1001 Albums Summary

y'all ever put this on with The Wizard of Oz??

gimme the kinks any day over this. there were a couple songs that stood out, but the rest feels like a product of the era.

first VU LP without John Cale, so the melodic sensibilities come more to the forefront here. you also get vocal turns from Doug Yule on the opening track and from Mo Tucker on the closer track, and they both crush. "What Goes On" is one of the all time greatest rhythm jams, especially their live recordings from other releases (notably the version from The Matrix Tapes).

This gets 4 stars due to the first half of the record. I could do without the lower tempo tracks, but the psychedelic aspects to this grunge record help it stand out above the rest. I'm also typically not a big fan of "showy" vocals, but Chris Cornell hard to deny on his performances here. "Black Hole Sun" itself is massively overrated and exists alongside other 90s singles that were/are popular but straggle behind the other songs on the album (see also: Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box" and Smashing Pumpkins' "Disarm").

these guys were rippin

they're all great players and I'm sure there's a lot to appreciate about this record. it's not something I'll circle back to but would be easy to put on to provide some sound in most polite environments.

my first time listening to this. I'm fairly neutral on DC hardcore in general (I prefer the Minneapolis strains). still, I appreciate music that gets to the point quickly and then moves on. I enjoyed this record more in its second half.

tension and menace coursing through the music and the vocals from start to finish. fuck yeah

endlessly gorgeous. you know when you see Dave Fridmann in the credits that you're in for an incredible headphones experience. these basslines rip.

the inclusion of this album raises significant questions about the creation of this list. what about this album qualifies it as music that I must hear before I die?? especially considering the wealth of alternatives in this genre that relegate The Offspring to lower tier? I didn’t think this record was bad, but it doesn’t introduce anything new, nor does it push existing sounds to exciting new places. run-of-the-mill.

my first time listening to this straight through. I've heard some of these songs before, either by The Band or other groups covering them (most recently I saw MJ Lenderman cover "Long Black Veil" in Chicago a couple years ago). strong songwriting here, tho I have to set aside everything else I'm doing to really pick up on lyrics. I was surprised how low tempo most of this was. these dudes were sad in the late '60s. would be nice to have more songs in the "Chest Fever" arena to mix things up a bit, but ah well.

stirring string arrangements and her voice enrapturing. not the type of music I throw on often // this was excellent in its own right.

dance music LPs can be tough. the genre is primarily created to be absorbed in a room with other people and volumes to the point where you feel the music resonate in your body, not just heard with your ears. there are some outstanding dance/electronic albums out there, but many don’t catch the essence of what’s being created. I saw The Chemical Brothers play a massive festival set in Belgium, and it was one of the most thrilling sets I had ever seen. that said, this album is front-loaded and feels like some killer singles filled out with studio fodder. the approach to electronic music very emblematic of the late ‘90s. I wish The Orb’s Adventures Beyond The Underworld was here instead.

first time listening to this. been meaning to check out Steely Dan for a while now, if only to more fully appreciate the memes. my reaction upon listening: aight then

abrasive and energetic, delivered with conviction. some of the tracks feel extraneous. with a select 15-20 min cut out it would feel more explosive.

clear masterpiece. so much wonder and genius packed into 37 min.

first time listening to this. I dug some of the early tracks but nothing in the second half of the record stood out to me. I enjoyed the sparseness and space amongst the instruments. some of these songs sounded like precursor to Taylor Swift (mix of songwriting and alto voice) — I don’t think I’ve met a Swiftie who’s also into Tori Amos or Joni Mitchell, despite there being plenty of parallels, which is kinda wild.

first time listening to this. I'm not huge into blues - much prefer to experience live than to listen to studio recordings. I'm not familiar with the studio recordings of John Lee Hooker, but I can't imagine that this LP is his definitive album or even in the top 5. you can tell this was recorded in the late '80s -- awful studio sheen and everything feels sterilized within an inch of its life. fun fact -- John Lee Hooker played his first live gigs at a now-closed bar a couple blocks from my house in Detroit (Apex Bar). apparently his song "Boom Boom" was written about the doorman at the bar.

first time listening to this. for as much incredible music that was made in the 90s, feels like the bar was pretty low for some of the more popular acts. this one didn't resonate with me and I thought it was kinda boring tbh.

originally heard this record by receiving it as a record of the month thru Vinyl Me, Please (which used to be great but now is 100% scam). very cool to listen to this compared to Jorge Ben Jorge’s earlier recordings. the rhythm section throughout is so much fun, and the group/backing vocals elevate these tracks to another level. also did Rod Stewart rip off Taj Majal for Do Ya Think I’m Sexy???

first time listening thru but obviously have heard most of these songs before as they’ve been inescapable since release. kinda enjoyed “I’ll Be Waiting” powerhouse voice duh but I was surprised how underdeveloped some of the instruments / tracks felt.

this ended up being way more stylistically eclectic than I was expecting based off the single. doesn’t mean I enjoyed it, but good for them I guess? there’s way better albums among the 3-5 genres they try to execute here and I’m sure we’ll experience some of those at some point (Scritti Politti? Prefab Sprout?). this album features a lot of what I find distasteful about a lot of popular music from the 1980s (emotive vocals drenched in cheap reverb, dinky production values, lazy approximation of music from the southern hemisphere).

some bangers on here for sure. excellent when the voice matches the repetition and impact of the production. doesn’t feel essential overall but still a great listen.

yoooo I liked this way more than I expected. I’ve heard Come On Eileen 5000 times before at bars and have fond cocaine come up memories on makeshift dance floors that come back when I hear it. there’s a bunch of great songs on here — well played and well captured with a fair share of thrilling and earnest moments. I’m not familiar with any of the rest of their music but this has me intrigued.

kinda overwrought. really wasn’t into this aside from a few moments of songs here or there, typically sections without vocals.

great album. they’re banging away on piano, killer guitar throughout, Bowie crushing it nonstop. not every track hits the same highs but there are peaks all over this.

these guys were really pickin up what the other one was puttin down

this was my first time in a long time listening to this album start-to-finish, and I enjoyed it more this time around than I remember last time. obviously some massive songs on here that have held up well. I actually enjoyed the softer tracks a lot more than I remember, more so than the upbeat ones in most cases. also there's more synth and less saxophone from what I was expecting. for anyone else that likes the softer tracks here, I definitely recommend checking out the album "L'Amour" by Lewis. I'd love to hear Bruce cover Bjork's "Cover Me"

honestly I'm just glad music like this made it onto this list. Aphex Twin was on his own level basically from the start. that being said, I really wish Selected Ambient Works Volume II was the one featured here instead of 85-92. both are excellent, but Volume II is beamed in from another planet and warps my perception of time whenever I put it on. Brian Eno coined the term "Ambient Music" -- the following is excerpted from the liner notes for his album "Music for Airports / Ambient 1", Sept. 1978: "Over the past three years, I have become interested in the use of music as ambience, and have come to believe that it is possible to produce material that can be used thus without being in any way compromised. To create a distinction between my own experiments in this area and the products of the various purveyors of canned music, I have begun using the term Ambient Music. An ambience is defined as an atmosphere, or a surrounding influence: a tint. My intention is to produce original pieces ostensibly (but not exclusively) for particular times and situations with a view to building up a small but versatile catalogue of environmental music suited to a wide variety of moods and atmospheres... Ambient Music must be able to accommodate many levels of listening attention without enforcing one in particular; it must be as ignorable as it is interesting." Richard D. James isn't required to match Aphex Twin's definition of ambient music to Eno's, but Volume II hits way closer to that mark. I find most of 85-92 fascinating and by no means ignorable. also if you listened to this on speakers without bass or weak headphones, find something that'll carry the low end of this album and it'll likely change your perspective on it. those lower rumblings can really alter the journey of the higher end parts of the track.

for every great song on here, there’s one I’d be fine never hearing again. those organ sounds really elevate those great tracks to another level.

my first time listening to this. I think I'm familiar with one of the songs already from guitar hero or rock band or something. the instrumental parts were cool at times, but this kind of metal / hard rock has never really been for me, and this album didn't do anything to change that. a lot of it feels ripe for parody.

I had never heard of this one before. it’s nice for when you want to listen to Swans but in French. D’ACCORD!!!!

I wasn’t aware of this one and am glad I’ve been introduced. this album has so many great ideas and cool impulses followed in each song. sometimes soft and lilting, other times dark and spacey/groovy. the title track is incredible. so this dude was in The Byrds and then this is the album that ultimately tanked his career? that’s a shame, this album is a treat. 4.5 for me.

not in my top 5 Neil Young LPs, but still a solid entry in his catalogue. interesting that this was labeled as a return to relevancy, or a “comeback” album — I can’t imagine a contemporary act springing back into favor with a live album, but times have changed. you get a nice balance of his softer, folk songwriting and stellar guitar playing, along with his louder, proto-grunge work with Crazy Horse.

I've been meaning to check this album out since I was like 17-years-old, when I was in my peak grunge/90s rock discovery phase. Butch Vig (drums, loops, effects) was on the boards/credited Producer for some massive albums in the years leading up to Garbage's initially releases, including Nirvana's "Nevermind," Smashing Pumpkins' "Siamese Dream" and "Gish," Sonic Youth's "Dirty," etc. etc. dude was crucial in helping Billy Corgan achieve those huge My Bloody Valentine-influenced guitar sounds on Siamese Dream, so I had high hopes to hear some swirling noise trickery going into Garbage. they do not disappoint. this thing is moody af, still fun, and rocks. the band sound amazing, and Shirley Manson's vocal performance delivers cool confidence across all the songs. "Queer" is like a precursor to a decent chunk of St. Vincent's songs; "Stupid Girl" approaches dance music. a lot of highlights here, some which will be on repeat for me for a while, and I'm now excited to go check out their follow-ups.

one of the greatest albums of our time. I'm convinced they gave Kendrick the Pulitzer for DAMN because they missed the chance to give it to him for TPAB. there's songs here that gave musical representation for concurrent social movements ("Alright") and stunning runs that demand repeated listening ("How Much A Dollar Cost"). what I love most about this album, aside from Kendrick's lyrical prowess and delivery, is the music. Terrace Martin had worked with Kendrick throughout previous releases, and along the way had brought Robert Glasper into the fold. in the preparation for TPAB, Kendrick leaned on Terrace for some jazz education; Terrace introduced Kendrick to A Love Supreme, and then brought in Thundercat, Kamasi Washington, Glasper, and Flying Lotus (great-nephew of Alice Coltrane) to play on and produce some of these tracks, so when you throw this on, you're getting a kick ass ensemble of top-of-their-game jazz musicians supporting Kendrick. Terrace Martin even carries the spirit and influence of J Dilla to the mix with an excellent example of Dilla Time in "Complexion" -- [from Dan Charnas' 2002 book "Dilla Time"]: "Kendrick Lamar's 'Complexion' is a great example of a transition between Straight Time and Dilla Time, and a way to get a visceral sense of how difficult it is for humans to hold the tensions between the two time-feels. At 2:10, as Kendrick begins singing 'I like it, I love it,' begin tapping your finger or foot along with the beat. You are in Straight Time. At 2:30, as the beat fades out, keep tapping your finger at the same tempo. Let the rhythm of the vocals and the piano guide you. Then, as the new, conflicted beat fades in after 2:35, try to hold the tempo with your finger. By 2:43, you are in Dilla Time." TPAB is a masterpiece.

unfair to put this after TPAB in our run order, but so it goes. I know sometimes the people that break some barriers don't always hold up to the work they influence or that comes through the door after they bust it open. a lot of this album comes across as corny and dated at this point. they laid some groundwork for music that followed, but I don't see myself throwing this on again.

first time hearing any of this as far as I know, though none of it was particularly memorable, so maybe I've heard tracks before and just don't realize it. generally speaking I really like Alex Turner's songwriting and think Arctic Monkeys has some strong output over its existence. these songs feel like impulses he wanted to get out there, and good for him for linking up with some mates and doing the thing. looks like this album came out after the first couple Arctic Monkeys albums were released. I can hear how some of the moves they're making on this album needed another outlet aside from the more well-known group. all of it was fine but just not v compelling to me upon this listen.

obviously they're very skilled players. kinda frustrating to start it off cause there'd be a couple minutes I'd really be into and then they'd lose me with the next couple minutes. enjoyed the second and third tracks more, but still this just veers a little too prog without anything else to keep me coming back. glad for the opportunity to finally check out Yes tho.

a masterpiece, though not a Miles Davis LP that I typically throw on when I'm feeling some Miles. still, it's stunning start to finish, each player making sound right where it makes the most impact, without doing too much, and in deep partnership with the other players. endless beauty and grace here.

this album rocks. I read "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984" by Simon Reynolds a couple years ago, and that turned me on to a bunch of bands/albums I had heard of but never really checked out. "Juju" was one of those albums, and I had it on repeat for like 6 months. so much minor key goodness here. Siouxsie crushes her vocal performances. I've already noted I don't listen much to lyrics when I put music on, and upon relistening to this LP for this list, realized how dark a lot of the lyrics are. John McGeoch delivers some thrilling, knotty guitar work that has been influential in the decades since (if you're a fan of that aspect, check out his work on the Magazine albums "Real Life" and "Secondhand Daylight"). and the drums here pack a punch and keep driving the songs forward while avoiding unnecessary complexity.

such a wild listen. not something that I put on for casual listening, but always a fantastic spin whenever it starts. difficult to tell a lot of the times what exactly is creating the noise you're hearing. they took the more out-there elements of the kosmische music that had been explored in Germany through the 1970s and dug deeper, bringing it back down to earth with metallic clashing and electronic sounds. without this, it's hard to conceive of entire genres of hardcore and industrial music later on. Trent Reznor would not have been able to repeatedly declare the final Nine Inch Nails tour for well over a decade (just to tour again a few years later) without Einstürzende Neubauten laying this musical groundwork.

I really love Jaime xx's stuff, and I was aware of the xx during their initial couple albums and enjoyed the singles at the time. I was a little let down by I See You. it was fine, and some of the tracks I really enjoy ("Say Something Loving," "Replica," "On Hold") but most of the rest felt well-produced without being particularly memorable or demanding repeat listens. I couldn't help but feel like there are plenty of other albums from this era that could have easily taken this one's place. I'd put this at a 3.5.

they really knocked this one out of the park. so many great moments here, both from Elvis (lyrically + vocally) and the band (melodic bass lines, rhythm guitar that charges forward with the drums, the occasional sprinkle of organ). the four songs that kick this off are outstanding ("Pump It Up" is such a jam), and you gotta give props to whoever was responsible for the sequencing of the tracks across this LP. the slower songs never stand in the way of the momentum or feel out-of-place. I have to imagine these songs were fun as hell to play live with this group.

I was pretty disappointed by this tbh. I had never listened to an AC/DC album before (though we've all endlessly heard the hits in movies/tv shows/commercials) and was hoping for some great discovery beyond the singles. what I found was a lot of unwarranted repetition, needless refrains, empty posturing, and shouting for shouting's sake. there are a couple moments that crack through that and stand out -- "Highway to Hell" and its shout along chorus; the bridge and solo in "Walk All Over You" (reminded me of some fiery Ty Segall moments) -- unfortunately you have to wade thru a slog of an intro/verse/chorus before you even get to that bridge. maybe there are other AC/DC albums I'd like more? this was not it for me tho.

first time listening to this through. overrated for sure. most of this felt like middling white boy blues, which is a big time nah for me dog. also I forgot about the sappy af second half of "Layla" that goes a minute longer than the rocking part of the track and feels twice as long as it is. didn't realize Duane Allman was in this group. neat.

so many classics on this LP. I can't hear some of them without instantly thinking about The Big Lebowski. it's crazy that the official Big Lebowski Soundtrack Album doesn't have any Creedence on it whatsoever. I was surprised how the first 4 tracks of the album didn't do much to hook me, but once "Lookin' Out My Back Door" kicks off, it's a string of memorable, rippin songs that follow.

first time listening to this album. for every song on here that feels underbaked, there's another 2-3 songs that really surprised me and opened my ears to side of Fleetwood Mac I wasn't aware of. honestly I could do without most of the tracks where Stevie Nicks takes the lead, and it's not just about her voice but a lot of those songs feel underdeveloped structurally and instrumentally. some songs here feel like precursors to entire genres down the line that I'm big into, from the jangle rock of the '80s to the lo-fi weirdness of the '90s thru to the indie rock of the 2010s. about 2/3 of this album will become part of the rotation and the other 1/3 I'd be fine never spinning again.

first time listening to this one. I wasn't even really aware of it before this, seeing as I'm not much into reggae. I can dig some dub, but something about straightforward reggae has never captured me. maybe a combo of the pace the music typically takes combined with repetition that doesn't feel particularly interesting to me. for the most part I liked this album tho. it's not something I'd put on repeat, but from my limited reggae knowledge, if I had to throw something on, this wouldn't be a bad choice -- and it's brief! I particularly enjoyed the songs with "Marcus Garvey" in the title. "Slavery Days" is an arresting three-and-a-half minutes. 3.5 stars.

mannnn I know these recordings are important in their own way, but I can't help but wish this compilation was swapped out with some other Miles album that isn't on this list ("'Round About Midnight" if we're sticking within the decade, "Sketches of Spain" if we're looking for some boundary-breaking). I'm curious how this was perceived at time of release (1957, same year as 'Round About Midnight) considering these recordings were captured between 1949-1950, and Miles had already starting moving on from this sound. maybe audiences were still hungry for it, but Miles was years past this already, and those intervening years were very productive and quickly evolving, and he continued in that fashion for decades. you can especially tell that these songs were of a certain era due not only to their sound, approach, and recording quality but also to their length -- each of these recordings would have fit onto their own physical media and purchased separately before they were compiled onto a 12-inch format. love Miles and of course appreciate him for his early contributions and breaking barriers with those early forms of jazz; however, I prefer what happened later.

Snoop makes it seem effortless. guy knew what was up early -- he turned 22 a month before this album dropped. I enjoy the G-funk production and sound, tho I needed some variety by the time I got to the end of the album. generally I felt like most of these songs would hit harder if they were 30-60 seconds shorter. gotta make space for those guests I guess.

a highlight of Bill Callahan's discography. there had been some beautiful arrangements, increased instrumentation, vocal clarity, and lyrical inclusion on the natural world in his works leading up to this, but they were often tempered with sonic experimentation, lo-fi recording qualities, and a healthy willingness to obscure. on Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, he embraces melody and allows the band to fill out these songs with sweeping strings, rhythmic intrigue, and brooding tension. "Jim Cain" is one of the most beautiful songs he's written, and "Eid Ma Clack Shaw" provides such great use of non-lexical vocables. there's moments of humor in the lyrics, but not as dry as his records under the Smog moniker, and not as evocative as later recordings (a great example being "The Sing" off the album Dream River). one of my favorite aspects of Bill Callahan as a performer and songwriter (and an approach he shares with sometimes-collaborator Will Oldham aka Bonnie "Prince" Billy) is that he doesn't move from one moment into the next in a song until it is time to do so -- it never feels rushed. this especially plays out live in concert. for first-time Callahan listeners, I'd suggest the two songs from this album I mentioned above, but not the rest of this album. those suggestions would be: Knock Knock - Smog Apocalypse - Bill Callahan Dream River - Bill Callahan Dongs of Sevotion - Smog

charming rock with some pockets of pop complexity. I didn't pay close attention to the lyrics, but the combination and sequencing of vowel sounds across these songs is sonically rewarding. a pleasant mix of '60s sounds/harmonies with a prescient dose of '90s sensibilities. seems like they were slightly ahead of the curve on some musical choices that would flourish on both sides of the pond in the years following this. 3.5 stars for me.

first time listening to this one, and it was difficult on a number of levels. first, although it was the only version of the LP that came up on Tidal, it was the edited version of the album? the curse words were straight up edited out of the mix, so some songs were full of vocal gaps (like you'd hear on FM radio). I tried to correct course and find the explicit version, but by the time I realized what was up, the album had already lost me and I just wanted to power through and get it over with. anyone else feel like the first handful of tracks showed some promise (or at least were mediocre enough), and then this LP just got progressively more difficult to listen to? at first I thought I was gonna get some good Atlanta rap/soul, but that just turned into a lot of condescension, bravado, and sermonizing, and not in a convincing or entertaining way. sometimes felt like a public display of failure and I just couldn't look away. I guess I was blissfully unaware of Cee-Lo Green until "Crazy" hit the airwaves. "Fuck You" was also a huge hit. this album did not make me want to continue any exploration of his music. even when there were some cool production choices, they were outnumbered by cringeworthy decisions.

with most of the NIN I've listened to, I tend to enjoy the music more than the vocals. no complaints about his voice or lyrics -- they work within the context of the music -- they just don't resonate with me. I'm not harboring enough intense anger to connect. they really hit a sweet spot here, combining rock, techno, and other industrial approaches to sound while still staying palatable for the masses. similar to dance and noise genres, this is one that surely hits way harder live when you can feel it with your entire body. some bold production choices on this album as well, which I appreciate. they could have played it safe but leaned into the weirdness.