Iron Maiden
Iron MaidenHighlight of the album: Phantom of the Opera Transylvania Iron Maiden
Highlight of the album: Phantom of the Opera Transylvania Iron Maiden
Highlight Song/s: Hand In My Pocket Alanis sounds at times a Mishmash of Billy Corgan and Dolores (The Cranberries)
Highlight Song/s: Mama Said Sweet 60s Pop
Highlight Song/s. Taxman Love You To Here, There And Everywhere And Your Bird Can Sing For No One
Highlight Song/s: 5/4 New Genius (Brother) Double Bass The backing track for all of the songs are so colourful and unique. It's like a forest, you can totally lose yourself in it. The backing track also reminds me of Shoegaze and Dream pop, with so many things to discover on one track.
This album wasn't on Spotify so I listened to it on Youtube, though I only found 11 out of 13. I do believe the rating wouldn't have changed had I listened those two songs. Other than that I really liked the bass in the first song and their use of noise throughout the album.
Pretty lovely singing and the backing tracks are quite exciting. I just didn't like that It was 3 hours long, which was pretty grueling. Had it been less than an hour I would've definitely rated it higher.
Highlight Song/s: Wah-Wah, Isn't it a Pity and all of Apple Jam My first solo Beatles album. it's a very long album which makes it harder to re-listen to and staying engaged with it. Lots of the songs sound very folky which I kind of like and the backing tracks sound very busy (of course it's produced by Phil Spector.) George's vocals sound really nice in this (sky is blue, what's new.) The song Art of Dying sounds very reminiscent of While My Guitar Gently Weeps which I really like.
Listened to on Youtube, as the album is absolutely butchered besides the bonus tracks.
Highlight Song/s: The Heathen, Waiting In Vain and Three Little Birds This is my first experience with Reggae apart from listening to Jamaican radio stations in Grand Theft Auto IV and San Andreas (which I really liked.) The backstory of this album is really interesting, where Bob Marley relocated to London after nearly getting assassinated and made the appropriately named album 'Exodus'. The lyrics on the album are amazing (and sweet in the second half.)
Highlight Song/s: Soft As Snow (But Warm Inside), Cupid Come and Sueisfine This is one of my favourite albums of all time - probably Top 10 but not certain. It is a pretty eclectic album with the Dream pop songs (Lose My Breath and No More Sorry,) the punk-esque (Sueisfine and When You Wake) and the really noisy ones (Cupid Come, Feed Me, Several Girls and All I Need.) Their combination of noise and pop is nothing short of marvelous. How they use the voice as an instrument is pretty unique. I love how that most of the songs are so blissful yet so grating to the ears. They have such an original sound.
Highlight Song/s: In Memory Of Elizabeth Reed I'm not into Jam Band stuff, but I thought this was kind of alright.
Highlight Song/s: Dreams Burn Down, Decay and Vapour Trail This album has such a surreal sound. I love the vibe that the album cover gives off. It's fun listening to Shoegaze and closing your eyes and imagining yourself in some other place (like near an ocean in this instance.) You can totally lose yourself in the wall of noise that's in most of the songs.
Listened to on YouTube as it's not on Spotify for me. I also could only find 7 out of the 13 songs which sucks a bit. But other than that I like the really unique sound of this album.
I am always a fan when artists do different stuff for different sides/halves of the album. Such as Low (by David Bowie) where the first half is these repetitive rock/pop songs and the second half is ambient, anyways enough David Bowie. Pretty cool how Neil Young does solo acoustic for the first half and then Electric with a backing band in the second half. This is my first impression of Neil Young (apart from listening to Heart of Gold) and I would say it was a good impression.
Highlight Song/s: My Love, My Life and Money, Money, Money This might possibly be the best Pop album ever.
Highlight Song/s: Transylvania Blues I truly don't like this term; but it fits the most. This hipster rock album (band?) is incredibly bland, I feel like I'm being lulled to sleep on 9 out of the 10 tracks. The only redeeming part of the album is Transylvania Blues (maybe because there is no singing from off brand Bob Dylan.) This 35 minute album felt so long, even longer than that 3 hour Jazz album by Ella Fitzgerald that's on the list.
Highlight Song/s: War, Tomb of the Boom, Last Call, She Lives in My Lap and My Favorite Things This album is quite long; it being 135 minutes long. It was a bit difficult to get through. I like how the album is structured with the intros of both discs and the interludes with all of it being spread among the rap tracks. My favourite of all probably is the first 3 tracks of disc 2 with the jazzy instrumentation, even if one of them is a interlude. Now some things I don't like. Disc 1 had too many soul choruses, I was pretty over it by the end of the first disc. The track 'Reset' had what sounds like someone eating a bag of chips which bothered me a lot, which was kind of surprising. I don't think this is a bad album, I believe it's just that I really don't think the OutKasts are for me.
Highlight Song/s: Don't Go Near The Water and Long Promised Road I got this album on the day Brian Wilson died; I thought that was kind of funny(not him dying per se,) but the mopey album cover and the album name alongside the sad news of his death. But then I found out shortly after it was scripted (which my opinion on was mixed.) Anyways this is my second Beach Boys album, last time was Pet Sounds (not a fan of) back in August apart from that I just listened to their hits like Good Vibrations, Surfin' U.S.A and I Get Around. So It's good to listen to them properly again. I like the melancholy on this album, it sounds like its the end of an era; very bittersweet. The fact that this album is when Brian Wilson was stepping back from a leadership role, makes it a bit heartbreaking. Godspeed Brian.
Highlight Song/s: Why Did She Have To Leave and I Need Your Lovin' I am relatively new to Motown music, so it's been a little hard to get into. But It gets better and better every time I listen to a new Motown album. The second half is definitely a lot better than the first and it really does redeem the album. So soothing, Amazing vocals, Great basslines, good horn sections and really melodic. Good Album.
Highlight Song/s: New Slaves and Bound 2 I haven't listened to Kanye at all, so this is from completely fresh ears. The production is absolutely amazing, my god. I'm really unsure if I like the rapping style he has, but it's catchy in some parts. It really is a shame how much talent was lost; way before he started spreading hate.
This album has such a surreal sound to it, I like it. The backing tracks for all the songs are so lovely and unique; on the other hand, the vocals are quite difficult to get into. Perhaps a re-listen to it or listening through their other albums will help.
Not a fan on how they use the brass instruments, with all the squeaky, wheezing and high pitched sounds that come from it. I know brass instruments are essential to Jazz, but I definitely prefer how they use it in Getz/Gilberto; where it's more low-key.
Not a fan of this one. All the songs sound like one big song, just split up. The backing tracks are pretty colourful but other than that, lots of the album is just a blur to me.
The lead singer's style of singing is pretty difficult to get into, but I really appreciate the frantic aspect about it. The backing track matches the vocals quite well; just pure frenzy, which fits the garage/punk attitude of the singing.
This sounds incredibly bland, no song in particular stands out. Lyrics across the album include the themes of Women, Love, Beer and Jesus; which they don't do anything special with. Even some albums by others that have Jesus or Love or Women as a theme, just do It better; though the lyrics about the beer might've inspired the horrid pop-country. It sounds catchy at times, but It didn't make the album a good one.
Highlight Song/s: Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground, Expecting, Aluminum and I Can't Wait This is some pretty nifty garage music, I was expecting this to be a bit bad; but no, definitely not bad. This album has some cool riffs and I like how they use the noise (like you'd hear on noise rock songs,) on some of the tracks. The drums always have this catchy rhythm going on. All in all, it's a good one.
Highlight Song/s: Gloria, Redondo Beach This album is a nice mix of punk and poetry. The singing by Patti leaves me completely awestruck. That yelp-styled singing definitely helps make the music more unhinged.
Highlight Song/s: Movin' Out and The Stranger I've always dismissed Billy Joel for some reason, not exactly sure why. But this is some really sweet pop rock.
The singing style mixed with spoken word is kinda cool. The backing tracks for this album have an otherworldly sound to it. I didn't like length of the songs on this album, as I feel like I've heard everything the song has to offer in the first 3 or so minutes and so it starts to drag for the rest of the song. So when EVERY song is like that, it made the album really tiring.
Highlight Song/s: Cynicrustpetefredjohn Raga Not for me. I just feel this folk-styled music has been done so many times before, that it just all sounds the same to me. The exception to the monotony of this album is the last track, which is a 8 minute instrumental that sounds really unique.
Highlight Song/s: Dracula Mountain and 2 Towers This was an enjoyable experience. Love how the band just consists of 2 members, a bassist and a drummer; keeping it minimalist. Even though are only 2 members, the sound is really huge as if the band was an orchestra. Definitely not a bad one.
Her singing is so lovely, it really does enhance the album; otherwise it would've been just another generic folk album.
Highlight Song/s: Concrete Jungle and Slave Driver I feel the album just gradually gets worse; It's not bad, but it's not as great as Exodus.
Highlight Song/s: A Rush and a Push, Girlfriend in a Coma and Death of a Disco Dancer. This is easily one of the best albums ever made. They decided to change their sound on this album after they determined their music had become formulaic, which they executed really well. Even though The Queen Is Dead a good album, it was definitely a good decision to change. It is a shame this is when The Smiths decided to call it; they would've gotten even more strange, then where they had left off. Now about the songs that stood out to me: The dreamlike intro of the song A Rush and a Push; Best line on the album is "Maybe in the next world", from Death of a Disco Dancer; Girlfriend in a Coma and Last Night I Dreamt have the most dramatic sound, which I love; I Won't Share You is probably the best final song from a Band that has broken up.
Not for me.
Highlight Song/s: Folsom Prison Blues, Dark as the Dungeon, The Long Black Veil, Give My Love to Rose and Greystone Chapel When it comes to live albums it probably doesn't get more infamous than this one; the one where Johnny Cash and his crew showed their humanity to the prisoners. Big fan of the track picks for this album which of course have prison, death and longing as themes. I am also a big fan of the stage banter on this one (especially on Dark as the Dungeon), it gives the album such a lighthearted feel to it.
Highlight Song/s: Song of Joy, Stagger Lee, Where the Wild Roses Grow and Death Is Not the End I've only heard Let Love In (separate from 1001) before this one, so this is my second Nick Cave album (third, if you count The Birthday Party.) This album has incredible songwriting. It's quite dark, with murder being the main theme. Even though murder themed lyrics seem a bit juvenile, for some reason the way that he does it, it doesn't.
Highlight Song/s: Wheels Of Confusion, Changes, Supernaut I listened to this 2 days prior (01/07/25) to getting Vol. 4 here on 1001 (03/07/25), which is a little funny out of all 1000 albums it could've chosen from. But it probably did need a re-listen. Now, about the songs themselves that stand out: FX is terrible, what were they thinking? my god; Supernaut sounds like the Max Payne 1 combat music called 'Battle For Free'; That guitar solo that ends Snowblind is incredible; St. Vitus Dance kind of sounds at times the House Building Song from Red Dead Redemption 2, that sort of boogie sound.
This sounds SO generic. Bored to tears with this one.
Highlight Song/s: Time, Us and Them, Any Colour You Like and Brain Damage One of the things that are most interesting about this album to me, is that they put some experimental stuff within the first couple songs on one of the most sold albums ever. Just going off of other top sold albums, you'd think they would put tracks like Time and Money first on the album; songs that have that popular or commercial sound to it. But NO they don't do that. I love how Eclipse transitions into Speak to Me, so the album only really ends when the listener decides it does. Amazing lines on this album: "Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way" (Time) "And after all, we're only ordinary men" (Us and Them) "And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes" (Brain Damage) "And everything under the Sun is in tune" (Eclipse) and probably the best line ever "I'll see you on the dark side of the moon" (Brain Damage)
[A1] The title track is absolutely breathtaking, what a journey that song is. [B1] In Mysterious Semblance... you can hear what seems to be waves crashing at the end of the song. Near the end of it, one of the synths sound similar to Always Crashing in the Same Car by David Bowie. [B2] Movements... continues that wave crashing sound from the previous song just for a moment. Around 4 minutes or so in, it sounds a like the Minecraft song called "Cats." This track has such a relieving sound to it. [B3] 'Sequent 'C'' which is a good ending to all of what you just experienced This album has such great aquatic feel to it. I really like the album Low by David Bowie in which you can hear a bit of Phaedra on it, so it's great to hear some of the albums that influenced Low.
Highlight Song/s: Beetlebum, Song 2, Country Sad Ballad Man, On Your Own and Death of a Party Blur's self-titled is when they started to and embrace American indie and slacker rock alongside that lo-fi sound that is present on every song. The change into this sound was very much needed, there's only so much you can do with that positive overly-British sound and I believe the 3 albums of it were enough. Now about the song Beetlebum, because I love it so much: Beetlebum is such a dreamy song. The harmonies in that song are just incredible; the calm singing as well. That sliding from the electric guitar in the verses is quite catchy, good bassline, good drums and GOOD EVERYTHING. Beetlebum's lyrics are about heroin, which I learnt from watching a documentary about them (from Trash Theory), the song just hit so much harder once I found that out and I fell in love with it more. The song then accumulates into that magnificent chaotic noisy outro.
Highlight Song/s: I'd Like to Know, Mansize Rooster This is some really nifty punk; nice garage backing track mixed with some keyboards alongside melodic vocals. I am a big fan of the vocals on 'I'd Like to know' especially the backing. The lead singer's voice reminds me of either Gary Numan or Syd Barret, or perhaps a combination of. The novelty of this album started wear off by the last couple of songs, but it still is a good one.
Very unique sounding electronic music. After some time it did start getting tiring, with it just repeating the same couple of bars for 6 minutes straight with little change.
Highlight Song/s: Today, Rocket and Soma This album is sweet mix of alternative rock, grunge and shoegaze. Some good riffs (such as Cherub Rock) and some pretty cool sounding melody parts (Today, Rocket.) What I love the most about the album is that constant noise coming from the rhythm guitar. Some things I like from some of the songs: That rhythm guitar in 'Today' is just amazing, I love that chugging sound. I am a fan of the shoegaze elements on 'Hummer' I thought that false ending in 'Rocket' was pretty cool where the wall of guitars faded out it sounded like a goddamn orchestra, then it actually ends and it ended up sounding like it once again. I liked that sweet sounding interlude-like track 'Sweet Sweet'.
Highlight Song/s: Glittering Prize Some things that stand out to me about this album: It's fairly minimalist. The singer sounds a bit like Robert Smith. Some of the lyrics seem quite hopeful. It's an alright album.
Highlight Song/s: The Man Comes Around, Give My Love to Rose, I Hung My Head The album where Johnny Cash reached the end of the road. Very much bittersweet.
If they played a little more faster and the singing was more slurred this would've been a 5 star.
The title track is absolutely marvelous. I first heard it on Grand Theft Auto IV on the funk radio station (IF99), way before I really got into music. And I remember liking it, and I still do so that's good after not hearing it for quite a while. Anyways it's a 6/5 star song. 'Mr. Follow Follow' has this amazingly good bassline as well as the trumpet in the first half had me completely entranced for a moment. Also the back-and-forth between the lead vocal and backing vocals is done pretty well. 4.75/5 star song in my opinion.
Highlight Song/s: Come As You Are, The Man Who Sold The World, Dumb, Plateau and Where Did You Sleep Last Night I am a casual Nirvana fan not too big on most of their stuff, but I like some of their songs here and there. Prior to listening to this I've only In Utero (which was my first album) then just earlier this month Nevermind. Songs that I particular like from them are: Drain You, In Bloom, Serve the Servants and their cover of Molly's Lips. So some songs are completely new to me. I like to think some of the higher ups thought they would play all their hits - especially from Nevermind - but NO about 40% of the album is covers, which I am a fan of; It's just Nirvana appreciating their idols Now, about the songs themselves: The cello on 'Something In The Way' is incredible; I thought the Meat Puppets songs were pretty good, I definitely gotta check out their second album.
Highlight Song/s: It's Nasty (Genius of Love) and The Message I don't feel this album should've been included on 1001 albums, yes I suppose it is influential. But I suspect they only included this one because of the title track, which I feel is a bit lame. Anyways majority of the rating comes from the title track, because its just THAT good
Just the same thing going over and over again for 7 minutes straight. I just don't get Electronic music that's intended for dancing; It's insanely repetitive, I'm sure it sounds great live but I just can't get with it on the studio version.
Highlight Song/s: You're a Friend to Me This is some really sweet soul music, though it is a bit bland.
Highlight Song/s: Venus, Marquee Moon and Guiding Light This album has some of most amazing melodies I have ever heard in my life. The guitar solos on this album are phenomenal, especially on 'Marquee Moon' and 'Guiding Light.' The album is pretty diverse, I kind of like how they don't fully bow down to anything specific. Though I have listened to this album 3 times now, I just can't fully get into it. I see this album often labeled 'post-punk' which I would disagree with. It probably isn't straight-forward punk rock like the Ramones, but it definitely isn't post-punk; perhaps something like art punk would fit better. Some things I like about the songs: the punk rock-leaning of 'See No Evil'; the very poppy 'Venus'; 'Marquee Moon' has such a catchy chorus and that extended amazing instrumental part, the song is 6/5 stars all day, every day and finally 'Guiding Light' which is a top-notch ballad.
I thought I would like this album but no not really. I really did try to get into it, but I just couldn't. Perhaps I was thinking majority of the songs would have a strong groove; which most didn't have. Anyways I do respect the album a lot though.
Highlight Song/s: Driftwood This is better than I was expecting. Especially because I saw the words 'britpop' and I thought it was going to be a bunch of slop; yeah it's not exactly the greatest but it's far from slop. Lots of the songs sound so sweet and the vocals are quite Radiohead-esque (early Radiohead.) I am not fan of the 3 minutes of silence on 'Slide Show', I get hidden tracks were all the rage in the 90s but they just didn't age well.
Highlight Song/s: Planet Claire and Dance This Mess Around What an amazing album by a bunch of quirky individuals. They have a funny sense of humour. Ricky is such an underrated guitarist, such a shame he died; gone way too soon. Some of my favourite guitar tracks by him include 'Planet Claire', 'Dance This Mess Around' and the fabulous 6 star track 'Private Idaho' (though from the next album, 'Wild Planet.') At times I don't know If its Kate or Cindy singing, I get confused. But I'm pretty sure it's Kate that I like more (but both of them are amazing singers.) Kate has such good singing voice alongside her mostly unique scat singing with her OO's, OW's, OH's and AH's and her screaming; which actually was inspired by Yoko Ono. Funnily enough, John Lennon heard 'Rock Lobster' at a club and thought the club was playing 2 records and he reckoned one of them was by Yoko but NO, it was the B-52's. That experience got him back into making music, though not for too long...
Highlight Song/s: Paranoid, Iron Man and Fairies Wear Boots This is probably one of the very few albums that influenced multiple generations of musicians. Some of the greatest riffs are on this album; I don't feel the need to say which ones specifically, as it's just innate. Although 'Paranoid' is a good album I can't help but think the next album 'Master of Reality' is just a LOT better (which sadly isn't on 1001.)
Some nice early rock and roll. This album was slower than I was expecting but it's still a nice one; like I was expecting most of the songs on the album to sound similar to the closer 'Trust In Me.'
Highlight Song/s: Things Done Changed, Warning, Juicy and Big Poppa I honestly thought this was going to be a lot better; I guess I'm just not a huge rap fan, if I don't like the top hip-hop albums or think majority of the songs are mediocre. Perhaps I need to lower my expectations. But I would say this one is a good album.
Highlight Song/s: I Remember When, Shadows Fall and Dreaming of You What a surreal sound this album has, this might be love at first sight (or listen.) It has such a nice combination of the piratey/sea shanty feel and that garage rock revival sound to it. The novelty did start to run out with that last handful of songs. And if I had to pick a track to delete, It would be 'Skeleton Key'.
Highlight Song/s: Road This is what I would imagine would play after climbing a hill and watching the sun rise, after surviving a tough night; whilst you feel very hopeful for whats to come.
Highlight Song/s: Proud Mary This album was pretty bleh. I guess that's what happens when you pump out 5 albums in like 18 or so months. CCR has some other albums on this list, so I will see in due time if they are more like a singles sort of band instead of an album-oriented band - I'm thinking they might be a singles sort of band.
Highlight Song/s: No More Mr. Nice Guy and Mary Ann Lot of the songs are really poppy which surprised me, as I always thought of Alice Cooper as a hard rock musician; perhaps on other albums, but not this one. Probably more glam rock than hard rock. I thought this album was overly tame and I felt underwhelmed, perhaps I'm desensitised from other music I've listened to and that maybe this album really did push boundaries in the early 70s, but because I'm not 50 years old I just don't get it and the appeal of early 70s hard rock. Some things from the songs themselves that stood out: 'Elected' reminds me a lot of the American Dad intro 'Billion Dollar Babies' has a really cool opening riff The chorus of 'No More Mr. Nice Guy' is amazing 'Mary Ann' is a really sweet interlude track 'I Love the Dead' has a cool cabaret feel to it
Highlight Song/s: Bloodsucker, Flight of the Rat and Into the Fire 'Speed King' was a bit of a weird song with that amazing intro and that fairly long downtime at the beginning, and with its references to rock 'n' roll seemed quite an odd choice. Then it got significantly better with 'Bloodsucker'; what a crazy good riff that song has. Just all around a good one. 'Child in Time' was extremely underwhelming, I was expecting something a bit more. No clue why they settled with that weird squealing in the song, especially by the end it got really grating. 'Flight of the Rat' has a great instrumental section, that drum section in the last minute or so was really odd, I KIND of like it, kind of not. 'Into the Fire' has the best vocals of any track. it also has the best main riff of any of the songs. Also superb rhythm section. 'Living Wreck' has this weird Mountain Lion sounding part which was really off-putting. It also has great vocals. 'Hard Lovin' Man' starts with this laser-like sound from the keyboardist which is a bit strange. The keyboard solo in this one is pretty cool and sounds quite warpy at times. The last minute of this album (and song) is incredible.
This one is a really odd sounding album. It's quite dreamy at points (which is relaxing and nice), but it's also just bland, LIKE really bland. As well it being insanely repetitive. Let me cut to the chase, what I'm saying is the terribleness outweighs the good parts.
Highlight Song/s: American Idiot, Jesus of Suburbia, Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and Are We the Waiting I am not a big Green Day fan, I like some songs here and there, but not all of them. I listened to 'Dookie' and wasn't a fan. I've been planning to listen to 'American Idiot' for a while and then I just FORGOT about it for some reason; but by the grace of god, 1001 reminded me that it existed. And it wasn't half bad. The song that shines the most is 'Jesus of Suburbia.' Literally perfect, 9 minute, 5 part song and which has a very progressive feel to it; not a second is wasted with this one. The only part that is just a smidge bad is his incorrect use of the phrase 'I could care less' (in Part II), where he uses it the same way you would use 'I couldn't care less.' Though I just dismiss it as an Americanism, so it fits with the rest of the album. Another song/s that stand out to me is 'Holiday' and 'Boulevard of Broken Dreams' which are often paired together. I especially like the digital version where both of them are combined into one song. My favourite parts of each song is: "The Senator has the floor" and the guitar solo part (with the other instruments, as well) from Boulevard.
Highlight Song/s Matchbox, Lewis Boogie and Long Tall Sally Straight rocker, this one is! I love the stage banter, as any other good live album would have. You can hear all the cheers that infest the album by the rebellious people who are fans of loud music; alongside them chanting his name as if he was some divine being, maybe he isn't one but I'm sure the audience felt like he was one for the duration of the concert. A quirk about the album I find strange (which was probably standard for the time,) was he used the words Nineteen-Hundred and Fifty-Two to say the year '1952', where nowadays people would (hopefully!) raise their eyebrows at you if you said that instead of Nineteen-Fifty-Two. I'm glad this one had some swing to it as that's what I was expecting when I heard 'This Is Fats Domino!,' no disrespect to him I felt like I was kind of falling asleep with all the ballad songs, nonetheless this album is just a lot better. It was cool to see two Little Richard songs on here, I hope his album is good when I eventually get it.
Highlight Song/s: I Should've Known, Fifty Years After The Fair, Could've Been Anyone and Mr Harris I previously heard of Aimee Mann from the song 'Voices Carry,' she has SUCH an amazing singing voice. The tracks on this one are some solid poppy alternative rock tunes. The vocal melodies are amazing. However the backing tracks are a bit underwhelming, they're just quite frankly unexciting. which is totally fine as the singing is spectacular.
Highlight Song/s: Cisco Kid, City, Country, City and The World Is A Ghetto I believe this is America's version of 'Autobahn' by Kraftwerk. I mean what other album would that be, if it isn't this one? Well for one, the album covers give me similar idea, of people living, breathing and moving about. Other similar elements include: epic-lengthed song/s and repetitive beats. Then I'd said this and that and I finally realised War's album 'The World is a Ghetto' came before 'Autobahn' (1972 vs 1974,) and It shocked me! This would've worked so well as America's answer to 'Autobahn' but It can't be that, as it came before it. It's all ruined now. Some say instrumentals have no soul in them because they don't have singing in them, I am confused because 'City Country, City' speaks incredibly loud, it has tremendous amounts of emotion in it. But some people are unfortunately snobby and instantly dismiss instrumentals. This album is stupidly good, just like 'Autobahn.'
Highlight Song/s: Father To Son, The Loser In The End, Ogre Battle, The March Of The Black Queen and Funny How Love Is Most people probably wouldn't have this in mind when thinking of Queen; heavy, proggy, fantasy lyrics and a bit sludgy at points. Definitely not much radio-friendly music is on this one. I never really thought they would be a band worth it enough to listen to any their albums, but this isn't at all bad; such a great album experience. Perhaps their 70s albums are worth listening to at first (if it were to listen through their albums.) 'A Night at the Opera' is also on this list, so I am looking forward to that now. I know 'Procession' is technically the first track, but the first proper song 'Father To Son' is amazing, which is very proggy sounding. 'The Loser In The End' and 'The Fairy Feller's' both have a sick bassline, also the latter has an amazing beat to it. The stepping stone that was needed to create 'Bohemian Rhapsody' called 'The March Of The Black Queen'; which is a WAY better 'Bohemian Rhapsody.' 'Black Queen' then transitions into 'Funny How Love Is', which is one of the best transitions ever.
Highlight Song/s: Takeover, Girls, Girls, Girls (Part 1), U Don't Know and Renegade This is my first good listen to Jay-Z. I had previously listen to a couple of his other songs such as "Dead Presidents II" and "Empire State of Mind"; I am a big fan of Dead Presidents. In other words I am saying that this review comes from a completely new perspective and not a Jay-Z fan perspective. The production is pretty good, it makes some songs sounds really big and powerful (for better or for worse.) Jay-Z's rap and flow style is a bit difficult for me to get into; I am not too sure why. I don't believe it's something that I could come around to either. Not everyone is for everyone I guess. The track that stands out the most is "Takeover" which is a diss track about Nas and Prodigy (from Mobb Deep,) one of my favourite hip-hop songs is "Ether" by Nas, so it was a bit of a surprise when Nas took the flow of the chorus "we running this rap shit" as the outro, I was like "Oh!, that's where the thing is from." Nas mocking Jay-Z by using parts of the his songs, reminds of Eazy-E doing the same thing with Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg; mocking them and their songs "'Nuthin But A 'G' Thang" and "Dre Day" on Eazy's song "It's On." Conclusions for the song, It's not too bad, but it isn't as great as "Ether." Having had listened to both songs now, it has made me appreciate both songs and the entire feud with Nas and all the great songs that have come from it.
Highlight Song/s: Imagine, Crippled Inside, Gimme Some Truth and How Do You Sleep? My 100th album from the generator! The album is quite melancholic and is sombre on most of the songs. This is album is great lyrically, nothing too bad is on here. This one starts with the title track, which has lyrics that aren't asking for anything too much. For example It simply asks you to imagine a world free of religion, which some psycho decided that it was too much to ask for and decided to commit murder because of that song.
Highlight Song/s: I Left My Wallet in El Segundo, Pubic Enemy, Can I Kick It? and Youthful Expression This is a landmark album in hip-hop music. The production, the flow, intelligent lyrics and interesting wordplay. What I find kind of neat is that lots of the album seems to flow into each other, as it tends to say the name of the next song on a fair bit of the tracks; it gives it a little bit of a concept album feel to it. This is a notable lack of Phife Dawg on this album, which The Low End Theory corrects that mistake. The jazz and rap combination is pretty unique for its time. It's like as if they are paying tribute to jazz, kind of similar to gangsta rap and funk music and its combination "G-Funk."
Highlight Song/s: On the Level and Traveling Light I thought this was going to be your run-of-the-mill folk music, but no it isn't. I only have one big issue with this album is that I'm quite put off by his really deep voice. Like really put off by it, which makes the album difficult to get into.
Highlight Song/s: 21st Century Schizoid Man This is one of those albums that I've been meaning to listen to, but haven't come around too. Most of the tracks were fine to great, except for "Moonchild" for some reason that song triggered me with all those strange sounds around a couple minutes in. I can't explain it that well, but it made my blood boil for some reason
Highlight Song/s: Tarkus, The Only Way (Hymn) and Are You Ready Eddy Side 1: What an experience the title track is; but I reckon that's the case with most 20 minute songs. I don't know where to begin how they would play this live, especially for a power trio. With them being a progressive rock band they probably found a way. Side 2: "Jeremy Bender" lyrically reminds me of Lola (Kinks,) not sure if that's an correct assumption. But that's the impression that I get with all its confusing lyrics. "Bitches Crystal" I swear I've heard this tune before or something really similar, perhaps a soul song that I can't put my finger on. "The Only Way (Hymn)" sounds like a musical from some movie. "Infinite Space (Conclusion)" that piano was keeping me on my toes on what will happen next with the song. "A Time and a Place" is quite aggressive, shocked me a little bit. "Are You Ready Eddy" seems quite stereotypical, I'm unsure if it's supposed to be a parody of rock 'n' roll or not. Whether it is or if is not, it rocks pretty hard.
Highlight Song/s: Ladybird (Green Grass) and Paranoia Man in Cheap Shit Room I've heard on the internet Mark E. Smith is a bad singer, having only listened to their cover of "Victoria" (originally by the kinks) which I didn't feel like was representative of their work and sound. Anyways back to the topic, his voice is definitely an acquired taste, I quite liked his singing in the opening song. However on most of the other songs it's a bit too much talking. Not that'd he give a damn or anything, I think at this in point time his singing is just a bit better than Bob Dylan (Mark also sounds a bit like him as well.)
Highlight Song/s: Come On! Feel the Illinoise, Jackonville, The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts Very very whimsical album. This album has some sweet vocals, as well as some of the most calming backing tracks ever. I thought this album was quite silly with the extremely long song titles and the abundant interlude tracks but it was totally fine, especially the "One last "Whoo-hoo for the Pullman" which was an interlude right after the end of "Decatur." Which is literally a six second applause track.
Highlight Song/s: Send My Love (To Your New Lover), When We Were Young and Water Under The Bridge I thought this would be special, but it really wasn't. Good singles, but the album tracks aren't noteworthy. This review will probably be similar to my next Adele album; whenever that comes around.
Highlight Song/s: Show Me, Valentine's Day, Date Stamp and All Of My Heart I'd reckon this would be a great soundtrack to some hypothetical movie. As probably other new pop albums would be, such as New Gold Dream by Simple Minds. These new pop albums that I have listened to thanks to 1001, are so strange sounding. I am not too sure what about it is strange to me. Perhaps it is the musical-styled singing with the orchestration and the disco beats all combined into one song/album.
Highlight Song/s: Dead Embryonic Cells, Desperate Cry, Altered State This is what I've been missing out on... These tremendously good riffs, absolutely amazing beat, Intelligent lyrics; and not just some demonic stuff. I really do need to lay off a bit of Radiohead and the Smiths and use that time to listen to some Metal instead, I really didn't know what I've been missing until now. I appreciate the album sounding really sinister without devil this and devil that. Not that it's necessarily a problem to me, but some people in extreme metal go full brain dead sometimes and can't write a song without mentioning Satan. "Dead Embryonic Cells" having the words "I didn't ask to be born" I'm like damn, I feel that so much, and so deep. Seriously, I wasn't expecting those lyrics. They sound overly juvenile, couldn't they have chosen any other words?
Highlight Song/s: Band On The Run, Mrs. Vandebilt, Let Me Roll It and No Words 3/4 solo Beatles listened and 4/11 total Beatles album (band and solo stuff) listened (I have listened to Revolver.) I wish the generator gods would bless me with another Beatles album. I'd do anything, literally anything. I wish "Band On The Run" (the song) kept that riff ("am I ever gonna get out of here") around for the other parts of the song, they wasted it. It's insanely good and they just practically THROW it away. The song is still S-Tier, no doubt about that, but it could've been just a bit better had they used that riff just in another part of the song. I like how eclectic this album is, some examples are: The multi-part song of "Band On The Run"; "Bluebird" sounded a fair bit jazzy; The percussion sounds quite tribal in "Mamunia"; "Let Me Roll It"; which has the most powerful chorus ever; nice power ballad that song is. And the beatles-esque song of "No Words." Most of the tracks were pretty solid, the only song I didn't end up liking was the final track. Pretty solid album when all put together.
Highlight Song/s: Complex, Films and M.E. Very very mechanical sounding album, mainly due to the beat which chugs pretty hard on most of the songs. Some other stuff that makes it sound like that, is that the songs on this one are extremely repetitive. I do wish Gary made the album less repetitive, this is easy 5 star material. There is a certain charm to the repetitiveness, no doubt about that. But I believe for it to be a 5 star to me, it would've had to been far less monotonous. Something that I noticed on a second listen to this album, is that it seems like the synths sometimes sounds like it responds to the lead vocals; like a call-and-response sort of thing. I for some reason with this album personify the synths as like a computer or a robot, and the sounds that it makes is it talking or a representation of an emotion. It really does help the futuristic sound that this album has going for it. When I think about it that way, it makes me feel like the synths have so much emotion on this album, its a nice contrast between the singing which is devoid of any emotion (on most songs.)
Highlight Song/s: Green Light I convinced myself that I hadn't heard any of the songs on this album. But no, I've heard "Green Light" before; from the radio that is. Near the start of the album I wasn't too hopeful, but during half way through the album it got a lot better. Surprisingly solid lyrics as well, especially for a pop album.
Highlight Song/s: Wanted Man, San Quentin and A Boy Named Sue What a nice country album. I love the twang the guitars have and that nice rhythm classic country songs tend to have. Johnny Cash does some good banter on this album especially in the second half of "Darlin' Companion," which he uses that to transition into the next track "Starkville City Jail" which is some nice comedy country. Another part I like from the album is where he plays "San Quentin" twice, right AFTER each other. That is straight baller, Johnny really sticking it to the prison authorities. It's nice to see that Johnny Cash debuted I think 3? songs. Very solid songs as well. I find "At San Quentin" a lot more sweet and comedic than "At Folsom Prison" which the latter exemplifies the Outlaw Country sub-genre, with murder, loneliness and anguish themes. I thought I wasn't going to like this album, because of other people's opinion, they made it seem very black and white. Just a reason why you shouldn't let those people corrupt your mind and instead experience it first-hand. Ranting over, this is a seriously solid album.
Highlight Song/s: Love Her Madly, L.A. Woman, Hyacinth House and Riders on the Storm L.A. Woman 1: Music for Bars, is my second Doors album from this generator. Morrison Hotel being the first one. This album has a nice atmosphere to it. What I imagine is: people sitting at the most crammed bar ever ordering shot after shot, the piano man in the corner jiving along to his own tune, with people dancing and prancing to it, with the clink of the glass because of people doing cheers. You get the point. First things first, -the bass guitar on this album is stupidly good, the Doors really should've had a full time dedicated bass player, but the session musicians they picked were always beasts so I guess it doesn't really matter; just means their concerts were a bit underwhelming in the bass department. -Their guitarist Robby Krieger is a pretty sweet player, playing soft and hard when needed. Guitarists don't always need to play 100%, 100% of the time. Sick tone, sick playing. -The drummer John Densmore is another underrated musician, my particular favourite playing is probably the title track, it seems quite stuttery but It has a strong charm to it. Another good part is the last 30 seconds of "The WASP." -The keyboardist Ray Manzarek is in my mind similar to to the bass player, where if it wasn't on the album then it wouldn't have the charm and atmosphere. "L'America" wouldn't nearly sound as haunting without the keyboards; nor would their early stuff - i.e. self-titled and Strange Days - sound like that. And finally -their lead singer Jim Morrison with that bluesy voice of his, stringing all the instruments into place. Doesn't really need anymore said about him (mainly because I can't think of anything else to say equivalent to the other band members.)
Highlight Song/s: Memories Can't Wait, Heaven and Electric Guitar My first Talking Heads album. I have previously listened to their song "Psycho Killer" and I remember not liking it, but I can't even remember how it goes. So it's practically my first time. Anyways, the band has such a unique sound, this dance sort of sound, with the ringing guitars of post-punk and funk basslines. David Byrne's voice - at least his singing voice - reminds me a lot of Berlin Trilogy-era David Bowie. He also has some quirks that remind me a lot of Bowie. It was quite difficult to try to get into the album. I will try again when their other albums come along. And maybe, just maybe, It will hit, or maybe it just won't.