Raspy and soulful. Pretty freaking great.
That cover is metal. But if anything, this is Theater Kid metal. Look, its done well, and I had a chuckle or two with the lyrics, but this rock opera kinda sound just isn't my vibe.
Enjoyable. She always has that unique vocal style.
This is how Springsteen should sound, stripped down to the basics.
I feel like disco may get a bad rap. While the lyrics aren't particularly interesting, the music is pretty great with some unexpected chord progressions. Not bad.
I like Beck and his kind of offbeat and absurd take on styles. THIS is not that at all, and yet, I still really like this album. Straightforward and wonderfully rich sounding, musically feels like a lazy summer afternoon. Maybe a sad summer afternoon, when you take the lyrics into account.
Upbeat and fun, which was great. That said, I think I enjoyed the second half of the album a bit more, which is a bit more midtempo and varied.
Very cinematic, which I should have expected given David Lynch used some of his stuff. It's a pretty varied album of jazz, electronica, creepiness, and more, but it all feels like it belongs together.
Its been 30 years since I've listened to this album. My friend was a huge hip hop fan and of course had this and listened to it a lot. I guess my opinion on it hasn't changed too much upon relisten. It's got some great beats, sure, but many of them feel a little too similar to know which track is playing. It's a nice enough listen, and yet it's never compelled me to want to buy it.
Upbeat with a late 80s/early 90s dancey sound, with quite a few samples. I get the feeling that this may have some historical signifigance, particularly with the sampling aspect, but the album as a whole is just okay.
No drone rock like "Heroin", no long freak outs like "Sister Ray". Maybe with the exception of "The Murder Mystery", a pretty straightforward album; not quite what I was expecting. But still great, and ahead of its time.
What a fun and bizarre record. 35 minutes of pop rock turned on its head. Not an everyday listen, but a good one.
I'm not a huge country fan. There's a few exceptions, but the majority of it just doesn't really speak to me. This is one of those exceptions. It's simple, and not overdone like a lot of the Nudie suit wearing types of artists. And Willie's voice is just awesome on top of that. Give me more of this.
I was expecting to like this album a little bit more. It's fine, quite listenable, but nothing I'm amazed about. It's possible that the nature of listening to an album a day may take away from the time needed to appreciate this more. It might be a 4 in the future, but it's a 3 for now.
An absolutely rip-roaring live set. Jerry's playing on the fast songs is almost out of control fast, like he's about to launch into the stratosphere. The only thing preventing me from giving it a 5 is the similarity of some of the songs, but this is pretty great.
God, what a great album. Not a bad track on it. Beth Gibbons voice is shy and light, but still versatile and often heartbreaking, and the vibe of the music is just perfectly cool and hip...in that 90s way, yes, but also with a nostalgic sense, too. Songs meant to be in fictional Bond movies.
Ah, Fela...you cant go wrong with Fela Kuti. This was one of the albums I originally looked into myself when I got the book many years ago, and this was the first Fela Kuti album I got. This isn't even his best album, and it's still an absolute banger. 4.5/5.
I'm realizing the Byrds are like the R.E.M. of the 60's. Jangly and chim-y sounding, with nothing too complicated about their sound, and they made great album after great album.
Wonderfully jagged, early goth rock is a nice way to start my day. The tracks are more succinct than Bela Lugosi's Dead (which itself is a great song). I've bought this album a few years ago, and it's only grown on me.
Is that unused Pink Floyd album art? Anyway, this album is fine. The songs are fine. I enjoy the 3 songs I've heard before a little more probably because I've heard them before, but they're still not groundbreaking. This album is the epitome of middle-of-the-road; I don't hate it, and I don't love it.
Meh. What a tepid album. I was curious if it's inclusion meant it might be better than I anticipated, but no. It didn't speak to me when I was 17 when it came out, and it doesn't speak to me now.
Maybe not the best Monk album, but a really great album. The title track is crazy, and the rest of the album is vintage Monk. 3.5/5, and rounding it up mostly for the 1st track.
At first listen, it's a good, but maybe not quite great album of material. But occasionally, a little soulful flare of horns or organ will pique my interest. I'm more inclined to like the title track than say the obvious choice of "Respect." I'm finding it difficult to rank this one, but im thinking 3.5/5.
You know, the cover is kinda cool, but the album itself is so-so. It's fairly run of the mill 60s pop rock. Mostly fine, but the two slow tracks are really cheesy.
I had no idea what I was getting into with this one. After one song, okay, that's nice. Second track gets going, and oh, I guess this is just a whole album of African barbershop quartet.
This is a lot like listening to gregorian chants for me: both are fascinating, take some talent, and have deep meaning. But unless it's in very small doses or combined with something else, I have no desire to listen to a whole album of it.
This is a nice mash up of styles. It definitely has a Brazilian feel throughout, but there's enough 60s rock flourishes in the mix to keep me more interested in it.
I'm not a huge fan of vocal jazz, but this record is pleasant enough. Nothing I'd go out and choose to listen to, but nothing I'd feel be annoyed with if it was playing.
Very lovely album. Reminds me of if Doves was fronted by someone who sounds a little like Peter Gabriel.
This is the second Joni Mitchell album I've hit on this site. I've never listened to her much, though I was familiar with some of her stuff. I'm still not a convert, but I do like this album a bit more than Court And Spark.
Maybe it's because I'm aware that she guest starred on his album So, but Kate Bush feels a little bit like a female Peter Gabriel on this album. Music with both a pop feel but also a little oddness sprinkled throughout to keep things interesting.
This was a very enjoyable album! Knowing Pharrell was in this and the time it came out in, I was thinking it might be oriented towards pop, or maybe hip hop, but this ended up surprising me completely and going in a rock direction. This album is very stylistically eclectic, which makes it interesting, but its not so out in left field that its still very fun and light hearted. Very cool.
I'm a fan of industrial music, so i knew what i could expect to hear, as I've heard a couple of EN songs, but never a whole album. I'm happy to report that I ended up enjoying this album quite a bit, and even found it very *listenable*! I do think it helps before going in knowing that its going to be a difficult listen (Schmerzen Hören, if you will), but if youre in the mood for this, it can be very enjoyable.
As someone listening to this for the first time, it feels like a roller coaster. It starts with one of the coolest and well known tracks of all time. Then goes into a lot of nice little soul tracks, which makes sense for the movie, but none are particularly bangers like that first track. Then "Do Your Thing" comes on late and sets things on fire again, all 20 minutes of it. A hodgepodge due to it being a soundtrack and not a true 'album', but still an enjoyable one. I can dig it.
A classic album. I always like the rawer mix that Steve Albini did for this one, compared with the nicer sound of later albums. Not quite a perfect album; there's a few tracks that are just okay. But the early alternative/odd surf rock energy pervades throughout.
A pleasant album. I do like my country albums to be a little more lyrically interesting, and this album is. Even so, the album just strikes me as 'pleasant', but nothing beyond that. It's a solid 3; nothing I dislike, and nothing I'm emphatic about.
Well this was a pleasant surprise! So, I like New Order, and have for a while. The singles at first, and then started getting into the albums later. Combing through their early 80s albums, I was always of the notion that the albums were good, and the singles were great. And I avoided this album because I wasn't a huge fan of the singles. "Fine Time" and "Round And Round" were okay, but felt like more dated club music of the time.
Avoiding this album was a damn mistake, because this was the case where the album was better than the singles. Hell, those singles I wasn't the biggest fan of sound better in context within the album. This is a surprise 5, and an album I now need to go out and buy.
I remember such a dense sounding album coming out in '95 felt slightly abnormal at time, or kind of against type. A lot of the grunge or other alternative stuff was loud, sure, but you knew what instrument was doing what. The production on this one is not an audiophile's dream where each instrument is set to the proper volume to blend in with everything else like a wonderfully crafted Steely Dan record. No, everything is maxed out and bleeds together and in your face. And I'm good with that style too!
This is a record where every song is good, with a few great ones sprinkled in. Like "Vow" is such a mean track, and "Stupid Girl" feels like the Clash's "Train In Vain" turned sideways. (Edit: just found out they sampled the drum loop from them. Go figure.) Definitely a damn good album.
I've never been a big fan of reggae, but hey, if I'm going to listen to it, it may as well come from the most well known and respected artist that did it. I enjoyed this album. Not an album I'd relisten to often, but I did like every song on here.
Second Supergrass album I've got on here. As a dude from the US who's only heard of Supergrass and not listened to them, I thought I Should Coco was a pretty good album, and this one I think is a small step up from that one. A little more varied, a little more mature.
What a fun fucking album! I had low hopes going in not knowing anything about the band, and the name had me thinking it may be some retread of the blues. I was immediately happy when the first track came on screaming (literally), and was lo-fi as hell. Such a unique brew of different styles, like mixing early Beck, punk, and the White Stripes (who weren't even a thing yet). Awesome. 4.5/5
More varied than I remember. Some really great songs, one or two just okay ones. Not much more to say other than a very good album overall.
You know, this is one of those albums that I can hear with an intellectual ear that it's pretty good, but it's just not quite my personal vibe. Nice enough to listen to in the background, but doesn't thrill me.
I've listened to a lot of electronic music over the years, but for some reason I've never got into Kraftwerk. Electronic music has to start somewhere I guess, but the music sounds too rudimentary and the lyrics are too silly for me to really like. Maybe I'm too steeped in how music is now that I fail to appreciate its beginnings, but in any case, I'll pass.
Over 100 minutes of music, and there's maybe like one track that I find 'okay'. This was so damn dull. This album is dated, from the awful album art, to the sound, to the WAY too long run time. And even taking that into account, this album gave me nothing to want to go back to. What a slog.
What a great album. A Tribe Called Quest always put out great albums, and this solo effort is no different. It's smooth, it's flows together so well, and it's both old school yet feels newer than something that came put in the 90s. Just a wonderful listen.
This is just a great fuzzed out rock record that's fantastic from start to finish. Its simple and straightforward, with very little over-the-topness to it. It just kicks ass.
I don't know anything about UK garage, but I was a little hesitant about this, given earlier in the week I was subjected to another UK electronica album that was also quite long, and it was completely mind numbing. Thankfully, this was a little bit better than that. I did enjoy the inclusion of non electronic instruments as part of this, as it helped make it a bit more interesting, but all the guest vocalists did nothing for me. I wasn't blown away. Just a nice record.
Classic album. This album has 3 fantastic songs in "Changes", "Life On Mars" and "Queen Bitch", but really, the whole album doesn't have a track to skip on it. What else is there to say?
I like the White Stripes, and own a couple of their albums, but not this one. White Blood Cells occupies a weird space for me. It sits between their early raw rock and their more adventurous dabbling into other things, and sounds like they don't have a foot firmly planted in either. It's got quite a few great tracks on it, but doesn't feel cohesive as an album. It's good, but not great yet.
Ive heard the name before, but only as a collaborator on a Sunn O))) album. Otherwise going in blind on this one. ...And its nothing like Sunn O)))! Quite a nice and diverse set of songs, mining that modern rock era of the 90s. Maybe a bit too long of an album, but that's not too big an issue. Solid 4/5.
So I do enjoy this album, while still perhaps not really quite getting it yet. My guess is this is one of those that requires a few listens, and not just one. It's a bit of a mess of styles, and has some good moments. But I didn't latch onto it as a whole. So a 3/5, for the moment.
I own this album, and I like this album, but I'm really wondering why it's on this list? It's got a nice thick low end, and it's very enjoyable. I love the constant guitar squeal (and name) of "Hard On For Jesus". But still, one of the albums I *must* hear? Not really.
A well sung and well produced album with lots of ballads on it...about what I expected. I did enjoy listening to it, and there were a few standout tracks, like "Send My Love (To Your New Lover)". Overall, not quite my cup of tea, but I dig it enough to enjoy if someone else had this album on.
I do like the oddball lyricism in the album, but musically, this is mostly garden variety 70s fare that, while fine, isn't exactly groundbreaking. Personally, I found it more interesting finding out that Dilla made a beat from "Worst Band In The World" on his album Donuts, than I did this album.
That statement sounds a bit harsh. Look, this album is fine, but that's all it is: fairly listenable, mildly clever 70s rock.
What a nice mash up between new wave and the early Kraftwerk-y synth sound. "Cars" and "Films" are standout tracks, but pretty much all of the tracks are quite good. Still sounds timeless even using late 70s electronic sounds.
Is it punk? Yes.
Is it pop? Yes.
Is it dumb as hell? Yes.
Is it smartly done? Yes.
Does every song sound similar? Yes.
Are the songs distinct enough? Yes.
It's the Ramones. It's everything it needs to be, and nothing more. It's fucking perfect. 5/5.
As far as earlier hip hop goes, I was never a giant fan of Run DMC. They're foundational, sure, but I've never thought they were amazing. And this album exemplifies that. I liked listening to this album, but it's got aspects that take away from its enjoyment. The beats are a little too sparse. Some of the rhymes are a bit silly. This is a 3.5/5, and I guess we'll see at the end of the day if I'm rounding it up or down.
I'm not big on too much of the jazz/swing sound of this era, but this is a fun enough album that transcends some of my preconceived notions. Plus, it helps that there's a few recognizable tracks on here that I'm familiar with through covers. Enjoyable.
This album sure feels like an odd mix that doesn't go together. Which is weird, because half of it is a 'concept' (which I never grasped onto), so you'd think it'd flow better.
I don't know how to rate this. On one hand, you have some fantastic tracks like "America", "Mrs. Robinson", and "Hazy Shade of Winter". And then theres "Save The Life Of My Child", which is a odd sounding experiment making folk with Moog synthesizers and a vocal choir. Or, "Voices Of Old People", which is literally just that, which has no real redeeming relistening value. Despite the great songs, as an album, it's a mess, and not that great as a whole.
A solid album. I've been much of a Metallica fan, though I don't dislike them. But yeah, every song is good, and the album as a whole is good. It's got its imperfections, such as the sound, but it's easily overlooked. A solid 4/5.
Listening to this one while on the road on a weekend. I don't know, but for some reason the phrase that keeps coming to mind is that the songs have a sense whimsy. Like if it were a Beatles album, it would feel like it's definitely Paul influenced. Or it could just be random irrelevant road thoughts. I liked it, but very little stuck out as great (the first track, but that's about it).
Never quite sure what I'm going to run across when it comes to trip hop. In this case, this was a very enjoyable experience with some interesting beats (including one basically used by Portishead a year earlier), some laid back rapping and some not too overdone singing. There's a few cringe moments from being of its time, but overall, I really dug this.
Really great album. With the exception of the last track, you really dont feel how long each song is...it just flies on by. And you can definitely hear the influence on later hip hop through its sampling of this. Just a great soul record.
I shit you not...I'm a music nerd that's never listened to this album. Now, I wasn't born under a rock, here. I've heard the hits plenty. And I 'knew' the general aesthetic of these guys: sneering, barely talented kids who played a bunch of unorganized slop and caused mayhem. I had these guys figured out; I didn't need to know more. Plus, I had the Ramones, who were obviously superior. I'll give it a listen, give it an eye roll and remark at how cute it is that they're trying, rate it a 1 or a 2, and move on.
Or maybe not. This is a great album, with well constructed songs. EVERY track is good. Hell, the hits songs of "God Save The Queen" and "Anarchy In The U.K." are my least favorite tracks on here. It's still sneer-y, and has that attitude of poking the wasps nest firmly entrenched in the songs. But it's far more listenable then I was assuming it was going to be.
But it's still no Ramones. 4.5/5
Did I hear lyrics about Reaganomics? This record is fine. I like "Holding Back The Years", and there's a decent cover of Talking Heads "Heaven", but overall this is a pretty average album of 80s pop music.
This is one of those albums that takes more than one day to process. It's an eclectic mix of songs and styles that feels ahead of it time for 1972. Upon first listen, this didn't grab me right away, but left me feeling intrigued, and normally that's a good sign of a really good interesting album that could grow on me. The only prominent drawback is Brian Ferry's vibrato kinda annoys me a little, but thankfully, it's not always there. Something to come back to.
Good album. Maybe not quite as good as Nation Of Millions, but still classic P.E.
Two Public Enemy albums in a row? Alright then. This one's probably the best of the three in the book. It might be the second one released in the 90s, but it's the one that sounds more '90s'. Great album.
I've always been a sucker for dream pop or shoegaze music. When I got the 1001 Albums book years ago, this is one album I picked up because of that fondness for ethereal music. Now, this album isn't perfect...the production, with its big reverb-y drums, just doesn't quite sound right compared with later releases of a similar style. But if you can overlook that, this is a very lovely album that's pretty damn enjoyable.
It's funny...this is different than other soul albums of the time, and interesting, and yet it still doesn't pull me to like it any more than usual. Hm.
This is more varied than I was expecting for a brief punk album. 14 tracks, each a fun and interesting little experience, and boom, we're done. Is it still punk to call these vignettes?
This is one of those albums that really helped fuel what the alternative rock scene was to become...an absolute explosion in the 90s. And while I acknowledge its really large contributions to music, I admit that personally, this album isn't quite a 5. All the songs are good, and it has a good sound. But not quite that upper echelon for me. 4/5.
I thought I would've liked the Fall. Odd post punk, mostly the project of one trenchcoated Mark E. Smith. When I got the book many years ago, I saw the Fall a few times in there, and I'd heard the name in passing. And I like strange music. So I gave it a listen a different times over the years. I never latched on to it.
This is one of their most accessible albums. And I hear that, all while still retaining their character. It's respectable...and I still don't care much for it. The best I can give this one is a 3. I'm not annoyed by it, but I'm not seeking out any more Fall albums to listen to.
This album really gets going about halfway through, starting with the title track. I'm not a huge reggae fan, but this is probably the best reggae album I know.
This album just kinda hits right, even though I can't specifically say why. It's eclectic, but not too much so. It's just quite enjoyable.
It's a foundational album, and it's a good album, but surprisingly I'm not wowed by it. I've heard a lot of these songs for decades. I like them. But I'm not in love with them.
There's something that's just so unique about pop music from the early 70s. This album and Todd Rundgren just hit upon a style and chords progressions that haven't really made a comeback since, and that's unfortunate, because it has such a warm and comforting, yet complex quality to it.
