My 1001 Albums Journey

Album	You	Global	Diff
Metal Box Public Image Ltd.	5	2.42	+2.58
Copper Blue Sugar	5	2.98	+2.02
Meat Puppets II Meat Puppets	5	3.02	+1.98
Life's Too Good The Sugarcubes	5	3.08	+1.92
Roxy Music Roxy Music	5	3.1	+1.9
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn Pink Floyd	5	3.11	+1.89
Tank Battles Dagmar Krause	4	2.13	+1.87
The Holy Bible Manic Street Preachers	5	3.15	+1.85
The Healer John Lee Hooker	5	3.18	+1.82
Tigermilk Belle & Sebastian	5	3.22	+1.78

Album	You	Global	Diff
The Low End Theory A Tribe Called Quest	1	3.7	-2.7
John Prine John Prine	1	3.21	-2.21
Life Thru A Lens Robbie Williams	1	2.73	-1.73
Dr. Octagonecologyst Dr. Octagon	1	2.7	-1.7
Californication Red Hot Chili Peppers	2	3.69	-1.69
Illmatic Nas	2	3.6	-1.6
Hotel California Eagles	2	3.59	-1.59
Straight Outta Compton N.W.A.	2	3.51	-1.51
Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water Limp Bizkit	1	2.51	-1.51
Power In Numbers Jurassic 5	2	3.47	-1.47

Artist	Albums	Average
Arcade Fire	3	5
R.E.M.	3	4.67
Jimi Hendrix	2	5
Pink Floyd	2	5
The Smiths	2	5
Stevie Wonder	4	4.25
The Doors	3	4.33
The Rolling Stones	3	4.33
Beatles	3	4.33

Lightning Bolt

3/5

First pick in the challenge. What a way to jump in. Noisy chaos, not necessarily in a bad way, but back when I listened to much more punk I had to be in the mood for noisy stuff. Sometimes smoking helped. Overall, a weird mashup of noisy punk (e.g., Thinking Fellers) and house. There were some interesting songs, but I wish they didn't bother with the vocals. I went in blind, but ultimately read that this was two people (bass and drum machine), which is impressive.

L.A. Woman

The Doors

5/5

From the first bouncing organ riff at the start, you know that you are about to embark on a fun trip through the past. Bluesy, sometimes jazzy, always catchy with lyrics that are memorably poetic. There is a reason the last album with Jim Morrison will always be a classic. Did I mention Morrison? One of the truly great voices in rock and roll history. Most people can almost instantly recognize the raspy baritone, largely due to his ability to impart an emotional depth that sometimes seems at odds with the bouncing tunes of the band. His early death at 27-- along with Hendriz and Joplin at about the same time--remains among the most tragic in music history. As I was listening to this album I realized that I had not listened to it from start to finish in over twenty years. No idea why except sometimes we forget about the past in pursuit of new expereinces. This is why nostalgia can be so powerful and one of the reasons I embarked on the 1001 challenge. What a fun album to get as #2!

Led Zeppelin III

Led Zeppelin

5/5

What new can be said, a seminal album from a band synonymous with rock and roll.

The Score

Fugees

4/5

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

3/5

There were several great tunes on the album, but nothing that I found ground breaking or exciting. A good, but not great listen.

Are You Experienced

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

The first album from one of of the most influential musicians in rock. Not my favorite Hendrix, but seminal Hendrix. I'm grateful to 1001 for prompting me to listen to this album in its entirety, I haven't done that in a long time.

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

4/5

I don't know if it is because I'm old or white--probably both, but I've always had a hard time getting into hip hop. Despite this, I found myself grooving at various points throughout the album. I'm bumping up the ranks a little higher than I normally would in case I end up making an intentional effort to get beyond my old man biases. If I'm going to really dive into hip hop, this would be among the better places to start.

Lust For Life

Iggy Pop

5/5

I mean this is Iggy fucking Pop and he is collaborating with David Bowie. How could it be bad? . Much more poppy that his work with the Stooges, but there are still songs with that raw energy. Other songs, perhaps do to the more poppy focus have some seriously fun books. I listened to this album on the way to an amusement park with my family, a great way to start a great day.

C'est Chic

CHIC

4/5

Ahhh, freak out! My first disco album selection and Chic (pron. Sheek) was a great way to start as they produced some of the biggest hits of the era, including Le Freak from this record. The band liked to consider themselves a mash up rock and disco, which is evident with the excellent guitar work in songs like Savor Faire and Happy Man, albeit with a copacetic R&B vibe. I was 8 when this album was released and can distinctly remember the hits "Le Freak" and "I Want Your Love" being played everywhere. These far out hits reminded me that I don't give disco enough credit as the dance centric music that led to many of the tunes I danced my ass off to in the 80's So take a load off, chill out, sit back and enjoy this groovy record. Good vibes. Peace out!

Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room

Dwight Yoakam

3/5

Country, especially modern country pop is shit music devoid of anything but, perhaps, an artistic expression of the obsession with fame and greed that is US culture. So when I saw the genre and date, I was concerned. Fortunately, this is not that. The album was a mix of various old time country sounds with a modern, decidedly non-Nashville, twist. I liked it more than I thought I would, but it still isn't my jam.

Let It Bleed

The Rolling Stones

5/5

Holy shit, this is why I signed on to this project. I've always liked the Stones, but I've never been enough of a fan to listen to albums in their entirety. WTF have I been thinking? Incredible music, of course. My whole family was commenting on the fact that we got a good one.

The Beach Boys Today!

The Beach Boys

3/5

Like it was for many, this was served to me the day after Wilson's death, so it resonated more than it might have otherwise. While this album was significant made a significant contribution to music, it is not my favorite Beach Boys album who is a band on infrequent listening rotation. So lots of respect from me, if not love.

Back To Black

Amy Winehouse

4/5

Sometimes I'm reminded that my biases against pop music keep me away from really great music. Winehouse had such a fantastic voice and the lyrics in this album, conveyed in her soulful voice, were beautiful and haunting given what transpired afterwards. Also, this damn algorithm keeps giving me artists who does tragically young, which sucks for a dude entering into the last phase of life.

Sunday At The Village Vanguard

Bill Evans Trio

4/5

Anyone reading this, please check out this article, it is beautifully written and provides a history of Evans and his contributions to music: https://www.thebeliever.net/broken-time/ So anyway, the concept of broken time led to some really amazing rhythms on this record. The fact that it was a live recording during his height as a musician is also pretty special. I kept imagining myself in a suit, smoking ciggies, immersed in the sounds. I've always been aware of and appreciated his work with Coltrane and Davis, but I'll be exploring more music by this amazing piano player. Also, I've been at this for two weeks now and 2/3 of the albums have been from artists who died tragically young. I know it is random, but WTF?

Blur

4/5

The genre is my thing. The album was great, but nothing really jumped out as something particularly profound. I'll give it a couple more listens to make sure it wasn't a matter of my mood. Good stuff, but maybe not great?

(What's The Story) Morning Glory

Oasis

4/5

I was in the fence about 3 vs 4, but why not give the benefit of doubt? Brit pop is not my jam, but I was surprised by several tracks on this album and it certainly was influential.

Either Or

Elliott Smith

5/5

Beautiful record! Amazing! I'd heard songs by Elliot Smith before mostly because the algorithms seem to think I'd like it, which was true. This is one of those artists who I always intended to explore further, but never did. Listen blind notes: the music production was textured and precise (in a good way). The instrumentation was well executed, especially the guitar and Smith has an amazing voice. Excellent album for chilling at home on a quiet night or while crunching numbers. Revisit this one with headphones. Post-listen notes: Holy shit, apparently Smith played all of the instruments and much of this album was Smith recording different tracks in his home and these combined later by producer collaborators. Even more impressive. Another artist who died tragically young, which is becoming such a strong trend here that is it getting creepy. I don't know why I haven't explored Smith earlier. I'd obviously heard him referenced by others, on various "Top *00" lists. I liked what I'd heard. Thanks to this project I finally did and I will definitely be exploring more further. Unfortunately, Smith died too young so his discography is somewhat limited, but I intend to consume all of it. While consensus on any top list is impossible, discoveries like this are what makes exploring this list a rewarding project.

Emperor Tomato Ketchup

Stereolab

2/5

Live the album Title, but this record was not for me. While pop music is not my favorite genre, I do enjoy it, but the poppy elements didn't work for me here. Several of the songs had some catchy hooks, but then they were repeated long enough that I got tired of them. The lyrics were similarly uninspiring. There was also a dissonant element to the tunes, which seemed to conflict with rest of the music in a way that didn't work for me and I live dissonant music. Maybe I'm just not into post-rock?

Picture Book

Simply Red

3/5

This was a fun listen, approaching cultural appropriation.

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

3/5

Reggae has never really been my jam. A little too repetitive in the rhythm section. However, Bob Marley is a legend and still gets some play time when I'm in the mood, it just happens rarely. Music that is very mood-specific is hard to review.

No Other

Gene Clark

3/5

I liked it more than I thought I would. The history of this album is fascinating, look it up.

New Forms

Roni Size

3/5

Interesting, chill. It was great when it had its moments, but it seemed repetitive, especially considering how long the album was. I'd bit been exposed to drums and bass much previously, so I'm grateful for the exposure.

Cosmo's Factory

Creedence Clearwater Revival

3/5

Perhaps it is telling about the imporatance of the band, but almost all of these sangs have been so over played in the backgound of my life that it was really hard for me to enjoy them. It wasn't that I had overly negative opinions of the band, I simply had no desire to seek out their music. After a concerted effort to put previous opinions aside and askin my son for a fresh perspective, it was clearer why this band was so popular. Plenty of solid hooks, backed by a mixture of blues, rock, county, even a little motown. One single after another. Perhaps, in part, due to its popularity the album epitomizes classic rock and in amny ways the music of the 70s. Normally, I will not give an album 3 stars if I have no intent of ever listening again, but that seems too harch in this case. Besides, even today, the idea that I will not be hearing most of these songs again, whether intentional or not, seems absurd.

Queens of the Stone Age

Queens Of The Stone Age

3/5

I remember when this album was released, a year or two after grunge reached a more mainstream audience. At the time, it seemed like everyone was trying to ride the wave and when I first listened to this album it seemed like more of the same. After this I never gave Queens a fair shake, so I went into this listen wondering if give me a new perspective. There is no disputing that the album has big sound, with some interesting guitar riffs. I loved songs that successfully interated more complex pics and jabs with the driving power chords that define the record. This was a highlight for me. I also enjoyed the power of more bass-forward tunes on songs like Mexicola. All of the songs are repetitve, carrying chords and other elements from start to finish. Sometimes this works, but the places where it doesn't allow me to forgive my younger, dismissive self. I'm still unsure why this album is considered seminal. Perhaps due to the later commercial success of the band? I was torn on my overall rating. I decided that 3* albums were those that I was glad I listened to, even if only because it gave me a deeper perspective to modern music, whereas 4* albums are those that I do intend to listen to again. I don't thinnk that the latter was the case for this particular album, but it was interesting enought that I do intend to listen to later Queens albums to see where they ultimately take their music. In the end, I decided that this was more a credit to this project than this record specifically.

LP1

FKA twigs

4/5

I don't like pop, but I loved this pop. I can get behind any artist who is not afraid to try something new, especially when it comes together like this. Beautiful and interesting music.

Rattlesnakes

Lloyd Cole And The Commotions

3/5

Half way though the opening track Perfect Skin and my mind brought me back to the halls of my high school, then to the many trips to the all ages dance club during Rattlesnake. Memories so vivid, I could smell the clove cigarettes. While my music tastes have evolved over time, I do occasionally revist music from my teens, but always albums I'd put on and not tunes other people would play for me. In many ways, the dance songs on this album epitomize the time in which it was produced, but for me hearing them was a surprise, like random tunes on the mixed tape made by your crush they were not something that I would have thought to play for myself. Fun stuff. Having known this band almost exclusively from their hits, it was fun to discover a greater breadth of musical styles and influences than I expected. From the distictive rock and roll riffs in songs like Four Flights Up, to the R&B influences in songs like Forest Fire, to the orchestrations in songs like Patience, the beadth of the music convinced me that this band was much more than a simple reflection of the time the album was produced. Another great album I never would have listened to without this project, but probably not one I'm likely to revisit much in the future. This is not because the music was not enjoyable, it was. I just tend to revisit bands that were more important to my past self when I'm in the mood for nostalgia. Who knows though, maybe I'll surprise myself like this album surprised me.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

3/5

Another Beach Boy album. I can see their place in history, but nothing very exciting or interesting time personally.

One World

John Martyn

3/5

No review today. Good album, but nothing special especially when listened after brilliant Modest Mouse set. He didn't stand a chance.

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

3/5

I've been getting a lot of late 60s and early 70s music lately. Many of the albums share a mixture of several different genres like blues, folk and country with rock. About half of the time the mixture of ingredients is never realized into a new dish, which makes a lot of it sound the same. However, when it works I can see why the artists were popular. More interestingly for me, on the better tunes I can see the evolution if sounds that I enjoy today. This album had a few songs like this, but as a whole it was nothing memorable.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

4/5

After listening to many rock albums from this period of time through this project, it striking how innovative this album was. I can't imagine how exciting it would have been to hear it on its release. It also holds up even today and probably always will. Incredible music and just the beginning of a string of albums that would create the legends they would ultimately become. The opening song, Sympathy for the Devil, is emblamatic of why this album is among the greats. Catchy hooks intermixed with episodes of singing guitar riffs that scream rock and roll, all accompanied with the bouncing piano and lyrics that comes together into a fun song that will always bring a smile to my face. At the time of this review, there were ~660 million listens on Spotify, so I'm clearly not alone here. The pace changes dramatically, with No Expectations and Dear Doctor, which lean into a blues influence, while still seaming much more fresh than other artists of the area experimenting with similar sounds, Like Rod Stewart who I got yesterday. The Stones deliver something that seems unique and exciting, making this all their own. With Parachute Woman the album veers toward rock and roll again, a great albeit short song. Street Fighting Man follows a couple of songs later giving us another classic Stones tune that had me think, "Man, I love this album!" Then into the bluesy, folksy Prodical Son. Stray Cat Blues rounds up the album with another banger. Not all of these songs are great, some are. but they are all good and they come together to make a cohesive album that is among the best in this period of music history. The 50th Anniversary Edition of this album has exceptional production quality and giving another listen with better equipment revealed more nuance than I picked up on my first listen. I don't frequently listen to the Stones, but I do occasionally get the itch. These days that mostly means listening to the artist as opposed to specifc albums. I think I need to change that.

Walking Wounded

Everything But The Girl

2/5

An electronica album with chill two step and bass and drum beats, a genre of music that is not my jam. When I’m in the mood to listen to electronica, I gravitate to more powerful and energetic beats typical of house. This explains why I couldn’t remember ever hearing of Everything but the Girl, despite the band having chart topping hits in the US. This album had beautiful moments and the singer’s voice complimented the underlying music, but for me that did not save the album from being boring. I’m not convinced that this album would be on the list if the author was not British. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with this, but I didn’t hear anything particularly groundbreaking or influential in the album. Although, as mentioned, I’m far from an expert in this genre. Definitely not an album I’ll be revisiting in the future.

Chemtrails Over The Country Club

Lana Del Rey

4/5

Violator

Depeche Mode

5/5

It's probably been 20 years since I listened to this album and I hosestly can't say why. Sometimes we just move on and forget, I guess. As someone who is always seeking out new music, this project is making me realize that sometime the old can be new, when listened from a different time and space. As I listened, I had distinct memory of when I first heard this album after it was released and being completely blown away. It still had enough of the electronica to be distinctively Depeche Mode, but more dissonent and complex, in a good way. This was especially after smoking up, which was my state when listening to any new music at the time. Listening to it today, I'm stuck by how well the album holds up. It really is an amazing piece of work that is solid from start to finish that perfectly bridges the sounds of the 80s and 90s. Don't get me started on the production value, such depth, especially for the time it was released. It is an album that screams for a great set of headphones or HiFi system. This makes it a great album to get for new subwoofer day, which is due to be delivered any minute. I'll give it another listen once I get everything dialed in and calibrated. When the album popped up, I thought to myself that it would be fun nostalgia. I wasn't expecting a 5* that will now be in regulare rotation, especially for the much more rare occasions when I just want to smoke up and travel into a sonically dissonant landscape.

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

3/5

I'm not sure what I listened to, twice. Absolutely ambitious, sometimes interesting ,sometimes beautiful. A little too poppy for me overall, but respect.

A Hard Day's Night

Beatles

3/5

I know, it is the Beatles and there is probably a reason this album is in the list, but this is far from the most interesting if their albums.

Rock 'N Soul

Solomon Burke

4/5

Another exposure album. This one is good and it turns out historically important. What a legacy!

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

5/5

Recorded in 1969. think about that, that was over 50 years ago. It blows me away how innovative this album was for the time, so much so that it would probably be described similarly if it was released today. King Crimson took influence from the early psychedelic rock of Pink Floyd and The Beatles, mixed it together with free jazz and modern classical to create an album that would become among the most influential in rock and roll history. While Court is seminal prog rock, one can hear elements of so many modern genres like heavy metal, industrial and psychedelic rock. It is easy to see why so many musicians cite it as an influence and among their favorites. Including Hendrix who supposedly declared them to be the best band ever before this debut album was even produced. Crimson has stated that they wanted to album to be frightening, while I wouldn't describe it this was, it is deeply emotional which is something that would have been easy to lose track of through the improvisation and innovative musical elements. Part of what make this music emotionally impactful are the understated vocals (and poetic lyrics), but also the underlying structure taken from jazz and classical. Yet, other elements like the discordant woodwinds and experimental guitar riffs carry the emotional impact forward because they take you on a journey to new and unexpected places. I'd be remiss if I failed to mention the fantastic sampling, with one of the earliest uses of what would become resampling. Also, it has among the best album covers ever that conveys visually what you are about experience sonically. A masterpiece in just about every way possible!

Blackstar

David Bowie

5/5

If you were a brilliant artist, who helped define music for generations, who knew death was coming, what would your final album sound like? This album was released within days of Bowie's death and the content makes it clear that he saw it coming. Also, perhaps sadly, his only album to reach the top 10 in the US. Great music is about emotion and I can't imagine that there are deeper emotions than looking death in the eye. I can't think of any albums where the artist looks at death, and life, so directly and unflinchingly. Black Star is essentially an experimental jazz album punctuated with distinctive Bowie melodies that have made his music distinctive throughout his many reinventions. As one can imagine, the album can be dark, even eerie, at times but there is also joy and humor. Like life, complexity is born through such contrasts and it all comes together brilliantly here. Listen closely to the contrasting lyrics in "Lazarus", “Dollar Days”, and "I Can't Give Everything Away" for different takes on life and death. Maybe it is just because I’m old, but I find it hard to believe that most people would not be someone introspective after a deeper listen. Contrast this with lyrics on other songs like "'Tis a Pity She was a Whore" that are just damn funny. I usually listen to albums on this list once before reading about the history. I made an exception in this case and I'm glad I did. I think this is a good album without the context of when it was written, but with that context it is a great album. Bowie, a man who made art that will continue to live for many years following his death, composed a wonderful epitaph for himself. At 69 years old, Bowies demonstrates again that he is not afraid to try new things and that he has the chops to pull it off.

Let It Be

The Replacements

4/5

Let it Be is an album that captures the zeitgeist of its time perfectly. On its release this was an indie album that went mainstream in ways that nobody expected, especially, I think The Replacements. Although, they were obviously taking themselves more seriously than previous records some of the raw energy from their previous work remains, showing the listening that tighter does not mean overly produced. Overall, as a work that was important at the time and influential to what followed. It certainly deserves a place on this list. There were certainly more interesting records released at the same time, but that captured the attention of the public like “Let it Be” did. Another fun listen on this list from an important work. Underneath the theme of the angst of growing up in a world rapidly turning a little shittier, is a band who is clearly having fun themselves, which is almost always infectious to the listener. Surrounded by rock and roll releases increasingly influenced by pop and electronica, the Replacements reminded everyone that sometime unbridled energy is enough. It still holds up today as a good, if not great, piece of music.

Pearl

Janis Joplin

5/5

Holy shit, one of the most amazing voices in all music..It is hard to know what her death at 27 denied us, but she will live forever through her music. I've always loved hearing her belt out tune. This was true when I first heard and appreciated her as a teen and it is still true 35 years later. There isn't anything that I can say that hasn't already been said, except thank you. If you cannot feel moved by this voice, you no soul. This is a hill I'm willing to die on.

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

3/5

IDK, it is the Doors, and iconic band.Yet there has been plenty of better blues rock before and since. It is certainly not a bad album, there are many gray tubes. To me it lacks the emotional depth and originality of earlier albums. Listening to the album fresh, I liked all of the tunes, but I was there wasn't anything that made me think, "Fuck yes, this is amazing!" It did remind me that I hadn't listened to R.L. Burnside in too long. I guess my point is that whole I respect the Doors, I was just bored through much of this. Not bad, just not great.

Freak Out!

The Mothers Of Invention

2/5

I like to think that someday I'll appreciate Zappa. So many people with great taste in music have tried to convince me that I'm an idiot, but I don't get it. Never have, but I'll keep trying. There were a couple of good songs on this album, Trouble Every Day, foe instance. The second half was far more interesting too me than the more poppy first half. I know that it is on several top list and I should give it another listen, but it is so damn long. Maybe someday.

Floodland

Sisters Of Mercy

3/5

IDK, I gave this album three listens. There were moments to be sure, but there are others who do everything SOM is trying to do here better.

The Fat Of The Land

The Prodigy

4/5

So despite this album topping charts everywhere, I missed it. I never explored electronic music much until my bow college-aged son convinced me that I was missing out. When exploring music that is less familiar, I require several listens and I can conclusively say that this is banger. At least for me. I was going to plenty of great grunge and indie rock shows at the time, but this album is me wish I'd explored the race scene more. Unfortunately, the next this old man can do is be grateful that I added a subwoofer to the audiophile setup. I still dig Justice (who I saw with my son several months ago) and LCD Soundsystem more, but it is really fun to see the roots of that with this album. Oh and I sent a link to my son and it has his approval, so I'll probably hear more while hanging with him, so it gets a covered extra star. I'm sure the band will be excited to hear this.

Technique

New Order

4/5

I've been a fan of New Order for over 30 years and saw them live again several months ago. They are not a regular listen these days, but this is more a factor of me exploring new things than liking the band less. This album was released in the late 80s, which was a time when music tastes were changing pretty rapidly and you can see the band adapting to this. Yes, there are some of the dance tunes that helped establish the band, but the bulk of the album is a a stretch that works. The combination of their electronic mastery with more traditional instruments, especially bass and drums, creates an album that still stands up to much of the indie pop produced today. I enjoyed listening to this album several times when it entered my que. Another example of why listening to albums in their entirety creates a different vibe that the lazy playlists we all depend on. A cohesive album where the whole is more outstanding than the sum of its parts. As an album, this might be their best? However, I think that their earlier works we're probably more important with respect to the influence this band had in the music that followed. A.fun listen and as the first album by this iconic band to make the UK #1 spot, certainly an appropriate addition to the list.

Alien Lanes

Guided By Voices

4/5

After the release of Bee Thousand, Guided by Voices (GBV), helmed by Robert Pollard a 37-year-old elementary teacher from the Midwest, broke into the underground indie scene. Alien Lanes was their follow-up, that despite the $100,000 pre-production from Matador the band still managed to cling to its lo-fi roots. That decision to, sometimes oddly, stick to lo-fi will almost certainly alienate many listener. I haven't looked but suspect that the standard deviation on reviews for this record is pretty high. To me though the recordning decision contributes to the raw energy and unique sounscape that makes this album a fun experience. This was even more apparent to me through my critical listens for this project than it was when I first heard it many years ago, but maybe that is just how memory works? A garage album, literally in place and in sonically in spirit, the album was mostly recorded in Pollard’s garage and basement on a four track. There was plenty of tom foolery too, with songs recorded using cheap microphones spread throughout the room, or others with tremble cranked all the way up and bass all the way down. Editing decisions that Hyden at Pitchfork hilarious called “self-deprecating sonic fuckery”. Bands like this are fun to listen to because they are not afraid to experiement with new sounds. Sometimes this falls flat, like the annoying snoring on in the background in“Ex-Supermodel”. Yet, on Alen Lanes it works more often than not, taking tunes often inspired by classic rock to unique places. In terms of structure the album reminded me of a rock-inspired version of a similar punk-inspired thing that the Minutemen did on Double Nickels on the Dime. All of the songs are short, yet many are memorable and catchy. The songs grab you quick and then just as quickly let you go, making you feel like you are riding a sonic roller coaster. Like much great rock and roll it is the energy that manages to pull the snippets together into a cohesive record. I enjoyed this record, so much so that despite not having listened to GBV for several years I spent my afternoon going through their most recent discography. Given the sheet volume of records recorded in the time since Alien Lanes was recorded, there are enough of us who can appreciate music like this to keep a band like this going. It is easy to see why GBV would go on to become so iconic and influential in indie circles. As I've noted previously, the beauty of this project is that it keeps reminding me of bands that for no damn good reason I have moved on from. Fortunatey for me, in the case of GBV, I've got a lot more to explore.

You Are The Quarry

Morrissey

3/5

For many, including me obviously, a comparison with the Smiths is unavoidable, so let's get that out of the way. I was a major Smith's fan back in the day, my daughter independently discovered them in her teens, and I revisit their discography periodically. This is not Smith's album, but "You are the Quarry" is all Morrissey, sometimes this is enough, sometimes not so much. Morrissey's--the crooner of angst, self-doubt and grief--lyrically delivers. Surprising nobody, his singing is beautiful and absorbing. I wouldn't go so far to say that he is at his best here, but his singing delivers more emotional intensity that we have seen in his solo work for a while. Lyrically, many songs on this record provide the listener with the angsty poems that are a consistent part of Morrissey's work, not to mention the soundscape of my youth. Sometimes the lyrics deliver emotionally, sometimes not, but they are almost always well-written, even profound at moments. Some complain that Morrissey can be self-indulgent, which can be true at times, but I’m okay with it. In fact, I’ve come to expect it. It is part of the standard Morrissey package. Musically, there is a formula to much of Morrissey's solo work that makes much of his work sound similar, with beats that were everywhere in the late 80s and 90s. We get more of that formula here, overall nothing particularly groundbreaking with the instrumentation. To be fair, Morrissey tries to break this mold on particularly the center tracks of the album, exploring with different music styles, while still holding seeming familiar, but honestly this is where it just didn't work for me. These tracks were not all bad, but some the instrumentation on others was downright shitty. What made the Smith's great was that Morrisey's poetic lyrics were backed by a really solid rock band. Part of it may be the extremely produced nature of this record, but the band on this album just doesn't deliver the intensity or musical interest of the past. Perhaps the comparison is not fair, but the uninteresting music backing Morrissey's singing is what keeps this from being a great record. The more traditional instrumentation on other tracks did generate several bangers that ultimately makes “You are the Quarry” a good, if not great, record. This includes singles like "Irish Blood, My Heart" and my favorite song on the record, “First of the Gang to Die.” Morrissey remains a legend who has influenced many great artists who came afterward. Even if this is not his best work, the album certainly belongs on the list because it helps highlight the length and breadth of an incredible artist.

Power In Numbers

Jurassic 5

2/5

There were points where I was digging the grooves. I particularly liked the tracks where elements of funk/jazz were incorporated. However, I was mostly not inspired by anything here. I really, really want to finally "get" hip hop. I might not ever love the genre, but it is obviously important, so I should at least understand it. Insights with respect to this objective while listening: I'm realizing that I can't get to the point where I can appreciate the whole with zero appreciation for the sun of the parts. What I mean by this I listen to music from the perspective of the creation of musicians and not the ultimate product. It isn't just hip hop, I have a similar bitch with pop and most modern country. This is my problem and I need to get beyond it. All of the music I love: punk, numerous sub genres of rock, blues, jazz, indie, etc. comes from a place of appreciating the musicians as opposed to the composers. I think this is my barrier and I'll keep working on it. A work in progress. Still not my thing.

Trafalgar

Bee Gees

2/5

This is a tough one for me to fairly review because mellow 70s is something that requires a certain mood to enjoy, which I decidedly was not when the album dropped. I appreciated the singing, undeniably beautiful on some tracks. The orchestral instrumentation was not bad, it just wasn't very memorable or unique. I much prefer the disco Bee Gees that followed, at least that music is fun. Again, this take was probably exacerbated by my mood. However, there are many more interesting albums that I will put on before revisiting Trafalgar. Considering I was born before this album was released, it is odd that I've never listened to a pre-disco Bee Gees album in its entirety. So, there is that.

Playing With Fire

Spacemen 3

4/5

I listened to the album and thought it sounded interesting, but this review is mostly to prompt a deeper exploration later. An album like this requires conentrated listening and probably copious amounts of ganja. I just don't have the time to give it the attention it needs currently.

Innervisions

Stevie Wonder

5/5

Innervisions is on just about every “best of all time” list for several reasons. Of course, the music is amazing, more on my thought on that in a minute, but the more interesting story is the tech used to create it and its importance to Stevie Wonder’s career. Central to the unique sound at the time was the most advanced synthesizer ever created, the T.O.N.T.O (The Original New Timbal Orchestra). This room-sized device combined numerous synthesizers into an array that could be controlled and modified in an almost infinite number of ways. The result was the creation of unique sounds and methods of modifying them that continue to be incorporated all modern synthesizers today. Innervisions was the first album to fully utilize the creation, making the record an important contribution to modern music history (listed as either TIDAL or moog bass on liner credits). If you are reading this, do yourself a favor and watch this video Malcom Cecil (one of the inventors) discuss the device: https://youtu.be/flaystdObkQ?si=ZtBstnlAC4ncBxfE This technology was important to Stevie Wonder because it allowed him to fully realize the music he was trying to create. In an important coincidence, he first heard about the device at the time his Motown contract was expiring, which granted him the freedom to pursue his interests as opposed to those of the studio. A serendipity that ultimately resulted in critics separating Wonder’s music into the one consisting of the 15 albums produced before Innervisions and another encompassing everything afterward. Wonder is credited with creating virtually every aspect of this record. In addition to writing and composition, he literally plays every instrument on seven of the nine tracks. Wonder explores many different sounds on this album, yet they stitch together seamlessly into a cohesive masterpiece of progressive soul. Yet, that categorization is not really fair because like many truly great records we hear influences from many genres in Innervisions including: jazz, funk, blues, latin and reggae. Almost everyone will immediately recognize the singles on the record. In fact, most of us have probably danced to the grooves of “Higher Ground” at least one. The widely familiar funky-blues vibes in “Living for the City” take in a different, but equally fun direction. The third released as a single a couple of years later, “Don’t Worry ‘Bout a Thing” moves in the direction of Latin jazz. The differences among these tracks serve as a great example of the creativity explorations of Wonder on this record and those that followed. There are tracks like “All in Love is Fair” or “Golden Lady” are more reminiscent of Wonder’s previous work, love songs with decidedly more laid-back grooves. Other more serious songs explore sociopolitical issues within the black community following recent Civil Rights victories. Yet, even within songs about drug abuse (Too High) or urban decay (Living for the City) we still hear a faith in human spirit demonstrating Wonder’s insight into humanity. Innervisions was a joy to listen to again, especially in the context of this project because I got to learn and think about the surrounding historical context. It is a beautiful musical creation, truly one of the best records ever, well deserving as an album everyone should hear before they die.

Getz/Gilberto

Stan Getz

4/5

Contrary to popular belief, bossa nova evolved inpendently from Jazz, emerging from samba in the mid- to late-fifties. Nevertheless, on this album we see these styles collide with Gilberto (guitar), the "father of bossa nova", working with Gets (sax) with cool jazz roots. The result is a work that will introduce the world to bossa nova and create several songs that will ultimately become jazz standards. This is a great album, I enjoyed the listen. Considering its ongoing and historical importance, this was an album well worthy of inclusion on the list.

Vol. 4

Black Sabbath

4/5

"Black Sabbath with Ozzy, dude!" Such was the refrain from my--a punk and alt-new wave dude--from my fellow rockin' stoners when asked what I should check out. They are not wrong. I started listening to Black Sabbath shortly afterwards and it was my gateway into trying to understand and appreciate all genres of music, which ultimately led me here. I'm writing this, while listening to this album on the day of Ozzy's death. There has been enough ink spilled about the importance of Black Sabbath and Ozzy over the last few days. Amazing music.

John Prine

1/5

Peaches and Jesus. Good God, how is this person considered to be among the best song writers? "God bless this chicken", nope God bless me for actually making it through this POS. The longer I listened, the more I wanted to make it stop. I get why he is here, many artists have cited him as an influence and great song writer, but a great song has to be accompanied by at least somewhat interesting instrumentation to be great music. This isn't that. The lyrics were often pretty cheesy. No joy here for me. I'm about 60 albums in and this is going to be my first bomb. I really didn't need to hear before I die. It did make me want to die though. A painful listen.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

4/5

In many ways, the album that started the rise that ultimately would see the Stones as one of the most important rock acts in history (note: UK and US versions differ, this review is based on a listen of both). Their previous single “No Satisfaction” got the world’s attention, but this album defined their direction. The first album to be entirely written by the Stones moves a little further from blues (albeit still pretty damn bluesy on B side), toward a little more pop and, at times, a lot more rock and roll. This was especially true for several classic singles like "Paint it Black (US version)"--where Jones plays the scimitar after recently leaning the instrument from Harrison, "Mother's Little Helper" and "Under My Thumb" where we hear the Stones developing the style that will ultimately define the band's music. I was also interested to read that at least with respect to the US version, this was their first album to be released in entirely in stereo; sometimes, I forget that this was a thing. This is all to say that this album is an important one for the band and for its place in rock/music history. It has several great songs that would become part of the band's lexicon throughout their career. Unfortunately, especially toward the back end, there were also songs that seemed like filler and largely forgettable. Perhaps understandable given that it, in retrospect, is considered transitional. “Going Home”, while a decent song, is entirely too long. Others that didn’t really stand out as particularly great to me include: “Flight 505” (okay southern blues, just repetitive & relatively uninteresting), “Take it or Leave it” and “Think”. These weaker songs are not horrible, but they are weak enough that I would describe the album as inconsistent. I've always enjoyed the Stones, but have never been a major fan, mostly meaning that I’ve never systematically worked my way through their discography. As a result, I'm pretty sure that this was the first time I've listened to the album from start to finish (several times). Overall, I enjoyed the album, although maybe not as much as their later records. Still, once again, I find myself grateful that the project prompted my listen.

Imagine

John Lennon

2/5

I tried, I even got high and tried again. A couple of really good songs and a lot of fair songs. I'm not going to dwell too long here because I've tried several other times and have determined that this album doesn't excite me and that is okay. Peace out!

Wish You Were Here

Pink Floyd

5/5

This is my favorite Pink Floyd album and I love them all. There has been too much spilled into for me to contribute anything new, except if you are not aware please look at the history of the band and the context in which it was made. Worth it

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

5/5

This was amazing and his later albums are even better. How in the fuck did this fly under my radar? IDK, but fuck yes;

Cross

Justice

5/5

Holy shit! This is one of my son's favorite albums of all time. We were luck enough to see them live earlier this year. One of the most energetic shows I’ve ever seen, it was incredible. Cross was the debut album of the French EDM band Justice and quick rocketed the band to worldwide fame for good reason. The use of intense keyboards, combined with bass-heavy music incorporated elements of rock, metal and disco in a unique and fantastic way. The incorporation of familiar elements from other genres make this album a perfect gateway into electronic music for those not previously familiar. However, I think what really makes the album special in the emotional journey it takes the listener on. From the opening moments of "Genesis" listener knows, deep in gut knowledge, that they are about to be launched on a musical journey, then they drop you back down to Earth gently as the sounds of "One Minute to Midnight" fade away. The first time I heard the album in its entirety, I literally took a deep breath. When Justice composed Cross they sometimes spent weeks composing a song, dissecting each moment so that the sounds integrated seamlessly and projected to the listener their intended emotional impact. While the songs are each distinct from each other, they integrate together seamlessly, while also keeping you wondering where you are going next. There is no fluff here. I had no idea the album was on the list, but it certainly deserves to be here. Other than perhaps Daft Punk, I cannot think of a band that has had a larger influence on electronic music.

Eliminator

ZZ Top

2/5

Holy shit, this shit sucks. Perhaps on the list because it represents a point on time where we almost lost the thread? Representative of a generation of "artists" who were charged by the music industry to remove the soul from music? I'm just glad that rock survived this music that belongs in my forgotten ashtray. WTF? I 100% did not need to hear this album before I died. Never again. This is even worse than I remembered when it was part of the soundscape of my youth. Kudos to me for actually making it through the torture to get to the end of this excrement. Kudos to you of you actually find this music interesting, but why?

Tank Battles

Dagmar Krause

4/5

WTF? I had never heard of the artist or album and always get excited when this is the case. This album was...interesting? Confusing? I honestly didn't vibe with the avant-cabaret (is this a thing?) on my first listen, but on my second listen it started to grow in me. You can definitely hear the influence on people who I love like Tom Waits and Nick Cave. Dagmar Krause, who I now know best know for her avant-rock work with bands like Slapp Happy and Henry Cow, was obsessed 1920's cabaret. This album was her rethinking such work composed by Hans Eisler. Krause has an undeniably beautiful voice. Eisler was among the great composers of his era, so the songs were well structured, albeit run through an experimental rock sieve. The result was something genuinely unique, especially for its era and I can absolutely appreciate it as a work of art. Sometimes art is great precisely because it is unique, even if it isn't entirely comfortable. For me, this album was a reminder that sometimes I need to give unique music time to breathe, approaching them later with a fresh and open mind. My initial notes were pretty damn harsh, yet during my second and third listens the next day I started to get it. This is a tough one for me to rate. I reserve 4* for albums that I definitely want to revisit and I'm not sure I will in this case, but it did already cause me to explore her avant-rock work, which I enjoyed a little more. For me, it is a 3.5* record. I guess I'll wait a couple of hours to see which way I go with my final rating. Overall, an interesting listening experience.

From Elvis In Memphis

Elvis Presley

3/5

I'm not going to try to write a review of an Elvis album, I'm just not enough of a fan to be able to tell how this album fits into his discography and I don't care to be. All that said, I think I finally started to get Elvis on my several listens to this pick Am I going to add Elvis to my regular listens? Probably not. Can I appreciate the blend of numerous different genres, while also staying true to his style? Absolutely. I enjoyed the listen and prompts to learn a little more about the Elvis phenomenon.

Here, My Dear

Marvin Gaye

3/5

I want to explore this with a separate jazz project.

Revolver

Beatles

5/5

Psychedelic Beatles is the best Beatles. If I was forced to list the most influential albums of modern music, this would be in the top 10. Culturally, the album speaks directly to the 60's counterculture. This is important to musically because part of the intent was unraveling convention, which exploded artistic creativity. Technically, the album was important because the band explored many newly-developed production and recording techniques, forever changing the recording industry. Okay, so what about the music itself? There are many fantastic tunes on this record and together they helped inspire the development of genres like psychedelic rock, prog rock, world music and even electronica. Considering I appreciate all of those genres, it is not surprising that that I love this record. A perfect example of it being better to burn out that fade away. Recommendation: Best experienced stoned.

Natty Dread

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

Ahh, Bob Marley the man who introduced reggae to mainstream audiences worldwide. In college, as a pot smoking person who hung out with many hippies, the music of Bob Marley and others in his influence, was common ground. I spent many nights grateful that we were listening to Market and not another damn Grateful Dead bootleg. Listening to this album today obviously brought back many memories, but it got me wondering why I vibed with it when so much other chill music from the 70s didn't do it for me. I think it was the surface simplicity over the top of a deeper complexity? In any event, having much more diverse tastes than my younger self I think I can appreciate the music on a different level today. There are some fantastic songs here and the album is pretty solid. It has beautiful vocals with the Marley harmonies immediately familiar to people worldwide, with lyrics that are thought provoking. It is also interesting to think about the influence that bass-forward reggae has had in pop culture. All of this backed by his horn section that adds that danceable funk to the final product. Wailers fans might hate me, but I think this first album without them may have generated some of Bob Marley's beat music. It is certainly a classic. Not a personal all time favorite, but one I will probably revisit when the mood strikes. The list certainly needed to ensure reggae was represented and I cannot think of a choice that better captures the roots of this genre, but I'm probably wrong because the music is only an occasional pleasure for me. Another 3.5* for me, but I tend to round up when the album has deeper personal and cultural significance, this one has both.

Ananda Shankar

4/5

Part of the reason I enjoy this project is that it sometimes introduces me to music I otherwise would have never discovered, the other is that it gets me thinking about the history and progression of modern music. This album definitely fits in the former. By 1970 when this album was released, many musicians, like David Crosby, Jimmy Page and George Harrison had commented on their love of Indian music, with artists incorporating raga-like elements into their music, albeit sometimes with modern instrumentation. For the most part, this album explores the reverse, letting modern rock and pop take the lead, but incorporating the sitar. Of coarse this was not the first use of the sitar in modern music. The dream-like sounds of the instrument lends itself to psychedelic rock so well that many artists had already incorporated the sitar into their recordings. However, I’m not aware of any psychedelic album at the time where the instrument takes to lead throughout. This experiment created a unique album that I thoroughly enjoyed listening to, so much so that I’ve also started exploring his later music, which I recommend if you enjoyed listening to this album. For the most part, I enjoyed the originals better than the covers, but I can see why the artist and producers felt the need to give the listeners something familiar to hold onto. That said, the covers are incorporated smoothly and like I said previously the entire album is pretty solid. I suffer from depression and have found relief through psychedelic therapy. My sessions often utilize music without lyrics and I’m definitely pulling some tracks like “Sagar (The Ocean)” into my playlist. I deeply regret not being able to see Shankar perform with Hendrix, which actually happened, can you imagine?

The Healer

John Lee Hooker

5/5

Many years ago, my friend Kenny gifted my punk ass a Muddy Waters box set, which started my love of blues. Shortly into my exploration of this music, I discovered and fell in love with the raw blues power of John Lee Hooker. At 72, when this album was released, the man still has it! John Lee Hooker is one of the most important and influential blues artists who direct inspired many important bands like the rolling stones. First releasing music in the 50s, Hooker was among the chief innovators of electric blues and really ramped up the intensity of blues generally. Like many black artists of his time, despite releasing dozens of records he struggled financially until he toured Europe and started to receive mainstream recognition. “The Healer” has a more modern, sometimes blues-rock, sound and is more musically complex than Hooker’s early days where it was literally just him on the guitar kicking wood for back beats, which means that is an excellent entry for people unfamiliar with his work. His collaborations with artists like Bonnie Raitt, Los Lobos and Santana also help with the album’s accessibility. All that said, anyone with any familiarity with Hooker’s earlier work will immediately recognize his work. I can’t see how anyone who appreciates the blues at all would not get a kick out of this album. I own the record, so I already enjoyed it previously, but it was a nice reminder to pull the CD from my collection. Given the importance of Hooker’s work and his influence on iconic bands like Hendrix, the Stones, The Door and many others, he certainly deserves to be represented by this project and this album was a great pick. It is cool albeit somewhat baffling that after 40 years this was the album that finally got him broad mainstream recognition, earning him his first Grammy after 40 years of producing and releasing music. Yet, through this late recognition revitalized his career later in life and let him go out at the top of his game. How cool is that?

Metal Box

Public Image Ltd.

5/5

In junior high, I frequently purged my adolescent frustration and angst by blasting the Sex Pistols from my boom box. At least initially, despite the legacy of Lydon, PiL did not scratch that particular itch. Later, in high school I finally “got it” and this album become among my favorites. A post-punk kid needing post-punk music. My God, this album brings back memories, some of them are actually good. It has too long since giving it a listen. Metal Box (AKA Second Edition) is a masterpiece. Yes, this music is somewhat challenging, but sometimes innovative work sounds weird. It is entirely possible for something to be both weird and amazing, I exist after all. Despite being released in 1979, the album continues to seem innovative today. It is worth noting that Lydon wanted this music to be uncomfortable, the intent was to get rid of the albatross of rock, by sowing seeds of discontent. The guitar and basslines are very experimental, but technically impressive. The varied time signatures the Wobble pounds out on the bass in sounds like “Poptones” feel unsettling, but also draw one into the layered complexity of the guitar and drums underneath. Speaking of guitar, the Levene is a master, mostly creating tones in the background that are wonderfully textured. Lydon’s vocals are equally impressive and innovative, sometimes haunting, sometimes bracing, but always emotionally evoking. An excellent of is the grief one hears, and feels as Lydon wails about his mother dying from cancer. The lyrics on many songs are actually pretty profound and integral to understanding the importance of this outstanding music. This is another album that absolutely deserves a place on this list. It remains unique even today, yet despite nothing being quite like it, its lasting influence is hard to deny. There are many great PiL albums, but this is probably their most important record and my personal favorite. God save the queen and God save Johnny Lydon! In the spirit of what initially brought me to this music: if you don't get it, fuck you, just scurry on back to your comfy corporate shell (while I pretend I don't have one).

War

U2

4/5

War was released the year before I started high school and being an album that straddles genres, it appealed to most people with otherwise differing opinions on music. As a result, I listened to this album a lot in my formative music years, maybe too much? I think that most people would agree that War is not U2’s best album, it is their first really good album. Their decision to rock a little harder and faster, while also changing the rhythms to be a little more dance-like, veers the band into what we’d now call pop-punk or power-pop territory. These production decisions, executed by the growing talent of some remarkable musicians started the band down the path toward superstardom. So, the album was important for U2, with better more influential albums to follow. This is a selection I would love to discuss with the author, but I digress. Given how much I listened to this album in my teens, it had been awhile since I’d listed to it all the way through. Sure, I continued to listen to many of the tracks, there are several that would become U2 mainstays, just not the entire album. What struck me most during this process, is that I started my listen grooving with the music, but by the end it all started to seem a little “samey”. At least until the final track “40”, which end things solidly. War is a very good, in not great record, from an obviously important band. I like it, I just don’t love it. As my partner pointed out while we were listening, it would be more enjoyable is you listened 20ish minutes at a time. For me it is a 3.5* record, which means I will have a decision to make at the end of the day. In practice, which direction I fall is mood-dependent. It is a Friday and I’m headed on vacation next week, plus there is a lot of nostalgia, which bodes well for the band. This is important for Bono and gang because where end up landing, writing thoughts that nobody else will read, is obviously a make of break moment for the band.

Sail Away

Randy Newman

2/5

I usually defend the picks on this list, but WTF? Based on the music alone, I cannot see how this album is important or interesting. At least it isn't for me. If a musician sells out to Hollywood and millions, it doesn't mean that we should lick their shoes. In fact, I feel oppositely. Yes there are some interesting lyrics, but that really isn't enough to carry this album for me. Everything was okay, nothing made me pause and think that I needed to just listen. I call BS on people saying that this was influential to later music. I just don't see it

Killing Joke

4/5

Another album that I spent my formative years getting high with friends. Arguably among the most formative albums in creating. Industrial music. What is now considered post-punk is really the gateway drug to so much of modern indie music. Listening now, it still rocks, but thinking about bands who created this shit in 1980 gives perspective on how innovative this shit was.

Cloud Nine

The Temptations

4/5

Cloud 9 is almost like two totally different albums, which I guess is understandable considering how experimental the first few tracks were for the Temptations and Motown. The first few tracks are early examples of psychedelic soul, inspired by Sly and Family Stone’s song “Dance to the Music”. The Replacement’s answer has less of a dance vibe, with the guitar and precussion borrowing more heavily from psychedelic rock. Each of these early tracks is groovy, my favorite “Runaway Child, Running Wild” gaining the prestigious spot on my Favorites playlist. The later motown ballads on the album are good, for me they just not as fun and interesting as the earlier, experimental tunes. Though it is hard to not to enjoy the beautiful, soulful singing. Cloud 9 marked a turning point for the Temptations and many critics credit this experiment with saving Motown Records which was being left behind by the counter culture at the time. In fact, this album won Motown Records their first Grammy. This album is a great example of the continuity of music and the influence that musicians have on each other. It started from band members being inspired by a single song, progressed with their producer being forced out of his comfort zone, incorporating elements from several different genres. The result would take the TheTemptations in an entirely different direction, making them legends in the industry. It is also interesting to see how elements of psychedelic soul and psychedelic funk would ultimately help to establish disco and much of the pop music that followed. Listening to this record made me realize that I’ve never thoroughly explored the sounds of psychedelic soul, giving me a new project. Normally, this would be sufficient for me to give 5*, but the lack of internal consistency holds it back.

Hard Again

Muddy Waters

4/5

If you don't like Muddy Waters you don't like blues. If you don't like blues, and like rock, then your are confused. IDK, In high at 8000', so in at least two contexts. Enough said.

A Rush Of Blood To The Head

Coldplay

4/5

I consider myself to be pretty open-minded with respect to music, but like of us, I have my biases and Coldplay was among them. I didn’t think I liked them, but this album made me realize that I may have been prematurely dismissive. After several listens of A Rush of Blood to the Head, I’m still not sure I love the band, but there were several great songs here that grabbed my attention. The opening track “Politik” was a great way to start an album, both instrumentally and lyrically. Similarly, the piano and voice work from Martin on “The Scientist”, is gorgeous. Clocks I’d already heard many times, but as is often is the case, the song had greater resonance when surrounded by the rest of the material in the album. “Daylight” and several other tracks with the guitar plays a greater role in the soundscape, reminds me a little of Floyd—a good thing. So, what isn’t to like? To my ear, the album, like many of the Coldplay songs I’ve heard, play it safe. I realize that this was likely intended by the band, but it would be nice to see them push some boundaries. Another album I’d give 3.5*, but perhaps I’ll bump it up because it changed my preconceived notions of a band that many people love?

Slipknot

3/5

Whew! This was a challenging album and I like that. To the many people who stated that they listened to one or two songs and then just rated the album poorly, fuck you. Just click “didn’t listen” and move on. It is okay to not like an album that you actually listened to, it is not okay to be dismissive and judgmental. This is powerful music that succeeds at exactly what the artists intended. The fact that a band could produce music this heavy and still break into the mainstream to the extent that Slipknot has is remarkable and a damn good reason for their debut album to fall on this list. Previously, I’d always dismissed Slipknot as being gimmicky, but giving this album my minimum two listens I started to see the appeal. There is no doubt this is powerful music. As a younger person, I followed the punk and punk-adjacent hardcore scene fairly closely. Perhaps because of this, I really appreciated the instrumentation on many of these tunes. The drumming is incredibly powerful. This combined with a sound signature that blends many different sub-genres make the music interesting. The growling vocals were not my thing and among the main reasons I found this album challenging, it is just too much. It was the times when the growls went away, either due to the exploration of different vocal styles of the rare moments when the music stood on its own that I appreciated the most. I can see why some people like these vocals, but it wasn’t for me.

Pet Sounds

The Beach Boys

4/5

A beautiful album. I finally get it. There is no doubt that this album was influential, taking the production techniques started by Specter to a new level. The layering of sounds, from the vocal harmonies to the instrumentation was way ahead of its time. One of the reasons I joined this project was to listen to and appreciate how albums influenced music that follows and this album certainly delivers on this criterion. I say all of this because contextualization often helps me appreciate older music at a deeper level. Part of the reason is that when albums are highly influential, as this one was, it is easy to forget that the reason the sounds can seem like so much else you have heard was precisely because of its influence on the music that followed. Without contextualization it is impossible understand just how innovative Pet Sounds was at the time. Again, this is beautiful music, no doubt. I especially enjoyed the interplay of the vocalizations with instrumentation that superficially seems simply, but is actually complex. My listen for this review might be the first time the Beach Boys was unlocked for me. Perhaps this was a better understanding the context of the time. However, I think it has more to do with a deeper listen to the complexity and beauty of the arrangements, which allowed me to see the album as something more than a pop album. Nevertheless, I intend to listen to later Beach Boys music again with these new ears.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Simon & Garfunkel

3/5

This is a classic album by highly influential musicians and absolutely deserves its place on this list. I’m glad that I got to explore it in its entirety. I appreciate the beauty of the harmonization of Simon and Garfunkel music. However, that has never been enough for me to select their music because there is nothing else in the music that I personally find interesting or engaging. There is nothing to hate here though. Undeniably a lovely album, just not for me and that is what personal taste is all about.

Pieces Of The Sky

Emmylou Harris

2/5

There is no doubt that Emmylou Harris is among the most important country artists. There is also no doubt that she has an amazing voice. Personally, I enjoy old school country MUCH more than the poppy BS currently coming out of Nashville, at least the old school version had a distinctive identity. This an important album that started Harris on her track to be among the greats. The songs are well-executed and the production is solid for the time. However, while there are exceptions this is a genre that just doesn’t do it for me.

Seventeen Seconds

The Cure

4/5

I listened to The Cure a lot as a teen. Seventeen Seconds (1980) was not their most impactful album, but it was the beginning of what would ultimately make the band among the most important influenced in goth music. The album is not a Cure album I’ve revisited much as an adult and I’m glad that I got to do so for this project. The minimalist nature of this album is, perhaps, one reason why this album is an overlooked part of their discography by many people. However, it is that minimalism and the consistently dark, quit and moody vibe throughout that makes this album great. I’ll be revisiting this album again on a snowy winter evening while sitting in front of a fire.

The Sun Rises In The East

Jeru The Damaja

4/5

I’m about as far from an expert in hip hop as one can get, so don’t pay any attention to me, but I liked this album better than most examples I’ve received from this project. I found the “beats” were more interesting than much of the hip hop I’ve listened too. Unusual textures and sounds, brought together into music that literally had me, a 55 YO white dude, boppin’ my head throughout. The raps were delivered clearly in a way that meshed with the music perfectly. Still not my genre of music, but I’m learning. I’m giving this a 4* because it is an album that I intend to revisit as I continue my quest to finally get hip hop music.

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back

Public Enemy

3/5

I have always struggled with hip hop and rap music. It is not a genre that has ever grabbed me. I’m still trying and will continue to use this project as an opportunity to expand my horizons. In this spirit, and considering that many consider this to be among the most seminal albums of the “golden age” of hip hop, I decided to give the album several listens. In the end, I appreciated the anger behind the insights into the plights of black people at the time. The BS “War on Drugs” prevalent at the time continued the oppression of black people. Same zebra, different stripes. The frustration was expressed affectively. The raps of Chuck D and Flavor Flav play off each other in fun and interesting ways. I enjoyed the incorporation of funk guitar and pop music into the resampling. The music had me grooving along, albeit still wishing for original instrumentation, a bias I acknowledge that I need to get over to appreciate this genre. I’m still not there yet with respect to even being able to pretend that I understand what makes a great hip hop album, but I appreciate what Public Enemy was trying to do here and can appreciate why this album is considered to be so influential to the genre. My personal work to overcome my biases remains ongoing.

The Renaissance

Q-Tip

3/5

Hip hop remains a challenging genre for me and I’ve got three albums in a week. I mention this because I’m probably too fatigued to give this a fair review, so I will keep my notes to a minimum. I liked the fact that the album had more interesting music (beats) than most hip hop, with soul and funk influences. Perhaps I’ll revisit it later.

Paul's Boutique

Beastie Boys

4/5

When I got this album I thought, “Fuck, not the Beastie Boys!” I was wrong. “Licensed to Ill” came out when I was in high school and I really didn’t have much respect for the taste of the kids who were into the album. This opinion was reinforced later when the media dubbed this frat-rap. What could be lamer, right? Again, I was wrong. This is among the more interesting hip-hop albums I’ve heard. Reading up on its innovations and later influences, I was even more impressed. Here is a band who many, including me, dismissed out of hand as imposters, having the courage to innovate rather than simply playing it safe. The Beastie Boys play their own jazz-funk instrumentals (actually playing instruments is personally appreciated), then intertwining samples from original pieces. The result is a really interesting soundscape. This is more than beats, it is genuinely interesting music (with great beats too, of course). It is easy to see why many critics now consider this to be among the most important hip-hop albums of all time, it is remarkable that it was creates by three white kids who were openly mocked by so many. I stand corrected. I will be revisiting Paul's Boutique again in the future. It was a hell of a lot of fun to listen to and I'm generally not a big fan of the genre.

The Boatman's Call

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

There are some artists and albums that require intentional listening to appreciate. By this, I mean few distractions and a decent audio system (headphone or equivalent high end speakers). This album, like many Nick Cave albums is a great example. The beauty of this album comes from subtle details that cannot be appreciated if listened as background music. There is a place for this sort of production and this is something that Cave excels at. Put the album on a good system, close your eyes and listen intently. Listened in this context, which is the space music critics do, this album is beautiful and far more nuanced than many of the reviews here suggest.

Sound Affects

The Jam

4/5

An album that perfectly bridges the transition from the punk and alt rock of the 60s and early 70s and the new wave and post-punk that would come to dominate the alternative music scene in the 80s. As someone who was part of this transition in my teens I've got a soft spot for albums like this and this one is among the best examples. Another one that sort of slipped throught the cracks for me. I hadn't listened to the album in decades and am glad that the project reminded me to revisit this classic.

Illmatic

Nas

2/5

I'm still trying to "get" rap and hip hop. Getting better, but obviously not good enough to understand why this is considered on of the best of all time, which also makes me wonder if I'm fighting an uphill battle. The rapping here is crisp, but I'm learning that I also need to have underlying music that has some interest other that great beats. There was some sampling and production in the earlier tracks that go close, the piano and bass sampling in N.Y. State of Mind, for instance. The later tracks though just didn't do it for me. I fully acknowledge that I may be missing the point and Illmatic intends for the focus to be on the rhymes, I'm just not convinced yet that this makes for interesting music. Maybe someday.

Destroyer

KISS

2/5

I always thought that KISS was mostly a gimmick band. This album cemented that opinion. Maybe my pant are not tight enough?

Homework

Daft Punk

4/5

And EDM was forever changed.

Young Americans

David Bowie

3/5

I have a soft spot for musicians who explore new boundaries. Bowie excelled at this throughout his career. I was fun seeing him explore soul, and a little funk, on this album. Very different than his previous work and the productions that followed. Not my favorite Bowie album, but I enjoyed the listen.

Brown Sugar

D'Angelo

3/5

I feel guilty about this one. I listened to it twice, which is my minimum for a review. I feel like this is one I need to spend more time with, in the right mood to appreciate. Hopefully someday I will, but for now it is time to move on. Beautiful sinking, interesting instrumentation spanning several genres, but I haven't yet put my head around how it goes together, if it gets together.

Ill Communication

Beastie Boys

4/5

One of the things I appreciate the most about the Beastie Boys is that they incorporate their own instrumentation with their samples. To my ear, this makes for more complex and ultimately interesting music than many hip-hop bands. Being previously unfamiliar with this record, there is musical complexity to this album that I was expecting, especially in the latter half of the record, which I preferred. While a hip-hop pervades all tunes providing continuity and a cohesive vibe, there breadth of the music underneath that is super fun. Punk, check. Jazz, yep. Latin funk, we got that. Buddhist monks, unbelievably yes. I don’t know why I had dismissed this band previously, but I was wrong. There is some masterful mixing on display on this album and some absolute bangers. Good stuff.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

5/5

A masterpiece. I love everything about this album. The songs were carried enough that each seems distinct, yet have enough of a common thread for the album to seem cohesive. Not one stinker among them either The sequencing of tracks is legendary for a reason. Has their ever been two more perfect bookends? The opening announces what to expect and the closer had me thinking "WTF?", with a shit&eating grin on my face. Great vocals with powerful lyrics. What is not to like? The instrumentation too, is unique but with enough familiarity that it is more fun than challenging.

3 Feet High and Rising

De La Soul

3/5

I had a lot of fun listening to this album and sometimes joy is enough.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

3/5

Quintessential punk rock. There was a time in my life where I would have insisted that this was brilliant. I have less angst now, probably important. Still, a walk down memory lane. I still dig it, but these days I insist that the energy comes with something a little more interesting, except the Ramones, they get a hall pass.

Transformer

Lou Reed

5/5

After having listened to Lou Reed, or more importantly The Velvet Underground, on acid it is impossible to be too critical. Even in a more sober state, it it easy to groove on these tunes. I enjoyed every fucking minute of this album.

...And Justice For All

Metallica

3/5

As a punk with friend with friends who were more into rock/metal when this album was released, I remember it as a unifier. Listening to it many years later, I can still see that, but it is way more underwhelming than I was hoping it would be. Don't get me wrong, there are some riffs that absolutely shred. The songs that lean into speed metal are amazing and what I remember loving about this band back in the day. They have held up, even by the standards from the bands who took their lead and ran with it . I good album, punctuated by some truly great moments.

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

2/5

I’ve never really understood the Clapton hype, still don’t. Yes, he is admittedly a great guitar player, but nothing I've heard has stood out to me as particularly extraordinary. On this album, I enjoyed his riffs on several tunes, but it was never enough to make me think that I was hearing anything essential or particulalry impactful to music. Almost all of the songs on the album are covers and among the two originals, “Let it Grow” largely reworks “Stairway to Heaven”, so no song writing cred for Clapton. His singing is mediocre, at best. I always try to give the albums here an initial listen prior to doing any research. Sometimes learning more about the artist/album makes me appreciate it more, more rarely the opposite happens but that was the case here. I don’t pay attention to celebrity gossip, especially when it is associated with someone who I’m not interested in. As a result, I had no idea that Clapton was such a horrible human (I’m being generous with the human part). Holy shit! This dude is a waste of carbon. “Stop Britain from becoming a black colony. Get the foreigners out,” exclaimed Clapton to his captive audience. “Get the wogs out. Get the coons out. Keep Britain white." No, this was not an isolated incident and it is made worse coming from a white dude covering blues songs. Plus, his more recent anti-vax conspiratorial BS. As someone on Twitter said, "Kid Rock with slightly better guitar skills". Putting the asshole aside, I just didn’t find anything particularly special. A decent rock/blues album, but there is much better. Based on music alone, I would have probably given the album 2.5*, but fuck this guy. And no, one should not separate the artist from the art, particularly when they use their wealth and influence to spread hate and intolerance. I see no reason to explore Clapton’s solo work further. In writing this, I’ve given him way more time than he deserves.

After The Gold Rush

Neil Young

4/5

Probably one of the most influential musicians across many genres that followed. An amazing album that I wish I had more time to review.

Stardust

Willie Nelson

3/5

My partner was filled with joy while listening to the album. It was a part of her childhood and it was beautiful experiencing that with her. Country is a genre I struggle with getting, but this objectively a cool album from an artist who I respect. I'll explore more in the future, especially seeing the joy from my lover

The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

David Bowie

4/5

Bowie's best? Certainly the most iconic. I love this album.

Face to Face

The Kinks

3/5

My partner commented on me getting another Beatles album and to be fair it is a legitimate comparison. The Kinks were arguable just as interesting, if not more so in some respects. I wonder what would have happened if they hadn't been kicked from the US market for four years. Overall a solid album, but how many albums like this do we need for this period? Maybe it is just my current streak, IDK

There's No Place Like America Today

Curtis Mayfield

3/5

Definitely some beautiful music. Having come from a Christian cult, I have an intrinsic problem with gospel lyrics, but I can still appreciate the genre with respect to its contribution to modern music. I need to spend some more time with Mayfield to form a more nuanced opinion.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

4/5

I don't know dick about jazz, but I want to know more. I do know that this shit was groovy as fuck.

At Fillmore East

The Allman Brothers Band

4/5

I got a lot of nookie in college because people thought I looked like Greg Alman, so I cannot dislike this band. Seriously, though, amazing blues-rock. Fun stuff, well executed. Thank Greg.

L'Eau Rouge

The Young Gods

4/5

I don't know how this music managed to stay off my radar. The band and this album specifically was influential to many industrial bands who I have followed (Ministry, Nine Inch Nails, Faith No More, U2). Given its influence on so many artists of varied genres, “L’eau Rouge” certainly belongs here. Part of the reason a band many of never heard of, including me, is that the music of The Young Gods, like much industrial music, is challenging. A second reason being that the lyrics are in French. Yet, “L’eau Rouge” is also unique and interesting, especially for an album that was released in 1989. Personally, I loved it. This was especially true when I gave it a deeper (more focused) relisten on my hi-fi system where its production quality really shined. It also probably helped that I was high, which I mention as a suggestion. Stumbling onto music like this is why I signed up for this project. I’m learning that I tend to really like many of the albums where reviews have the largest standard deviation. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I'd love to see the difference in rating between those who finish vs those who do not.

Duck Rock

Malcolm McLaren

2/5

Some of the music is okay, but the album is all over the place. Throw the spaghetti at the wall and see what sticks? I'm not sure what the McLaren is trying to accomplish here? I'm also not sure why in the hell this album qualifies as something I need to hear before I die? I guess it is interesting that McLaren borrows (steals) from so many other artists if diverse styles, but what do they bring to make it different or their own? I don't get it and am not inclined to try to.

Back In Black

AC/DC

3/5

I can smell the cigarette smoke behind my high school shop class. Interestingly, I probably enjoy the album more now that I did then. Mostly the instrumentation, the are some great riffs here i typed a more detail review but it glitched. AC/DC isn't my thing, but there are many tunes on this album that are classics. A worthy entry that was a fun listen, but not something I'll return to.

Tapestry

Carole King

4/5

No denying that there are some beautiful tunes on "Tapestry". Great arrangements and production, with King's gorgeous voice to being it together. Not a personal top album if all time, but definitely wirth revisiting in the future.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

4/5

I don't think I've ever listened to a Byrds album from start to finish before. I liked this album much better when I gave it a second, more deliberate listen. The more psychedelic songs were particularly enjoyable.

Frank

Amy Winehouse

4/5

Anyone who can sing like this at the age of 19 is a prodigy. Like many artists, potential denied due to rocka and roll (okay Jazz) lifestyle. Yes, at points she is obviously channeling Jazz standards, especially Fitzgerald. However, she always has a unique spin that is her own. The only thing that is strange is that she was to break into the world of pop following this recording. In any event, this is a fantastic album. Definitely something I'll be returning to in the future!

Funeral

Arcade Fire

5/5

I'm 55 and have always loved music, especially when artists take things in new and different directions. Arcade Fire and this album specifically gave me hope that I'd continue being interested in new bands and music at a time when I was getting a little worried that either myself or artists were losing the thread. There is not a bad track on this album. An amazing achievement from a bad breaking into the music scene. Beautiful music that I will continue to listen to until I die. Many that followed tried to emulate this sound, sometimes a little too closely.

Pelican West

Haircut 100

3/5

The first I listened, I was pretty bored. The second listen was more enjoyable, but inconsistent. I was an 80s kid, so I don't have an aversion to New Wave, there just want much that stood out on this one as being very noteworthy. One if the few I've encountered that I cannot understand why it belongs in this list, but hey others seem to enjoy it.

Black Holes and Revelations

Muse

3/5

Dirt

Alice In Chains

4/5

A very dark and heavy album from one of the patriarchs of grunge. I know I’m in the minority here, but I’ve always liked the instrumentation of AIC much more than the vocals, which I was reminded of on my relisten here. I think this prevents me from liking the band as much as I should. Musical taste is funny that way. 7/10

Apocalypse Dudes

Turbonegro

3/5

I liked a lot of what I heard, but I'm not really into taking a deep dive here with my current mood. Note to self: revisit.

Superfly

Curtis Mayfield

4/5

That was a groovy record!

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

3/5

A Wizard, A True Star

Todd Rundgren

4/5

I knew his work as a producer, but not a aoli artist. He refused to release any tune as a solo because he wanted the entire album to be considered as a cohesive unit. This mentality is something I'm relearning via this project. This album is what happens when a brilliant artist and producer discovers psychedelics and feels compelled to do something artistic. It isn't avant-garde, it is just a creative album of beautiful music. The ride experiencing the album as it was intended is wild.

The United States Of America

4/5

This album was really pushing boundaries, in many ways. A psychedelic rock album that intentionally abandoned the guitar in favor of a plethora of instruments that were not being widely used by rock bands at the time (electric harpsichord, violin, piano) all mixed and distorted in ways that were unique and in some ways prescient to music that would follow later. United States of America is weird, but in a good way. It works. Joe Byrd, who is responsible for much of the overall production of the record, had formal music training and a familiarity with many different genres, which we can hear weaved together throughout the album. Lastly, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the gorgeous vocals of Dorothy Muskowitz. Many people have credited this album as the first prog rock release. Whether or not this is true to is hard to imagine an album that better capture the counter culture of its time. The fact that an album like this, with commie-loving lyrics, enjoyed some commercial success, despite being so avant-garde, speaks volumes about the importance and influence of underground culture at the time. I’ve always appreciated unique and interesting music, which is probably why I tend to like albums of this list with a wide variance of reviews from listeners. This album isn’t an exception and was a joyful discovery. I fully intent to check out Byrd’s later work, The American Metaphysical Circus.

Automatic For The People

R.E.M.

5/5

There are a large number of albums on this list that were released in the late 60s or early 70s. Yes this was an important period of innovation, but equally important is that these are the iconic albums from the youth of boomers. GenX has a similar thing and this album in pretty damn iconic. It is also a gorgeous work of art. There is not a bad song on this entire record. Great music from start to finish. Reading through some of the reviews here, I'm starting to think that asking people about this album may be a great way to avoid assholes. It is okay to not like the style, but anyone who is not moved in the slightest by the lyrics is not someone I want in my life.

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

3/5

I love early Cohen, but this album seems like a poem slam performed by dude with a deep and memorable voice Is this interesting to listen to? Sure, some songs. However, this isn't particularly great or interesting music. If I truly went into cold, without loving Cohen's earlier work I would have discounted it entirely.

Oxygène

Jean-Michel Jarre

3/5

After the first tune, I knew I needed some chemical assistance. Properly medicated, I was able to take a load off and let the trippy tentacles take me on an interstellar journey. Give it to me straight, baby! Research after listening revealed a fascinating history. Certain an important album in the development of music that I was oblivious to before. Also, for whatever it is worth, my cats really seemed to like this one.

Coat Of Many Colors

Dolly Parton

2/5

Back At The Chicken Shack

Jimmy Smith

4/5

Great jazz, great album. The big innovation here was putting the organ forward and using this as a means of fusing soul and jazz. Whether or not you like the result personally (I do), these creative innovations beget others. Artists who spark new innovations warrant out notice and respect.

Electric Ladyland

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

I don't think that I can add anything that hasn't already been said. One if the most iconic and influential musicians in the history of rock. It still holds up today. Not a single bad sing in the album.

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

I need more time with this one.

Abraxas

Santana

4/5

I’ve heard Santa playing most of my life. I’ve always liked what I heard, but for whatever reason I have yet to sit down and really explore their music. I’d long associated Santana’s music as a mix of Latin and rock, which it is. What I didn’t realize is how psychedelic the band can be. Another thing that I have appreciated about Santana, although perhaps not enough, was his brilliant guitar work. There are some absolutely masterful riffs sprinkled throughout these tunes. It is hard to believe that it took me 55 years to get here, but I will absolutely be taking a deeper dive into Santana’s discography.

Green

R.E.M.

5/5

Amazing album. Amazing band

Punishing Kiss

Ute Lemper

1/5

This one took me awhile to review. I absolutely did not like it on my first listen, but then I saw collaborators like Tom Waits, Nick Cave and Elvis Costello, among others, I thought that I must be missing something. After several further listens, my initial impressions haven’t changed much. Essentially, this is a collection of dark musical tunes. While Limpur has a good voice, it just doesn’t work with this material. In fact, I think it works against the mood the songs were intended to convey. I appreciate experimental music, but sometimes experiments fail as this one did. My overall impression was that Punishing Kiss was an album that couldn’t figure out what it was trying to accomplish or convey. I’m sure some will like it, but it was not for me. Definitely not something I needed to listen to before I die. 2/10, I think this might be my first one star, only because I forced myself to listen to it so many times because I was convinced I just didn't get it.

(Pronounced 'Leh-'Nérd 'Skin-'Nérd)

Lynyrd Skynyrd

3/5

There were some great moments, some great songs, but nothing that really wowed me.

The White Album

Beatles

5/5

Part of what always made the Bealtes great was their willingness to experiment with new sounds. This is also the reason their music remains relevant today. The White Album is a massive undertaking by a band in their prime. It was my gateway drug into the band many decades ago, so it will always have a place in my music rotation even if far less frequent than it probably deserves.

In Rainbows

Radiohead

5/5

This is about as close to perfection as an album can get. The varied and phenomenal instrumental work, especially the guitar and pianos combine with gorgeous vocals to take you on an amazing emotional journey. Few albums cover the emotional breath of In Rainbows. I’ve listened to this album many times and as “Videotape” is ending I still find myself thinking, “Bummer, it is over.” One of my hobbies is testing and tweaking audio gear and I use the album frequently for this purpose. The production is amazing and the dynamic range will put any audio system through its paces. You hear what is working, but just as important the flaws. I know people from 5 generations who have independently discovered Radiohead, in fact it was one of the first records my Gen Alpha daughter requested as a gift for her small but growing vinyl collection. Such broad appeal is remarkable because their music does not fall within what would normally be considered a universally loved gene or sound. I have few doubts that In Rainbows will continue to inspire new and varied music for generations to come.

Brothers In Arms

Dire Straits

3/5

Dire Straits and especially “Brothers in Arms” is challenging for me to review objectively. I was in high school when the album was released and became so damn popular that it seemed to be playing everywhere I went, there was no escape. This was especially true with Money for Nothing. Despite there being some objectively great riffs in that song, if I never hear it again I’ll be happy. On the other hand, I love the guitar and there is no doubt that Knopfler is a master of the instrument. I love listening to the precision of his playing. This album was incredibly successful and its experimental meshing of guitar and synth remains influential to this day. However, perhaps due to over saturation, it is a tough album for me to enjoy as much as I probably should. It is not Dire Straits best album, but due to its popularity and influence I can see why it was selected for this list. In the end, I’ve got to rate this based on my admittedly jaded personal enjoyment. It did inspire me to listen to their earlier, far superior, records. I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed that music.

Timeless

Goldie

3/5

Only recently discovered bass and drum as a result of this project. I like it, but I'm still not sure I get it. Perhaps it is a think in this space, but this album seemed overly long and repetitive. Like the intent of most songs was extending the thread until it became tiresome and therefore just there (and for ADD me becoming more forgettable). I'm neutral here. Perhaps I'll try again, but my wife hated it and it is two hours...so, probably not.

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

4/5

*Ready for bed, but I think, "I wonder what the album is tomorrow?", then "Okay, maybe I should have a Sazerac and chill for a minute first." One of the most iconic blues artists playing seminal tunes live, amazing! The fact that I had to dig to find it makes it even more special. This is a piece of music history.

Music in Exile

Songhoy Blues

5/5

My God, incredible! I always get excited when I see a band I'm not familiar with because I love discovering new music and this one did not disappoint. Really cool blend of genres with some seriously fun riffs. The instrumentation is fantastic. The vocals are amazing too because they are, for me, unexpected against the underlying music. After listening the first time, I researched the story and history. What an interesting story. All the people eating it poorly because they cannot understand the language are likely the reason I'm living under the rule of Trump, who for reasons literate people find befuddling, they find to be a "genius". The US is victim to its own isolation and the inability of people to experience different cultures. One of my favorite discoveries from the project so far.

Ragged Glory

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

4/5

When I was in college I had a summer job working for an evolutionary ecologist. Much if the job involved counting and sorting things under a microscope. Needless to say, music was necessary to maintain sanity. I mention this because my lab mate was a Neil Young fanatic. At the time I was mostly listening to hardcore, what would now be called post-punk or pop-punk. This garage period of Young's music was our common ground and by the time the summer was over I owned several CDs. Later, as my musical tastes continued to braided, I learned how influential Young was to so many different musicians that followed. In any event, Crazy Horse rocks and Young is a fantastic song writer who has been exploring new things longer that I've been alive and I recently started getting AARP junk mail. I have deep respect for Young and love this album. It is certainly well deserving of being on this list.

Neon Bible

Arcade Fire

5/5

I love Arcade Fire. Their albums all have an unabashedly big, theatrical, sometimes symphonic sound, all while incorporating catchy rhythms. Their use of many different instruments allows then to weave together different sounds and musical influences, while remaining distinctively recognizable as a band. As others have pointed out, Neon Bible has a darker, rawer sound than many of their other records, but it is also joyful. Every tune on this album is good, some are absolutely fantastic. It is a great sophomore record from an interesting and fun band. Reading other reviews here, a common thread is that the record in “pretentious”. I’m not sure what these people think the band is pretending to be? Perhaps they feel like they like their intentionally big sound lacks intrinsic talent? That is clearly not the case. People have widely varied taste in music and I can see why some wouldn’t like this record, but I don’t get the pretentious criticism. The band is creating the creating exactly the kind of music they intend in a style disticlt their own (in other words the music is authentic, the opposite of pretentious). And as evidenced by the fact that the band is one of the more important and critically acclaimed bands to break out of the 21st century indie scene, doing it pretty damn well. I digress, mostly because I feel like this particular criticism is lazy. Also ironic, because the act of judging an album as "pretentious" simply becacuse you don't like it, is actually a bit pretentious. I love music from almost all genres, but indie rock, in its various flavors, is frequently in rotation. Mostly this is because I find bands in this genre exporing new sounds, which I find interesting. Does this make me pretentious? Perhaps, but as a 55 YO nerdy dad, I'm hardly a hipster. Like many here, I also love learning about the evolution of modern music, especially when it involves discovering music I’d previously overlooked. However, it is also nice to see examples of the ultimate culmination of sounds pioneered by artists from the previous century. In this respect it is lovely to see more recent indie records here. Neon Bible may not be Arcade Fire's best record, but it is a great and appropriate addition to the list. 8.5/10

Tigermilk

Belle & Sebastian

5/5

Belle and Sebastian was an integral part of my courtship with my partner. Their albums were on frequent rotation as we sipped wine and got to know each other. Twenty-five years and two kids later, we still both smile when we put them on. Sometimes nostalgia is an integral part of how we all experience music. This band makes music that makes me happy. Tigermilk is the debut album from the band with an origin story that is wild enough that Pitchfork made a documentary about it. Pop is not typically my main jam, but Belle and Sebastian grabbed me from the first time I stumbled across their music accidentally while attending a music festival shortly after its release. This album is full of catchy tunes with arrangements unique enough to be interesting. The lyrics are smart and often moving, sometimes witty, and the singing is gorgeous. Some have likened the music to a more upbeat version of The Smiths, which is apt. The entire album is remarkably cohesive, especially considering that it was recorded over three days at a time when the band was not even fully realized. It still holds up for me almost 30-years later. If you like this album and were previously unfamiliar, I strongly recommend it follow up, If You're Feeling Sinister, released shortly afterwards. 9/10. A great album, but the rating includes a personal bias bump because I love my wife more every day and this album reminds me of where it all began.

Murmur

R.E.M.

4/5

I started high school the year after this album was released and all my best friends owned the CD. It was a major part of the soundtrack of my youth largely because people it jived with almost everyone. My 15YO daughter was listening with me tonight and confirmed that this music still sounds amazing, even by today's standards. With the release of this album, R.E.M. became among the first important "alternative" bands (college rock at the time). While essentially a pop album, by combining influence from 60's folk-rock like the Byrds with elements of post-punk bands like Gang of Four Murmur presented Americana music for a new generation. This was all evidenced by Rolling Stone and other magazines picking Murmur as the album of the year. Quite the accomplishment for a debut release, especially considering it was up against albums like Thriller and War. While I still enjoy R.E.M. today, it had been years since I listened to the album in its entirety. There are so many great songs on this record. The jangle guitar combined with bass carrying much of the rhythm is just so cool. Stipes voice is amazing, even when you can't understand what the hell he is saying. My favorite part of this project is discovering new music, which I'm also learning includes rediscovering old loves. The nostalgia is nice, but more interesting to me is the fact that the music sounds different due to the accumulation of different musical perspectives over time. I have a newly refreshed love for R.E.M. thanks to 1001 Albums and they will be back on regular rotation for many years. 9/10, only because it is not their best album.

Fleet Foxes

4/5

Among my current faves. Amazing music. Nice to see it here.

American Idiot

Green Day

4/5

Green Day’s American Idiot marks a slight bend toward rock-n-roll from their typical pop-punk tunes and it is a rock opera. I love this genre and while Green Day was never among my favorites, I’ve always like this album. Still do.

Melody A.M.

Röyksopp

3/5

Still learning to love house and EDM, so this lack of familiarity may have caused me to miss something, but nothing here really wowed me as anything new or unique. That said, I enjoyed the album. A good, but not great record.

m b v

My Bloody Valentine

4/5

Oh boy, the standard deviation on this one is going to be high. My Bloody Valentine, among the originators of shoe gaze, is an experimental band, always has been. Experimental music is intrinsically challenging and many people hate being challenged, despite sometimes claiming otherwise. When listening to experimental music, I like to first consider what the band is trying to accomplish. In this case, exploring tonal variations of the guitar and layering them together into music that is noisy, sure, but also beautiful. While influenced by bass and drums, you will not find a traditional beat on any of their tracks. Not everyone will like this music, but there is a reason why music fans remained excited about the return of the band to the studio after a 20-year hiatus. Getting back to the experimental nature of the music, several critics have pointed out the MBV can be separated into thirds, each playing with different guitar tones/layers and vocals. Part one is surreal, focusing on layers of fuzzy guitar tones and once I let go I found myself lost in this music in a pleasant way. Part two brings forward Butcher’s beautiful, albeit intentionally understated vocals, with layers of wavy guitar. There are fewer textures here and the sounds are more accessible and perhaps less interesting? The final third of MBV see an increase in tempo, a little more melody. The guitar tone experiments on “in another way” are twangy and then crunchier on “nothing is”, in both cases they are repeated and layered in a way that droned me into a state where I was genuinely lost in the music at points. The final track, “wonder 2” sort of mixes all of the previous experimental sounds into a sonic soup that I found interesting, but perhaps less enjoyable. My Bloody Valentine remains a highly influential band, who essentially started the shoe gaze genre using experimental sounds that are all their own. Numerous bands have cited the band as an influence including the obvious shoegaze bands (e.g., Slowdive, American Football), but also less obvious bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and even modern experimental psychedelic rock bands like LSD and the Search for God (check them out if you are unfamiliar). The band and this record, as a critically acclaimed return to the studio after two decades, certainly belong on this list, whether or not everyone appreciates the sonic experiments.

Pretzel Logic

Steely Dan

3/5

Being 55, I’ve certainly heard plenty of Steely Dan songs over the years, but somehow until this pick I never bothered to listen to an entire album and give them a serious listen. I spent my formative years mostly listening to new wave & punk, then the many alternative bands and genres that branched from here. I have subsequently expanded my tastes, but it never included a serious listen of this band until today. Impressive instrumentals by obviously talented musicians. Great guitar work, some outstanding rock riffs. Also, great keys. Cool hand drums. Great horns. All great musicians playing as a cohesive unit. This is sophisticated music. I also really like the blend of different musical genres. Principally a rock album, I heard influences from jazz, blues, rag time, honky tonk, funk and pop. Many of the best bands from the 70s experimented with such genre-mashing and it is done really well on this album. It is easy to dismiss this as boring today, but albums like that combined familiar riffs and hooks in unique ways were important in creating the breadth of music we enjoy today. Yes, I can see how this would be described as dad rock, but I’m a dad and I like rock. I loved this record more than I thought I would while listening at the office and I can’t wait to give it another listen on the hi-fi system by the fire after work. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Steely Dan’s discography. It is pretty rare for the albums on this list to be completely new to me and it is weird to me that a band as lauded as Steely Dan would be among them, but here we are. Better late than never.

Talking Book

Stevie Wonder

4/5

“Steve, you know this is an album not a talking book.” Malcom Cecil (executive producer) is rumored to have stated in reference to the numerous tracks they were trying to choose from when putting together this album. I mention the quote because it highlights Stevie Wonder’s passion for music. He communicated through songs and spent many hours in the studio creating and experimenting with new sounds. This passion really comes through in his music, especially once he was given more creative freedom as he was from this album and then moving forward. Wonder was a genius with respect to his instrumentation and production approaches, so it is always fun to read about how his albums were produced. Like many of his records, Wonder played most of the instruments, with some assistance from others, on this record. Impressive, but what is important about this is that the records had to be layered back together later, and Wonder along with his producers did this in a way that created a more richly textured sound that almost all R&B or pop at the time. In particular, listen to the layering of the three distinctly different sounding keyboards: the Hohner Clavinet, Electric Piano and Moog Synthesizer. If you are not familiar with how these instruments sound, do yourself a favor and look it up. They are featured pretty widely in songs from this time period and remember this was a period where is was all analog, so the unique sounds we can produce on computers today were only possible through the use of different instruments. Cool stuff. Anyhow, Talking Book was a joy to listen to. Personally, I prefer the funky jams over his more soulful tunes, but this is just personal taste. Wonder’s talents are evident from start to finish. Talking Book was Wonder’s first to hit Billboard Album Top 5, but then his next 7 albums would make the list too. A pretty impressive run.

Dr. Octagonecologyst

Dr. Octagon

1/5

One of my objectives with this project was developing a deeper appreciation of hip hop and I have made some progress. However, this album made me rethink this objective. There is no element of anything that I appreciate about music here. I made it to the end, but doing so was painful. Instrumentation. I realize that I’m supposed to ignore the fact that there is none and focus on the production and beats. Even doing so, I found nothing compelling or interesting. Horrible. Vocalization. I know that this is rap and I should ignore the fact that there isn’t any singing. I like the idea of creating an album with fictional characters, however the story and juvenile humor here is just dumb. I have a rule of giving every album at least two listens. Often the second listen reveals something I’d previously missed. If this case, I can’t bring myself to do this. Apparently this album brings joy to others, which is great, but calling it music is a stretch.

Electric

The Cult

3/5

When this album was first released, I remember thinking, “What the fuck happened to The Cult?” Listening to it today, I feel similarly. It did make me go back and listen to their earlier albums just to convince myself I wasn’t crazy, so I did technically get something out of it. The Cult are great musicians and their earlier work was compelling post punk and gothic mashups. This album was their first foray into a more mainstream hard rock or metal sound. It isn’t bad, but it sure isn’t great either. To save anyone who feels similarly, it only gets worse from here. This is actually a tough one for me to rate. There so pretty damn good guitar playing and again most songs are not bad there are just much better examples of what The Cult is trying to do here, maybe 2.5*.

Play

Moby

3/5

Play is a classic and highly influential electronica (house, ambient, techno, club) album that bounces between genres. As evidenced by its worldwide popularity (platinum in 26 countries), Moby tapped into something that resonated with people when it was released. Play is a fun in a nostalgic sense, but it is also an album that I haven’t felt compelled to put on for many years now. The album is too damn long, but there are some good tunes with catchy hooks that famously (infamously?) caught the attention of commercial licensers. This bothers many people, but the commercialization brought attention to Play and likely saved Moby’s music career. My favorite part of this record was Moby’s mixing of samples from different genres and eras. Again, with todays cultural sensibilities, this bothers some people. It is hard to deny that this is a good, if not great album. It was certainly worth at least one more listen before I die.

Scott 4

Scott Walker

3/5

Baroque Rock, a subgenre I've never heard of. Walker has a great voice and you can see why people like Bowie, Nick Cave and Peter Murphy claim influence The list of bands who say they were influenced by Scott Walker is vast, especially considering I had not heard of him. Did I enjoy listening to the album? Yes, I thought it was interesting, especially for the time period it was produced. Did it blow me away? Nope. Am I still glad I listened to it? Yes. Will I revisit it in the future? I doubt it. He certainly belongs in this list in the context of co temporary music history, which is one of the reasons I'm here

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

3/5

Many comments on this album acknowledge that Tina Turner has an amazing voice, but the instrumentation of this album isn’t for them. If you are among them, I implore you to check out her earlier albums especially if you can apprciate R&B or soul. With Private Dancer, Turner set out to make a pop album, which turned out to be, well…very popular with >20M records sold. For those not around at the time, several of these songs were played everywhere you went. Given this, it is hard to argue that she was not successful in her intent. This is, after all, the objective of pop music. It is baked into the name of the genre. Unfortunately, this is also why this is a tough album for me to fairly rate. I generally have always struggled with pop music because the music tends to play it safe because its aim is appealing to as many as possible. In the case of Private Dancer, it is more of a challenge because I’ve heard its hits too damn many times. This is undoubtedly why I enjoyed the B side tracks more than the singles. As an album that helped define, for good and bad, music in the 80s Private Dancer deserves a place on this list. The importance of an album does not necessarily translate into personal preference. I did not love nor hate this record, yet I will always appreciate Turner’s vocals. An easy 3* pop album from my perspective.

The Köln Concert

Keith Jarrett

5/5

This brilliant concert was entirely improvised live, on a piano with broken petals that could not be properly tuned, requiring Keith Jarrett learn a new instrument as her performed. It ended up becoming the bestselling piano solo album of all time. Is great music about invoking emotions? If so, musical improvisation from highly talented musicians is a raw expression of this. For me, sometimes truly great music is more about creating new and interesting sounds, again well-done improvisation can deliver, as this album demonstrates. Anyway, this was absolutely Incredible music. I loved it. Considering that most modern music can ultimately be traced back to jazz, it would be great to see a little more of the genre represented on this list. For those wanting to take a deeper dive, Devens’ “A History of Jazz” podcast is a great start and does so one album at a time, much like this project. If you are reading this and want something more recognizable as modern jazz, I strongly recommend Jarrett’s “New Vienna (live). I have specif criteria for what constitutes a 5* album for this project. It has to be personally enjoyable, it needs to remain consistently solid throughout, it needs to be something I will revisit again, it needs to be a seminal album for an artist or an album that was highly influential contribution to music, and ideally something that makes me want to take a deeper dive tnto the artist or similar music. This album hits all of these notes. **************************************** Here is a brief video that provides the fascinating story of this album’s production, the challenges go way beyond the broken piano: https://youtu.be/wIXMkZAcgRo?si=5v0azTCB-9Sk6NNw

Head Hunters

Herbie Hancock

5/5

Herbie Hancock sets out to start a funk band and created the Head Hunters. He failed in the sense that jazz kept creeping into their music, ultimately leading him to embrace the jazz-funk fusion moniker--with some jazz-rock vibes. This is not to say that this record was a failure. After its release, Head Hunters was the best-selling jazz albums of all time. Hancock has stated that he embarked on this project because her wanted to make an album that was fun, and oh boy is this album a riot! If this album does not make you smile, you might want to consider getting a Prozac prescription. I guess it is also possible that you just don’t like jazz, but come on. Head Hunters is seminal record from one of the most important jazz musicians of all time. At the time it was released it had appeal that extended beyond jazz enthusiasts, leading to its future influence in a wide range of genres. Among jazz enthusiasts today, many still consider Head Hunters to be among the best jazz records of all time.

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

2/5

Planet Rock combines electronica, funk and hip-hop. I hated the album on my first listen and enjoyed it more on subsequent listens when I tried to ignore the hip-hop part. The parts of the record when the instrumentation leans into its funk-electronica fusion were pretty fun. Hip-hop is a genre I’m still learning to appreciate and at this stage in my journey I think I’m better off focusing on great, as opposed to significant, hip-hop. I just don’t have enough context to appreciate the latter. Putting aside historical significance, I think most would agree that by modern standards the rapping here feels dated and interesting. I’ve been on a deep dive of jazz-rock fusion recently and it got me thinking that there are so many records that would be much better without vocals. This record is a case in point. I can definitely see why the album was included in this project. It belongs here, but I don’t think there is anything here that I’ll be revisiting after completing this assignment. Normally, I’d give this a 3*, but I have to give Afrika a demerit for his SA of children. I reserve 1* for albums that are not listenable, and this is not that.

BEYONCÉ

Beyoncé

2/5

Important caveat, I have a bias against music that is more about the performance than it is about music. I also have an aversion to the celebrity culture than emerges from music that is as much a product of industry promotion as it about the actual songs. When you use >30 writers and >50 production technicians to create an album, it will never feel personal. The fact that the album was largely created when a bunch of celebrities met at “camp” retreat--read mansion in the Hamptons--is a bug, not a feature. Despite my biases, I tried to give this album an open-minded listen. I’ll admit that I liked this album a little more than I thought I would. There are some good songs here, but great songs? I’m not sure about that. I’m glad that I listened with my throw away account (something it took me an embarrassingly long time to pay attention to with this project). I found nothing on the album particularly moving or interesting.

Sea Change

Beck

4/5

Sea Change is a beautiful album. Beautiful composition on every song, without feeling overly produced. On my first listen, did not hear a single skip here. After several listens, I feel even more strongly about that initial impression. My favorite listen was chilling with an intent listen with my HIFi setup. Given his accolades and importance in the industry, I don't know why Beck flew under my radar, but this album left me and my partner wanting to explore more. This why I'm here. Discovering new music that I want to explore more.

Live!

Fela Kuti

4/5

Another banger, literally in this case, that I would have never heard otherwise. Really fun music that dominated the African music scene at the same time modern music was exploding in the US. It is so much fun to listen to an album, research it again and then give it another listen realizing that you are listening to modern music history. Kuti sounds like quite a character and the events surrounding the production of this album are just insane.

Highway 61 Revisited

Bob Dylan

4/5

One of the best albums from an artist who spins poetry into song. It honestly took me awhile to "get" Dylan, but once he hooked me I became in actuated with his work. Probably one of the best song writers to have ever lived.

Hail To the Thief

Radiohead

4/5

While listening to Hail to the Thief, I found myself simultaneously constantly blown away by how outstanding the music was, while also thinking to myself that this is probably not their best work. I guess this says a lot about Radiohead as a band. Here is the thing though, the more I listened to this album the more I started to think that I’d previously been overly dismissive. I like transitional albums from bands I enjoy because they provide insight into their creative process and this album can be enjoyed similarly. The wide tonal variation among songs here is a manifestation of the band seeing where the innovative tones they’d previous created could take them. By leaning into more traditional rock rhythms and tones, this album offers just enough easy familiarity that it allowed be to listen to Radiohead as a rock band because I was less focused on the ingeniousness of their compositions. On previous listens I think I saw this as a short-coming, but over my later listens for this project I started really enjoying this for what it was. Another connection I’d previously missed was the juxtaposition of the existential political crises discussed in the lyrics on the heels of Yorke becoming a father. I became a father for the first time three years later and can appreciate how the experience alters ones hopes and fears about the future. The horizon of personal importance expands, which ironically makes current concerns more impactful. This album was queued at the start of winter. For me, Radiohead is a winter band. I enjoy their music most when I’m listening intently. Doing so by a fire with a glass of brandy makes the experience even better. I fully intend to give Hail to Thief the rotation it probably always deserved over the next several months.

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

2/5

I used to think I liked Leonard Cohen. Sure, he has a great voice and some of the lyrics are poetic. However, the instrumentation and production is not good. This album did not age well. Tom Waits does the parts of this album that are worth listening to so much better. Sorry, but my friend across the pond got this one wrong. Sometimes, nostalgia just isn't enough to make an album interesting.

Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables

Dead Kennedys

5/5

The debit album from one of the most important and influential punk bands to ever exist. This shit is fast and hard, as expected from the genre, but several things set DK apart, making them an essential part of music history. Biafra's trilling voice is among the most understandable of punk front men at the time, which is good because their lyrics are both funny and politically charged. The latter is important because the liberal messages from bands like DK became an important antidote to the white supremacist punks starting to emerge at the same time and in years that followed. I've admired Biafra for continuing his activisim in support of the environment, humans and music. One think I have always appreciated about DK was how varied their instrumentation was, at least for a punk band. Punk is about energy attitude. This focus too often caused many songs from acts to sound too similar. With DK, you see more intent and experimentation. Each song sounds distinct. They get even better at this later, but you can ear the bud emerging on fruits. DK was a big part of the soundscape if my teen years. These days it is rare for me to play an album more that once per week. I had no such affliction as a teen and whenever I was pissed at the world, DK was on frequent rotation. It was fucking fun revisiting this music. Fruit is not DK's best album, although there are timeless tunes here, but this album an important part of music history, with numerous citing the music as a influence for decades to follow. I think it is an album everyone should listen to before they die, especially when you are pissed at the world. As I write this we are <1 year into the second Trump adminstration are there are plenty of reasons to be angry. Why not give it an appropriate soundtrack? Also, Nazi punks fuck off!

Chris

Christine and the Queens

3/5

Pop is not my jam, but for me Christine and the Queens does it better than most on “Chris”. Part of it may be the depth of the lyrics, but I think the more important factor is that the music embraces and explores the genre. The artist leans into it. Some of the tunes of this record remind me of dance tunes from the 80s, others were clearly inspired by some of the top pop stars of decades past. Yet the music does more that rehash these sounds, it recreates these sounds into something fresh. Some subscribers of this project get excited when one of their favorite albums pops up here. I'm the opposite and get most excited when I get something unfamiliar. Sometimes, this means that I've heard of the work but just haven't ever taken the time to explore it. More rarely I get something I've never heard of, which was the case for me with this selection. A little weird consider the album’s critical acclaim, but I don’t pay much attention to pop music. I’m unlikely to add this album to my rotation. Again, not my jam. However, I’m still glad to have had the opportunity to explore this music, which likely never would have happened without this project.

The Doors

5/5

The fact that “The Doors” still works today, almost 60 years after it was released is pretty remarkable. This may be the most important and significant debut album ever released. With poetic lyrics and a blend of musical genres from jazz, psychedelia, blues and rock, the music was pretty unique in its time and proved to be highly influential. I don’t think calling the album a masterpiece is hyperbolic.

Violent Femmes

4/5

16 year old me, at a church dance. DJ says, "If anyone has any requests, bring it on." I smile, joke with my friends, and saunter up to request "Add It Up". The music starts, people are dancing, then the needle screeches across the record. I was asked to leave. This shit still makes me laugh 40 years later.

The Next Day

David Bowie

3/5

David Bowie is an icon. I get it. I’m also not convinced that we need to have nine of his albums on this list though. After several listens my take is that The Next Day is a good, if not great album. There are some really good songs mixed in with some decent songs. The production is solid, perhaps too slick? I can only speculate about why it made the list, but perhaps it has to do with this album marking his return to music after a 10-year hiatus? I have deep respect for Bowie and his contributions to music. I’m glad he came out retirement, but I think Black Star is a superior example of his later period.

Meat Is Murder

The Smiths

5/5

Meat is Murder was released when I was in high school. It is impossible for me to guess how many times I have listened to the record, but it is a lot. I mention this because I try to approach my listens for the project as “fresh” as possible, but sometimes like this record it can be damn hard. Say what you will about his later personal antics, but Morrisey is an incredible singer who embraces an over-the-top flamboyance that works for him, even when you think it probably shouldn't. Partly this because the lyrics, while of varied topics, are honest and relatable. It also probably helps that they are sometimes witty, even when the subject matter is dark. In terms of instrumentation, I think Meat is Murder is where we see Johhny Marr starting to show the innovation that will ultimately make him one of the greatest guitarists of his generation. I will never get tired of listening to his guitar playing and his ability to compliment Morrisey’s voice is sometimes mind blowing. The Smiths are a band that I continue to revisit, albeit less frequently as I get older. Partly this is nostalgia, but mostly this is because even 40 years later, the music still works. As testament to this, my teen daughter independently discovered and became obsessed with them in the years immediately following the pandemic. Meat is Murder is the album where the Smiths took control over production, allowing them to their distinctive and creative music. It may not be the Smiths best album, although sometime I think so, but it is certainly an important album and one that everyone should listen to before they die. A 4.5* album, but I'm about to go down a Marr rabbit hole this afternoon, and such inspiration warrants a bump.

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

4/5

First Band on the Moon is a fun indie-pop, indie-rock album with much more depth than its cotton candy sweet exterior implies. The song writing throughout is excellent. I appreciated the juxtaposition of dark lyrics sung, impressively, with the sweet and comforting voice of Nina Peterson. The instrumentation is more interesting and layered than typical in pop music. The production is outstanding. The indie-pop tunes are about as good as pop music gets, but I preferred the more subdued tunes that leaned further into indie-rock territory, but this is personal preference. The “Iron Man” cover was a riot with “Ohhh, Iron Man”, sung like Peterson was yearning for her lover. I’d previously dismissed the Cardigans as being too poppy for my taste, but my listens for this project convinced me that I was wrong. I fully intend to dive deeper into their discography and that it the part of this project that I like best.

Permission to Land

The Darkness

3/5

I always start my reviews by writing down the band, album title and year. Two songs into this album, I pulled up the site again, completely convinced that I got the year wrong. Nope, 2003 is correct. This confusion continued throughout my first listen. Is this a parody? Some of the lyrics come off that way and the music doesn’t try to hide its early 80s metal or arena rock influences. The tunes sound exactly like the music coming from the joint smoking metalheads behind my high school shop classroom. As often happens for me, the second listen was more enjoyable because I put all of that aside and just listened. These guys are seriously talented musicians and the vocals are pretty impressive. Some of the guitar solos are fucking amazing. My biggest complaint stems from my original reaction. There is not much original or new here. At what point does the old become new again? Does it matter? Maybe being “just rock n roll” is the point? In any event, this style of music wasn’t really my jam in the 80s and still isn’t. All the same, I can appreciate talent on display throughout “Permission to Land”. I’m glad I listen to it several times for this project, but it also is probably not something I’ll be revisiting.

1977

Ash

3/5

1977 is a fun power-pop-punk album with some catchy hooks and fast-paced riffs. An impressive debut from three 19-year-old Irish blokes. Sometimes living across the pond allows me to discover tunes that I really should have already been aware of. I like music like this and am looking forward to seeing where Ash took things from here.

Metallica

4/5

Metalheads criticize this album because it is too accessible. Fuck that. Punk is the appropriate genre for music is about attitude. This is a hill I'm willing to die on. This is just seriously great hard rock. It is a perfect pick for this genre and this project.

The Low End Theory

A Tribe Called Quest

1/5

I keep trying, I try to keep an open mind. Calling this music is an insult to anyone who has played an instrument. Maybe the vocals make up for it? Nope. I rarely find an album to be unlistenable, but this just fucking sucks. I almost always listen to every album at least twice, but there isn't anything else to notice here. I could have happily died having never heard this album

Blood, Sweat & Tears

3/5

Neutral on this one. Better jazz fusion out there and nothing seemed inspiring.

Green River

Creedence Clearwater Revival

4/5

Reviewing such an iconic album seems pretty pointless. There is nothing I could possibly contribute that has not already been said, so it is probably best to focus on what spoke to me. Green River is quintessential Americana roots music. Some songs lean more heavily toward blues-inspired classic rock, while others lean into rockabilly. Both are good, but I personally prefer the former. Fogerty is a great guitar player and my absolute favorite parts of this record are his lead riffs. His boogie grooves are an important ingredient in Creedence’s special sauce. Green River is where Creedence found their core sound and really started to move toward classic rock royalty. It is a great, record that rolls nicely from one song into another until it doesn’t. The album starts much more strongly than it ends, which the last couple of songs seeming like they belong on another record. Overall though, Green River packs a lot of fun into 30-minutes. Green River certainly qualified as an album everyone should listen to before they die.

Felt Mountain

Goldfrapp

4/5

I came into this completely cold, which is always fun, and I was hooked from the start. What an amazing piece of art! Not all great music is great art and not all artistic music is great, but “Felt Mountain” is both. From the opening refrains, Goldfrapp’s beautiful, sensual voice drew me into a dreamy world that demanded my full attention and really delivered once the seduction was complete. Calling this album electronica is a disservice. Beyond the aforementioned vocals, the instrumentation is more experimental (in a good way) and complex than what that genre typically delivers. The sounds of multiple instruments are layer together with an incredible production. Felt Mountain is an album that requires a really good set of earphones or speakers to be fully appreciated. After my first couple of listens, I started researching the album a bit and came across the following quote that summarizes this music perfectly, “An LSD-infused ‘Alice in the Looking Glass’ with a James Bond soundtrack.” I’m almost 200 albums into this project and this may have been my favorite completely new discovery so far. It is an album that will require a specific mood, but I will definitely be revisiting it in the future.

Real Life

Magazine

4/5

It is hard to believe that an album released in 1978 can be distinctively post-punk and can still feel at home with contemporary music in this genre almost 50-years later. We listened to this album several times over the weekend and we just kept commenting on how much we loved the music. It is easy to see the influence of this album on much of the music I’ve fallen in love with over the years. The tunes on Real Life are groundbreaking, deceptively complex. A great pick for this list and a solid album.

Francis Albert Sinatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim

Frank Sinatra

4/5

Hard to complain. Haters are too prevalent. Just stop.

Fragile

Yes

5/5

Prog rock from this period were so influential to music that followed that it is impossible to understand modern music without at least a cursory dive into this music. Fragile demonstrates a slightly more accessible and fun sound in comparison with other contemporaries in the genre. The genre-bending experimentation is just as impressive as other contemporaries like Crimson, but Yes’ more melodic songwriting makes albums like Fragile a more relaxed listen. There is great songcraft on display here and outstanding instrumentation from all involved. My 19-year-old son has been encouraging me to revisit prog rock lately. Both classics like Fragile and newer bands who embrace the label. It has been a fun journey. We both listened to this album after it was selected and it generated some interesting discussions. I think this a 4.5* album and I’m starting to think that I’m being too stingy with my 5* ratings. Fun stuff!

Strangeways, Here We Come

The Smiths

5/5

Both Marr and Morrisey believe that “Strangeways, Here We Come” is The Smiths best record and who am I to disagree? Every song on this album is solid from start to finish. Marr's guitar playing is on point, really great stuff. This album marked the beginning of the end for the band. On one hand it is interesting to think about how their music would have evolved if Morrisey didn’t turn out to be an insufferable twat. One the other hand, it led Marr to collaborate on numerous interesting projects, further expanding his range as a musician and one of the greatest and most innovative guitarists of the 20th Century and also helping to expand the progression of indie rock. For his part, Morrisey continued to make decent, sometimes even good music too, albeit less experimental and interesting from my perspective. I honestly can’t remember how I rated previously selections from The Smiths, but again this album is probably their most consistent. Strangeways was released my Junior year in high school and they were among my favorite bands at the time, so there is some admitted nostalgic bias on my part here too.

That's The Way Of The World

Earth, Wind & Fire

3/5

Are there any pop music bands this large today? Is this even possible? In any event, when “That’s the Way of the World” cooks it throws out funky grooves that would make the most stoic among us want to cut some rug. The more soulful tunes are good too. My issue, is that the combination of songs, the composition of the record, doesn’t always work, for me. The individual songs all work, but it is hard for me to pinpoint what mood I’d need to be in to want to listen to the album. Several songs are now on my cocktail party playlists, but that is not what this project is about. 3.5*

Smash

The Offspring

4/5

Punk, the music, is about energy and Smash has that in spades. From start to finish the explosive power chords throughout Smash propel the listener from one track to the next. The songs on consistently solid. Punk, the movement, has its roots deeply imbedded in counter culture. Smash was a major commercial success and brought punk to mainstream audiences, which itself pisses off many purists, because that shit just isn’t punk. Its popularity meant that people pissing about the "authenticity" of The Offspring was inevitable. I don’t think that Smash is the best punk out there, even for the time it was released, but the album is pretty damn good punk. Part of the album’s success was its impeccable timing. The world was ready to embrace punk and this album and this album, chalk full of catchy riffs, scratched the itch. The album remains an important part of modern music history. For good and bad, it influenced music that followed. Because of this, it certainly belongs on this list, but that aside the album also fucking rocks. “Until next time, ta ta.”

Cafe Bleu

The Style Council

2/5

I try to cut the editors of this book a lot of slack. Different things speak to different people and sometimes music needs to be put into context with the space and time in which it was produced. Those caveats fully considered, WTF were they thinking? There is nothing particularly bad about this album, but there is also nothing particularly memorable either. Café Bleu alternates between jazz and soul, and there are many MUCH better examples of whatever they were trying to accomplish on this record. Oh yes, I forgot about the very shitty attempt at rap (The Gospel), that definitely did not age well, LOL. The Jam were much bigger in the UK than the US and this was a major departure for Paul Weller, so maybe this is what makes the album interesting? Sometimes fame cuts some slack for artists. Generally this is a good thing because it allowsthe freedom to explore new things. However, novelty alone does not make an album an essential listen unless the artist is exploring new sounds. Not new for them, but genuinely new, which is certainly not the case here. I struggled with how to rate this one. With a couple of exceptions, there isn’t anything horrible, it is an average album. Yet, if I compare the familiar subgenres any given song explores, the offerings here just don’t hold up. There is nothing here influential to later music, so I decided that it needed to stand on its own.

Pretenders

5/5

Much of early British punk aimed to subvert rock and roll, while the Pretenders took the sounds and energy of punk while also embracing rock. The resulting hard-driving pop sounds resonated in 1980, taking the world by storm. Their debut album is a not just a classic of its time, it holds up equally well today. One of the things that I’ve always loved about the Pretenders is Chrisse Hynde. She is a bad ass and effortlessly cool. More relevantly, she has an amazing voice that is equally at home belting out wailers (first tunes on the album) as it with more subtle staccato phrasing (later tracks on the album). Her lyricism is also overtly erotic, which was brazen for the time, especially coming from a woman. In 1980, there were not many women fronting bands, there still are not, and Hynde demonstrated to the world this was BS. Woman can be just as bad ass as men, if not more so. Instrumentally, the Pretenders eschewed the keyboard and drum machines that were increasingly common at the time, sticking with a traditional rock band structure. Yet, the band still delivered music that sounded fresh, partly due to unique time signatures and party due to the blending of different genres. I really enjoyed revisiting this album. It’s a great album on its own and its importance in music history certainly warrants its place on this list. I first started listening to this album shortly after it was released and have continued to revisit it periodically over the years. It has been awhile, but this listen put the Pretenders back on rotation.

The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn

Pink Floyd

5/5

The debut album of one of the most iconic bands in modern music. When this project gives me an album that I’m intimately familiar with, I usually use it as an opportunity for a fresh listen. However, in cases like this it is impossible for me to decouple the listening experience from personal nostalgia and the album’s historical importance. Piper at the Gates of Dawn creates a wonderfully bizarre mix of dark spirals into the abyss and whimsical jaunts into the fey. Either way, the imagery of just about every tune on the album is intense. There is no need for mind altering substances to embark on these musical adventures, but it certainly helps. For me, psychedelics were integral to breaking free of a repressive religious childhood and developing my own spiritual ontology. The album was an integral part of the soundscape of that metaphysical journey. Even today, this music resonates with my soul. Personal perspective aside, this is an essential album and is absolutely a listen that everyone should have at least once before they die. The album is not Floyd’s best, but it remains a classic that still holds up almost 60 years later. "I know a mouse, and he hasn't got a house, I don't know why I call him Gerald, he's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse."

American IV: The Man Comes Around

Johnny Cash

5/5

Great music invokes strong emotions. Sometimes, knowing background and context of an album’s production helps with this translation. Among the last recordings from a legend, with failing health, who was watching his lifetime love fade away. Listen to the album knowing that Cash knew that he was at the end of his life. The recordings were punctuated with hospital stays. If you are reading this and have not seen the video for “Hurt”, do it now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1bLLVKI2JRU If this doesn’t punch you in the gut, question your humanity. When Cash first played “Hurt” to his daughters they told him it sounded like he was saying goodbye, he told them he was. We can hear Cash saying goodbye in many places on this album. His failing voice adds to the poignancy. At points, Cash was in so much pain he had to record on line at a time. The Man Comes Around is part of five albums created with Rick Ruben and collaborators. This project created a comeback for Cash that ultimately resulted in his first No. 1 pop album since 1969 when American V was released following his death. It is pretty cool that a man who produced ~130 albums >1500 songs), over almost 50 years, was able to have a fitting final chapter to his life work. We should all be so lucky. This album opens stronger than it ends. However, I mentioned the emotional impact because when I listen to this album, by the time I’m through the first several songs I’m deeply emotionally invested. There is an austere beauty to this record and it kicks me in the ass every time I listen to it. That is enough. I suspect that this record will not resonate as strongly with some of the younger people participating on this project. However, this album is a great, if not fun, listen that everyone should experience at least once before they die.

The Rising

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

I've never gotten the hype for Springstein. Yes, some of his tunes sound big, but he also has a huge band. E street currently has 19 members (Perhaps this is why they call him the boss?), including three guitarists, so this is not surprising. Springstein also has a great voice. With all of this going on, I always expected that the resulting music would be powerful or interesting. Yet to me, his music has always seemed surprisingly boring. Maybe it is another case of over saturation during the 80s, IDK. Putting previous conceptions aside, The Rising is a perfectly good album. There are some interesting tracks, the use of the strings works on the ballads and fits the mood of the lyrics. I still enjoyed the more rocking bits more and think that this is where Springstein and the E Street band are most comfortable. On the downside, this album is simply too long and king of gets in the way of itself. The Rising was important, at least in the US, as the first rock album to address the 9/11 attacks. It also marked a comeback for Springstein and his band, springing him back into the spotlight after a long hiatus. For these reasons, I can certainly see why the album is on the list. A perfectly good album, but not one I'm likely to revisit.

Juju

Siouxsie And The Banshees

5/5

I listened to the shit out of this album as a teenager and for whatever reason, I moved on and kind of forgot about it. What a pleasure to experience it again with fresh ears, decades later! The first album to feature guitarist John McGeoch, this is the album sees the Banshees become more experimental and interesting. The rest of the band seem to jive together more strongly too. Juju is rightfully now considered a post-punk classic album. Listening to the album, it is easy to see the album's broad influence on music that would follow. Bands like the Smiths, The Cure, Smashing Pumpkins, Radiohead and many other have all cited this album as highly influential. I'm glad to have this album back on my radar and can't wait to introduce it to my teen daughter. She will eat this up!

Off The Wall

Michael Jackson

3/5

It took me several days to review this one because my spouse didn't want it playing because it reminder her too much of baby sitting, and not in a good way, apparently. I mentions this because it is really heard for people of our generation to give Michael Jackson a fresh listen. You know the saturation of Mariah Carey during the two months surrounding Christmas? There were many years where it was like this for Jackson, only year round. I think a large part of the appeal of Michael Jackson was his work as a performer. His father raised him to be a product, which means that everything in his music and performance was designed to appeal to the masses. That comes across in the meticulous production of this record, which to my ears sometimes seems a little too tight. On "Off the Wall" we see Jackson starting to break out on his own and the resulting exuberance comes through on these tunes. I enjoyed this album the most on the listens where I told myself that just having a good time was okay. There are some fun, funky grooves here presented as pop or disco. It was interesting to listen to this knowing just how Jackson would land in the future. Overall, this was another fun listen. However, sometimes it is hard to get over old grudges.

Urban Hymns

The Verve

3/5

Apparently, this album dominated British popular culture in the late 90s. I only had a passing similarity due to streaming algorithms pegging me as a potential fan. When this album was big, I’d just started graduate school and it was my lifetime low for exploring new music, perhaps because my mind was exploring new things elsewhere. For my limited exposure The Verve aligned with my vibe, so I started my listens being psyched for a deeper dive. McCabe’s guitar work is impressive. I could listen to that shit all day. Every tune where he is allowed to shine benefits. The more poppy ballads on the album don’t do much for me, although I can see how songs like “The Drugs Don’t Work” could become pop culture zeitgeist. The trippier tunes like “Catching The Butterfly” or “Weeping Willow” are better, or at least more interesting, the instrumentals are just better. I listened to this album more often than I typically do, mainly because I kept thinking that it should be grabbing more than it was. I understand the vibe is different on The Verve’s other albums, which I’ll explore, perhaps that will give me some insight into what I’m missing here.

Bandwagonesque

Teenage Fanclub

4/5

It is interesting that Teenage Fanclub struck chord with critics and other musicians more than the public. Bandwagonesque is a fantastic indie power-pop album with amazing song writing, great instrumentation and brilliant, sometimes harmonic, vocals. At a time when grunge dominated indie music, this album stood out. As the band’s name implies, Teenage Fanclub’s schtick is reinterpretation of the sound of their youth into something new. The influences of bands like the Byrds, Big Star and Neil Young are easy to spot, but it doesn’t distract because the band leans into it. The songs throughout Bandwagonesque, have pop-like strong hooks and melodious vocals, but this is intermixed with fuzzy, sometimes noisy instrumentation more reminiscent of bands like Pavement or Dinosaur Jr (an inspiration to the band’s creation). I can see why this juxtaposition will not land for everyone, but I also think that this is why many report enjoying the album more on relistens. Music like this is sometimes easier to enjoy when you know what is coming. Cool stuff. Although admittedly this is a genre I’m partial to, I agree that this is one everyone should listen to this at least once before they die. Also, another album that is back in rotation thanks to this project.

Bubble And Scrape

Sebadoh

4/5

Scuzzy indie lo-fi. I was very much into this music when the album was released; I still am. This album is solid from start to finish. I can certainly see how some might not groove with the record, but as a cornerstone of early 90s indie rock it certainly belongs on this list. Great stuff!

Superunknown

Soundgarden

4/5

Hooks and heft. Superunknown delivers a breadth of sounds found on few records. With 60’s psychedelic influences, carried by Cameron’s drumming and experimental and varied time signatures, wonderfully odd bass and guitar riffs, Soundgarden delivered something new. Yet, the hooks and Cameron’s languid phrasing make the music, especially the singles, easily accessible. Released a time when even fans were growing tired of grunge and bands were trying to shed the label, it is a shame that this album received the label because it belies the complexity of this record. Superunknown is great rock and roll.

Entertainment

Gang Of Four

5/5

Talk about an album that stands the test of time. Entertainment! seems relevant, both lyrically and musically, today as it was when it was released almost 50 years ago. I enjoyed my listen for this project as much as I did when listening to it while smoking grass with my friends as a teenager. The rhythm section on the album helps keep the listener grooving along. However, as many reviewers have noted, the real secret sauce here is the minimalistic, angular guitar. Power chords fuzzed up to the maximum, yet still driving and powerful. This is a post-punk masterpiece that is on almost all “Top XX albums of all time” lists for a reason. The number of bands that cite influence of Gang of Four, and Entertainment! in particular, is vast: Nirvana, REM, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and among many others. Obviously, this is an album everyone should listen to at least once. In fact, I think I’ll give it another listen.

Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

OutKast

3/5

Above anything, Speakerboxxx/The Love Below demonstrates that Outkast was greater that the sum of its parts. This is an overly long album that is sonically splattered. There is a lot to like about both parts, but my ears found “The Love Below” to be the more interesting part. There is some interesting experimental music throughout the second half, but like all experiments, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. The result is higher highs and lower lows. The first album, Speakerboxx, is more straightforward hip-hop, with a fun and funky vibe. I enjoyed the tracks that leaned most heavily into the funky grooves. Some interesting horns and guitar work. The real trouble here, particularly with respect to this project, is the length. Normally I like to give each album several listens, but that simply is not practical in this case. Too bad.

Straight Outta Compton

N.W.A.

2/5

I really don’t like gangster rap, but there isn’t any doubt that the genre has been influential. Straight Outta Compton was among the first and given its place in music history, it was worth a listen. This is a high energy album with some cool, albeit dated, beats. Much like punk, this works and gives with the theme of the record. I found my head boppin’ while listening. The anger against the injustices created by the police do hold up, unfortunately. What I can’t get behind is the homophobia and misogyny on display here. Sure, it feeds the image they are trying to create, but that doesn’t change the fact that it is not okay. Beating down other groups of people is not tough, it is cowardly. From my perspective, that truth works against the image N.W.A. is trying to create, but I guess it worked for them. It is interesting to get this album the same day as a solicitation for the Southern Poverty Law Center decrying the rise of hate and extremism. I get the anger on display here, I really do. The ongoing injustices are real. However, as we suffer through the second Trump administration, with a MAGA movement fueled by hatred and anger, I question whether this approach to change is productive. Anger begets anger. I’m glad this project is giving me a greater appreciation for hip-hop, but not this one. I fully admit that its failure to resonate stems, in part, from me being pretty far removed from the world they describe.

Kala

M.I.A.

3/5

With its dance-friendly rhythms and beats it is tough to listen to Kala without shaking your booty. M.I.A. raps about some weighty topics, but she doesn't let this get in the way of showing you a good time. I enjoyed the incorporation of samples from different cultures. It gives this album a unique sound and perhaps ironically, considering the many different cultures presented, provides a cohesion to the record. The tracks flow nicely from one to the next. The looping samples from The Clash with interludes from New Order on “Paper Planes” was also fun. I sometimes found her voice to be tiresome, but I can’t really pin down why this was the case. Desite not having a great voice, I think her singing worked better than her rapping, but this could just be personal bias. I don’t know much about this genre of music, but apparently Kala was experimental introducing sounds that have been influential in the years that followed. Considering the album was released while Obama was president, that tracks. One of the better, or at least most fun, hip-hop albums I’ve received through this project so far!

Safe As Milk

Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

4/5

A wonderfully weird take on delta blues, plus some other stuff intermixed because, why not? The transition between “Dropout Boogie” and “I’m Glad” caused me to check to see if Tidal had glitched (again) and sent me to another record. The instrumentation is fantastic throughout the record. Beefheart (Vliet) was high school friends with Zappa and you can certainly hear some similarities on tracks. Hare to tell who was influencing whom, probably reciprocal. Not nearly as far out as later releases, the album is an easier listen, yet you can still see the early gestation of the notoriously experimental releases that will follow. I had a great time with this one. Note to others: The mono version is 33 minutes long because it does not include the bonus tracks. I suggest sticking to that one, at least for the first couple of listens.

It's Too Late to Stop Now

Van Morrison

4/5

I’m not a huge fan, but this is about as good as Morrison gets. Plus, holy shit, the Caledonia Soul Orchestra belts out some incredibly tight music. I found the guitar, piano and horns to be particularly pleasing, but the spring quartet brings depth to many tunes that I wasn’t expecting. Like all good jazz, you could hear just enough improvisation to make familiar tunes to feel unique, the proverbial catching of lightning in a bottle. With respect to Morrison, you can hear his passion and expression throughout. He sings with the music, responding to the band. No overdubs here, apparently, and it is hard to see how they would work as well as the immediacy you hear from the live recordings. The sound quality, from recording to production, is outstanding for any live album, but especially for one recorded in 1973. Individual instruments were clear and sharp. The soundstage was simply enormous, the epitome of 3D music. I recommend sitting in that sweet spot, cranking it up, closing your eyes and just being present with this one. Shit, I’d listen to this record again just to appreciate its beautiful production. I was initially skeptical about a double album, but I didn’t ever get bogged down or bored during my listens of this record. Apparently, this record is regarded as one of the best live rock recordings of all time, so it is worthy of its place on this list. This was a great discovery. I enjoyed this one more than I thought I would. Maybe my opinion of Morrison was colored by later releases? In any event, I will be listening to it again in the future. Color me surprised.

At Mister Kelly's

Sarah Vaughan

4/5

"Sassy is so good now that when I listen to her I want to cut my wrists with a dull razor." – Frank Sinatra Pour a scotch, light a cigarette or two as insence, put on this album and then close your eyes and imagine yourself in a 1950s Chicago nightclub. Okay, I didn't have the cigs, but it would have been perfect. In most of Vaughn’s studio recordings she is accompanied by a full orchestra, but this recording consists of a relatively simple trio. with just bass (Rihard Davis), piano (Jimmy Jones) and drums (Roy Hayes). This puts sharp focus on her voice and oh what a voice it is! Fun fact, in live performances Vaughn used the placement of the microphone to adjust the volume of her voice while singing. You can hear the results throughout this recording. This is among the oldest albums on this list and for someone who is here, in part, due to an interest in music history this is appreciated. I think this is also the first of many iconic albums (Ella Fitzgerald, Muddy Waters, Billie Holiday) recorded at Mister Kelly's. For those with an interest in music history or Jazz, I recommend the documentary "Live at Mister Kelly's". Vaughn (AKA Sassy) is rightfully considered one of the greatest jazz vocalists of all time. It is hard for me to believe that anyone would not relish this performance, but I’ve been doing this project long enough to know that such people exist.

The Suburbs

Arcade Fire

5/5

Hypothetically, you are on your way to a Ayahuasca ceremony. Interested in what you will learn about yourself, but also a little terrified. You want to put yourself in a positive space. This is a good album for this purpose, hypothetically. Early Arcade Fire is fucking great indie rock and I'm a sucker for these vibes. This is music that puts a smile on my face because it is both interesting and fun. Love it!

The Man Machine

Kraftwerk

2/5

This is certainly an important album with respect to the development of electronica, EDM, etc. It was interesting in that respect. It is fun to think about the musicians messing with new tech in interesting ways. That said, it didn't hold up very well for me, although it did lead to some interesting conversations with my son about EDM, so that was a bonus. I can see why it made the list, but not something I'm likely to revisit in the future.

Heaven Or Las Vegas

Cocteau Twins

4/5

I've always loved the ethereal and atmospheric sounds of this band. Interestingly, my teen daughter independently discovered the band this year and we've been listening to them more than I have in years. This is music that renovated with me when it was released and still does today.

Arrival

ABBA

4/5

Is this great music? Probably not. Is this fun music? Absolutely! Sometimes that is enough. I don't think music needs give enough credit to joy.

Close To The Edge

Yes

4/5

I loved listening to this album tonight. I never would have thought to your it on otherwise. Discovery is great, but it is also fun to be reminded of music that you've neglected. I dig this shit. It was a fun listen, especially after my vape little helper.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

2/5

Interesting history, but I really hate how many times I've heard these songs.

Live At The Witch Trials

The Fall

3/5

The debut album from a band that is among the most influnetial bands for music that would follow. Witch Trials is not the best album by the fall, but I can see why the critics selected their first. I enjoyed the listen. It has been awile since I listened to this band.

Step In The Arena

Gang Starr

3/5

Okay, rap and hip-hop are not my genre, but I’m genuinely trying to learn. I gave this album 4 listens before rating. There is clearly fantastic production on display in “Step Into the Arena”. Also on display some fun beats and rhythms, that even managed to get my middle-aged, white head a boppin’. That is what I’m supposed to be focusing on in terms of instrumentation, I think? I also appreciated the fact that the lyrics were not over-the-top misogynistic or otherwise written for shock value. To me, that shit always comes across as fake overly theatrical bullshit. The lyrics came across as much more intelligent and mature, for me this is a good thing but other obviously feel otherwise. It is probably my inexperienced ears, but a small gripe is that the music, not necessarily the rapping, seemed a little repetitive. Overall, this was among the better traditional hip-hop albums from the list so far. I still don’t totally get it, l enjoyed listening to it, but I didn’t gravitate toward it. I’ll keep trying.

Garbage

3/5

It’s been a long time since I listened to this record. For no particular reason, Garbage just fell off my radar. This is a solid record, especially for debut album. Reading the history of the album after my first listen, this makes sense, this was not the first rodeo for any of these artists. Essentially a mashup of several bands I enjoyed (Smashing Pumpkins, Massive Attack, Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana), I was bound to either love or hate this album. On this relisten, I mostly found myself thinking the former. Storied producer Butch Vig [Nevermind (Nirvana), Gish (Smashing Pumkins), Dirty (Sonic Youth)] intentionally created a band that meshed genres and he had the connections and production experience to pull it off. These are clearly all fantastic musicians, and I quite like Manson’s voice. My only complaint is that the album sometimes veers a little too strongly into too familiar pop territory. The more experimental tracks make up for it though and also helped make this album hold up decades later. Now that Garbaqe is back on my radar again, I’m excited to spend some more time with the band to see how their sound has evolved over the past few decades. Epiphanies like this are what makes this project fun.

Meat Puppets II

Meat Puppets

5/5

The Meat Puppets are among my favorite bands, and this is among their best albums. This album saw the band shift a little more country, while maintaining their punk core, with a little psychedelia mixed in for good measure. The album was way ahead of its time, and it still holds up today. Fun story. After releasing this album the Meat Puppets opened for Black Flag whose audience didn’t quite get their shit-kicking spin on punk. Instead of attempting to appease them, the band went further in the opposite direction doing things like long Dead covers. When the crowd got pissed, the band just screamed back at them and kept doing their thing. How punk rock is that? It is easy to see why Nirvana (among many others) considered the band to be among their most important influences. It is interesting that despite Meat Puppets being a better band in my respects, they never achieved the same notoriety, even after the Kirkwood brothers guest appearance on Nivana’s infamous Unplugged set. Yet another reminder of the importance of serendipity, I suppose. Although, heroin addictions and a stint in prison by Cris Kirwood probably didn’t help.

2/5

I came into this one completely cold. After the first few tunes, I wrote, “English glam rock, the musical.” I later learned that Harvey formed this band after being in the London cast of Hair, so I guess that makes sense. The blues-rock influences on the first couple of tunes sounded good, if not particularly memorable. The sophomoric lyrics on “Gang Bang” didn’t help. Things got a little more interesting with “Faith Healer”, although the overly long tune still had me wondering if I was supposed to take the band seriously. Again, nothing particularly special or interesting, even for the time it was produced. The second side opens with a not particularly interesting 1950s cover, followed by a more interesting, cabaret cover “Next” (Au Saivant). At least with the latter we see the band trying to be somewhat experimental. “Vambo Marble Eye” steps back into more familiar glam-rock territory and has some good guitar work, but it is otherwise nothing particularly memorable. The final track, “The Last of the Teenage Idols” was my favorite on the record, but not enough to make up for the rest of it. After listening a couple of times, I spent some time trying to figure out how in the hell the album made this list. The best I could figure out is that this band gained notoriety due to their performances, which obviously impossible to capture in a recording decades later. I guess you had to be there. Not for me.

Kollaps

Einstürzende Neubauten

2/5

This is the first album I've ever played that freaked out my cats. Like 20+ years of playing new music almost everyday and this one finally did them in. Clearly not intended to be fun or easily enjoyable, is it interesting? If anyone was asked to describe this music cold, industrial would probably be a common description. Not in reference to the genre, but strictly the sound. After several listens, I think I'm glad I listened, but equally glad I don't have to do it again. Especially considering the year, this was produced, I applaud the ingenuity. Also, fuck you generator for making this my first album of the year. My wife hates me. My cats hate me. Can you get your random shot together, please? Edit: It isn't just the cats, my son just came into the room and said that the music was stressing him the fuck out. He has never, in 20 years, asked me to turn off music with a look of stress in his eyes. Crazy! I guess it is safe to say that the music is emotionally impactful.

Aqualung

Jethro Tull

3/5

This album strongly reminds me of a time in my life and specific person whom I'd rather forget. Good music, tough memories.

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

3/5

Adult contemporary is not my jam, but when this album is at its best (The Ocean, Coles Corner, Born Under a Bad Sign) the song writing is masterful. Yes, this is a rehash of the softer side of 50s rock, but it does do with sincere respect for the source material. The poignant vocals on Coles Corner are incredible. Hawley’s baritone voice is tailor made for the bittersweet balds on display. The sometimes-bittersweet lyrics are appropriate for an album best listened to on a quiet, rainy evening. Overall, this was a pleasant listening experience. Another record where the second listen was better than the first.

Call of the Valley

Shivkumar Sharma

4/5

As others have mentioned, this album was somewhat difficult to track down. The only version on Spotify and Tidal was a later recording from Shivkumar Sharma’s son. I ultimately found the original on YouTube and I’m glad I did. It was a beautiful album. Apparently, this was the album that introduced the western world to Indian music. It certainly deserves its place on this list. For those who don’t know, part of the reason music like this sounds unique is the use of microtones. Most of western music is based on 12 equal steps (semitones) within an octave, whereas Indian music is based on 22 microtones per octave. This alternative approach has influenced experimental western music, from the Beetles in the 60s to modern bands like King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard. Historical importance aside, this album really drew me in. It was nice for the project to generate something truly different.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

3/5

I'm an old fart. I didn't like this music when it was released because there was better music to explore. What I have realized later in life is that this doesn't mean that it was bad music, in fact this is pretty great pop music. Still not my thing in the sense that I can envision myself putting the album on, whatever my mood, but I can I can still respect and even enjoy some of the tracks.. . This album defined a generation, so like it or love it, it certainly has a place here.

Toys In The Attic

Aerosmith

3/5

Rock n Roll, baby! A quintessential rock album from a band that, in many ways, defined what was then called hard rock. I knew the hits, of course, but enjoyed the back tracks much more. Not really my jam, but I enjoyed the listen.

Two Dancers

Wild Beasts

3/5

This is another album I enjoyed on my second listen. The guitar-forward tracks were more interesting to my that the synth-forward tracks. The is no doubt that both songs are very talented and that is the biggest strength of this music. I liked it, it just didn't kick me in the ass.

NEU! 75

Neu!

4/5

Neu! is a band led by two experimental musicians who managed to produce several influential records despite them having very different beliefs about life and music. In this context, it seems fitting that 75 is really two very different records. The first side consists of dreamy and atmospheric music led by Rother and the second side consists of guitar-forward proto-punk sounds led by Dinger. It is easy to see why Neu! was on this list. The experimental compositions ultimately deemed kraut rock would ultimately give birth to genres like electronica and trance and influence numerous post-punk and post-rock bands. Neu was integral part of the kraut rock movement, but why did the authors select the schizophrenic 75 for this list? Perhaps it is because each side of the record captures the elements (cosmic electronic and rock without the blues roots) that made the genre unique? Whatever the rationale for selecting this record, when Neu’s debut was arguably more influential and an overall better record, I did enjoy this listen, the second side more than the first. Although, if I’m honest with myself, much of this enjoyment came from thinking about its importance in the development of so much of the music that followed. How much should that distinction influence my overall rating of the album? After all, this was one of the main reasons I was drawn to this project to begin with.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

3/5

Another album that is impossible to hate, yet equally hard for me to really love. Springfield indisputably has some amazing pipes, and the songs are well orchestrated. On the other hand, the mid-60s is not far enough removed from the 50s doo-wop era to be nostalgic. The song selection seems odd, but I assume the producer was appealing to a specific demographic that makes less sense in retrospect. In any event, this isn’t innovative in any way. For this album to hold up over decades, Springfield’s versions need to bring us something that others have not. While her voice is gorgeous, I’m not sure it is especially unique or superior to the many timeless jazz and Motown vocalists of the era. I do appreciate the authors of the book including debut albums of artists who would ultimately become iconic because we get to hear early glimpses of what they would become. I also give some leeway to such debut albums because it is unreasonable to expect them to have their own voice. Tough one to rate. This is my first Springfield, so maybe I’d appreciate it more if I can see where this ultimately ends up?

Close To You

Carpenters

2/5

There are ~30 albums in this list that were released in 1970. Almost all of them are more interesting and influential than this album. At the same time, it is impossible to think about 70s music with the inclusion of Carpenters. There music was everywhere and they were extremely commercial successful. They made pop music and it was very popular. Karen Carpenter has a great voice, to be sure. Like so many musicians she died to early (32), for most it was drugs, for her it was anorexia. Both causes of death have roots in public perception. I'm not going to be revisiting this album, but it did bring back memories. I can also see why the authors included it on the list. Just not for me.

Life Thru A Lens

Robbie Williams

1/5

You've got to be kidding me. 1001 Albums you must hear before you die. Well okay, maybe not all of them. There are a couple of decent songs on this album, but holy shit, this is one where the the authors forgot the intent behind the list. There is nothing redeeming or interesting about someone being in a shitty boy band and then "redeeming" themself by partnering with decent musicians. Nothing here is is interesting, unique, influential or inspiring. I normally reserve 1* for shit that is unlistenable, but I'm adding an inappropriate for the list criterion. And I'm usually pretty generous with respect to the last bit.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

5/5

This one took me over a week to review, largely because I liked it more on each subsequent listen and wanted to see where it would top out. These mother fuckers are tight and rock out. I’d heard tune from Deep Purple before, but like many Yanks I hadn’t given them the attention they deserve. To my credit, “Smoke on the Water”, perhaps the least interesting song on the album, received the most airtime in the US. As I learned while researching this album, the European press called Deep Purple, Zeppelin and Sabbath “The Unholy Trinity”. This album convinced me that this band deserves as much attention as the latter two. It is remarkable that this album was written and recorded over several weeks, although more careful scrutiny of the lyrics makes this somewhat more obvious. The diversity of sounds throughout the track is impressive and the back-and-forth solos between the keys and guitar is fucking cool. My favorite tracks were “Space Truckin’”, “Lazy” and “Highway Star”. However, the album is solid from start to finish. I’ve explored almost all of the music from the other bands in the unholy trinity, now it is time for me to give Deep Purple their due.

Moby Grape

4/5

Another album that I liked more after several listens. I especially enjoyed the guitar playing on these tracks, there are some excellent riffs going on behind the vocals. Speaking of vocals, I found them distracting. I suspect that this has more to do with the album’s production because they are collectively some talented singers. Among the weaker 4* albums for me, but it is something I want to revisit when my mindset is right, meaning properly high.

Is This It

The Strokes

5/5

An incredible debit album! I'm partial to garage music (and pop-punk), i have been for about 40 years. I've enjoyed seeing how the genre has evolved over the years and from my first listen this album brought me joy. It has continued to do so for a couple of decades. I'm pretty sure I've played it at least once per year since it was released. This is a solid album. A modem classic that only suffers from a shittier cover in the US. Well that and fans who scream during their live performances. I've never attended any performance where the fans were as hell bent on drowning out the performance as I have been at Strokes performances. I'll just continue to enjoy the recorded shit when I just want to feel joy. Sometimes, that is enough.

If I Could Only Remember My Name

David Crosby

4/5

This is an album where context helps. In 1969 Crosby lost his girlfriend, Christine Hinton to a car crash. He dealt with this, as one will, by taking hard drugs and recording music. The album was also recorded at a time when Crosby was riding the success of the CSN&Y album “Déjà Vu”. Each band member would go on to release a “solo” album, this being Crosby’s debut. This album included contributions from numerous collaborators, including Nash, Young, Jerry Garcia, Joni Mitchell, Phil Lesh, among others. The collaborators are critical here because these friends showed up to the studio to help him out of his funk. The album was panned by critics at the time of its release, then later included on many different lists as among the top albums of all time. A sign that it was ahead of its time. I gave the album several listens and loved it a little more each time. Careful listens reward with layers of outstanding instrumental performances and vocals that bounce between soulful refrains filled with emotion and the harmonization that defined the work of CSN&Y. This is ethereal folk-rock with undeniable soul. The subtleness and intricacies that contemporary critics didn't get are what allows this album to stand the test of time. Ultimately, the album sounds exactly like what it is, a bunch of incredibly talented friends jamming their way toward healing. Unfortunately for Crosby, this took so long that by the time his mind healed, his body was failing him. Overall, I enjoyed this album much more than I thought I would. Another one to add to my rotation.

Music From Big Pink

The Band

3/5

Classic folksy rock ‘n roll and apparently among the more influential albums in the history of the genre. Like many rock albums from he 60s, its strength lies in the integration and reinterpretation of other genres that came before such as country, soul, gospel and blues. I’m not implying that The Band created just another Americana rock album here, there is certainly innovation with the textures created on this album. The song compositions are solid. Another album on the list that needs to be here, in part due to its influence on so much of the music that followed. I’m glad I listened to it intently several times, but it held my interest due to its historic importance more than the music itself. There are several great songs, but overall, it’s not really my thing.

Guitar Town

Steve Earle

3/5

Steve Earl is among the better modern county artists, especially when he integrates rock and americana. I had never listened to his debut “Guitar Town”, an album that ultimately was important in instigating the alt-country movement that flourished in its wake. Most tracks on the album are well structured, often with theatrical lyrics about everyday American life. Country has always been known for this such storytelling, but Earle does a good job of giving it a modern spin. Instrumentally, the album also features traditional twangy guitars and fast-picked mandolins yielding a distinctly country sound. Again, Earle updates the sound by incorporating elements of rock. One can hear him channeling artists like Springsteen and Petty. Not my jam, but a jam I enjoyed, nonetheless. Although, it not likely to enter my regular rotation.

Penthouse And Pavement

Heaven 17

4/5

Went into this one blind. It was fun. Definitely quintessential 80s, but early enough in the development of music like this to be innovative, especially the later tracks. Bass was particularly solid

We Are Family

Sister Sledge

4/5

Funky grooves with enough layers to remain interesting. At its heart, disco is music that aims to be fun and this album is a damn fun listen, so mission accomplished. Sometimes fun is enough, especially when it involves boogying with your daughter. However, this album adds just enough complexity to the music to step it up. Among the better disco albums I’ve heard.

Moving Pictures

Rush

3/5

Rush, especially Moving Pictures, has some baggage for me. This album was popular when I was a teen and there were several people in my life who simply couldn’t fathom that I was not completely blown away by this album. They carried a firm conviction that if they simply played it for me a couple dozen more times, I would see the light. I never fully did, but they kept trying. I mention all of this because there has now been a long enough hiatus that I might be able to listen from a fresh perspective. I’ve always agreed that these are amazing musicians. Except for the keyboards there is clearly exceptional talent on display. The write up in the book suggests that Rush was among the few progressive rock bands to successfully respond to New Wave. I think that is my issue. Moving Pictures attempts to mesh two genres that I enjoy, but it just doesn't work. I find myself landing exactly where I did many years ago. There is nothing bad about this album, it just isn’t the work of genius, as some insist. And no, listening to it a dozen more times will still not change my mind. It just doesn’t move me.

Brilliant Corners

Thelonious Monk

4/5

We often hear about the importance of blues in the development of rick and other modern genres, but too often ignore innovative jazz artists like Monk. The experiments with alternative tunings, time signatures and deconstructed rhythms on the album are really interesting. They are even more impressive when you realize that Monk composed this stuff in the 50s. Cool stuff!

Lady In Satin

Billie Holiday

4/5

For the final album from Lady Day we get to hear her sing with an accompanying 40-piece orchestra led by Ray Ellis. Her voice is not what it was early in her career, but that does not make it any less emotionally impactful. To my ear, it is the contrast of the sometimes-raspy vocals imposed against the beautiful string arrangements that make the album feel more genuine, lending to its emotional impact. Holiday wanted to make a pretty album and got exactly what she was hoping for. Holiday is among the most important jazz singers in history. She considered her voice to an instrument and sought to emulate her favorite musicians. The unique phrasing that resulted is immediately recognizable and continues to inspire generations later. Holiday is not just a seminal jazz singer; her artistry was important to the transformation of pop music away from rote interpretations of pre-written standards toward unique expressions from the artists. Holiday has a hard and turbulent life. It is poignant that her final record would be one focused beauty. It may not be her best work, but that doesn’t mean it is not a magnificent record. This is absolutely an album that everyone should listen to at least once before they die.

21

Adele

3/5

Soul music brought across the pond, and dashed with a little pop/rick by white artists, is a formula that has somehow worked repeatedly over the years. This album is not an exception, although somewhat less iconic than predecessors like the Stones or the Beatles. I'm glad she brought so much joy to my oversea mates. Enjoyable if not particularly memorable, but I'm probably too fucking old and jaded. At least that is what the kids tell me.

D

White Denim

5/5

This album rocks! Great musicianship. Great songwriting, with interesting time signatures. I can see why people hear jam band sounds, but this music is too tight and composed for that moniker to work for me. At the very least, it doesn’t do it justice. I’d heard White Denim before, due to algorithms, but as is often the case in these scenarios I’d never really listened to the band before. It has been fun exploring their catalog.

Wild Wood

Paul Weller

2/5

WTF? I'm sorry but I just can't see any reason why this album belongs on this list. It isn't that is is bad, it just isn't that good or interesting.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

4/5

Amazing! Most all genres of modern music are dependent on music from Africa. This shit was produced in 1975. I can the roots of so much music that followed and it still holds up today. Fuck yeah! This is why I suffer through the questionable shit!

The New Tango

Astor Piazzolla

3/5

Fantastic compositions, great musicians. Another album that I enjoyed more on subsequent listens. Overall, not my jam, but I can still appreciate good music when I hear it. Beautiful music though. Maybe it needs more time to simmer?

Gentlemen

The Afghan Whigs

4/5

Given a superficial listen, this album is easily misunderstood. The lyrics cover some toxic shit. However, it is not a celebration of toxic masculinity, it is a denouncement of these behaviors. It is a raw breakup album, written by someone who acknowledges fucked up behavior and realizes that this caused Dulli nothing but misery. He found another singer for “My Curse”, telling the other side of the story, because he could not sing it himself, nor did he feel it was appropriate. The pain and melancholy are obvious throughout the record. Lyrics aside, the Whigs are great musicians. The shredding, grungy guitars are expected for any band coming from Sub Pop in the early 90s, but the bluesy, soul-influenced riffs, were different. This funky yet emotionally angular music was a different kind of alt-rock at the time of its release, and it still holds up better than many of its contemporary releases. The grunge exists, but it is mostly in the background. I love listening to Whig’s instrumentation. I can see how this album isn’t for everyone, but it is regarded by many as a masterpiece and its inclusion on the list is absolutely warranted. Those who did not listen to the record in its entirety almost certainly missed the point because this is an album intended to be listened to in its entirety.

Kind Of Blue

Miles Davis

5/5

One of my favorite jazz albums. Amazing music from a man who probably has the broadest reach of just about any musician in music.

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

My age makes me predisposed to be prejudiced against Springsteen. His music was so ubiquitous in my teen years that burnout was a real thing. Combine that with the fact that there isn’t really anything particularly novel with his music, mix in a little teenage angst, and it was a perfect mix for me to be, unfairly as it turns out, annoyed by his music. For me, part of the beauty of this project is putting prejudices aside and listening with fresh ears and genuine curiosity. I was surprised about how much I liked this record. There is some great, unpretentious songwriting, solid backup instrumentation. Objectively, this a solid rock record. Maybe I just needed to become a dad before I could appreciate it?

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

5/5

Among my favorite new discoveries on the list so far. Soulful, funky, psychedelic jams abound! I loved the breadth of music styles and genres throughout this record. Danger Mouse produced this record, and you can hear his influence, but this does not mean that there isn’t plenty of new and interesting material here. In any event, the production is outstanding. This is a very fun listen on good quality headphones or speakers. This album is definitely going on regular rotation. I’m excited to explore his other material and hopefully catch a live show someday. My favorite critic quote while researching the album, “Take Stevie Wonder, Funkadelic, Seal, Marvin Gaye, The Band and Bill Withers, put them in a blender, mix it up….out comes Michael Kiwanuka.” (Greg Potters)

Roxy Music

5/5

Eno and Fripp in their earliest days unaware of the influence that they would have on so much music that followed. Perhaps the best compliment that I could give this one is that my entire family agreed that this would still stand as interesting and innovative if it was released today. This is a 4* album that gets an extra due to its importance in the development of music.

Nilsson Schmilsson

Harry Nilsson

3/5

This is a good 70’s pop-rock album. Love the use of organ and mellotron. Nilsson has a great voice. An enjoyable album, much better than many pop records of the era, but maybe a little overrated? Regardless, I’m glad I got to spend some time with this record.

Mermaid Avenue

Billy Bragg

4/5

An album of previous unheard Woody Guthrie lyrics, with music written and performed by British (Bragg) and US (Wilco) alt-country icons. This shit is bound to be good, right? Yes, yes, it is. I’d heard songs from the album, but despite being a Wilco fan, with friends who are fanatics, I’d never heard this album in its entirety. Another situation where a random pick from the book led to a wonderful discovery. I’ll be revisiting this one again. Great stuff!

Seventh Tree

Goldfrapp

4/5

I quite liked this one, a great combination of beautiful and bizarre. Great discovery.

Out of Step

Minor Threat

4/5

Despite being far from straight edge, this album was a pretty regular part of my teen and early adult years. Yes, this is rapid-fire hardcore, but the secret sauce of Ian MacKaye is infusing just enough rhythm to create some catchy melodies. As I get older, I find myself in the mood for music like this less frequently but doesn’t mean that I appreciate it any less. A solid record that helped define the straight edge sound and well-deserving of a place on this list. Don’t like it? Boo fucking hoo!

The World is a Ghetto

War

4/5

The World is Ghetto is an outstanding funk record. I loved the fusion of sounds and genres. There is a lot of complexity to this music. This was the album that launched War into fame and secured their place as one of the best funk/soul artists in history. It is hard to believe that the album beat out the Dark Side of the Moon as album of the year, mostly because of how infamous the latter has become. The fact that it was the best-selling album that year was probably a reflection of collective burn out from psychedelic prog rock when it was released. I’d never listened to this album in its entirely before, but this will certainly not be the last time that I do. This is another band worthy of deeper exploration.

Songs In The Key Of Life

Stevie Wonder

5/5

Working through this list has given me a much better appreciation of Stevie Wonder. The man really was a creative genius, leaning into new tools and instruments to derive new sounds as he does with the synthesizer on this record. This lush beauty of an album displays Wonder’s genius in mixing different styles in a way that really taps into my emotional receptors. This album demonstrates great musicianship and also Wonder’s meticulous attention to detail in production. This album took two years to make, which was an eternity for albums at the time. This is a timeless record that has proven to be highly influential to much music that followed in its wake.

Copper Blue

Sugar

5/5

This album shreds. Fuzzy and grungy power chords jams with just enough poppy hooks to, well..hook you into the groves. Husker did this too, but with punk as opposed to rock, Mould was a master at this. Banger after banger on this album.

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

4/5

This was a tough, but ultimately enjoyable listen. I had to listen to this album several times before I could even put my head around it, which took several days to accomplish. An interesting, ambient post-rock suite of tunes. This is the kind of music I really need to be in the mood to listen to, but this one is on my list for when such moods hit.

Hysteria

Def Leppard

2/5

Hair metal is low on my list of genres. This album is no exception, in fact the cheesy over production makes it worse. There are some admittedly some great guitar riffs mixed in here, but even these seem overly dramatic. Music this cheesy really shouldn’t take itself this seriously. My opinion on this one is very likely clouded by the kids in high school who the Def Leppard logo on their tennis shoes, which was decidedly not my crowd. It gets an extra star because it objectively not unlistenable, just very much not for me.

There's A Riot Goin' On

Sly & The Family Stone

4/5

This album was groovy, baby. The sort of album that would be playing in the background after some told you to come in a take a load off. I say this because this album is all about the mood, the vibes if you will. I’m pretty sure that nobody had done funk in a more subtle and soulful way before this. Once I settled into it, I quite enjoyed listening to this album. It was a dreamlike journey. Nothing like the psychedelic funk that brought Sly to fame and certainly not as fun, but an enjoyable listen in part because it is different. I can certainly see how not everyone can vibe with this record, but it is considered a masterpiece and is therefore an album that everyone should hear at least once before they die.

Devil Without A Cause

Kid Rock

1/5

A piece of shit human, making absolutely atrocious music. I'd give this 2* except for the first bit. Fuck Kid Rock. Nobody goes from singing about fucking kids to pretending to be a self-righteous Cristian for any reason other than greed. What an asshole. Did I mention his music sucks ass too?

Hotel California

Eagles

2/5

I was amazed at the number of hits on this album. This shit was all over the airways in the eighties. Trouble is, I don’t think this held up very well. My favorite quote from the book states, “In many ways, Hotel California was everything that punk rock came to destroy glassy perfect production, harmonized guitar solos and “themes.” I couldn’t agree more. There isn’t anything particularly bad about this music, but there is also not anything particularly memorable or interesting.

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

4/5

This is a little more interesting than much New Wave music. The pop-forward singles on Kilamenjaro were boring, nothing particularly bad, just uninteresting. It is unfortunate that it starts out like this, but it gets better and more interesting as teh album progesses. On the other hand, the more experimental, neo-psychedelic songs were quite good. On these tracks, which fortunately is the majority of them, you can hear elements of some of the best bands of the time/genre like the Psychedelic Furs, Echo and the Bunnymen, and Gang of Four. My formative music was New Wave (the weirder variety) and punk, so I’ll always be predisposed to liking music like this. I remember listening to this album many years ago, but I’d forgotten about it. This was a fun listen and calling it “brit pop” really doesn’t do it justice.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

3/5

I liked the instrumentation best on the songs with more funky rhythms like “I’ll Never Turn m Back on You”; however, I liked the singing best on the more soulful numbers. What I didn’t care for were the songs that leaned towards 80s sophistipop. Sometimes albums that explore many different music styles are better for it. However, sometimes it can make them lack cohesion. For me this album leans more toward the former than latter. I think it would have better if D’ Arby focused on his R&B strengths. The pop tunes sound contrived and out of place in the context of the more interesting soulful tunes. Overall, an enjoyable enough album, but hardly the “most important album since Sgt. Peppers”. I’m pretty sure I will not be revisiting it.

Tommy

The Who

3/5

Anyone expecting traditional 3-4 minute, stand alone tunes is probably going to be disappointed by Tommy. However, they are also missing the point. This is an album that must be heard as a cohesive unit to be appreciated, it is, after all, a rock opera. This album was damn innovative when it was released, people were blown away for the same reason that seems to turn people off today. Listening to the album for this review was a mixed bag. I think there was some good songwriting. The musicianship was also impressive with classic rock riffs that I enjoyed. This is an album that I feel needs to be listened to intently, several times to appreciate. This is usually fine. I like giving albums several listens before reviewing. However, this is a crazy long album. Tough to get through.

British Steel

Judas Priest

4/5

For me, metal is a genre that requires me to be in a certain mood to enjoy. British Steel in an exception to this rule, possibly because they know how to write a hook? Perhaps it is the dueling guitar harmonies on display? Whatever the reason, there is no denying that this is a classic and highly influential metal album. No doubt that it belongs on this list. Many great tunes. I wish I was listening to it with a cheap beer in hand to really cement to teen nostalgia. Even without the beer bong, it was a fun listen.

Street Signs

Ozomatli

3/5

*Note: Not on Tidal, found on YouTube. Ads suck* This album has a fun mix of influences from musical styles throughout the world. Also, mixes up numerous genres with elements of hip-hop, funk, rock and soul. Musically this record all over the place. Mostly in a good way, but it does feel a little overdone at points. There are many danceable tracks throughout. I bet this band would be a riot to see live!

Layla And Other Assorted Love Songs

Derek & The Dominos

5/5

Putting aside the fact that Clapton is a dick personally, there is some seriously fantastic guitar playing on this album. It was a joy hearing two of the best guitar players of all time, Clapton and Duane Allman, jamming together. The chemistry between these musicians is obviously fantastic. The interplay between the relaxed slide guitar work from Allman and the infamously precise playing from Clapton really created some unique music. It is sad that their collaboration was cut short by Allman’s death a years later. I suspect that the world missed out on some amazing music. This album is one of the best blues-rock albums I’ve heard. It is also a guitar opus. I like this a lot more than I thought I would. I like it even more on subsequent relistens.

I See A Darkness

Bonnie "Prince" Billy

4/5

I listened to this gothic, folky album several times. It is certainly different than most of the albums on this list, not necessarily a good thing, but ultimately, I was drawn into its somber, understated mood. I say drawn in because this is music that really makes you lean into the compositions. The lyrics are sometimes sad, but also beautiful. Good Americana music.

Let's Stay Together

Al Green

4/5

Smooooth, baby. Green has a wonderfully emotive voice. This is one sexy album. A classic for good reason. It is hard for me to see how anyone could hate this music, there is too much joy to ignore to get to a hateful place. That said, I'm sure some of you miscreants will find a way. ;)

Marquee Moon

Television

5/5

This album is a masterpiece. It is incredibly innovative and ultimately proved to be hugely influential to music that followed. The list of artists who credit Television as an influence is long and varied. This one has been on somewhat regular rotation for me for several decades now. There really isn’t anything I can say about this album that hasn’t already been said.

Hejira

Joni Mitchell

4/5

Mitchell has a gorgeous voice; few would dispute this. This is a great folk-jazz album. I didn’t know this prior to this review, but the album was written on a cross-country road trip from LA to Maine, with a former and future lover. This context makes the theatrical and poetic lyrics on Hejira more cohesive. Musically, the sparse arrangements intermingle with Mitchell’s voice perfectly. The decision to include three instruments on each song also works. Sometimes, the absence of elements brings the rest into sharper focus. This was a departure from her earlier work, an experiment during a tumultuous time. I think it works. This is another album from this list that would become influential to future music, with acts from the Stone to Bjork and St Vincent citing it as an influence. It is an important work from an iconic performer and warrants a place on this list. This is not the type of music that I generally gravitate towards, but I enjoyed this album, especially when I was able to give it a deeper listen, without distractions and with a glass of scotch in hand. When somebody is trying to tell you a story, it doesn’t really work unless you are listening to it. I was initially going to rate it 3* and move on, I’m glad I didn’t.

Olympia 64

Jacques Brel

3/5

Listing to this album I'm thinking, "Shit, I don't live it or hate it. It is dissimilar enough to my experience that it is going to take several listens to understand. Plus, the only version I can find is a fucking double album." My wife says, "Ha, all I can think of is French class." Clearly a neutral reaction from someone who know the music more than me. I'm copping out, for now.

The Holy Bible

Manic Street Preachers

5/5

Welsh indie rock. Some people hate it, but this list has helped me increase my exposure to music from across the pond. Reading up on the band reveals another trend among too many bands on this list: music visionaries, vocalist/lead guitarist Richie Edwards in this case, who suffer from metal illness and die (likely) much too early. This was the last record to feature Edwards before his disappearance and likely suicide. I quite liked this album. I’m a fan of post-punk and dissonant and dark music. Harsher sledgehammer power chords are interspersed with more jovial, serpentine riffs, which provides beautiful depth to tunes, more complex and interesting than most hard-driving efforts. The lyrics throughout are, dare I say it, profound. There are some real bangers on this one and the songs are consistently strong from start to finish, no filler here. I listened to the album several times and liked it a little more on each listen, which means it is an album I’ll be revisiting. I’m not sure how I missed this previously, but I glad I found it. Brilliant stuff here.

Californication

Red Hot Chili Peppers

2/5

An album of extreme contrasts between shitty and excellent elements. On the positive side we have a group of outstanding musicians with great chemistry. Some of the tunes have great hooks and the funky rhythms are sometimes fun. On the shitty otherside (see what I did there?), Kiedis rapping/jiving is horrendous, the singing is better but not by much. The production on this album is terrible, even a remaster couldn’t save it. How did a band with this much money make such a poorly produced record? I think I’d enjoy this album a lot more as an instrumental, but even then, I suspect the cappy production would ruin it for me.

Fulfillingness' First Finale

Stevie Wonder

3/5

We were listening to this album last night and my partner said, “How can anyone hate Stevie Wonder’s music?” Sure, his music might not deeply resonate with everyone, but he makes objectively beautiful music. Until this project, Wonder had always been background music for me, but after some deeper listens of some of his albums, I’ve become a fan. All that said, my personal Wonder preference are his funkier tunes such as “Boogie on Reggae Woman” or “You haven’t done Nothing” (cool Jackson 5 cameo on the last one). Personal preference, but apparently, I’m not alone as these were the two hits from this record. Getting back to my first point, that isn’t to say I dislike his more soulful tunes, that shit is beautiful. Once I realized that Fullfilingness’ First Finale was a soul record, I was better able to settle into the warmer material on the record. This is a record that requires a willingness to just float along. For me, this requires a specific mood and place. FFF is not Wonder’s most innovative album, he seems to be playing things safely. However, its popularity did demonstrate to him and others that there was still a place for slower, more soulful material in pop music. Bold with respect to commercial risk, if not musical innovation. Maybe I need to spend more time with it, but this wasn’t my favorite Wonder album. However, getting back to my first point, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t a great record. Also, I’ll always give him bonus points because his albums are mostly the work of one man.

Bossanova

Pixies

4/5

The Pixies are a modern classic band. I love their music and my children do too. I suspect they will have legs for generations. However, this album is not my favorite. Still great, but hardly peak Pixies.

Tres Hombres

ZZ Top

4/5

I’ll start by admitting that ZZ Top is a band I’ve never given much of a chance. When I was a teenager in the 80s their music was everywhere. I didn’t dislike the music, their popular tunes at the time seemed kind of silly. It probably didn’t help that this was the dad rock of my generation. I didn’t hate their music, but it was always just background sound. There are many bands I’ve previously discounted that I’ve discovered as the decades have ticked by, but for whatever reason ZZ Top has not been among them. My first listen of Tres Hombres for this project is probably the first time I’ve given a serious listen to ZZ Top album from start to finish. Of course I’d heard La Grange before, but I don’t recall any of the other tunes. I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would. This is a great mix of blues with enough early rhythmic metal thrown in to keep things bouncing along. There is some undeniably great guitar work happening throughout. I still think I was right about ZZ Top being somewhat silly. Where I erred was failing to realize that it is perfectly okay, even enjoyable, for a band to hear a band that is just having fun making some solid rock and roll. I’m glad I walked into this with an open mind. I’m still not convinced that I’m a ZZ Top fan, but I do intend to listen to more of their early work to make sure this is true. Overall, a fun listen.

Life's Too Good

The Sugarcubes

5/5

One of the joys of this project is being reminded of music that I probably never should have forgotten about. This album was released the year I graduated from high school and was the type of music I loved most at the time. I’m glad to report that it still holds up today. Life is Good is a playful and fun post-punk album that is just experimental enough to remain interesting today. Sure, the album is well served, by the voice of the wonderful “techno elf”, Bjork. However, it is more than that. The instrumentation, while reminiscent of other bands of era like The Cure and B-52s, still manages to create new and interesting sounds. This is a great album; I loved every minute! I listened several times before rating and I enjoyed it more on each listen.

#1 Record

Big Star

5/5

My guess is that #1 Record has the largest gap between musical importance and commercial success. Here is an album that is located somewhere on just about any “Top XXX Albums” list and a band that continues to be cited as major influence by bands today. The album is among the earliest examples of what would ultimately be called power pop. All this, yet only 10,000 copies were sold on release, despite receiving widespread critical acclaim. It is insane to think that Alex Chilton (vocals, guitar) would be making a living washing dishes in New Orleans a decade later. This was later rectified by music geeks, including bands like R.E.M. and The Replacements who saw the genius behind this music and brought them back to the consciousness of modern listeners. This is an outstanding record, particularly considering it was a debut. The song writing is solid throughout. Almost every song is solid. The vocals mostly from Chilton and Chris Bell, present a modernized version of the 2–3-part harmonies made famous by early Beatles recordings--whose influence is obvious throughout the record. The lyrics work throughout, with moments that evoke emotions. The production is outstanding, especially on the remastered version, with layers of depth that one doesn’t expect from albums from new bands. One interesting part of this album is the juxtaposition of wistful, dreamy ballads with more rocking, harder tunes. The transitions between these styles works because catchy hooks glue everything together (another testament to its song writing and production). On #1 Record, these two musical styles are mostly presented independently on songs, but Big Star would ultimately integrate them masterfully on the next two records that followed. The guitar work is outstanding throughout, often presenting a jangly pop style that would ultimately be emulated by many future artists. There are also some fantastic solos on some of the more rocking numbers. This album is a little hard to rate, but only because in my opinion their next two albums are arguably better, or at least more innovative and interesting. Still though, this is a great record that absolutely deserves a place on this list. Just don’t miss the next two to see where they take things next.

So

Peter Gabriel

3/5

This album makes my stomach hurt. I can feel the butterflies looking at the hottie across the room at the start of the slow song "Don't Give Up". For good and bad, few album epitomize the pop-rock of the 80s more than So. My high school girlfriend lived this album, so I listened to it often, although I haven't listened to it in many years. Listening to it again was a fun walk down memory lane. I enjoyed listening to the album again. Although, I'm not sure it aged well, perhaps because its sound is so strongly reminiscent of 80s music.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

1/5

In every generation a genre emerges with the primary intent of annoying the old people. Sometimes this creates new and interesting music. Sometimes, as with most nu-metal, not so much.Then again, I'm the old fucker they were trying to offend, so mission accomplished? Nu-metal, especially as exhibited here, strips the best part of metal and tries to replace them with hip-hop void of it soul. The result is a vacuum of anything musically interesting. I can appreciate the fact that the intent is to just be fun and annoying. Many punk bands did this too, but they were not doing it while also being overtly commercial. That difference makes this music seem more like a commercial scam than genuine revolt. The personalities reinforce that impression. I've got pretty diverse musical interests, but there was no joy in this music. Maybe if I saw them live I'd feel differently, but I'm not sure I'm willing to take the risk. How in the fuck did they sell so many records?

Calenture

The Triffids

2/5

I strongly disagree with the book editor who suggested we need a “gospel-indie” genre. No, no we do not. Especially if it encourages more music like this. I did give it at least two listens because I kept thinking I was missing something. I wasn’t.

Buffalo Springfield Again

Buffalo Springfield

4/5

Rattus Norvegicus

The Stranglers

4/5

Another debut alum from a storied British band. In this case we are treated to an amalgam of 60s garage with some psychedelic keys. The resulting sound is more complex that other British punk contemporaries, if sometimes lacking the raw energy that defines punk. There is still plenty of raw angst on display throughout Rattus Norvegicus. If one isn’t too put out by the toxic masculinity, which probably is prudent considering punk was never a genre overly concerned with being PC, there are some pretty good tunes on the album. This album is among the first bass-forward punk bands and almost nobody in the genre incorporated keyboards. The aforementioned fusion of punk and prog rock resulted in some fun tunes, which I acknowledge is an odd way to describe such rancid music. It is in the pacing, I think. The Stranglers were really going out of their way to be sexist assholes here, partly because it was their schtick. They intended to offend and the lyrics have only grown more offensive as sensibilities have changed. It really was part of the act though, so I chose to not take them too seriously. As one of the best-selling punk albums of its time it certainly has its place here. Many bands who followed, including act like The Cure have cited this album as an influence. Overall, this is a pretty solid record with bonus points for darting to be different.

What's Going On

Marvin Gaye

3/5

A pretty solid soul album. The man has some amazing pipes. A perfectly acceptable album, but not one I'm likely to return to.

It's Blitz!

Yeah Yeah Yeahs

4/5

I love this band and album.

Disraeli Gears

Cream

3/5

I think the best work of Clapton was with this band. There are some rock classics on this album, but nothing notably interesting or inspiring.

The Stranger

Billy Joel

3/5

I expected to hate this album, associating Joel with elevators and shopping malls. I was pleasantly surprised. It was much better than I expected. Still not great, but good. An interesting bit of trivia from the book is that 24 musicians participated in recording this album. This is worth mentioning because in the end Joel is a composer.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

3/5

I did it right. Martini in hand. An enjoyable listen, but I really don't know enough about the history of jazz to speak on its importance, nor do I have the time right now to conduct the research. I wish i did. My listen make me wish I still smoke because a stinky ass room would have completed the aesthetic experience.

Movies

Holger Czukay

4/5

Wonderfully weird stuff. Way ahead of its time with its use of sampling. I don't think that many people realize how influential krautrock was to the music that followed. Perhaps this makes sense given that the genre, like its cousin prog, was defined by its experimentation. This album was a fun listen and one I'll be returning to. I like weird music.

Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

The Smashing Pumpkins

5/5

Arguably the magnum opus from an innovative band with exceptional talent. I guess the most telling think is that I remained enthralled from start to finish, which is rare for a double album.

Ramones

5/5

I've listened to this album at least twice per year for the last 40 years. It is the epitomy if stupid fun. Highly recommended when motivation is needed for house cleaning.

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