1001 Albums Summary

A collection of broken love songs with a soulful backbone and crisp vocals. Upbeat tempos collide with the dark lyrics of each arrangement. Great for playing in the background while you work on other projects.

It’s impossible to not bob your head along with the beats while listening to this album. The playful sound effects, sporadic samples of old school music, and witty lyrics keep a smile on your face during every song. Track after track is a “who’s who in the Brooklyn zoo” with a revolving door of MCs throwing haymakers at anyone looking to step-up. A common theme of staying ghetto fabulous and protecting the crew run rampant across this album. Wu-Tang is for the children!

Let’s get the good qualities of this album out of the way first. Much respect to a band that actually plays instruments and can give you a real Rock & Roll sound. It’s refreshing to listen to music being “made” and not just synthesized, as a lot of music is presented today. Despite being almost 60 years old, the rock sound still comes through strong and true and I can see how this band/album may have influenced others that followed it. So I’ll recognize that there is talent hiding within this band. Now that I’ve said that, the album is like an open mic night in a beatnik neighborhood. Most tracks are just Lou Reed talking at you with music playing in the background more than any real singing happening. Not my cup of tea for sure. It was worth a listen, but it’s a one-and-done for me.

It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what it is about Paul Simon that I like. His vocals are never going to blow you away but the complex arrangements of his songs, his use of a myriad of instruments on every track, and lyrics that make you think all continue to draw me in to his music. Paul Simon is not my go-to artist, but I enjoyed the lively tempo of this album and am glad I listened to it in its entirety. Solid musician all around.

Love this big Rock & Roll sound! Giant guitar riffs and drums all over the place. Every song is a banger and listening to this album from start to finish was delightful.

These guys remind me (a lot) of a highschool garage band. At times the musicians seemed out of sync with one another (which I have no doubt was by design) and every song sounded the same as the last one. A few of the songs contained sections which appeared as though the song was going to turn into a jam session but it always ran too long and I found myself wishing it was over. I’d be okay if I never listened to this album again. In fact, I’d prefer it.

The first big album from U2 that truly made them mainstream. “Sunday, Bloody Sunday” and “New Year’s Day” are just two of the iconic songs from this collection that you are forced to sing along with. Catchy beats and Bono’s unique singing make this one a pleasure to listen to. Not quite the perfect album in my opinion to receive a “5” rating, but this is no slouch either. I hadn’t listened to it in a while and I’m glad this one made the rounds to be reviewed.

Classic 70’s sound on this album with the unique voice and guitar stylings of Peter Frampton guiding every song. This album carries more energy than expected having been recorded as a live album with the crowd cheering and shouting throughout. Great listen and a solid compilation from this decade.

I had never heard of The Electric Prunes before listening to this album and I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe it’s because my expectations were that The Prunes were bound to produce sh*t but the tunes were catchy and I found myself truly listening to their songs. The more I listened I began thinking “this is what The Doors would sound like if they had never found psychedelics.” The album was very representative of the era, but I don’t see myself rolling down the highway, with my windows dropped, blasting the Electric Prunes any time soon. Overall, this album was worth a listen but that’s about it.

I tried. I seriously did. I got each song started and couldn’t hang on to a single one. If I closed my eyes and listened I would swear this was the prequel to Sheryl Crow. I’ve definitely heard worse, but this is gonna be a no for me, dawg.

I’ve never been a real fan of Steely Dan and listening to this album did nothing to improve that. I kept thinking these songs sounded like ithey were created on Christmas morning with a kids newly unwrapped 32-key Casio keyboard. If this album had been 11 tracks of Rikki Don’t Lose That Number I might have been able to give it a better score, but mediocrity begets mediocrity.

Whether you enjoy her music or not, it’s impossible to deny the talent Christina Aguilera has. The range, her vocal power, and her pure swag are simply incredible. I don’t enjoy all of her music but I have to give credit where it’s due and this girl can flat out sing.

Nein. Nein. This is a collection of music that plays during a montage from an episode of The Wonder Years. It’s dated, not interesting at all, and isn’t worth the time spent listening to it.

I don’t know much about The Verve so I was intrigued to listen to this album. Started off great with Bittersweet Symphony so I leaned-in a little harder. From that point on, the songs were good, but nothing earth-shattering. This is the type of band that if a buddy had an extra ticket to their concert, I would go and would probably have a good time, but I’d never seek them out on my own. Decent music but when it’s said and done it was an average band with one song that went viral.

Although i had heard of Emmylou Harris before, I’m certain I’ve never listened to an ounce of her music previous to this experience (so I had no idea what I was in for). Now having gone through the album, I can see why she has a legacy attached to her name. The songs reminded me of Dolly Parton with a flare of Appalachia thrown into the mix. It’s old school country music before artists started singing about their dogs, their exes, their truck, and beer. I won’t seek this album out again, but I won’t adjust the tuner if one of her songs comes on either.

After listening to this album, I imagine Elvis Costello has a very punchable face. Which is a shame because a couple of his songs were actually catchy tunes between the piano and the drums…and then his voice goes and completely ruins it all. His “singing” is more whining than anything artistic and he sounded a bit flat on every note. I can honestly say that I took absolutely nothing from this album and if someone asked me what it was about, I couldn’t even give them a relevant theme. I was done listening halfway through but I toughed it out for research purposes.

I didn’t have listening to an instrumental album on my bingo card for today, but I can’t say I minded the change. This percussion-led, big band sound was full of thundering horns and polyrhythmic beats that kept me moving throughout the album. At times while listening to the tracks, I felt like there should be a Batman (Adam West era) fight scene happening in the background with several “POW”s and “ZAM”s flying across the screen. Overall this was an enjoyable deviation from the norm.

You can shine a turd all day long, but at the end of the day it’s still just a piece of sh*t. This album is more of the same from Elvis Costello; musically interesting yet vocally insulting. If they gave out an award for saying the title of your song as many times as possible within your lyrics, the podium would be Elvis Costello and then everyone else. I’m not sure if I’m being punk’d or if I lost a bet, but being served Elvis Costello twice in one week when there are 1001 albums in this project just seems cruel.

A very unique sound that I wasn’t expecting. Several of the tracks seemed to purposefully distort the instruments while the vocals were deliberately tuned to sound as if they were singing into a tin can. This edgy style carried throughout the album. It wasn’t a bad effect, but I wasn’t really into it. Middle of the road for me; I could take it or leave it just the same.

Classic sounds of the start of rock & roll from the 50’s. Elvis’ silky, smooth voice is easily recognizable and I imagine was extremely unique at the time of this recording. Really good album and I enjoyed listening to it from start to finish.

Fire. Straight fire. Blues all up in your face from the first note of Mannish Boy. Muddy’s slow southern drawl works perfectly with the electric energy of the guitar and the bouncing harmonica on every track. This was a great return to some solid music, despite being almost 50 years old. Would listen to this again and definitely will soon.

I must be getting old because all I heard was a bunch of loud noise with routine squeals from a high-pitched, oversexed lead singer. Even the slower songs found a way to make me want to jump tracks. I’m sure someone, somewhere enjoys this style of “music” but it’s not me. …now get off my lawn!!

The punk train has returned to the station but this time it’s on the less chaotic side of the tracks. Punk rock has never been in my top 17 genres of music, but I can honestly say I didn’t mind listening to this. I wouldn’t go looking for The Stooges, but I was able to tolerate the entire album without wanting to jump off a cliff.

Very stylistic of the time period. Melodic songs that are piano led with a steady drum beat. Reminiscent of the Beatles without the drugs. Middle of the road for me but these songs would never last in today’s music scene. Time of the Season was a nice surprise at the end of the album.

I’m struggling to classify this album into a genre. It’s very electric, with an upbeat rock feel yet has some flashes of punk. I recognized a few of the tracks with the thought of “I never knew who sang this! This is MGMT?!” Although this strays from my normal playlist and there wasn’t a lot of depth to the songs, I enjoyed listening to it.

Husker Du not sound very good to me. These guys were the last minute substitution band playing the Delta Chi homecoming party when the original band’s van broke down 10 miles off campus. And 20 songs??!! WTF?? I can’t imagine their A&R guy was so in love with all of these tunes that he just had to include them all on the album. Du yourself a favor and Du not listen to this album. Simply put: It’s Du Du.

I told myself going into this project that I would be stingy and reserve the “1”s and “5”s for the worst of the worst and the best of the best. That being said, this is as close to a “5” that I’ve come so far. The music is delightful, the message is powerful, and Bob’s voice is both amazing and unique at the same time. I could listen to this album on repeat without being disappointed and therefore stamp it with a justified “5”.

Credited with being one of the bands that sent Grunge Rock to mainstream America, Nirvana blasted onto the scene in the 90’s, plastered in flannel, and turned millions of heads immediately. Their heavy drum and distorted guitar-led songs are filled with screamed lyrics of edgy topics like drugs, trauma, death, addiction and mental health issues. Most songs are organized chaos that force you to move to the beat while contrasting slow ballads fill the other spaces of the album; somehow still delivering potent messages to the audience. A great album all around that shocks your system every time you hear it.

I was very late jumping on the Metallica bandwagon. When And Justice For All dropped in the late 80’s, I was elbow deep in Classic Rock and the emerging Rap music that was sweeping the country. In short, I never saw this Heavy Metal band coming. It was the early 90’s when I finally listened to this album and I was blown away by the sound. James Hetfield was built for this band and has the perfect voice for this type of music. The guitar riffs on several tracks (specifically on the opening of Blackened) are mesmerizing and at times I think even the drum kit didn’t realize it could be played like that. (I’m looking at you One!). While most of the songs aggressively demand your attention, a few of them are less grabby and simply fill up the album. Overall this was a great listen and I look forward to giving it another go here soon.

I don’t know if I truly never came across the Happy Mondays during the 90’s (which would be why I don’t recall them at all) or if I did listen to their music and then permanently removed it from my brain. Either way, this is not my jam. I imagine this really hitting at a rave back when Special K and Molly were popular but it’s not doing much for me today. Catchy beats on a few of the tracks but I was truly just waiting for it to end.

I was familiar with the name Iggy Pop but I had never listened to any of his albums before today. The arrangements kept me interested, despite the solemn overtones, bringing in that big 70’s rock sound with flares of punk throughout. There is almost something sinister about Iggy’s voice on each song that I kind of dig. I imagine Iggy is a true to life badass with an encyclopedia-sized book of stories from being a rock star. As cool as the other side of the pillow.

There was no bullsh*t with this album. A few guys playing instruments and another singing vocals; no crazy effects or conflicting styles. Just plain old music.

A collection of rock love songs that is fitting to the time period. Simple tunes with clear vocals. I’m not adding this to the playlist anytime soon, but I have no issues with it either.

A little too “folksy” for me but this album is also very representative of the times it was recorded. I’m pretty sure one of the songs was written by Dr. Suess. And if I’m really being critical, how the hell was this album not broken into two albums??!! 28 songs! Seriously?? Overall the actual music was tolerable, but the lyrics were awful and left me with a unsupportive opinion.

I’m a fan of that greasy, in your face, guitar-driven sound the Black Keys deliver which also happens to complement the (sometimes even falsetto) voice of the lead singer very well. The simplicity of the band is great in that they don’t overload you with too many different sounds or effects. It’s a handful of instruments and some good singing. That’s all that is needed.

Civilized Punk rock with songs that aren’t very memorable. While I didn’t find this album to be horrific to listen to, it did sound like the same song with 11 extended pauses every couple of minutes. Not really for me, but if I was at a party and this was the background noise over the din of the crowd, I wouldn’t have a problem with it.

Bubble Gum Rock at its finest (despite the occasional reference to drugs and/or sex). Every song could be the background music that plays during the character development segment of a Disney TV series. Nothing majorly wrong with it, there’s just cheese oozing from my speakers after playing this album.

Soft spoken rock songs with a high-pitched, whiny component on every track . Tori Amos is undoubtedly musically talented (in both her vocal achievements as well as her piano playing) but this isn’t my style of music.

Solid (early) classic rock. Clapton is a legend and for good reason. His ability to make the guitar sing is elite and his voice is always recognizable.

The best way to describe this (in my opinion) is operetta rock. The high pitch of each song coupled with the repetitive and staccato nature of the songs brought me to believe this is more about the performance than the actual music. It’s hard to keep up with the lyrics in this style but I’m pretty confident this isn’t for me.

With a name like Surrealistic Pillow, I should have seen the sleepiness of this album coming. With the exception of Someone to Love and White Rabbit, it starts out a bit on the drab side for me. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the solid classic rock music that pops up with lively guitar, background tambourine, and bluesy harmonica on the back half of the album. Footnote: I can’t listen to Someone to Love without picturing Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy doing his karaoke rendition. So good.

This album is short and to the point. 7 songs, 30-something minutes of a sound that is distinctly CCR. Big rock that includes a variety of instruments all flavored with a taste of the deep south. Born on the Bayou, Proud Mary, and Good Golly Miss Molly are all iconic songs and classic sounds of the 60’s. Great album.

This is not what I was expecting before I listened to the album. I’m familiar with Radiohead and recognized Karma Police on the album so I was excited to dig in. The whole thing was very melancholy and I was left feeling like I’d missed something. Not a very good listen.

The language barrier is the most obvious problem I have with this album. It’s my own fault for not being able to understand it, but it limits how I can appreciate the songs and makes my criticisms one dimensional. That being said, the music was very uplifting. I found myself moving to the beat with a smile on my face on a number of the songs. The cover of Imagine threw me for a loop, for sure. Overall, it has a funky beat and I can really bug out it.

It’s rock ‘n roll with no emotion. The music is decent but there’s nothing to connect with; The remake of Mrs. Robinson might be the only exception there. A couple of the songs (like Rockin’ Stroll and My Drug Buddy) should never have been recorded. They sound like someone broke out a guitar while sitting around a campfire and this was the result. One and done for me. I’ll never listen to this album again.

Solid rock from the 70’s. There are timeless tracks on this album (Dreams, Don’t stop, Go your own way, The Chain) that will continue to be enjoyed for decades to come. All around, great listen.

Elevator music at its finest. In all seriousness, Joni has an amazing voice and the compositions are well put together. I understand that she was an icon of her time but I think you needed to be present in the 70’s to really jump on that train (and heavy usage of pot probably helped). Good album with no major criticisms to offer.

Kendrick is quite the lyricist with rhymes that make you stop and think. The speed with which he delivers his message is mesmerizing and on multiple tracks the beat continues to evolve mid-song which makes what he’s doing even more impressive. A cohesive, thoughtful album.

In the right environment I have no doubt that this album slaps (I.e. - 1am at a rave, at a house party that had the cops called on it, etc..). Sitting at the breakfast table looking at a plate of eggs is not one of those places. There are some banger tracks on this compilation that can get you hyped up in seconds, but again you need an atmosphere that is conducive to noise, movement, and small fits of chaos. Overall I enjoyed the listen.

WTF did I just listen to?? (Just about) Every song is a collection of random thoughts that don’t seem to have a single common thread or theme worth giving a crap about. And I normally dig a fine English accent but for some reason it didn’t help this album at all (Parklife was God awful and Bank Holiday might be the dumbest sh*t I’ve ever heard). This album/band should be removed from the interweb. And it looks like I made it to the end…finally.

While this is not my style of music (folk) I can see why this album was popular during the 60’s. The message in Baez’s songs is more important than the actual arrangement, but this girl can sing too. I imagine that this style of music was a change from the rock and roll blasting the air waves during the 60’s and Baez’s lyrics connected with the masses during a very tumultuous time period. Again, not really for me, but I get it and can see how her songs pushed future artists to be successful.

This album oozes with soul. The groove of the guitar, the dancing of the piano, the blasts from the horns, as well as the variety of different drum sounds are all complemented wonderfully by Curtis’ silky voice. Pick a track and it could easily have been included on the Shaft soundtrack cause it’s just that smooth. Glad to have experienced this.

Not Queen’s best album, but it definitely still kicks a**. Strong rock beats led by electric guitar and heavy drums and all the while Freddie Mercury’s range is simply ridiculous. Queen seems to have fun with all of their music and this is no exception. There is an artistic quality to their songs in addition to the entertainment each provides. Above average band and entertainers.

Jay-Z has perfected being “hood” while drive a Bentley and wearing Burberry. His rhymes leave any opp in his wake with some of the baddest beats you’ve ever heard and lyrics that are as mysterious as they are cutting-edge. Jay-Z’s songs don’t sound like any one else and he dominates the mic every time he touches it. Jay has recurring themes of starting out with nothing and making it big which I believe is what draws a large number of his audience in. Being that this album is early in his career, I personally don’t think it’s his best work, but it’s clearly full of the qualities that made him a global icon going forward.

The Monkees are without a doubt talented. The harmonizing of the vocals and the number of different instruments being played stands out on this album. The songs themselves are very dated and the lyrics are simple, but the music is good. BTW - 36 songs?? Smh.

This album is like a warm blanket and a cup of hot cocoa on a cold, snowy evening. It wraps you up, slows your heartbeat, and soothes your mind into a peaceful state. I’ll die on the hill that Norah Jones is an unbelievable vocalist. I was fortunate enough to sit 4th row at one of her shows and I’ve never in my life seen someone emit the sultry sounds she is capable of producing with such ease. She barely opens her mouth and this powerful, yet controlled sound envelopes the room. The background music is extremely soulful powered by the piano and upright bass. This isn’t quite a 5 for me, but damn it’s close.

Trash. Some interesting beats on a few tracks, but overall not worth listening to.

I’m exhausted from just listening to this album. I can only imagine what this lead singer went through while recording it. Death Metal is not something I gravitate to at all, but it was fun to give this a listen to once…once.

This entire album is very vanilla. Basic. Plain. Meh. The music itself is good, but there is little emotion (other than depression) to latch onto with the songs. This may be harsh to say, but if Courtney Love had never married Kurt Cobain, Rock & Roll wouldn’t know her and/or the band Hole.

A decent album from an above-average band. Not all of the tracks are bangers, but a handful of them really stand out from the rest. U2 consistently provides a solid rock sound and this album seems a bit more exploratory then staying true to their previous compilations. Well worth a listen.

A classic rock album. A few of the tracks are timeless and the rest of the album is easy listening. The Eagles do a wonderful job of sounding like a band versus one guy singing while everyone else plays instruments. A variety of instruments and varying vocals give the tracks depth while the descriptive lyrics help draw a mental image of whatever it is they are singing about. Excellent use of 36 mins

Musically, it sounds like a Bob Marley album (which makes perfect sense based on Tosh’s involvement with the Wailers) but the lyrics and delivery are a far cry from the passion Bob Marley exuded. The groove of this album is very strong and is a great example of what Reggae music should sound like. Overall a really good product and a great listen.

Straight Outta Compton was my introduction into the world of gangsta rap and I played my cassette tape so much and so often I wore it out. Typical white boy in the 90’s with his windows down and the volume up. Before this album I didn’t realize it was possible to publically and directly challenge the establishment. It also opened my eyes to what life was like outside of suburbia for a segment of the American society. Straight Outta Compton was extremely controversial (mostly because of the song F**k Tha Police) as it saw members of the group arrested mid-concert for performing their songs, which they saw as a direct violation of their freedom of speech rights. NWA gave the world Dr Dre and Ice Cube who went on to super-stardom in their own right but this where they got their start. I agree this is one of the 1001 must listen albums. Very nostalgic for me to listen to this album again.

The band’s name tells the entire story. I see this group’s origin story being a handful of guys who realized they were (slightly) better musicians than the other guys playing Joe’s Bar & Grill and decided to take this full time; all because it was fun to do. The music is average, the lyrics leave something to be desired, but all along it’s intentionally not that serious and leaves you with a half-grin. You’ll forget you listened to this a day later, but it was good while you were in the moment.

The second album from The Police which continued to push them towards global notoriety. Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon are the clear standout songs of this album, but the other tracks carry the same sound we have come to expect from The Police (except for maybe On Any Other Day. I’m not sure what that song is all about). Good overall album that I would enjoy listening to again.

An album from The Byrds being randomly served up on Thanksgiving may seem apropos…but it’s dismissed as a mere coincidence. I’m struggling to put this style of music in a nice, neat box as it has flavors from different genres. At one point I thought, “this sounds a lot like the Beatles without the drugs”, and then Moog Raga played and I thought, “Well there’s the drugs!” The sounds are crisp and the songs are (mostly) welcoming. I know The Byrds were wildly popular during the 60’s for other song they sang, but this album was just take it or leave it for me. Overall an easy listen, but I won’t be running back to them any time soon.

It’s good music. Sincerely. I just don’t understand the cult following. I personally think they are overrated but again I enjoy the music quite a bit. An album with strong vocals supported by great rock beats on tracks like Wonderwall, Champagne Supernova, and Don’t Look Back in Anger. The off tracks still keep your attention and it’s worthy of being a regular attendee in your musical lineup.

Their beats remind me a lot of Red Hot Chili Peppers and the lead singers whiny voice meshes well with the very pronounced bass on each track. This album seems to combine heavy metal with punk and alternative rock yet somehow the band does well with each style. There are a couple of standout songs, namely Epic and Falling to Pieces, but overall this was worth a listen. The cover of War Pigs was a nice addition.

From the opening song, all I could envision was the Lion King soundtrack. I obviously have no clue what these songs are about, but I feel like any one of these songs could be played while Pumbaa, Timon, and Simba are roaming the African plains. Mariam can clearly sing and for that I’ll give her credit. Otherwise it’s nice background music.

These rap tracks are clean and deliberate. The music is funky, soulful, and intoxicating. The backup vocals provide a medium that Common builds-on to tell his stories. I had never listened to Common before today, but I will be looking for more of his albums to explore.

This album wasn’t the only thing that was bummed when I opened today’s album selection. How did another album from The Happy Mondays make this list?? On multiple tracks the vocals don’t even seem to follow the beat of the songs and, when you are able to understand them, the lyrics are just a bunch of words thrown together. Like Inigo Montoya said, “Let me esplain…no. There is too much to esplain…lemme sum up.” Got a schizophrenic acquaintances no place to go Stuck with his dick in my window. What the actual f*ck does any of that mean?? It’s either over my head or it’s all trash. Simplest explanation is that it’s trash. 0-fer-2, Mondays.

Ok. I can see how someone could enjoy this style of music…it’s just not me. The album is full of foolish instrument effects (electric guitar slides, holding notes for way too long, etc…) and bad vocals with even worse lyrics. There was a reason I never listened to this band in the 80s and I now know what it is. Seriously, some of these songs are truly unlistenable. I don’t know if that is even a word, but it should be to help describe today’s task. Don’t believe me?? Try to stomach Orange Rolls, Angel’s Spit. The lead singer screamed at me more than my wife does. This music is no good.

Know how I know you’re gay?? Ok. Bad joke. Truth be told, I’ve always enjoyed Coldplay’s music (even despite the stereotype). This debut album from the band is more somber in nature and is not a collection of their more popular songs (with the exception of Yellow which was wildly famous),but the music is good, the vocals hit, and the arrangement is well put together IMO. A talented group of musicians who deserve the recognition they received after rolling out this album to the world.

I was never a big fan of The Smiths (or of Morrissey for that matter) in the 80’s when they were surging and that hasn’t changed during the past 40 years. The music is ok but Morrissey’s unexcited intonation is bland at best and annoying at worst. I’m not gonna knock them too much as it’s not “bad” music, this different style and I just don’t vibe well together.

Giving credit to where credit is due, from my understanding of how Red Snapper operates, the synthesized sound they create on their tracks is purely instrumental and is not computerized. That being said, I would have no issue listening to this while at the gym or out for a run, but I’m never going to seek out when and where their next gig is. It’s fine as background music (except for maybe The Rough and the Quick) but that’s about it.

The rock music is good and the bravado of the lead singer fits in nicely. I don’t see anything overly special about this album that would make it a must-listen but it’s not bad either.

Heavy rock songs with catchy lyrics and riffs. My biggest complaint with Smashing Pumpkins is that most songs sound the same. The ones that don’t stand out tremendously on the album. They are decent songs, but I don’t need the same thing a half-dozen times. Just a mid album for me.

Solid voice with clean instrumentals behind him. The album is a bit somber for my liking but his serous, deep tone completes the desired effect.

I listened to the album. Then went and smoked a J and listened to it again. It was way better the second time. I never knew the entrance to yellow world had a sound track, but I think I just found it (hat tip to Dougie Fresh). By the end of the second listen my inner 20-something was begging me to go buy the multipack of glow sticks and have a hell of a night. I’m glad this 1001 project exposed me to some Techno, but being the Techno music aficionado that I am, this could have been any similar album and I wouldn’t have noticed the difference. Footnote: For research purposes I think it’s important to mention that by the end of my listening session I had a MONsTeR headache. It may have had to do with the steps I took during today’s listening time, but we’ll let the scientists figure that part out.

I’m not afraid to admit that I don’t understand this album. If David Bowie and Queensryche had a musical love child, its debut album would sound something like this. I don’t know whether to slow dance to it or make it the sound track to the next serial killer thrasher movie. Not sure how to grade this so I’ll simply give it partial credit for trying and hope tomorrow’s selection is less confusing. PS - Wasn’t Lambchop that lamb puppet on PBS? Is this the same animal?

Although they weren’t the first to ever drop a rap album, Run DMC’s Raising Hell was the first to breakthrough to mainstream America and introduce rap music to suburbia. Partnering with Aerosmith to rework Walk This Way for sure brought classic rock fans into the fold and made it okay for crackers like me to enjoy rap music. This album was instrumental to the growth of rap music in America and it set a foundation for all those that followed to build upon. The catchy beats, witty lyrics, and vocal stylings of Rev Run and Darryl McDaniels all hit like a Tyson punch. The album is still enjoyable after 4 decades and when you couple that with what it did to change the music industry, this is an album to be celebrated. My personal opinion is this is closer to a 5 than it is to a 4 so I’m rounding up to give it the credit it’s due.

Where do they come up with these names?? SMH. I wouldn’t say the lead singer was overly quiet in delivering the lyrics to these songs, but it sounded to me like there was a guitar competition happening on stage while this poor guy is trying to get his message across. I genuinely felt bad for him. An alternative rock album with big sounds from the guitars and drums. There is so much happening on each track that it doesn’t sound like it all goes along with one another. I’m not really a fan of this album / band due to the arrangements of the songs but I can see why this would have been popular in the 80’s as punk rock was dying off and grunge was kicking in. The cover of Just Like Heaven was the worst song on the album.

The music alone demands that you get up and move and I don’t necessarily mean in a good way. Any one of these songs could be an anarchists anthem and the vocals almost dare you to throw the first punch without even asking you to. The aggressive upbeat tempo of the album breathes life into each song and the lead singer’s ability to build to a crescendo on each track is powerful. Great album that had me ready to run through a wall by the end of it.

An instrumental album for dance pieces to kickstart the week. These elongated pieces tell a story without words. The staccato blasts from the horns and the rise and fall of the beats during each track lets you know when the action is taking place. It’s truly amazing how versatile music can be. As the dance group size changes in these pieces, the music tends to become more chaotic and whimsical whereas the solo pieces are direct and normally very structured. This album was a nice break from the usual suspects of this project.

Another smash folk album from Fairport Convention. SMH. I thought we were done with them after listening to Liege and Lief but apparently the album released just months before that garbage was “better”. I’m pretty sure they were playing the washboard in Si Tu Dois Partir along side the squeezebox but I’m not gonna waste the time to find out. Same band, same year, same result.

By the end of the first track I had already been transported to a small, dark cafe in Europe that was alive with foot traffic. The instrumental songs just barely audible above the din of the intensifying conversations around me. A full orchestra is on display with this album and each plucked string, drum struck, or blown horn is done so with intention. This could very easily be the soundtrack for a Cirque Du Soleil show as we experienced many of the same qualities we had a couple of days ago with The Black Saint and The Sinner Lady album by Charles Mingus. I was never blown away by any of these tracks, but it was a soothing experience that differs from the average albums we have been exposed to.

There is something intriguing about this album that I can’t pinpoint. The music is slow and the unexcited tone of the singer doesn’t do much to hype you up, but I actually enjoyed the album. Maybe it was the subtle nature of the songs or the peacefulness that it exudes, but I truly listened to every song.

I remember not enjoying Cyndi Lauper very much in the 80’s but after listening to this album and realizing I knew half of her songs, I think I just didn’t give her enough credit. Her songs aren’t very complex and the message is always superficial, but the beats are catchy and her voice grooves with the synthesized sounds. Overall, this was better than I expected.

Who could have known that all that was missing from my Saturday was an album of bongo music?!? Covers of Apache, In a Gadda De Vida, Satisfaction, Wipeout….the list goes on! The guitar, the horns, and synthesizers did a lot to help the songs along, but man was this a cool listen. Not sure this was a must listen to before I die album, but it was fun to take in on the ride.

Just wasn’t feeling another average English band today. Simply put, there is nothing special about this album. It’s not bad, but I would have stopped halfway through if I were just listening on my own.

A very popular album from an 80s power band, Document was well received for songs like Finest Worksong, The One I Love, and the wildly famous It’s The End Of The World As We Know It. The rock sound from the band is clean and crisp and Michael Stipe’s vocals are calm yet strong. A great choice to be part of this project.

A decent house music band, but once again I don’t find anything special about the album of the day. The beats are good and there is use of some synthesized effects that work with the tracks, but overall it’s just “blah” for me on this one.

A true classic album by an icon of a singer. The title song, Moondance, has spanned decades and for sure will continue to be a fan favorite. Van Morrison has pumped out a number of albums over the years and his vocals have stayed true along the way. I’m never going to complain when a Van Morrison song starts to play.

I think whomever runs this project has lost sight of what it’s supposed to be about; 1001 albums you must hear before you die. A collection of Christmas carols works today on Christmas but only because I celebrate Christmas. If I came across this album in July, I’d want nothing to do with it. The music is fine but I disagree with the importance of this album for the larger audience.

Subtle tones of punk complement the rock base of the Talking Heads songs on this album. David Byrne’s vocal’s are more musical-talking versus actual singing across most of the album, but it adds to the vibe of the lively songs. I never fell in love with any of the songs, but I appreciate the style and the product the Talking Heads created on this album.

The drumming on this album was absolutely insane. It was nonstop on every track. Other than that, I’m not really sure what I just listened to. I’ve never been able to truly appreciate Death Metal so I’ll be gentle on the scorecard based on being in awe of the drummer.

This album is a sleeper. I don’t see what the critics were acclaiming after listening to this album as it did nothing for me whatsoever. It was essentially the same dull song over and over again. No bueno.

Ok. We get it. There were a lot of raindrops. Smh. The second album from Radiohead to make this list and I’m still not that impressed; although it was definitely better than Ok Computer. This feels like a rough draft of an unfinished product to me. There seems to be an under lying thought for these songs to work together but a lot still needs to hit the editing room floor, if you are picking up what I’m putting down. As the album went on, I felt like the tracks got better musically, but I was still wanting more from the band. Maybe the monotone vocals just never got me excited enough to buy in.

This music is CLEARLY from the 70’s and was made to be a movie sound track. It’s background music all day long and should not be a focal point. Another dud on the lists of 1001.

There’s some good music being played here, but I’m not all for the antics that Blur throws in as well. The broken record static, the reverb, and the distortion all take away from what I’d like to be listening to. Overall it’s an okay album, but I wish it was simpler.

The Fugees can harmonize with the best of them. This album is filled with slow beats that get you moving coupled with rhymes of opposing speeds that keep you interested in what the lyrics will bring next. Each song is filled with life and emotion and Lauryn Hill is a singer in every sense of the word. On the downside, the skits were a distraction for me on the album but overall this was a very good listen.

The epitome of what a classic southern rock album aims to be, equipped with big guitars, lots of drums, and a thick southern drawl. Only eight songs on the album but four of them are bangers that have stood the test of time. Great listen.

An iconic album in history due to being recorded inside San Quentin prison. Johnny Cash has one of the most recognizable voices and this album is full of popular songs that are supported all along the way by the cheers and laughs of the inmates. Cash is one of those unique artists that will never be duplicated.

I thought the idea of this project was to experience the 1001 under appreciated albums that are a must-listen to?? If that is too tough of an assignment, maybe we should just listen to the top 101 albums and leave out the 900 that suck. If Richard Marx had started a boy band in 1985 it would be called Scritti Politti. This is awful music. A breathy, soft-spoken guy singing about a love he’ll never find, nine separate times over 38 minutes. The only thing that could possibly make this album/band better would be Will Ferrell on stage with a cow bell.

Love that deep bass sound that carries each of these tunes. A true 70’s rock album with an age appropriate vibe. No amazement here, but no complaints either.

Maybe it’s just an off day for me, but I enjoyed the music lines a lot more than the vocals on this album. The beats were grooving and the occasional jazzy interlude mixed well with the upbeat drums. By the end of the album, it had gotten quite repetitive and, as we’ve seen in the past, there was really nothing special about this selection.

The 70’s are stamped all over this album. It’s not an instrumental album, but is about as close as you can be without actually qualifying. The tracks range all over the place from a slow, sexy vibe all the way to a groovin’, bob-your-head and move song. The drum beats are quick and there is a lot of synthesizer action as well. The vocals are calm and laid back when they happen. Could easily pass for elevator or waiting room music. Any way you frame it, it’s not life changing music.

Alice Cooper looks like a skinny Ozzy Osbourne but sings like he’s got a megaphone attached to his face. I’m not sure where the energy comes from, but he delivers on every track. There’s a lot more talking/screaming versus actual singing but I have a feeling that’s what his fans would prefer. The background music is serviceable with nothing more than flashes of cool riffs. Many of the lyrics have a dark undertone that matches Cooper’s appearance. I could stand to listen to this a couple of times and then would need to move on.

A cool vibe rolls across this album with titles that are familiar 50+ years after they were recorded. Unlike some previous selections, the vocals take center stage on this album despite having some excellent R&B beats. The Temptations have a storied history and this record predates some of their huge sensations. A great listen for a group that had an important place in musical history.

Talk about a guy who the 80’s just wrapped its freaky little arms around. Boy George was way ahead of his time in famously sharing his alternative lifestyle publically. The album starts out great with Karma Chameleon and It’s a Miracle and then slips into a lull for a few slower tracks. Church of the Poison Mind and Miss Me Blind get things rolling again in the middle of the album and then the slower, drab songs return. We finally wrap up with Victims. A roller coaster of excitement but overall this was a decent listen. None of these songs are gonna make my regular library but it was a good nostalgic change of pace.

I’d never heard of the Flamin Groovies before today and was pleasantly surprised by the end of today’s assignment. It’s not quite Punk Rock but flashes of that style pop up throughout the album. When it’s not a punk jam, there is a very different vibe of rock & roll that works on its own. I found myself, multiple times, toe-tapping to the beat and groovin along. No complaints here and am glad I gave this band a go. The covers towards the end of the album were a nice treat.

Jimi Hendrix is a bad muthafuckah. He is one of the best guitarists to ever play and his calm tone against the screaming guitar riffs and intentional drum beats is as cool as the other side of the pillow. Hendrix is one of those unique artists that you can throw on and everyone (age appropriate) will know who it is and enjoy the fact that it’s playing. Doesn’t matter which album you select. All good stuff.

This is some country music from DEEP in the cornfields. These songs predate singing about your dog, your truck and drinking and focus on Texas, rail cars and biblical scriptures. As I’ve matured, I’ve gained an appreciation for county music that I never had before, so this is a lot more digestible to me nowadays. That being said, this is way too deep in the sticks for me to really enjoy. I’ll recognize the era it was recorded and tip my hat at it, but this was one and done for me, cowboy.

UB40 is the band the DJ plays at an island-themed corporate function to go with the employee’s Hawaiian shirts. UB40 is the band Claire plays in her G-Wagon after picking her 2.5 kids up from school to show them how diverse and inclusive she is. Don’t misunderstand me. Their music isn’t bad. It’s average reggae if I’m being honest with deep bass riffs, static drum beats and a great vocal tone for the songs. It’s just suburbia reggae at best. There’s nothing special about it other than everyone’s mom danced to Red, Red Wine in the 80’s when it hit MTV. Good change of speed for this project but it’s just average music for me.

An enjoyable album with a variety of beats and melodies. This album is very reminiscent of CSNY’s music, but is missing that group feel in the vocals. The music itself is very similar and I enjoyed that very much, but I kept waiting for something to happen and it never came. Not disappointed, but left unfulfilled.

“Ladies and gentlemen - Foo FIGHTERS!!” One of the best American bands of the 21st century IMO (yes i know they formed in the mid 90’s). This self-titled album was the beginning of their success and while it isn’t their best work, it laid the down the template for the sort of music they would be building on for decades to come. Dave Grohl’s voice and music ability is unreal and you catch glimpses of it on this creation. I was very excited to see this album pop up as today’s listen and it did not disappoint.

An English rock band and a very simple album. The beats and the lyrics aren’t complex at all and it does sound a lot like the 80’s. A couple of the songs could easily have been on the Lost Boys soundtrack with their dark tones and eerie sounds. By the time the last song came around, I was overdue to pull the plug. Not very good music.

I had to look this musical style up as I was unfamiliar with it. Apparently ISB was a pioneer in “Psychedelic Folk” music in the 60’s. After listening to the album, I’m certain you need to be on psychedelics to enjoy it. The over enunciation of the lyrics, the call and response from the band, and the out of tune harmonies were annoying from the beginning on without any reprieve. The album gave traveling minstrel vibes that made we wish they moved on to the next village. I wanted to be kind in my review, but this is really bad music. Whomever thought this was good enough to make this list, either now or 60 years ago, needs to do a stint in Bellevue.

I just love that classic 70’s sound and CCR does it so well. Foggy drums and big guitars with beats that require you start moving. The album is only 42 mins long but CCR manages to cram some fantastic songs into that small space. Great listen and an album worthy of being on this list.

This was my first exposure to Megadeath despite having been aware of them for years. The metal music quickly reminded me of Metallica with the guttural back beat, lively guitar riffs and quick tempo’d tracks. The defining difference between the two bands for me is that I’m not sure I understood a single word the Megadeath lead singer said. This is true headbanger rock but it’s not my cup of tea for sure. It seems as though this style of music is more about screaming the same lyrical phrase over and over and over again while your musicians jam their faces off in the background. Not bad music, just a genre I don’t enjoy very much.

A nice, clean rock sound from a group of very talented musicians. Besides the normal allotment of instruments, Genesis throws the occasional flute interlude and (possibly even) a harpsichord solo. The lyrics on a couple tunes are pretty far out there and I have no idea what they were talking about, but musically the album was successful.

Stevie Wonder is an amazingly talented human being. That being said, this album was a bit too slow and simple for me. The songs that we all know and love were fantastic, but the rest of the album almost put me to sleep. The beats were funky throughout but overall it was way too mellow. I enjoy his up tempo songs so much more than the slow jams.

There is a reason Aretha was dubbed “The Queen of Soul”. When it comes to the best singers of all time, Aretha is without a doubt in the conversation. Her power, control, range, and power are just ridiculous (…did I mention her power??). This album can easily be listened to purposefully or as the background sound to whatever low-key activity you are doing. This album shares a couple of her greats and the rest of the songs are enjoyable. Aretha is a timeless artist due to her talents and I would anticipate listening to her music for decades to come.

A very jazz influenced album with touches of blues rolled in for good measure. Simone is very talented vocally with a deeper natural tone than you would expect from a woman. The piano is her companion on every track, but the drums and horn section play a vital role as well. A nice intro to Nina Simone for me, especially since this music is 60 years old yet still enjoyable.

A very artsy album. It’s clear Duke’s m.o. is to push the limits of his instrument and man does he deliver. Every song’s is quintessential jazz with that full band sound. A good choice for this project.

There is no denying the influence the Beach Boys had on the music industry, but I don’t think this was the album to do it. This is a far cry from the beach music with catchy beats that they are known for. This album felt more like a collection of hymnals and i wasn’t impressed. Not knocking the band, but this wasn’t their best work at all.

I’ve never listened to Buffalo Springfield prior to today, but there is something very familiar about it. This band has that 70’s rock sound but it’s wanders about and is not consistent throughout the album. There are vibes of CCR or Three Dog Night within this album and I kind of dig it. The slower tracks, like Sad Memory, retreat to the sound of the 60’s but the majority of the album is a truer rock sound. Good addition to this list.

Blondie does the upbeat Rock & Roll so much better than they do the slower jams. One Way or Another and Heart of Glass steal this album without debate but there are a couple of honorable mentions worthy of listening to as well. A good example of late 70’s/early 80’s rock.

Bob Dylan has his vocals at the forefront of every song and the lyrics send you into a mental quagmire. Dylan’s voice is very unique and he is one of those artists you know right away when you hear him singing. The music playing behind him, mostly guitar and harmonica, are consistently solid and easy to appreciate. A great addition to this list and I was happy to listen to it. PS - The film about Dylan (A Complete Unknown) was also well done and gives a good glimpse of his start in the music business.

A country music album that fully embraces its Tennessee roots. Dolly’s fame is well deserved as a singer & songwriter. She’s extremely accomplished as an artist and the songs on this album all tell a story that I imagine is very personal to Dolly. Fantastic range across the songs and a tone that is easy on the ears. Good listen.

Bad 80’s Rock. This album was released in Australia in 1987 where it topped out as an album at # 32 in their charts (i had to look them up because I had no recollection of ever hearing of them before) and it was rereleased in the 2000’s with 5 bonus tracks. Two discs and 29 songs in all and I will never get those 2 hours of my life back. This could easily have been one of the bands playing in Adam Sadler’s “Wedding Singer” movie and no one would have thought twice about it. No clue how # 32 on the Aussie charts equates to one of the 1001 must listen albums of all time, but it did.

Sounds a lot like a knock off Beatles group. The music was actually good and I enjoyed the variety of instruments in the songs. I’m riding the middle with this album as no real complaints, but nothing amazing either.

I’ve never been a fan of Steely Dan and this album did nothing to change that. It’s elevator music. Soft drums, light horns, and Bee Gee’s type vocals. The lyrics may be good, but I don’t care enough to follow along as there is nothing exciting to me about the music.

Biggie Smalls rolled onto the scene in the mid-90’s looking like he just left an IHOP in the ghetto but he could spit lyrics that would make your head spin. His rags to riches story was unreal and he rose to the top of the rap game as quickly as he had entered it. Ready to Die was prophetic as Notorious BIG wouldn’t live long enough to release his second album a couple of years later, having gotten caught up in the East/West rappers conflict. Biggie’s rhymes are elite and I’d put him in the conversation of being the greatest rapper of all time. He tells a story using colorful language that is as on point as it is appropriate. Listening to this album once again also makes me realize how much of a leach Puffy was regarding Biggie. I’ll give him credit for recognizing his talent, signing him to his emerging label, and supporting his very short career, but he adds nothing to this album despite forcibly sticking his nose in on every other song. Biggie will be remembered for the songs he delivered on this album and for the talents that were lost in ‘97. So pour out your 40 for another artist that left this world too early and thank the rap gods for the Notorious BIG rhymes we got to experience. …and if you don’t know, now you know [redacted].

The rock music is clean and edgy and the lyrics are thought provoking. Lennon’s tone and associated emotion is entertaining throughout the album and this was a good choice for the list.

There’s none better than Margin Gaye’s song Let’s Get It On. His soulful voice, over a sultry mix of drums, horns and guitar while he’s passionately pleading to “get it on” is as soothing as it must have been provocative at the time of its release. So good. So good. The rest of the album takes a back seat to the opening song, but it is filled with R&B songs of love and desire. Gaye is thought to be a pioneer in the Soul music genre and you can see those roots growing here in this album.

This is the second album by Oasis that we’ve reviewed on this project and I’m in the same state of mind regarding the band as I was previously. They put out good solid rock music complete with strong beats, in-tune vocals that complement the songs well, and are above average in instrumentality. I just don’t get the cult following. Live Forever was the gem of this album and the other songs slide comfortably into second place. Not a bad listen (although I prefer Morning Glory over this album), it’s just table stakes for what I would expect an album on this list to be.

Incubus is a band I would expect to hear in a “C-tier” venue in front of hundreds, not thousands (*See Toad’s Place). I recognized Drive, Pardon Me, and Stellar in advance of listening to the album (hat tip to all those nights playing Guitar Hero) and really enjoy all of those songs. The rest of the album is good background music on a Saturday night of socializing with friends. Nothing more, nothing less. Side note: If having a couple of hits constitutes making this list of 1001, then I’m really looking forward to reviewing Milli Vanilli soon.

What did I just listen to?? It sounded like two whales f*cking. That was an assault of my senses. I’m seriously considering bringing up charges. I have no doubt that this is the album they play in Git-mo when the terrorists are being water-boarded. I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

A great example of contemporary rock music. No silly sound effects. No skits to talk through. Just a a few guys jamming on their instruments with lyrics people can understand and follow. A good listen all around.

Truth be told, I went into listening to this album with negative thoughts simply from the titling and branding. I was fully expecting another turd of an album, but I was pleasantly surprised. I don’t gravitate to Punk music, but these guys are musically talented. I heard flashes of Mighty, Mighty, Bosstones in a couple of songs but that may be from the distinct instrument sounds coming though in staccato, the back up singers supporting the melody very well, and the vocals turned to “11”. Overall I was pleased with today’s selection.

A collection of bad show tunes. yea…..nnnnnnooooooooooooo. No clue how this album made this list of 1001.

A confusing compilation of tracks. Every song seemed to be a mashup of more than one song playing at the same time. It wasn’t bad music, it just didn’t seem to fit together like a puzzle piece; but maybe that was the point. The vocals seemed to fit with the drums, but there was always a synthesized beat that seemed to go against the grain. The lyrics were a story in and of themselves that I don’t care to rabbit-hole down into. Overall a frustrated listen that left me with more questions than answers.

While I’ve been aware of Ozzy Osbourne pretty much my entire life, I can honestly admit I’ve never really listened to his music. The Ozzy I knew growing up was the drugged-up, constantly shaking, bat-head biting artist who looked crazed at all times. “Shhhhaaaaarrrroooonnnnn!!” That being said, I’m glad this album appeared on the list. It was banger after banger on this album. Clearly Ozzy has a vocal way about him that is very monotone in most cases but he can send it when he wants to and the rock and roll is electric on every track. This was a great listen.

The songs I already knew hit very well and those that I didn’t…didn’t. I was rocking along to Shout, Everybody Wants to Rule The World, and to some degree Head Over Heels but I felt like I should have been crying in my coffee with the other tracks. The music itself is good, but I’ll listen to this band as it finds me and I won’t be seeking it out.

The beats on this album were pretty sick, but the lyrics left something to be desired. I routinely felt like the lyrics were more about finding words that rhymed with each other than telling a concise story with an expanded vocabulary. I could also have done without the chit-chat/skits between songs as I don’t think it brings any added value to the album. This is not a shining star of an album in my eyes.

….And we’re back to the big 70’s rock sound that I really enjoy. Musicians actually playing instruments and playing them well. Heavy drums lead every tune supported by strong guitars and powerful vocals. I’ve heard Deep Purple songs before but never listened to an entire album. This was a good addition to the list.

Big rock sounds on this album, but I’m not a real fan of the falsetto screaming that has a standing reservation on most of these songs. The tracks would be better received (by me and I assume by lots of others) if the vocals were delivered in a more tolerable manner. Get Your Hands Off Of My Woman was the only track that those vocal stylings really worked well for me as it’s more of screaming statement than the other songs. The lyrics were also pretty weak on a number of songs which didn’t help the screaming delivery either. Not a great album but worth a listen once….once.

Do you remember back in the day recording the radio station on your cassette tape, but your song didn’t play so you decided to rerecord over that first attempt? There was always an underlying line of the first recording playing beneath your last recording that you could hear through the songs you wanted to keep. That’s what this sounded like to me. A titled song I’m supposed to listen to but some other distorted song playing beneath it. Language barrier aside, I didn’t enjoy this listen as it was agitating on multiple levels.

A very bluesy album. While the album includes several instruments, its composition is very simple and most tracks sound to just be a collection of guitars and drum beats. Stewart’s raspy voice is unique and works well in this format. Maggie May is the shining star on this album for me, but the other tunes were enjoyable as well. Stewart’s songs all tell a story and do it well enough that you can envision his plights. This is a justifiable addition to this list of 1001.

Santana is a master of the Latin groove and he delivers it very well on all of the tracks of this album. Then when you couple in his icy guitar licks, Abraxas is something to really listen to.

There is nothing special about this album. I can turn on the radio at any time and hear music that is it’s equal or better. This album should have no place on this list but as we get further along, I can see the standards drop. When it came time to rate the album, the Russian judge deducted 3 points for having simplistic lyrics that a grade-schooler could have written. There are too many instances of mailing it in to list them all but the one that got me was: “If you fancy we can buy an ice cream cone. Your mate is gone, she didn’t want to be alone.” I mean…really??!!

Apparently this album was a smash hit in the UK. Upon its release, it shot to # 1 on the UK charts but once again I just don’t see it (…or hear it may be a better way to phrase it). It’s not bad music, but if I was in my car and any of this came on the radio, I would change the station to find something better. At times, the rock beat really comes through and the song is enjoyable, but that flashes away quickly and the rest of song is numbing. This might also be the first album from this list of 1001 to include an oboe in its repertoire, so bonus points for that variety.

It’s spoken poetry, with talented backup singers, over 90’s beats that don’t always coincide. While it is an extremely creative concept, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s good music. I’m really struggling to find what is “special” about many of the recent selections as they all fall into the category of average music to me.

This is a collection of songs I had to sing in 6th grade chorus (with a flare of Jefferson Airplane thrown in). Didn’t understand the songs then and I still don’t now. I’m going to assume I’m not the target audience here and just move on to tomorrow’s selection without dwelling.

I started to wonder if these five songs would have been more tolerable if each one was a quarter of the length that they currently are? …and then it hit me. What if the album started as one long song and THIS was the attempt to break them up?!?! 55 minutes of peacefully orchestrated music filled with flutes and a number of stringed instruments including a harp at the front and center of the arrangement. The vocals flow well with the slow soothing beats but by the 7 minute mark if any of these tunes, it grows extremely tiresome. I don’t know how someone can sing a 12+ minute song and I can’t fathom how someone can be expected to listen to one. The quality of the music was good, but this was just too much to digest based on the length of the songs.

This style of Heavy Metal all sounds the same to me, regardless of who is singing it. The lead singer is screaming lyrics, usually a loop of the same words, while the band plays their faces off behind him. I respect the musicality of the band but I’m just not a fan of this genre. At least I could understand this lead singer’s words on these tracks versus some of the other heavy metal bands we’ve listened to.

My brother bought this album on vinyl shortly after its release in the 80’s and I will never forget playing it over and over again in my grandparent’s basement. It kicked a** then and it still does! Giant guitars and drum beats that rock you through those tiny a** speakers of a 70’s record player. More than half of the album are classic ZZ Top songs. The nostalgia is real.

Although his voice is iconic, I find it hard to say that Neil Young is a strong vocalist. His rock music is fantastic, and I even like his lyrics, but his vocal power comes in a distant third in this competition. Even when the guitars are blaring he’s melancholy at best in delivering his lines. I say all that to get to the point that this is a fairly good album and Neil Young is an excellent musician.

I wasn’t feeling this selection today. There was nothing wrong with the music, but i just couldn’t get into jamming with a DJ today. The music was no different to me than if I chose a “DJ Mix” on Spotify so I’ll just call this the middle of the road.

I may have been depressed when I started to listen to today’s selection, but by the end of the album any doctor would have written me a prescription for medication. This album is the perfect backdrop for sitting alone in a room, glass half-filled with bourbon, and the lights seemingly turned off. Otherwise I don’t see another use for it. Nick Drake is inarguably a talented musician, he just didn’t use those talents correctly on this album in my opinion.

Solid rock beats with vocals that don’t suck. Reminds me a lot of the nonexistent love child between The Clash and Oingo Boingo. I could really have done without the French track towards the end of the album if I’m being honest, but otherwise it’s a “meh” of a listen for me.

Man, did I enjoy this album! Ray Charles’ voice is silky smooth and sounds even better when backed by that big band sound. Great listen and glad it was a part of this project.

Extremely dated but a good collection of songs. This is exactly what I would expect my grandfather to be listening to while working in the yard. No complaints from me. Just some good ole trail songs from the 1950’s.

The Stones are one of those bands that just flat out rock. The sound is always on point whether it’s with guitars, drums, horns, or tympani. I also believe the Stones are the South Park folks of the music industry that can get away with saying anything. Don’t believe me?? Read the lyrics to Brown Sugar and then remember it was written in the 70’s. Overall great listen and it reinforces my opinion that the Rolling Stones are a fantastic group that has withstood the test of time.

Kate Bush should be thanking the Duffer brothers every day for the rest of her life for making her relevant. If they had not attached her opening track to the Stranger Things series, no one would know her name. I’m not totally bashing her. She can sing, but I went to high school with people who are more talented vocally and they don’t have a record deal. Just an average singer with below average songs in my opinion.

What I love most about De La Soul is how funky each soulful track is. Their grooves are infectious and they deliver every rhyme casually yet filled with intention. 3 Feet High and Rising does a great job presenting this group and all of their talents. Some of the skits between songs are schticky and, as I’ve said in previous reviews that included such material, don’t add much value to the album so my preference would be that they were left off. Otherwise I enjoyed this listen and am a fan of the band.

A dark, spoken-word album released 17 days before Cohen died that talks about death and love that was lost. Prophetic and strange at the same time. Not something that is going to make my normal listening cycle, but I’m glad to have listened to this once.

John Lennon is extremely talented and you can hear the important piece he was to the Beatles in this album. Imagine, the single, is the most recognizable song in this collection as it has been performed by many artists on many different stages since it was released. There is no doubting its importance in history due to its lyrics and request for global peace. While the rest of the album pales in comparison to this single, it’s impossible to not give the appropriate credit to such a masterful song.

Morrissey is like nails on a chalkboard for me. I’ve stated before that I’m no fan of The Smiths so I tried to let this play in the background while I focused on other tasks. Couldn’t do it. A couple of the songs started their intro and I thought “oh! This might be a decent song” and then Morrrisey’s voice came through and I was done. After 40 years and two albums from this project, I’m still unswayed that this band is any good.

It’s funny how every decade has its distinct sound in music. I started playing today’s album and without looking at the release date knew this was definitely from the 80’s. The backbone of these songs is somewhat enjoyable with a full tilt of guitars, drums and (of course!) synthesizers but when it’s all put together with the bland vocals and nonsensical lyrics it’s just another’s 80’s pop song. Nothing special happening here.

Despite the obvious language barrier (Although I’m pretty sure I caught a “feche a porta” on one of the songs) I actually enjoyed this album. The beats are lively on every track and full of energy. I liked the use of a multitude of instruments and back up singers to make this cool sound. Not gonna lie, it reminded me of the soundtrack to the animated movie Rio on more than one occasion while listening but it was still a good break from the normal selections.

A good selection of uptempo punk and rock songs. The band behind the vocalist was on point and the drawn out lyrics works well with the fast beat. A good listen overall

If I wanted to listen to a chick whine and bark at me, I’d take a long road trip with my wife and force her to ride shotgun. At one point I even thought the guitars were pissed at me for whatever it was I supposedly did. The lead singers vibrato grew tiresome by the third song which means there was only ten more songs of agony left to be heard. If we could lose the vocals and make this an instrumental album it would be exponentially better but it is what it is.

A punk influenced rock album. It’s mostly edgy in lyrics and beats, but there are spells of calmness peppered throughout. It’s rebellious in nature but some of the songs are sneakily defiant. London Calling is the star of the album, but I have no complaints about the rest of the tunes. A good listen and I can see why it was added to this project.

A great start to the album with Roundabout kicking things off. Very cool guitar licks and a soulful bass coming through to complement the high end vocals and synthesized keyboard. Things were tempered quickly thereafter. One song (Five per cent for nothing) sounded straight out of a video game and I have no idea why that was included on the album. Middle of the road for the rest of the tunes. It’s decent rock and roll, but there is nothing special about this album in my opinion.

A French rock album that was created to be a soundtrack for a movie. There’s two strikes against already. This may have been awesome as the audio aid to whatever was happening on screen, but it doesn’t stand on its own in my opinion. I (barely) got through this album and won’t be going back to that well again.

I’ve never been a big fan of Rush despite liking some of their more popular songs and listening to this album reminded me of why. When it comes to playing music, these guys are talented. In your face guitars, complex drum beats and a big rock and roll sound on every track. Then the vocals hit and I’m taking off points for a rough dismount. The screeching attempt at singing never worked for me and I don’t think it ever will. On top of that, starting the album off with a 20-minute & 33 second song is just plain ballsy, even if it contains all the characteristics that that I like and listed above. For me the true test is if this was playing on the radio would I want to change the station and for most of their songs I would.

There’s just none better at Reggae. An easy album to listen to by one of the greats.

This sounds like an SNL skit. But not even a good one with songs by Lonely Island. It’s a good thing there are alternatives to this Alternative music cause this plain and simply sucked.

The second album by Bob Dylan on this project and a similar result. You have to enjoy Dylan’s intonation or else it will become extremely tiresome but I believe it brings character to his songs. Dylan is amazingly talented musically and shows that with his guitar and harmonica abilities on multiple tracks. Rainy Day Women # 12 & 35 is the highlight of the album. I prefer the last album a bit over this one, Bringing It All Back Home, but this was solid as well.

An extremely enjoyable listen despite being mostly instrumental. This was my first pass at Frank Zappa and I was pleased with the songs. His use of a variety of instruments made this collection more entertaining and the beats were captivating on every track.

An interesting collection of tunes. The way the songs are presented the vocals and lyrics seem secondary to the instruments being played and oddly enough that doesn’t present a problem. These musicians are talented and produce a lively, upbeat sound. A couple of the songs (e.g- The Great Beautician In The Sky) give off circus vibes but in a creative way. No complaints from me.

I started this album and wasn’t watching the lyrics. I swore the opening line to Punch Bag was “Youuuuuuu look like a f**k bagggg!” I had to start the song over to verify the words and was quite disappointed when it wasn’t. I’m thinking the vision for this album was to play slow, soothing music that is appealing to the ears, while softly disrupting the game with slightly jarring lyrics. If so, it worked. Not one of my favorite albums for sure but I’ll give the credit for the approach.

There’s no doubt this bjork can sing, but about what I have no idea. I swear on my kids, I thought she was speaking another language until halfway through the first song when I was able to recognize a couple of words in English. This album is essentially classical music being played while Bjork freestyles on top of it; mostly outside of the song’s rhythm. Not a fan of the style or compilation.

A master of the rock & roll ballad, Meatloaf loves to add the dramatics into his songs and isn’t afraid to sing a 10-minute jam. All around, his music is very sound and I like his passion and energy in every track. I don’t know that this is his best album, but having the timeless classic Paradis By The Dashboard Light immediately elevates this whole compilation.

A bit different from the first Sonic Youth album we reviewed but a couple of the tracks kept the same distorted and chaotic guitar sound that I didn’t care for the first time around. The music was tolerable on this listen but the lyrics were pretty bad and the vocals were absent of talent. I’m still not a fan of the band but the rock & roll kept me from wanting to fast forward past every single song this time around.

This is not what I had anticipated at all. The entire album seemed like making noise instead of making music. I can’t imagine paying to go to a ELP concert only to hear this being played. Not a good first experience for me, but maybe I’m missing something??

Neil Young does the upbeat rock songs so well and I enjoyed starting today’s album with Cinnamon Girl. He doesn’t shy away from the slower songs but I think his talents are more prevalent in the big rock tunes where his guitar abilities shine brightest. A worthy addition to this list of 1001.

GZA brings the same sound and skits to his album as he does on Wu-Tang Clan’s creation. I’ll reiterate that the skits detract from the music, but I understand this was very prevalent in 90’s rap. The beats are on point and the rhymes are tight but the songs are lacking emotion behind what is being said. Middle of the road listen for me.

It’s bad punk music which means it’s bad, bad regular music. The singing is deliberately offbeat and the shrills are enough to make you want to stop playing the album. So I did.

A simple composition that is dated to its time period, but a very enjoyable listen. Powerful vocals, that include the back-up singers, and an easy to follow drum and guitar progression. The horns and piano were nice additions as well on several songs that I recognized. A good selection for today’s listen.

Not Coldplay’s best album but the music is consistent and good. They have a knack of drawing you into their songs through lyrics and extended vocals. No problems with the album as a whole but nothing that made me want to hurry up and listen to it again either.

For the record, I don’t give two sh*ts where Frankie goes. I went to the bank and then to the grocery store. No one cared. Every track on this album, including the covers, sounds exactly the same with different lyrics to be able to tell them apart. At times, the music itself was enjoyable, but I did not care for the vocals. Left me wanting more after an hours listen.

The second album by the Chemical Brothers and this one hit a little different. Maybe starting with Block Rockin Beats put me in the right frame of mind but I thought this compilation was slightly more enjoyable. The sounds were full and I found it hard to not groove as the songs went along. Ultimately the house music gets tiresome and I want a change to something more entertaining.

Solid rock and roll music throughout the album. The vocals at times gave vibes of the White Stripes but also of Led Zepplin as times as well. An enjoyable listen for a first pass at Jack White.

Hip-hop beats, jazz horns, and deep lyrics that repeat ad nauseam. If more time had been spent developing the lyrics to a complete thought instead of just repeated phrases, this could have been something creative. As it stands, the songs feel incomplete and not worthy of this list. I did dig the lead vocalists powerful voice over the beats. His authoritative voice reminded me a lot of Chuck D owning the mic. Needs work, but I like the framework.

Eminem is a master lyricist and that fact can’t be denied. He has the amazing skill to be able to tell a story using complex words with enthusiasm and emotion and still stay on beat. The beats themselves are always intriguing and his creative and unapologetic nature is fantastically entertaining. Eminem disrupted the rap game when he landed in the industry, especially as a white dude, who was able to spit like he can and bring diverse groups of people together in unison. This particular album is all of these things in one and upon its release was as acclaimed as it was criticized. Fantastic addition to the project.

Four songs in and I was believing Elvis Costello had lost the antics and shitty vocal extras I’ve grown accustomed to disliking with his songs so that he could just plainly sing. …and for the most part he did. The background music was decent as it was on his previous albums we listened to with this project albeit was composed in a slower, more deliberate manner. This still isn’t an album I’ll be deliberately listening to again, but it didn’t suck as bad as I had expected it to based on his previous creations.

This album is a little on the slow side for me, but ultimately there’s some good music happening here. Fiona Apple has a great voice and a couple of the tunes were catchy enough to draw me in for a closer listen. Far from being on my list of favorites, but this was enjoyable.

Very melancholy and truthfully a little dark. After a few songs you start to realize Nick Cave’s style on this album is simply bad lounge singing over piano and drums that slowly sound off behind him while he talks of love and religion in the simplest of terms. I have no idea why anyone would acclaim this album. Hell…I have no idea why anyone would listen to this album. It’s not for me.

A fantastically clean orchestra sound with the full complement of instruments. Blaring horns, stylish drum beats, and dancing piano keys fill each song and keep things light-hearted and upbeat. Very cool listen and addition to this experiment.

This was a slight improvement from the last album we listened to by the Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs but that bar was pretty low to begin with. The songs on this album are far less grating and actually have some artistic creativity to them. Not much to hang my hat on other than it didn’t completely suck.

This album screams 70’s but not in a bad way. The falsetto back ups over groovy beats with solid, clean instrumentals behind it all makes for some decent music. This is not my normal choice of tunes, but I didn’t mind it while it was on. The album itself ran a little too long for my liking and the last few songs all sounded similar as a result.

A poor man’s David Bowie. Good vocals on the album, despite lacking stimualting lyrics, and the music itself was never more than simple beats in the background. Nothing extraordinary here.

This album was so mediocre that even the band didn’t have an interest in seeing it succeed. It was recorded in 1975 and wasn’t released until 1978. This was also the last album by the band who broke up after its creation. As for the music, it’s high school garage band level at best. Every song is the same dull composition with different boring lyrics that repeat incessantly on topics that no one cares about. This album has no business being on this list of 1001.

An album that is distinctly a sound of the 60’s. The vocal arrangement works well with a strong lead singer and multiple backup singers in harmony on every track. The music is simple but good. Lots of tambourine and clearly defined instruments carry each tune. Monday, Monday and California Dreamin are timeless and make this album a winner.

I was actually digging the groovy guitar licks and quick-tempo’d drums playing off each other at the onset of this album. The punk vocals and spoken word didn’t really agree with me much but I was tolerating them for the first 7 or so songs. …The problem is there were 36 more f**kin songs!!! Halfway through this album all I could think about was the sketch comedy skit from In Living Color where Damon Wayans bum character would sing 7 seconds songs about any topic he could think of. This album was giving off the same vibes. It would have been better received by me if there were 30 less songs and the lyrics were more powerfully arranged.

This album is as “vanilla” as it gets. I didn’t hate it but didn’t care that it was playing either. As a side note, props to any fan who would endure 4 hours and 45 minutes of this monotonous music. Simple Minds has one good song (IMO) and it wasn’t even in this selection. Overall, I was disappointed in the listen (and the time spent) despite the decent 80’s music being produced.

I’m not a big fan of Jeff Buckley’s voice but I did enjoy the music quite a bit. To me, his vocal power is lacking as he sounded shaky several times during the listen. Hallelujah, however, was a fantastic addition to this compilation powered by heavy emotion, strong lyrics, and simple guitar chords. Overall I enjoyed this.

The White Stripes are at their best when they are playing that unapologetic rock and roll we hear on tracks like Seven Nation Army and Black Math. While their musical talents still show through on the slower tunes, those just don’t hit quite as well as the aggressive, in your face rock jams. This album had too few of the uptempo songs but was still a good listen.

It’s undeniable that Paul McCartney is musically talented and can play the guitar better than most, but I feel like this album was added to this 1001 project simply because he IS Paul McCartney. I was not impressed with this selection at all, in fact I stopped just short of making fun of a couple of songs while listening. Maybe I’m Amazed was the sole standout on this album and the rest was just average IMO.

“A swing and a miss. And the Furs go down swinging in the bottom of the ninth.” When Pretty in Pink is the best track of the album it’s safe to say that this isn’t good music.

REM does a great job with this album in creating a unified sound across the tracks. I don’t mean to suggest that all the tracks sound similar, but rather it is a cohesive collection that blends well from song to song. Additionally the music has depth from the variety of instruments being played and the multiple layers of vocals. If you were alive in the 80’s and had a radio you were familiar with multiple songs from this album (I.e.- Stand, Orange Crush, Pop Song 89) before today’s listen. Overall, it’s a well orchestrated collection and REM consistently puts out a unique, yet solid rock sound.

An album of “artsy” music. It’s not bad and I’d actually categorize it as creative, but it’s not something you’ll ever hear on the radio.

I truly feel like I’m missing something when i listen to this album. I get the feeling that the band is trying to tell a story with these songs that I’m not seeing or comprehending. It almost feels like the soundtrack to a movie like Puff The Magic Dragon that is providing musical commentary as the illustrations walk through the storyboard. Maybe I’m crazy but every song is playful in nature, has tempo changes within that would match character conflict, and has interludes where the lyricist stops while the music continues in an upbeat, yet staccato nature. I can’t tell you exactly why I liked this, but I did.

If I was ever stuck in an elevator for an hour, I would want this to be playing.

The Adverts remind me quite a bit of the Ramone’s with uptempo music led by a raw guitar sound and edgy, in your face vocals. The songs got monotonous after a few tracks but I’ll give them partial credit for mostly holding my attention with Punk music.

Some interesting beats on this album and the vocals worked well with the slower, soft tempo of the tracks. These songs kinda faded into the background while I was working and listening at the same time. There wasn’t much that grabbed my attention, but when I was engaged it was fine.

I’ve listened to this album 1,000 times and it hits every. single. time. The beats are absolutely amazing and Q-Tip and Phife Dawg are ridiculous lyricists. They never get overly excited when on the mic and deliver hard hitting rhymes like they work at Fed Ex. Their song topics are contemporary and they shout out a million different artists from the industry from song to song. This is as close to a “5” without being a “5” as it gets.

I like The Clash. I do. For about 3 songs and then they become like every other British punk band; heavy drums and loud guitars coupled with yelling lyrics that are difficult to understand. I appreciate the band and what they did to progress punk music, but this isn’t for me.

This album gave off major Beatles vibes. I enjoyed the slow nature of the songs and their creative beats as well. It won’t make my musical rotation, but it was a surprisingly decent listen.

A decent heavy metal album. I’m very familiar with Breaking the Law and Living After Midnight, but every other tune was new to me. Heavy metal isn’t really my jam, but I was able to listen to this once without issue. The beats on a few of the songs were great and kept my attention.

An interesting collection of songs. The songs are simplistic and at times the lyrics seemed to be whatever the vocalist was seeing at the time of singing with no eloquence or elaboration, just repetition. …and the song titles would support that theory. The arrangements included a number of different instruments (trumpet, banjo, violin, etc..) and I was impressed with that, but overall this was a sub par listen.

This sounds like the first draft of a collection to be released next year. There is semblance of a cohesive product, but I feel like it all needs some tweaking before it’s consumed by the general public. It wasn’t bad music, just not complete and not really something that belongs on this list.

This was not at all what I was expecting. A few of these tracks could very well have been played during the opening sequence of a James Bond movie while other songs made me think I was walking through a three ring circus. The music was interesting but I have no idea why I had to listen to this album before I die.

Good, solid rock music throughout the album. No real standout tracks that grabbed my attention, but I enjoyed the listen.

Queen has a very distinct sound that is unlike any other. If you played one of their songs without telling me the artist, I’d more than likely settle on Queen. This album doesn’t contain any of Queen’s mega hits, but it rocks just the same.

Another good album by Mr. Young. Southern Man is the shining star but the other tunes fall easily into solid classic rock.

I’m not in love with this album. I’ve listened to songs by Kings of Leon before and enjoyed them, but this collection didn’t do a whole lot for me. The lead singer needs to work on enunciation on a few of the songs as it was extremely difficult to understand the words through his jumbled mumbling. I did like the instrumentals and think they brought value to the album. Overall this was a one and done for me.

Being that Rush is a big-time rock and roll band, you would think that I would really enjoy their music. I don’t. I like a handful of their tunes (Tom Sawyer is excellent! Free Will is great!) but it’s like they try too hard and end up ruining the good things they have going on. I found myself wanting to skip tracks and by then end wishing it was over.

Quite the variety of songs on this album. Some albums are rock & roll through and through and others fall more securely into a ballad genre. Harrison is very talented as a musician and it’s clear he had similar help producing this powerful collection. You can hear the characteristics that Harrison brought to the Beatles in these songs and while this won’t become routine in my listening pleasure, I like taking this for a full spin.

I’m not a fan of metal music, but Motörhead doesn’t grind my gears as much as other metal bands. They supposedly produce Thrash Metal (?) versus heavy metal, and maybe that’s the subtle difference that gets me. The lead singers voice meshes well with the chaotic guitars and rampant drumming despite every song sounding very similar. This was a good introduction for me to the aforementioned Thrash Metal but it mostly likely starts and stops with this album. PS - hat tip to Guitar Hero and the Tony Hawk skateboard video game for bringing Ace of Spades into my life. That song does kick some serious ass!

If you enjoyed this album, you can go Bjork yourself! After listening to this in its entirety, I truly believe Bjork sings these songs acapella and afterwards lays down some random music behind it. There is no way she can possibly be that off beat if she is trying to be on point. A deaf person would stay more on time than she does! The discombobulation of the composition is sad because Bjork actually has a great voice and is vocally talented, but it’s all wasted on music that is generally unpleasant. This is the second album by Bjork on this project and both albums were huge misses IMO.

The band is not bad, but there is absolutely nothing special about them. It’s music you would hear if you turned on any rock radio station at any time.

Quite the eclectic collection of tunes. One track I swear I’m listening to a knockoff version of The Cure and the next it’s a poor man’s Red Hot Chili Peppers. I truthfully am confused and don’t know if I liked it or not.

Adele is an elite vocalist. I liken her to being the Aretha Franklin of the 2000’s. 25 was a huge album for Adele and displayed her vocal talents on a handful of songs that went viral as soon as they were released. You know you’ve made superstar status when people begin comparing others to you as the standard of excellence. Great album and an amazing talent.

Billy Joel is a premier talent and not only has tremendous songs, but puts on an amazing live show as well. The Stranger is debatably his best album with more than half of its songs being global favorites containing witty, and thought-provoking lyrics. This compilation is a timeless classic that is as good as it was on day one as it is now almost 50 years later.

Banger of a start for this album with Sympathy for the Devil in the lead off slot, but the listen never hit that peak again. The Rolling Stones are an amazing band that I can’t believe are able to still tour. …but they do. They have so many popular songs yet this album only contains a couple. Not my favorite Stones album but it’s good, classic rock and roll.

This should just be billed as a Janis Joplin album. The music behind her was well produced, but she is all I heard while listening. Decent, basic rock music when it’s all said and done.

A very different feel for a Metallica album that was just ok for me. I’ll give them credit for trying a slower, less aggressive set of songs, but this didn’t give off Metallica vibes at all. Average music for a band that is better than this.

What a playful and fun album. Not exactly what I was expecting to listen to when this popped up but enjoyable nonetheless. I did not have steel drums being played in Uh-Oh, Love Comes To Town on my bingo card for sure. I can see how this debt album made Talking Heads a household name with tracks like Psycho Killer and the aforementioned lead off tune. A good listen that left me pleasantly surprised.

A solid piece of work by talented musicians. The rock and roll is in your face on most songs and the lyrics consistently keep you guessing as to their true meaning. There are at least 4 bangers on this album and the remaining songs still hit well.

This album is in English and I comprehended every word that was said, but i have no idea what he was talking about. …like pretty much on any song. Pirates, artists, a funny girl from a one night stand, and countless other references that don’t seem to connect. This was lounge singing from a dive bar that you wouldn’t expect lounge singing to be happening. Not a winning combo for me.

This was the first gangsta rap album that displayed a serious beef between artists that I can remember. When it launched in ‘92 it was like nothing anyone had ever heard before. I remember playing this in every car with the bass cranked and trunks rattling. The beats are tantalizing and the lyrics are something that suburbia was never ready for. I’ve easily listened to this album hundreds of times and it is one of the best rap albums I’ve ever played.

Listening to this album reminded me of multiple artists, depending on the song being played. At times it was reminiscent of U2 while other tunes mirrored rock bands like The Clash. I can’t say I hated it and in fact I enjoyed a couple of the songs. Not a bad listen in my estimation.

A softened version of punk rock, but punk nonetheless. Even the slow songs, which were ungodly slow (I’m looking at you, New Dawn Fades), had a punk feel about them. As the album went on, the music got worse. I’m hoping the last song is prophetic (Remember Nothing) so I can forget I ever listened to it.

Early Public Enemy is still tuff music even though it was before they went global. Chuck D is dominant on the mic in every song and his authoritative tone demands immediate respect. Flavor Flav keeps things light and adds some grounding power to PE’s music. Bring the Noise is a great track but the collaborative version with Anthrax is much better. Not PE’s best album but I enjoyed it nonetheless.

I was working out while listening to this album. Truth be told, I completely forgot I was evaluating the songs. The music just slipped into the background. Based on that I have to say nothing shocked me positively or negatively so this is simply middle of the road. Not a fan but not a critic.

Although not as bad as Bjork, we find ourselves listening to another album where the lead vocalist and the melody don’t always follow each other. The lyrics just kind of happen and sometimes they pair up but there is a constant buzzing in the background which throws everything off. Not a fan. Individually, the parts are nice but there is no synergy on this album to speak of.

This isn’t my preferred style of music, but I oddly didn’t mind it. Better said, I kind of enjoyed it. It was rock with a punk vibe to it and I got into the grooves of the songs. Connection was the most recognized tune of the album but others were enjoyable as well.

I remember when MTV first launched these intimate concerts with high profile bands in NYC back in the 90’s. Nirvana was one of the better recordings they ever did and I believe it showed the audience, that was in the room as well as at home, a different side of the grunge rock band that had blasted onto the scene just a year or two before. The songs being performed acoustically went over very well and the inconsistencies in the vocals were all a part of who Nirvana was. This was a really good compilation for me and I still enjoy listening to it today.

This entire album was way too breathy and had falsetto coming out of every orafice. I couldn’t understand a single word that was sung. I’m pretty sure Spotify didn’t provide the lyrics because AI can’t figure out wtf she’s saying either!! While the music behind the vocals was somewhat nice, this album did absolutely nothing for me. Hard pass.

Not gonna lie. I saw today’s artist quickly and although my eyes read Frank Ocean, I immediately thought of Billy Ocean. I was excited that I was in store for a day of R&B hits like Caribbean Queen. You can imagine my disappointment when FRANK Ocean began singing shortly after and songs like “Crack Rock” and “Forrest Gump” filled my afternoon. I may have enjoyed the album slightly more had I not slipped up so badly, but there was no coming back from that. And with lyrics like those found in “Lost”, “Monks”, and “Pink Matter” my disappointment only grew deeper. This is bad music and it doesn’t belong on this list of 1001.

A lively album full of songs with sounds from the 70’s disco era (despite being recorded in 1990). Funky and soulful with a collaboration of many instruments that make a unique sound. The lead vocalist has an amazing range and it fits perfectly with the playful nature of the album.

Prince put out great music for decades before he left this place and his talent is not debatable. His presence on this project does not remotely surprise me. That being said this is not some of his best work and I would put his other compilations well ahead of this one. U Got That Look was the lone star of this collection. The rest of the songs are funky like Prince was known to be, but are all about the same level of musicality.

Good music for the time period, but it is extremely dated. A good quick listen that I enjoyed while it was on, but won’t be going back to it any time soon.

An interesting collection of 70’s era music. Most tracks gave me the “get high and listen to this in the dark” vibe while others had a Talking Heads sort of gimmick. Definitely not the worst album from this experiment but a one-and-done for sure.

This isn’t my style of music. I understand Joni Mitchell was an important part of musical history around this time, but this is nothing more than background music for me. It felt very folksy despite displaying Joni Mitchell’s vocal talents.

This is the third Sonic Youth album we’ve listened to on Project 1001 and I still don’t see the attraction. This is not good music. The lyrics are simplistic and the music is complex (at times). They consistently work against one another. The use of distorted notes and chaos as a recipe for success brings failure from the jump. And the game ends on a called strike three.

A beautiful voice that wonderfully carries show tunes from decades ago. The soft horns, smooth drums, and elegant piano all add to the finesse this album brings. Although not my usual playlist, this was an excellent listen.

I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I expected nothing, but enjoyed the beats and the 90’s style rapping. Good enough to give it a listen and earn a spot on this list.

“Look at them yo-yo’s. That’s the way you do it”. It’s been forever since I listened to this album but what a joy it was. Dire Straits does better when they are rock and rolling with their full allotment of instruments as their slow songs don’t hit quite as well, but this was pure nostalgia. It’s hard to start an album any better than So Far Away, Money For Nothing, and Walk of Life.

The Temptations are a household name and back up that feat by oozing with talent. A couple of classic tunes are included in All Directions with Papa Was A Rolling Stone leading the charge in front of The First Time Ever I saw Your Face. My impression of The Temptations changed when Run Charlie Run played as I didn’t know they had that kind of music in them. Overall, a great listen and good addition to this project.

Now that you’ve listened to this album, go back and play The Gift. I’m 100% positive this is what the CIA plays at “11” for terrorists held at black op sites between their water boarding sessions. This is just bad music. Hard pass for me.

A solid showcase of Latin music. The sounds are smooth, crisp and clean. A nice change from the usual suspects on this list.

The more I listened to this album, the less I enjoyed it. It started as being good background noise while I was busy but by the end I was being overly critical. Shortened version is this isn’t anything special and I don’t see any value for why it belongs on this project.

A fun, spunky debut album by Devo. I remember when Devo went mainstream in the 80’s with “Whip It” and enjoyed them back then. This isn’t my normal style of music, but I thought it was a cool alternative to the norm.

You can hear the beginnings of greatness in this album, but it was still elementary and not Run DMC’s best work. Jam Master Jay laid down beats and Rev Run And Daryl fed off each other to deliver lyrics in that unique 80’s rap style. A good listen and a foundation that was built on by a group of rap pioneers.

The second album from Nick Drake is more of the same. Nick is very talented musically, but I don’t care for his works. They elicit almost no emotion and do nothing for the listener.

Back-to-back Nick Drake albums should qualify as cruel and unusual punishment. With all the good music in the universe, how does this dude keep coming back? I’m really starting to question whomever put this 1001 list together. In summation, Pink Moon is exactly like Drake’s two previous albums in that there is instrumental talent present, but he is not a very good vocalist. I’m hoping this was a called strike three and Drake is now out.

This album has a black magic kinda of tone all throughout the album. By the end of listening, I felt like I should be sacrificing a chicken and praying to Jabu (Ala Major League). The beats were funky and somewhat enjoyable, but this dark tone followed each song. Not something I’ll ever listen to again, but worth checking out once.

A pretty good collection of cutting edge Rock & Roll considering this was recorded in the early 70’s. Bang A Gong was a nice surprise (I never knew who sang that before!) in the middle of this listen. The rest of the album do not disappoint and those tracks all seemed to contain catchy beats or memorable lyrics.

A collection of what sounds like bad show tunes. On more than one track I was baffled by lyrics like “If sex were an Olympic sport you’d have won the gold”. I couldn’t take this album seriously and neither should you.

Strong Rock & Roll with a whole lot of whining happening behind it. The lyrics are gimmicky and superficial with no real depth to anything PJ is saying. The best part of the album is the instrumentals.

Decent 80’s rock. Heavy on the drums in most songs and very upbeat throughout the album. The songs could use some help lyrically but this was an interesting listen overall.

Otis Redding has an awesome voice and the composure to successfully pull off Blues, Soul, Rock & Roll, R&B, or whatever else is thrown at him. This was a great listen and it had me rocking in my chair for the entire 2 hrs It played.

This is genuinely bad music. With some patience and time, I could reproduce most of these songs on the organ in my brother’s attic. With the exception of “Don’t You Want Me” this album is completely forgettable and one salad doesn’t make a fat man thin. Following that line of thinking I’ve gotta go with the overwhelming theme that they got lucky once and the rest of their music doesn’t belong on this project. I mean let’s be honest, they put the song last on the album because they didn’t realize the value it held either.

Just what I needed in my life. Another album that made me believe I was tripping my balls off while listening to it. This could very easily have been the sound track to a Stanley Kubrick movie because I have no idea what any of it was about. When there was vocals, it was breathy, foggy, and purposefully layered behind the instrumentals to make it difficult to grasp any of the words. When it was just the instruments, it was chaotic, aggressive, and so repetitive that you wanted to be institutionalized to get away from it. It’s not a matter of would I listen to this again, I don’t think I have the mental capacity to endure it after the first attempt.

Stevie Wonder is an astonishing artist. He has an amazing voice and is musically gifted in many senses of the word. This collection was a bit long for me but it was a good listen nonetheless. Stevie’s classic hits will always be bangers with lyrics that paint a picture and drums, guitars and horns that make the rest of the album easy to listen to. A good compilation overall.

I wish we had “skipped” this album and just moved on with our lives. Unlike a bottle of wine, this music did not age well and is mid at best. To top it off, I don’t think Skippy has a very good voice. This collection would have been better as an instrumental only album. I can’t say I enjoyed this.

I truthfully don’t know if I liked what I just listened to. The music was pretty good, but at times the vocals threw everything off. There were tracks that I enjoyed that would then be followed up by two that I didn’t. Much like this album, I’m very confused. I’m calling it just shy of decent based on the fact that I didn’t listen to the Pixies in the 80’s and still being confused by them today.

Musically this album rocked. Add the vocals to the mix and I wanted to jump off a bridge. Not a great experience, but you can blame the lead singer…or the UK as a whole.

The Beastie are one of a kind. Although this album doesn’t stand up to License to Ill, it’s still pretty damn good. Beasties use rock beats to support their nasty rhymes. The album is fun, easy to listen to, and serious all at the same time. A collection worthy of being on this project.

I was pleasantly surprised by today’s selection. I wasn’t expecting the blues and definitely not a voice like that. Tom Waits can keep the slow songs as they don’t translate well with his vocal style, but the blues songs really delivered.

The sound is dated to the 60’s when the album was created, but the Rock & Roll is great. Lots of guitar and drums in every song. A good collection of tunes.

A rock opera that hits on all the levels. The music on any given track is really good, but more than that you can envision the storyline progressing as you transition from song to song. There is a continuity across the album that helps bring the bigger picture into focus. The real Rock songs like “Pinball Wizard” are what truly draw you into the album and make this fun and exciting to listen to.

A progressive collection of upbeat, aggressive rock songs just this side of punk, yet simple in composition. The listen was interesting as a whole but it never really grabbed my attention enough to want to take a return trip.

Unlike the self-titled, debut album by Suede this record is actually tolerable. The music is strong and the vocals are inline with the era’s music. This is far from a favorite, but I did make it through the entire listen without pleading for it to be over.

A groovy, guitar-heavy compilation of vey interesting songs. In my head, this is what Alternative music must have sounded like in the 1960’s.

A classic rock & roll album. The Doors were wildly successful as a band and their self titled album is a large piece of why. The album includes songs that still hit 60 years later and are always fun to listen to. One of the better albums we’ve listened to during this experiment for sure.

I now fully believe that one of the members of Sonic Youth started this project of 1001 albums to get people to listen to their shitty music. It’s impossible to think someone outside of the band thought that four (fucking four!!!) of Sonic Youth’s albums are “must listens before you die” when we haven’t even tapped into a number of band’s that I’m fully expecting to be on this list. This better be the last album from SY or I might have to walk away. In summary, same garbage that was in the other 3 albums.

If Matthew McConaughey had a Vegas lounge act, this would be his album. Listen to any track agin with that imagery. Alright, alright, alright.

Every song is very similar in sound and structure. The lyrics are entertaining and the music is not bad, but I’d like to see more variety from the overall album.

A smooth jazz album with a full orchestra sound behind it. Billie Holiday’s voice sounds troubled in this collection and apparently she had some vocal trauma late in her career that changed her well-renowned sound. Despite that, you can still hear the talent in her approach to every song. A pleasant change to the usual suspects and I enjoyed today’s selection.

Another enjoyable jazz album, but this time with an international flare. The music was smooth and the vocals slid right in. There is nothing abrasive about these songs. Very enjoyable.

This is as bad as I expected.

Average tunes from an above-average artist. Good classic rock, but nothing in this album that stands out more than anything else.

The longest elevator ride of my life.

This isn’t music. It’s sound effects with a band behind them. Hard pass. …and speaking of psychos, this dude is nuttier than squirrel shit. Writing songs like “Paw-Paw’s Negro Blowtorch” and “The Baby’s On Fire” is not something a normal person with all of their faculties does. Finalizing my sentiments regarding having to listen to a Brian Eno record two days in a row, just because your last album was dog shit, doesn’t mean you get a do-over.

The Eagles are good at both rock and roll and the slow ballad songs. That being said, it can be tough on the listener when you want to hear one style from them and you get a lot of the other. The music is solid in either case but Hotel California gives you a good balance of both. The title track and Life in the Fast Lane are the stand out songs for me, with a couple of other honorable mentions. Very good listen.

Decent 80’s rock. I was never a huge fan of Duran Duran when they were popular, but I think they had some big single releases that stood on their own. Rio and Hungry Like the Wolf are two of those that make this album likable. No real complaints about the music, just average rock songs.

Pleasant, soothing music with soft vocals delivering some interesting lyrics. Not my go-to musical selection but it was good in short doses.

I like Beck’s music when he’s actually making music. The overuse of sound effects takes away from the experience and ruins all the cool shit he does. That being said, I’m conflicted in how to grade this. The songs that I like, I do really like, but there are not enough of them to rally this album to good standing.

One of the best rap albums from start to finish. Mic drop. The Beastie Boys have a unique style of delivering their genius and it’s on full display with License to Ill. They are story tellers at heart whose fun lyrics are even more entertaining when their passion and iconic intonation are thrown in. This was a real treat.

FML. A third album by Elvis Costello. In his defense, this was the least crappy of the three, but I still didn’t care for it. I continue to ride the same theme as the previous recordings that the music is well composed and Elvis Costello’s voice ruins it.

A talented vocalist. Hard stop. The music is awful (I’m pretty sure I heard a car alarm going off in one of the songs) and the lyrics are just terrible. These are the artists that you wish sold out to The Man so they could get some direction on how to use the talents that they have versus doing something like this on their own.

Nas delivers hard lyrics over stylish beats in a calm, yet confident manner. While not necessarily complex, the tracks are far from elementary and keep you grooving along throughout the album. A good listen for an artist I’ve only sampled previously.

Not The Beatles most complete album by far, but this is still very good. Can’t Buy Me Love and Hard Days Night still rock as much today as they did 60 years ago. Every song is clean, crisp and full of rock and roll.

Awful name for a band and the music isn’t much better. I’m not a big fan of falsetto and the group should be permanently disbanded for that cover of Comfortably Numb. This album started out ok and then jumped off a cliff not too far after. I hate to admit I listened to this whole thing, but I did.

An easy listening, Classic Rock album from some amazingly talented artists. Nothing that blows you away, but just good solid music.

How high? Seriously. How high do you have to be to write Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band? I imagine the initial discussion went something like this… [Paul] “Gents, (Cause he’s Brit-ish) I’ve got an idea for an album. We all gonna pretend we’re in a band…” [John] “…But Paul…we ARE in a band.” [Paul] “Yes, but we’d be like a really famous band that everyone knows…” [John] “Everyone DOES know us! We’ve lit-erally (cause he’s Brit-ish) toured the world!” [Paul] “…and we’ll write songs that will change how people think of music!” [John] “Still us, mate!” [Paul] “Ok. I see your point…Then let’s just get really fookin high and see what happens!” [John, Ringo, George] “Right on! Now you’re talkin, mate!! Cheers!!” I kid, because the content of this album is so bent that you have to be in yellow world (hat tip to the guy on the couch, Dougie Fresh) to have any inkling what the actual fuck they are singing abou in most songs. In all seriousness, this is genius work that deserves all the kudos it gets. Amazing music that changed the standard in the 60’s of music going forward. Glad we are starting to get to the artists I expected to be on this list.

This album sounds like it was made to be the soundtrack to a Sci-Fi movie. Not good.

A very instrumental collection. The music was decent but it felt more like a jam session than an album that you focus on the lyrics. No complaints and it was good to finally listen to a full Traffic album.

Far from Dire Straits best album, but I love the rhythmic, bluesy sound that most of their tracks have. Sultans of Swing is one of my all time favorite Dire Straits songs so this album automatically gets bonus points. A really good listen, despite having a number of leaser known songs on it.

Great instrumentals throughout and the vocals are on point. Is it dated? Absolutely. Is it full of energy and high performance? For sure. This won’t make it to my playlist, but it’s good music.

I’m hearing a lot of the same themes in this Kate Bush album that we heard in the last one; Kate can sing but her songs aren’t very good. The album isn’t bad, but her music does nothing for me.

While I’m not a big fan of all of the sound effects, I do really enjoy the upbeat and bubbliness of Jamiroquai’s music. The music has a Stevie Wonder vibe to it and I enjoyed the full variety of instruments across the collection. Nothing like that really blew me away, but a steady rhythm of good tunes.

God bless three bearded guys with guitars that can make waiting for the bus sound cool. …and if you are a rock & roll guy/gal and don’t like La Grange, just go ahead and check your pulse now‘cause you may be dead. ZZ Top is without a doubt underrated considering the classics they’ve laid down yet always seem to be forgotten. A rockin good album to kick start the weekend.

Not Ice Cube’s best stuff, but there were flashes of the angry, attack-rap Cube within this collection that he’s known for. I was bobbin my head more than once and enjoyed the aggressive beats on almost all of the tracks.

This felt like a mash-up, mix tape. One minute I’m listening to a sitar with Indian vocals, the next they’re serving up a “rap” style song, followed immediately by a classical song. I actually enjoyed the individual tracks, but there was no cohesion across the album.

Smooth and clean jazz throughout the entire album. Silky drums behind powerful saxophone and dancing piano keys make this entire collection enjoyable. Take Five was a favorite for sure.

As a wise man once said “there’s something wrong with his medulla oblongata“. Although there were instruments being played this is not music. It’s a screaming match with background noise. This truly is not for me.

While I did enjoy the spirited instrumentals on this album, I was not a fan of the repetitive lyrics, echos, and sound effects that were also included. The drums were a driving force on most of the songs and the guitars were a great complement. I can easily see how someone would like this on a regular basis, but the punk-influenced style is not something I enjoy regularly.

Good, solid rock & roll. The album is crisp, interesting and entertaining from start to finish. I don’t usually care for live albums, but this was really good.

A really good collection of rock songs with a number of well-known tracks on it. The popular songs are easily identifiable and the lesser known songs didn’t miss by much. A really good listen.

A fantastic jam fest featuring multiple drums, bass, and guitar. The beats are catchy and keep your body awake and moving. A fun interlude from the normal tracks we’re served up.

After listening the that album all i I know is… KLF is gonna rock ya!! Quite the throwback and I didn’t recognize the band name before the track hit so it was an excellent surprise. This isn’t my favorite genre of music, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy this.

Remove Dancing Queen from this album and there isn’t a single song worth listening to. It’s dated, Euro-rock that has no business being on this list of 1001.

Average Rock band from the 90’s. I don’t have any real criticisms or adoration so it’s a middle of the road review.

it’s a “1” because fuck you it’s a “1”. It was going to be a “2” until I listened to My Friend Goo. What a piece of shit song that was! The balls on whomever decides which albums make this list must be the size of planets. Five Sonic Youth albums??? Seriously?? I mean we’ve only heard 2 Beatles albums to date, but clearly that’s because SY is 2.5x better than The Beatles. WTF. In the immortal words of the Asian groundskeepers in the movie Major League, “They’re still shitty!”

Now we are talking! Some of the best rock from the 70’s came from this band and Zeppelin III is rife with bangers. Musically gifted in so many ways, the band created this album using a number of different instruments showcased primarily by Jimmy Page but let’s not forget that Robert Plant’s range is just stupid good.

This is precisely why I don’t like live albums. The recording does very little to showcase the talent of the artist due to crowd noise, background noise, or just a bad mic setup for the recording. Sam Cooke is more talented than this album would lead you to believe. Everyone at that concert was clearly having a great time, but it doesn’t translate well to the album.

If that’s the sort of thing you really like, then you’ll really like that sort of thing. This was a weird compilation of country and folk music that really didn’t speak to me. It wasn’t bad music, just not something I’ll ever revisit.

Nope. Not my jam. This genre of music does not interest me in the slightest.

Another timeless artist that deserves to be represented on this project. A couple of rock & roll classics in Breakdown and American Girl and the rest of the tunes are Tom Petty through and through. A very good listen.

An interesting clash of early-EDM and late 80’s rock. In both cases the songs aren’t great but the tracks including vocals were far better. The album had vibes of The Cure but were not as composed as that group is. Overall a subpar listen.

So very country in nature, but the harmonies on this album are exquisite. This is one of those albums where the focus is less on the lyrics of the songs and more on the delivery (Looking directly at you Hobo’s Meditation). Three extremely talented women doing there thing for all to hear. RIP Dolly.