206
Albums Rated
3.13
Average Rating
19%
Complete
883 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
1960
Favorite Decade
Folk
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
28
5-Star Albums
15
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Giant Steps
The Boo Radleys
|
5 | 2.88 | +2.12 |
|
Woodface
Crowded House
|
5 | 3.11 | +1.89 |
|
Step In The Arena
Gang Starr
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
Solid Air
John Martyn
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
Court And Spark
Joni Mitchell
|
5 | 3.35 | +1.65 |
|
Five Leaves Left
Nick Drake
|
5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
|
On The Beach
Neil Young
|
5 | 3.46 | +1.54 |
|
Crosby, Stills & Nash
Crosby, Stills & Nash
|
5 | 3.48 | +1.52 |
|
Blue
Joni Mitchell
|
5 | 3.5 | +1.5 |
|
Definitely Maybe
Oasis
|
5 | 3.53 | +1.47 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Metallica
Metallica
|
1 | 3.77 | -2.77 |
|
...And Justice For All
Metallica
|
1 | 3.42 | -2.42 |
|
Melodrama
Lorde
|
1 | 3.31 | -2.31 |
|
Live Through This
Hole
|
1 | 3.3 | -2.3 |
|
Deloused in the Comatorium
The Mars Volta
|
1 | 3.19 | -2.19 |
|
Songs In The Key Of Life
Stevie Wonder
|
2 | 4.07 | -2.07 |
|
Smile
Brian Wilson
|
1 | 3.04 | -2.04 |
|
Sister
Sonic Youth
|
1 | 3.02 | -2.02 |
|
Safe As Milk
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
|
1 | 3.01 | -2.01 |
|
Heavy Weather
Weather Report
|
1 | 2.98 | -1.98 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Led Zeppelin | 3 | 4.67 |
| Bob Dylan | 2 | 5 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Neil Young | 2 | 5 |
| Joni Mitchell | 2 | 5 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Metallica | 2 | 1 |
5-Star Albums (28)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Metallica · 2 likes
1/5
Listened to Enter Sandman and actually quite enjoyed it. Briefly worried I might have missed out on 30 years' enjoyment. Further listening reassured me that wasn't the case. Relieved.
Serge Gainsbourg · 1 likes
1/5
Wasn't initially going to rate this as a protest against the content. But felt I should express my disgust at the material, whatever the quality of the music. Not an ok topic for an album. And what on earth was Jane Birkin thinking when she posed for that cover? Shouldn't be gracing the list.
1-Star Albums (15)
All Ratings
Pentangle
3/5
King Crimson
2/5
I have this album. Some great tracks but some haven't aged so well...
R.E.M.
2/5
What a conundrum. If I was assessing this on how good some of the songs are I'd give it four stars. But I'm not. It's an album, which should stand as a body of work. And this is a frankenstinian body of disjointed styles and uneven tempo that I can't get into as a result. Now feeling I marked Pentangle really harshly when I at least wanted to listen to that one again.
Steely Dan
4/5
Day 4 and finally a stone cold banger. Great contrast to the REM album. Hangs together as a piece. Genius tracks. Only one or two less than stellar tracks so marked to 4 (unless I can give a half?)
Arcade Fire
2/5
I know I'm supposed to love AF. I know they've won awards, I know they're very clever, and I know the critics love them. But. I. Just. Can't. Don't know if it's that irritating shuffle beat they love to use. Or a complete absence of emotion in the music. But there we go. Next.
The Beach Boys
2/5
Another failed attempt to like this album. Two (three if you're generous and include Sloop John B) decent tracks. The rest sounds like an Andy Williams Christmas special. Maybe that's the point. It influenced a lot of music and production at the time. But sadly we've all moved on.
Tears For Fears
4/5
It's the tracks that weren't hits that make you realise the depth of songwriting quality on this album. Apart from an excess of (obligatory in the mid 80s) Fairlight synths it's barely aged. Banger.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
4/5
It's got Neil on it. Always worth at least 4*
Buck Owens
1/5
Errr, no.
Sex Pistols
4/5
Love the energy and venomous lyrics. Still has it even after all these years. Just a lack of variety on the album (where are the ballads ;-)) stops it getting the full 5*.
Ali Farka Touré
4/5
Really enjoyed the mix of blues and African roots music. Shouldn't really be surprised how well that works. Cooder's guitar work is amazing.
Mike Ladd
3/5
Some great bits. Some less so. Could be a grower.
Serge Gainsbourg
1/5
Wasn't initially going to rate this as a protest against the content. But felt I should express my disgust at the material, whatever the quality of the music. Not an ok topic for an album. And what on earth was Jane Birkin thinking when she posed for that cover? Shouldn't be gracing the list.
Metallica
1/5
Listened to Enter Sandman and actually quite enjoyed it. Briefly worried I might have missed out on 30 years' enjoyment. Further listening reassured me that wasn't the case. Relieved.
Pink Floyd
4/5
Had forgotten how many great tracks there are on this album. The creativity is amazing. Would sell a kidney for the Comfortably Numb solo alone. If it didn't tail-off quite so badly it would have got 5*
Soft Cell
2/5
Sadly doesn't live up to memories from my youth. Three good tracks, one of which was a (albeit impressively arranged) cover anyway. The rest is just a soup of 80's musical tropes. Shame.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Starts as it means to go on and doesn't relent. Even the drum solo is tolerable.
fIREHOSE
4/5
Where's this one been hiding? Not often you come across an album you've never heard of, by a band you've never heard of, and quite like it. Some great musicianship and very listenable tracks. Definitely going on the metaphorical turntable again.
Billie Holiday
2/5
I love Bob Dylan, love Neil Young, love Joni Mitchell. Non of them can be described as having conventional voices. But Billie Holliday's voice leaves me cold. Would like it to be different. It is what it is.
Radiohead
3/5
Difficult one this. Possibly my least favourite album by one of the bands I most enjoy and admire.But it took me 20 years to realise how good Kid A is (despite loving Amnesiac from the get go) so wouldn't rule out an upward revision when I've had more time.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Beautiful and hard hitting by turns. Proof of how much great lyrics can add to a song. There's a reason this guy won a Nobel...
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Hard to deliver a bad album when you open with Respect. But every song here is killer. What a voice (and props to the backing band who generate the excitement Aretha feeds off).
The Cardigans
2/5
Some interesting songs and might be a grower. But docked a star for the most criminal cover of a rock classic other than the Scissor Sisters' Comfortably Numb. What were they thinking?
The Kinks
2/5
I love the tracks it inspired (The Who, ELO?) . But somehow I don't love the album. Maybe it's a grower and I'll definitely listen to it again. But I'm going for a cautious 2* until it's proven its worth.
R.E.M.
4/5
Enjoyed this. Compared to Green the REM sound is coming into focus. A much more sophisticated blend of musical genres and more interesting lyrics from Stype.
Queens Of The Stone Age
3/5
A good album that could have been great if it was 2/3 the length. Maybe the instrumental noodlng can be justified as a necessary pré cursor to Songs for the Deaf. But it gets boring quickly.
Dolly Parton
2/5
Appreciate the artistry. Not for me though.
ABBA
2/5
A grudging 2* for Dancing Queen. Nothing else to see here. Next.
Tito Puente
3/5
Quite enjoyable. Would need to be in the mood to play it again. But if I was in the mood I might just put Santana on...
Ice Cube
4/5
Surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Great grooves. Powerful message. Would recommend.
Public Enemy
4/5
Not as good as I remember. But an amazing album nonetheless.
Tim Buckley
3/5
Have wanted to listen to this for ages, being a massive fan of Jeff Buckley's work. Some great parts on the album, but some of it feels leaden and contrived. Maybe that's just the songs dating a little It's gone on the Listen Later list for review though.
George Michael
3/5
There's a choice here between banging songs with frivolous lyrics, or plodding songs with clichéd words. The former are great. The latter means this just gets 3*.
Lupe Fiasco
2/5
OK but didn't move me in any way. Basically all stuff that Kanye did, and did better. And that's before we discuss the Outro...
Coldplay
2/5
Starts as it means to go on. Sadly, that's with plodding, clichéd, rock seemingly written with stadiums in mind - even though this was just their second album. Such a shame that the talent on display on Parachutes morphed into such formula-based music. So inoffensive that it's offensive.
Weather Report
1/5
Compound adjectives are rarely harbingers of something good. And jazz-fusion is no exception. I quite like a bit of jazz. So it must be the fusion bit that leaves me utterly disengaged.
The Velvet Underground
4/5
Is this the best debut album ever ? So many genres of music represented. Or should I say invented? Only docked a star because European Star is just a bit too experimental.
The Smashing Pumpkins
4/5
Really enjoyed this. Dense and guitar driven but still manages to weave melody into the songs.
Fatboy Slim
4/5
Thirty years on it's still got it.
Gang Starr
5/5
Had never heard of this band or album. What a find. Foot tapping beats and excellent lyrics that go from serious to funny in a heartbeat. Nothing not to like.
Harry Nilsson
4/5
Surprised to enjoy so many songs beyond Without You. Self-written songs are beautifully crafted and original. The covers are amazingly performed.
Neil Young
5/5
Timeless. Neil not only gifted us a hat full of classics here, he inspired another in the shape of Sweet Home Alabama. And not even his best body of work...
R.E.M.
4/5
Thoroughly enjoyed this even though I wasnt familiar with it. Strikes. A great balance between easily accessible songs and those that take a bit of effort to really enjoy. And Stype's lyrics are as opaque and intriguing as ever.
Stan Getz
4/5
Genius at work. Although you do need a cumfy pair of slippers and a cup of cocoa to enjoy it at its best.
Violent Femmes
4/5
Another unexpected bit of genius. So many influences combined to make a unique sound. Great, ironic, lyrics. Getting something more from it each time I listen. Will defo be back on the decks..
Michael Kiwanuka
4/5
A brilliant synthesis of so much that's gone before. Which is why it's 4* rather than 5...
Blood, Sweat & Tears
2/5
So much variety here in brilliantly - executed jazz, rock and classical. And individually some of the songs are quite enjoyable. But, just like fish and sugar, it doesn't work very well when it's put together.
Nick Drake
5/5
Just... beautiful. A 10* album if it was possible.
Fleet Foxes
3/5
Occasionally more Pet Sounds than Pet Sounds. And almost more CSNY than CSNY. I should love this album but it somehow doesn't quite make an emotional connneection. So as it stands it's notable mainly for those pub quizzes where you have to name 3 drummers who can sing and write songs...
Leftfield
2/5
An album I'd love to love. But no tracks grab me. Perhaps next time.
Massive Attack
4/5
A classic. Amazing songs.
The Dave Brubeck Quartet
5/5
A joy to have an album whose experimental focus is rhythm. Despite the innovations the tracks never lack engagement or popular appeal. And let's take a minute to ask why production from 1959 sounds better than most albums today... Amazing.
Slint
3/5
This is one of those albums that will take a lot longer than a day to take a view on. Some super-nice ideas, and great vocals, but judgement needs to be reserved until I've had time to get to know it. A cautious 3.
Method Man
2/5
Loving the rap introduction the 1001 is giving me. But this album isn't landing. Pretty much downhill after the Mussorsky quote at the start.
Daft Punk
2/5
Was feeling proud of myself for enduring the monotonous repetition of that awful stars on 45 drumbeat from the 80s. But after the opening 90 seconds of kick drum sample on Rollin' & Scratchin' I couldn't take any more. Life is too short.
Deep Purple
4/5
Apart from Jon Lord's fannying around with proggy keyboard runs this is a stand out piece of rock.
The Replacements
3/5
Gary's Got a Boner merits 3* by itself.
Jungle Brothers
3/5
I've enjoyed the introduction to rap that 1001 is giving me. But this album isn't working for me. Not offensive, but not engaging either.
Wilco
3/5
Some nice tunes. Would recommend.
Crowded House
5/5
If you want pop this is the bollocks. Great tunes. Great harmonies. Foot tapping beats. Can't want for more.
Jeru The Damaja
2/5
Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da. Dum-da-di-dum-dum-da
The White Stripes
4/5
If punk and rock had a bastard child...
Supertramp
2/5
Musical ketamine. And not in a good way.
Count Basie & His Orchestra
4/5
Impossible to not move to this. Foot tapping, body-saying excellence.
The Zombies
3/5
Amazing combination of musical styles from baroque to jazz. Some of the lyrics seem a little dated but the melodies are mostly stunning. Time of the Season is well worth waiting for, but doesn't overshadow it's album-mates.
John Lennon
2/5
Albums done by individual Beatles are always proof that the creative power of that band was in the group, not the individuals. And John Lennon proves that best of all of them. Un-restrained by McCartney his worst is on full display here.
To be fair, the lyrics are often great. But Lennon is at his best when he directs his venom at himself. At least this avoids the criticism of hypocrisy that applies whenever he directs lyrics anywhere else, which is most of the time. The lack of self-awareness is breathtaking.
Melodically though it's an equally difficult listen and if it was anyone other than Lennon I might not have got to the end of the album. Imagine is a plodding dirge. Crippled Inside is the worst song by a Beatle since Don't Pass Me By (which to put in context was written and sung by Ringo). How Do You Sleep is a better attempt but the lyrical content (from a wife beater, adulterer and waitress-glasser) just drags it down too much.
2 from 5. Only Jealous Guy saves it from a 1.
The Louvin Brothers
2/5
Not for me.
Foo Fighters
2/5
I'm so sorry Dave. It's not you, it's me.
I used to love hanging out with your ex before he died so tragically young. Given that you're so similar I really thought this might work.
I mean, I love the tunes. And the guitar is my favourite instrument. But something about this gives me the ick. Hard to say why, but maybe it's the gnawing idea that you might be scraping your ex's stuff?
Don't be sad. I'm sure we'll see each other occasionally. We have lots of friends in common. And we might even enjoy the odd moment together. But for now we need time apart.
De La Soul
3/5
After all the gangster rap I really enjoyed the lighter vibe on this album. Some great tunes, but some I can't quite connect with. One to come back to.
Fugees
2/5
Getting the impression that 1001 thinks Rap was the only thing of value in the 90s. I'm here to be educated but not at all sure that's the case.
Proof in point with this album. Some nice tunes. But with the exception of Killing me Softly, which stands out as an insult to the original, it just leaves me cold. Hoping for a but more variety of genre in the next few days.
Hole
1/5
Nirvana were great. A shot in the arm for rock music when it was starting to sound like the musical equivalent of deja vu all over again. But copyists, who were always going to come along, needed to be especially talented to make this style of music anything other than a tribute.
And serial star fucker supreme, Courtney Love, was always going to struggle on that front. Could have been made by Nirvana with a female singer. Apart from the fact that it's rubbish. Next.
The Bees
3/5
Pleasant. But didnt grab me by the short and curlies.
Arctic Monkeys
5/5
Sit down. Crack a beer. And get schooled in songwriting by Alex Turner. Is there anyone else in indie (or even outside the songer/songwriter genre) who can engage you so totally in the lyrics that the music, as good as it is, is almost forgotten. Genius.
R.E.M.
3/5
Pleasant.
Metallica
1/5
Unpleasant.
Fela Kuti
4/5
Infectious beats. Impressive work from Ginger Baker to hold his own in that company, whether or not he was planted for marketing purposes.
The Go-Go's
3/5
Nice enough.
Bobby Womack
2/5
Musical sweetcorn. Goes through you with hardly any interaction.
The Clash
5/5
Where do you start. Can't think of another album that's so varied and so consistently brilliant from start to finish. Sadly there are only 5 stars available.
Kate Bush
4/5
I'd not listened to this album for about 40 years and it's a bit of a revelation. In my callow youth I was obviously distracted by the bangers on Side 1 (in old money). And Cloudbusting is still the stand out for me.
But all these years later it's Side 2 that's the revelation. I had no idea it was so good. It's like nothing I've heard in pop, apart from the brief helicopter quote from The Wall (can that really be right?) It carries you more like a good piece of classical music. Maybe I was just too busy doing student stuff to bother turning the record over...
My only downer would be that over use of the Fairlight mars the production somewhat (a curse of many mid-80s albums).
A very solid 4*.
Jamiroquai
3/5
The only time I'm expecting to hear a digeridoo on the 1001 (though I live in hope, obviously). I bought this album back in the day, even though jazz funk isn't really my thing. So 3* is a very good score in a very tough market.
Joanna Newsom
4/5
So this is why I'm here. No idea why I missed this in 2006 but it's a gem. Properly groundbreaking music (at least as far as my musical knowledge is concerned) in its combination of roots and classical influences. I can absolutely see why it makes the 1001.
And the music provides a perfect platform for the fascinating lyrics. Which connect you more deeply with the music. Which makes you listen more carefully to the lyrics. Maybe it just caught me in the right mood, and maybe I won't want to listen to it again, but I've played it several times and enjoyed each listening more than the last one. Feels like a slow-burner to me.
Outstanding. But slightly too weird for a perfect score.
Bob Dylan
5/5
Possibly my favourite Dylan album. Something that needs to be properly listened to so that it can be really appreciated. Only Joni and Lana del Ray are in the same ballpark when it comes to songwriting about the human condition. Gloriously emotional.
Miles Davis
5/5
Where do you start? The album that first got me into jazz. And made me determined to understand modes before I shuffle-off my mortal coil. Still sounds as good as it did first time I heard it, 40-odd years ago.
And beyond Miles' obvious brilliance, what a band. Listen to any album by anyone else on the credits and chances are you're in for 40 minutes of pure joy.
An easy 5*
Sonic Youth
1/5
A struggle. Really don't understand Moore and Gordon's God-like status at all. I clearly have to try harder.
Antony and the Johnsons
3/5
Very unsure about this. Gut feeling is the performance (deeply personal and heartfelt and moving) compensates for a series of fairly mediocre songs. Occasionally enjoyable. And possibly the only album I know where the cover is such an integral and powerful part of the story. 3*
Iron Maiden
2/5
Went to see Maiden when they toured the year after this was released. Hated the gig. When the 1001 assigned it to me 45 years later I listened hoping that time had lessened my loathing of metal. It hasn't. Next.
The Streets
3/5
Hadn't heard this for a while. Lyrics are still great and pull you through the album. Music not so much to my taste though.
Cypress Hill
4/5
Love the laid back funky groove.
Various Artists
4/5
If you can overlook the dodgy, not to mention criminal, background of the producer (but hey, which of us is perfect) it's a great Xmas listen. 4*
Beastie Boys
3/5
Genius cross of hard rock and rap, especially when the rock being sampled is Zep. Bit of a health warning on other tracks though. 3*
Stephen Stills
3/5
Occasionally rises above pleasant to be really quite nice. There's a better album buried in all this. But as it is, it's a bang average 3*.
The Everly Brothers
3/5
OK, so the lyrics jarr. But they're 65 years old and (thank god) we've moved on. This is otherwise classy pop at a time when the rulebook was still being written. 3*
Cat Stevens
3/5
À handful of classic songs and the quality of writing is amazing. Ultimately though just not quite my thing.
3/5
Tricky one. Not sure I like it. But I appreciate it for stretching the idea of popular music as far as I can imagine before it becomes completely unlistenable. An unusually generous 3*.
Funkadelic
3/5
Lots to like. But a bit disjointed. 3*
The Style Council
3/5
Great to get back to this album after such a long time. Back in the day I quite liked it. And the tracks I quite liked I now think are really very good. But boy are there some stinkers. Especially around what we used to call the start of Side B and we now call the bit where we might drift off if the material isn't good enough. I'm still at a loss to understand why Welller would invest in this project overall, but on balance I'm glad he did if only for the gift of the better songs here. 3* as a package (though a slack handful of 4* and 5* individual outings
Beastie Boys
3/5
Much more sophisticated than Licensed to III. Some great beats and much more interesting musically. Still some lemons though so 3*
Adam & The Ants
3/5
When this album came out 15yo me had no idea how innovative the combination of African rhythms and 50s American guitar work was. Several decades later I suspect Mr Ant is still a bit under-appreciated and seen mainly as a teen phenomenon. All that said, the album didn't grab me, but a solid 3* for innovation and moving the pop genre forward.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1/5
Self indulgent prog nonsense. Honestly relieved when we got to the end. Mussorgsky must be turning in his grave. 1*
Beatles
4/5
Not my favourite Fab 4 album by a long chalk. And I would only play it occasionally. But there isn't a weak track on the album. Although some of the best songs on the album are written elsewhere, Lennon and McCartney's songwriting is starting to shine and they hold their own in some illustrious company.
Van Morrison
4/5
Tasteful jazz-tinged soul. Just runs out of steam at the end.
Sufjan Stevens
2/5
Some great ideas. For me though they don't come together in any coherent way, both within songs and across the album as a whole. Maybe a day isn't enough time to get to grips with the ambition and I'll come back to it. Who knows. But for now it's a solid 2*
Jeff Beck
3/5
Great guitar work from Beck as ever. And some of my favourite performances from Rod. But somehow the whole is less than the sum of its parts. A run of the mill 3*
Radiohead
5/5
The level of creativity and innovation on this album is just unbelievable. But the songs never lose their humanity, in part due to the vulnerable vovsls and lyrics. There's a reason nobody else sounds like Radiohead - they're generational talents right up there with the Stones and the Beatles.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
One of those albums that I have to be in the right mood for. But he has an amazing ability to interpret a song (compare Lilac Wine and Hallelujah to any other cover you can find and his versions are better). Goodness only knows what levels he'd have achieved if he'd lived longer. What a loss.
John Martyn
5/5
Blissful combination of folk and jazz. Every track sustains that chilled-out vibe.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
5/5
Neil at his rocking best. Nobody else can take a one note guitar solo and get away with it. 4 absolutely stellar songs (Cinnamon Girl, Everybody Knows this is Nowhere, Down by the River and Cowgirl in the Sand) make up for the decidedly average make-weights.
3/5
Really wanted to love this album. But McCartney cornered the market for vaudeville-tinged pop a long time before this was released. The odd moment of brilliance and some very modern guitar, mean that it gets a generous 3
The Band
3/5
Feels like music written by train-hopping hobos in the late 40s, probably whilst swigging hooch with Kerouac. The fact that it's actually all the work of some hip dudes from '69 lends it an ersatz americana feeling. That said, there are some undeniable classics here and it's always an interesting listen. A strong 3*
Primal Scream
3/5
A few decent tracks. Quite a lot of shit ones. But it's Primal Scream. That'll be a generous 3* then.
Van Halen
3/5
You Really Got Me blows the gaff here; it's rock for folks that prefer pop. Feels like a platform for Eddie's guitar chops. Which are impressive if not my cup of tea. 3* for all the hours of scale practice Eddie did in his bedroom.
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
2/5
Confused. Bits I like (Bon Scott era ACDC owes a debt of gratitude), but bored as hell of the pub rock by the end. 2*.
The Lemonheads
3/5
Lots of lovely jangly pop. Not grabbing me in the feelys. But could imagine putting it on in the background for a mellow afternoon. Definition of a 3*
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Giving it less than 5* would feel like shooting a puppy. So I'm giving it 5*.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Apparently the band was very unhappy with most of the songs on this album. I'm with them. 2*.
Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
3/5
Everytime I hear American Girl I think I've missed something with Tom Petty. Everytime I listen to other tracks I realise I probably haven't. 3*
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Came back to this with fresh ears hoping my mind would be changed. Sadly not. It's all downhill from The Cutter, apart from a brief renaissance with Heads Will Roll.
Pulp
3/5
An enjoyable romp as the world's least likely lothario acts out his fantasies through the medium of music. 3*
The Modern Lovers
3/5
The missing link that helped me understand musical evolution from the Velvets to punk. Really enjoyed the raw production and personal lyrics. Might be a grower. A cautious 3*
Moby
4/5
I'd forgotten how good this album is. Love the combination of electronic and soul/gospel. Starts to feel a bit samey by the end though.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
What a treat for a Monday morning - about as close as pop gets to perfection. Thoughtful lyrics. Complementary melody. Sophisticated arrangements. Beautiful voice. I never understand why she doesn't get as many mentions as Dylan when we discuss the GOATs. A 5* every day of the week.
John Grant
3/5
As if the Carpenters had a baritone singer. Pleasant enough but prefer his later stuff. 3*
The Band
3/5
Coming only two weeks after the Brown Album it's great to be able to compare the two. Tears of Rage made me wonder if I'd been a bit harsh about the earlier outing (strong 3*) but sadly not. Fortunately Danko's guitar makes even the least listenable song something worth spending time with. But even The Weight can't drag this above bang average 3*
Coldplay
2/5
In the beginning I thought I could cope. Pleasant enough. Showed promise. But as time went on it started to wear me down. A mild irritation developed and then sleep became a stranger. Normal society didn't understand and shunned me. I was an outcast. Unable to hold onto my job I lost my family, my home and my future. And all because Coldplay can only write three songs.
Joni Mitchell
5/5
What to say. An incredibly beautiful album that fully deserves its place as one of the best ever. It's been in my collection for 45 years and becomes more meaningful every time I listen. Coldplay, take note.
Sebadoh
2/5
Don't know how this got in ahead of Bakesale, but you have to play the team in front of you. Occasionally great but a lot of filler. And gets more difficult as it goes on. 2*
The Police
3/5
When rock gets self-consciously clever the result is rarely great. But it can be OK. Which, singles aside, pretty much summarises this album for me. Not Coldplay level OK. But OK nevertheless. So it's a 3* then.
Johnny Cash
4/5
What a job Johnny Cash does here. In truth, most songs here are either not my sort of thing, or not my sort of style. But every track wrings-out as much feeling as is humanly possible and it's impossible not to be moved. Johnny's dying gift to us. 4*
Bee Gees
2/5
Hard to imagine this is the band of Saturday Night Fever. While the songs on that album have stood the test of time, the same can't be said for Trafalgar. Like it's battle namesake, a struggle from start to finish. 2*,
Queen
2/5
Confirms my view that Queen was a singles band (and I'm happy to debate they were run of the mill at that). A hot mess of an album and that's before I get started on The Prophet's Song. 2* and that only because Bohemian Rhapsody is unquestionably a musical masterpiece.
The Pogues
3/5
I've never wanted to go to a ceilidh, but I love the drive and energy here (props to Lillywhite's production). You've got to admire the way that MacGowan simultaneously doesn't give a fuck whilst peppering his excellent lyrics with them. Still don't want to go to a ceilidh though. Very strong 3*.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
Like a cross between the Beatles and the Beach boys. Two (three with Go Where you Wanna go) beautiful songs carry the album. But we have to judge it as an album, warts and dodgy Spector covers included. 3*
Aerosmith
3/5
Has all the components of a great album but somehow doesn't move me. Might need to spend more time with it but until then it's 3*
The Adverts
2/5
Difficult to remember how imaginative this was in '78, but it now sounds like just another punk album. Gary Gilmore's eyes definitely doesn't have the impact it did at the time and the punk format is just too limited to allow an album of this length to be interesting. 2*
Oasis
5/5
The first and best Oasis album, where Noel Gallagher established himself as the world's pre-eminent musical babel fish. Who cares how derivative it is. Or how much is straightforward plagiarism. It does what a rock n roll record should. And then some. 5*
Supergrass
4/5
Been a long time since I listened to this and I'm glad I did. Like a musical history tour quoting the Overture from Tommy in the opener, Beatles- influenced guitar and harmony influences, and a sprinkling of punk just to spice it up. But it never feels derivative (Gallagher, wake up at the back of the class). For a bunch of teenagers they did an impressive amount of homework. 4*
Tom Waits
4/5
The bar room Bruce Springsteen. I love the sleezy, blues vibe and the lyrics always tell a great, and frequently moving, story. 4*
George Michael
4/5
Not my thing in truth. And to my ears half the album is fairly standard fare. But the first three tracks are standout bangers, and were always going to be a hard act to follow. For that George gets a full on 4*
Solomon Burke
2/5
Great voice. Can see the appeal but feel we've (I've?) moved on? Not for me. A regrettable 2*
Leonard Cohen
2/5
Now I love a singer songwriter. And I love a melancholic song. But for goodness sakes Leonard, lighten up sometimes. My day had already been ruined by the time I got to So Long, Marianne. And blow me if he doesn't dive straight back into his dirge fest after that. 2* for the undoubtedly poetic (if overly gnostic) lyrics.
Travis
3/5
Prefer my melancholy to be of the intimate, rather than stadium, variety. But not a bad outing. An average 3*
Green Day
4/5
Feels like what happened when punk grew up. In a good way. Great songs. Bags of energy brilliantly captured by the recording. 4*
XTC
3/5
Always want to like XTC more than I do. Clever lyrics. Nice tunes. But somehow it doesn't get my fire lit - perhaps it's the faint whiff of prog that just won't go away. That said, I'm giving it 3* cos if you're from Swindon you need all the help you can get (sorry Swindon, meant in a generous spirit. And yes, I have been). 3*
John Prine
2/5
Important pieces of context: I don't much like pure country, I've never heard of John Prine, and I'm listening to this without Internet access so can't research this album. Now that's out of the way I can say I have no idea whether this is supposed to be a serious album or a parody of country music tropes.
I mean the album starts with the line When I Woke up this Morning. Advocates blowing up your TV as a way of finding peace in your life and speaks of Digesting Readers Digest in the Back of the Dirty Book Store.
Schoolboy rhyming couplets combined with dull and clichéd country music that could've been produced by any one of a hundred different Southern artists. Lost the will to listen once John had offered the insight that Jesus doesn't like killing (who knew). My new American friends tell me this is a nailed on 5*. But In a sign of the cultural separation we're currently experiencing with folks across the Atlantic I'm giving it a disappointing 2*
Caetano Veloso
2/5
I'm sure Caetano is a great guy. But his music just doesn't do it for me. 2*
Paul Simon
2/5
Honestly didn't think PS started appropriating other music styles until the grand heist that is Gracelands (which I'm sure we'll come to another day), but some of the tracks here suggest that obviously wasn't the case. Bitch over, this feels like a pretty average outing. Rarely jarrs. But never hits any emotional highs, musically or lyrically, with the possible exception of Me and Julio which carries the album. I really don't think I'll be returning to this one. And that, my friend, is a 2*
The The
4/5
A brilliant rendering of existential angst in musical form. The instrumentation is maybe a bit dated but every track hits the spot, helped in no small way by the LP format restricting the number of tracks to something manageable. And Jules' piano solo on Uncertain Smile remains a thing of wonder to me more than 40 years after I first heard it. Not quite a full fat five, but a very worthy 4*
Def Leppard
2/5
Proof that like Ghostbuster streams, rock and pop should never be crossed. Great choruses but nothing to chew on. Can't see me picking this up again. That'll be 2* then.
Fleetwood Mac
5/5
Never understand how these guys could function, let alone be so creative, against the backdrop of this album. Possibly as close as pop gets to perfection, and Songbird might even be better than that. Easily earns its status in the pantheon of all time greats. A full gas 5*
Meat Puppets
3/5
Didn't know this, apart from the tracks Nirvana covered. Great combination of punk, country and proto grunge (did I make that up?) which is way ahead of its time and kind of makes Nirvana sound derivative. But maybe becomes low-fi musical soup towards the end. Not quite sure I can bring myself to give it a four until I've given it more time. So it's a parsimonious 3* from me.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Struggled with this. Some occasionally great guitar work from Mick Ralphs, clearly honing his chops for Bad Company. But I don't like Hunter's constricted, sub-Bowie, voice or the artifice of the more proggy elements on the album. Left feeling there's a reason glam rock hasn't had a resurgence. Probably won't be troubling this album again. 2*
Orbital
1/5
Fell asleep. Tried to listen again. Realised I was right first time. Sometimes it's better to listen to your body. 1*
Crosby, Stills & Nash
5/5
OK. So it's 57 years old and is going to sound dated in places. But the harmonies and guitar interplay are timeless. Nearly docked a mark for excessive Do do dos in Lady of the Island. But the end to end quality just sees it through to a 5*.
Footnote: checking notes I see I only gave 4* to Deja Vu. As adding Neil to anything makes it better this was clearly a mistake and I want to go on record as stating that album must be worth at least 5*
Morrissey
3/5
Bangers and Mash. Fish and Chips. Egg and bacon. Some things just need to go together. And so it is with Morrissey and Marr. All the wonderfully sardonic lyrics are there (America is not the World lands especially well on the day that Iran is attacked). But blimey, the delicacy of Marr's playing is needed to lift the leaden backing. I can just stretch this to a generous 3*, on the basis that the lyrics are great, and I might just play First of the Gang to Die again.
Haircut 100
3/5
In 1982 I was sitting on the 'cool' (to me and my mates) side of the common room listening to Status Quo, ACDC and Zep, and this album was derided as worthless. I (we) were wrong. It's actually an enjoyable jazz-slanted and fun way to spend 40 mins. It's still not getting more than 3* though. My 17yo self would be proud I've not cashed out completely.
Charles Mingus
3/5
Harsh to have to get to grips with this in just 24 hours. For sure, there are some fabulous solos and motifs. But these are often connected by bridging pieces that are difficult at first listen. It's definitely getting more spins though and if it's even half as good as Mingus Ah Um it's going to be a grower. But rules is rules and until then it has to be given a cautious 3*.
CHVRCHES
2/5
I've thus far refrained from criticising the demi gods that selected the 1001. But how the fudge can this be deemed 'important' let alone 'influential' (granted, it does meet the criterion of 'in popular music'). I get that it may have been inspired by important or influential albums from the 90s. But to my ears it's just generic, occasionally enjoyable, pop. Maybe it's just the offensive spelling that's got my goat - it's not as if the album text was chiseled by hand. A spiteful 2*.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
It's been great to come back to this album. Love the endless variety of music styles from bluegrass through easy jazz to heavy rock. All while Huey delivers his spliffed-out rap (legal edit: possibly) over the top. The Smoke on the Water/Freebird quoting Bombin' the L is an absolute standout. A fabulous, foot-tapping, 4*
Beyoncé
1/5
If we were rating albums on relief felt once they were over this would score a strong 5*. Sadly for Beyoncé that's not the case. Banal, generic, over-produced. A solid 1*
The Rolling Stones
4/5
Impressive to be able to even play an instrument whilst ripped to the proverbials on that much gear, let alone produce such a solid rock album. Very tempted to give it full marks for Wild Horses, Brown Sugar and Can't you Hear me Knocking (what a standout turn from Mick Taylor) but maybe the drugs don't fully work on some other songs. A very fullsome 4*
Peter Gabriel
3/5
Feels like he's searching for a definitive style in this album as it shifts from prog (Moribund the Burgermeister), pop (Solsbury Hill), McCartneyesque vaudeville (Excuse Me) and blues rock (Waiting for the Big One). Not all of it is successful but it clearly paved the way for some of the bangers that followed. 3*
Peter Gabriel
5/5
I've not listened to this for years and started it up expecting I'd have moved on. And I'm delighted that I was wrong. Just glorious. Raucous pop songs (Sledgehammer, Big Time) somehow sit easily alongside hymm-like outings (Mercy Street, Don't Give Up). The range of emotions it generates is majestic. A fantastic 5*
Fela Kuti
4/5
Infectious mix of jazz and beats. And great fun given the hard hitting nature of the lyrics. A foot tapping 4*
Ian Dury
4/5
Funny and observational. With a rhythm section tighter than a camel's backside in a sandstorm. What's not to like? 4*
Brian Wilson
1/5
Sounds (unsurprisingly) like a 60s throwback. Really don't get anything Wilson did after the Beach Boys' heyday and this hasn't changed my view. Dull music and even worse lyrics (Vega-Tables anyone?) make this pretty much unlistenable. Even the gorgeous harmonies can't keep this from a woeful 1*.
Spiritualized
4/5
So after a number of previous attempts I finally get this album. Thoroughly enjoyed the post modern blues rock feel to the whole thing. Docked a star though for being overly self-indulgent towards the end. A full fat 4*
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
Not too sure what to make of this. Musically there's a lot to like. But there's also a fair amount of run of the mill blues rock. But then there's the Janis Joplin factor. She lifts even the most average song here to something that is interesting and enjoyable. And Summertime and Piece of my Heart are the stellar examples of that here for me. I'll definitely come back to this, if only just to wonder at that voice again. So it has to be a 4*
Buffalo Springfield
4/5
Docked 1* because there's not enough Neil. 4*
Neil Young
5/5
Not Neil's best. But it's a collection of songs most other artists can only dream of. The shift from Harvest to a more bitter and edgy tone lands brilliantly. 5*
Isaac Hayes
4/5
Isaac mate. Sit down, grab a cuppa and let's chat. Those first 3 tracks. Stone cold classics. But even so, you can't just bang on about Jimmy Webb for 9 minutes before you bother singing a note. People will dock you a star. 4*
The Boo Radleys
5/5
Hands down one of the best and most inventive albums of the 90s. The mix of musical styles and use of studio effects is up there with the greatest - to call it indie is missing the point. Move over Pet Sounds. 5*
Japan
4/5
Japan sounded like nobody else. And nobody sounds like them. Not sure I'd have picked out this album as their best. But nevertheless it's 4*
2/5
These guys must have been amazing live when the passion and protest would be visceral. Sadly, the rudimentary rock, shouty delivery and sexually explicit lyrics don't have the same impact when sipping a cup of tea at home on a sunny spring morning. 2*
Beatles
5/5
Honestly, what can you say (apart from whether giving Ringo a slot was a bit too generous)? The album where it really started. 5*
Neneh Cherry
3/5
In a confession that will surprise some, I bought this album when it came out and used it to audition a new music system. A decision met with some disdain by the guy running the hi-fi shop.
He had a point. It's hard to sound like you're from New York when you're Swedish and recording in Kensal Green (Neneh, not hi-fi guy. He was from Beckenham). Still, she had a bloody good go. 3*
Ute Lemper
1/5
Approached with some dread because I'm not a fan of musical theatre and I'm not a Divine Comedy fan. Possibly the only respect in which the album met expectations. Failed even to provide a lift on a wet, misty and cold spring day. Wanted to give a bonus * because the song writers are (mostly) stellar. But on reflection that just shows how dreadful the performance really is. 1*
The Temptations
3/5
Game of two halves. Side one comes in with a bang. But side two goes out with a whimper. In footballing terms it might be an entertaining score draw. In 1001 terms that's 3*.
Ravi Shankar
2/5
Amazing virtuosity. But it does feel like a school music lesson. It's going to take me more than 24 hours to adjust to a wholly new (to me) form of music, despite the instructions. 2*
Aretha Franklin
5/5
Wraps its arms around you and gives you a massive cuddle. Don't want to be anywhere else when this is playing. 5* all the way. And then some.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
What a day to be alive. (Possibly) the best debut album ever. Kicks ass from the opening two chord slashes of Good Times Bad Times through to the unrelenting drive of the final track. Let's overlook the blatant plagiarism for the moment and focus on the musicianship. A fabulous 5*
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
Beyond the singles, I never listened to Siouxsie in the day. I'm amazed at the musicianship and can see straight away how influential it was. I think I found this more interesting than enjoyable though, and am not sure I'm a convert (yet?). I might come back to it though so it's 3*
The Byrds
3/5
Some great songs. Some beautiful harmonies. Some very average songs. Feels like a band that doesn't know what they want to be. 3*
Madonna
4/5
Madge doing what she does, surfing the current fashion wave. And in that respect it feels like William Orbit should get joint billing. But, a bit like sausages, it doesn't pay to over analyse the manufacturing process - it's a great album. 4*
The Cure
2/5
Despite being a Yorkshireman this is just too dark and miserable for me. Lullaby was a rare ray of light, and even that's relative. Maybe I'm just a fairweather Cure fan. Or maybe I should have been ripped to the tits on halucinogens when I gave it a spin. But either way this is just hard work. 2*.
The Birthday Party
2/5
I read once that Nick Cave finds it hard to write music. In what might be a coincidence, I found it really hard to listen to this. But the 'Neil Young' rule is being extended to Nick and it gets an extra star for being the work of a genius whose music does eventually reveal itself to be a thing of wonder. 2*
Muddy Waters
2/5
Love blues but this is a bit meh. I assume the rhythm section is spitting out bog standard 12 bar patterns so that Muddy has a chance to shine. But there's not enough creativity in the melody or solo lines to carry it off. Sorry Muddy. I know you're a legend and all that, but this won't be troubling the decks again. 2*.
Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
1/5
I'm going full school report on this one. 4* for effort in pushing the boundaries of rock. But 1* for attainment on the basis that I really can't listen to the last few tracks again before I die. And in the final analysis, that's all that matters. 1*
Stevie Wonder
2/5
Do I think Stevie is a genius - yes. Would I listen to this album in its entirety again - I don't think I would. Unless Granny was coming round and she didn't like Led Zep. Too much elevator music between the two or three bangers. And it's waaaay toooooo loooonnnngg. A controversial 2*
Morrissey
2/5
Oh! the irony (foresight?) of Morrissey naming an album Viva Hate. But getting round to the content, it's as if the lyrics (though good as ever) have never met the music before. The only exception being Dial a Cliché, which is the most Smiths-like track here. It's tempting to conclude that, without Johnny Marr, Morrissey is just a honky baritone with a preference for a plodding backing band. Glad this is out of the way. 2*
TV On The Radio
3/5
Listening on a long car journey, which isn't ideal. Also not ideal that some of the album effects make the car sound like it's f*cked. Ideals aside, I don't know what to make of this even after a couple of spins. But I love the energy and variety, and think I'll keep listening. A benefit-of-the doubt-driven 3*
Soundgarden
4/5
I clearly wasn't on my musical 'A' game in '94 because with the exception of Black Hole Sun this passed me by. And it's excellent. Given the Zep influences peppered through most tracks (is Limo Wreck Dazed and Confused in disguise?) it feels a bit harsh to file it under grunge. It will definitely get brought out to annoy the fam again. And after just one listen that alone merits a 4*
Pulp
2/5
My admiration for Jarvis Cocker is rooted mainly in his preparedness to bear his arse in the face of Michael Jackson's hubris. Not for his music. So you could have knocked me down with a feather when I realised he had 2 (count them) albums on the 1001. And having listened to this album twice, just to be sure, I'm still none the wiser why. Without the banging singles of Different Class to anchor it, This is Hardcore slowly disintegrates into a soup of art school artifice. I get some people will like it, but it's not for me. 2*
Led Zeppelin
4/5
The one where the band settles the argument over whether they're just blues-rock braggadocios: they stretch out into folk and pop territory and every song lands beautifully. That said, I miss the consistently balls-out attitude of the first two albums. A slightly peevish 4*
Little Simz
4/5
So this is what I'm here for. I know of, but have never listened to, Little Simz and what an album! Love the overall vibe and how she mixes straight up rap tracks with something a bit more laid back. Also love the restraint of putting out an LP-length album with no filler. Straight on to the rotation list. 4*
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
Been a very long while since I listened to this album and I love it way more than in the day. Springsteen is one of the best storytellers in the business and this album is no exception. What is different is the consistently low key and moving accompaniment which is beautifully judged. Perfect for a mellow post-pub recovery morning. A strong 4*
The National
4/5
There's a theory that albums are like sweets: the easier they are to like, the quicker that you get sick of them. And this is where 1001 scoring needs special care, because you might only give albums you've not heard before a decent rating if they have immediate impact. But that might well mean it doesn't stay on rotation for long. And wtaf does this have to do with today's album you might ask. Well, I submit that The National's music reveals itself over multiple listens. Each occasion uncovers further nuance until you finally appreciate each song for the fragile thing of wonder that it is. And if you've stayed with the argument this far you've earned the right to know that this is why I'm going to give this album a high rating despite not having heard it before and not being quite sure what to make of it on first listen. But also because I've heard enough promise to trust that this will be a grower. 4*
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
What could he have achieved if he hadn't had to fit all this into 4 short years? Some great songwriting that's surprisingly funky and tender by turns. Before it's time - you can hear how it influenced bands well into the early 70s. Only docked a star for the EXP nonsense. 4*
Ray Charles
2/5
This isn't my favourite version of Ray Charles. Too much crooning and not enough soul or swing - you can run from the country source material but you can't hide it. I get the significance though and it's quality stuff. Just not for me. 2*
The Mars Volta
1/5
Sounds a bit like Led Zeppelin they said. My arse. 1*
Lorde
1/5
Could be any one of a number of female pop singers. Maybe it's the lyrics that make it special. Who knows. Because the production is so generic I won't be spending any more time listening. I gave Mars Volta 1* yesterday but at least they were trying to be themselves. Lorde isn't even trying to do that. 1*
The Go-Betweens
3/5
Very pleasant jangle pop. Not a lot to like or dislike musically. But maybe the lyrics *just* elevate it to a 3*.
T. Rex
4/5
So I thought T-Rex was a singles band. But on the evidence here I was wrong. (Mostly) brilliant, and rhythmically sassy, tunes, just don't listen too hard to the lyrics. And Visconti's sympathetic production is icing on the cake. 4*
Shack
2/5
Very pleasant. Don't think there's anything here to make me come back though.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Pretty decent performances of, mostly, rock n roll covers. Clearly trying to work out their identity, in '64 it might have been called a tribute to the original performers. But in today's language there' s just a slight whiff of appropriation. 3*
Michael Jackson
2/5
Mmmm. Not my thing. Never was, even before all the broohaha. Some great singles. But the self-consciously orgasmic whoop puts me on edge for all sorts of reasons. 2*