1001 Albums Summary

Ray’s cheeky smile shines through on every song

I'm not sure I could listen to a whole album of Elvis Costello. I like his music but somehow his voice seems to be one that annoys after prolonged listening.

It’s fine. Nicely crafted if perhaps a little too refined. An inflection point from the raw energy of earlier stuff and the next phase where they disappeared up their own arseholes.

Not my cup of tea. Too much going on & it feels like tuning in to 3 radio stations simultaneously

A good solid 90s rap album.

This one really speaks of a time and a place. I really feel like I’m doing heroin with a bunch of sexual deviants in the toilets of a 1960s New York nightclub.

This guy was gifted.

Little bit samey but holds up as a solid rock album

Ok, not my usual fare but I really liked this as background music

It reminded me of early Police if Sting had chronic bronchitis

I enjoyed this more than I expected.

Pretty good if a little samey. Some of the songs dragged on a bit.

Ok, this album represents a special moment in time for me so I'm going to be biased. It's one that will always get my blood pumping and my air guitar strumming

A couple of songs reminded me a little of You Am I. Would probably rate it 3.5 stars if I could. Not bad but not really special either

Supervixen has hints of Bob Mould. This is a good thing.

I love the creepy Phil Spector speech on the last track. The rest, not so much.

Bit all over the place. Some songs are like Portishead. A band I always thought were overrated. And now I’ve gone off to listen to some Portishead and quite like it. Probably a 2.5 stars for me

Pretty dull really. A couple of ok songs but nothing stands out. I think I’d rather just listen to an actual blues album.

The first band on this list I’ve actually seen live. A couple of standouts and the others are fine.

Not my cup of tea but some nice easy listening tracks with a beautiful voice

Didn’t like the dissonance of the first part but enjoyed the rest.

Oh yeah, that’s the good stuff.

This was fine. I actually like a couple of the songs but the vocals don’t really grab me. Feels like a paint by numbers done with skill.

Nice upbeat music. Perfect for getting you jazzed up for the day as you wearily brush your teeth.

Ok, it’s pretty cool, especially given it’s from the mid-60s, but it’s a bit samey after a while.

Oooh, I like this. A couple of classics in there that I didn't know who sang them.

Yeah this was fun to listen to while I planned my file server migration to SharePoint. One track was like funky Pink Floyd.

It started off ok. Not great and not terrible. A little disjointed as songs felt like they kind of got distracted or lost focus. It’s like the album is off its meds.

Ok, this one was just a fun, silly romp. How on earth did people think these guys were luring kids to Satanism?

Probably a 2.5 for me. None of the songs stood out. Disappointing as the few Kate Bush hits I know are great.

Oooh more Bowie. Ok, let’s see how this goes…. Hmmm, it’s fine but nothing stands out as a hit.

Not bad but not outstanding either. I quite like some of Tom Petty’s hits but there weren’t any for me on this album

Ok, Radiohead were a band that I thought were overrated back in the day. Now I think I've grown to appreciate them a bit more. They certainly have a fairly unique sound. This was a good album to be listening too while I was working on SharePoint library permissions. Kind of a jazz feel. Nothing particularly stood out but it was a good experience overall.

Never really heard anything other than their big hits. I really enjoyed this one. Hints of Lou Reed, Arctic Monkeys, and some nice solid tunes. Will explore more of their stuff.

Ok, more Elvis Costello. This is fine. Not amazing but not annoying. I really like some of his hits but the rest is fairly uninspiring but unthreatening.

This blew my mind as a kid and still does. The first concept album I ever listened to Saw the movie in an old style theatre as a teen and got high as a kite from the cloud of weed-smoke that appeared as soon as the lights dimmed.

Solid album with a few tracks that are in my regular rotation.

These guys are new to me. Sounds like my thing from reading about their influences. Let’s go! Ah I’ve heard the intro before and quite like it but the rest of the album is a bit underwhelming

I think I’m a bit biased because so many fuckwit bogans love these guys. It’s fine for what it is but it’s only something I can handle in small doses.

Oh yeah, this music has real soul.

It’s fine. Another example of something neither annoying nor interesting.

Never really liked Bruce Springsteen growing up. Like a lot of folks, I totally didn't get what Born in the USA was actually about. Over time I've grown to appreciate his music more.

Their hits are definitely classics but the bulk of the tracks are just ok

Some real great tracks on this one. Pretty amazing considering its age.

Ok, this one sounds as fresh as it did when it was released. I remember it being so different to everything else I was listening to at the time.

Trying to work out how to give this 6 stars. This was a foundational album for me in shaping my musical tests. I discovered Doolittle first but this one really cemented the Pixies as one of my favourites. The guitar is sublime.

Rethinking my scoring. 2 stars means it’s ok but I don’t feel compelled to listen to it ever again. Bit muddy overall. First few tracks are ok but it tails off for me after that

Dull as dishwater. Kept thinking about Ben Folds, Deathcab for Cutie, and Modest Mouse and how much better they sound.

I like the simple clean sound of Kraftwerk. Not an everyday listen but I find it quite soothing and relaxing

I enjoyed this one and have a couple tracks turn up in my liked playlist.

Yeah, these guys were amazing. The hits are superb and the album overall is a cracker.

Not my thing but it’s fine as an occasional song popping into a playlist. Let down a bit by the childish and immature lyrics.

Talented lady. Not my cup of tea. The duets are fucking awful.

Great for background music or when you just want to relax. Feels a bit like being in an elevator but still good

This would have been epic in the nightclubs in its day

All I can see in my overactive imagination is a Mexican cartel cutting up bodies and burying them in the desert when I listen to this. I blame Breaking Bad.

Pretty solid stuff. An artist I appreciate more now than at the time.

I’m a fan of the white stripes. Just wish I’d seen them when they played Harvesters in Palmerston North before hitting it big

Enjoyed this one more than I expected.

The hits are great but the rest of the album feels kind of soulless. The vibe I get is a very technically proficient cover band working on a cruise ship.

A single song was fine but it began to grate

It got better the further in I went but I just couldn’t stand the vocals

Never heard of these guys. Quite enjoyable but nothing really stands out.

These guys always made me smile. I loved the cheeky way they seemed to be having an absolute blast. The hits are great and the other tracks are solid.

Not for me.

A poppier sound than Doolittle and Surfer Rosa but still stands the test of time.

Probably a 3.5 stars for me. The hits are good and the other tracks are fine.

Some tracks are fun but as an album it’s just not for me

Nostalgia, sweet nostalgia. I enjoyed the Cure’s hits but never really explored their music so this was all fresh ground for me. Stands up pretty well.

Very interesting contrast to later Genesis. Hints of Slade and Pink Floyd. Kind of cool.

Just a bit dull. Feels a bit tired and washed out.

Wasn’t a fan at the time but it is pretty slick and has held up ok.

I was going to give this 3 stars but I caught myself bopping along to it while I was driving to work so I’m adding a star.

I like Radiohead a lot more than I did back when they first appeared. But I really hated them back then so now I like some of their tracks and tolerate a few others. As I listened I was thinking “I’d rather listen to Beck”. Nothing stands out on this album for me.

A lot cooler than what I was listening to back in 1977. I had no idea that China Girl was co-written by Iggy and Bowie. No real big hits but a solid listen.

Not my usual fare but I did enjoy this. Can't deny she has a great voice and the tunes are solid. Wouldn't likely want to listen to a whole album but certainly happy to add the songs into my mix.

Just didn’t grab me.

A fairly recent find for me. I really rate The Kinks.

Some cracking tracks but I’m still buttsore about his crappy concert I went to decades ago. Also his voice is fine for a song or two but grates after a whole album

Like a bad karaoke singer but not quite bad enough to be funny

Ah, I thought it sounded familiar but didn’t realise Don was part of Steely Dan until I read his bio. Not terrible for its time but not going to be added to my regular rotation

Oooh some quite slow numbers on here that I wasn’t expecting.

Ok, a whole album is a bit much but with the right chemicals I’m sure this is a lot of fun

You could be listening to a lot worse back in the late 60s

The vocals just don’t do it for me.

Pretty good but a bit indulgent in parts

Ok this is kinda hitting a groove for me. Nice background music which is sometimes all I want.

A great talent taken too soon but the songs here are just ok, not really anything standing out.

Not sure who this is aimed at. Definitely not me.

Had to check if this was a live album. It’s not. It sounds a bit like a recording of a practise. The vocals grate. A couple of ok tracks but I’m being generous with the 3. I’d rate it 2.5 if I could.

Absolute wank.

Pretty solid. All Along the Watch Tower is a stand out. Funnily enough Dylan’s live performances echo this version so it’s like a cover of a cover. The rest of the album is fine but doesn’t compel me.

OK. Very ok. Just lacking any real spark

Ok, this is a bit more laid back than I was expecting. I actually really like it. Nice background music for chilling with a cup of hot chocolate and a bikkie.

Ok, I’m a big Lorde fan. Every track is a banger. Simple and clean instruments, great vocals and clever lyrics just work every time. I’m probably biased due to the Kiwi connection but damn, she’s one of the most exciting artists I’ve listened to in recent times.

A bit samey. I like the Smiths even though Morrissey is a major disappointment. This one just doesn’t really shine.

I like the Beatles. This still sounds fresh today 63 years later.

Some interesting tracks in here but ultimately it's something I prefer in smaller doses than a full album. Ricky's Theme was a standout for me. A really beautiful interlude between the raucous vocal assault of some of the other tracks.

A pleasant listen. Bonus star for the Moondance track which is just beautiful.

Ok, Devo were probably the first “weird” band I encountered as a kid and as such have a special place in my heart. It’s still kind of neat.

Yeah, I really liked these guys when they came out. Not sure I’m still quite as enamoured but they are still miles above a lot of the other bands around this time.

Fun, pop-punk. A little formulaic but it’s good to jump around to.

More Than A Feeling is the standout but the rest is just ok.

Still holds up after all these years