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: 5.5

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

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

I am not very familiar with music in languages other than English, and Portuguese music wouldn’t necessarily be the first language that I would think to explore musically. And it seems that even if I were familiar with the scene and Elis Regina herself, even then this album wouldn’t be the first one that I would check out. It seems there was an error in including this album, since it is actually a compilation album from 1998, not a regular album from 1978, as the book says. However, when it comes to the music, I was actually pleasantly surprised. It feels like entering a Brazilian dive bar on vacation and not understanding what anyone is saying. A sense of exploration; I find that most of the charm in listening to lyrics in other languages is that emotion becomes incredibly more relevant than substance. It doesn’t matter what they are saying, only how it makes you feel. There is almost a dreamlike essence to some of these songs for me, like I just can’t quite make out what they are saying. Her voice is very expressive at times, and you can really tell she is putting a lot of heart into the music. It’s harder for me to discern individual songs, but the only one I didn’t really like was the closing track since it had some weirder sounds in it. Gonna be hard to find playlists to incorporate some of these songs into, but wouldn’t be surprised if I return to a few tracks. Best Songs: Tiro Ao Alvaro, Saudade Eterna, Se Eu Quiser Falar Com Deus Worst Song: Aprendendo A Jogar Score out of 10: 6.5

I feel like, on paper, I should love this album. I am quite enamoured with British culture since consuming their television, film, sport, and music from a young age. My top ten favourite bands would all be British except for Pixies. Part of the reason I love British music so much is the lyricism, the cynical and witty views that most Brits have always endeared me. Britpop is my favourite genre of music, and I am even quite charitable to most post-Britpop. I enjoy early Coldplay, Keane, Boa, etc. Yet for some reason, this album just doesn’t do anything for me. I went in expecting to like it, and by the third track, I could tell that something was off. My least favourite decade for music is definitely the 2010s. I feel as though most rock music began to become infected with the stomp-clap indie sound that emerged in the late 2000s; this sound can be identified seeping through this album, but primarily in the song “Grounds for Divorce,” which is constantly backed by literal stomps and claps. I find this song to be really out of place on an album which appeared to be a slower and more lyrical listen at first. There are some interesting and clever lyrics, but I struggle to fully enjoy them due to the singer's voice. I normally like hearing blatant British accents in music, yet for whatever reason just feel grated by his voice. It’s hard to really understand why I don’t enjoy this, while liking many similar albums. It’s not terrible, but to me it just felt a little subpar, and not an album which should be considered one of the 1000 essential albums. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this list in relation to the 2000s and onward, but if this makes the cut, then I'd better also see some quality indie rock like Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Killers, Interpol, Arcade Fire, etc. Also, probably not on here, but the Divine Comedy’s Absent Friends would fill this slot much better. Best Tracks: One Day Like This, Starlings, Mirrorball Worst Track: Grounds for Divorce Score out of 10:5.5

Christmas music isn’t necessarily something that I get too engrossed in around the holidays; that isn’t to say that it doesn’t have its place, however. My only real familiarity with Phil Spector before this was that he murdered something beautiful; of course, referring to “Let it Be” by The Beatles. Oh, and he also killed a woman. So overall, not someone I ever intended to explore further. But the production of this album is actually pretty good, though the vocal performances certainly elevate it. This is a very solid selection of Christmas songs; if this were the only Christmas album in your collection, you would probably be alright. My favourite performances come from the Ronettes and Darlene Love, and I’m not too big a fan of Bobby B. Soxx’s tracks, specifically Here Comes Santa Claus, which comes directly after the beautiful “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” and feels quite out of place. As far as Christmas albums go this is probably the best, though I’ve not heard any others; but the album really only has a place in one month, so I can’t rate it too highly. Best Tracks: Christmas (Baby Please Come Home), Sleigh Ride, Parade of the Wooden Soldiers Worst Track: Here Comes Santa Claus Score out of 10: 7

My first time hearing a Beck album in full. From what I knew of him through his hits, I was expecting something pretty quirky and out there. The first half of the album was definitely that, though I think that I did find the charm in it, which I was afraid might be lost on me. However, the second half, though not bad, seemed a lot more ordinary; at times sounding like music you might hear in a Lincoln commercial. I feel as though Beck is at his best with offbeat,t humorous lyrics, and eclectic vocal styles, the best of which, in my opinion, came in Que Onda Guero. I can’t say I was ever bored listening to this, though, and I actually respect Beck for creating his own sound entirely. I’m pretty sure this isn’t Beck’s most lauded album, so I wouldn’t be surprised to see him again, and I definitely would be curious to hear more from him. Best Tracks: Que Onda Guero, Girl, Missing Worst Track: Farewell Ride Score out of 10:6.5

Honestly, the name and cover of the album seemed intriguing, along with the fact that it was an obscure 90s album I’d never heard of, I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised. But the album is just not for me, I don’t ever really put on music just to zone out, and I can’t imagine ever actively listening to over an hour of repetitive, sonically uninteresting noises. There were a few parts near the end that I started to enjoy, but for the most part, I just couldn’t even stay focused on the music. I don’t know much about IDM, but I’d be pretty disappointed if this is the pinnacle of the genre. Best Tracks: Chapel Street Market 9 am, Haunted Dancehall, Wilmot Worst Track: Bubble and Slide (sounded like a wet fart) Score out of 10: 3.5

I remember the first time I heard the title track to London Calling, and immediately I fell in love with such an energetic and powerful song. It wasn’t too long after that that I decided to listen to the album in its entirety, which was rare for me at the time, especially for an album that was over an hour. Songs like Lost in the Supermarket, Spanish Bombs, and Train in Vain quickly became some of my most played. I have always considered myself a fan of the Clash, even venturing into their album Combat Rock; yet, somehow, I never felt compelled to listen to their self-titled debut, and what a mistake that was. This thing is all certified bangers, the true essence of a punk album; short, energetic songs that have something to say and stick with you. The length ensures that it never once begins to tire on you; at no point was I ever anything but engaged when listening. The opening track sets the stage perfectly and might just be one of my favourite Clash songs. I feel like I can’t say that the album is better than London Calling, since the highs on that album are timeless, but I will say that it is certainly more consistent throughout, with no song feeling like below a 7. It’s not hard to see how The Clash were able to separate themselves from the other garage punk bands of the time, and why their legacy has remained far superior to that of their peers. Best Tracks: Janie Jones, Deny, Police and Thieves Worst Track: 48 Hours Score out of 10: 9

I don’t listen to rap music; it’s not that I “don’t think it’s real music” or anything to do with cringeworthy political beliefs, I simply wasn’t raised with it, and it lacks a few things that I look for when listening to music. As dumb as it sounds, one of the main reasons I don’t go out of my way to listen to rap music is because, when I do listen to music, I like to sing along; and if I get in the habit of singing along to rap music, I might start letting the Hard-R’s fly like the Burger King guy. Which, as a white guy, would be less than ideal. In all seriousness, though, I have only heard one full rap album before this (Graduation obviously), which I did enjoy, so I haven’t written off the genre entirely, and one of the reasons for doing this list was to see if there was maybe a rap album that I would love. No better place to start than with one of the first breakthrough mainstream rap albums, “Straight Out of Compton. I have already heard a few tracks off this album as they are simply unavoidable; I also possessed some familiarity with Ice Cube as he was a favourite actor of mine growing up, especially in his career-defining role as Nick Persons in “Are We There Yet?”. I can’t criticize the lyrics too harshly because they are a product of their time, but I didn’t find myself blown away by the penmanship, though I’m sure that they weren’t trying to write Highway 61 or anything. I did, however, find the writing to be quite funny at times, specifically in the song “I Ain’t The One”, which, as simple as the premise for the song is, I did laugh at the Burger King line. Though there were some enjoyable tracks, I really can’t see myself returning to most of the album, but I can definitely see why it was influential and how it resonated deeply with people from Compton. Best Songs: Straight Out of Compton, Express Yourself, I Ain’t The One Worst Song: Dopeman Score out of 10: 5

This was the kind of album I was hoping to come across, an album I’ve never heard of, from a band I’ve never heard of, in an era that I haven’t dug too deep into. When it comes to the classics I’ve heard the vast majority, and though I am happy to hear them again as my preferred eras of music is 70s-90s; it is always a nice surprise to find something unknown. It’s not that this album blew me away and became an instant favourite, but it was a definite enjoyable listen and not an album I would have ever heard otherwise. The 2000s indie scene has been something which I have greatly enjoyed; however, I haven’t dug too deep below the surface, mainly listening to the most famous bands such as The Strokes, Arctic Monkeys, Interpol, Arcade Fire, etc. This album does sound very 2000s Euro-club scene, and although I’m not much of a raver, I can certainly appreciate how they bridge dance and punk music into a fun and energetic album. Not every song was great, but none of them were terrible, and the highs were some pretty great and fun tracks. Best Tracks: Golden Skans, It’s Not Over Yet, Gravity’s Rainbow Worst Track: Four Horsemen of 2012 Score out of 10: 6.5

Went into this album expecting to hate it absolutely. I am already not a big rap fan, though that’s more from a lack of exposure than a quality perspective. Previously, I have heard two full rap albums: Straight Out of Compton (by way of this generator) and Graduation (Friend’s recommendation). Though I did actually quite enjoy Graduation, I am under the impression that it is sort of the rap album that you show to non-rap fans. But, out of all mainstream rappers, I have always assumed that I would like Kanye the most due to his reliance on sampling and production, focusing on melody along with the lyricism, which is lost on some rappers. That said, Yeezus, from what I know, is meant to be his most controversial album. I understood it to be more abrasive and experimental than his other albums, to the point that it even put off some of his fans. I really didn’t know what to expect this album to sound like. Experimental hip-hop is sort of just a phrase to me. I have no real understanding of what it would sound like (though I did see Danny Brown live, I didn’t know any songs, so it was mostly just noise. But honestly? It sounded completely normal. I can see how the production can be off-putting, as it is very suffocating at times, but for the most part, I actually really liked the grimy atmosphere that it created. I see a lot of criticism towards this album stems from either the production or the lyricism, which is said to be very obnoxious and egotistical, which, of course, it is, but at least as someone who is not entirely aware of Kanye, I sort of interpret it as satire. The consistent themes of the album seem to be that Kanye has gripes with the state of black culture and how materialistic it is, while also acknowledging himself as the pinnacle of that culture as a ‘godlike’ figure. That could be a misguided interpretation, as I didn’t read too deeply into the lyrics. Kanye is just pretty funny. I did find myself laughing at a few of his lines. The sampling and production are what truly set Kanye apart from other rappers that I have heard; they shine brightest on the tracks ‘Black Skinhead’ and ‘Bound 2’, which I believe to be the best tracks. Though not every song lives up to those standards, and some songs are more obnoxious than the rest, overall, the album was actually surprisingly good. I don’t think it is as enjoyable as Graduation, but I did find it to be more interesting, for good or bad. Best Tracks: Black Skinhead, New Slaves, Bound 2 Worst Track: I am a God Score out of 10:6

This album is specifically made for New Yorkers, contains lots of regional references and slang, disses Illmatic, and came out on 9/11. If you are the average bodega-visiting, chopped cheese-eating New Yorker, then this is your Abbey Road. Most of the beats and melodies were pleasant, but Jay-Z’s lyricism was often lost on me. It feels like he really believes that his story is so inspirational and unique that everyone must hear it and acknowledge his brilliance. Yet at the same time, he comes across as insecure, feeling the need to respond to every bad review and detractor, rather than just let his greatness speak for itself. Some of the songs were pretty obnoxious as well; specifically, Girls, Girls, Girls, which, for some reason, received a second part. I also thought phrases like “For shizzle my nizzle” were just something people said to mock rap, but there is a whole song dedicated to speaking like that. It is also pretty long, which I find to be an issue for most rap albums. That being said, it isn’t too hard a listen, and I can see its appeal pretty clearly. There wasn’t really a time when I was actively hating it, so I can’t say that it is bad. Best Tracks: Heart of the City, The Ruler’s Back, Song Cry Worst Track: Girls, Girls, Girls, Part 2 Score out of 10: 5.5

I’ve always been appreciative of the Police, as they definitely have undeniable talent within their musicianship, as well as their hits being some of the finest songs of their generation. Yet at the same time, I’ve never been wholly grasped by them. Message in a Bottle is a perfect example, probably the best song on the album, sometimes when I hear it, I love it; other times, complete indifference or annoyance. Every Breath You Take is immune to that phenomenon, but every other Police song for me is very mood-dependent. I’m also not too big a fan of the whole reggae thing, or Sting’s lyricism at times, and though I do respect the other members of the band, their songs are often low points of their albums. I really feel like I should like The Police more than I do since I love New Wave and 70s and 80s music, especially bands that have solid albums mixed in with the hits. Yet I’ve never been fully convinced by an entire Police album. I will say, though, that they truly did carve out their own niche and managed to do it extremely well. Best Songs: Message in a Bottle, Walking on the Moon, Bring on the Night Worst Song: Does Everyone Stare Score out of 10:6

I was already surprised to see one of my favourite bands, Echo and the Bunnymen, show up once on this list in only my second album; though it did make sense that their crowning achievement, Ocean Rain, would make the cut, but now, after just twenty more albums, they have made their second appearance. I do, however, think that they are deserving of multiple placements, of course, and can see why their debut “Crocodiles” was chosen, as it was truly an innovative album for post-punk; ushering in the grandiose and dreamlike production of post-punk whilst maintaining the short song structure of traditional punk. But unlike the other post-punk bands of the era, Echo and the Bunnymen, whose biggest influence is very openly The Doors, introduce a psychedelic aspect to the mix. What results is truly one of the most original-sounding bands of all time that would go on to influence bands such as U2 and Arcade Fire. Though I do love this album, it might not even rank amongst my top 5 Bunnymen albums. This is mainly due to the album having fewer songs that are in my constant rotation, though the album is still very consistent and doesn’t really have a miss. For what it is, this album couldn’t receive anything less than four stars, though I am awfully biased. Best Songs: Stars Are Stars, Do It Clean, Villiers Terrace Worst Song: Happy Death Man Score Out of 10: 8

I did go into this album already being a big fan of The Jam and Paul Weller in general, so it was only a matter of time before I listened to The Style Council, as they were already on my radar. So, going in assuming that I would enjoy it, I was surprised to see just how poorly it has been reviewed on this site. Some of the reviews here are absolutely vitriolic, calling it boring, tasteless, and nonsensical. So I grew even more curious to hear how Paul Weller could create something so divisive, as for the most part, The Jam is universally loved. And to my not-so-great surprise, this is actually good, and you guys are tripping. Yes, this won’t be for everyone, and the changing of styles could be a put-off (especially the rap track), but in my opinion, it was never too jarring; everything seemed to belong amongst one another. And the highlights here are some absolutely wonderful songs. The ‘boring’ parts are simply pleasant and short instrumentals that don’t derail the momentum in any way. I suppose if you aren’t a fan of sophisti-pop in general, this might seem obnoxious, but I’ve never been too put off by pretentiousness, unless it was laced with arrogance. Weller’s influences in Black music culture have been well established, with a lot of The Jam songs being heavily influenced by Motown; so it’s not a surprise to see him dip his toes into soul a lot here, and even be an early adopter of hip-hop (though how successfully he adapted it is up for debate. Overall, it wouldn’t rank amongst the best Jam albums, but this is a very solid effort from Weller, and proves his talent to alter his style so drastically and create something nice. Best Tracks: My Ever Changing Moods, Here’s One That Got Away, You’re The Best Thing Worst Track: A Gospel Score out of 10: 7.5

A fairly topical album, as I got it not too long after Christmas, meaning that Fairytale of New York was still fresh on my mind, as that song has become a Christmas staple. But I suppose unless you’re Irish (which I’m not), the rest of this album would remain a mystery to you (as it did me). And though I think, in the end, Fairytale of New York remained my favourite song, there is still a lot of stuff here to like. I immediately like the traditional Irish accent and the attitude that comes with it, which naturally lends itself quite well to energetic punk. Hate of the English is seeping from most tracks, which I find amusing as an outsider. The only track I would pick for worst would be Metropolis since it lacks any of the energy which makes the rest of the songs so infectious. Overall, a very fun and interesting record, which serves as a cultural timepiece and provides a fresh experience to the non-Irish. Best Tracks: Fairytale of New York, Turkish Song of the Damned, Thousands are Sailing Worst Track: Metropolis Score out of 10: 8

This is not an album which was anywhere near my radar, as far as t I can tell, it wasn’t on anyone else's either. From what I gather, Julian Cope is a cult-favourite eccentric singer-songwriter who never really broke into the mainstream, outside of his bubble in England. This album, Peggy Suicide, is his sixth studio effort, and certainly, from what I can gather, his most ambitious. A 75-minute behemoth consisting of everything that Cope’s mind had to offer, exploring a wide variety of genres and themes. To be completely honest, I was not looking forward to this, despite the genre listings being mostly up my wheelhouse. Maybe the lack of expectations is why I enjoyed this as much as I did. There is a lot to enjoy about this album, and the variety ensures that almost everybody will have at least one song which they like. Though the variety, and specifically the length, also hinder the album and prevent it from ranking too highly in my estimation, as the listen can feel a tad disjointed. The most comparable album that I have had on my list so far would be Guero by Beck; both Beck and Cope are eccentric style-benders who possess immense talent and seek only to appease themselves. However, that comes at the cost of mass appeal (which I’m sure they aren’t worried about). All in, though, there were definitely more songs I enjoyed than didn’t, but I’m not sure I’ll be too eager for a relisten anytime soon. Safesurfer and Beautiful love will likely join the rotation, however. Best Tracks: Safesurfer, Beautiful Love, Pristine Worst Track: Western Front 1992 C.E. Score Out of 10: 7

Nobody forced me to listen to this entire album, I wasn’t held at gunpoint, my family weren’t threatened, there was no tangible pressuring encouraging to listen to every single track; and yet for some reason I felt compelled to. My feelings about this album may very well be exacerbated by the fact that I felt I had to sit and listen to it for over two hours, but if your album can’t be enjoyed in one sitting, make it shorter. I find it hard to believe that the highest-selling rap album of all time, one that has the audacity to last over two albums, has only one track that people remember. I understand that this is essentially two albums being packaged as one, but the fact is that it is listed as one album, so I will treat it as one. I’m already not a big rap fan, and this album summarises all of my preconceived grievances with the genre. The first of which is the length; it seems that every rap album goes on for at least an hour, despite being some of the most repetitive music possible. The reason for the length most of the time is that, somehow, a precedent started to add shitty skits in between the songs, which literally no one enjoys. Pretty much every skit on here actively annoyed me, especially Where Are My Panties. I mean, who is that even for? Are people just sitting around with their boys jerking off to an Outkast album? Both sides of the album have general themes, Big Boi’s half is mostly him trying to be taken seriously as an independent rapper and prove that he isn’t the Art Garfunkel to Andre 3000’s Paul Simon (very generous comparison), which is why he repeatedly mentions Outkast and their previous works; and calls upon big rapper features to add legitimacy to his side and give people a reason to want to listen to it. Andre’s side is essentially just him trying to prove that he is straight, being on the verge of busting on half of his tracks and skits. I very rarely like overly-sexualized music, and this is not an exception; it doesn’t help that a lot of Andre’s lyricism comes off as very juvenile to me, especially off-putting was his use of “poo-poo” in the track Roses (which somehow seems to be the second most successful song from the album. “Ya’ll don’t want to hear me, you just want to dance.”, Ok Andre, let’s hear you out: “Nature knows I want you, but not unless you want me too, so spread, spread, for me”, never has a lyric explicitly requesting consent sounded so rapey. Unlike Big Boi, who calls upon famous rappers to feature on his tracks, Andre only invites female artists. Which, judging by the contents of his lyrics, appears only to be in an attempt to have sex with them. Overall, Speakerboxx was mostly inoffensive and generic rap; I actually never actively hated it, though Church was a weak point as it came off as very loud and preachy compared to the rest. But, even though Andre’s side had the only notable tracks, it was the side on which I realized how much I was dreading the start of every track. I will never listen to this again; Hey Ya is the only song worthy of a playlist (except maybe the last track, but I probably enjoyed it extra due to the relief it was finally ending), and I know that I am probably wrong in having this opinion. Maybe if this thing were even just an hour, I wouldn’t feel this strongly, but once this discontentment creeps in, it’s hard to silence it when there is still an hour left of the album. Best Track: Hey Ya, My Favourite Things, A Life in the Day of Benjamin Andre Worst Track: Church/Spread Score out of 10: 2

Seeing how I live in Toronto, I am already very well acquainted with this album as I experience the sounds of India every day. In all seriousness, though, I do respect the vast influence that Indian culture and spirituality have had on much of Western music; the most egregious example being George Harrison and The Beatles, whose psychedelic eras can be directly tied back to Indian music. The issue for me, however, is that I am sitting around sober in a Canadian winter listening to this, rather than high off hallucinogens in an Indian temple. This is the sort of music you need to be completely immersed by and let take over you for its true form to be revealed. In my current listening conditions, I am unable to be grasped by the music, often having trouble distinguishing one sequence from the next. Ravi does warn of this in the introduction, which states that harmony and rhythm are not to be expected, which, unfortunately for me, is something that I actually quite enjoy in music. Maybe my unfamiliarity with the sitar as an instrument also provides a barrier. I do find it quite strange that this album seems to be the Indian music representative on the list; it is barely meant to be heard as a standalone album, but rather just an introduction to the sounds that comprise Indian music. It kind of feels like a cop out, and there are probably far more interesting Indian albums that could be included in the list. Overall, can’t say I enjoyed listening to this one, and it didn’t help that it is the album directly following my least favourite album so far (Speakerboxx/ The Love Below), which also happened to drone on for ages. But funnily enough, Ravi’s daughter, Nora Jones, was featured on that album, so it seems my least favourite albums share the same DNA Best Tracks: Dadra, Maru-Bihag, Sindi-Bhairavi Worst Track: Bhimpalasi Score out of 10: 2.5.

I ended up listening to Fats Domino Swings since I couldn’t find the other album, and it just seemed like a compilation album anyway. Swings seemed to have most of his memorable songs, so I went with that one. An album that is really more essential to listen to for its influence rather than how well it has held up. That isn’t to say it’s not an enjoyable experience, but even less than 10 years after this came out, music had evolved so much to the point that this just seems glaringly outdated compared to music from the mid-60s, which, to me at least, holds up tremendously. But when listening to this album, you can hear the groundwork forming for what would make up much of the rock and roll movement. There are some lovely and timeless songs here, though the production will forever hold it back from appealing to modern audiences. Funnily enough, a few months ago I watched the movie 12 Monkeys, in which the song Blueberry Hill was a prominent part of the plot; and just a few days ago I watched Marty Supreme, in which Timothee Chalamet and Tyler The Creator, ghost ride the whip to the song The Fat Man. So it seems that Fats has remained an icon for his era, as both those movie plots centre around the 50s in some way. Best Songs: Blueberry Hill, Ain’t That A Shame, The Fat Man Worst Song: Bo Weevil Score out of 10: 6

I might be saying this because of Canadian bias, but judging from this album, it isn’t hard to see why Neil Young went on to have the most successful career post-Buffalo Springfield. In my opinion, the three standout songs on this album just so happen to be the three penned by Neil Young; with Broken Arrow especially being one of my favourite Young songs, its experimentation reminds me almost of A Day in the Life with how it segments its styles. That’s not to say that Young was the only talent of the group; however, of course, his frequent collaborator Stephen Stills also has some high points on the album, specifically Bluebird. It seems the only real weak link was Dewey Martin, who didn’t write any songs, but the one that he provided vocals for, Good Time Boy, was easily the worst. Due to the collaborative nature of the album, it does seem to vary in quality, which results in a bit of a disjointed listen. Most of my interest in this album is due to its relevance to Young’s career, as in my opinion, he is one of the greatest and most influential musicians of all time, so hearing him in the infancy of his career is certainly something that I would consider essential to any Young fan. The other songs are solid enough to make the listen enjoyable, and the run time is short, so it doesn’t outstay its welcome. Best Songs: Broken Arrow, Expecting to Fly, Mr. Soul Worst Song: Good Time Boy Score out of 10:7

The Bee Gees are sort of like the chameleons of music; not to be confused with The Chameleons, who blow the Bee Gees out of the water. If you were to ask someone what Bee Gees album would be placed on a list documenting the most essential albums of all time, most would instantly go to their wildly successful disco-era, with songs such as Stayin' Alive and How Deep Is Your Love remaining culturally relevant long after disco faded. Or if you were perhaps more of a hipster, you would point to their earlier psychedelic albums, such as the Bee Gees’ 1st. As someone who never got into the band, I often hear mention of them followed swiftly by: “Their earlier stuff was actually better. But never once have I heard of their hour-long concept double album “Odessa”. The concept seems to revolve around a ship that has gone missing, though I didn’t delve too deep into the lyrics during my listen. I can understand why this album has received middling reviews on this website, as it certainly does feel like a weird selection. It almost feels like the Bee Gees are trying to do their best Beatles imitation at times, which for the 60s is not out of the ordinary. Side note, I am incredibly surprised to find out that they are actually Australian, as this seems like one of the most British albums of all time to me. The lyricism is quite simple, but perhaps that lends to them attempting to tell a story, I’m not sure. But the highlights for me come through the melody; there really isn’t a song here that isn’t at least pleasant and simple to listen to. I actually quite like the classical and orchestral instrumental tracks as well, though I can see how they would come across as boring. It’s not an album which I would recommend to everyone, as I myself didn’t exactly fall in love with it. But if you are a fan of pretentious baroque pop, with lush instrumentals, it is quite a nice album. But not one that will exactly blow you away. Best Tracks: Seven Seas Symphony, First of May, I Laugh In Your Face Worst Track: Whisper, Whisper Score out of 10: 6