1001 Albums Summary

I like the lead guitar riffs, the drumming is tight, and the lyrics are pretty fun. It all feels a little... not one note, but more like it's stuck in the same gear the whole way through with a little break for track 5. Track 8 is a bit like a rocky blues-inspired take on I Am The Walrus. (If you read this and, unlike me, know anything about music feel free to cry in despair at my take on this). Opinion on Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine: see above

Track 1 was a good opener but it reminded me of another band. I don't know. I feel as though I've heard it before. Track 2 was OK. I am up to Track 3 and wondering what exactly made this essential listening before I die.. 'how do you sleep' (track 5) makes me feel as though I'm falling through an endless disco in slow motion. Honestly it just gives me a hankering for some Pulp and a cup of tea. call the police (track 7) is only intensifying this feeling. I would have been very happy if black screen (track 10) had been the last track. pulse (track 11) sounds like the Nokia ringtone drunkenly yapping away at a party. Look, this album made me feel things. Mostly a strong desire to be listening to any of the albums that inspired it. But this is good. Right?

Woah! From the opening track I know this is going to be special. I can hear the inspiration for one of my favourite bands from when I was back at uni: amiina

Track 1: Well this was a little jazzy. That said, I felt as though I was listening to a less keyboard-forward Muse album. Track 3: OK this is like that really modern jazz that I don't understand. Also why do I feel like I'm sitting a plane that's just taking off while being chased by police cars for the last minute? Track 4: This is the bridge between the Beatles and Hozier that I never knew existed. You're welcome. Track 5: I Might Be Wrong, but this is a bop. Tracks 6-8: Eh. Track 9: Oh this one is really cool too. Track 10: Back to Muse vocals. Track 11: Am I about to throw stones at this track? (pun intended). No because it's kinda jazzy too. Overall: I never realised just how samey a lot of male British groups sounded before listening to this.

After the generally 'meh' feeling inspired by previous albums in the 1001 albums book, this one blasted through my ears and made me feel a thousand things. Firstly, I felt a little bit of awe. I never realised that genres could fuse together so... majestically. I didn't quite know what to make of the first track apart from "woah". Then I Talk To The Wind came on and calmed it all down. The flute (was it a flute?) and then the brass (was it brass? I wish I actually knew something about music!) were mind-blowing. Epitaph is a bit more meh, and the reason this album is getting 4.5 stars. Moonchild feels a little like a lost out-take from an early Pink Floyd album, but I guess that's the genre. I know this is going to sound w***ily pretentious, but I... like it? The Court of The Crimson King feels faux grand with a merry go round interlude before the drums kick in. It sounds like a prog rock version of the Pentiment soundtrack (again, sorry to all music-knowers out there. This comparison is a bit meh). Will listen to the whole album again tomorrow because I need to meditate a little more on it.

oh no. This is bringing back memories of buying this album as a teenager. I will never forget the disappointment I felt after the high of Welcome to the Jungle wore off. 20 years has not helped me to enjoy this album more.