1001 Albums Summary

Quintessential late 80's/early 90's alt-pop-rock. The guitars on this album are second-to-none. Lots of Matthew Sweet sounding riffs. The vocals are lackluster and the lyrics are just ok. It's an interesting case study on the confluence of different rock sub-genres. You get some Seattle-sounding guitar and surf rock rhythms. I think the band just gets a little confusing throughout the album. Still worth a listen.

Coat of Many Colors...meh. Nice story. Traveling Man...dynamic. I actually believe her. Johnny Cash-esque storytelling. Hello Early Morning Breeze bass line. The Way I See You...turning point on the album. More poppy country. Could be a chart topper in the early 90s. Beautiful song. Just kinda boring, musically. Same cookie-cutter country from the late 70s-80s. Lyrically ok.

The first track, Rock Music, was much more metal than I expected. I love the kind of weepy surf guitar on Ana. This album everything you expect from the Pixies. I will always regret not getting into them back in their hayday.

I looked at the context surrounding the performance of this album. The man is incredibly talented, and I'm sure the piano he was playing didn't showcase his talent. My humble opinion is that jazz piano is best when it's surrounded by a jazz band/orchestra. The improvisations make sense. A lot of this performance is confusing.

Oh Morrissey. This is just repetitive and cookie-cutter. The Joke Isn't Funny is a nice harmonic departure. Lightens the palate a bit. It's dark. It's angsty. I'm sure it was politically important at the time. Musically, it's below meh.

Elephant is an album that makes (made) me believe rock wasn't/isn't dead. Big, arena rock sound. Ball and Biscuit is an absolute banger. Bluesy, rocky, and dirty. Great top to bottom.

Monday, Monday...pure vocal bliss. Covering Spanish Harlem is kind of an eye roll. They should have featured Mama Cass and Michelle Phillips to make a distinct cover. A lot of repetitive semi-"doo wop" songs. It's hard to overstate how powerful and yet the same time sweet and welcoming voice of Mama Cass.

Wait...what? Improvisational metal jazz on Wicked World? Not as metal as I had anticipated. I'm not a metalhead, so this is actually very listenable. Some nice blues walks/riffs. I kind of enjoy the almost rock-opera style the way the tracks are set up.

I like some of the hits. This is just too much of the same (which is odd after reading this is the 8th album). It's no wonder Brian Wilson went nuts for a spell...having to write a dozen 2:30 songs would drive me nuts too. Do You Wanna Dance is a decent cover. Dance, Dance, Dance finally drives the album somewhere.

I can see where Prodigy maybe got their influence. Prodigy meets Pixies. Just not my kind of taste in music. Bazooka Joe is ok. Pretty straight forward neo-punk.

Not a huge fan of sitar instrumentals. Craving butter chicken. I appreciate his legacy, especially headlining Woodstock and shaping the hippie's introduction into world music.

Musical bliss. Heart-felt funkyness.

One banger. The rest of the album is disco Bowie.

It's All Over Now...to close to trying to replicate the Stones cover. I would still rank Grateful Dead's cover ahead of both. You're My Girl closes the album with a decent banger. Solid album.

I'm Stretched Over Your Grave...love the Funky Drummer hook. Good album start to finish. Love her voice...which can go from breathy to a cannonball in 2 seconds. Nothing Compares 2U pushes it from 3* to 4*.

Ok Morrissey. Don't suck. I'm impressed with the Smiths dark lyrics with an actual rock sound. This is a really good album. Nothing stands out lyrically, but the sound is alive and not cookie-cutter.

Sweet, breathy jazz pop.

I appreciate the attempts at paying homage to older singers/performers. She could have saved us all 30 minutes and just said it. Bloated and over produced.

New wave, synth pop orchestral magic.

Just take a moment. Put on From the Morning. Close your eyes. Tell me you don't feel better. One doesn't even need to pay attention to the lyrics. Closest I've gotten to a 5*.

Love the sound and orchestration. Not a big fan of her voice. Ok, I was wrong. The album turned dynamic After Love and Affection.

Love, love Rufus' voice. Sometimes clever lyrics. I guess I just prefer Rufus singing the classic songbook.

It's ok.

It's started out ok. Then banger after banger. 4.25*

Knowledge of Beauty is a pretty alt-country ballad. I can do without the unintelligible mumbling. The irony of One of Those Things sounds A LOT like Werewolves of London.

Let Beck cook. I can do without most of the rest of the album. 2.75*

One of a kind sound and lyrics. Always good for head bobbing. Niceness out of the way, it's a shame that Morello is a known communist and they, in fact, endorse to "do what they tell ya." The last bastion of anti-authority (main stream) has fallen (hard). 4.25*

I'm just not a metal person.

A lot of meh. The Al Green cover is not very good. Steel Claw reminds of the best of Tina Turner. Help! is hot garbage.

This is more my speed. Mellow indie rock. I recognize his voice from some movie soundtrack, but can't put my finger on it. Good, easy listening.

I could listen to the instrumentals all day. The vocals sound like...not good.

Damn. This is just pure and glorious rap. I don't exactly know what makes it less than a 5*. And I really don't understand why Public Enemy was ever targeted. 4.75*

Funky Zappa improv goodness.

In My Arms turned the album around. Mostly I was asking myself, "Where's the weather forecast on the 8's?"

Too poppy for my taste. Still, not offensive. Love hearing Bone Thugz on the album.

Legendary. 4.5* My expectation was obviously not the design for this album. I just want some more improv.

If a broadway musical were produced by Yoko Ono; where Bjork was the lead singer of The Clash, this would be the soundtrack.

Punk rock goodness.

This seems to have rave reviews. It's ok.

Beautiful jazz.

Enjoyable. Sufficient bangers.

Definitely a beta band.

Track 1: Is this a Bond theme tryout? Tracks 2 through 4: See comment 1. Track 5: What? Bad.

It's nice.

Banger after banger. Great album.

WalMart Radiohead.

Fun stuff

Have to admit. I expected more out of Little Stevie.

Hard pass.

Brilliant

#40 may be one of the most underrated great songs of all time.

As Above, So Below takes about 2 stars off the album. 2.75*

The world does not deserve this much funk. But we are grateful.

Definitely not a fan of metal. Run to the Hills is a 10/10 banger.

As close to a 5 as you can get.

This is the absolute sweetest of sweet spots for the Beatles.

I would rather listen to Vogon poetry.

4.75*

3.75* Round up to 4.

This album, and for sure this band, can't figure out what it wants to be. WalMart Doors? Beatnik Bakersfield rock? Backup band for Jose feliciano

Love Bonnie Raitt. I kinda prefer older Bonnie, but this will do.

Love Bonnie Raitt. I kinda prefer older Bonnie, but this will do.

Awful. Just not great Bob.

This gets a +1 because Sir Rod is a Celtic supporter. Hail hail.

Pure funk.

Pure genius. One of the true great albums first to last track.

I'm actually quite impressed. It's a lot more listenable than the later ear worm tracks.

I like Radiohead. I do not like this Radiohead. This album is almost a meme of Radiohead. If that's Yorke's intent, well he's a genius.

The cover of Oooh Baby Baby saves this album from the pit of despair.

Mindless house music. Nothing special. Nothing terrible.

Really, really good alt-rock. Very sweet cover of Nature Boy.

It's fine if you like this kind of music.

They could easily splice 3-4 of these tracks together and have one or two decent songs.

Most of this is pretentious navel-gazing troubadour nonsense. But there are gems like A Simple Desultory Philippic.

It's fun. A lot of repetitive sounding songs.

Why does it feel Robert Smith is constantly yelling?

Would have loved to hear this guy collab with Stevie Ray Vaughn or Kenny Wayne Shepherd.

Everyone has to start somewhere.

A near perfect pop/blues record. Kinda fizzled the final two tracks. 4.25*

Space Trucking is such an underrated track. Not full of bangers, but a really solid mid-70s rock/metal album.

Jamiroquai could make a room full of Quakers and Amish shake their ass.

It's fine.

It's less meandering than other of his works.

Wu Tang is for everyone. Not just the children.

It's like the worst instrumental Bond theme on repeat and without any payoff.

A few bangers. Just north of 3.5*

It's as if Charlie MacKenzie from So I Married An Axe Murderer was the lead "singer" for Pixies. 3.5*

Just banger after banger. Early Beatles are the best Beatles. Love the jazzy/swing progressions. And Harrison's intricate noodling is so underrated. 4.25*

I have to round up on this one. Subtle surf rock + a pinch of punk + all the goodness of mid 80s new wave - synthesizer. 3.75*

It's fine.

This goes past exploration and whatnot. This album is just disjointed. For every legendary banger, you take two steps back.

Absolute brilliance. Of course, I'm probably completely biased because this is the first album I remember listening to as a kid.

We should thank CHIC for all of the amazing hooks that were sampled in subsequent generations.

Who would have guessed Rainy Day Women is one of the worst tracks on this album.

Perfection across this album. I'll take this over White Album every day.

Need halves or quarters on these ratings. 3.25*

Hurt alone gives this album 5*.

I rate this according to the number of songs I made it through.

The bulk of the album is sultry, 60's pop goodness. By the last track I was Wishin', Hopin', and Prayin' the album was done.

I like it. But nothing stands out.

I forgot how good this album was.

I'm trying to be more positive in life. I am positive Morrissey is in the top 10 cunts of history. If I close my eyes and tune out the vocals, the album isn't terrible.

Geebus. How much Morrissey can one person take. Still prefer Smiths to any solo Morrissey.

He is a genius.

I get the novelty of Tom Waits. But I'll take the jazzy-blues Tom Waits over the full symphony orchestra Tom Waits.

Not my favorite Cash record. Just doesn't have the punch of Folsom Prison.

A very poor mans early Pink Floyd.