1001 Albums Summary

This is a cultural time-capsule best left buried. Very dull pop that at best boasts some interesting production but little else. The decision to include a dreadful cover of what was already one of the 20th century's most over played songs was a bizarre one. At the end I felt like I required a spiritual cleansing, honestly.

I prefer Five Leaves Left, personally, but this is still Nick Drake and it is beautiful

This was what I pulled the day after Brian Wilson's passing. Appropriate, I suppose. It is not their most Iconic album by a long shot but it is still The Beach Boys and you would have to be pretty cynical not to enjoy it.

At times frightening, funny, intense, and chilled. You can hear its influence in so many later works. Really excellent.

I'm not a live album kind of guy, but this is a rare exception. Bursting with energy and, yes, soul.

This album is a bit of a record collecting cliche, so it's strange that this is my first time sitting down to listen to it in full. It's a solid piece of early 70s soft rock. There are a lot of songs you will recognise. King was clearly a gifted writer. It's got a relaxed vibe, I can imagine lounging about with my partner listening to this on a slow Sunday morning. I have one criticism, that relaxed vibe is just too consistent. By the beginning of side 2 all the songs start to blend together, until Smackwater Jack provides a much needed shot of Energy. Overall I enjoyed it much more than I expected.

On paper I should love Nick Cave, but I just can't. He is "Meh" incarnate. As a friend once said: "Knockoff Tom Waits with 30 year old dating a teenager energy". Here he seems to be mostly doing a Leonard Cohen impression. Except for "There is a kingdom" which is a straight lift of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" that has been somehow rendered dull. (This chord progression appears to form a kind of theme throughout the album, if I am listening correctly.) The album as a whole is not torturous. I can listen to it, I just can't think of any occasion on which I would want to. I would rather just listen to any of its obvious influences.

Some albums manage to sound fresh decades after their initial release. This is not one of them. It's extremely evocative of a specific time and a place, and that can be a great thing if you were there. I was not. It just kind of washed over me I'm afraid. Not awful but I doubt I will ever get around to listening again.

Like most of my generation, my first exposure to Marty Robbins was through the medium of video games. His songs are good fun.

This is another exception to the general rule that I do not like Live albums. It rattles and hums and screams and absolutely blows your head off. I listened to the original release, not the extended versions with all the extra tracks, and what you get there is a perfectly condensed shot of the raw power of The Who in their prime. The hardest, rawest blues rock of this or any era.

I have been a rusty for most of my life, so this is heavily biased. People think of this as a bit of a return to form for Neil (I actually like some of his more experimental 80s albums). It is definitely a return to the straight ahead hard rocking of his late 70s output. Some of his best guitar workouts since "Like a Hurricane". It snarls, growls, and howls. A beautiful and cacophonous mess, exactly how I like it. The energy is really infectious. These are just some old friends jamming in the studio and having a great time with it. I'm taking a start off because I am feeling harsh today and to me, as much as I enjoy it musically, and there aren't any bad songs on it, it doesn't quite hit the lyrical heights you find on something like Rust Never Sleeps, or On The Beach. The standard for Neil is just too high for his own good.

This album was very original in it's time. One of the first meetings of Hip Hop and Rock. Individually a lot of these songs are entertaining and catchy, some of them are great, even, but taken as a whole their is not enough variation. It is relentlessly harsh and brash, too much to listen to all at once, for me.

I enjoyed this a lot. It's hard rocking at times but expansive and ambitious. I'll be listening again.

I'm not much of a hip hop guy, but when I do listen, this is the kind I like. It's cool, and it has a distinct style and something to say. It's laid back enough to have in the background, but the lyrics are rewarding if you want to listen closely. The album art is also some of the best out there.

It's been a long time since I last listened to this. It's not bad. Kind of Acid Jazz, except Zappa hated drugs so not an appropriate descriptor. There's some great musicianship on display, but aside from the standout Willie The Pimp there's not a lot of memorable tunes.

It's like if you asked an AI to write hard rock. Plastic, banal, uninspired.

This was my first time listening to this. At first I wasn't sure I would get over the very 80s sounding production, particularly on the vocals. But after a couple of plays through I quite dig it. I've seen this record described as a cross over between punk and country music, but to my ears it sounds more celtic and folky. Lots of fiddles and not a great deal of Americana on display. More Bluegrass than country, perhaps. The second half is definitely the best. Some great tracks on there. Over all though, it hasn't made me want to immediately grab a copy for my collection, or seek out more Meekons albums. I'd give it a 3.5 if I could. I'm going with a 3. Though it could definitely grow on me with further listens.

Yeah, no thanks. I never liked his voice, or his style. The lyrics are dull, embarrassing even. Maybe the character he is embodying is an accurate depiction of an element of society at the time, but it was never one I could relate to. I remember when "Dry your eyes" was all over the radio and the music channels 20 years ago. I thought then that it was dreary and mawkish, and time has not softened my opinion.

It's one of Paul Simon's best solo efforts with some absolute classics on it. I can't imagine anyone not enjoying "Diamonds On The Souls Of Her Shoes" or "Call Me Al." "The Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar I am following the river down the highway through the cradle of the civil war" In my opinion the above is one of the greatest opening couplets of any song ever.

Yeah, it's the Who. Not at the heights of their powers yet, but definitely firing on all cylinders. You can see why they wanted to be known as an R&B rather than Rock and Roll band. Daltrey is doing his best american soul voice. There's some really arresting tracks, the opening of "The Good's Gone" will take a new listener by surprise. I was going to give it a three, just because I am starting to feel like this list could more accurately be called "1001 basic albums for white dudes born in the 20th century" , but I can't. It's that good.

I enjoyed this. It's got an unusual sound for 2009 Indie Rock. Massive, really. It builds up as the album progresses. It's disco-rock at times reminiscent of Blondie. That's good.

"Not sure why this is considered such a classic. It has their one big hit single on it I suppose, but other than that there's not a lot here. There are far better Priest albums to listen to before you die. I suggest starting with Screaming For Vengeance." That was going to be my review, typed out before playing it, being familiar with the band and having heard the album not too long ago. Now though, listening back through it, perhaps I have judged it too harshly. The opening riff of "Metal Gods" is great. Nice solo too. Breaking The Law was their biggest hit for a reason. Grinder also great. United is cheesy in an embarrassing way, rather than a fun way. Almost like something you would hear in the west end. More Queen than Judas Priest. I am not the type of person to skip album tracks, if I am listening, I want to hear the whole thing. This is a track I would definitely skip on my next listen. "Old To Be Wise" didn't make much of an impression on me, but it's saved by a ripper of a solo. Living After Midnight also kinda passed me by. The pseudo reggae intro of The Rage is actually awesome. Its good to hear them trying something different, even if it doesn't entirely come off. Halford's vocals are on point as always. Steeler is a solid closer too. I'm not going to include any "Bonus Tracks", I always try to rate the original release. All in all, a couple of awesome tracks, a few passable if unremarkable ones, and one I don't care to ever hear again. Not quite the dud I remember. I'd still rather listen to "Screaming For Vengeance" though.

It sounds like the 80s. It's early in the decade, so maybe they were ahead of the curve. It doesn't always work though, in my opinion. Some of these songs are great. I love "No" and "It's Better This Way".

I'm not a huge jazz guy, but there are a few artists that I know I enjoy. Reinhardt, Parker, Mingus. Glad to add Monk to that list. You don't have to listen super hard and try to understand all the complicated things he is doing. Just leave it playing and enjoy the vibes. Try not to think too much, he is doing the thinking for you.

The Police remind me of The Doors in a way, that is, when they are good they are really good. It's just a shame about all the bits in between.

I had high hopes but unfortunately I just couldn't get into this.

I like Joni Mitchell. Her music is something I listen to when I wish to feel a very specific type of melancholy. My criticism of this album is just that there aren't really any songs on it that I can remember the next day.

I enjoyed this more than I expected. First of all, the music itself is good. Very catchy, a lot of nice hooks. The production is immaculate. It sounds great. Where it all falls down is Mr Zed himself. His voice is dull to listen to. Worse than that, his raps are all the most obvious, repetitive gangsta shit; either "I have acquired material wealth, drugs and women" or "It sure was tough to acquire material wealth, drugs and women when I was younger," with an occasional break for some misogyny. I'm really disappointed that this is the route so much Hip-Hop took from the 90s onwards.

Obligatory "I don't like live albums but..." disclaimer. This is a pretty good one, I would probably rather listen to some of their studio albums but the band sounds great here. I am going to rate this higher than I normally would because I don't expect to see any more Thin Lizzy on this list, and honestly some people have been too harsh on them. They are accused of being MOR, unoriginal, standard 70s heavy rock. But they have an really distinct, immediately recognisable sound. Really, who else in their era was making music that sounded like this? The mix of Soul, Funk, Rock, with Lynott's gorgeous voice and thumping base, along with that twin guitar attack that was so influential. They weren't the first to do it but were certainly one of the best examples.

I had only heard a few tracks from War before, their hits naturally. I thought this album was pretty cool.

This is obviously a style of music you are going to love or hate. I can totally understand why someone would not enjoy it. I really liked it. I knew a lot of these songs from my childhood, but don't recall ever listening to the whole album. It was fun, over the top and self indulgent, certainly, but the overall atmosphere created by the music is something I really appreciate. I think it started dragging only about halfway through the final track.

Man, Sabbath had such an incredible run of Albums between 70 and 75. I think Master of Reality is probably my favourite. Vol. 4 is also awesome. We'll miss you Ozzy. Peace out.

My first thought was that this was an improvement on the last Nick Cave album I was compelled to listen to, but it quickly wore out its welcome. To my dismay it then continued for another hour. There are some interesting ideas here, but they are all ruined by someone Nick Caving all over them. His lyrics are dumb, actually. Listen to the title track of the second disc, and tell me those rhymes aren't incredibly forced. He also does this thing where most of his songs sound very reminiscent of a specific artist. There is nothing wrong with being inspired by someone else; most modern music is derivative of something, but I would always rather listen to whatever artist he is currently Nick Caving all over.

I've never really been able to get into AC/DC. It's not terrible. Angus and Malcolm were both great players in their day for sure. You need to be a really technical rhythm guitarist to make those riffs sound just right. It's meat and potatoes rock and roll. It gets the job done but you will tire of it pretty quickly. There is no variation in tone, theme, pace, nothing. No texture other than the stickiness of a barroom floor.

It's alright. At first, I thought it was just traditional blues rock stretched out a bit. Well executed but not really bringing anything fresh. Side 3 won me over somewhat with it's more obvious jazz and funk influences. Had a Santana vibe at times. Definitely the best part. Boy they do go on though don't they?

Of course I was familiar with Common People and Disco 2000, as they were big hits when I was a kid. Never sat down and listened to the whole album before. It's actually quite good isn't it. I was surprised by how fresh it sounds 30 years on. Very distinct from the rest of the Britpop pack.

Doesn't deserve the time it would take me to write a proper review. Creatively bankrupt. I think that rather than Wikipedia snippets provided with each album, there should be some attempted justification for an album's presence on this list. Why does someone think I need to hear this before I die? I have no idea, and I would compel them to explain themselves.

This album benefits significantly from immediately following Ryan Adam's "Gold" in my list. Almost anything would feel like a blessed relief after that. I have always found myself drawn towards unusual music. So I'm surprised I have never heard of the Dirty Projectors until now. It's really interesting. I see what they are trying to do, though I'm not certain they pull it off 100% of the time. It deserves another listen though. I've awarded an extra 1/2 star for not being Ryan Adams.

I do not need to listen to this in order to review it. It is one of my favourite Led Zeppelin albums, and that is saying something. It was probably a surprise to fans at the time, but with the benefit of decades having passed, it is clearly a wonderful record. I love it's relaxed acoustic vibe. It's a Zeppelin chill out album and I am here for it.

This is the second Pulp album that came up in the space of a week. It's darker and moodier than A Different Class, and I think I like that about it.

Cash was such an incredible performer. The atmosphere here is amazing, and the sound is perfect. Easily a contender for the best live album of all time.

I typically enjoy post punk and new wave type stuff, this just isn't clicking with me. Not much really stands out, though a second listen definitely brought out some moments of greatness, only moments though. There is a pretty good Kinks cover in there.

This is a bit of an oddity really. Coming at the end of an incredible run of albums from the Stones, Beggars Banquet, Let It Bleed, and Sticky Fingers; Exile On Main Street is regarded as one of their greatest works, but to a casual listener it is missing any of their recognisable hits. Exile On Main Street is all about the vibe. It is a down and dirty, sleazy blues odyssey and if you let it transport you into it's world you will enjoy it.

It's perfectly fine as background music. Inoffensive, just not very engaging. Most of these tracks sound the same. I'd actually much rather listen to Dean or Sammy D.

Not sure what I was expecting from The The, but it was not this. I'm really enjoying it and will definitely be looking at their discography. It's got a unique sound and incredible production. This is the kind of thing I was hoping to discover when I embarked on this journey. My only criticism would be that it is so relentlessly bleak and intense, it maybe gets to be a bit too much after a while.

Never read the public's reviews of classic works that are dear to your heart. You will inevitably read something that saddens and concerns you. I am just putting this out there: I love every track on this album. Yes, that includes "A man needs a maid". It's not some misogynist screed, it's a man coming to terms with his own inadequacy, on the brink of giving up on finding love. I've been there. I appreciate that Neil is heavily over-represented on this list, but when he is at his best his work is just stellar. I fell in love with his music as a teen, when I saw him perform "Old Man" on a rerun of the Old Grey Whistle Test, and he has been a constant companion in all the years since.

It's kinda moody, experimental synth rock. It's grew on me track by track as I listened through the album. The falsetto harmonies are kind of goofy though. They threw away a lot of the goodwill they had built up with the ridiculous ending of the final track "You Could Be Loved" which was sounding pretty good, right up until the part where they all started shrieking in a warbly "EeeeeeeeEEEEEEeeeeEEEEEeeeee!" noise over and over, while rattling sleighbells and other things. Did they think that was clever, or funny? I can't get my head around it. I gather this track was not included on the initial CD release, if so, maybe I should have excluded it and then I may have a higher opinion of the album as a whole. There are some interesting things going on here but I don't think I will be coming back to it. There's just not enough here to grab me.

I always avoided Radiohead because they were so ubiquitously popular among my generation that I was almost sick of them by association. They are also very much to blame for ushering in an era of dreary alt-rock that took decades to go away. I don't know. There are some decent tracks here. Maybe I'll give it another listen but it's not made me an instant fan. Some of the guitar work is quite interesting. As a band they are just over rated I'm afraid.

I can't believe I was served two Radiohead albums in a row. That is unfair. My feelings have not changed in the few hours since I finished Hail To the Thief. I just don't get the fuss unfortunately. By the last few tracks I was just waiting for it to end.

After two Radiohead albums in a row, this was a refreshing tonic. I was genuinely surprised at just how much I enjoyed Natty Dread. I have always liked Bob Marley but my main exposure to him was via that copy of Legend that works it's way into every record collection via a disreputable uncle. To me, it's an album of contrasts. The laidback reggae grooves with the counterpoint of the subject matter. The lyrics are urgent, socially conscious and combative. Songs like "Them Belly Full", "Rebel Music" and "Revolution" made me want go back and immediately listen to them a second time, which tells me that they struck a chord. There is a spiritual quality to the record. It was nice to hear the studio version of "No Woman, No Cry" for once. After years of hearing nothing but the live version, this slightly more up tempo rendition gave me a fresh perspective on a song that I thought I new inside out. There's some superb musicianship on display too. Not just in those characteristic riffs, but the atmospheric lead guitars and harmonicas (particularly Rebel Music for the latter). Never too much, always just want the song needs. I don't think I can give this any less that 5 stars. More of this and less mopey british alt-rock please.

This is the type of thing I was hoping for when I started this list. Not something I would ever have gotten to if left to my own devices. The music itself is great. Rhythmically interesting with a lot of texture, and some lovely sunny instruments and melodies. I have no idea what he is singing about on tracks like 'Pitche Mi' - but he sure is singing about it, and feeling it deep down. It's a great tune. It's a shame it's only four tracks long, about 30 minutes run time. After having to listen to so many bloated 'masterpieces' to reach this point it is kind of refreshing to be left wanting more of something. Over the years I have heard a lot of awesome music originating in Africa and it's frankly weird that it struggles to find much of an audience in other continents.

Enjoying it more and more with consecutive listens. It sounds surprisingly modern, and at points even futuristic. Strawberry Letter 23. Amazing. I will say the tracks I most immediately connected with were the four bonus tracks that I believe were taken from a previous album, so one for me to check out.

I dig, you dig?

It's the first effort from a great band. Not in full flight yet but when you hear tracks like "Babe, I'm Gonna Leave You" or "Dazed And Confused" you get a glimpse of what is to come. It's big and loud but surprisingly deft and soulful. Zeppelin are announcing themselves and their intent to the world.

My mum has always loved Joan Armatrading, and I am beginning to understand why. This album showcases some incredible songwriting and musicianship. My rule is an album only gets five stars if I immediately want to go out and buy a physical copy. This one hasn't quite done that yet, but I suspect it will grow on me in time. 4+1/2 then.

It's not my favourite Bowie album, but you can't deny it is one of his most daring.

I have always liked Sinead as a person. Now I am learning to love her music. She never held anything back. "Extraordinary" is the only word I can conjure for this.

I had fun listening to this. Not something I would have found on my own which is what I hope for every time. The album is at its best when it is indulging its funky, soulful tendencies, or embracing its North African heritage. The cover of Imagine is just bad, sorry. Lennon barely made that song work. He primarily got away with it simply because he was John Lennon. Anyone else who sings that song will always call more attention to its faults. The "Raï" sound is pretty cool, for the periods where it's not smothered by cheesy 90s style production and instrumentation. Khaled has a really nice voice but he is straying into boyband territory with too great a regularity for me to want to listen to this again. This is more of a problem with the front half of the album but it is such a big turn off that it spoils the whole thing for me a little bit. The whole thing runs on slightly too long as well. Overall, I'm glad I heard it but I doubt I will be returning or seeking out any more of Khaled's albums.

I enjoyed this one a lot. I'd heard a scattering of Burning Spear tunes throughout my youth, it was nice to do a deeper dive. I could listen to this repeatedly. Reggae is often thought of as a 'happy' genre. Chill tunes for sitting in the Caribbean sun, but I find a lot of roots reggae has a surprisingly dark sound. A lot of reverb and pulsing bass give it a kind of spooky feel, and this is something Burning Spear excel at. Combined with the lyrics which often deal with matters of slavery, oppression, and social injustice, this album is like a toffee apple with a razor blade buried in it.

Lennon and McCartney really needed each other to temper their worst instincts. Paul's sentimentality against John's cynicism. This is far from being McCartney's worst post Beatles effort, it might even be his best. I wanted to like it, expected to hate it, was pleasantly surprised. Unfortunately the cheese level is still too high for me to take it seriously. Every time he has a good idea he interrupts it with something silly ('Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five' would be a banger if it didn't frequently stop to accommodate a lot of WoooOOOooh-ing, for example). Perhaps he is just trying to be too clever? Oh well, I gave you a chance Paul.

Oh dear oh dear. If I didn't like Radiohead I am probably not going to like their derivatives.

I vibe with this. Lovely harmonies, some really great tunes. An all time classic.

I was always a big fan on the White Stripes. Jack White is an extraordinary guitarist who takes traditional blues rock and twists it into strange and unusual shapes. He plays clichéd licks in ways no one else would think to, and makes them interesting again. His talents as a songwriter are also formidable. It's strange then that I never really paid attention to his solo work until now. That was clearly a mistake, because this album is absolutely monstrous.

I kind of enjoyed it, but I'm not sure how it earned a place in this list. Rather forgettable turn of the century indie rock. Just fine.

I have never heard of Ride before now. I actually enjoyed it quite a bit. It somehow makes me feel nostalgia despite not actually having listened to it at any point in the past.

Honestly, it is so good that I am struggling to write a coherent review. I knew most of these songs as singles, and from some extraordinary live recordings, but I can't recall having listened to the whole album before. These songs should resonate with anyone who has ever felt the drudgery of day to day life slowly grinding them down. Not all of us can escape for a life of rock and roll, so The Boss has to do it for us and give us a little taste. These are songs of people yearning to break free. The massive sound of the instrumentation and production lends an upbeat air to what actually feels like a rather melancholic statement. These characters are looking to escape into an American dream that was never really attainable for the vast majority. It's a fantasy and Bruce knows it. The strong flavour of Americana feels as though it would have been anachronistic by the early seventies, post Vietnam and Watergate, with the summer of love already vanishing in the rearview mirror. It is as though he is looking at America's (then) present through the lens of its past. Every song is excellent, but I found the opening and closing tracks were my favourites. I would also like to point out that while everyone brings up the piano and the sax, it was really ballsy to put this much Glockenspiel on a straight ahead rock album. Bravo!

I was 17 when this was first released. I was not a huge Green Day fan but I was musically aware enough to know who they were and be familiar with their hits from the previous decade. Even then it was plain to me that this was a cynical attempt to appeal to young people who were genuinely unhappy with the direction the world was beginning to take at the start of the 21st century. I think it genuinely offended me that my convictions were being co-opted for financial gain. Particularly in such a facile an insincere manor. I can't believe Billie Joe was in his 30s when he wrote this. It presents itself as an attack on the Bush administration and the people who supported it, but the actual politics on display are vague and incoherent. Green Day had reached a point where they should have matured with their core audience, but instead elected to continue trying to appeal to angsty teenagers. I felt personally insulted that they imagined I would fall for it. There were other bands writing protest songs at the time, doing it much better and having fun with it. I think out of my friends, those who are a year or two younger than I hold this up as one of their favourite albums of all time, whilst those my age or older largely regard it with ambivalence if not outright disdain. So, trying to put aside the animosity I have left over from when I was myself a very angry young man, I am trying to approach this as objectively as possible. First of all. There is precisely one banger on here. That is 'Holiday'. It's a great tune that I can't help nodding along to. A lot of the other tracks have benefited from the fact that they were inescapable when I was a young adult, and therefor immediately trigger my nostalgia receptors. This will always make you regard a song more warmly than it deserves on merit alone. Musically, it is competent, but it is bloated and self indulgent. I note with horror that there are two tracks on here with runtimes in excess of 9 minutes. A 9 minute pop punk song is an absolute travesty. Just get on with it guys. I was tired of it before it was half way over, and the music just isn't interesting enough to pull me back in. I pushed through just to say I had given it a fair chance, but at the end of the day it is bland turn of the century pop punk dressed up in shallow politics and melodrama. 1 and 1 half rounded up.

This was a new one for me. I actually really enjoyed it. Sections of it sound like they could be the soundtrack of a Sierra adventure game from the 90s. That is a good thing. It goes to some really unusual places while remaining musical. I like having something to listen to that is outside of what I would normally gravitate to. Even if it is not for me it is an interesting experience. I do wonder if some people simply have a visceral reaction to something they are unfamiliar with and are rendered incapable of meeting it on its own terms. I really struggle to see how anyone could compare this to elevator or hold music. It's got too much variation in dynamics, tempo, and mood.

I knew of Weather Report only by reputation. It's got some good stuff on it. It is the meeting point between Jazz and Progressive Rock. A lot if it is good but I was feeling a little fatigued by the end. Not something I could listen to every day. Too much synth for my tastes.

It's vaguely trip-hopish. I like some music like this but honestly, this did not make much of an impression. It's fine.

I had not heard of Elliott Smith before now. I enjoyed it a lot. Lo-Fi indie with breathy whispered vocals. It feels like the kind of thing you could build core memories to if you were at the right age to do so. There are a wide array of influences being displayed, but all brought together into a cohesive whole. It definitely warrants further playing, and I will investigate the rest of his discography. It feels like the kind of thing that grows on you.

It's the soundtrack to your favourite werewolf movie!

My colleague and I like to play a game with this site, where we make each other try and guess an album based only on 1 star reviews. I thought this might be a good candidate, but alas even the reviews are extremely generic.

I enjoy a lot of music from this period and of this style specifically, but I have always felt The Byrds' music sounded kind of dull an anemic. Their covers of Dylan's tunes were lacking the edge that Bob gives to any performance. My initial impression of this album was in line with my expectations. The first few tracks all sounded very similar. Generic 60s psych pop, but as it progresses is actually starts to sound quite interesting. Renaissance Fair took me by surprise to be honest. That's followed by a string of very cool tracks, including a Dylan cover that does not suck all the life out of Bob's version (My Back Pages). This album has earned another look I think.

I really enjoyed this a lot. A relaxed but melancholy take on country blues with a bit of alt rock thrown in there for good measure. The cover of Sweet Jane is great, the lead singer has a wonderfully smokey voice and the playing is very atmospheric. Here is where I have to complain that the five star rating system here is sub par. 4 stars feels too low for an album of this quality, but if I give every album that is just 'very good' 5 stars it feels rather devalued. My personal rule is that I reserve a 5/5 for an album that makes me want to run out and by a hard copy. This one isn't quite there, I will definitely pick it up if I see it in the wild but I'm not seeking it out.

"Big Lebowski quote because no one has thought of that before." Look, it's just fine, ok? It's a polished piece of country rock with a few standout moments and a pretty cohesive atmosphere. The Eagles are ok so long as you are looking for a certain vibe, but if anyone tells you they are their favourite band, you should back away slowly while maintaining eye contact. Don't expect to find anything truly interesting here. Props to Joe Walsh for his excellent lead work, he is obviously the best Eagle. The good tracks on this album are good, but so terribly over played it is hard to appreciate them properly any more.

This is often touted as Joni's best album, but 'Court and Spark' exists so... Still, any album with one song as good as 'River' would probably be considered an all time classic, and this one has several of that quality. Yes, it's depressing. It's supposed to be.

I wasn't expecting the best selling salsa album in the history of salsa to be this funky. But it is. I feel like this would hit different on a barmy summer's evening. Unfortunately I am listening from the office on a grey mid December afternoon. Still, I'm having fun. Maria Lionza is my favourite track, the opening is almost Waitsian, which was a surprise. The horns sound so fine.

I'm not a huge Beck fan. There is some good stuff on here, but overall it drags a bit.

Always vibed with The Specials, and I enjoyed this. The bass playing is particularly good.