My 1001 Albums Journey

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3.75

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1038 albums remaining

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1960

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You Love More Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
The Contino Sessions Death In Vegas	5	2.9	+2.1
The Scream Siouxsie And The Banshees	5	3.05	+1.95
The Yes Album Yes	5	3.31	+1.69
Aftermath The Rolling Stones	5	3.36	+1.64
Blue Lines Massive Attack	5	3.39	+1.61
Public Image: First Issue Public Image Ltd.	4	2.42	+1.58
The ArchAndroid Janelle Monáe	5	3.45	+1.55
Violent Femmes Violent Femmes	5	3.5	+1.5
In The Court Of The Crimson King King Crimson	5	3.6	+1.4
The Genius Of Ray Charles Ray Charles	5	3.62	+1.38

You Love Less Than Most

Album	You	Global	Diff
Fly Or Die N.E.R.D	1	2.87	-1.87
Disintegration The Cure	2	3.86	-1.86
Bryter Layter Nick Drake	2	3.51	-1.51
Hot Rats Frank Zappa	2	3.36	-1.36
Surf's Up The Beach Boys	2	3.3	-1.3
The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones	2	3.24	-1.24
Everything Must Go Manic Street Preachers	2	3.12	-1.12

5-Star Albums (16)

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Popular Reviews

Close To You

Carpenters · 1 likes

3/5

Essentially opening up a time capsule from an era gone by. I had a crush on Karen when I was a young boy listening to my parents Carpenters albums. Her voice is angelic and the production and harmonization are amazing, especially knowing that auto-tune did not exist. They don't make 'em like this any more. While very sweet, most of the songs come off as corny today. The Beatles cover just doesn't work. The hits are obviously great. My fave is the jazzy groove on the finale "Another Song"--not sure if Karen was playing the drums on the track but in my imagination she was.

1-Star Albums (1)

All Ratings

The Genius Of Ray Charles

Ray Charles

5/5

Nebraska

Bruce Springsteen

4/5

Acoustic only Interesting story about how the recordings were initially meant to be demos for a larger E street band performance, but with the band the songs didn't resonate. So they just did the solo acoustic versions. Very powerful this way. Vibe is as stark as the cover art.

Birth Of The Cool

Miles Davis

5/5

Amazing to see how gifted Miles was at such a young age (in early 20's when these recordings were made)--at both trumpet and band leader and arranging. A fun listen to music that bridges the Bebop and hardbop genres. Slower tempo and melodic phrasing heralds the cool jazz that followed. This complication was released about 6-7 years after the recordings were first made and released as singles or whatever.

Hybrid Theory

Linkin Park

4/5

Obviously a landmark album, not not really my cup of tea. While Bennington is obviously beloved and extremely talented, I've always been bothered by the frequent switching between his normal beautiful melodic voice and his screaming scratchy and distorted metal voice. I find it very distracting and annoying, almost like he's trying too hard. Many of the tracks sound too similar for me, at least at first few listens. In the End stands out for sure but many of the other tracks are hard and raw and passionate too. Interestingly some of the most listenable tracks now are the slower songs towards the end.

Aftermath

The Rolling Stones

5/5

Super fun listen. Early Stones, stretching into new creative areas, with Brian Jones trying several odd instruments. The marimbas on Under My Thumb are iconic. Love that song, but understand it is reflective the misogyny of the time. Not all Keith riffs. Very melodic and laid back. Really enjoyed it.

Violent Femmes

5/5

Public Image: First Issue

Public Image Ltd.

4/5

Axis: Bold As Love

Jimi Hendrix

5/5

Wow. Not a bad song on the album. Virtuoso guitars, driving bass. But did get the sense that need to be stoned to appreciate fully.

Moon Safari

Air

4/5

Great mood music; lovely airy (reference noted) vibe. Lots of good grooves. The female singer should get more credit. Will start a Pandora station and expect to hear lots of similar bands

Parsley, Sage, Rosemary And Thyme

Simon & Garfunkel

4/5

What the fuck kind of shirt is Paul wearing on the cover? Perfect music for a quiet morning with a cup of tea. I've heard many of the songs before but never as assembled on the original album. Love how the social commentary escalates through the album. Is there a more angelic male voice than Art's?

Catch A Fire

Bob Marley & The Wailers

5/5

its great. What can I say. Classic Marley vibe.

Disintegration

The Cure

2/5

a boring listen even now. Nothing fun about the title and nothing fun in the album itself.

Blue Lines

Massive Attack

5/5

really enjoyed this one. Early Trip Hop. Base grooves run deep. Shara Nelson's vocals are a high point.

Everything Must Go

Manic Street Preachers

2/5

Elephant

The White Stripes

5/5

Banger! Every once in a while it is good to force oneself to listen to Seven Nation Army on its own, outside of the cliche world of stadium rock at a football or basketball or hockey game. Jack is brilliant in every sense of the word.

Introducing The Hardline According To Terence Trent D'Arby

Terence Trent D'Arby

4/5

The Infotainment Scan

The Fall

3/5

Brothers

The Black Keys

3/5

Oracular Spectacular

MGMT

4/5

Ahh electronica! Some banger hits here but the rest of the album is filler. More of a proof of principle than a real advance in the music. This album = transformative for a certain generation of kids at the time; not transformative for me

In The Court Of The Crimson King

King Crimson

5/5

Wow. Checks all the prog rock boxes. I can see why this band has been so influential to those that followed in the genre.

Run-D.M.C.

4/5

great listen. throwback. Particularly impressed by the rap on the live "Here We Go". Very old school, fascinating to see how much hip hop has evolved over the decades.

Surf's Up

The Beach Boys

2/5

classic beach boys harmony coupled with prog rock sensibilities. No standout song here. Can tell they are missing Brian.

London Calling

The Clash

5/5

what an amazing album. The title track does an amazing job setting the tone: you are about to hear something spectacular. Every song is special. Specific highlights for me: Lost in a Supermarket, Clampdown, Death or Glory, Wrong 'Em Boyo. Each song unique with clear influence from different genres. But all still with the punk sensibility. Tremendous!

The Man Who

Travis

4/5

Every Picture Tells A Story

Rod Stewart

3/5

was a great album at the time; hasn't aged quite as well for me. I've never been in love with Rod's voice, always seemed forced and not even close to the quality of his backup singers, who as usual deserve more credit. Maggie May will always have a soft spot in my heart.

Five Leaves Left

Nick Drake

4/5

late 1960's british folk melancholy; Lovely voice and instrumentals.

The Rolling Stones

2/5

Planet Rock: The Album

Afrika Bambaataa

2/5

Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)

The Kinks

4/5

a fun time machine back into the sixties; surprisingly great musicianship and vocals; can really feel the Beatles influence

The Scream

Siouxsie And The Banshees

5/5

an amazing tidal wave of post punk and a cool bridge to New Order. Siouxsie is a clear predecessor to later powerful lead singers like Karen O and more recently Haley Williams. Loved every song. Their rendition of Helter Skelter, while highlighting the passion and artistry of the Banshees, ultimately simply shows how forward thinking the Beatles were with the original version. Loved every minute of this one.

Selected Ambient Works 85-92

Aphex Twin

4/5

Super chill, very fun low-key background beats, with the key phrase in the title: "ambient". Makes sense that this album is considered a foundation on which electronica has grown immensely, grown into something very different. I enjoyed it. Okay to have on in the background. Has it stood the test of time? Not for me.

Machine Head

Deep Purple

4/5

Darkness on the Edge of Town

Bruce Springsteen

3/5

Never been a Bruce fan. I get why people are Bruce fans though. Can't deny the passion and musicianship and arrangement of a larger band, coming together as one. Just not my type. Prove It all night is one of the better ones Does it stand the test of time? yes--a classic that should endure.

The Contino Sessions

Death In Vegas

5/5

I'm gonna need some more time with this one but on first listen it is amazing. rockin combo of electronica and distortion guitars. Has a Portishead-esq trip-hop vibe.

Close To You

Carpenters

3/5

Bryter Layter

Nick Drake

2/5

Ugh; the generator made me listen to Drake again only a few albums after "Five Leaves Left". Has it stood the test of time? Sadly, no.

All That You Can't Leave Behind

3/5

great later stage U2 album. Some bangers, some meh. Many other U2 albums are better and more worthy.

Twelve Dreams Of Dr. Sardonicus

Spirit

3/5

Never heard of Spirit before. Seems like another band floating in the ocean of prog rock. Musicianship is pretty impressive, like most good prog rock bands. Glad I listened to it, but not excited to go back.

The Yes Album

Yes

5/5

Love love love this album. I could listen to Squire's bass tone and mastery all day long. Unlike some prog rock bands who are all over the place in terms of the musical themes and genres they embrace, Yes is of a more singular focus. This leads them to greater heights, soaring over all the other pretenders stuck on the ground below.

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road

Elton John

5/5

This album effortlessly puts an extra spring in your step, whether you want that spring or not. Obviously the famous songs are bangers and classics, never will grow old. Enjoyed some deeper cuts like "I've seen that movie too" and "Roy Rogers"-the latter with a nice embrace of country. All due respect to princess Di, Candle in the Wind will always be for and about Marilyn.

Africa Brasil

Jorge Ben Jor

4/5

really enjoyed this; would be perfect for background music at social events where some forward high energy vibe is needed. Not a bad track on the album. Not exactly funk, but certainly is funky. A great time.

Jagged Little Pill

Alanis Morissette

5/5

An amazing album by an artist who showed up at just the right moment in time. Alanis has that rare ability to sing with passion, energy, and CONTROLLED anger. Somehow the raw jagged imperfections in her voice perfectly complement the raw emotion in the songs. Not a bad song on the album and definitely has stood the test of time. Favorite deep cut: "Mary Jane"

Fly Or Die

N.E.R.D

1/5

Not sure why this album is on the list. most songs are pretty sophomoric. Voices suck, often unintentionally offkey. Some guitar but no real memorable riffs. The songs wander around several different genres but doesn't really commit to any particular theme, leaving the listener pretty lost and disappointed. Maybe this is only memorable as an early Pharrell sighting.

Water From An Ancient Well

Abdullah Ibrahim

3/5

Lovely jazz album. Pretty standard, nothing too earth shattering here. Arrangements remind me of Ellington. Especially enjoyed the bass work on "Manenberg Revisited" and the overall groove of "Sameeda".

Hot Rats

Frank Zappa

2/5

Meh. Some good stuff here like Willie the Pimp; kinda of a psychedelic jam ride mixing genres with lots of different instruments. Endless guitar solos.

Highway to Hell

AC/DC

3/5

For me ,not much here beyond the title song, which is the classic banger. A nice mix of blues and good old hard rock n roll. Other notable cuts include Girls Got Rhythm and Night Prowler but these are meh other than the nasty side of the lyrics. Stood the test of time? Yes because, well, at the end of the day it's AC/DC.

New York Dolls

4/5

A fun ride through early punk New York. Great energy, awesome lyrics. Stood the test of time? Yes

A Girl Called Dusty

Dusty Springfield

4/5

The ArchAndroid

Janelle Monáe

5/5

Completely new album for me--thanks for putting it on the list! All the songs are great and the groove on "Dance or Die" is hard to beat.

Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water

Limp Bizkit

3/5

I grudgingly admit i found my head bobbing along with the thrash metal rap on several occasions. However when I really pay attention the lyrics are ridiculous and much of the album sounds like some teenagers just got ahold of some musical instruments and are playing them as loud and as angry as possible. Not one for the ages, but a decent peek into the time capsule of that era.

Roots

Sepultura

2/5

Impressive super heavy metal with Latin flair. Head banging galore. Not my cup of tea but was worth a listen. No songs that really stand out.