1001 Albums Summary

Part 4 was quite nice and gets it a bonus star. The rest (minus the guy repeating “a love supreme”) I found irritating like somebody else’s kid badgering you nonstop for attention.

I avoided Steely Dan partially because the album cover looks like an evil muppet. Liked it more than expected though. It’s probable a 3 star, but I’ll give it 4 because it exceeded expectations.

Surprised by how much I like this. Will be coming back to this for repeated listens.

It was interesting. Had me at first buuut then lost me after a while and I think I gave up just before it was over. Bonus point for Changeling

Bonus star for being interesting

This album really must have blazed the trail for middle of the road classic rock with lyrics that are mostly the title of the song on repeat.

First half is rather uninteresting, but starting at the instrumental Let’s Go Away for Awhile it gets interesting.

Voice is amazing, combined with the instrumentation it’s magic… but boy does it make for a slow 37 minutes.

Ah back in the day where you had a chance to release a classic album every year. “What’s it going to be this time?” “Well, there are these great backup singers in town and uhmmm some fuckin’ saxophone?” “It’s a hit!”

This album made me disoriented. I’m tempted to give it a 2 star almost as much as a 4 star. I should give it three stars I suppose, but that is too average a score for this. Screw it, it’s creative and weird. Bonus point.

Had to set aside my prejudice against country music, and was rewarded. Great stuff this is.

Great stuff, but too much for listening to as an album. Good to keep in my back pocket when the mood strikes.

I was surprised this came out in 1997, while listening I assumed it had been made at least 10 years later. Similar in tone to 69 Love Songs by the Magnetic Fields, which is not a bad thing. I did like it… but it did start to wear me down after a while.

The music always sounds like it is knocking on the door of something greater. The band seemed to nail it on Glittering prize. Everything else seems to come close but not quite get there.

Surprisingly, a real slog.

I adore her voice and the music was good, but something about the album, maybe the songwriting, didn’t click with me. Might try out some of her other music.

This does not sound out of the 70s. This music is 15 years ahead of its time. And it’s really good too.

It’s oookay. Still don’t understand the mass appeal of Nirvana.

I’m giving it a 3 star. But it’s a really good 3 stars. It’s like you’re in college. You’re drunk and go out to the local place for a nice big chicken veggie wrap. It’s pretty good for you, it hits the spot and a few bites are even darn near transcendent. But you finish up and move on. Still, you think about that meal every now and then. If I owned this on CD back in the day I would enjoy it sure, but I could also give it away or sell it without missing it. Take Me Out is a really damn good song these fellows came up with. Among the best of its kind. As I said. Very strong 3 stars.

This band was always lauded as a touchstone for indie music, and i can completely see why. The importance and influence is clear. Still… always been in the three star zone for me.

Interesting to hear these fellows experimenting and noodling around while keeping tight folk rock.

It’s basic hard rock music for 14 year olds. The hits are legitimately quite good. The rest can be quiiiiite bad. In my mid teens I once listened to 4 hours of ACDC on a car trip. That was enough to last me 25 years. It was fun to revisit. It kind of pains me, but i think I need to 4 star this one.

Does nothing for me. I have nothing against it, but I switched it off far sooner than albums i disliked more.

It still hits but not like it did when I was in my early 20s. But isnt that in line with the theme of the album? Still fantastic and I can listen to it multiple times in a row.

Honkey Tonk Elvis/Roy Orbison but conceptually Tom Waits ? I like

Could be a classic if it the CD had gotten stuck in a friend’s car in High School. Alas, that did not happen and I list interest pretty fast. Still neat to see this on the list.

I really did not care for Led Zeppelin I, so number 2 surprised me. The music is a lot of fun. Robert plant is still very unpleasant to listen to.

It sounds like he is just showing off. Yeah dude, you’re good. Probably needed to be 4 stars just for Watching the Detectives

An absolute favorite if mine.

It’s got all the ingredients…. But I don’t like it.

Oh i was digging this for a while. But that last track lost it a star. Still pretty fun 60s madhouse stuff

I do welcome some variety in this list and there are a few reasons I am tempted to give some stars for this record. 1, it sounds like it would be a blast to have attempted to play in Rock Band. 2, it is 28 tracks packed into 33 minutes. But it’s not my bag but it does induces lots of smiles and eye rolls. “Oh, the boys are at it again” I listened through but think it is fair enough to judge this one after 5 or so tracks. So yeah, i got some amusement out if it but I don’t get the opportunity to vote 1 stars very often so I am going to give this the honor.

At first I was just happy to hear blues from an actual bluesman rather than classic rockers. Album starts out fine but really won me over in the second half. A good time with good music.

Makes me want to yell at those kids in the garage to Pipe Down in there!!!

I was (pleasantly) surprised to see this one here. It got lots of attention when it landed, but was largely forgotten and overshadowed by Blackstar. I had to listen twice to be sure, but imma go ahead with FIVE stars. It has been a while but remember all these songs. They are all distinctive but fit together as a collection. Kind of like a “best of” collection but with all brand new songs.

It doesn't get much more Aerosmith than this. This is the kind of album that gets you incessant radio play for the next 35 years. This is the kind of album that gets you a fucking Roller Coaster. (But it’s no Honkin’ on Bobo)

A weird surprise.

Woof, I was expecting better You can tell the band has some chops, but not a great listen at all.

Now I know why Rod Stewart, always seemed old. Clearly Old Rod must have found a way to time travel into his own Young Rod body. No young man sounds like this. Maggie May gets a full bonus star for this album.

These guys did an amazing job playing hopscotch on the line between goofball punk and self serious alt rock. A fun listen

Started out sounding like a not unpleasant “2” rating. Hard to focus on, a bit too easy listening. But half way through the record it began catching my attention with Season of the Hollow Soul and I didn’t even see Constant Craving coming, a great song I have not heard in decades. So half the album is a 2 and the second half is a 4. Hmmmm K.D. Has an amazing voice but is not flashy at all with it, which I kind of respect…. But I also want to hear her chops. The record has led me to checking out her other work which I do not often do. She is not quite wha I want her to be, but that is my problem not hers. In any case, I have been intrigued so I’ll boost the score up a notch.

Comes out of the gate amazingly hard. After that the songs are mostly average, but the production and “sound” of the album remains remarkable and just… BIG. Don’t love the album overall, but got to give it kudos.

I thought I could get myself to give this a 2. Alas, no. They can make a two and a half minute song feel. Really. Long.

They have a unique sound and they perform it well, but the vocal styling is not for me. So credit to them, but I really want to check out half way through the album.

It’s like sitting down to eat a whole plain cheese pizza. At first it is like magic how the three elements come together. Cheese, sauce, dough. Amazing. But after a while it gets cold and the cheese gets rubbery. Ya need some toppings on there. I guess Neil Young is pepperoni? I don’t know. The metaphor is wearing thin (like the novelty of these dudes harmonizing!)

Didn’t expect to like this one so much. Talk about rock and roll turned up to 11.

They are doing something, and I appreciate that. Just intriguing enough to keep me listening. Was considering three stars for the originality but then 30,000 monkeys hit… so yeah.

Terribly uninteresting.

A bit cheesy but man, it’s a good time

I appreciate that they have a unique “sound” but after a while all the tracks start to “sound” the same, which is the “sound” of flipping through the channels on cable tv in the 90s.

Well. That was interesting. (In polite Midwestern Mom voice)

Boy, it’s a hard album to ignore. It really won’t let your mind wander too far. It’s like when Jack Napier fell into the Vat of acid and became the Joker. Except it was a Celtic chap that fell into the acid and Boy howdy was there a lot of acid involved with this record. I’m glad it exists and I’m so happy to be done with it. I want to give it an extra star for being unique… but I think it belongs in the special 1 star club because it is a special album and two stars would not honor that fact.

Didn’t love it but certainly liked it more than expected. But hot DAMN, those guitars.

Track 1 thoughts: I tend not to love Jazz or Samba… but maybe I like JazzSamba! Track 2 thoughts: well maybe I don’t? The rest: This is spiraling me into a poisonous foul mood and I have no idea why.

I always forget how good this album is. I thought it was cruising to an easy 5 star, but it does taper off in the second half.

I don’t particularly care for any of these songs, but Willie just makes them so damn pleasant to listen to nonetheless.

This is like nails on a chalkboard for me.