My 1001 Albums Journey

Albums Rated

2.51

Average Rating

Complete

1036 albums remaining

Rating Distribution

Rating Timeline

Taste Profile

1970

Favorite Decade

Pop

Favorite Genre

other

Top Origin

Perfectionist

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5-Star Albums

1-Star Albums

Breakdown

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Albums

You Love More Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Close To The Edge Yes	5	3.18	+1.82
A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector Various Artists	5	3.3	+1.7

You Love Less Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Back To Black Amy Winehouse	1	4.02	-3.02
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness The Smashing Pumpkins	1	3.68	-2.68
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot Wilco	1	3.3	-2.3
Being There Wilco	1	3.22	-2.22
Repeater Fugazi	1	3.13	-2.13
Youth And Young Manhood Kings of Leon	1	3.1	-2.1
At Budokan Cheap Trick	1	3.1	-2.1
Savane Ali Farka Touré	1	3.02	-2.02
Wild Gift X	1	3	-2
Disintegration The Cure	2	3.86	-1.86

5-Star Albums (2)

View Album Wall

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

1-Star Albums (12)

All Ratings

Beggars Banquet

The Rolling Stones

3/5

Full disclosure - I'm not a Stones fan. Never have been. A few early singles aside, I've never seen the attraction. As far as Beggars Banquet is concerned, there's 2 tracks you're likely familiar with and that's because they're good (if not better than good). The rest, not so much. I always had the feeling the Stones were trying to be something they weren't. This album would support that hypothesis.

Os Mutantes

3/5

What can I say...? I don't understand a word they're saying, but listening to this makes sense of every terrible, hackneyed "groovy" movie soundtrack of the late 60s/early 70s. And that's not yo say it's bad. It's really not! It's just very much of its time. I quite like it (and I'd love to know what they were taking in the studio) but as more of a novelty or period touchstone. Not enough to have it on rotation, but I also wouldn't consign it to the bin.

Beauty And The Beat

The Go-Go's

4/5

Familiar with the hits on this album but had never gone further than that. It's a good album, I don't recall much else sounding like this in 1981, certainly not from an all-female group. Superior power pop riding atop a jangle guitar riff wave. Much to like.

Destroy Rock & Roll

Mylo

3/5

Didn't think I was going to enjoy this and, to be honest, it's a bit of a mixed bag. The first w tracks were good, but after that the tracks that are all repetitive phrasings are just dull for me. So, pluses and, well, not pluses.

Being There

Wilco

1/5

Didn't do anything for me tbh. Some echoes to the Byrds, Burrito Bros, etc (which Uncle Tupelo did better anyway), mixed with more contemporary sounds as if trying to be determinedly "different", it just comes across as a bit schizotic to me. Not one I'd return to.

Time Out

The Dave Brubeck Quartet

2/5

Very cool, very chill, very...wallpaper tbh. I mean, it's good (if not great) at what it does. It's just that what it does isn't really anything close to my cup of tea. So, it's a No from me.

Snivilisation

Orbital

1/5

If you like it, you like it. But to me? Unlistenable garbage.

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

3/5

A slightly curious, stitched together mix of big band swing standards, and piano-led ballads that Charles would become known for throughout his career. The recording quality is not good - yes, it's 1959 but it should've been better than this - and the arrangements throughout are pretty well by the numbers. But that Ray Charles voice overcomes.

Another Music In A Different Kitchen

Buzzcocks

3/5

Everything good and recognisable about Buzzcocks is contained here, even if their most famous song isn't. Definite period piece, but has aged better than most imo in no small part thanks to Martin Rushent's production.

Like A Prayer

Madonna

3/5

Peak Madge. That said, I'm pretty ambivalent. The hits (and there are plenty here) are all great pop music. The rest? Meh.

Parklife

Blur

2/5

Always had a low tolerance for "Britpop" back in the day. Still do. Ok in small doses, but an album end-to-end? Not for me, thanks. Tiresome.

Repeater

Fugazi

1/5

Not for me, thanks.

Germs

1/5

No. Thanks, but no.

Abattoir Blues / The Lyre of Orpheus

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds

4/5

Not had much exposure to Nick Cave previously. Did like this though. Would definitely give it a spin in future, and I'll look into other albums too. So that's got to be a win, right?

I'm Your Man

Leonard Cohen

2/5

Too much of this album is set to what can only be described as a Yamaha Home Organ arrangement. Personally, I'd rather listen to John Shuttleworth for that kind of material. And I do.

Coles Corner

Richard Hawley

4/5

The best, albeit imperfect, way I can describe Richard Hawley's music is a Northern English blue collar pastoral take on the romanticism of the classical American Mid-West. It's a genuine love affair for Hawley. He doesn't try to imitate, or pastiche. Once you understand that, I think it helps to appreciate what he does.

The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators

The 13th Floor Elevators

2/5

Definite period curiosity piece.

Tea for the Tillerman

Cat Stevens

3/5

A very easy listen. The Cat Stevens most people would be familiar with.

Your Arsenal

Morrissey

4/5

Hunting High And Low

a-ha

3/5

One I remember from my youth... Sounds a little bit dated nowadays, and Scoundrel Days is probably a better album all round.

Close To The Edge

Yes

5/5

A personal favourite.

Too Rye Ay

Dexys Midnight Runners

4/5

Another quality blast from the past. Always amuses me that Dexys are a one-hit-wonder in the US. Too Rye Ay has most of the band's big hits, though personally I prefer the rawness and energy of the first album.

Hearts And Bones

Paul Simon

4/5

Underrated album, something of a sonic dead end/wrong turn. The arrangements sound like someone trying to come to terms with what was then "new technology", so at times they're not what you tend to think of as "Paul Simon". But it's definitely Paul Simon. Sitting between his multiple 70's solo successes and the gargantuan "Graceland", it's little wonder that "Hearts and Bones" gets a little lost, but "Rene and Georgette..." and "The Late Great Johnny Ace" have become beloved mainstays of Simon's live sets and they stand up strongly amongst more commercially popular items.

Youth And Young Manhood

Kings of Leon

1/5

Wasn't a Kings of Leon fan before. Still not a King of Leon fan. Just not my "thing".

The Velvet Underground

2/5

Savane

Ali Farka Touré

1/5

Not for me.

Swordfishtrombones

Tom Waits

2/5

Just ok, really.

Live / Dead

Grateful Dead

1/5

Tiresome.

Eli And The Thirteenth Confession

Laura Nyro

3/5

Pretty good, actually. Can understand why she didn't "break through", but certainly impactful in a good way

Morrison Hotel

The Doors

3/5

Was surprised that I quite enjoyed this. Still not a Doors fan tho.

A Christmas Gift For You From Phil Spector

Various Artists

5/5

The Hissing Of Summer Lawns

Joni Mitchell

4/5

Lady Soul

Aretha Franklin

4/5

Don't Stand Me Down

Dexys Midnight Runners

2/5

Quiet Life

Japan

3/5

I've generally been quite agnostic about Japan, even though I loved Mick Karn's playing and David Sylvian's voice could be very effective at times. So I was a bit agnostic about listening to this album, and hence I enjoyed it more than I expected. Could definitely give this a spin in future.

C'est Chic

CHIC

3/5

Sign 'O' The Times

Prince

2/5

Thought I'd enjoy this but, other than a couple of obvious highlights.... Meh. Comes over as quite self-indulgent, which I guess shouldn't be a surprise. Would've benefited from a producer, I think.

Disintegration

The Cure

2/5

Tragic Songs of Life

The Louvin Brothers

3/5

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Wilco

1/5

Live At The Star Club, Hamburg

Jerry Lee Lewis

2/5