123
Albums Rated
3.74
Average Rating
11%
Complete
966 albums remaining
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1970s
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Enthusiast
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39
5-Star Albums
5
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caetano Veloso | 5 | 2.85 | +2.15 |
| Call of the Valley | 5 | 2.95 | +2.05 |
| Copper Blue | 5 | 2.97 | +2.03 |
| The Hissing Of Summer Lawns | 5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
| Clube Da Esquina | 5 | 3.13 | +1.87 |
| Daydream Nation | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Yankee Hotel Foxtrot | 5 | 3.3 | +1.7 |
| Red Headed Stranger | 5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
| Back At The Chicken Shack | 5 | 3.39 | +1.61 |
| Darkness on the Edge of Town | 5 | 3.42 | +1.58 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Rush Of Blood To The Head | 1 | 3.44 | -2.44 |
| The Specials | 1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
| 69 Love Songs | 1 | 2.84 | -1.84 |
| Slipknot | 1 | 2.67 | -1.67 |
| In The Court Of The Crimson King | 2 | 3.6 | -1.6 |
| Licensed To Ill | 2 | 3.56 | -1.56 |
| Lost In The Dream | 2 | 3.38 | -1.38 |
| Neon Bible | 2 | 3.35 | -1.35 |
| Scum | 1 | 2.07 | -1.07 |
| Make Yourself | 2 | 3.07 | -1.07 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 2 | 5 |
| Bruce Springsteen | 3 | 4.33 |
5-Star Albums (39)
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Popular Reviews
5/5
Not my favorite Beatles record but it is still tough to find many flaws here, just an absolutely wonderful work of art.
1 likes
Slipknot
1/5
Is this the worst album on the list? Sweet merciful Jesus please tell me this is the worst album on the list. I can’t give it a zero so I’ll say it here. O/5
1 likes
Caetano Veloso
5/5
An artist that only recently (last 5 years) came into my consciousness, thrilled to see this here. A sprawling work of genius, helping to create and define a genre and give voice to a political movement, this record got CV banished to London for years. Good luck trying to describe the contents using familiar American/British artists. Traditional Brazilian music meets pop meets psychedelia
1 likes
1-Star Albums (5)
All Ratings
Doves
2/5
Not terrible, but also not good. Heavily Coldplay influenced and generically new wave/alternative. Only interesting song for me was NY. Everything else is background at best and annoyingly reminiscent of Chris Martin at worst
Joy Division
5/5
Absolutely brilliant album, created the Blueprint for 80s and 90s alternative, not a wasted minute anywhere. Ian Curtis was a great vocalist and the band is incredible. One of the best ever
Sade
4/5
A slow jams classic, incredible vocals and a top notch band execute an all time sexy R&B record. Drops off a bit at the end, but very strong, rewards multiple listens. This one really sticks with you
Marvin Gaye
5/5
One of my favorite albums of all time and the greatest protest/socially conscious record ever. Still completely relevant, every song, every lyric, not a thing has changed since Marvin first sang these songs. And of course, the music is incredible and Marvin’s vocals are impeccable. A desert island disc for me.
Paul Simon
4/5
My second ever concert was Paul Simon on this tour, so it’s a sentimental favorite. It’s also a terrific record that introduced me (and many others) to several new musical styles. Great set of songs and incredible musicianship.
Prince
4/5
I’m a big fan of Prince but I’ve never thought this was his best work and never understood why it’s generally accepted that it is. Disc 2 is absolutely a 5, banger after banger. But disc 1? A bunch of songs that either should have been left as B sides or work much better live (Housequake is the primary example of this, crushed live, flat here imo). The Sign O The Times lyrics sound like MAGA propaganda in 2025 and even in 87 they were cringe. This would have been an absolutely all timer as a single album. As a double, it’s very good but flawed.
Prince
5/5
If Sign O The Times is the White Album, the sprawling eclectic experimental brilliant but flawed sketchbook of a genius, 1999 is Abbey Road, 70 minutes of absolute perfection. Landmark of pop, rock, funk, and R&B, this is the album where it all came together for Prince after several excellent records. The first side is stacked with absolute classics, but everything that follows is on the same level of genius.
Stereolab
3/5
This is a fun listen, not my usual genre but really enjoyed most of it, great catchy pop mixed with electronica and rock and more. Some of the tracks on the back half of the album get a bit tedious and repetitive for me, but overall really good and will definitely return to hear this again.
The Specials
1/5
I didn’t enjoy this at all. I can’t stand ska. I never need to hear a single note of this ever again.
Kate Bush
4/5
I fully expected to struggle through this album. Before today, I’d heard Running (liked it) and Wuthering Heights (did not like it). Three listens in and I am absolutely in awe of this record.
The first side is pretty close to perfect. Just outstanding pop music that sounds like nothing that came before. And obviously influenced a LOT of what came after.
Side 2 is an interesting cycle, and I enjoy it overall, but it doesn’t hold my interest quite as much, esp the jig, but whatever, step up to the plate and take a big swing. Kate connects way more than she whiffs here.
This should have been massive here in the States but apparently we preferred Bananarama.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
2/5
I didn’t enjoy this at all. Not bad, just aggressively dull.
The Who
3/5
Ive been a fan of the Who my whole life but never liked this album on the past. This time around, I enjoyed it! The concept is still not my favorite and I find the ads pretty annoying. Still, there are a number of strong songs and overall I enjoyed it through several listens
The Prodigy
3/5
This is good dance music, and would surely be really fun to hear in a club, set and setting, but just sitting at my desk and hearing thunk thunk thunk is just kinda, ok, cool. Anyway, for what it is, heavy industrial dance with a social bent, it’s good. Would never again just sit and listen to it but in the right context, good stuff
Pink Floyd
5/5
What more is there to say about this masterpiece? Either you get it or you don’t I suppose. Absolutely one of the greatest all time works of western music.
Primal Scream
4/5
This was completely new to me, which is wild given my love for this era of British pop and rock. I really enjoyed this, some of the more Stones influenced stuff was just ok (Movin On Up, Damaged) but a lot of great tunes here.
Roxy Music
4/5
Already a big fan of Roxy Music, this is my second favorite after Country Life. If only Eno and Ferry could have coexisted for a few more albums. Do The Strand and Editions of You are an incredible blend of pop and weirdness.
The Beach Boys
3/5
Back at it with the albums. First catch up, Surfs Up, Beach Boys. I really tried, I’m a BB fan, but think one isn’t good. The production is very good and every thing sounds great but the actual songs, a bunch of stinkers. And then, suddenly, we reach the end and Til I Die and Surfs Up are right there with Brian’s best work. Surfs Up in particular is brilliant. This is the end of the classic BB period and almost falls completely flat but for the end. Good enough to earn this one a 3/5
Beastie Boys
2/5
Beastie Boys, License to ill. Ok, I love the Beasties and I think Paul’s Boutique is the Mona Lisa of hip hop sampling and Gen X white guy rapping (Eminem is another category entirely). LTI otoh is kind of a rough listen. I think the two records from my generation that are way more important than they are good are Licensed to I’ll and Becks Mellow Gold, they both laid down the blueprint for a very Gen X style of music but neither one of them holds up next to the rest of their respective catalogs. I have a ton of nostalgia for Fight for Your Right and Girls and No Sleep Til Brooklyn but this is all so juvenile and stupid. If Rick Rubin has any genius at all, and I’m not sure he does, but here is his best case, as he’s really the guy that fused metal and hip hop together with all of the Zep and Sabbath samples here. Not to mention Walk This Way
Stan Getz
5/5
There aren’t many albums that can boast producing as many standards as this one has: Girl From Ipanema, Doralice, Desafinado, Corcovado, So Danco Samba, just an incredible record, beautiful composition and brilliant musicianship. An all time great record.
New Order
3/5
Pretty solid 80s dance pop record. Enjoyed it overall, pretty nostalgic as everything sounded like this for a minute when I was a kid. Love Vigilantes, Perfect Kiss and Sunrise are great tracks.
The War On Drugs
2/5
I will never understand all of the love this band and this particular album get. Have any of you ever heard Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, or Tom Petty? They shamelsssly steal from those three, yet somehow makes it all less interesting, more vanilla, and incredibly bland. Imagine a CD created to play in a Starbucks that will be familiar enough to get the white people tapping their toes but also inoffensive enough that no one objects. That is this album.
Drive Like Jehu
3/5
I don’t typically listen to hardcore or punk, but enjoyed this one. Some great tracks and some others that weren’t for me. Even a bit of prog thrown in for good measure. Enjoyable listen
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
I have loved this album for 40 years, so I was pretty happy to see it pop up. Ok, maybe “happy” and Nebraska don’t naturally go together. One of Bruce’s finest sets of songs and I love that they went with the demos over a full E Street album that would have taken some of the magic and pathos out of these beautifully tragic songs. It’s tough to make solo acoustic interesting across an entire album, Bruce shows us how it’s done.
Talking Heads
5/5
This is one of my all time favorites. Side 1 may be my favorite side of any album. Absolute perfection. Side 2 gets weird in the best ways. I like every TH record but they really crushed this one. I imagine if one had read an article about Talking Heads working on an album with Brian Eno that was heavily influenced by Fela Kuti, one might have be justifiably skeptical. But goddammit they pulled it off.
Dr. Octagon
3/5
This is an interesting record, but I’m not sure it rises to the level of “must hear”. The music is great, love the beats and Keith’s flow, but the lyrics/concept are basically what you’d get if you locked 10 12 year olds in a room and told them to write dirty jokes. I’m not offended by the content, just by the lack of humor or originality. Great beats, great flow, puerile rhymes.
Stevie Wonder
5/5
Quite simply one of the greatest records by anyone in any genre. Stevie is one of the GOATs and I honestly can’t believe that this isn’t a 5 here. People listen to this and think, nah, I’d rather hear (insert tepid garbage)? JFC.
Liz Phair
4/5
One of the greatest records albums of the 90s, incredible song after incredible song. Liz rode an incredible wave of inspiration that populated her first three records with great songs, but most of the best ones are here. Everything after that is garbage and it honestly one of the most shocking drop offs of any artist I can think of. Anyway, she gets a free pass for this record alone. I guess if you weren’t around in the 90s, you can’t understand what this record meant to people and how revolutionary it was. Read a book, y’all
Franz Ferdinand
3/5
I like this record, it’s fun. I love a rock band that plays dance music. Rock and roll is supposed to be fun and these guys get the party started. They are solid live. Is there anything earth shattering or even slightly original here? No there is not. Is it a fun listen anyway? Yes it is
The Fall
4/5
Mark E Smith isn’t really here for casual listening. But whenever I hear The Fall, I like it. Never heard this one, their first, but it is very very good. I can see how they aren’t for everyone but if you enjoy a belligerent drunken Englishman shouting at you over the sound of a killer post punk band playing their asses off, have I got a record for you.
CHIC
4/5
All time dance record, with incredible composition and performance from Nile Rogers and Bernard Edward’s. The only track here I didn’t enjoy was At Last I Am Free
Television
5/5
The best album of the post punk era and a huge influence on new wave and so much of what followed.
Cream
3/5
When I was younger I thought I loved Cream but really just liked their hits. Every time I try a Cream album, I’m left with the same meh feeling. There are the great tracks and then there’s the rest. Same here. Strange Brew, Sunshine of Your Love, Ulysses, and SWLABR are great. The rest runs from huh to meh to wha?
Suicide
2/5
This one is definitely not for me. The music is anxiety inducing at best and the vocal is either spoken word or screeching. OTOH, it is utterly unlike anything I’ve ever heard before and I have to give them credit for that
Pet Shop Boys
3/5
Here is some more British synth pop for your (my, actually) ear holes. I enjoyed it, some good tracks, especially Its A Sin and What Have I Done To Deserve This. Bonus points for the commentary on Thatcher’s 80s England
The Beach Boys
5/5
One of the actual greatest albums of all time that you really do need to hear before you die. Brilliant from start to finish. Just a flawless record and easily 5 stars. I wish I had more stars to give
Arcade Fire
2/5
Yet another album that nobody needed to hear before they died. Utterly derivative music without bringing anything new to the table paired with insipid lyrics. Keep The Car Running and No Cars Go are ok. The rest is anywhere from dull to irritating
PJ Harvey
4/5
PJ is one of the great artists of her (my!) generation, and she is great right out of the gate on her debut here. No duds, not even a bit of filler. Strong vocals, great songs, killer band.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
3/5
CCR was a great singles band but imo they don’t have a truly great album. And if they do, it is definitely not this one. Bootleg, Graveyard Train, Good Golly Miss Molly (Little Richard should have sued them for this abomination), and Keep On Chooglin are bad. Then there is Born on The Bayou (solid) and Proud Mary (one of the greatest rock songs ever). I don’t get it either. But go listen to Chronicle, you do not need to hear this before you die, because it may kill you
ABBA
3/5
This is a fun album, no question. Dancing Queen is a classic. There’s some other good tracks and a few duds. Not an all time great, but I’m glad I heard it
R.E.M.
4/5
I’ve loved this album since it came out, but haven’t listened in ages. A few duds, Sidewinder and Star Me Kitten, meh. NO Instrumental and Monty are filler-ish. But every other track is not just good, they are great great songs. 8 great songs on a record, if it were vinyl that would be the whole record. The CD era hurt a lot of classic albums by making artists think they had to fill every minute of available space
Tricky
3/5
This is new to me but I do listen to a bit of Massive Attack, Tricky was a former member. So it’s an enjoyable listen overall, I like Trip Hop but it’s kind of background music for me. If I’m listening intently, I get bored after a few songs. Solid but once again, questioning why I needed to hear THIS before I died instead of just hearing MAs Blue Lines or Mezzanine
5/5
Not my favorite Beatles record but it is still tough to find many flaws here, just an absolutely wonderful work of art.
Buzzcocks
3/5
I’m not much of a punk fan, but a huge fan of what came out of it, so always interested to hear OG punk bands. I knew these guys by rep but hadn’t listened to an album. Pretty solid and, to me, more interesting than the Pistols or Ramones. A bit more melodic, perhaps. I Don’t Mind and Autonomy are very good songs. The rest is solid
Cocteau Twins
3/5
This one is more interesting that enjoyable for me. Elizabeth Fraser is a terrific singer but really prefer her with Massive Attack. Clearly an influence on Dream Pop and shoegaze, but again prefer what came in its wake. Kind of a less interesting Kate Bush. Still, good stuff here, esp Ivo and Lorelai
Sonic Youth
5/5
This has been one of my all time favorite albums for decades now and the most amazing thing to me is how fresh it sounds. Highly influential but still utterly unique and impossible to replicate, this is Sonic Yourh at its absolute best, Thurston, Kim. And Lee peaking as song writers and the band at its absolute noise rock finest. A rare double album without an ounce of fat or filler. I can’t wait to see what other SY records made the list
Paul Revere & The Raiders
3/5
one of you folks who was around for this has to explain to me why I needed to hear this album before I died. standard 60s pop that mainly alternates between mediocre Beach Boys impressions and mediocre Beatles impressions. Kicks and Stepping Stone are better here than their more famous Monkees renditions. Otherwise, this is not that interesting. But it’s pleasant enough.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
The record that introduced me to Bruce but not nearly his best. A great collection of songs, a few duds as well. How did I’m Goin Down make this record with all of the great tracks left out? Also, the production is pretty dated. Still, a great record with some of his best material
Traffic
3/5
Traffic is a great band, but this one falls somewhere in the middle of their discography for me. John Barleycorn and Low Spark are far better records, hopefully those are here too. Overall, it’s decent with some great songs, and a lot of filler.
Johnny Cash
5/5
One of the greatest albums ever, period
Kanye West
4/5
I’ve been a fan of his since I heard this record and continue to enjoy his first 5 records to varying degrees (but honestly don’t listen much at all these days, for obvious reasons). Anyway, this is one of the all time great hip hop debuts, and there was a LOT of expectation and anticipation and haters ready to shit on this record, and he came through. I hate hate hate skits, and there’s some filler here but it’s an audacious and auspicious debut. Rob Mitchum nailed it: a flawed, overlong, hypocritical, egotistical, and altogether terrific album
Queen
4/5
Queen is a great singles band that also made albums. But this one comes closest to greatness. Of course, Bohemian Rhapsody and You’re My Best Friend and Love of My Life. Death on Two Legs and ‘39 are also great. I’m in Love With My Car otoh is truly awful. This one feels heavily influenced by Sgt Pepper in the sense of smashing together a bunch of disparate British music styles, which works and doesn’t at the same time. It’s probably a 3.5 but I’ll round up because the best stuff here is truly excellent
Bob Dylan
4/5
Bob Dylan was the artist that opened my eyes to what music could be and how transformative and transportive it could be. I gravitate towards the electric material but this record has a stack of stone cold classics: Blowin In the Wind, Girl from the North Country, Masters of War, A Hard Rains A Gonna Fall, Don’t Think twice It’s Alright, I Shall Be Free. A great career for anyone else. For Mr Bob Dylan, its maybe his tenth best record
The Doors
4/5
The Doors somehow became cool to hate but they produced a lot of great material. And a fair amount of less than great tracks too. But this is one of their strongest efforts for me. There are hits and oddities aplenty here but for me it’s interesting all the way through.
Sugar
5/5
One of the greatest album of the era by one of its finest innovators. Takes me back to the early 90s instantly, and while it does sound very of its era production wise, who cares. It’s a classic
Fela Kuti
5/5
One of the strongest albums by one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century
Adele
4/5
This is an excellent mainstream pop album. Great vocals, great songs, great production. If you don’t like this, do you even like music? Or are you just here to be a snarky hipster?
Drive-By Truckers
3/5
This is a decent record. The band is good, and the songs are fine. I don’t know what it is, but it just doesn’t connect with me at all. I love Skynyrd and southern rock in general. This kind of sounds like paint by numbers southern rock. Insert Ronnie Van Sant and Bear Bryant reference there, Alabama song here, three guitars simultaneously soloing…everywhere. It’s all fine but it’s so long and so much of the same thing. Nothing bad but also nothing I would have regretted dying without hearing.
Japan
3/5
New to me, but very familiar with the bands that apparently followed in their footsteps. Starts strong and loses steam in the last few songs, but the best tracks here are synth pop at its finest
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Not my favorite Zeppelin record but every track is incredible. The soundtrack of my high school years
Napalm Death
1/5
TBH it feels unfair to rate this, it’s just utterly miles from anything I’d choose to listen to, but it’s unfair to say it’s bad. I just absolutely hated it. But you know, I’ve heard all the British Invasion albums a million times and never heard anything like this before. So, mission accomplished 1001 Albums project. Still gonna give it one star though. Sorry not sorry
Circle Jerks
2/5
Punk is one of those genres I respect for its influence and the bomb it set off in rock music, but really don’t love very much. This record has 14 songs and is 15 minutes long. It’s punk AF. I could see being into this when I was 13. Now it’s just a historic curiosity. But after Napalm Death, it is positively pastoral
Queen
3/5
Another Queen album. Again, I like Queen but they were a singles band. The albums are very hit or miss. Lots of both hits and misses here. Solid but a notch below Night At The Opera
5/5
This record came out when I was 14. I’m 52 now so I’ve loved it for almost 40 years. I’ve never gotten sick of it, never ebbed on any individual track. This is as close to a favorite album as I’ll probably ever have. I saw them on the original tour in 87 and again in 2017 when they did it again. Loved both shows, but they were right the first time to leave out Red Hill Mining Town, plodding in a live set. TBH I’m not entirely sure this is better than Achtung Baby but it doesn’t matter. Bury it with me when I die. Wish I had more thumbs
Slipknot
1/5
Is this the worst album on the list? Sweet merciful Jesus please tell me this is the worst album on the list. I can’t give it a zero so I’ll say it here. O/5
Nirvana
5/5
I haven’t listened to this straight through in many years and tbh it held up much better than expected. Side A is really incredible with Teen Spirit, In Bloom, Come As You Are, Lithium all right out the gate. There are a few throwaways but it still gets maximum points for being the album that spoke for my generation
John Coltrane
5/5
An absolute work of genius, a gorgeous composition executed to perfection. I don’t know how many of these actually need to be heard before one dies, but if any of them do, it is this record. I’ve heard it hundreds of times and it’s still as fresh as the first time
David Bowie
3/5
Bowie is one of my favorite artists. He’s a bona fide genius with an incredible catalog of diverse and fascinating music. This record, however, is not one of his better ones and I’m honestly shocked someone thinks this is essential. Young Americans is a decent track, some solid blue eyed soul. Fame is excellent. The rest is pretty tepid warmed over R&B from an artist who did not excel in that genre. Frankly, some of his worst songwriting on display here. A vanity project that never should have been on this list.
Motörhead
4/5
One of the great live albums of rock and absolutely one of the greatest metal albums of all time, essentially a greatest hits on steroids, the best material played at breakneck speed and with relentless power. A landmark of rock that unfortunately launched a lot of awful bands.
King Crimson
2/5
I just can’t with this record. 21st Century Schizoid Man is by far the best track here, but of course it goes down a pointless alley for a few minutes, just to make sure it never gets played anywhere. The rest is just the most insufferable over composed nonsense. Like a good solid 5 minutes of keyboard noodles in Moonchild. Why? And then for good measure, more beeps and boops in TCotCK. Why not. I’ve never understood the appeal of prog for the most part and this really just leaves me shaking my head. For the record, I know it’s me. I just don’t get it
R.E.M.
5/5
One of my all Time favorite bands and my favorite album of theirs. This one is just exactly perfect and does NOT sound like it came from 1987 like so many other records of that era do (hell even In The Dark sounds more 80s than Document). Anyway, there’s hits, actual hits for the first time for them, and there’s an entire side A of killer rocking album cuts and weird shit like King of Birds and Oddfellows on B. I love every second of it, even if it’s what my REM obsessed friend calls “The Safe Choice”
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Here is a genuinely good CCR record, unlike Born on the Bayou. Great side A and no clunkers on side B, including a few enjoyable if slight instrumentals. Solid record with killer singles, especially Bad Moon Rising, which is just flat out one of the great songs of the decade.
The Magnetic Fields
1/5
ah yes, the hipsters’ white album. The album every record store nerd in the early 2000s used to test your indie bona fides. Well, friends, I have always failed because I have always hated this record. You hear the concept and wow, what a cool idea. Then you listen to Stephen Merritt’s awful voice mumbling boring sketches of songs for three hours and you say, ah that’s why no one ever did this before. It’s a terrible fucking idea. He recently toured this and you had to sit through two nights to get all 69 songs. I can’t imagine paying for that torment. Anyway, this album is my musical Gravity’s Rainbow. I don’t get it and no matter how many times I try, I can’t finish it.
The Go-Go's
4/5
This takes me instantly back to 4th grade when every girl in my class was singing these songs (and the ones from Vacation). At the time I liked the singles but didn’t think too much of it, I was 10. Anyway, this is an excellent album of new wave pop, the singles are absolutely killer and there are several strong album tracks. A few duds but overall, this is very good. I wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t hit it so big on this album, would they have lasted longer and stayed on the new wave track? We’ll never know, but this album is a tantalizing tease of what could have been.
Suzanne Vega
3/5
This is a pleasant listen. Marlene on the Wall is a very good song. Neighborhood Girls is solid. The rest ranges from pretty good to fine to meh
Incubus
2/5
I fully expected to hate this album. I didn’t which is nice, but also didn’t like it that much either. It’s extremely 90s and it’s a fine example of late 90s nu metal. Which is a genre I really don’t like at all. But if I had to listen to nu metal, this album would be fine. The best song here is Drive which is basically Dollar Store Alice In Chains
Caetano Veloso
5/5
An artist that only recently (last 5 years) came into my consciousness, thrilled to see this here. A sprawling work of genius, helping to create and define a genre and give voice to a political movement, this record got CV banished to London for years. Good luck trying to describe the contents using familiar American/British artists. Traditional Brazilian music meets pop meets psychedelia
Pearl Jam
5/5
This album has been in my life since I was 19 and I love it as much now as I did then. Pearl Jam became a much better band in many ways over the years, and this isn’t their best album or maybe even top 3. But it’s still a marvel of 90s guitar riffs, when Stone was the primary songwriter and he churned out classic riff after classic riff for McCready to shred over and Eddie the wail over. One of the best albums of the decade in a decade that has a lot of my favorites.
Joan Baez
2/5
Joan is a legend. So this is a me problem, but I just don’t like vibrato in vocals. That’s not her fault, but I really hate it and it’s her whole schtick, at least here (and pretty much everything else I’ve heard). Lovely tone but when that vibrato is vibrato-ing I just can’t. Sorry Joan
Milton Nascimento
5/5
Funny this came up so soon after Caetano Veloso. One of my pandemic diversions was getting into some of this incredible Brazilian music from the 60s and 70s. This one tops the list, maybe alongside Jorge Ben’s Africa Brasil. A sprawling work from a group of incredible musicians, it’s a veritable Brazilian White Album, and honestly it’s more consistent than the actual White Album.
Coldplay
1/5
Ever wonder what would happen if someone combined the blandest rock of 2000s U2 with the blandest pop of early Radiohead and had an utter no talent both write and sing lyrics over it? Have I got an album for you! Of course these idiots play stadiums. People have shit taste
Barry Adamson
2/5
This is interesting, and it’s not bad. But I really don’t enjoy listening to soundtracks, it has always confused me as to why someone would listen to music that was literally not made to be heard on its own. Without the visual component, what is the point here? And this one didn’t even have a visual, it’s for a film that doesn’t exist. Interesting exercise but ultimately who cares.
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
As a dyed in the wool Gen Xer, I have a soft spot for 80s hair metal and these guys are basically the big brothers of that scene, at least until Vince Neal killed their drummer. I wouldn’t say I liked it but it’s a solid record for the era and entirely responsible for the career of Poison, who basically just took these songs and changed the words. Demerits for that, but overall, a solid C+
The Stone Roses
5/5
In a better timeline than this one, The Stone Roses are headlining stadia around the world and the Gallagher brothers are passed out in a Manchester pub mumbling to each other about Pep Guardiola. This is easily one of the all time great British rock records and it’s a shame they didn’t make more of a go of it after this. Though I think Second Coming is also very good. If you are any kind of fan of British rock pop and alternative music from the 80s and 90s, you probably already know and love this record but if not, highly highly recommended
Stan Getz
4/5
This is a gorgeous record, and single handedly responsible for the US bossa craze. That said, it’s ultimately just very pretty and brilliantly performed background music. There’s no real innovation or originality, nothing here moves beyond the four corners of the compositions, which are all written by Brazilian artists save one Byrd original. Maybe a bit harsh here, but I’ll take Getz Gilberto over this every time
Alice In Chains
4/5
Another classic from my college years. For me, this record has some of the very best songs to come out of the grunge scene. Rooster, Would, Them Bones, Down In A Hole. There’s some filler here too, and if it was an LP vs CD, probably a 5 star record with those saved for B sides. Also should note that I have an odd affinity for heroin inspired rock. If you did some smack and sang about it, I probably love it. With more mature ears, it’s a little too much of a Sabbath tribute, and Jerry Cantrell listened to too much Randy Rhoads, but still really enjoy this one
Billie Holiday
4/5
This is a long way from Billie’s best work, which for me is the incredible collection of recordings she mad at Decca. Here is Billie in her Dylan era, using all of her experience and genius to overcome a voice absolutely destroyed by drugs and alcohol, and let’s face it, an absolutely brutal life. It’s a tough listen and incredible all at the same time. You’ve Changed is truly incredible. Hard to recommend when she has so much better material, but for a fan, it’s indispensable
DJ Shadow
3/5
Here is an album that fits the spirit of the list perfectly. I’ve never heard it, never would have bothered to listen without this list, and I’m glad I heard it before I died. Did I love it? No, but it’s pretty interesting to me how much creativity one can have making audio collages of other material. Aka sampling. Every sound here is sampled. Some very good tracks, some irritating ones, some that left no impression whatsoever. It’s fine, I’ll never listen again, but it’s unique and worth hearing once for sure
Kendrick Lamar
4/5
Most of my favorite hip hop is from the 80s and 90s because I’m old. I don’t get into a lot of modern HH but Kendrick is an outlier, not just in this era but in any. His flow is great, but his lyrics are better. Outside of Nas in what is maybe the greatest hip hop record ever, Illmatic, few mcs have more eloquently captured life in their neighborhood that wasn’t a bunch of gangsta braggadocio. This one is his first, and I think To Pimp a Butterfly and Damn are both superior, but this is an insanely good debut. Again, up there with Illmatic in the debut category. If you love HH you already known Kendrick, and if you don’t then you won’t like him at all. But if you are HH curious, this might be a good place to start.
Brian Wilson
4/5
This was intended to be the ultimate version of Smile, but for me it will always be the Smile Sessions version that we finally got in 2011. A lot to love here, this was close to the end of BW as a functional artist. I saw him on this tour and it was great, but sadly each time I saw him after, it was a little worse until the last time when he was fully checked out and the killer band he had here was replaced by BB hangers on and children. Anyway, this record has some of his best work. Heroes and Villains is just stunning, that descending vocal line is brilliant. Surfs Up, Good Vibrations, Child is the Father of the Man, Wind Chimes, Cabin Essence. A wealth of great songs. Then there’s nonsense like Barnyard, Vega-Tables, In Blue Hawaii. It’s flawed but great.
The Who
5/5
When I was in high school, I thought that this was the greatest album ever recorded in the history of mankind. In retrospect, there may be a few other good ones. Nevertheless, 16 year old me was not entirely wrong. This album is relentless, every song is great, even the Entwhistle song! Top that, Quadrophenia
Funkadelic
5/5
The first of many classics from the genius George Clinton and an incredible cast of musicians. Another record stacked top to bottom with classics. Can You Get To That is one of the greatest lyrics of all time
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
3/5
This is a challenging listen to say the least. An hour plus of Nick mainly speaking, sometimes barely singing, over minimal ambient music. About the death of his son. It’s gorgeous but also not really enjoyable. How to rate this? It’s a beautiful piece of work that I never care to hear again. But it is ceriay worth hearing before you die. I’ll split the baby and give it 3 stars
Fugazi
4/5
Slightly embarrassed to note that I’ve never listened to Fugazi before. It’s not really my genre, but I enjoyed it more than expected. Not a huge fan of Ian’s vocals but the band is killer, esp Brendan Canty on drums. Much more musically interesting to me than most punk/hardcore. Very solid record that had a big influence on what came later in this genre
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
In some ways, this is Janis presented at her best, and sharp but loose band ripping behind her and the chains released, she is free to cut as loose as she can. Then again, some of the more refined takes of the Pearl era are also essential Janis. Some of the usual Bay Area jam band nonsense here, including the dude singing, imagine the audacity. Anyway, a great record and a much more to come in a short life.
Wilco
5/5
I was there when it leaked and when they toured it and played monster shows at 930 club so how can I be objective when I listen to Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The pinnacle of Tweedy’s electronica via Americana period, classic after Wilco classic here. Tens across the board
Frank Black
3/5
Solo Black Francis is kinda like new Pixies music. It’s not bad, it’s just not as good as that other band. The one with Kim Deal. Anyway, this is ok.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
This is the pinnacle of Crazy Horse in the studio, followed by Live Rust, their true apex, though they did still kick ads live to the bitter end. I love every song, but Pocahontas and Powderfinger and both of the Hey Hey My Mys and ffs everything here is peak Neil in every way
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
Do you have a steady boyfriend
Cause honey I've been watching you
I hear you're mad about Brubeck
I like your eyes I like him too
He's an artist, a pioneer
We've got to have some music on the new frontier
Jeff Beck
3/5
Quite an assembly of talent here, Beck, Rod, Ronnie Wood, Keith Moon, John Paul Jones, Jimmy Page, Nicky Hopkins. This gets credit for being the first “heavy metal” album which is, in a word, wrong. It certainly seems to have inspired Page to form Zeppelin, and it follows the Hendrix and Cream formula of heavy blues. Metal? Not for me. Not until Black Sabbath arrived. Anyway, this is good, but not great imo. Beck is ridiculous. And I like Rod’s lead vocals a lot. But overall, and I generally feel this way about JB, including when I saw him, he can play anything but he doesn’t move me. I’d take a one note Neil Young solo over a plodding Crazy Horse every day over this pack of virtuosos. Good music, but not great music. Beck’s Bolero is the one killer track. Miles more interesting than the white boy blues everywhere else on this record
Run-D.M.C.
4/5
I’m not sure what Rick Rubin does, some say not a damned thing. Yet he keeps getting high profile producing gigs and is considered a genius. If I had to defend him, this would be Exhibit A. He didn’t make Run or DMC better mcs, didn’t make Jay a better DJ. But he apparently is the guy who brought in all the rock samples. It’s a stroke of genius, and you can draw a straight line from this to sampling masterpieces like Paul’s Boutique, Nation of Millions, 3 Feet High and Rising, and many other classics. They weren’t the best of the era (for me, it’s Erik B and Rakim, who didn’t even make this dopey list) but have to be credited for taking hip hop off the Bronx street corners and schools and onto MTV and the mainstream. Also, I had this cassette in 1986, 8th grade, and still love it
Jimmy Smith
5/5
Interesting to listen to this on the same day as the Jeff Beck record. A couple of albums filled with brilliant musicians playing blues music. The difference is light years for me. Smith, Burrell, Turrentine, and Bailey take the simplest changes and weave gold. Just incredible grooves that I could ride all day long. An early soul jazz classic and a huge influence in anyone who ever tried to play a B3, most of whom fell well short of being Jimmy Smith
David Bowie
5/5
Bowie has 9 albums on this list. If anyone deserves 9, it might be Bowie but honestly that’s too much. The first one I got was Young Americans and that is not a Bowie album anyone needs to hear before they die. “Heroes” otoh is a stone cold classic and belongs here without question. This is my favorite of the Berlin trio, but imo the Berlin era came together perfectly on Scary Monsters, even if it’s technically post Berlin. Anyway, this is the pinnacle of Bowie and Eno, with Fripp taking things over the top with his insane playing throughout. I think this one has the strongest ambient tracks but will revisit that when Low comes up on the list. One of the great works of art from one of rock’s greatest artists
Shivkumar Sharma
5/5
This one is new to me, apparently the first Indian Classical record to break through in the west, inspiring George Harrison and others. It’s a gorgeous record, really beautiful and peaceful (sometimes highly energized) music. Apparently it’s the musical story of a shepherd’s day in Kashmir. Recommended
The Kinks
4/5
This is the first great Kinks record, a giant leap forward from Kontroversy, which was the first glimmers of where Ray’s writing would go. I don’t think there is a weak song here, but also it’s not quite at the level of Village Green, which is the perfected version of this record, and imo the pinnacle of The Kinks. One thing that leapt out at me was Holiday in Waikiki, which sounds a little like a first draft of Heroes and Villains. I’m sure BW heard this and was inspired. But also Ray really nails the vibe of touristy places and how fake it all is. Another thought is that Damon Albarn must have listened to this 1000 times because it sounds like a lost Blur record
Judas Priest
4/5
When I was a teenager, I loved metal and heavy rock. These days, I don’t really listen but once in a while I hear a song like Living After Midnight, and it takes me right back. JP is one of the great bands of the era, esp with Rob Halford on the microphone, and this record put them in the mainstream and had a big part in the popularity of metal through the 80s and 90s. There’s some clunkers here but more great tracks than not. There are straight forward rockers like a Breakin the Law and more prog metal offerings like The Rage. Listening now, I wish I had seen them back in the day
James Taylor
3/5
This is a very pleasant record and it’s nostalgic for me as JT was one of my Dad’s favorites. There are three excellent songs here, Fire and Rain, SBJ, and Country Road. Then there’s the “blues” songs lol, and the random cover of Oh Susannah, and a few other filler tracks. I dunno if it’s worthy of the list but it certainly helped define the sound of mainstream 70s radio
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
For me, this is peak Bruce. His best set of songs, top notch E Street Band performances, and overall a more raw and real sound than Born To Run, which is great but you can hear how much he slaved over it to achieve “perfection”. No more Dylan pretensions, no white boy Motown, and the Bruceisms that kind of became part of the act in later years were all for real here. Bruce is certainly not for everyone and that’s fine. But if you asked me what you should hear to get why people love this guy so much, this album would be the first recommendation every time
A Tribe Called Quest
4/5
Two of my favorite artists back to back and boy these records could not be more different. This one is the Tribe’s first and it has the blueprint but the tracks are not quite there yet. For me, they peaked with the next record, which I’ll also get to review here at some point. In 1990, mainstream hip hop was already moving towards gangsta as the dominant form, two years post Straight Outta Compton and months before The Chronic would turn the genre on its head. Then there is the alternative lane, first cut by De La Soul and soon after perfected by Tribe. As I said, this is a great first record but very much a first record. Close but not quite there. That said, Can I Kick It is in the running for greatest hip hop track of all time. Perfect sample perfectly used (Walk on the Wild Side) and some killer verses from both Q and Phife. There are several other great tracks here as well, but Can I Kick It is perfection
Iron Maiden
5/5
Pretty sure I haven’t heard this one since middle school when my IM obsessed friend listened to it all the time. Not a record I’m ever gonna reach for but it’s definitely a great record and an absolute classic of metal. Run for the Hills is one of the all time great metal tracks, Bruce Dickinson is maybe the best metal lead vocalist, and the songs and lyrics are all really strong. It’s not my taste anymore but it’s a great record and defined a certain kind of metal, and a certain kind of metal satire as well. Bonus points for Eddie and the various great covers over the years
Santana
5/5
I’m not sure that this is my favorite of the classic Santana records but it’s probably objectively the best. They really nail the Latin jazz pop rock mix, to perfection. Santana would go hard in all of those directions later, but never struck the balance so sweetly before or after. There isn’t an ounce of flab here among the lengthy jams and instrumentals. Black Magic Woman>Gypsy Queen>Oye Como Va>Incident at Neshabur is an album run of greatness I’d put up against anything from the era
Rush
3/5
There is no band that I loved at some point that has dropped off more in terms of my enjoyment of their music at almost age 53 vs age 23. I loved these guys and saw them multiple times in the 90s. Then I just stopped. So I was curious what I would think of one of my formerly favorite Rush albums in 2025. Sadly, I just don’t get it anymore. The title track is as absurd as any Crimson journey across the musical scale. And the Ayn Rand sci fi lyrics. Ugh. Side two has some ok tracks,
something for nothing, passage to Bangkok . The rest is fine. Obviously the musicianship is top notch, these guys were among the best. But it’s just so much wankery and I’m not into it
Miles Davis
5/5
One of my favorite things about this record is that it opens with a minor train wreck and it just doesn’t matter. Herbie hits the wrong chord, Miles incorporates it and it sounds like a total clam. Jimmy crashes his cymbal right at the start of the solo. Did they stop? Did they edit it out? Did they use another take. Hell no. This is perfect in its imperfection and part of what makes this so damned good. I don’t think one can choose a “best record” of a genre. It’s too broad to represent in 5 songs and 45 minutes. But if someone asked you “What is the deal with Jazz anyway?” you’d be hard pressed to find a better or more accessible yet still deeply complex and brilliant record than this one. Everything came together perfectly fora few magical hours in 1959 and we haven’t stopped listening since. #1 on the albums you must hear before you die list
Joni Mitchell
5/5
This is an interesting era for fans of Joni to grapple with. Musically, she was at her best, writing incredible songs and stretching the bounds of pop with her jazz pretensions. For me, the peak is Court and Spark, but this is a close second. Her persona, however, became increasingly problematic as she inhabited her Art Nouveau persona and did some straight up blackface on a regular basis, even appearing as Art on the cover of the record after this one. To be fair, none of that permeates the songs, not lyrically at least, and her appropriation of jazz musicians for a pop album is nothing that Steely Dan didn’t later steal from her and make a career of. Her use of the Burundi drums sample in Jungle Line predates the widespread use of sampling by a decade. The world music vibe of that track was also a decade ahead of Paul Simon and Peter Gabriel. And just pick any other song here for some of her most incisive writing. Edith and the Kingpin is my favorite but you could name any other track and I’d nod in agreement. So, I can tut tut at her very offensive public appearances and her interviews about having a black man’s soul while enjoying some of her very best work. Art not the artist and all that. But still, wtf Joni?
Fiona Apple
4/5
Fiona is one of the great songwriters of my generation. Unfortunately, like many great artists, she struggles with severe mental illness. She’s more or less a shut in these days. So it was fortuitous that she emerged right at the start of the pandemic with this record made essentially alone in her home, on garage band, with just voice, piano, and a range of traditional and non traditional percussion instruments. It’s the sound of isolation, but also of craving connection and the mixed bag that is dealing with other humans, romantically and otherwise. It’s not her best work, imo, but it is very very good and unique. This is from 2020, so this wasn’t in the original book, but fan sourced for the list. Do you need to hear it before you die? Nah, but it is very good and you probably haven’t ever heard a release from a “major” artist (at least an established artist who had mainstream success) quite like this one
Duke Ellington
5/5
America’s greatest composer performs a career retrospective with some of the finest musicians of all time. Absolutely essential listening
Don McLean
3/5
Now here is an interesting choice for the list. Obviously this is here for the title track. The rest of the record is fine, decent but unspectacular 70s singer songwriter stuff. And then there is AP. Is this a great song? Is it terrible? Is his viewpoint kind of weirdly conservative? Smartly, DM kept it just vague enough that you could fill in your own beliefs using his words. The song has been in my ears as long as I've had ears, so I can't really be objective. It's just part of the fabric of my life. I hear it, I sing along. I still don't know if I like it
The Beau Brummels
2/5
Most albums on the list, even the ones I hate, I can understand why someone thinks we should all hear it once. This one? Not a clue. A guy with a Dylan-ish voice, but completely uninteresting delivery, and music that sounds like every generic 60s band trying to cash in on the “hippy movement”. I can hear the record execs now: “Get me a Buffalo Springfield band with a Dylan singer!” They probably played this on the bus that brought normies to the Haight for sightseeing. Maybe you had to be there but this record was rightfully ignored and forgotten. The only thing that would be more perfect would be if some other hack name checked it in one of his shitty songs for coolness points. Oh wait….
Rod Stewart
3/5
I'm generally a fan of Rod Stewart, and this one has some of my favorites. Gasoline Alley, It's All Over Now, Only A Hobo, Cut Across Shorty, all gems. A few others are kinda mid but overall it's a fun listen.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Some albums are really hard to write about, because what hasn't been said about the LZ debut? It's part of my DNA, I still remember listening to this when I was 14 and just playing it over and over again. It's not my favorite of theirs, but there isn't a second here that I don't love. One of the great debuts and one of the albums that had such a massive effect on what came after it that you forget it doesn't sound like everything else, everything else sounds like it
Elis Regina
3/5
Another record associated with the Clube de Esquina crew of Brazilian artists. This one has its moments but ultimately is too slick and top of the pops oriented for my taste. She's an incredible vocalist and there are some gems here, including O Trem Azul, a cover of the Lo Borges tune on the original CdE record, and some enjoyable, if slight, discofied sambas like O Medo de Amar and Saudade Eterna. Nota Bene that this record is actually a compilation made for an international audience, and against the rules of the list, so some sloppy research here by the 1001 gang
Willie Nelson
5/5
Willie Nelson is one of the finest songwriters of all time and this album contains some of his very best work. He’s also in his prime vocally and his delivery is perfect. Just a great way to spend 33 minutes
Nick Drake
4/5
I love Nick Drake but this one is subtraction by addition for me. Some truly overproduced tracks here, Poor Boy, dear god, make it stop. Nicks songwriting and voice are enough to over come the negatives and there’s some gorgeous songs here. A far cry from Pink Moon for me but still very good
Gillian Welch
4/5
This is probably Gil and Dave’s best record, every song is great…until we reach I Dream A Highway which is one long boring repetitive dream. Sorry, it’s a big drop off from the rest for me. One demerit.