1001 Albums Summary

It sounds like someone doing Jeff Buckley impressions. Seriously though, nice melodies and Indian instrumentation.

The soundtrack of 2000's British comedy films. It's twee and British, every song is about scones and strawberry jam. Not really, but sort of. One of the songs has the same riff as the bass in Warning by Green Day. It's like sitting in a field watching cricket and drinking Pimm's. I feel a lot of bands sounded like this in the late 60's.

Immaculate and clean production. You can slide down it on your ass. There are layers upon layers of sound; most notably, MJ's multi-tracked vocals. I can understand why I thought this sounded like magic as a kid in the 80's. Is that key change at the end of Baby Be Mine auto tune? It should be. Human vocals shouldn't be able to do that. Chipmunk vocals on P.Y.T crazy! 42mins of condensed pop perfection.

The drumming is the star here. It engulfs everything in a thunderstorm of cymbal crashes and void-filling fills. That and the lyrics to the track Tattoo "Rooty-doot-toot tattoo". Aside from that I'm not the biggest fan of The Who but they definitely come alive in these live recordings - it's like this is how they are meant to be heard. Substitute is a banger, but some of the songs (Happy Jack/I'm a boy) are awful.

Surprisingly tight instrumentation despite the singers famously loose and snotty vocals. Each Track is like a swig on a bottle of whiskey and an enthusiastic stumble down the street. One song throws in some middle Eastern influences, another sounds like a noir detective car chase through Chicago - they certainly keep things interesting. 'Fiesta' is lifted straight from a Spanish fairground jingle which you will no doubt recognise from somewhere. Although other influences are thrown in to the mix, ultimately if you don't enjoy traditional Irish music, you won't like this - which is why I tapped out halfway through. But I appreciate the variety of this album. Oh, and this is the record with 'Fairytale...' on it, so that's probably why this one is on the list.

Everyone knows the sound of The Beatles' early Merseybeat records. The sound of US Rock and Roll and Rhythm and Blues can be heard throughout, particularly on the intricate and clever vocal harmonies. This is even more obvious with some of the cover choices (Please Mr Postman, Roll Over Beethoven). The music is stripped back in terms of instrumentation, keeping the vocals at the forefront. As a side note: some of the mixing choices on this remastered weren't great; panning the vocals completely to the right channel on some songs felt odd, almost distracting. Not my favourite era of the band, they are emulating a sound rather then their later more creative output but the vocals are crisp and enjoyable.

Even some nice arrangements, complete with piano and string sections, can never distract from the lack of variety on this record. If you like what Cat generally does with his songwriting and vocals then that's not a huge problem. But I had trouble picking standout moments on this record. The most noteworthy tracks come at the end of the record with Father and Son and then the title song, which finishes just as it threatens to get going. Serviceable, quaint but a little tedious. The cover art was apparently painted by Cat himself; it's terrible.

Americana, Country rock with organs, twangy guitars and honky tonk pianos. Not really my thing.

Each of these songs sounds like they had a thousand ideas and tried to cram them all in at one time. A bazillion notes and riffs. I feel a little sorry for the producer who had to track and mix all of this. The bass is front and centre and seems to be leading the band. Some nice guitar tones to pick from the thousands on offer. Although I wouldn't say I'm a prog fan, and can certainly see myself exploring some more Yes albums.

Not a fan of 90s/00s pop I'm afraid. This sounds like a typical showcase of Christina's vocal gymnastics. I was surprised at the heavy gospel/R&B influences and hip-hop beats and record scratching. Good if you like pop music.

Classic 90s Britpop. Swaggers between Rock and guitar ballads, lots of simple string samples/arrangements peppered in, the occasional 70s psychedelic guitar tones. You'll probably recognise at least one song on here. Bittersweet Symphony is an anthem of that era. The Drugs Don't Work has one of the most depressing lyrics ever ("like a cat in a bag waiting to drown.."). There is a definite dip in noteworthy songs after the opening few tracks with maybe the exception of Lucky Man. It sounds like the 90s.

I always assumed Steely Dan was country music. Turns out it's some really smooth 70's funk-soft rock fusion kind of thing. The bass is working overtime on its interesting and groovy basslines and each song has a soulful choir of background singers. It's incredibly 70's but I did find myself enjoying the toe tapping funky melodies.

Fast and frantic. If you've heard one Motorhead song (Ace of Spades) you've heard 'em all. Here is two hours of that.

A live album of jazz and soul vocalist Sarah Vaughan. What really made this enjoyable was how the singers personality shone through. A tight and brilliant snapshot of the time.

70s hard rock. Led-Zep meets Spinal Tap. Fizzy production. Chunky rock guitar riffs. Plus organ. Solo! Some interesting ideas on this album (Child of Time) but still suffers from the excessive bloat of a lot of hard rock from this era.

Along with his debut album, Slim Shady LP, this is Em's best work. Cartoon violence, angry, sarcastic, purposely dumb and clever lyrics in equal portions.

The album blows it load in the opening three tracks and then after that it becomes a bit forgettable. Bonos voice is self-indulgent and self-mastabatory. Nicely produced though. The simple clean guitar lines allow plenty of space for the bass to cut through. Most songs build up only to go nowhere. I guess they didn't know what they were looking for arf arf.

Never heard of Gene Clark. Really surprised by the record. Country, soulful, hints of psychedelia, even some groovy disco elements. Not even sure how to describe the record. Love the gospel backing singers who fade in and out throughout parts of the album. Interesting arrangements and vocal melodies. A lot to unpack, I'll listen to this again.

Soulful vocals, R&B/Hip-Hop electronic beats, piano melodies. Pleasant, but not for me.

The standard of quality is consistent, the non-single tracks don't feel like filler which is nice to hear. Production is squeaky clean which probably helped with the commercial success this record saw. Not personally a fan of the hip-hop/metal fusion that a lot of nu-metal encompasses, but even now it's easy to see why this was so popular. It made teen angst and rebellion palatable for 00's kids.

It's The Doors - what's not to like? This is a tight, exciting, sexy album full of swagger, confidence and playful psychedelia. Rock Riffs, jazzy basslines, daft lyrics, all backed by organ and solid drums. One mistep: The WASP is a crap track. Otherwise really good record

I can just imagine Bono in a recording studio listening back to this, rubbing his thighs vigorously and telling the producer "More Bono".

2 songs. 2 very long songs.

Grungy and raw, in both production and songwriting. Lennon doesn't have the poppy hooks that McCartney had but he makes up for that with honest words and wears his heart on his sleeve. Portrays a man who is sad, regretful, selfish, desperate but wants to be better.

Elvis did what a lot of great artists do; take things that already exist and condense them down to something with mass appeal. Rock n' Roll and pop in it's purest form. There is some hits, some misses (Tutti Frutti is awful) but each Track is short and sweet, the band is tight and the recording is clear and captures the energy of the time. As a collection of work it's nothing unique but what it represents from that time and place is. Love him or hate him, Elvis' cultural impact can not be denied both positive and negative.

I am really struggling to put in to words what makes this album so good. It's pretty unique, the music evolves from riff to riff, idea to idea, track to track. Hints of punk, prog, rock and roll. Each time I think I've figured it out the album shifts. The guitar work is so incredibly creative and will have inspired thousands of guitarists. I see the vocals divide opinion but personally I dig them. Really like this album.

I've listened to this one before but it's never really stuck in my mind. I don't hate it, but I don't love it either. What works; the instrumentation and composition is good, each song has a flow, a heartbeat, I can see why so many have nostalgia for the album. There is a certain whimsy that is balanced by a driving beat and moments of urgency. What I perhaps don't like, is the lead vocalists thin and weak sounding delivery that struggles to rise above the musical creativity. I also don't feel there are enough memorable hooks or musical landmarks to stick in the mind throughout the journey. Like I said, I think it's good, and subsequent listens confirm that, but it's not one of the greats for me.

I am glad that the bumpy bass tone that features in the opening tracks is not a constant throughout the album. I could hear the South African influence in the instrumentation before realising/looking up what it was. I see a lot of the reviews mentioning cultural appropriation but I'm not sure it's anything other than a musician taking interest in other corners of the musical world. Regardless of intentions, I'm not keen on the lack of variety or expression in Simon's voice which is a shame because some of the tunes are okay. But just okay.

This album will probably transport you to an American High School in the 1980's. So if you want that, great, give it a listen. If not, then don't. Amazing guitar work, but if you don't enjoy twiddly virtuoso runs of musical notes up and down a guitar then you will hate it. I can't really relate to songs about wanting sex with your teacher. My teachers were all 65 with perms and cardigans. Not for me thanks.

I really enjoyed the other Gene Clark album 'No Other' which features on this list. But whilst that album was brimming with creativity, this one is much more straight down the line folk/country and far less interesting for it. The song 1975 is the high point for me with it's repetitive but funky bassline, I also quite liked the closing song Winter In. The low - Stand by me, just dull dull dull. Most of this is a pleasant listen but pretty forgettable. At times (White Light) it felt like Gene was imitating Bob Dylan. Nicely recorded and played by all musicians involved. Sorry, Gene.

Rap/Hip-Hop is not usually my area but... I enjoyed the beats and sample choices, there was a smooth groove to each track and the vocal delivery was deliberate, confident and purposeful. Not really directed solely at this album but I do find continuous swearing becomes a little tiresome. The lyrical themes are also limited; at one point there is a line about being stereotyped, which is buried in an album that constantly talks about drugs, guns and treating women poorly. This lost the album a couple of stars. And who wants to listen to slurping sex noises? Yes, I know, I don't understand the genre, but this stuff drags down the album.

Five Years is like a curtain rising to reveal a man under a spotlight. But Five Years until what, David? Soul Love is serviceable but pretty basic Bowie writing, but it has grown on me with repeat listens. Awful drum sound. Moonage Daydream kicks the album off proper - iconic, exciting, like a science fiction hippie anthem. Starman the same, has me punching the air like a kid in the 70's. It Ain't Easy is a bit dull, bit of a simple palette cleanser? Harpsichord stadium rock. Lady Stardust is a nice ballad demonstrating Bowies distinct vocals. Star is a honky tonk, foot stamper, I enjoyed the bass walking up and down. Hang On blends proto-punk with 50s hand jiving rock and roll but is a bit weak. Title track Ziggy Stardust is awesome, surreal storytelling, iconic guitar riffs. Suffragette City is perfection. And Rock and Roll suicide is an amazing closing track. A crazy cosmic jive all round but if I had to criticise I would have put the songs in a different order. Great album.

An album of Baroque pop with soft, swaying filmic orchestral arrangements. Romantic strings and a warm, gentle vocal. Not my usual thing but I quite enjoyed some of the tracks - The Old Man's Back Again, Get Behind Me, Hero of the War. Enjoyed it enough to explore some of his other work.

This is my first time listening to Taylor Swift and i think she might benefit taking up a new hobby or two to take her mind off her relationships. There are 24 hours in a day and Taylor just used up one which is far too long. I struggled to to hear the "impressionist storytelling" described in the blurb at the top; what I did hear was clumsy cliche similes, ("Hair falling like dominoes", "hang from my lips like the gardens of Babylon"). Taylor's voice is nice but indestinguishable from any other pop/folk singer - sorry but I am not hearing anything remarkable that sets it apart and I gave it a chance. If you want pleasant, safe, slightly boring pop/folk that contributes nothing of any real value to the genre that's great but it's doing nothing for me at all. I give it a 2 because its a little too dull to be a 1.

Planet Telex is a swirling opener of crushed digital guitar sounds. The Bends is oddly life-affirming with one cautious eye on the world. High and Dry is a 90s angst anthem with gentle acoustic verses and soaring, desperate choruses. Fake Plastic Trees is scared and vulnerable. Bones is existential dread locked in a broken body. Nice Dream is a cry for help screaming in to a pillow. Just condenses everything on this record and has a hissy fit then smashes the plates. My Iron Lung is claustrophobic and threatens to flip the switch. Bulletproof is a reminder you are anything but. Black Star is curled up in a fetal ball sucking it's thumb. Sulk kicks out at its parents and blames them for everything. Street Spirit is one of the bleakest album closers I can think of. I can understand why the world weary vocals and introspective tone of the record can be a turn-off. But that's it purpose, and it it does it very, very well. This is a record that is times stamped to a specific era but does the rare thing of being wholly listenable now. The bass and drums are unsung heroes on this album. The guitars already showing signs of expiremantal ideas beyond normal indie rock playing. It is a record that is threatening to do more. And then came OK computer...

Big , bold, operatic rock. Much like the live album I listened to on this list, I loved the drumming but at times felt it was a bit muddied in the mix and took a backseat to the (admittedly great) guitar tones. First three tracks are great but then it sort of fell off the cliff until Behind Blue Eyes. The Who have never really appealed; maybe I'm not getting their sense of humour or playfulness but the high-pitched synths and daft lyrics ("I'm an air-conditioned gypsy") turn me off.

Chunky beats, playful samples and smooth laid-back grooves. This is fun rap/hip-hop. Good vibes all round. Refreshing - especially after the murky and aggressive gangsta rap of Biggie Smalls which I listened to the other day.

Faith and Father Figure are great opening pop songs. This is then followed by I Want Your Sex which is none minutes of squelchy silly nonsense that killed the albums strong start. And this is immediately followed by a dull ballad. At this point I was struggling to continue. Things picked up with the funky bass of Hard Day and Casio keyboard beats of Hand to Mouth but my attention trailed off a few tracks later around about when George was singing about a monkey of some sort.

I hadn't heard the term Yacht Rock before now, so this album has taught me at least one thing. Turns out, Yacht Rock is a slick, artificial, soft rock sounding disco turd, sliding slowly down the bow of a small sailing vessel. Some people really like this. Some don't. Hello.

It's 70's dad rock so if you like that, then you'll like this. I don't particularly like dad rock. It's not bad, it's just not for me. It's nice and short though.

The whole time I was listening I had the image in my head of two bearded men chasing after a woman in the style of Benny Hill. Couple of the singles are catchy but the rest of the album is far less interesting hard rock/blues slop. Some of these songs go on too long. Whilst there is fun (of a kind) to be had, I struggle to understand how this made its way on to a list of the 'best' albums. 2/5

When I was young I used to make my own songs by overdubbing DIY instruments using two audio cassette players. Some of the instrumentals on here remind me of that - in a good way, of course. The songs are moody, sulky and angsty. A Forest is the best goth rock this side of Crawley.

Gritty, sweaty, frenetic. Iggy pushes you down a 36 minute slide... and the slide is covered by sandpaper and broken glass.

On the one hand, I want to award Kraftwerk for their individualism and their pioneering work in experimental electronic music. There are some interesting moments on here. On the other hand, I want to throw one star at them for never really taking the songs anywhere and the simplistic compositions. But maybe that's the point? Each song is like a piece of electronic equipment doing it's one simple task until it's batteries run out. Literally, I guess, since it's all keyboards and synth. Or maybe it's like sped-up footage of a European business centre at rush hour. The more I listened to this today the more I felt myself connecting with the music. I felt almost entranced and sucked in by the beats, much like some more modern IDM. I stopped thinking of it as individual songs and more one large piece of work as there are little call-backs to earlier motifs throughout the album. It's cool to be able to draw the dots and feel how this influenced electronica. It will still only be a 3.5 from me but I appreciated my time with the record.

Tango, jazz, classical. Not my genres normally but I gave it a whirl and found myself enjoying these varied and creative compositions. The opening track felt romantic and whimsical with transitions in to more mysteries and menacing moments. Very cinematic. Musical storytelling. It's going to be a challenging listen for most (me included). When the audience began clapping I was reminded this was performed live and took my appreciation to another level. Criticisms? Some of the songs go on too long for me. I would have appreciated something a little shorter, especially since I'm not accustomed to this type of music.

Psychedelic, loads of swagger, full of great (Soul Kitchen) and classic (Break On Through, Light My Fire, The End) songs. It even gets a bit sexy (Back Door Man - is he talking about the bottom?) There are a couple of weaker songs (Twentieth Century Fox, I looked at You) but the album manages to keep it's momentum. Some really interesting bass and guitar work popping under the slightly dominant keyboard and organ sounds. I have no nostalgia for the 60s (I'm a 90s kid) but this sound just seems to be a wild time capsule and there aren't many bands as instantly recognisable as The Doors. I think there may have been some drugs involved. 4.5

Brilliant album. I always considered The Clash to be the more intelligent alternative to the Sex Pistols, and this is demonstrated on this album with incredibly tight drums and bass and the snarling yet compelling vocals. Still a bit snotty, but far more restrained than Rotten, Vicious and co. The melodies and guitar are even playful and straight up fun at times. It packs so much in to 35 minutes. Iconic, even down to the cover photo.

An electronic pop record with some immaculate production and interesting instrumentation. Crystal-clear recording. The vocals, especially the female vocals, are beautiful. But..is this really one of the albums you really must hear before you die? I'm not so sure. Don't get me wrong, it's a great listen and worth your time, but it's not life-changing. When the album finished I found it to be rather forgettable. I bet this got a lot of radio playtime.

I found the album an interesting listen and it became even more fascinating when I read up the history behind it; essentially, the claims Malcolm stole the work of other artists and packaged and released them as his own, are correct. He was sued for plagiarism and used the music of others and did not credit them on the record. Apparently, this was his schtick and did the same with punk rock. So Malcolm was not a musician, but a salesman: Art as Commerce. That ugly business aside, what we have here is a wildly varied collage of sound and influences from Africa, New York City, Mexico, Caribbean and more. The use of 80s Hip-Hop beats, scratching, audio sampling and instrumentation from around the world can be found constantly throughout the record. It's pretty wild and exciting to listen to. The weakest part of the whole show is (what I assume are) Malcolm's vocal moments which sound out of their depth and cringe. Oh and the last track is garbage. I'm giving the album 3 stars. And they are not for Malcolm, but for the artists he stole from.

I always start by saying hip-hop and rap aren't really my areas and always feel a bit like an imposter when I say things like "I enjoyed the albums beats and the rapping really flows". But that's what I'm saying. There's a real angry undercurrent here, a lot of the words are delivered like political statements of intent. I loved the loops and sampling, like a rapper with ADHD flicking through TV station channels. Some cool bars "I'll check out a move / but it'll take a black one to move me" which I think was talking about Hollywood's portrayal of black actors. This is never going to be my main listening genre (I always feel incredibly white listening to it) but this list has really broadened my knowledge. This album gets a strong 3.8 from me. "Your Mother's got Gold Nipples"

I'm mostly not a fan of hip-hop and rap aside from the odd album or song, so being presented with a two-hour double album like this is already a big pill to swallow. Blending genres and influences normally helps the medicine go down here but here I struggled to stomach all the sugar piled on the spoon. If you like pop and hip-hop there's probably a wealth of content here to indulge in but it feels too much for me. As I was listening there were moments of excellence that popped up but again, it was generally lost in a landslide of ideas. After 40 minutes I started skipping the 'interludes'. Probably good for a party? I wouldn't know, I don't get invited to parties. It's a 2.5 from me.

I've listened to Talking Heads a lot over the years and they are one of the only bands who retain this aura of weirdness about them. I think it's the oddity of the David Byrne vocals over a funky repetitive backdrop - I find myself becoming a weirdo too as the music drags me in. Being weird never stops being fun.

There is not much variety between songs but this is not necessarily a bad thing here; the album focuses on simple, chill synth and keyboard sounds with deadpan vocals delivering themes of nostalgic hindsight - laughing and crying in a city bedsit. It's a little bit kitschy and a little bit sad. There are some sweet melodies but it's mostly so subtle and gentle it might pass you by. It gets a light 3 from me.

Ugh, definitely not one of his finer works and certainly not a personal favourite of mine. There's a few highlights (Fame is obviously a great song) but overall it left me a little cold. If you want soul music there's better options. The cover of Across the Universe just felt tacked on. I can't give it a great score just because it's Bowie - it's probably a 2.5 at best.

This album and probably Traffic as a band, will probably never cross my mind again - at least until this list offers up another one of their records. Mostly inoffensive 70's jazz/folk rock that I couldn't really pick out of a lineup of other 70's bands of this ilk. And there seems to be a lot of them. Freedom Rider caught my ear with it's notable sax motifs and flute interludes. I'm giving this a 2 star rating - although I (once again) appreciate the ability of these musicians, I can't dole out stars just because they learnt to play their instruments. Traffic is a dumb band name.

Had this on cassette tape back when it was released. Although it's not something I would have chosen to go back to, it's chock full of memorable tunes, and Alanis excels at this blend of 90s singer-songwriter pop rock.

Should I be rating the music or the atmosphere or the absolute madness of a live recording in a prison? As a complete package and for it's uniqueness I am really tempted to give it 5, but some of the actual songs are a little forgettable. Cash sounds like such a charismatic guy.

I liked what I heard - added to my bands/albums to return to

I love a lot of what the album does, but I do not love this album. Moby clearly has an ear for what works and there is no denying it did well. But for me, it's like one long yet mildly pleasant television advert.

Not a great record (and that's from someone who grew up listening to Sebadoh and Dinosaur Jr) but not a bad one either. I'm gonna give it a 4 though to balance out all the reviews that said it's terrible and gave it a 1. Hey, dad, it's my review and I can score it what I want.

An amazingly gifted songwriter (obvious statement), but the first half of this record lays bare the limited vocals and the inflection Bob puts on the end of each line gets grating by the fourth or fifth song. Unlike the audiences of the time, I was quite relieved when he had the backing of a full band in the second half but unfortunately I thought the actual songs selection was weaker than the first. Never satisfied, eh? Like most Bob Dylan, I can find enjoyment in a few songs at a time, but not a live double-album. 2.5

Guns n' Roses have a sound that is very much tied to the time and place of 80's rock. Sleazy, swaggering, dirty - and yet the production is polished and the band are tight. It is dated, but can be enjoyed like a time capsule that has captured a world where swigging JD, smoking cigarettes and thrusting hips in Spandex is still cool. This is bar brawl music for an 80s American dive bar - but still fun whilst sitting at my desk job at 7am in the South of England. Also, addressing the misogyny; yes, misogyny is bad and should not be condoned, but this is a GnR record: You don't watch a documentary about Jeff Dahmer and complain theres too much murder. Only songs I would have left out here are the last two which offer nothing the other tracks all do twice as well. Regardless, It's probably a light 4 for this one.

One of my favourite albums ever. I have heard this record a thousand times as a teenager and it still strikes me as a brutally personal, raw and visceral collection of songs. The album is of course tied to the legacy of Kurt Cobain, that's unavoidable. And thanks to teen angst its unavoidably tied to my youth - it felt a little painful to sit through it again in it's entirety. I'll leave it or others to discuss the production, Kurts vocal/guitar abilities and Courtney Love. Oh, and I think the algorithm is having a little fun selecting this back to back with Appetite for Destruction!

Repetitive, to an extent, both in tone and song composition, the opening tracks are fairly weak - Under My Thumb is catchy melodically but questionable lyrically (is this about controlling your partner and celebrating it?). Going Home, Flight 505, High and Dry - most of these are entirely forgettable. Maybe this needs to be listened to with the cultural context in mind but it doesn't really stand on its own. It's scraping a low 2 because it's not terrible.

Oh boy I am really not the target demographic for this. Beautiful vocals, shimmering production and some interesting modern beats but this is really not my genres - I don't know if this is better than the next R&B (is that what this is?) record. At the risk of sounding like an old man, this whole record sounds the same.

When the cover of Lost in Music started, I had an extremely vivid image in my mind of a very drunken uncle at a wedding dancing with his eyes closed, swaying under the disco lights and forgetting all about his diabetes and prostate problems. Magical.

I liked the track Less Than Zero. The rest was fine at best. This is a medium to light 2.

I get the Beastie Boys are somewhat iconic but this sounds like pretty basic stuff. Simple, childish lyricism paired with with simple, childish beats. Purposely immature and bratty. Theres fun to be had but little to no depth. Great album cover.

Hey look it's the Disco Space Beatles throwing everything at the wall and having a real good time - even if over half the ideas are hitting the floor with a big poopy splat. That's still a 50% chance of a good time though.

Stripped-down acoustic folk-punk; I like how the sound of the fret buzz on the bass and the slightly wonky vocal harmonies add to the aesthetic. It's a remarkably strong collection of songs - which may have lost their charm if another band had written and recorded them with more complicated arrangements. Unique vocal style. Strong 4.

Billie has the voice of someone who has seen some shit. Soft and gentle, wry and raw.

Beautiful voice, quite unique in some ways, but the songs themselves didn't capture me and I was a little bored halfway through. The sparse arrangements and production didn't help. Her name on the album cover looks a bit like it's poop.

I felt like I was transported to this big party in the 60's. I had never heard of Sam Cooke until now. I'm not a soul guy but the atmosphere and big energy made this an experience. The album grew and grew on me and I was exhausted listening to Sam keeping the party going.

Kate Bush is a big weirdo and that's great. I'd score the album higher if there wasn't a bloody Irish jig in the middle. Amazing album cover. Strong 3.5

Another album from my childhood. I still think sounds as cool as the first time I heard it. Kim & Co manage to tow a line between edgy and goofy. Not my favourite album (Dirty might take that award) but real close. 5

Immediately put me in mind of Will Oldham and I was a bit concerned I would get a little bored - but actually, the songwriting and arrangements kept me in engaged and I enjoyed the warmth and even playfulness some of these songs delivered. I imagine the vocals will get some criticism on here - they do lack variety and the delivery is identical on every tune. But again, there was enough little musical moments - a little vocal harmony, a little organ motif, a wilting violin - to keep me listening. I don't like the album cover though - I think horses are evil and would kill us all if they could. Edit: Turns out this guy is Smog who I've listened to a lot before!

Fun old school hip-hop beats. Playful and chill lyricism. Not really my genre but I'd take this over the murky, unpleasant aggressiveness of Biggie Smalls anyday. 2.5

I remember reading Q magazine back in the early 2000's and in a review for the single 'Plug in Baby', the author described Muse as "Masturbatory". This description has stuck with me ever since and unavoidably swims in to my mind whenever I lay ears on this band. I saw the band live around the same time and their performance was very good - for that reason I have always had a favourable memory of their first two records. Beyond those, Muse just seem like a synthetic retro-futuristic Coldplay with classically inspired guitar riffs. Retro-futuristic like a starry sky projector from Poundland. A lot of the deeper cuts follow the same template; guitar riff built around a particular scale run through six effect boxes, Bellamy's voice wavering in the gentle verse, howling in the bombastic chorus. It all becomes a blurry pile. I would probably be able to pick stuff out I like if I made the effort, but over the years I seem to have developed a real dislike for these guys. All the good stuff, boiled away, leaving nothing but a metallic and unappealing taste in my mouth. Masturbatory, indeed.

Always sort of liked Neil Young and never really knew why and this listen, more than ever, confirms I'm in fact actually a bit indifferent to his brand of whimsy country folk. There are highs (Heart, Old Man, Needle) and lows (A Man Needs a Maid) but I never really felt super engaged with the music. And someone said he sounds like Kermit which sort of ruined it a bit for me.

I've never heard the sound of a radio being tuned used as a solo before so that must deserve a point. These are 50/60s rockabilly riffs with a load of fuzz, vocals drenched in reverb singing about vampires and werewolves. The drums sound purposely primitive. At first I thought I thought it must have sounded ahead of it's time - then I realised it was released in the 80s. So The Cramps knew they were being retrospective in their sound and I do love a band with a vision. It's a vibe and they know it. These guys always remind me of the rockabilly theme nights ('Stay Sick!') at bars when I lived in Brighton. So for the fond memories, it's getting a 3.5.

Big gay party. Its shiny and slick and over produced and more than a bit fabulous. It dips off around halfway before picking up for the last couple of tracks. If this was a list of the best glam-pop albums then it would probably get a 5 but for me it sits around a 3.

A 90's British time capsule. It's a bit up and down, with some strong grooves and classics mixed with a few less exciting tracks. Likely these fresh beats were influential to later club music. Back to Life undoubtedly was. These days I'm more likely to listen to this whilst cleaning the kitchen, rather than in the nightclub.

Haven't I already had this album? Eh, not for me.

Cowboys.

Not as good as The Best of Bob Dylan.

I like that the keywords include "Merry" and "Festive" and "Fun". But also "Hate" and "Murderer". Ho ho ho.

The good: slick production, vocals are a little sad, the cover is nice, easy to listen to. The bad: a bit formulaic, a bit samey, a bit boring. Most positive reviews seem to be from those who have youthful nostalgia for the record. I feel bad if this was the best the kids of 2017 have.

It's a good album, that's well documented, I'll give it it's 5 stars, that's not really up for debate. I'm not going to sit through it again though; I had my Led Zep phase back in college, that was enough for me.

One of my childhood bands - although like Nirvana I really struggle going back to these albums. Not Dino Jr's best work but it obviously has the mighty Freak Scene.

This is what I was hoping for from this app; discovering new albums from bands I had never heard of, for better or worse. So much to unpack, even from the first three tracks. We open with a 70's hard rock song which is no doubt on a OST somewhere for a film called High School Daze or something. This is followed up with a cover of Sonny & Cher's I Got You Babe, which lures you in to a false sense of complacency, before we get the bizarre Back to Africa - I couldn't quite believe my ears. Spotify even seems to be leaving out certain lines from the lyrics transcript. I'm not sure there is any real malice, the boys in the band are just morons. This is swiftly followed by the clumsily titled and clumsily tracklisted Master Race Rock - I understand this isn't a white power anthem but good god this a dumb name for a song. I was quite relieved that after this the album calms down somewhat and gets a bit more boring. Don't get me wrong, there were still moments my ears pricked up (like when he claimed to have the former first lady of the USA in his pants). I can't deny it kept me entertained (which is more than some of these albums have) which makes scoring it really difficult. Is it an important album? No. Is it stupid and fun album? Yes. It's fun to be fun.

Sad, drunk circus clown, down an alley, learns to play music, goes on tour singing songs about lost love and booze. His hat is flat from being stamped on. Is this all an act from Tom? I've no idea.

I'm not a "Pink Floyd Fan" but this is definitely worthy of all the praise. There is no argument. If you are here giving an album like this a 1 then you, sir, are simply wrong. Just a phenomenal music experience ~∆~

Great, rich voice. I enjoyed it for the most part, but no real surprises in the arrangements or song choices.

Better than I was expecting; I was ready to tear this album to shreds. Cales voice is noticeably weak at times and didn't have the range to carry some of the ideas. But he had ideas, at least. It's a 2.5 from me.

Groovy, sexy, playful, wildly creative. This would have thrilled and scared in equal proportions back in the 60's. Absolute classic and fully deserves to be on any "best albums ever" list. 5 Favourite track - Castles Made of Sand

Far more enjoyable than I was expecting - when I saw Mr Young pop up again on a rainy Thursday morning I did initially think "Oh God, no, please" but the first few tracks were nice and varied, warm and even playful at moments. The honking guitar tones were a nice touch. Its a relatively short album. Nothing life changing and you generally know what to expect from a Neil Young records. I'm feeling generous this morning so it gets a 3. On another day it may have been a two.

I'm not reggae fan and, looking at the other reviews, I'm not alone. Looks like there is a lot of us in that camp, eh? We say things like "I know it's the great Bob Marley, but..." and "it's a little bit boring and repetitive". That's me. I say that. Maybe reggae is for people who have chill. I have no chill.

I WOULD SHIV-EEEER.... *deep breath* ... the whole... niiiiight throoooouuuugh...

Bleak, chilly soundscapes - one track was dangerously close to Coldplay. Fine whilst I was running the vacuum cleaner around.

Just not a good day for rap or hip-hop. 2.5

It works. It does exactly what it sets out to do. But I was never keen on Artic Monkeys and Alex Turner sounds like he is singing with a mouthful of cold spit.

The album cover says it all; bunch of pale folk in a cold field in Ireland singing about California sunshine.

I kinda liked how casual and laid-back his delivery is on these songs. Like a guy just hit record and Jack just rambled whatever came naturally. Didn't expect to score this high but here we are.

When I die there will be a media frenzy about how a man listened to so much Joy Division and The Cure records and yet led a happy life without committing suicide or mass murder. I'm knocking half a point off because this is relentlessly bleak. 4.5

Return of the farty bass tones.

I liked: Gimme Shelter, Let it Bleed, Monkey Man, You Cant Always Get What You Want. The rest can go in the bin.

As a British person, this sort of music makes me want to run down to the nearest Harvester and have a bang-average (but it's cheap!) meal with the family. No idea why. And I'm sure it's not what the Isley Bros intended.

If there was a fight between the two bands, the Isley Bros would smack the cardigans off of these two twerps.

Welcome to Jazz Club. However, I never feel smart enough for Jazz. Like going to a museum and even though you enjoyed the visit, you spent a lot of time looking at the other visitors and thinking "Are they understanding this better than me?" Still, this doo-be-dooed, rat-a-tat-tatted and plinkity-plonked with the best of them.

Surprisingly better than I was expecting. Bit on the long side, could have done with cutting out a few tracks

So much to enjoy. So much to hate. It's all over the place. And that's kind of a good thing? A ton of work must have gone in to combining all the sounds and styles on this album. It pulls your attention all over the place. Over indulgent? Probably. It's ruined by some of the words and language used, which is a shame. Can I get a version without the profanity and N-words? I liked it when Snoop Dogg popped up like he had just walked through the room. I can understand why rap and hip-hop fans consider this an important album, can't be many other like it in this genre. I can't give yet another 3/5 can I?

I was so busy moshing I accidentally tried on the cat. They definitely have the riffs - and whilst it isn't my favourite metal album (or metal sub-genre) it's good to see some of the heavy stuff represented on this list.

Awful, awful album art. Opening track surprised me with it's groovy bass, energetic drums and eastern instrumentation. The vocals, however, sounded exactly as expected - that sort of gruff, grunge-lite 90s male vocal. Second track likewise was bouncy and unexpectedly upbeat, dragged down only by the interesting vocals. And this is how the album continued; a pleasant suprise and to be honest, even the vocal style grew on me. Amazing album? Not really, but still actually quite a good one.

It gets a 4 out of me and I still don't want to listen to it. That's the magic of Oasis.

Strong 5. I can't express how much I enjoyed this.

There is a clear distinction between the stronger and weaker tracks on this one. At its best, it's distilled 60s psychedelia with urgent, anxious and joyful guitar licks. At its worst it's wobbly, lightheaded tedium. Fortunately there is more good times than bad comedowns. It probably sits somewhere around a 3 personally, but I'll bump it to 4 for it's cultural significance.

So close to a 5 but... no, I just can't do it. It's a strong 4.

Where is the disco? Not what I was expecting. And after seeing the hate directed at the boys in the band I'm going to cut them some slack. I can't see that the Gee'zers have ever done anything particularly bad (no Eric Clapton racist rants or rapes) outside of crimes to fashion. There's creativity and musicianship on show and some of the vocal harmonies were great (although the bleating vocal style I found a bit unpleasant). It's still only getting a 2 from me, but its 2 more than I thought I would award when they popped up.

I actually really like More Than a Feeling. After that song it's cheesy forgettable radio rock.

I like this album and I like Beck, but this isn't my favourite album. I like it's sad and mournful feeling up to a point, but then I wanted it to pick up or approach these feelings in a different way, which never really happened. A good album though.

Background music

Seems to gain a lot of traction due to the singers perona and legacy - raspy, edgy, arty vocals and simple cold synth lines - hell, on paper this is my sort of record - but on this occasion it did nothing for me. Almost nothing. As cool as the voice may be, it delivers nothing lyrically. Musically basic and uninteresting. And that Working Class Hero cover was completely vapid. 2

How's this for a slice of fried gold?

Great! But could have done with a few less tracks.

It's the future. I've tasted it.

When the song starts, you have already arrived at the musical location; as interesting as it is, it doesn't progress. Much. But on this framework words are hung and delivered with an almost Kate Bush eccentricity. I enjoyed my ride, even if the bus barely moved out of the terminal.

Nice voice but this album is not for me

Every time I think LCD Soundsystem are growing on me something happens to reset my brain and I'm back to being mildly disinterested. I noticed a number of the high scoring reviews have a large dollop of nostalgia driving their love of this record. I don't have this. Perfectly fine, repetitive tunes for doing the housework to, but I tapped out on the song All My Friends - it felt as if every element of this track was backing me in to a corner and screaming at me. Horrible stuff.

I do not like this

Some B&S songs, I like. Some bit so much. I prefer Dear Catastrophe Waitress. Can be a little samey to the point of tedium.

Rather standard 2000's rock and pop but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I remember this coming out and briefly enjoying the singles they released. It's nothing special - comparisons to that grunge bands from the early 90s are pretty lazy and baseless. Another one of those 'do you actually need to hear this before you die?' records - but that is arguably half this list.

Wasn't feeling funky this morning.

I like Blur and whilst this album has the basic early blur hallmarks (cheeky cockney chappies singing about Bacardi Breezers and Steak & Kidney pie, possibly) it doesn't really have the memorable hooks to make any of these songs stick in the mind. It's no The Great Escape or even my favourite, the self titled 5th album. Not really worthy to be on this list.

Far less stupid than the last BB album I was given on here, Licensed to Ill (still a little stupidity sprinkled in though), and far more interesting to listen to in terms of beats. Sabotage is absolute gold. Could have done with a little less fluff.

Music: Funky. Creative. Good Vocals & lyrics: "K-i-s-s-i-n-g / Chicka chicka dee do me like a banshee / Low brow is how / / Swimming in the sound of bow wow wow / Oh baby do me now / Do me here I do allow".

After the obviously classic opener, it all becomes a little uninteresting. The album is front-loaded with the better melodies then sort of slips off a cliff. 2.5

This certainly is thrash metal.

Punk and poetry are meant to convey a message, right? Communicate some sort of meaning? Or is expressing abstract emotion and feeling? No idea. And I've no idea what Patti is rattling on about. But she does it passionately and wildly and the music builds up and crashes repeatedly. Often rousing, rarely uninteresting. Definitely a unique album and worthy of a place on this list. Did I personally love it? Maybe not. But it's good. I expected more songs about Horses.

Hearing Lou go for those high notes in "The Bed" are really quite something. 2.5

This is not for me. This is also not a great album

Everyone is basically agreeing about the vibe and then slapping different scores on it. I am no different. 3

I am never in any particular rush to go back to any Led Zep album; I imagine like a lot of teenagers, I devoured their catalogue of records when I first discovered them. They had a mythical aura surrounding them - like a relic, hidden in a overgrown tomb deep, within a rainforest. Well, that mythos has long since evaporated for me. However there's no denying what a far-out, stonking great rock and roll record this is. I'll hold off giving it a 5, but I can understand why you would. It Is too long though.

Much like the first Bee Gees album that popped up on here, I was surprised to hear the boys do more than disco. Obviously less of a suprise this time. And obviously I still didn't actually enjoy it that much. If I keep saying obviously will it appear on the keywords? Obviously obviously obviously.

First time I haven't seen the word 'boring' in the keywords from reviews. Groovy, soulful, deep and with real cinematic flair. The vocals are so smooth and the instrumentation is constantly engaging and interesting. Love the percussion on Pusherman and the orchestral layers draped over the record. Short, punchy, great.

I always try to think of something positive, so ... um, let me think...they referenced Kurt Cobain twice... and I quite like Nirvana.

Far from their best work but still an enjoyable record. 3.5

Not a new album to me, I've listened to The Modern Lovers a few times over the years. Always enjoyed their proto-punk, proto-slacker rock. There is a lazy, swagger to the delivery that I really enjoy. And seeing some of the aggressively low scores and reviews makes me like it just that little bit more. Best line: "I go to bakeries all day long/ Theres a lack of sweetness in my life." 4

Ah I was this close to giving it full marks - it's so much fun and that bass guitar bouncing all over the place is so infectious. Trouble is, I just don't particularly enjoy ska music. Crazy, right? 4.5

This record pushed me to the floor and spat in my eye. 4

Of course I know this band, but it's the first time listening to an album in it's entirety. I can confirm all their songs sound the same but they seem to take pride in this fact. The production is great, the guitar tones are indeed rocking - if you want sweaty, 80s hard rock then you'll love this. I don't particularly want sweaty, 80s hard rock though and couldn't get past the screeching, unpleasant vocals. Another record that deserves 5 if you're scoring it based on the bands intentions with the album - and with 37 million monthly listeners on Spotify clearly people love it. But I'm scoring on personal taste though and its getting a light 3.

On paper, I should probably love this; I like a lot of Riot Grrl era bands and artists and have always enjoyed female-fronted punk and indie bands (although my favourite era for these groups is the 70s and 80s). This record however I didn't particularly enjoy. The vocals (particularly the backing/supporting vocals) started irrating me and the music was pretty basic and uncreative for large parts. Reminded me of Beat Happening. like bratty, snotty bands with attitude but this one just did not land at all. Baffled by it's inclusion on the list. Edit: just looked at the critical reception of when this was released and clearly I'm in the minority here.

I've stopped thinking of this project as "Albums to hear before I die" and more "Here are some random albums; do you personally like them?". It makes it so much easier to score. This is weirdly fresh in a way that only 90s house and electronica can achieve. Nothing life changing, but it sure makes doing the housework on a sunny Saturday afternoon more enjoyable. 3

At times I could have given this a 5, at other times a lowly 1. It Is creative. It Is infectious. And it certainly is a 'time capsule' of the late 90s. But it's also repetitive, sometimes grating and designed solely for late night dancing, not for a wet Friday morning on the way to work. Big, Obnoxious Brighton Beats. I found it interesting that upon release in North America, they changed the cover to avoid any issues around fat-shaming and links between obesity and tobacco. I suppose if it had been a gun he was holding it would have been fine.

So they weren't commercially successful in their day and they are largely forgetton about now? As far as 60's psychedelic rock goes this is pretty standard and I'm not overly surprised.

Da Crapo.

What a voice this Mercury guy has! I bet he has the pick of all the ladies.

Stunning voice, of course. But I'm not sure this music was even designed to be marathoned across 3+hours so it seemed a bit of a challenge to get through.

The best thing about Badly Drawn Boy - and I remember thinking this back in the early 2000's too - is that he literally looks like some bloke on the high street, maybe sitting in a bus stop smoking a roll-up cigarette in the rain, wearing scruffy Adidas sambas, a soggy knitted beanie hat on his hat, plastic carrier bag from Iceland at his feet. Pretty inoffensive folk-pop. The music and vocals are warm and pleasant. It's good, very good at times. But not groundbreaking or life-changing. The most 2.5 album imaginable.

You know what they call pop music in France? Le Pop with cheese.

Polly did a cracker.

Snarling, iconic, culture defining, raw. And the songs are really good! Weird trend in the comments for refering to the band as a 'manufactured boy band' - these were Rotten, Jones and Matlock songs. The record was just marketed by an evil genius, which only adds to it's legacy. And poor, stupid Sid. He never stood a chance.

Feels like listening to a collection of experimental b-sides. Some just okay, others absolute rubbish. 'Punk' feels like it was farted out in 15 minutes. Even 'Clint Eastwood' is a keyboard preset. Was hoping more from my first listen to a full Gorillaz album.

Strong songwriting and a really bold, confident aesthetic. 5

Really enjoy old school hip hop. The rhymes sometimes sound a bit silly but it never stops being fun. The beats and creativity feels fresh. Lost a little momentum near the end but it's a short enough album not to be an issue. 4

Hey I like Cheap Trick and I'm sure these were fun shows to be at, but I'm not sure the energy translates well on this record. For every banger they have two mid-songs and I didn't enjoy this album half as much as I thought I would going in to it. I want you to want me and Surrender are great but... did I actually enjoy the studio versions more? Hmm. It's scraping a 2.5

If I was feeling generous, I would say the music is serviceable and it was nice to hear some sax thrown in to the compositions. But those vocals and lyrics are awful. Sorry, but I have not heard anyone mention The Zutons since the mid-2000s; why have so many great albums been omitted from your list for this?

This first song starts simple enough. Sounds sad. Goes a bit awry in places. Was the solo, that Rob performs with his mouth during the second song, a placeholder before he had recorded the guitar and then just forgot to add? Still, pretty song. Feels like I'm lying on my back just below the waters surface. Song 3 sounds like a Thom Yorke song. Seriously. I'm not joking. its great. I'm starting to ask is Rob okay? There's something sad about these first songs, paired with a sparse disappearing album cover. The fourth song sounds like Rob is breathing in to a paper bag and rambling nonsense. I can't forsake you or forsqueek you. Indeed. Saxophone is the perfect instrument to portray a certain madness. Wait this is the same title as that other song? I keep thinking about Syd Barrett. Are we ascending towards some sort of conclusion? Wait who the hell is this hungry guy? Where has he suddenly appeared from? You'll hate this. I love it.

Beautiful and creative, not my favourite Nick Drake album (I expect to see Pink Moon on this list somewhere) but a glorious record nonetheless. 4.5

The fact that this record continues to shock and upset the reviewers of this site almost thirty years after it's release proves Eminem (and his alt-ego Slim Shady) achieved what they set out to do. And now, in an era of cancel culture - and whilst a convicted felon and known sexual abuser actually sits in the White House Presidential office - Em manages to lean in to the past controversy and confront it. It's a sort of bizarre genius. And although it wasn't until the next record where Em asks "and you blame it on Marilyn - but where were the parents at?" he is already asking the questions; are you going to hold pop music to blame for the behaviours in society or is there perhaps a hypocrisy in that? In the opening hit track, Em confesses "99% of my life I was lied to - I just found out my mom does more drugs than I do". He is a product of his upbringing, not the music he listens to. Its no mistake that this record is puerile, violent and misogynistic - it's purposefully designed to outrage the mainstream. And it's easy to say "it's dated" (it is) because of the lyrical content but I will remind you it was already all of these things back in 1999. We didn't hear this in the 90's and think it was high-art. It was passed around the classroom like a nudie magazine. Snotty, bratty childish - both the listeners and the album. But if you ask me 'Is this a good record?' well... Its a bit like a super aggressive cartoon. It's entertaining and naughty fun but doesn't offer any real musical sustainance. It's contribution to modern pop culture, whether deemed as good or bad, is where it's value lies.

The songwriting is on point. But I'm not as passionate about 70's American blues-rock as you guys so I'm giving a generous 3.

First track feels like it was written for adverts. I generally quite like Beck's music but this opener did make me feel like buying a Toyota or something. From there the album just sort of drifts past - nothing offended me, nothing really excited me. Not his strongest album. 2.5

I loved the opening track but after that it felt one long, twiddly prog song. But I think that's the point. Disappointed to see not many reviews just saying 'No'. Thought the jokers would love that.

34 minutes of Amy's beautiful soulful voice.

This is what I wished all discos sound like. It's softer round the edges and lacks some of the hooks of Joy Division but has its own identity. It's gloomy, moody but with an odd skip in it's step - a bit like The Cure. Whilst it didn't really have any stand-out songs the album as a whole works really well. Except 'Sub-culture' which sounds clumsy and amateur.

Things I learned today: I can sometimes enjoy Afrobeat. The term 'World Music' is now widely considered dated and racist. This guy married 27 women in one day. I was also going to throw in a joke about "my horn section" but I decided against it.