My 1001 Albums Journey

Albums Rated

3.35

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2010

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5-Star Albums

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Albums

You Love More Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
I Am a Bird Now Antony and the Johnsons	5	2.84	+2.16
Siembra Willie Colón & Rubén Blades	5	3.3	+1.7
Ready To Die The Notorious B.I.G.	5	3.36	+1.64
Here's Little Richard Little Richard	5	3.56	+1.44
Maggot Brain Funkadelic	5	3.6	+1.4
To Pimp A Butterfly Kendrick Lamar	5	3.62	+1.38
The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill Lauryn Hill	5	3.64	+1.36
The Joshua Tree U2	5	3.66	+1.34
Deja Vu Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young	5	3.7	+1.3
Lam Toro Baaba Maal	4	2.73	+1.27

You Love Less Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Fuzzy Grant Lee Buffalo	1	3.01	-2.01
At San Quentin Johnny Cash	2	3.8	-1.8
With The Beatles Beatles	2	3.66	-1.66
Born To Run Bruce Springsteen	2	3.63	-1.63
Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) Wu-Tang Clan	2	3.61	-1.61
Surfer Rosa Pixies	2	3.5	-1.5
Blue Lines Massive Attack	2	3.38	-1.38
Shake Your Money Maker The Black Crowes	2	3.29	-1.29
Being There Wilco	2	3.22	-1.22
This Is Hardcore Pulp	2	3.14	-1.14

5-Star Albums (14)

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1-Star Albums (1)

All Ratings

Wild Is The Wind

Nina Simone

3/5

Simone has an extreme range vocally. Powerful and sweet at various times. Not an album to put on while doing something else.

Tidal

Fiona Apple

3/5

Great play among the genres, with some downright groovy tracks and thoughtful. I just don't like Apple's singing voice.

The Joshua Tree

5/5

Extremely nostalgic and cathartic listen. I haven't listened through the whole album, just some of the well known tracks (namely, the first three). But damn, this is emblematic of an album you must hear before you die. Atmospheric instrumentation with Bono's signature, powerful singing.

Chirping Crickets

Buddy Holly & The Crickets

3/5

Very joyful. Emblematic of the rockabilly era.

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

2/5

A bit boring

Superunknown

Soundgarden

3/5

Born To Run

Bruce Springsteen

2/5

Just really not my style. My friends all love Bruce and I was hoping to, too. What Bruce lacks in singing ability he makes up in enthusiasm! I was hoping for some unique instrumentation here and there. What's interesting is that some songs remind me of the Clash albums. The grit and edge are strong.

Thriller

Michael Jackson

5/5

Billion Dollar Babies

Alice Cooper

3/5

Fun, weird.

Group Sex

Circle Jerks

2/5

I love a 15 min album. You can tell these shows were fucking crazy live. A little redundant to listen to in album form.

Peace Sells...But Who's Buying

Megadeth

4/5

I was dreading a metal album but this is actually pretty groovy. Great guitar licks, bass playing and drumming.

Aja

Steely Dan

4/5

God I love Steely Dan. This was easy listening, fun and funky. Nothing extraordinary.

Purple Rain

Prince

5/5

THRILLED TO SEE THIS TODAY DROP IN MY INBOX. Great guitar links, subversive lyrics.

Fuzzy

Grant Lee Buffalo

1/5

Not sure what the deal is with the out-of-tune singing. Acoustic guitar offers a classic 90s atmosphere. Ultimately DNF.

Sound of Silver

LCD Soundsystem

3/5

Super groovy but gets repetitive. I love this type of irreverent house music.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

2/5

Very boring. Hard not to compare to Joshua Tree, which was so moving.

To Pimp A Butterfly

Kendrick Lamar

5/5

The inclusion of this album makes me wonder why we're messing around with some of the other albums on this list. One of the best of all time. Why am I listening to some tired ass music from the 80s and 90s? Who put that there? This is what we should be listening to. Lyrical genius: funny, introspective, and groovy to boot.

Hot Fuss

The Killers

4/5

I've never sat and listened through this whole album. What a delicious exercise in nostalgia. I love the Killers, and the hits on this album still hit! I did find myself skipping through the tracks I didn't know already. Brandon Flowers has a habit of monotone singing. Great drumming and guitar licks. As a thirty-something, I do think I've listened to Mr. Brightside enough times at weddings. Made it laughable to listen to it in this capacity.

Shake Your Money Maker

The Black Crowes

2/5

A little boring. Others have called it "bar music" which I agree. Don't mind it. Probably won't choose to listen to it again.

Little Earthquakes

Tori Amos

3/5

Powerful singing and key slinging. I'd not sat and listened to Tori Amos before but she is a force!

1999

Prince

4/5

The Marshall Mathers LP

Eminem

3/5

Unfortunately very groovy with cutting lyrics. Coming a week after I listened to a Kendrick album, you don't have to look up the lyrics to hear what Eminem says or understand what he means. He is funny, horrifying and to the point.

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

War

3/5

A couple songs on here I totally love, namely Sunday Bloody Sunday. A lot of the tracks I skipped through though.

Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)

Wu-Tang Clan

2/5

I understand the cultural impact this group has had on music and the scene. I did find myself skipping through many of the numbers (probably because I was playing catch up from previous days!) The sound reminds me of playing Tony Hawk Pro Skater on PS2. Great, gritty sound. Some of the tracks I had a hard time sitting a listening to-too repetitive or the spoken interlude.

This Year's Model

Elvis Costello & The Attractions

3/5

I love some tracks on this one and have loved EC for years. Pump It Up is groovy and punky. I don't love Costello's singing voice and some of the tracks you feel like you're waiting for t hem to be over. I do find the lyrics super catchy, and often find myself saying "I don't want to go to Chelsea!" to myself.

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

3/5

Pleasant listening. Groovy, with lots of blues and folk influence. Some songs I skipped if Mick's singing was in no consequences territory.

You Want It Darker

Leonard Cohen

3/5

Wow listening to his singing voice is a lot. But the sound and diction make his beautiful lyrics stand front and center. I like the sparse and jazzy instrumentation that set Cohen up.

Moondance

Van Morrison

4/5

I lot of songs on here I knew without knowing. I love the vibe of the album and the songwriting.

Duck Stab/Buster & Glen

The Residents

2/5

When I heard Constantinople, I thought "here we fucking go." But honestly, I couldn't stop listening! I love weird music and this is definitely the weirdest. Some of the same soundingness of the songs got boring. Agreed with some of the other listeners here that I'd rather more albums in this category of wacky shit than, say, 6 albums of Elvis Costello.

Murmur

R.E.M.

3/5

I like this. It's fine, good listening while I work.

Moon Safari

Air

4/5

Listening as someone who already loves this band. Makes easy jazz a little more interesting to listen to. Not my favorite album by this group but a good one.

The Last Broadcast

Doves

2/5

I had no idea what to expect but the intro into the first song hit the spot. Atmospheric, nostalgic. Songs too long for what they're trying to do.

Illmatic

Nas

4/5

Looooove the beats engineered for this album. Definitely a top rap record. "Life's a bitch and then you die."

Music From The Penguin Cafe

Penguin Cafe Orchestra

4/5

Fun! Reminds me of a joyful video game soundtrack.

KIWANUKA

Michael Kiwanuka

5/5

Absolutely beautiful music with rich instrumentation. What a joy to listen to.

461 Ocean Boulevard

Eric Clapton

3/5

The Grand Tour

George Jones

3/5

Dummy

Portishead

4/5

I Am a Bird Now

Antony and the Johnsons

5/5

Extremely beautiful and strange, music that will make you feel. People do not like Ahoni's singing, but I find it so unique and honest.

Hypnotised

The Undertones

3/5

I’m not sure I “had” to listen to this but it was fine. Makes me excited for the Clash and Ramones records on this list.

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

One of those classic albums I started this project for. This is sassy and fun.

Brothers

The Black Keys

4/5

I was really into a few of the tracks in college, but this whole album rocks. So groovy and gritty!

Deja Vu

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young

5/5

The Poet

Bobby Womack

3/5

C'est Chic

CHIC

3/5

Classic disco fun. Better to dance to this album than listen.

First Band On The Moon

The Cardigans

4/5

What a joy! Dreamy and driving. I love the Iron Man cover.

Colour By Numbers

Culture Club

2/5

Very delightful 80s pop, with sweet singing from Boy George. Some of the tracks I skipped because I found the repetition and singing annoying. Karma Chameleon is a forever bop, nonetheless.

Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are Devo

Devo

3/5

Weird. A hoot. Devo is way more punk-y than I thought. Enjoyed listening until we got to the lowkey racial slur song.

Ágætis Byrjun

Sigur Rós

4/5

Very lovely, atmospheric work. If this and Brian Eno opened the door for ambient music, I am grateful.

Stephen Stills

4/5

Bat Out Of Hell

Meat Loaf

3/5

Live At The Regal

B.B. King

4/5

Electrifying! I love albums like this to hear the reactions of the crowd but also the chance to get to learn more about blues legends.

Viva Hate

Morrissey

2/5

Eh. I don't like his singing voice all that much. Some bops but mostly uninteresting.

The Velvet Underground

3/5

I like the pared down sound. Peaceful and prodding. But the album didn't grab my attention so much.

I See You

The xx

3/5

I love the xx! It's always such a groove. I prefer the debut album over this. Also, the arrangements are excellent but I don't love either of the singers voices. They sound like they are trying very hard to sing.

Private Dancer

Tina Turner

4/5

The album with "What's Love Got to Do With It!" I love this album. I liked the covers but prefer any original tracks.

Dirty

Sonic Youth

3/5

Loved Theresa's Sound-World, but skipped most tracks. I get the feeling this was important to the evolution of punk and grunge but I prefer other artists in the genre.

Kilimanjaro

The Teardrop Explodes

2/5

Did I enjoy this? Well enough. Did I HAVE to listen to this before I died? Maybe.

At San Quentin

Johnny Cash

2/5

I think live albums are great if you already love the music. Hard to listen to while working, which is how I go through this list.

Maggot Brain

Funkadelic

5/5

Very specific note here, but you need to listen with both head phones, especially to the first track. I had my work headphones, which is Hannah Montana style. The guitar traveled back and forth. Wacky and weird and groovy as fuck. I love P Funk. I was assigned this on the anniversary of Eddie Hazel's death. What a great tribute to an absolute god of guitar. You DO in fact have to listen to this album before you die.

Germfree Adolescents

X-Ray Spex

3/5

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

3/5

Live At The Harlem Square Club

Sam Cooke

5/5

GOD this is so fun! I almost burst into tears hearing people sing along to the songs. 62 years later, what a joy to hear people's joy. And I love Sam Cooke's singing. I previously said on a live Johnny Cash album that it helps to know the artist before listening to a live album. I disagree with myself. This was so fun. Sam Cooke was a master of putting together a setlist.

Younger Than Yesterday

The Byrds

2/5

Boring and sounds like the Beatles. Weird sound effects.

All Things Must Pass

George Harrison

4/5

Odelay

Beck

3/5

Sick licks on the guitar. I was bored and annoyed listening to this otherwise.

Lam Toro

Baaba Maal

4/5

I'm a huge fan of music from all over the African continent, so this was a welcome change from middling albums from the UK. I would love to know more context of why Baaba Maal is important to Senegalese music. Enjoyable music, fun. Joyful.

Back to Basics

Christina Aguilera

4/5

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

4/5

The Village Green Preservation Society

The Kinks

3/5

I do love the Kinks. This isn't the best of them but not a bad album either.

The Colour Of Spring

Talk Talk

3/5

Kimono My House

Sparks

3/5

With The Beatles

Beatles

2/5

This was fine, not unpleasant listening. A little icky to hear the Beatles cover motown hits less well than the original, especially given the "borrowing" of work by Black artists of the time.

This Is Hardcore

Pulp

2/5

The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Lauryn Hill

5/5

This was already one of my top 10 albums going in!! The musicality is unbelievable, with powerful lyricism and emotion. I think Lauryn Hill also showcases her mastery over multiple genres here. Long live Lauryn.

Red Dirt Girl

Emmylou Harris

3/5

Blood On The Tracks

Bob Dylan

3/5

She's So Unusual

Cyndi Lauper

4/5

Siembra

Willie Colón & Rubén Blades

5/5

Surfer Rosa

Pixies

2/5

I think I did have to listen to a Pixies album. They are iconic. I found this album grating and boring, unfortunately.

Here's Little Richard

Little Richard

5/5

Absolutely iconic singing and piano playing. You do get the sense you are listening to a blueprint for rock and roll.

Being There

Wilco

2/5

Blunderbuss

Jack White

3/5

Disintegration

The Cure

3/5

The Stranger

Billy Joel

5/5

Classic for a reason. I had never listened to a Billy Joel album start to finish and this was a great one to do! Some songs too long.

Ready To Die

The Notorious B.I.G.

5/5

Figure 8

Elliott Smith

4/5

I like this! It does make me wonder why this made the list. It has less gravitas than other must-listen records. Very aligned with emo vibes of the time. Beautiful acoustic guitar and singing.

Da Capo

Love

2/5