Jun 03 2025
Blonde On Blonde
Bob Dylan
My spiciest music take is that Bob Dylan is overrated. That’s not to deny his significance, though i think his role as Supreme Influencer is exaggerated, as if The Beatles, Springsteen, and U2 would be chimps scratching themselves with their instruments if not for Dylan’s obsidian obelisk. There was probably a time in my life that I would have gotten really into Dylan too, likely as an angsty twentysomething, but instead we ended up as missed connections and I listened to something stupid like Phish. The heart wants what it wants, Mr. Zimmerman.
Anyway, this is fine. I still struggle with finding it appreciable, nevermind GOAT, especially since Led Zeppelin IV came out like five years later. Like Thai food, single malt scotch, and Las Vegas — I get it — but it’s just not for me.
3
Jun 04 2025
Surrealistic Pillow
Jefferson Airplane
Aside from knowing the obvious hits on this album, I’ve never actually listened to it in totality. I guess I was expecting the hits surrounded by eight versions of “Listen to the Flower People.” Pleasantly surprised, it’s not that. What I like about this is that it doesn’t doodle around. Aside from the one mandatory blues ripoff — it was the law back in the 60s that bands had to do at least one boring blues track per album — the other songs are a neat and tidy three minutes long (approximately). Each song is representative of the area and time, with hints of The Dead, The Byrds, The Mommas and Pappas, etc. But unique too. Factor in the two classic hits here, with White Rabbit being one of the maybe top 100 songs ever, I think I’ve slept too long on JA. It didn’t blow me away, but maybe I’d listen again.
4
Jun 05 2025
Graceland
Paul Simon
This is an album your dad likes.
4
Jun 06 2025
Doolittle
Pixies
5
Jun 09 2025
Songs From The Big Chair
Tears For Fears
Very listenable 80s album with several big hits.
3
Jun 10 2025
Live!
Fela Kuti
Great sounds, so many drums. I would assume that Fela Kuti doesn’t come across in the studio versus live performance, so this is probably the best representation of an important artist/genre. But it’s only like four songs and a drum off.
3
Jun 11 2025
Night Life
Ray Price
Speaks to a time and place in America that’s almost unfathomable now: twangy country dance halls on a Saturday night with a band politely singing about honky tonk angels and repentant drunks. Nothing stands out particularly, however. Like Bob Dylan, I think the idea of the music has outlived its actual quality.
2
Jun 12 2025
Beauty And The Beat
The Go-Go's
Sure? As someone who wore out a Go-Go’s Greatest Hits cassette in the 90s, I’m here for this, but other than the novelty of the all-girl band, it’s just an ok album surrounded by a hit song. I get that 1001 albums has to be a long list, but does that mean that every Taylor Swift album makes it? Or Radiohead? Or The Rolling Stones?
2
Jun 13 2025
Smile
Brian Wilson
Thanks for making me review this on the day of his death. Smile is unlistenable, like a book that took too long to finish.
1
Jun 16 2025
Electric Warrior
T. Rex
Thanks for making me
5
Jun 17 2025
21
Adele
“Rumor Has It” is a great song.
3
Jun 18 2025
Nixon
Lambchop
Somewhere between Flaming Lips and Weird Al, I guess. Not for me.
1
Jun 19 2025
Bat Out Of Hell
Meat Loaf
Haha, I forgot how silly this album is.
3
Jun 20 2025
Superunknown
Soundgarden
Haha, I forgot how silly this album is.
3
Jun 23 2025
Reggatta De Blanc
The Police
Stuart Copeland is a god. So many cymbal tinkles.
4
Jun 24 2025
Parklife
Blur
2
Jun 25 2025
Soul Mining
The The
I concede this album forms the foundation of alt music that developed through the 80s and 90s. Could have used a few more hits though.
2
Jun 26 2025
Vanishing Point
Primal Scream
1
Jun 27 2025
Young Americans
David Bowie
I don’t know. This isn’t even a top five album for him. As a huge Bowie fan, this isn’t one I’d even recommend.
2
Jun 30 2025
Urban Hymns
The Verve
2
Jul 01 2025
Led Zeppelin III
Led Zeppelin
3
Jul 02 2025
Beggars Banquet
The Rolling Stones
4
Jul 03 2025
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
Spiritualized
Is Dragonforce on this list? Cause they’re awesome.
1
Jul 09 2025
It's A Shame About Ray
The Lemonheads
4
Jul 10 2025
Truth And Soul
Fishbone
4
Jul 11 2025
Africa Brasil
Jorge Ben Jor
3
Jul 14 2025
Green River
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4
Jul 15 2025
Electric Ladyland
Jimi Hendrix
4
Jul 16 2025
On The Beach
Neil Young
3
Jul 17 2025
Let Love Rule
Lenny Kravitz
2
Jul 18 2025
Gris Gris
Dr. John
2
Jul 21 2025
Marquee Moon
Television
4
Jul 22 2025
Otis Blue/Otis Redding Sings Soul
Otis Redding
4
Jul 23 2025
Sweet Baby James
James Taylor
2
Jul 24 2025
Paranoid
Black Sabbath
4
Jul 25 2025
Licensed To Ill
Beastie Boys
3
Jul 28 2025
To Pimp A Butterfly
Kendrick Lamar
2
Jul 29 2025
Sunday At The Village Vanguard
Bill Evans Trio
2
Jul 30 2025
Shleep
Robert Wyatt
1
Jul 31 2025
Microshift
Hookworms
4
Aug 04 2025
Rio
Duran Duran
3
Aug 05 2025
That's The Way Of The World
Earth, Wind & Fire
2
Aug 06 2025
This Nation’s Saving Grace
The Fall
I love music from this era, and recently threw positive reviews at Duran Duran and The The. But for some reason, The Fall could never interest me. Maybe I miss the point, but it’s not particularly defiant, passionate or even fun; it’s just mediocre.
2
Aug 07 2025
Hotel California
Eagles
4
Aug 08 2025
Synchronicity
The Police
4
Aug 11 2025
My Generation
The Who
Like with The Rolling Stones, you can hear the foundational elements that are going to make subsequent albums/songs the classics they are.
3
Aug 12 2025
Bringing It All Back Home
Bob Dylan
This is my second Dylan album, and if my rating from the first is any indication, I am not a Dylan fan. That said, this is my favorite of his works. Where we are now, musically and culturally (in general), I think it’s hard to explain Bob Dylan. It’s like explaining a rotary phone — it’s inconceivable to think of the time before its existence, but so much has happened since its heyday that it’s no longer appreciated.
4
Aug 13 2025
Triangle
The Beau Brummels
Any person that can play and write music to me is worthy of admiration, and any person/band making a list like this is a true talent and credit to artistic achievement. Not every album on this list is going to grade well for me, and this is going into that pile. I struggle to see who would listen to this in 2025. Sure, it’s hard for me to hate on this and be a fan of a band like The Decemberists, but they at least have some edge and catchiness. This is like something you hear in the background at a Ren Faire.
1
Aug 14 2025
Rubber Soul
Beatles
I can never remember track listings for The Beatles, so I don’t think this is my favorite of their albums, but I can’t remember which one is. I’m sure it will be on here at some point. Ironically, this was my album on the day Taylor Swift announced a new album.
5
Aug 15 2025
Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle
Bill Callahan
Sorry, not interested.
1
Aug 18 2025
Parachutes
Coldplay
Listening to this straight thru, I don’t think I learned anything about Coldplay that I didn’t already know.
2
Aug 19 2025
A Rush Of Blood To The Head
Coldplay
As a reward for giving a bland review to Coldplay’s first album, the next album was … more Coldplay. I’ve had enough, Chris.
2
Aug 20 2025
Blunderbuss
Jack White
I always have time for Jack White. This isn’t a classic, probably not his best work, but with all his songs you get the feeling that he just really loves making music, whatever he’s playing.
3
Aug 21 2025
Ctrl
SZA
I tried. I’m a 50-year-old white man. I’m sure it’s empowering for women to finally get to sing/rap about their genitals too, but it’s hard for me to seriously consider this within days of getting to review The Beatles. I’m sure SZA will do fine without my approval.
1
Aug 22 2025
Sound Affects
The Jam
The Jam are probably the definition of underrated for their era. This is just a solid album that serves as a nice alternative to when you’re in the mood for The Clash or Elvis Costello but want something different.
3
Aug 25 2025
Back To Black
Amy Winehouse
I fucking love this album. Poor Amy. This begs the theme timeless question of the universe as to whether her end was tragic or perfect. In another time, would this album be tarnished by a weaken Amy Winhouse doing her inevitable residency at The Sphere? Probably.
5
Aug 26 2025
She's So Unusual
Cyndi Lauper
As a child of the 80s, of course I know this album. I was pleasantly surprised to listen straight through, remembering the hits and enjoying the deep cuts. THAT SONG and Cyndi’s personality probably overshadowed what is an underrated and otherwise great pop album.
3
Aug 27 2025
School's Out
Alice Cooper
I was thinking about the scope of this project, arguably spanning over 50 years with 1000 albums, which calculates to like 20 albums per year. Perhaps that explains how this one snuck through. I line Alice Cooper and it opens with a classic rock anthem, but then it’s mostly crap. Maybe there’s an interesting backstory here, but I don’t even think this is representative of the somewhat innovative artist that Alice Cooper was. Is Britney Fox going to make this list? What about Silverchair?
1
Aug 28 2025
Fragile
Yes
Oh God. Back in the 90s, before streaming music, Yes was the bane of my existence. They would stop your classic rock radio station in its tracks. “Muthafucka, I came for Led Zeppelin, not ten minutes of carnival organ.” Swearing off this for 25 years, now it’s … pretty good. I get it. Let’s bury this thing, Yes.
3
Aug 29 2025
Dirt
Alice In Chains
As context, I was going to offer a spicy take that this album is better than Nevermind. But in listening to it for like the 1000th time, there’s something missing from it. It’s (perhaps unintentionally) a concept album about the destruction of addiction, and grounded by the real tragedy of Layne Staley … it feels like it’s too dark, if that makes sense. Like a book or a movie you experience once, recognize for what it is, but then never need to experience it again. I think there’s utility in using art (music) to feed emotion, even our darker emotions, but this is too much. Maybe this came up on the wrong day, but an album I was for-sure ready to give five stars only gets four because it wasn’t diverse enough. At least, not today.
4