of their concerts! I was only there cause my side piece said she just had to see Chris Martin in person. These guys suck as people and their music is annoying garbage as well! ZERO STARS!
Kings of Leon
2/5
I don't know what I thought they were, but it wasn't this. It's not terrible. The singers voice is, a choice though. I don't know what they were thinking with their early work here.
"Happy Alone" was a pretty fun song though so I'll add that one to the playlist.
Prince
4/5
Always thought Prince was a bit overrated. He's still good, just not as good as advertised. This album has a few classics. Little Red Corvette being the best song which will be added to the playlist. 1999 is still a good song as well even if a bit outdated today.
The rest of it is good but not great.
Blue Cheer
3/5
Half the songs on this album are cover songs. Admittedly well done covers, but I can't give high rankings to albums that benefit so much from the work of others. So I'll be docking a point for that reason.
The songs they wrote themselves though are pretty dang good. I would have liked them to have swapped out a few covers for more of their own stuff. They give off Zeppelin vibes.
Steely Dan
4/5
"Do it again" was the song that got me hooked on Steely Dan. Granted it's well before my time, but I still gravitated towards it. It helped that my dart team played at a bar still using old-school jukeboxes with their greatest hits on tap, and it would always be in the rotation.
As for how this first album of theirs compares to the masterpiece Aja? Nothing hits quite that level, but this one is still a good offering, with jams like, "Dirty Work" and "Reelin' in the years". It's worth a listen. While I give Aja a 5, This one is only worth a 4.
Keep em coming!
The Cure
1/5
I always expect The Cure to be better than they actually are. Maybe I'm just not emo enough to enjoy it. Anyway, Robert Smith has had some really good tunes over the years, but not really from this album. When the greatest hits compilation only features one lonely song from this album, you know it was a dud. Oh, and they even shortened that one just to add it. "A Forrest", will make my playlist, but it's not great.
This dark post-punk album is not for me.
Antony and the Johnsons
1/5
I don't know what to think of this. Unique is an understatement. It's a lot like gospel music without the gospel and ratchet up the guilt n sadness. There is no denying he has an amazing voice. He leans perhaps a bit too heavily on the vibrato which can be annoying at times.
I can see this being good for somebody, but I'm not that someone.
I will not be adding any of these gloomy tunes to my playlist.
Solange
3/5
Today I learned Beyoncé has a sister, and they both had a number one solo album in the same year. Neat!
While R&B isn't my regular jam, A Seat at the Table is a pretty good representation of the genre.
"Where Do We Go", "Don't Touch My Hair" and "Cranes in the Sky" were the best songs, imo.
Nanci Griffith
4/5
A very Folksy album. I liked it. Love at the Five and Dime is a nice tune.
Radiohead
2/5
Still don't really like Radiohead, and I've never met anybody who's ever wanted to sing them at the top of their lungs. When it comes to Hail To the Thief, I think I like it better than more famous albums like Kid A.
That said, there's nothing worth mentioning in this release. I don't get their appeal.
David Bowie
4/5
I don't like Bowie all that much, but Golden Years is one of those random bangers he occasionally puts out that makes you realize how talented he is.
As for the rest of the album, it's actually not too bad. This is perhaps the 4th bowie album I've heard from this list, and so far it's the best one. Probably a 3 star album on it's own merits. But for having one of my regular bar songs on it, I'll bump it up to 4.
Giant Sand
1/5
*Let me just quick read the ENTIRE Wikipedia for this album so I know what I'm getting into*
"Chore of Enchantment is a studio album by the alternative rock band Giant Sand. It was released in March 2000 by Thrill Jockey."
And that's all we know about it. It's an album! Could be anything. Lets give it a go...
My thoughts on the record? The beatnik style of singing is interesting in small doses, but I was over it about halfway through. None of the songs made me go, "Heck yeah, I need to hear more of this band!"
It's bad, and the people who wanted it included in this list are flat out wrong. I've never heard an album that made me physically ill before, but this one did it. I had to stop and come back to it later. It did not get better. Is it possible to enter a negative star rating?
Crosby, Stills & Nash
3/5
CSN are always an enigma to me. To me they represent the transition period from the folk-rock era into the yacht-rock era. As a result, they can be a little bit hard to read.
This album leans heavily in the folksy direction. There's some decent folk tunes on this one, but the ones that lean more into classic rock vibes are my favorites here.
Pre-Roads Downs, and Wooden Ships were my favorites after the first listen.
Patti Smith
3/5
She's an oddball. Kinda sounds like a cross between Pat Benitar and Gwen Stephani. Learned from the Wiki that she had a ton of poetry she had written and felt it needed something, so she got into music.
Gloria is a great tune from this album. Outside that, it's not great, but it oddly satisfying. Even the sloggers. She finds a way to hold your attention.
Hugh Masekela
3/5
Album is much Jazz! But like, in a good way. Not that spastic all over the place nonsense. This is the kind of stuff I'd put on in the background while working on my novel. I know it's been over 20 years and I should just release the thing already, but I won't let brevity be the enemy of perfection. The 56th chapter about the musings of the 'sophisticated interlocuter' are some of my finest work.
Anyway, the album is alright. 3 stars.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Finally get the Rolling Stones on this list, and I recognize only one song. One of my least favorite stones songs.
The album itself though, not too bad. The best song, IMO is Salt of the Earth. Which gives off that Sister Act church choir thing towards the end that I found enjoyable.
Sympathy for the Devil is a classic, that gets annoying by the 70th "woo hoo" in a row.
This one gets a 3 from me.
Metallica
5/5
Quite possibly the best live concert to have ever existed. Would have loved to have seen this live. Not many bands can produce a live album to such perfection. You've got Nirvana Unplugged, and Metallica's S&M. That's the entirety of the list.
What can I say about this album. You've got the best of Metallica, in their prime. Hero of the Day, Nothing Else Matters, Fuel, Master of Puppets. I could just list the entire album, there isn't a bad song. And they added two new songs to this release with No Leaf Clover and - Human. They didn't need to release new tunes for this, but I appreciate they did.
But if that's not enough to sell you; When you reach that special part in the song Bleeding Me where the guitar solo crescendo's and then drops into that lusciously deep octave, pulverizing the melody deep into your lower spine, you will, without fail, reach the most exhilarating climax of your life... It's divine, it's heavenly, its every single dirty desire you've ever had hitting you all at once. You will explode. And you will never be the same after you do. You belong to them now, and you will thank Kirk for every single moment as he drives you into climax.
Don't get me wrong, Kirk doesn't need a whole orchestra to get you there, but sometimes it's nice to have an audience. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
100/100 - Perfection.
Now, bring on that death that was promised when I started this list. I'm ready!
The Triffids
2/5
Average 80's style "mid" rock. It's entirely uninspiring. I didn't necessarily hate any of the songs, but I couldn't connect with them either. I guess the best song from the album is, Kelly's Blues. I'll add it to the playlist, but I don't really want to.
Throwing Muses
5/5
Post-Punk has been my statistically least favorite genre on this website so far. However Throwing Muses, breaks the trend of terrible Post-Punk and brings forth the energy that you expect from the punk genre and less of that trashy synth that you get from most post-punk albums.
The wiki said, "violent, vibrant mood swings", and I absolutely concur. This is the kind of hidden gem album I started this journey for. I will be trying to find it on Vinyl if I can. It's 5 stars from me.
I think the song I'll add to my playlist is "Stand Up". Kinda reminds me of the Wynonna Earp theme song. That is of course if I can find the song, it was a chore to find this album anywhere other than YouTube.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
"Marvin, Marvin, it's Chuck. Your cousin, Chuck Gaye. You know that sexy ass sound you're looking for? Well, listen to this!" *Holds out phone as Marty slides up to the mic.
Great stuff. Great voice. He finds his way into your soul and stays with you the entire album.
The titular track will make the playlist of course.
Cyndi Lauper
4/5
You always have to wonder if She Bop. And Cyndi indeed Bops. What a great first album. It's rare for a new artist to go off like she did. Some great timeless classics and some fun bops in between.
I like Time after Time better, but I like a little bit more upbeat tunes on my playlist, so Girls Just Want to Have Fun will make the playlist.
Great album..
The Divine Comedy
1/5
As far as Brit-Pop goes, it's not terrible. It's just that Brit-Pop isn't very good.
I don't think we needed 10 of the 11 songs to be about sex. Maybe branch out a bit.
I think this guy is wasting his talents on this album. I can tell he has vocal chops, but he uses them to sound like the biggest douche on the planet. With better lyrics and less focus on the low register, i think I might actually enjoy this band.
But alas, i do not enjoy it. I often adjust rankings based on potential, but I don't think I will this time. 1 star.
U2
3/5
I was dreading when the eventual U2 album would show up. I have NEVER liked the band. Luckily for me, it has one of the only mainstream songs I can stomach from them... Sunday Bloody Sunday is a jam.
Blew through that one on the first track. So what about the rest of the album?
Listening to all these U2 tracks that I've never heard before, I've finally figured it out. It's Bono. It's always been Bono. He's what I've hated about U2 all this time.
The band is amazing. And they're amazing on almost every track. I had one song where my brain said, "they need a double whip right here" and a millisecond after the thought, Bam, there it was. They know what they're doing from a musical composition standpoint.
Where they lose me is Bono. Can't stand the guys voice. I came into this album expecting to rank it a 1 or maybe a 2 just for SBS alone, but the music itself is tight, and I think it deserves a 3. Would probably be a 4 with nearly any other singer.
Anyway, SBS will make the playlist, obviously.
Steely Dan
4/5
I've had Aja from Steely Dan already from this list, and any major dude would tell you it's nearly impossible to top Aja. This album does have a few more classic Steely Dan tracks on it, but it's not quite on Aja's level in both a production and creative level.
But that just shows what a juggernaut the band truly is. This album is still very good. 4 stars
Hard to pick between "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" or "Any Major Dude Will Tell You" for the playlist... I might add both, just because some albums on here have had no good songs to add.
Dire Straits
3/5
Kinda forgot about some of these hits Dire Straits has on this record. The first three tracks are classics. But unlike their self titled album, they loose me on the rest of them. All in all, I think I rank it somewhere between a 3 and 4. With the underwhelming second half I'll knock it back to 3.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
My main concern with any live album is, "how well done is the recording?"
Everything on this album is crystal clear. Apparently they did some post dubbing to clean up the sound a bit. Extra backing vocals, and cleaner guitar solos. It's hard to tell what they added. But the album sounds good, so it'll pass.
My next question: "Is the music any good?"
Short answer, yes. I'm not too familiar with Thin Lizzy, but I enjoy that classic rock style. They go heavy on the guitar solos, and add catchy hooks with good harmony. Very well done overall. Will probably add "The Boys Are Back in Town" to the playlist.
The Zombies
3/5
There's some albums that have cover art that I just want to have in my home as decoration. This one is a strong candidate if I can find it.
The album? It's got that classic late 60's sound. But with better production value. Do I like it? It's fine, but nothing I'd play on purpose. But I also wouldn't take it off the turntable early.
Lorde
2/5
Is this Lorde? Yes? Ok, she pretty good, 3 stars... Wait, does it have Royals on it? No? Ok 2 stars.
Laura Nyro
4/5
It's always a treat to hear songs from over a decade before I was born. Most don't really hold up, but i could see myself listening to Laura on a more regular basis. Some fun and upbeat, others slow and sultry. It blends well with a classic sound.
Not sure which was my favorite. The first three were very strong candidates. I think Sweet Blindness will go onto the playlist for now, but Luckie was a close second.
2/5
Funky! I liked "The Cisco Kid". With how many musicians reference the show, I should probably go watch it someday. The rest of the album, while great musically, didn't move the needle much.
The Notorious B.I.G.
5/5
I had forgotten just how legendary Biggie was. Every song on here burrows into your ear and forces you to bop along to the beat. I might not ever be able to truly relate to the lyrics, but that doesn't matter here. He tells you his story, and you can't help but relate in whatever way you can.
"Big Poppa" is the show stealer here of course. The album as a whole is probably 4 stars but bumping it to 5 because, RIP Biggie.
Frank Black
2/5
"I'm not black like Barry White, no, I am white like Frank Black is" ~ Bloodhound Gang.
I never knew who Frank Black was outside of hearing his name in that one random lyric. Now I do.
The music is just there. It's nothing groundbreaking, and it doesn't try to be unique or get your attention in any substantial way. It just exists. It's not terrible music, but it's not good either. I think 2 stars is appropriate here.
"Headache" will go on the playlist as the only viable song from this album to do so.
Marvin Gaye
3/5
Lacks the overall greatness that "Let's get it on" had. But it's still pretty good. I'm honestly not sure he's capable of putting out anything that I would consider bad. I'll rank it a slightly above average but still a 3.
Depeche Mode
3/5
Depeche Mode are the kings of the Synth-Pop era. That said, I'm not too familiar with their work. Only their reputation. This album is a very good offering from them. The dark themes resonate regardless of the era. I could see myself listening to this album heavily about 20 years ago. Today, not as much.
The first track was the best, imo. "Never Let Me Down Again" will make the playlist.
Garbage
5/5
There's that alt rock of the 90's that permeated my formative years. Love this album. Hearing it back after all these years. It still holds up. Saw them over the summer at a festival event. She may be even better live. Go see her, you won't be disappointed.
As for the playlist? I think I might add two from this one to make up for the earlier garbage (no pun intended) that I had listened to earlier where nothing was good enough to put into a playlist.
Stupid Girl and Only Happy When it Rains... Queer unfortunately barely misses out.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
5/5
They should probably just slap a "Greatest Hits" label on this one. Pretty sure 7 of the 11 tracks on this one already are on the hits album. This is gold.
I'll have to see about finding this one on Vinyl. Think I'll add "Travelin' Band" to the list, cause I prefer more upbeat music on lists like that. But "Long as I can see the light" has been my personal favorite mine for decades.
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
More 90's synth-pop that I never really got into back in the day. The 90's were my country music phase. As I've gotten older and my music tastes have expanded, I can appreciate synth-pop in small doses.
This album feels like It's easy to put this on in the background while you concentrate on other tasks. But nothing stands out as a must listen.
I feel this is a good representation of the genre. There's certainly a place for this kind of music. Like... It's the kind of album some gay guy with the wrong impression might put on to seduce me.
Eagles
4/5
Considering they had just released a Greatest hits album earlier that year, it's crazy that they didn't wait to add a few songs from this one first.
The first three songs are classic Eagles hits.
The rest of the album is alright. The B-side tends to slow down a bit too much for my tastes though. Overall this a great album and worthy of 4 stars.
"Life in the fast lane", is still one of my favorites and will make the playlist.
3/5
Musically, this is really well done. It's all very tight and polished
It's still not my jam though. Listened to half of it before I skimmed the rest. It's all basically the same thing. Anyway, I'm just gonna rate it a 3 and move on with life.
Arcade Fire
1/5
After the first two songs, I was thinking my review would be simply, "I don't hate it. It's not great, but not terrible. I'm thinking 3 stars so far."
And then the song "Modern Man" made me so irrationally angry I was about to toss my phone. It was on a very short leash after that.
Anyway, it's not good. I think it's more a two, but I'm dropping it on principal that I should never feel angry about a song that was not intended to illicit that feeling.
Keith Jarrett
3/5
I don't really know how to judge something like this other than that I liked it. But couldn't see myself listening to it again.
2/5
This is the type of music one might have listened to while tracking down freshmen during 'hell week'.
It doesn't hold up, and not sure it ever really was good enough in the first place. Not the worst thing I've ever heard though.
Talking Heads
3/5
Was about to say this is classic 80's music, but clearly it came out in '77 so I'd be wrong there. Perhaps they were ahead of their time? Pioneers to what the 80's would become? IDK. And I don't really care to dig into it.
The album is pretty good. I didn't find an objectionable song. Psycho Killer is probably the winner here.
Elton John
5/5
Sir Elton John is a legend. And Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is perhaps one of if not the greatest of his albums. Candle in the Win, Benny and the Jets, GYBR, Saturday Night. These are all time classic bangers from one of the greatest artists of all time.
I'm waffling back and forth as to if this is a four or five star album. Probably only worth a four, but It's Elton and I feel obligated to go full five stars.
Saturday Night will make the playlist because I favor upbeat songs.
DJ Shadow
4/5
Strange, unique, experimental, and great vibes, are the words I would use to describe this album. I really enjoyed this.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
2/5
Here's what I'll say about this album. He sounds very good as a live performer. It's just that I don't like his music.
PJ Harvey
3/5
This is a pretty fun album. Strange for sure, but fun. "The Glorious Land" had me chuckling at my desk. It kinda falls off in the middle though. All and all, its pretty good.
Wild Beasts
1/5
This was bad. Like epically bad. The only list this should be on is records to avoid.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
2/5
I don't know why I thought this band was a late 90's thing, but I guess they are an 80's band. They're alright. This album has "Relax" which is an all time great. It's got a pretty decent version of Born to Run on it too, but I don't rate covers unless it's more iconic than the original. Slightly below average record.
Simon & Garfunkel
3/5
It's ok. I liked a few tunes like "Homeward Bound". But It's not really the kind of music I listen to. I can appreciate it in small doses. Thinking it deserves a solid middle of the road 3 stars.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
I discovered something about myself. I'm usually a minor fan of Reggae. Marley is absolutely the GOAT in that regard. What I discovered is Reggae is strictly an evening sound. Here at 9am sitting at my desk at work is clearly not the time for it.
Taking that into account I have to ding the album a point from what I feel it would be at it's strongest. The twist? It's still a 5 star album. It's that good.
Napalm Death
3/5
It's about time we got some proper death metal. They call this "Grindcore" or "Crust Punk". Whatever you call it. It's good stuff.
"You Suffer" has to be the best song I've heard in the last 15 years. Truly a masterpiece of writing and accompaniment.
"You suffer, but why?", indeed. That song will be making the best of the 1001 albums playlist.
Janis Joplin
5/5
I'm not sure she can put out a bad song. Her songs aren't about the lyrics and music, but it's about her soul. She puts everything she can into her music. The result is an absolute masterpiece.
Bobby McGee, Cry Baby, and my guilty pleasure song Mercedes Benz. All legendary classics.
The lessor known songs are all great as well.
I added both Bobby McGee and Mercedes Benz to the playlist, as I usually double up songs from my 5 star rankings.
Meat Loaf
3/5
His songs are good, there's no doubt about that. But man is it a bit overdone.
Do yourself a favor though and find "Professor Meatloaf explains what that is." It's kinda funny
Idk. His stuff hasn't aged as well as others of his era. I'm conflicted. I guess I'll just pick a solid right down the middle 3 stars.
I think Rock and Roll dreams come true is probably the one to add to the playlist. I may change it later.
The Doors
2/5
Roadhouse Blues is a classic. Going on the playlist. Peace frog was pretty good too.
I never really got into the Doors. People seem to like him, but the last album on here was nearly unlistenable.
This one is better. But still not for me.
MGMT
2/5
Better than I expected. Worse than I hoped. While I am glad to have heard... *gestures at album* ...Whatever this is, I wont be giving it a second listen.
No songs were good enough for the playlist.
Dexys Midnight Runners
4/5
"What's worse than grease on Olivia Newton John? Come on Eileen!"
Thank you, I'll be here all week.
I play that song pretty regularly at bars. It'll certainly make the playlist. The rest of the album is ok. The arrangement and instrumentation is tight, polished, and on point. The singers style loses it for me a bit though.
Overall, It's got a pretty good vibe throughout, and I enjoy that in an album.
Going 4 stars with this one.
Sheryl Crow
5/5
Forgot how amazing Sheryl Crow is. I need to find this one on vinyl.
Objectively it's probably on a 4 star album, but nostalgia is pushing it to 5 stars for me. I'll be adding "All I Wanna Do" and "Leaving Las Vegas" to the playlist
Bruce Springsteen
2/5
It's Springsteen alright. There's nothing I've seen from him that's terrible. This album is a veritable collection of his usual average work. The Rising is perhaps the best song here, but even that's nothing special. I don't think I'll be adding anything to the playlist from this album.
Fats Domino
3/5
Had trouble finding this exact album so I just searched for every song individually. The majority were on his greatest hits album. I've always appreciated his work. If the actual album is as good as the songs individually, which I assume it is, I'd rank this one 3 stars.
Blueberry hill is a classic.
The Cure
1/5
This album is terrible. Nobody needs to hear this one. The Cure are capable of good tunes, but clearly were in a mood on this one.
Elvis Presley
5/5
What can I say about elvis that hasn't been said a million times.
Great album. Suspicious minds is one of my favorites of all time.
Billie Holiday
1/5
Album very Jazz. Contains much sound. It is rated.
"Vocal Jazz" is less Jazz than normal Jazz, which is a slight improvement.
My introduction to her song "You Don't Know What Love Is", was actually from the band Sublime on their track "Raleigh Soliloquy, Part III"
Do yourself a favor. Listen to that first, and then go back and listen to parts 1 and 2. You won't be disappointed.
Tom Waits
4/5
Tom Waits is a weird dude. The best description of this album would be, "What if Jack Skellington was a real person?" And that's all you really need to know about it.
This album does not disappoint. It's very good. For songs that I never realized was a cover, Rod Stewarts "Downtown train" is now the newest addition to that list.
Their not all bangers, but with his unique style I feel 4 stars is the perfect sweet spot.
David Bowie
2/5
More Bowie.... Whomever made this list really needs to branch out more.
the best thing I can say about it, is I liked it better than I expected to. Would probably rate it a 4 on it's own, but I'm tired of finding Bowie on this list. I came in here wanting to find Albums to listen to before I die, and I think flooding the list with one artist goes against the spirit of why I'm here.
In that regard, I'm dropping this to a 2. Sorry, not Sorry.
Nothing stands out as a must add to the playlist, but I went with Jean Genie.
George Harrison
3/5
Meh. It's alright. 3 stars. What is life is the best song on this one.
Sarah Vaughan
3/5
Ok, I laughed when she started singing that they really messed up the song. Once again, Vocal Jazz is a bit better than regular jazz. And a live recording I think captures the essence better than something more manufactured.
All in all I think this one's worth 2, possibly 3 stars. Maybe someday I'll appreciate jazz a bit more, but I'm not there quite yet.
Slayer
5/5
\m/ (>.<) \m/
Buzzcocks
5/5
I'm a sucker for punk music, and this album delivers. It's a bit on the pop side of things, but stay's mostly true to the genre. It's the type of album you put on for a summer road trip on the Pacific Coast Highway. ...If only I lived in California.
Anyway, good stuff. Hard to pick just one song for the playlist, So I'll add two: "I Don't Mind" and " You Tear Me Up".
The Stooges
3/5
There is apparently no escaping David Bowie on this list. If he isn't one of the 9 albums, then he's producing it. Luckily, he's a pretty good producer even if I don't really like Bowies own music.
Iggy & The Stooges come in hot with Search and Destroy, and then album is hit and miss from there.
It's alright, but not great. Adding that first track to the playlist.
R.E.M.
2/5
"Meh". That's been my thoughts on R.E.M. for years. In my opinion they have two good songs, and only one of them is on this album.
Man on the Moon will make the playlist. The rest of the album is just filler.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Post-Punk is a bit weird. This is the second Sonic Youth album, and I don't get the appeal.
They also described it as "Noise-Rock" and that makes sense.
The most traditional punk song I think it Silver Rocket. That one will be going on the playlist.
Outside that, it's more miss than hit for me. 2stars
Funkadelic
4/5
"The whole funk, and nothing but the funk!"
Emmylou Harris
3/5
Folksy AF. Pleasant to listen to. I liked the middle eastern drum influence in the tunes. I know know the Bang the Drum Slowly reference.
King Crimson
2/5
It's an oddball for sure. I didn't hate it as much as I normally do these prog-rock artzy efforts. Side A was the winner, by the time you get to side B, I'm over it. Nothing here is worth an addition to a playlist.
Frank Ocean
3/5
It's a pretty good offering for the genre. It's just not a genre I enjoy. I did enjoy the mini interludes scattered throughout. I thought that was a great inclusion to break up what is essentially one long run of the same sound over and over.
Ms. Dynamite
3/5
Saw "Lauryn Hill" as one of the tags, and it's pretty spot on. Just take her and give her a slight Jamaican bend to her singing, and you got Ms. Dynamite.
Luckily, I'm a bit of a sucker for Reggae, so this style resonates with me. I might need to explore this "Ragga" genre a bit more.
I need a song for the playlist, and I think "Dy-Na-Mi-Tee" will take that honor. It gives me ICP vibes ironically. I'd have added the opening interlude as it's a banger, but at only 50 seconds long, I can't justify it.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
CCR are legends. Y'all don't need me to explain them to you.
Not as great as their Born on the Bayou album, but still real good.
Bad Moon Rising AND Commotion will make it to the playlist.
TV On The Radio
1/5
Nobody needed to hear this before they die.
Staring at the sun was at least barely listenable. The rest was garbage.
Once again, post-punk proves to be the garbage genre that it is.
John Lennon
3/5
The song Imagine is an all time banger. The rest of it is fairly standard stuff. Decent, but not great.
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Everybody has heard the song Rehab, and when I checked out the track list and didn't see it, i was expecting the worst. But holy hell this album is great. I don't know why I was sleeping on the rest of her work, but now I need to go out and find some vinyl of her. Gone too soon.
Eminem
5/5
Well this takes me back. Used to listen to this album with my brother while we cruised around town. I'm not even through the whole album yet, but I know it's absolutely gold. 5 stars.
Fairport Convention
2/5
Not terrible, but could do without the several Bob Dylan covers. I guess I don't have to hear Bob's voice, so that's a bonus. Very folksy, which I can appreciate in small doses. Would rate it a 3 but dropping it because too many covers. I want to hear your own work, not somebody else's.
David Gray
2/5
Oh.. That Babylon song. Now i remember this guy.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
4/5
Wish I would have taken the opportunity to see him before he passed. RIP Tom
This album isn't his best, but it's still pretty dang good. I'm a sucker for that late 70's era of rock.
I'm adding breakdown to the "best of" playlist.
Derek & The Dominos
3/5
I guess file this one under, "Bands I didn't know Eric Clapton was a part of". Seems to be a lot of those. It's got Layla on here. It's alright.
Steely Dan
3/5
You can start to see the evolution of their early work into something better in this one, but it's just not quite there yet. "Countdown to Ecstasy" is a fitting name for something that will eventually lead into the perfection that is their album "Aja"
Lightning Bolt
1/5
Let's just read the books own description of this record: "A mix of sheer abuse and welcome diversity, for a truly challenging listening experience"
Challenging is an understatement, I nearly turned it off after the first 50 seconds. There are elements of good music in there, but it's covered in chaos incarnate. "Noise Rock" is a genre I don't think I need in my life.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
Wait, what? This album came out in 1988? I could have sworn it was a 2000's release. Weird.
I guess, factoring that in, they may have been ahead of their time. Jane says and Mountain song are... I guess... Classics. The rest of it, is just fine. They'll both get a spot on the playlist.
Deep Purple
4/5
Solid 70's Rock
The Who
2/5
Always thought they were overrated. My opinion has not changed.
New York Dolls
4/5
Started off pretty strong then became fairly average. But it's punk so I'm giving it a boost. Personality Crisis makes my playlist