1001 Albums Summary

Dated a little but still a watershed album.

Sedate Sinatra is not my favourite Sinatra. I much prefer him when he's sexually-aggressively reprimanding a dame for "blowing on another man's dice" through the medium of song. This was okay, melodic, if a little dull at times.

Fair to say I hated that. Basically a guy whining off-key to the sound of a ticking clock. I gave up after three songs and put on Raw Power.

Now we're talking. Love the spare yet hooky, late 60s/early 70s New York asthetic of this record. Interspersed with dark street poetry, it was ahead of its time when it was made and still sounds great. Sometimes history requires people who don't give a fuck, and Lou Reed had the minerals. It's impact on the culture is still felt today. There are minor criticisms I could make, but overall this is a triumph.

Empty-headed nonsense.

Sublime. Haven't listened to this record in ages but it still sounds great. A real watershed in terms of what a folk music album can accomplish when done right. 4.5.

There are no bad songs on this album and I'd even go as far to say I enjoyed it, but there's something about Paul McCartney's solo stuff that gives me the ick sometimes. It's sort of safe, centrist dad music. Fine if that's what you're into, but it makes me want to go out and buy some smack and share a needle with a hooker. 3.8

I didn't dislike this album and actually found myself enjoying some of the songs, but the virtue signalling lyrics started to grate after a while. While I enjoyed it, this record isn't for me, it's for 22yo girls from North London with rich parents who describe themselves as "spiritual", take gap years to work with NGOs in South America, and do Capoeira on the weekends.

Having not listened to this album for about 15 years, I'm starting to feel Wayne Coyne's Moog synthesiser didn't get to the credit it deserved at the time for the amount of heavy lifting it's doing on this bloody record. The hits remain the the hits here. But the rest, as Walt Whitman said, is middling psychedelic guff. 3.2.

Never found Portuguese the most lyrical of languages. I listened to two songs then went "nope, I'm sorry, I just can't today." My fault, probably no fault of this album.

I wasn't sure I'd like this at all, but howling tin whistles - a folk music banger! Abso-lute-ly marvelous! Loved it!

...and I'm being kind with 1.

I prefer later Who, but this wasn't bad. 3.7

When listening to this I tried to tap into the 90s teen angst I must've been feeling at the time. But I couldn't. That teenager is gone and all that's left is this dry husk of of a man, his promise and optimism smashed into bewildered fragments like a child's forgotten toy due to the accumulated weight of years and constant disappointment. This album still stands up though. Rape Me is a pure banger. 3.8/5

All killer, no filler.

It's important in this post-truth world that we be as honest and straightforward about things as we can be. With that in mind, I can say without fear of straying into mendacity that this album is dog shit wrapped in cat shit. She lost me early doors with the lines, "those great whites, they have big teeth, hope they bite you". Carole King she is not.

A few songs feel like they were stuck on here to make this album more commercially viable for the mainstream audience of the time. Those have aged less well, while the more traditional and original songs still sound great. 3.5/5.

My favourite Neil Young album and possibly the greatest collection of songs recorded in a single sitting fueled by Tequila, regret and tetrahydrocannabinol.

A phenomenal piece of work. 5/5. If I could give more, I would give more.

Solid live performance from ol Dusty here. 3.7/5.

Still sounds great. Immediate. 4.5/5.

This is a solid album, but if I had to choose a Black Keys record, I'm not sure it would be the one I'd put on this list. 'Howling For You' still sounds great though. 3.5/5.

3.8/5.

The more I listen the more I appreciate The Band. There's some great songs on this album. 4.7/5.

A real confidence to Sabbath on this record. A band at the total sum of their powers. 4.2/5.

Given the hype around these lads at the time and the fact that Pete Doherty would tell anyone who would listen that he was the reincarnation on earth of the poet Shelley while high on smack, you'd think his output would've aged better. This album was meh. Can't Stand Me Now is alright, I suppose, but I was actually quite bored for long stretches. 2.7/5.

Not my bag. At all.

First half is admittedly got more going for it than the second but a solid album overall. Great band, always pushing the envelope.

This album was where I got off with The Kings Of Leon. Loved the first three records and was pretty disappointed when they shifted to this more commercial sound. Sex on Fire was everywhere for ages, and not in a good way. More like in the 'everyone in my platoon has crabs' kind of way. 1.9/5.

For those first few trembling piano bars at the beginning of Personal Jesus alone, it's a five for me. Stunning record.

Great album. Some absolutely ironic tracks. 3.7/5.

2.5/5.

I remember seeing the video for Self Esteem when I was 11 or 12 and thinking "this is fucking brilliant". Still sounds great despite me not really becoming a fan after all. I can tell this is a great band at the beginning of its journey, they just weren't for me.

I remember a flatmate having this album and we listened to it a lot. Still a bit of a mishmash of bluesjam mixed in with truly great songs. 3.4/5.

Hadn't listened in years, but really enjoyed it. Particularly the first half. 3.7/5.

3.9/5.

Five. Five all day.

This is getting a four for Higher Ground alone. An absolute tune. The rest of the album is decent. Living For The City being another standout.

There's a lot going on here. Probably enough ideas for four albums tbh. Overall I found it satisfying but, like I say, it was a little overwhelming at times.

4.6/5.

4.2/5. The Killer, showing why he's the killer. Great stuff.

3.9/5. I always enjoy The Clash, but there's something missing for me. Not sure what it is. My deficiency rather than theirs, I suspect.

3.6/5.

3.5/5. This album deserves something for the intention, if not necessarily the execution. A real step forward in music, but one which was quickly surpassed by others. 'You're Gonna Miss Me' still sounds amazing though.

My love for this record never sleeps. 4.8/5.

I actually own this and had forgotten how good it is, especially for a debut album. And he's only gotten better. 4.2/5.

4.5/5.

3.6/5. Some great tunes, some less good. But they were creating all this from a base of absolutely nothing. Absolute pioneer music this, probably why there are a few missteps. But when they get it right they really get it right.

Delicious. 3.1/5.

Stunningly good. 4.2/5.

Prefer other albums by Bert Jansch, but I enjoyed this. Anji specifically.

I didn't enjoy this as much as I thought I would.

Some people feel this is his best record but I've always struggled to get into it. It's good, but I prefer others.

I thought this was good, but the influences were glaringly obvious. One minute it sounded like Dylan, the next Paul Simon. Not a bad album, just not a unique one.

4.6/5. My favourite zep album.

3.7/5. Mixed, but some really great tracks on here..

4.4/5.

A great album. Personified the 90s in many ways. Not just a singular performer, a singular songwriter and firebrand. 4.2/5.

4.4/5