1001 Albums Summary

Southing jungle production meets sade 7/10

Z fav song: The Dangling Concersation H fav song: The 59th Street Bridge Song Z: harmony driven sound scapes with introspective lyricism. 7/10 H: A vary harmonious album very indicative of the 60’s. 4/10

H: bro this shit sucks. I wish I would’ve DMFd. 0/10 H fav song: N/A Z: this album feels like a link between past and present. Familiar yet new and forward thinking. No major individual standouts but as a whole it flows well. Thom’s voice seemed to improve as the project went on— I wasn’t a fan of the start. 6.5/10 Z fav song: There, There

H: you can tell immediately that this album is from the 90’s, solid story telling and overall good driving beat. 8/10 H fav song: Eye Know (this was a hard choice for me, a lot of good songs on this album) Z: such a fun hip hop album. The sampling must’ve been groundbreaking at the time— the song choices flowed perfectly with the upbeat, positive direction of the album (I recognized Hall and Oates and Steely Dan, among others). Mix that with eclectic lyrics and textbook storytelling of late 80s-90s hip hop, undeniable chemistry/flow between members of the group, and fun interludes (with the exception of ‘De La Orgee’) and you get a classic like this one. 8/10 Z fav song: Eye Know

H: Otis Redding took covers of some of the most popular songs of his time and made them his own. I love that he made them all sound like his originals, the use of horns brings a cohesive sound to the album. 8/10 H fav song: My Girl Z: the main attraction here is Otis’s voice. He has the ability to transform any song, no matter the genre, into his own. The album is mostly covers, however like Hailey said it felt like a cohesive Otis Redding album with the use of horns and how unique and expressive his voice is. The instrumentation left some to be desired, but overall this is soul at its best. 7.5/10 Z fav song: Wonderful World

H: an ok album, very mid. There are sounds ranging from rock to country. Not very cohesive. 5/10 H fav song: You Can’t Always Get What You Want Z: this gave me a much broader understanding of the Stones’s sound. Certainly a wider variety than I thought previously— blues, country, folk, and rock all rounded out the album. Mick Jagger’s voice doesn’t fit throughout the album as much as it does on the “classic” Stones sound I know. Lacks cohesion. 6.5/10 Z fav song: You Can’t Always Get What You Want

H: school themes weaved throughout a mid album. The only reason this one is on here is because Schools out is a classic. 5/10 H fav: Schools out Z: conceptually simple yet nostalgic. Not knowing anything about this album as a whole, I wonder if it was created as a soundtrack or for a play? It sounded cohesive and made for a stage. Not a fan of Cooper’s voice— in between rock and punk in a whiny, irksome manner. 5.5/10 Z fav: Schools out

H: solid album just not something I’d seek out. The solos during the songs were crazy 7/10 H fav: thank you Z: raw, unfiltered Zep. Leaves a bit of polish/production to be desired compared to their later works, but this one certainly holds its own. Plant’s vocals shine throughout and they hold space for Bonham and Page solos. You can tell they took influence from many genres— a melting pot of ideas that are in their early stages. 8/10 Z fav: Ramble On (so tough to pick a fave)

H: all the songs sounded the same, not my cup of tea 2/10 H fav song: Colony Z: maybe that post-punk sound just isn’t for me. Lyricism seems deep and rich, but as a total package it didn’t hold my attention well. Not a huge fan of the lead singer’s tone— maybe that’s why? 5/10 Z fav song: Isolation

H: 7.5/10 the album had a continuous sound that made you feel like you’re sitting with Ice Cube in a free style session. H fav song: Rolling wit the Lynch Mob or Amerikkkas most wanted Z: Hailey took my words! Production was tight and consistent throughout the project, weaving the themes within Cube’s storytelling like a mature spider. A true timepiece of the 90s, you can feel the influence he ushered in for the remainder of the decade. 7.5/10 Z fav song: A Gangsta’s Fairytale

H: I don’t typically like live albums as the music sometimes loses the quality. This album lost no quality and had amazing energy throughout the performance. Only downside the crowd was a little over the top sometimes. 7/10 H fav song: I’ll go crazy Z: effortlessly balances between infectious energy and soulful ballads. The instrumental bridges helped tie this live album into a cohesive gift. Hearing the crowd engagement was also so cool— it felt like I was in the room with them. The recording is also incredible, especially given the fact that this was in 1962! James Brown baby. Like a sniff of cocaine. 8/10 Z favorite song: I Don’t Mind

H: I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would. The energy was incredible and you felt like you were at the show. A lot of the songs sounded the same making it cohesive but slightly repetitive. Overall cool but would not put into my daily rotation. 6/10 H fav song: Ace of Spades Z: This is my first exposure to Motörhead with the exception of “Ace of Spades” (thank you Guitar Hero). I can only imagine the energy in the room at one of their shows; the live album does not let up for a second. They brake for no one. By the end, their sound was a bit repetitive (raspy and guttural vocals, uptempo drums, driven electric guitar riffs) but I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. A really solid live album. 7/10 Z fav song: Ace of Spades

H fav song: Suffagette City H: the album was nice, it had good story telling and had a cohesive overarching sound that changed and flowed throughout the album. 6/10 Z: Surprisingly the first time I’ve listened to this album front to back, having “played” Ziggy Stardust on guitar hero a million times before. This is a production, a play, a vision only David Bowie could put together. Starts off a bit slow but picks up tremendously in the middle section of the album. Such a fun listen. 8/10 Z fav song: Suffragette City

H: this album had good story telling, long beautiful instrumentals and an overall calmness to it. You can tell how this album shaped folk music from the tone and almost raspiness quality of his voice. This was the perfect thing to listen to while calculating the required section modulus of piles. 8/10 H fav song: Vampire Blues Z: I have a completely different perspective on Neil Young after this album. Damn near perfect in every way— the instrumentation, the storytelling and lyricism, thematically. From the handful of songs I’ve heard from him I was expecting a somewhat repetitive and boring mix of folk and country, but what I got instead was a harrowing yet inspiring look into an artist at a crossroads in life, an artist battling with fame and the depression that too often comes with it. Just a beautiful, touching album. 9/10 Z fav song: Revolution Blues (so tough to choose)

H: the harmonies were beautiful, warm and inviting. This album isn’t anything special but you can see how it shaped several different genres. It was ok but I wouldn’t listen again. 6/10 H fav song: Woodstock Z: Simon & Garfunkel on a tab of acid and a sprinkle of sage. I can draw a direct line between the two— harmony driven vocals, 60s/early 70s inspired soundscape (in this case with a bit of steel guitar twang and psychedelia). Unfortunately that harmony is the double edged sword that makes this enjoyable, but a bit repetitive. 6.5/10 Z fav song: Our House

H: no song needs to be 10 mins. 2/10 H fav song: Stop Z: what started as a punk/post punk party quickly transitioned into a drawn out progressive punk experience that was loud and repetitive. I can see the influence of the lead singer to the hard core punk bands (turnstile), and the strings on Of Course was a unique touch but otherwise you won’t find me listening to this again. 4.5/10 Z fav song: Stop

H: This album surprised me. I feel like it was pretty up and down for me if I thought it was just fine or good. The first song I really liked which set high expectations for the rest of the album which kinda fell flat for me. Overall an ok album. 6/10 H fav song: Precious Z: I felt the influence this album carries from the first note. Bands like Amyl and the Sniffers surely derived from the strong female vocals and high energy that was on display in “Pretenders”. Groovy, upbeat, and new wave. 7.5/10 Z fav song: Brass in Pocket

H: I was excited about this one as I knew some Suzanne Vega songs going into this album. To me this was a little bit of a let down. The songs seemed more spoken word than singing. Overall a little underwhelming. 5/10 H: Straight Lines Z: pretty voice, but very matter of fact lyricism and delivery. Bit of a lull at times but enjoyable to listen to. It’s easy to feel the importance of her songwriting though! 5.5/10 Z fav song: Marlene on the Wall

H: the album started off strong with Auqalung and then kinda took a lull but finished strong with several bangers towards the end. The flute throughout the album really helped bring it together, there is something about the flute that makes this album interesting to listen to. 6.5/10 H fav song: Locomotive Breath Z: the perfect album to accompany a quest against evil. A definitive example of “sum is greater than its parts”— not many standout singles aside from Aqualung and Locomotive Breath, however the total package is more than I expected. Flute solos, mystical senses, piano intros. A near perfect album. 9.5/10 Z fav song: Locomotive Breath

H: this is how you do long songs well. The songs were progressive and interesting to listen to. Right off the bat this album started off strong and was a joy to listen to until the end. 8/10 H fav song: tonite Z: this album feels trapped right between nostalgic and present. The lead singer’s vocals (very Bono-esque) layer nicely on the driving synthesizer and drum work. The energy tails off a bit 2/3 into the album, but it was still enough to keep me engaged. 7/10 Z fav song: how do you sleep?

H: sometimes these albums just sound like noise. This was one of them. I found myself tuning this album out a lot. No redeeming qualities to be had for this one. 3/10 H fav song: Slide Away Z: whatever star power Oasis managed to generate in their career was not from this album. Loud, repetitive guitar riffs for 2+ minutes. I zoned out for about half of it. 4/10 Z fav song: Married With Children

H: I don’t know if I would hear this at the Renaissance Fair or around a campfire. NO SONG NEEDS TO BE 10 MINS. 0/10 H fav song: N/A Z: Bring out the Sitar and panpipes loser we’re going on a mystical quest. The ISB delivered one of if not the most 60’s sound albums in history. The equivalent of taking two tabs of acid and looking for the cat you lost while you were a child in the rolling hills of Mother Earth. 3/10 Z fav song: The Minotaurs Song

H: this was the definition of mid. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t good either. There wasn’t anything to get excited about or want to listen to ever again. 4/10 H fav song: A Certain Romance Z: I’m thinking this early 2000s alternative rock genre just isn’t for me. Nothing quite special about this one— fuzzy vocals and loud noises. 6/10 Z fav song: Mardy Bum

H: this Halloween-esque album surprised me. It’s spooky and dark and the vocals fit the music perfectly. Most of the songs were pretty long, but in the end I didn’t mind it. 6.5/10 H fav song: Mother Russia Z: moody and spooky vibes defined this late 80’s album. I enjoyed the drums which had banging trash can sounding energy reminiscent of that late 80’s music sound. For fans: overcast weather, rebelling against parents and leather pants. 6.7/10 Z fav song: This Corrosion

H: this album felt disjointed to me. The first four brought feelings of battle while the last 2/3 felt somber and the final song brought triumph. I wasn’t sure if I liked it through the whole thing. 5/10 H fav song: Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots Pt 1 Z: I wasn’t sure what to expect my first time listening to the Flaming Lips and to be honest I’m still not sure what to think. This felt like a concept album that didn’t click for me. It almost felt experimental for the sake of being experimental, but I’ll have to listen to more of their discography to be sure. 6.2/10 For fans of: acid, science fiction, acid Z fav song: It’s Summertime

H: this album took inspiration from a lot of different genres and artists. This is easily the best album we’ve listened to this far. The production and mixing of the album was incredible. 9/10 H fav song: doesn’t matter Z: banger album filled with sexy production and great vocals. Timeless grooves. 8.2/10 For fans of: Justin Timberlake, clubbing in the 80’s, taking your shirt off Z fav song: Damn (what must a woman do)

H: maybe I just don’t care of this style of rock but I don’t know why this album is in here. All the songs sound the same and it’s kinda boring. 2/10 H fav song: N/A Z: Bono’s energy is the standout here. A passionate take on war and its impact 7.4/10 Z fav song: New Years Day Z for fans of: the peace core and Bloody Sundays

H: top to bottom this is a good album. As not a huge fan of rap this album had me interested to listen to each song. There are a lot of samples that have been pulled from this album that were fun to pick out and I can see how this album is so influential. 8/10 H fav song: One more chance Z: one of the greatest rap albums ever, one of the best to ever do it. BIG’s storytelling effortlessly places the listener right in his world, and the production/sampling is unmatched. 0 skip album. The 2 sexual interludes are the only notches (at least I was listening with my fiancée and not my parents) 9.3/10 Z fav song: Juicy Z for fans of: doing hood rat shit with your friends, robbery, womanizing, hope

Z: it’s a fun listen, it’s easy to see how David Byrne has carved his own path as a front man. 7.2/10 Z fav song: Psycho killer Z for fans of: quirkiness and fun and David Byrne H: I def fell asleep during this one. Nothing special it’s just rock 5/10 H fav song: Psycho killer

H: the energy had me in the first half and lost me in the second. Not every song needs an excessive guitar solo. 6/10 H fav song: Panama Z: some sick guitar riffs in here, but VH just doesn’t do it for me. I clump them in the same camp as KISS, Def Leppard, etc. Music to hype up 56 year old divorcees with leather skin. Jump has got to be a top 50 song intro of all time though. 6.3/10 Z for fans of: knocking down your divorced dad’s door, cocaine, the 80s Z fav song: Jump