1001 Albums Summary

Good album to work out or do something high energy to, but once the adrenaline dump kicks in, there isn't much substance to it. Still, a fun listen and the title track is a classic. Best Tracks: Highway to Hell, Touch Too Much, Walk All Over You Worst Track: Beat Around the Bush Score out of 10: 6

Before I started listening to the 1001 album list, I had listened to around 400 albums, most of which came in the last year and a half, as before that, I would tend to only listen to albums of bands that I truly became infatuated with through individual songs. It was rare for me to become obsessed with a band to the point that I would desire to listen to all their songs in album form; it was a feat that only seven bands were able to achieve in the first few years of my actively listening to music. At the time, I was only really familiar with the most famous bands of all time, the Beatles, ACDC, Led Zeppelin, etc, so any band, even a notch lower in popularity, felt like finding a hidden gem. Now that I am more knowledgeable about music, I expected to see at least 5, and likely 6, of those 7 formative bands on this list. I now write this having heard around 401 albums since this is only the second album I have had generated, and to my great surprise, it is an album from that very seventh formative band, whose inclusion I would not have anticipated on this list, Echo and the Bunnymen. It is not that I feel they are unworthy of this list, as they are no doubt one of the most important and influential post-punk bands of all time. But I suppose their lack of cultural impact within my generation has led me to become naive about just how high they truly do rank amongst the musical hierarchy. I was first introduced to the band, like many, through their iconic single "The Killing Moon," which is, for my money, one of the most entrancing and magical songs of all time. Hearing it for the first time compares to my experiences with songs like "Made of Stone" by the Stone Roses, and "There Is a Light That Never Goes Out" by the Smiths. A song that once you've heard it, you just know that it was made for you. Listening to Ocean Rain in its entirety became the only natural conclusion after hearing a song with such a timeless quality to it, to the point that it remained in my top 5 most listened songs in each year since I've heard it. And the album absolutely does not let down its shining star, like so often with one-hit-wonder albums (which Echo and the Bunnymen most certainly aren't). Beautiful poetry layered with enchanting instrumentals that pull you into this dark yet exciting world. Never a dull moment, and not a single bad track, and if you think otherwise, you must be a c-c-c-cucumber. Though I have heard almost every Bunnymen album at this point, Ocean Rain remains my most cherished, and holds a definite spot in my top ten albums of all time, the album which enhanced my love for 80's music and introduced me to the idea of post-punk. A very warranted inclusion in the list, and I have a feeling it will be a while until something compares to my second album. Best Tracks: Killing Moon, Nocturnal Me, Angels and Devils Worst Track: None Score out of 10: 10

An album, which, on initial instinct, I assumed would not be for me. Disco music has essentially been reduced to a joke since one night in the late 70s when everyone went from dancing to it in the club to pretending not to have ever enjoyed it overnight, practically nullifying its impact on every generation to come. Yet despite that, I was already very familiar with the infamous title track “We Are Family”, a song which I feel as though I have known my entire life, despite never once seeking it out or desiring to learn more. As a kid, this song was definitely not one that I considered to be cool, an opinion which I also held towards the only other disco song which has remained culturally relevant, “Stayin' Alive” by the Bee Gees; and as such, disco as a whole was a genre that I completely wrote off. Yet I have always been fond of the loosely tied and similarly maligned era of music which subsequently followed the Disco era, which is 80s New Wave and Synthpop. Even the cheesiest songs in the genre provide me with some sort of sonic pleasure. So it really shouldn’t have surprised me as much as it did that I actually quite enjoyed this effort from Sister Sledge. The title track remains a tad corny, yet still harbours feelings of optimism and unity, which makes it a rather comforting antique in today's world, where optimistic music seems almost extinct. Though my favourite song has to be “Lost in the Music”, which is just a simply beautiful song and represents disco at its highest that I’ve experienced so far. Definitely not an album I would have ever checked out willingly, but one that was a lot of fun and I’m glad to have heard. Best Songs: Lost in the Music, He’s the Greatest Dancer, We Are Family Worst Song: You’re a Friend to Me Score out of 10: 7

Simply one of the finest Rock albums ever made. The album could have been called “The Best of The Who”, and no one would have batted an eye. Classic Rock was the first genre that really gripped me when I started listening to music, although at the time, I would only listen to playlists comprised of greatest hits rather than albums. The desire to listen to an entire album only arose when I noticed the same cover appearing next to multiple songs, which, when you are specifically seeking out the most popular and widely acclaimed songs, can be rare. Few albums can boast to having even one song which will go down as a classic throughout generations, a song which will still be played during the climax of a movie or sung at a karaoke bar in 2083, yet Who’s Next might just have three of them. “Baba O’Riley”, “Behind Blue Eyes”, and “Won’t Get Fooled Again” are three of the most recognizable and powerful rock songs ever recorded, and upon discovering all three and noticing that very same picture of four British dudes next to a stone slab next to each of them, I knew I must listen to the entire album. And the supporting cast of songs doesn’t disappoint. It’s hard to say there is any filler on this album; every song brings something to the table and never outstays its welcome. That being said, the three songs mentioned prior, whose standard shouldn’t be expected, ultimately do shine so brightly that the other appear dim in comparison. When you have three songs of that calibre, the others can appear ordinary in comparison. I will admit I don’t get that same spike of dopamine when “My Wife” kicks in that I do when the opening piano to “Baba O’Riley” plays. Which may be unfair criticism, but to me, that results in the album being a touch uneven and prevents the 5-star rating. Best Songs: Baba O’Riley, Won’t Get Fooled Again, Behind Blue Eyes Worst Song: My Wife Score out of 10: 9.5

Music to clean your shit by. I definitely wouldn’t consider myself to be a very funky guy; in fact, I do believe that there is a considerable lack of funk within me most days. Combined with the fact that I am also extraordinarily sober and have potentially the whitest music taste of all time, this album did not seem like one that was likely to resonate with me. However, having never heard a funk album before, I suppose I didn’t really know what to expect. One thing that became immediately apparent to me is that the concept of ‘funk’ is fairly fluid, as most of the lyrics and songs revolved around this idea of funk operating in many different scenarios. Playing funk music, being funky, cleaning your shit to the funk, etc. It reminds me of that Eric Clapton quote about how it is more artistically impressive to continuously explore the same theme over and over again, rather than delve into multiple themes. Though in his case, he was talking about having his body operated like a gundam and in the case of George Clinton and Funkadelic, that theme, which is explored ad nauseam, is the Funk. The lyrics appear nonsensical and repetitive, often talking purely about the funk and its effects in different scenarios, which seems like they are meant to be intentionally open to interpretation, so whoever is tripping whilst listening to the album can feel an extra sense of relatability to fuel their paranoia. I believe that the ‘funk’ actually serves as a metaphor for a deeper and more impactful message. The two concepts that are continuously brought up are funk and shit. In the case of shit, it can be seen in many songs, particularly those involving the infamous ‘doo doo chasers’. My interpretation is that the funk represents all that is good, and the shit is all that is bad, which is why funk music is said to wash away the shit from your ass like an enema, or something along those lines. By giving into the funk and the groove, all the problems you and the nation have fade away for at least the duration of the album, and if everyone were to partake in the funk, the nation would prosper. I particularly enjoyed the spoken-word elements of the album as I found them amusing and thought-provoking at times, and the guitar work was also especially impressive. Overall, a very promising introduction to funk and a very fun album. Interested to hear more from Funkadelic. A very high 3 stars, nearing a 4. Best Tracks: One Nation Under a Groove, Who Says a Funk Band Can't Play Rock?! Promentalshitbackwashpsychosis Enema Squad (The Doo Doo Chasers) Worst Track: P.E Squad Rating out of 10: 7.5

Another favourite album of mine prior to the list. The story of Roxy Music goes that Bryan Ferry and Brian Eno met one fateful night while waiting for the train in a complete chance encounter, and then went on to form one of the most influential bands in British music's history. Though the albums that they recorded together all came out in the early 70’s, their sound and influence can mainly be heard within music that came out in the 80s. Their ahead-of-their-time sound went on to inspire many musicians of the next generation, most importantly to me, Morrissey of The Smiths. Brian Eno’s involvement really needs no defence; there isn’t a human walking the planet today who can’t appreciate at least one project which he has worked on; he is undoubtedly one of the most important figures in modern music. Eno had a great influence on some of my favourite albums before I even knew who he was, Remain in Light, The Joshua Tree, and Viva La Vida, to name a few albums which I cherished before learning of his existence. From there, I discovered that not only did he produce, but he was a key member of another band that I loved, Roxy Music. All that without even discussing his solo career, which is up there with every album that I’ve listed. So the main point of contention for why this album seems to have less than 3 stars on this site, despite being wildly influential and having a major involvement from the unhateable Brian Eno, would be the role of Bryan Ferry. It isn’t a surprise to me that people would dislike Ferry’s singing style, as it is very eccentric and not perfect in a traditional sense. Yet to me, there is no other vocalist who would have been able to separate Roxy Music from the rest of the pack as Ferry did. The whole gimmick behind Roxy Music is that they are the band that plays in the half-empty high-scale nightclub at 3 am, which wouldn’t work without Eno’s lush synthesizers accompanied by Ferry’s emotive crooning. Do The Strand might just be one of my favourite songs of all time, a song that is almost unrivalled in emotion that never fails to immediately immerse me in the album. I always find myself hoping it would go on longer when it comes to an end. In my view, there really isn’t a bad track on this album, with only maybe the Bogus Man slightly outstaying it’s welcome. Easily warrants a spot on this list, and I suspect it won’t be the last appearance of Brian Eno, or maybe even Roxy Music themselves. Best Tracks: Do The Strand, Beauty Queen, For Your Pleasure Worst Track: The Bogus Man Score out of 10: 9

Nothing bad about this album, really, just not my thing. The context in which I heard this album is probably ideal for a first-time listen. I was coming back from my 10 pm Philosophy exam, on my birthday, in a snowy yet moderate weathered night. As I rode the subway, a man dressed in an all-white pristine suit with a ponytail and a massive scar across his face, looking straight out of a David Lynch movie, began to dance. Almost seeming as if he were too listening to the piano playing of Keith Jarrett, he would slide when the subway bounced, and spin when it stopped. I’ve seen a lot of characters on the subway, but this guy almost seemed mythical, too put-together to be crazy, and too eccentric to be normal. He almost seemed to gain energy when the piano picked up, and slow down when it stopped. However, this brief amusement would turn out to be the high point of the album for me, which could also be due to part 1 clearly being the superior part. Overall, I feel as though there was a lack of truly expressive moments. I’m not claiming to know how to play better than Jarrett, nor am I saying I even understand just how impressive this improvisation was; just that I tend to enjoy music with huge payoffs. Part one is, in my opinion, the closest we get to that, but parts 2 and three tend to get a bit repetitive. This is the first album of this kind I have heard, so I’m not able to critique it for what it is, but simply what I wish it were. That said, there wasn’t really an unenjoyable moment; it remained pleasant throughout, though I wasn’t a fan of his occasional moaning. If it kept the momentum of part one and maybe trimmed a little fat, I would prefer the performance more, yet it is no doubt an impressive album and one that I feel I could grow to appreciate as I diversify my tastes. But for now, aside from the brilliant part 1, I don’t know how much I’ll return to this one. Best Tracks: Part 1, Part 4, Part 2 Worst Track: Part 3 Score out of 10:6.5

I have always considered myself a fan of ABBA, due to the indisputable fact that they have some of the greatest and most fun singles and hits of all time. Despite this, I have never been too enticed to listen to an entire album, except for the iconic compilation album Abba Gold, which is one of the finest greatest hits albums ever assembled. Arrival, however, does not reach the same heights, but is still able to hold its own. Even Arrival could read as a collection of hits, which is a testament to ABBAs ability to make each song feel important and special. The album’s only weakness for me comes in some of the lyricism, particularly in When I Kissed The Teacher, which doesn’t exactly paint the lush imagery in my mind which normally occurs when listening to songs such as Gimme Gimme Gimme, Winner Takes It All, or Waterloo. One of the factors that attracts me to ABBA the most is how each of their hits paints a vivid picture through storytelling and emotion. Which is why another of my least favourite tracks on the album is Money Money Money, though it has nice piano playing, and lyrics which do attempt to say something, the chorus simply doesn’t immerse me; in general, I’m not a big fan of repetitive one-word choruses. However, there are two songs on this album which I would consider perfect, and some of the most ethereal and engaging pop songs I’ve ever heard. One being of course, Dancing Queen, ABBA’s most popular song and for a reason, doesn’t matter if you are a 16-year-old girl or a 45-year-old man, when this song is playing, you feel as though you are the centre of attention on the ballroom floor. But my favourite song has to be Fernando, the storytelling in this song is beautiful as it tells a tale of revolution, liberation, and love, and truly evokes the feelings of euphoria. ABBA is just one of those bands I could never hate, and even though I don’t love every song on the album, I also don’t dislike any of it. Best Tracks: Fernando, Dancing Queen, Knowing Me, Knowing You Worst Track: When I Kissed The Teacher Score out of 10:7.5

As a Canadian, I have always felt that we have consistently punched above our weight in the music world. There was always at least one prominent Canadian artist or band at the peak of every genre, and in Canada, those artists would become especially heralded. The older generation had Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, and Joni Mitchell, who are three of the greatest singer-songwriters of all time. Then came the Bachman-Turner Overdrive and the Guess Who, who were commercially successful hard rock bands. The 90’s were dominated by women with Celine Dion, Shania Twain, Alanis Morissette, and eventually Avril Lavigne becoming some of the biggest pop stars in the world. And eventually the 2000s would birth some of the most celebrated and influential indie bands of all time, with Arcade Fire, Broken Social Scene, and Godspeed You Black Emperor. Even today, Canadians remain at the top of the charts with Drake, Justin Bieber, and the Weeknd being some of the highest-selling artists of all time. Yet when the question comes down to who was the greatest Canadian band of all time, there are only two answers. The first answer is the one most Canadians would give you: The Tragically Hip. The Hip were by far the biggest cultural music act in Canada, despite having little to no impact overseas. They were far from the most technically talented musicians, but they made music that spoke to the souls of Canadians. Then the answer which most non-Canadians would give you, Rush. Rush never seemed to be as celebrated by the Canadian mainstream; in fact, they were actually the biggest in the United States and Europe. They were almost the inverse of the hip, three incredibly talented top-of-the-line musicians, who made extremely complex and technical prog rock. Though this led to them being undervalued at the time, it is my opinion that this will lead to Rush becoming far more relevant in the long-term. Countless bands have cited Rush as an influence, whether it’s because of Geddy Lee’s bass, Neil Peart’s drums, or Alex Lifeson’s guitar. As far as three-piece bands go, Rush was pound-for-pound the most talented. Though this led Rush to become more of a music-nerd band due to their long and intricate music, there was one album which was able to propel them into the mainstream, Moving Pictures. This album almost reads as a greatest-hits album, containing some of their most popular songs, including: YYZ, Red Barchetta, Limelight, and of course, Tom Sawyer. There is absolutely no filler at all on this album, with each song containing sounds that sound out-of-this-world, combined with thought-provoking lyrics that make you want to sing along. In my opinion, this is Rush’s magnum opus, and a very strong contender for the greatest Canadian album of all-time. Rush is a band which should be treated like gods in Canada, yet for most they are just another band on the Classic Rock station. Best Tracks: Limelight, Tom Sawyer, The Camera Eye Worst Track: Witch Hunt Score out of 10: 9.5

On paper, an album called “Surfs Up” by “The Beach Boys” should be the most generic-sounding surf-rock and sunshine pop ever created, relegated to only being played during yacht parties and over beach volleyball cutscenes in Top Gun. Yet the album cover indicates that there may be a level of irony to the nomenclature, depicting a warrior and his steed seemingly approaching the end of their journey, almost in a horseman of the apocalypse style. This album, much like The Beach Boys' crowning achievement, “Pet Sounds,” indicates why they were compared to the Beatles at the time. Not only can they create irresistible pop melodies, but they are also capable of experimenting with their music and exploring darker themes. One thing that always separated the Beach Boys from the Beatles, however, was just how unapologetically American they were with their themes. At the time, there was a great sense of post-war optimism in the United States, almost a sense of naivety, which appeared in some of the Beach Boys' poppier early albums. Yet in Surfs Up, however, much like the title of the album appears to take something joyous and make it melancholic, they focus less on American optimism and more on the cynical reality. Exploring themes of environmentalism (A Day in the Life of a Tree), death (Til I Die), and Police Brutality (Student Demonstration Time). Even the song ‘Disney Girls’, which at first may seem like a more traditional Beach Boys pop tune, has an underlying sense of sadness about it, and when examining the lyrics further reveals it is about a man who escapes his disappointing reality with fantasies of fictional Disney Girls, knowing that love will never be found in real life. No doubt the centrepiece of the album is the title track. Closing the album on such a sad yet beautiful note, the song includes some of the Beach Boys' finest imagery and lyrics. Yet my favourite song off the album has to be Long Promised Road. This song also explores the themes of depression and dissatisfaction of life, but what sets it apart from the others on the album is the uplifting and irresistible chorus, which encourages you to fight back and overcome your obstacles. Something about this album just has such an intriguing atmosphere about it. I never did consider the Beach Boys to be anywhere near the Beatles since I wasn’t as familiar with their discography, but if this album is anything to go by, then it seems as though the Beach Boys may have multiple albums which are capable of going toe-to-toe with the Beatles' best. Take a Load Off Your Feet and Student Demonstration Time in particular seem to be pointed to as the weak points of the album, and whilst I would agree, I don’t think either track is that bad. I also don’t agree with the criticism that they are thematically inconsistent, as to me, the theme of the album seems to just be general grievances and struggles, and a back and forth between cynicism and optimism, which can be seen in both songs. Best Songs: Long Promised Road, Disney Girls, Surfs Up Worst Songs: Student Demonstration Time Score out of 10: 9.5