1001 Albums Summary

I am throwing my hat into the reviewing ring! This is obviously a classic album. Everyone and their mother and their grandmother knows and their father and their grandfather knows Whole Lotta Love, Heartbreaker, and Ramble On. I'm not sure if I've ever listened to this album in it's entirety, but I enjoyed this listen. I think that Robert Plant's voice is so one of a kind, I feel it's like if Brian Johnson was less of an assault on the senses. So many classic guitar riffs from this album alone, it's historical impact can't be overlooked. That being said, it's not a transformative album that makes me rethink what music is by any means. It's gonna be a solid 4 from me.

I apologize to the 13th Floor Elevators, I was not familiar with your game. Weed from today would kill 95% of people alive in 1966 but these fuckers are the 5%, who knows what they were on when they made this but that probably banged. I don't really have song by song thoughts because I thought the whole album blended together really beautifully, the theme throughout is dark yet jolly in a really gripping way that kept me thoroughly engaged. I don't know how the elevator became restricted to the 13th floor but that's where it belongs, this shit bangs and inspired the era of psychedelic rock that followed. A lot of people won't fuck with the electric jug that you'll hear throughout the album, which I understand. It's a distracting instrument, but I never found it too overwhelming to the rest of the sound. The things that keep this from being a 5 are that while I enjoyed how the album flowed and felt cohesive, the fact that no songs stood out and made me go "wow, THIS is the one" isn't great, and the electric jug could've been used a biiiit more sparingly, although to remove it completely would be to betray the spirit of this record.

This is something man, I can definitely acknowledge what they were trying to do here but I just don't think it's for me. Frankie Teardrop was one of the strangest listens I've had in a while. That mfer kept screaming in my damn ear. I didn't actively dislike the album, it just felt kind of empty. I guess that's part of the sound, but I found the whole album pretty boring until Frankie Teardrop and then I was like well this certainly isn't boring, but maybe I'd rather that it was. Felt like the 1977 equivalent of Dance With the Devil by Immortal Technique. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but you have to be in the right headspace to enjoy it. Or maybe you're not supposed to enjoy it maybe you're just supposed to be like damn that boy Frankie's fucked up, in which case mission accomplished. Then at the end they're like we're all Frankies we're all in hell and I'm like what he say fuck me for? I didn't shoot my 6 month old child and my wife don't put that man Frankie's evil on me. We are not the same. I feel bad because I was hoping I would like this one, but it just really didn't do much for me. I can respect that there's a level of artistry to it, but the guitar on every song felt hollow and repetitive and the vocals just felt like they were jumping in to break up empty space every once in a while. I think the fact that I have so much to say about it is at least something, it's definitely not a nothing burger of an album and it at least made me think. 2/5

My very first thought - I love the way that David Byrne sounds. He has such an engaging inflection in his tone. This is my first full-on exposure to Talking Heads and I'm loving it halfway into this first track. Obviously everyone's heard Psycho Killer, so it's not news, but the way he delivers his lyrics is really captivating. Loving the mix of funk, punk, and pop through the first three tracks. Really pushing a lot of different buttons and doing it in a way that doesn't feel forced and remains cohesive. Moving into Happy Day, it keeps an upbeat energy while slowing the tempo down in a really nice way. This album has a really consistent energy to it but each track still stands alone as great in their own right. I'm on the sixth track now and this album is smooth as butter, maintaining a consistent sound and theme without being repetitive. Songs are flowing into one another perfectly. This feels pretty polished for a debut album in that sonically nothing feels out of place, and while I'm not too familiar with the sounds of 1977 this feels really unique to me while still achieving a sound that's accessible and enjoyable to a wide audience. I'm absolutely loving the horns on First Week / Last Week, and we get some nice patented David Byrne AYAYAYAYAYAs. Really enjoyed this track. Highlights for me are New Feeling, No Compassion, The Book I Read, First Week/Last Week, and Psycho Killer (a necessary inclusion), but there are no skips on this album. I loved every song. If we're Talking Head then this must be the place, indeed. A really wonderful palette cleanser after Suicide by Suicide. If I had one huge takeaway, it'd be my first. David Byrne is a truly unique and talented artist, and his supporting cast knows how to compliment his sound perfectly. My first 5 and it was so, so easy to give.

Bout damn time we got a Timothee Chalamet album! Strong start to a classic album with Like A Rolling Stone, definitely the most popular song on the album. I'm familiar with some of ole Bobby's discography but have not listened to very much all the way through so I'm excited for this one, and the lead track certainly does not disappoint. Bluesy, conversational, and catchy. This is classic Dylan, and it's great no matter how many times you've heard it. Tombstone Blues has a great tempo to it, picks up the energy nicely. "The sun ain't yellow it's chicken" is a bar for sure. ITALTL, ITATTC didn't do a ton for me, but was an enjoyable enough sun. More or less the same for From a Buick 6. Love love love the gloominess of Ballad of a Thin Man. Love the delivery on "tax-deductible organizations." I felt like Mr. Jones this whole song because I knew something was happening here but I did not know what it is. Dylan's such a good storyteller that I don't have to know what the story's about, love hearing him talk about it anyway. I enjoyed Queen Jane Approximately, but something about the harmonica on this one felt more grating to the ears than in other songs, which I didn't love. The title track of the album is definitely a head nodder, found myself bouncing along with Bob. Love the way the guitar stings on this one, coming in to put an exclamation point on each bar. Desolation Row is a really nice, bluesy conclusion to the album. Bob does a really good job of having a lively energy to this album while maintaining the bluesy feel and somber storytelling that makes his music what it is. I really enjoyed this listen, but it didn't feel transformative or like the ceiling of what a Bob Dylan is capable of, and for that reason it gets a strong 4 from me. Next morning addendum: I decided to buy this album on vinyl from the record store next store and give it another listen that way (it was only $17 used so why not right) and I definitely think I enjoyed it more that second listen, maybe because it wasn't on headphones maybe just because it was my second listen. Regardless, this is a very good album IMO but at no point did it blow me away, and that still sounds like a 4 to me.

Really excited for this, I'll admit my Jimi knowledge is nearly non-existent so I'm hoping for this to be a strong introduction. EXP is a really interesting intro, jarring in many ways with the volume shifting up and down, sounds moving from left to right, and screeching sounds coming in and out. And now we're getting funky, Up From the Skies is a cool laid back jam sesh. Jimi sounds casual in the best way, like he was built for this. He sings in a way that feels like it comes as naturally to him as breathing. Strong start. Immediate strong energy shift into Spanish Castle Magic, hard guitars telling you that this as much rock as it is funk. Don't get too comfortable. Loving this track, the guitars are hypnotizing. The solo at the end of the song is just a display of mastery. And then fuck it let's get a lil funky again. The bass line on Wait Until Tomorrow is so crisp and satisfying to the ears. Ain't No Telling has a jumping energy to it, with the guitar guiding your head up down and side to side as the pace continually shifts in a really captivating way. A short but sweet transition into Little Wing. Which is of course a standout track. So smooth, relaxing, yet still engaging. The filter on Jimi's vocals is perfect for the the accompanying instrumental. If 6 Was 9 is probably my first potential skip - it's a good song, but I feel it goes on longer than is necessary, and the flute outro just felt a bit grating. You Got Me Floatin' is a good bounce back. Solid, catchy guitars and strong backing vocals. Castles Made of Sand is an absolute beauty, love the way the guitar slides on this one at various points, and the instrumental comes in and out in perfect timing. Gorgeous song. Really enjoy the Noel Redding vocals on She's So Fine. Breaks up the album very nicely heading into the last handful of tracks. Love the repeating guitar riff on One Rainy Wish, I'm trying to take notes on every song but it's hard to do that and work at the same time unfortunately. Little Miss Lover rocks. Deep, heavy guitars and another wonky filter on Jimi's voice that compliments it very well. Bold As Love ends on a really strong solo that closes the album out on a very, very high note. I really enjoyed this listen. I'm tempted to give it a 5, but I felt that I got less engaged as the album went on, and as unique as Jimi's sound is it started to feel a bit samey to me at some point. That being said, it's a really beautiful piece of art, and to give it anything less than a 4 would be criminal in my eyes. So that's what I'll be giving it.

Not sure what to expect from this one, not familiar with Petey's game so this will be a first introduction. I like the vibe of Something's Happening, it's an enjoyable listen but it doesn't feel like it's doing anything too out of the ordinary. A good song. I enjoyed the guitar solo. Doobie Wah is also a nice song, brings the energy up and down throughout different points in a way that keeps things interesting. If we ain't talkin box I don't wanna talk, Show Me The Way starts out with the instrument that defined Frampton's legacy. This song is an absolute classic, and the talk box is really fun. The performances throughout this have been pretty impressive considering it's a live album, and this song is one of the crowning jewels of Frampton's career. They shreddin that thang on It's A Plain Shame. However, "I wanna be molested, I don't care how old you are"??? Peter... I'll be keeping a close eye on you for the rest of the album... you didn't have to say all that. I'll stop with the song by song at this point unless something really stands out to me, but I am enjoying this album despite the questionable moral compass of Mr. Frampton. A couple of absolute classics on here wiht Show Me The Way and Baby, I l Love Your Way, and the whole thing is just a steady, relaxing listen so far. I've really enjoyed the guitar riffs and solos across this album, but I'll be honest and say that there's not as much talk box as I was hoping for. Thought that was his whole thing. On the whole I enjoyed this album quite a bit. I do think that the sound was pretty consistent throughout, but in more of a samey way than in a cohesive way. I wish there were a bit more to unpack here, it felt like a straightforward but good and enjoyable album, and for that it's getting a 3 from me, but I do feel like a 4 would be more than reasonable. There weren't really any obvious skips to me. Maybe if he didn't say all that shit on It's a Plain Shame it would be a 4. I definitely enjoyed it more than I expected to going in. I do appreciate the talk box solo to close out the album, I must say.

The album cover and the presence of 5 discs on this are not giving me great hope but let's take a look. Jim Kerr you sound strange. I can't quite put my finger on it. It's a bit uncanny. You don't sound strange like David Byrne, who's wacky voice is charming and endearing. You sound strange like you're a robot merely pretending to be the front man for Simple Minds. I'm keeping an eye on whether or not he's a reptilian, but in the meantime, Someone Somewhere is a pretty decent song, something about the way he's singing is just pissing me off a little bit. Colours Fly and Catherine Wheel is a bit better, it's got some funky groovy vibes, but the question I feel like I need to ask is... is anyone having fun? Everything feels just a bit too clean. Nobody feels like they're really playing with any passion or creativity, they feel like they're reading the sheet music in front of them as on beat and to the rhythm as they can muster. This feels like AI. The album's not bad. There's nothing about this music that's offensive, but halfway into the first track of the album I wanted to turn it off. My amygdala gland was firing and I went into full fight or flight mode, and I fought the urge to turn it off and take flight by fighting and calling Jim Kerr a reptile. I stand by what I said though - something about this is just not right. I hope somebody else feels this way or I might just have schizophrenia. I think this album just gave me psychosis. It's not supposed to sound like that. Somebody Up There Likes You is fucking me up even more now. No Jim Kerr, their reptilian leader has taken the backseat, but this feels like one of the most ominous tracks. Nothing about this song makes me feel like Somebody Up There Likes Me, I feel like I'm being stalked through an alleyway by cyberpunks in 2148. And not in a good way. Oh fuck he's back, he's back and he's as terrifying as I remember him, the "Low, low, low" he opens up New Gold Dream with almost stopped my fucking heart I just don't think he should sound like that guys I don't know. I don't even want this review to just be Jim Kerr slander but I just looked him up... and he looks like he might be a reptile... no shade Jim, but you and your band of misfits are sending me spiraling into a panic attack. Penultimate track is titled Hunter and the Hunted. It all makes sense now. This might be it for me, boys. It appears that I was the Simple Mind, all along. I was about to say all jokes aside to start my conclusion, but I'm not joking. This was my genuine reaction. This album is fine, it just felt soulless to me in a disturbing way. To me it was almost equally as unsettling as Suicide self-titled, just in a very unintentional way. This album genuinely isn't bad, it's completely fine, there are some points in it that I would actually say I kind of enjoyed. But, with all that being said, it's a 2 because there was nothing about it that was offensive per-se but it was all just so fucking boring. I had to entertain myself by creating a conspiracy theory about it. Jim Kerr I'm sorry if I offended you I just feel like you're up to no good. Suicide self-titled was a 2 because it was painful to listen to but it was at least trying to do something. This is a 2 because it's completely decent music but it feels incredibly uninspired and unambitious. I had an uncle (non-blood related, importantly) who was a Jehovah's Witness and a very strange fellow. He was also a very bad person who did very bad things that I genuinely should not reveal in this review. I feel like he would love this album. That should sum up my feelings on it.

Let me see what you got Akron legend Chrissie Hynde! "Moving through the Cleveland heat" let's fucking go. She's bouncing around on Precious, I really like the way she's moving at her own pace. The Cleveland bars are obviously firing me up. Shoutout Euchlid Avenue. I love the little guitar riff on "Up The Neck", and I'm really enjoying Chrissie's vocals so far. Nothing too groundbreaking, but I really like how she's intentionally a little off-beat at times. Obviously where Blueface got his early influences. Great energy on "Tattooed Love Boys". There's some really fun moments on the guitar so far, this song has a few of them, I love the switch back and forth between the main guitar riff and the ongoing solo. These guys fucking rock, and Chrissie is really entertaining to listen to. The whole band does a good job switching pace throughout songs in a way that keeps things lively. "Space Invader" is a fun instrumental break. I was gonna say take a break Chrissie but I forgot she's one of the guitarists. Really enjoyed this one, and the Space Invaders outro is the cherry on top. Reading her wikipedia page, Chrissie was really Akron blood. Graduated from Firestone, went to Kent State, was even there during the Kent State Massacre. She's a living Akron legend. Hate to show my bias but makes me enjoy this so much more. No disrespect to the Black Keys but Chrissie is coming for their crown. Love the guitar scratching on "The Wait". First slow song on the album so far with "Stop Your Sobbing". This was a nice change of pace. "Private Life" is a vibe, super groovy from the jump. I really like when she's almost rushing through a stanza, there's points where she's almost rapping throughout the album so far. Keeps things super fresh. We've reached "Brass in Pocket", which is supposed to be the standout from the album. It definitely doesn't dissapoint - some funky details on the guitar and really captivating vocals from Chrissie. This is a really great song. "Cuban Slide" rocks, I don't even care enough at this point to go in-depth on it I just think it rocks. Chrissie I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm gonna sound like a broken record here but "Porcelain" just flat out fucking rocks. These guys rock. They're shredding that gaht damn guitar to open this one up. Then a minute and a half in they slow it down and Chrissie comes in for clean up. And she does just that. I haven't mentioned the drums yet because I'm bad at reviewing music but they've been really great the whole time, Chris was right, shout out Martin Chambers. I really enjoyed this album. I acknowledge my bias but I don't really care, I think it's really cool that somebody from Akron in the 70s moved to London and put this band together and they actually make good music. It 's not a revelation or anything but it's really good. That's a 4 in my book.

First non-rock album in a while, and it's from these legends. I'm excited for this one. Shining Star is a classic. Super groovy banger. I would be surprised if people hadn't heard this one before. The title track is great. I enjoy the way they break it down about halfway through. This is a slower vibe, but I really like it. Happy Feelin' wasn't doing too much for me at first, then they got the steel drum involved and I said alright I see the vision. I also really like the sax on this one. All About Love is a beautiful little ballad. Halfway in he says I'm gonna rap to you, respect. We get some spoken word/rap going. I love it. He's talking about self-love, love of nature, love of the world. It's All About Love gang. Fuck with this song. Also really enjoyed the synth outro. The horns on Yearnin' Learnin' have a really infectious energy to them. This whole album has had me head boppin. Reasons is really great, but Africano stole the show for me. They're popping off on that fuckin saxophone. As a long-retired saxophonist it made me yearn for the days of old. I was bouncing along to this one nonstop. I really loved this album. It's short, sweet, no skips, and some really high highs. If that's not a 5 then I don't know what is.

I'm not a big Bowie head, so this should be interesting. The title track has a lot of unsettling background noise accompanying it, but I'm really loving how eerie the guitars sound alongside it. Bowie sounds like a ghost, fittingly. I really enjoyed this one all the way through, which is saying something for a 10 minute song. Golden Years is super funky, loving this one off the rip. Really nice groove to this song, even if it's a bit repetitive at times. Word on a Wing is beautiful, feels like he's singing fully from the soul on this one. Side note that Bowie claims he doesn't remember making this album. This was peak cocaine-addicted Bowie, I just can't imagine making music like this and having no recollection of it. Such an interesting human being. RIP. TCV15 feels a bit non-Bowie esc, it almost feels like country rock, I like it though. Must be the keys. Ok it's obviously not country rock but I hope you know what I mean. Anyway, I like this song. Stay rocks. The guitar is great throughout, then steals it on the solo. It's almost chilling how ghoulish Bowie has sounded at points throughout this album. I think he really excelled at layering sounds in a way that was really interesting and added to tracks rather than being distracting. Wild is the Wind is a beautiful ballad to close out the album. It's crazy how much longer songs used to be back in the day. 6 song 38 minute album would sound criminal in the modern music world but I really enjoyed this. This didn't have me absolutely grooving out of seat but I really enjoyed it. Was bopping multiple times. This is a very strong 4 for me, could easily see it being a 5. I apologize for not being more familiar with your game Mr. Bowie.

Tim's son be like "My name Jeff" amirite boys? Tim sounds like a bit of a freak which I love, Move With Me is a good vibe so far. This is a head bopper. Get on Top is super groovy, also he's so real for that. Amirite boys? Woman on top amirite? Where are my Detroiters enjoyers (https://youtu.be/JH-D5jShqWE?si=u3IRqO5Mio5Vzwe9)? Anyway, I'm pleasantly surprised by how much I'm enjoying this so far. Also he hit the high voice and said "Well, like a bitch dog in heat mama we had those bed springs a squeakin' all day long" I don't even know if you can say that Tim but I'm not gonna stop you because that shit was fire. Also he starts rambling about talking in tongues then acts like he's eating out the microphone this dude's a fucking freak I love it. I didn't know you could be this horny in 1972 I thought they'd put you in an institution. Tim Buckley walked so modern day gooners could run. Tim opens up Sweet Surrender with "Now you wanna know the reason why I cheated on you? Well, I had to be a hunter again. This little man had to try to make love feel new again" and I would be lying my ass off if I told you I was surprised. You can't keep a freak like this on a leash. Moral grandstanding aside I'm really loving this. Tim has pretty crazy range, and he's not afraid to play around with his voice and go all over the map when he's hitting notes. He goes high, he gets gruff, he's got a very charismatic way of singing that's super fun to listen to. One major takeaway I've had from listening to all these old albums through this challenge is that they used to have way more fun doing this shit. They would try things, and sometimes it didn't work, but it was at least different. Sweet Surrender is a really beautiful track. Nighthawkin' is hilarious, the whole premise is essentially that Tim lies to somebody about serving in the military so that he doesn't get stabbed. He does say some unsavory stuff about what he wants to do to a Vietnamese person before dawn but in his defense he's quoting the old vet singing in the backseat of his taxi. He still didn't have to say all that though if I'm being real. My takeaway is that he's anti-Vietnam War but it's admittedly not very clear. Devil Eyes is more of the same but in a good way. Groovy, jazzy instrumental with Tim just doing whatever the fuck over it. I love when he just starts foaming at the fucking mouth on the mic. Just starts making noises. It's genuinely so much fun. Hong Kong Bar kind of came and went, it's a nice slower song but I like Tim at his most voracious and ravenous. Enough of this tame shit let's close out the album with a freak show. Perfect, he's talking about getting beat whipped and spanked by a woman. He said "I wanna be your victim, your sweet little victim of love". Kinky bastard. I thoroughly enjoyed this album. Tim was gone too soon, would have loved to see what else this guy could've done if he didn't die at 28. Tragic family really but he did put this banger of an album out before he went. Strong 4, could see myself giving it a 5 but I'm reeling it in. This was fire. I know some of y'all absolutely hated this record and I think you're just afraid of a horny man with a microphone.

My hopes were not high going into this one based on the name of the band and the album cover, but so far I'm pleasantly surprised. It's a Boston band so I am inherently biased when you kick off an album with "I'm in love with Massachusetts" but "Roadrunner" is a super strong song to open the album with. I like "Astral Plane" a lot, the synth is groovy and a bit spooky and I'm enjoying Jonathan Richman's vocals so far. I just wish he sounded more Bostonian and less British for a guy born in Boston. "Modern" is a good way to describe this band, this feels pretty cutting edge for the 70s. This does not sound like a record recorded in the 70s. In "Old World" Richman is bouncing around the beat in a really refreshing way, playing around with delivery and timing a lot. "Well, some people try to pick up girls and get called assholes / this never happened to Pablo Picasso / He could walk down your street and girls could not resist his stare and so / Pablo Picasso was never called an asshole". I mean this is just fun man. And you know what, he's fucking right. Nobody every called Pablo Picasso an asshole and he probably pulled like crazy because he was Pablo Picasso. This is a really fun song and it's a joy to listen to. And the instrumental breakdown halfway through rocks. This album has attitude, it's aloof, it's having fun and it's not taking itself too seriously. This is good music. Definition of proto-punk. This album fucks. "She Cracked" is a nice shift of energy after "Pablo Picasso", and I love the abrasive abandon of the musicality towards the end just to go right back into the hook. Wow, "Hospital". This is awesome. The slow build up into the frantic drums and complete change of pace just to bring things back down. This song is really gorgeous. If I was going through a breakup this would fuck me up. I have too many good things to say about this song. Taking a break from the song-by-song, I really love Richman's vocals. I feel like they're growing on me more and more as the album goes on, and he sings with a certain happy-sadness that feels very human and relatable. He sounds like some guy, and that's cool. Some guy who has known sorrow and has known joy. There aren't many things on this album that are amazing or jaw dropping from a technical perspective, it's the emotion and energy that you can feel in the songs that make them really stick, not some crazy riff or masterful drum solo. It's simple music in that sense, but I feel like there's a ton of depth in the way that it's being played. "I'm Straight" is so good. Richman is just having a conversation over this one and I really love it. Brother does not like Hippie Johnny. He thinks he deserves what Hippie Johnny has. Maybe he's right, but either way I like this one a lot. Even if the lyrics are repetitive, his delivery of them never is. Holy shit "Government Center" I know that place! I take the train there sometimes! They just want the poor government center workers to smile and have a good time, what a fine group of young gentlemen. "Dance With Me" is a really unsettling song to end the album off, and I mean that as a compliment. I love the grating guitar coming in over the hook. I loved this album and I can't believe it was made when it was. Fuck it, 5. This was really cool.

Of course we all know Amy Winehouse, but I've never given her stuff a listen for myself so I'm pretty excited about this. Listened to the first 9 songs on the bus into work, so I'm just now sitting down to write about it, but I'm blown away so far. Obviously the vocals are implied when it comes to Amy, and they're outstanding, but the musicality of the instrumentals has complimented her voice outstandingly well. This album is so jazzy, so bluesy, and just so good. The horns are outstanding. The intro track was a great way to start the album and immediately had me hooked. "F*** Me Pumps" is a classic and for good reason, as is "Take the Box", but I haven't come across a single skip yet. "In My Bed" caught be by surprise in the best way possible by sampling "Made You Look" by Nas. I don't know why but I just never thought Amy would be the type to sample a beat from a rap song, man was I wrong. She embodies rap in so many ways, most of all because she's real. The pain in her voice is unfortunately real. Her social commentary is real. The heartbreak is real. And her taste in instrumentals was clearly real as well. Like I said, the vocals speak for themselves, but I also just don't have the words to speak for them in a way that does them justice. Her range, her control, her willingness to experiment with delivery, her voice, it's all so captivating. Without a doubt one of the most talented vocalists of the 21st century. This album is outstanding. Maybe I'm getting a bit liberal with my 5s or maybe I just like music. But Amy gets a 5.

Let's see what ole boy Johnny has on his way out. "The Man Comes Around" is so good. Johnny's a legend, a great singer and the age in his voice carries so much weight, especially in a song like this. Such raw music. The first time the full guitar backing comes in on this one feels so good. "Hurt" is one of the songs that everyone has heard from this album. Like Joel said, one of the best covers of any song ever. It's just beautiful. It feels like Nine Inch Nails wrote these lyrics for Johnny. This album is Johnny's final farewell, and that's captured very well in "Give My Love to Rose". He died the year after this was released, and it feels like a man confronting his end. Making peace with it. Getting his affairs in order. It's really beautiful and heartbreaking. The whole album feels really personal. It feels like you're sitting alone in a room with Johnny as he sings the rest of the life out of his body. Like he's giving his last performance right in front of you. I really love the range of artists he covers in this album. You've got Nine Inch Nails with "Hurt". You've got Depeche Mode with "Personal Jesus". Sting with "I Hung My Head". What's really crazy is how's he able to make all of these completely his own, to the point where a lot of people would point to Johnny's version as the one they know the best. And now we're at a Beatles cover with "In My Life", and, while I do tend to slander the Beatles, I'm going to continue because Johnny's version washes them so hard. Just another example of the his version becoming THE version. Why would I listen to the Beatles sing this song when I could listen to this instead. This whole album is just really gorgeous, not that I'm saying anything groundbreaking. Sitting down and listening to it in it's entirety really makes you reflect on life, on death, and on the beauty that comes with both. Such an important piece of art. There's no point in continuing to go song by song, the rest of this album continues to be so endearing, and sad, and happy, and beautiful. Each song in it's own way. I loved this.

I haven’t finished the album, I have like 4 tracks left that I’m listening to right now, but I feel comfortable giving my review. It’s ok. It’s a perfectly fine album sonically, no songs that I was like ugh turn this garbage off, but it was a real slog to get through. 20 tracks Christina?? It just got boring. Nothing was bad but nothing was an absolute banger. Infatuation was good, Beautiful is obviously a classic, but this felt more like a chore than an exciting new listen. It’s just fine, so it gets a 3.