1/1001 (And what a start it is)
The Bends - Radiohead (1995)
The start of a sound that Radiohead would slowly transform and perfect over the next several albums. Despite being an early and less than fully-formed iteration of their sound, this album is still phenomenal, with absolutely no skips. Its coherence is a strength, but also in some ways a weakness, as it doesn't have the same experimental highs as Kid A or big dramatic moments of OK Computer.
★★★★½
2/1000
After The Gold Rush - Neil Young (1970)
My first Neil Young album! I've always felt a little intimidated when approaching his music as he doesn't seem too easy to fit in a box. My first reaction was that his voice is sort of unusual, but by "Southern Man" I was absolutely gripped through to the end. Like Neil's career, this album just had a bit of an intangible draw to it which is part of what made it so good.
★★★★½
3/1001
At Filmore East - The Allman Brothers Band (1971)
Who knew a live album could be this good? I didn't want In Memory of Elizabeth Reed or Whipping Post to end, which says a lot for such long tracks. A live album that seems to capture a band at their best. Probably my favourite blues rock or blues rock-adjacent album to date.
★★★★½
4/1001
Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (1969)
First Led Zeppelin! My experience with them started and ended with listening to Stairway to Heaven when I was younger... and Guitar Hero. And honestly, what an album. It's crazy that 1969 was such a good year for music that you could reasonably argue this doesn't even crack the top 5 or even 10 albums in that year. "Babe I'm Gonna Leave You" and "Dazed and Confused" are timeless and I cannot imagine being a teenager in the late 60s, turning this on, and having your mind completely blown.
★★★★
5/1001
Illinois - Sufjan Stevens (2005)
This has to be one of the most, if not the most, beautiful album I've ever heard from an instrumental point of view. Having not been the biggest fan of 'Carrie and Lowell' I actually went into this with lower expectations than I might with other well regarded albums. Going through track by track be slightly exhausting with a 22-track list with paragraph track names, but I'll open with saying that 'Chicago' is easily one of my favourite songs of all time. 'John Wayne Gacy, Jr.', 'Casimir Pulaski Day', and 'Predatory Wasp' are absolutely heart-breaking. 'Come On! Feel the Illinoise!' and 'The Man of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts' are endlessly energetic and uplifting. The writing is superb, the concept is ambitious and the execution is wonderful, and the album as a whole cohesive experience is perfect. The arrangements are the definition of maximalist and yet not a detail is wasted and everything remains distinct. Weaving history, his own personal experiences, and an outsider's view of Illinois all into one - while making some of the sunniest instrumentals back some of the most impactful writing of the 2000s - represents everything Sufjan Stevens can do. Where 'Carrie and Lowell' was like a private wake in softly lit quiet room, 'Illinois' is like a technicolour parade through the streets of Chicago, tinged with a past and present it both celebrates and hides from. This album alone was worth starting my 1001albums journey.
★★★★★
6/1001
Remain in Light - Talking Heads (1980)
The run from the opener to "Once in a Lifetime" may be one of the greatest four track runs of all time. This album was way ahead of its time, and as a Brian Eno fan it was really nice to hear his influence. David Byrne is an absolute genius with his writing, and the jamming of Jerry, Tina and Chris make this a cohesive electrifying experience. Although if with how heavy and apparent the inspiration is, I'd be happy to consider Fela Kuti the fifth (sixth) member of this group here. All said, the track run from "Once in a Lifetime" to the closer just wasn't as strong for me and ultimately held this album back from perfection.
★★★★½
7/1001
1984 - Van Halen (1984)
Man this album surprised me completely. First off, the songs I was dreading most were Jump, Panama, and Hot for Teacher having heard them so many times in so many different contexts. But no, they absolutely are the best tracks here, and listening to them in the album made me appreciate them a lot more, and unfortunately made nearly every other track seem not quite as great. Eddie's shredding gets a lot of completely fair praise but Alex's Harley Davidson drumming on Hot for Teacher is unbelievable. This sort of hard rock/glam is something I have a natural distaste for which I think will be demonstrated in my subsequent reviews from this genre - but this was such a surprise to me as it holds up pretty well. Can't stop thinking the album cover looks like something from the wall of a bowling alley though.
★★★★
8/1001
Justified - Justin Timberlake (2002)
The definition of a front-loaded album. The singles really carry this from being just below average to just above, and something worth listening to. After "Rock Your Body" I was mostly... bored. That said, the six track run from the opener was something I enjoyed far more than I expected, even if some tracks veer on the side of tacky. Rather than enjoying this as a Justin Timberlake album, I felt like I was mostly just enjoying The Neptunes and Timbaland. Somehow pleasantly surprised overall.
★★★
9/1001
This is Fats Domino - Fats Domino (1956)
An overwhelmingly warm and unflinchingly sincere experience. The foundations of Rock & Roll with sweet, timeless classics like "Blueberry Hill", "Blue Monday", or "So Long." It's one of those albums that captures two genres/scenes in flux (New Orleans Rhythm & Blues and Rock & Roll) and has just the right amount from both. It can sound basic in the retrospect afforded by the 70 years that have passed, but what fun it still is. As Elvis said, "the true King of Rock & Roll."
★★★★
10/1001
Time Out - The Dave Brubeck Quartet (1959)
My first Jazz album from 1001! And quite relevant, given the fact that this was the first Jazz record to go platinum despite introducing non-standard time signatures and polyrhythms. Desmond's sax is airy and smooth as butter, Morello's drumming on Take Five is beautiful, and the piano is consistent but with flashes of some of the most satisfying playing ever heard in cool jazz. It has very stiff competition, given what other jazz giant came out this year, but it very much stands on its own. Absolute beauty.
★★★★½
11/1001
Cee-Lo Green... Is The Soul Machine - Cee-Lo Green (2004)
What a frustrating listen. I love Southern Hip-Hop, I like Neptunes & Timbaland, and in general I do enjoy R&B/Neo-Soul - so needless to say I was quite optimistic for this album. Instead, I got an album with several good ideas, which then beat those ideas into the ground and milked them so dry that they became annoying and I wanted the next track to come. Repeat this for at least 10 of these tracks, and I was glad when the album was over, despite the fact that some tracks such as "The Art Of Noise" and "I'll Be Around" showed the type of tracks that could've filled this album in a better timeline. Cee Lo was honestly the weakest part of this album, and as someone who tends to like non-conventional vocals and flow, this just did not do it for me. I'd rather be listening to just about any project from anyone else that came out of The Dungeon than this.
★★½
12/1001
Me Against The World - 2Pac (1995)
I try not to give context too much weight when rating an album, because ultimately all I'm rating is how much I enjoyed it. The context of this album is unavoidable, it's the vulnerable introspective standout of his discography next to the aggressive and defiant characteristics of '7 Day' and 'All Eyez'. Luckily, the aforementioned enjoyment factor is not a problem. This is an album without a single skip, with rock solid writing throughout, and with absolutely beautiful soulful production. It may be a West Coast G-Funk classic, but I'd be remiss if I didn't say I saw the fingerprints of Blues on this album; I suppose a near-death experience will do that to you. Absolute classic.
★★★★★
13/1001
Straight Outta Compton - N.W.A. (1988)
An album whose influence is still heard 38 (!) years later. How would it be possible to rate an album with the title track, "Fuck Tha Police", and "Express Yourself" below four stars? That said, I think that's about the highest it can get. There are several iconic tracks that had an enormous impact on Hip-Hop but, just as with other 80s Hip-Hop, it's impossible to not hear its age. The "Remix" tracks really just do not do it for me, and in general the second half is full of very forgettable early Hip-Hop. And, as much as I hate to say it, I think a lot of Eazy-E's writing and rapping just isn't for me, at least on this album. A very enjoyable album but limited but remembered primarily for its standout tracks.
★★★★
14/1001
All Mod Cons - The Jam (1978)
Unless a huge exception, Mod has a natural hard ceiling for me, as it's a genre that I just have not historically enjoyed next to other British music. That said, this album definitely shocked me in some ways, especially when I saw that the release date was 1978. "Mr. Clean", "Down In The Tube Station At Midnight", and "In The Crowd" stood out to me as tracks I could enjoy outside of the context of this album, while "English Rose" was a pleasant mid-album change of pace.
★★★½
15/1001
Fetch The Bolt Cutters - Fiona Apple (2020)
The day 'Fetch The Bolt Cutters' released was during the throes of the first UK lockdown. I wasn't getting out much, so I decided to go on a walk with the album and soak it in. I headed down to the beach and pressed play. I was immediately struck by how raw, honest, and crushing it was. Every track had more to discover and was endlessly replayable. 'I Want You To Love Me' is an up-front confrontation of desire, with 'Shameika' tackling the complex feelings of self-worth drilled into us in our childhood. The title track is really the manifesto of the project, with 'Under The Table' acting as its sister. The run of tracks from 'Relay' through to 'Heavy Balloon' delves further into more mature and difficult subjects, before 'Cosmonauts' acts as a brief breather. The final few tracks close out the album in a way that is hard to describe and impossible to criticise. It has been an absolute favourite of mine since the day I first heard it, and for 1001 to present me this album for another listen was a privilege. I cannot think of a single thing that I'd change or could improve. Nothing short of a masterpiece.
★★★★★
16/1001
Logical Progression - LTJ Bukem/Various Artists (1996)
[Original 20-track mix with Pharaoh and After Hours]
Well, this is certainly one way to find out that I enjoy atmospheric/liquid D&B and Jungle. When I finally figured out which version to listen to, which was a challenge all on its own, I saw the 2.5hr runtime and genre tags and dreaded it. I had a busy day at work so threw it on to mostly be in the background, but was thrown off completely. I think a lot of the contemporary D&B I've heard has skewed the genre in my head, and I did not realise it could be so clean and lush. I thoroughly enjoyed this front to back and, surprisingly for a 140 minute album in this space I did not want it to end. I'd happily listen to this all over again during long travel or during a period of intense work, or while playing a PS1 racing game.
★★★★½
17/1001
Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)
This is an album that works better as a collection of singles than a cohesive project. With highlights like 'Take Me Out' and 'The Dark Of The Matinée' I was looking forward to this a lot. And I enjoyed it. What I didn't realise was how this sort of art school post punk revival sound would tire so quickly, even for a relatively tight 38-minute project. By the time I reached songs that are objectively fun, like 'Darts of Pleasure' and 'Michael', I was already ready for it to be over as I'd gotten all I could from it. The outro was a welcome surprise of a pretty different and much more interesting sound to close it out.
★★★½
18/1001
Dear Science - TV On The Radio (2008)
Having only heard 'DLZ' prior to this listen, my idea of this group and preconceived idea of this album was completely off. That said, having now listened to this project, I'm still unsure if any one box could contain everything this album is going for. It's like we're listening to every idea and draft they had being put into one album, and we're just lucky that the vast majority were good. So many times I thought "Oh, synth there? Oh, horns too? Strings, sure why not? Oh and this one is inspired by doowop?" which wasn't expected from a 50 minute indie rock album. The undeniable highlights are 'DLZ', 'Love Dog' and 'Halfway Home' - although the Bowie-inspired 'Crying' and mortality-focused 'Family Tree' bring something special. Something that tends to be true for most of my favourite albums is huge variety but a strong feeling of focus, and unfortunately the latter is lacking somewhat in this case; variety gives and takes, and it takes a bit too much for me here. I don't know how often I'll be coming back to this album, but it was definitely memorable and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
★★★★
19/1001
Aqualung - Jethro Tull (1971)
Mad breathy flute, riffs that rival even some metal riffs, and erratic bursts of piano - and it all comes together beautifully. It also deserves credit for being so accessible for a prog album, which doesn't hold it back as much as being accessible might for other groups or projects. The pendant swings between heavy riffs and a quiet clean folksy sound and never settles for too little or too much time on one or the other. The blend of rock and blues stops it from becoming too noodly or boring like prog can sometimes be. I loved every track, even if I felt that the mix and vocals could both threaten to bring a few tracks down, although I think this is just the album's age showing. A smooth and satisfying work of art, whether it's a concept album or not. Prog is hit or miss for me but this is definitely a hit.
★★★★½
20/1001
On the Beach - Neil Young (1974)
Having listened to my first Neil Young album, 'After the Gold Rush', only a few weeks ago - I was not expecting this to be as cynical and dark as it was in some places despite what its hazy instrumentals would have you believe. The opening two tracks are terrific, but wow 'Revolution Blues' is such a powerful song and immediately made realise I was listening to a very different album than previous. The album feels somewhat slow and lo-fi, like every vocal run and strum of a guitar was a force of nature that took so much effort to get through. I still really cannot quite put my finger on Neil Young, and his seemingly endless expansive range. I don't know what it would take to be able to fully look past how almost... screechy Neil's vocals are, but there is something very entrancing about them, and the combo of simple but complex writing always means the words coming out of his mouth are impressive regardless of how they sound. Another album I cannot quite explain why I feel so positively about, but Neil Young just seems to have that effect. The B side is a masterpiece in slow and intimate slow jams with such a raw, close, heavy feeling. Who knew an album called 'On the Beach' could be so cold?
★★★★½
21/1001
Done By The Forces Of Nature - Jungle Brothers (1989)
From front to back this felt like a forgotten classic. The endless joy and fun of 'Feelin' Alright', the infectious hip-house rhythm in 'What "U" Waitin' '4"?', the celebration of African heritage and ever-timely criticism of American racial dynamics in 'Acknowledge Your Own History' and throughout, the bending bass of the title track. There is so much to say about this album, and the writing is solid. Although, as with many hip-hop albums of this era, the album could've done with some trimming (as fun as 'Belly Dancin' Dina' and 'J. Beez Comin' Through' are, the album would be better off without them). I was also nice to recognise a lot of samples that have become iconic from their use in Golden Age hip-hop, and their usage here is great. Bloat is the only thing holding this album back from being up there with some De La Soul and Tribe albums.
★★★★
22/1001
Junkyard - The Birthday Party (1982)
When I was a kid I'd often buy a sour sweet called a "Toxic Waste". This album both sounds like some sort of synesthetic approximation of how the sweet would sound, and its album cover would not be out of place on the wrapper of one of these sweets. Starting with 'She's Hit' then going into the three tracks after is quite the bait and switch. The track list consists of a few milestones (opener, 'Several Sins', title track), and a path laden with unfriendly chaotic noise in-between. It's still accessible and listenable, not as sloppy or abrasive as other albums I've heard, but the production and vocals aren't shy about being challenging. Nick Cave's vocals complement this record in whichever way he's going for - e.g. it actually makes things sound better or even more grimy and disgusting. I'm generally not shy about not "getting" albums that it's clear others do, and I don't think I feel the same way about this as the fans, but I didn't hate it; I felt the way I think the group wanted me to feel. It was interesting to hear Nick from before he became the wise elder of rock, and I can definitively say if there one thing the album does well - it's that it captures the feeling of living in England and hating every moment pretty well.
★★★
Little Earthquakes - Tori Amos (1992)
This album offers a simple premise: woman, her piano, and a whole lot to say - and each word worth listening to. The five minute 'Crucify' could've been double the length with how perfect a track it is. 'Girl' immediately creates a mantra that speaks for itself, "Everyone else's girl, hopefully one day she'll be her own". The next two tracks contain piano progressions that wouldn't be out of place in a thriller, in only the very best way, with the final quarter of 'Precious Things' being perhaps the most memorable moment in an album awash with them. 'Winter' is the obvious standout track on the project, a beautiful haunting instrumental with perhaps her strongest writing front to back. 'Leather' is an honest exploration of relationships built on empty desire, where 'Mother' is an absolutely heartwrenching 7 minute dive into the feeling of childhood slipping away. 'Me and a Gun' speaks entirely for itself and made me cry. Each track builds on a new sound and idea and deserves its spot on this project. Tori, and her second voice in her Bösendorfer, takes her time to sit down and tell us about herself. She speaks of religious guilt, she speaks of and shows us what it means to find her voice, she speaks of the female body not as an object of desire but as a site of trauma and reclamation. The name 'Little Earthquakes' as a title track, outro track, and album name is fitting. This album shows every little crack that forms that affect us as adults, no matter our background. One woman, her piano, and a nearly perfect album.
★★★★½
24/1001
Siamese Dream - The Smashing Pumpkins (1993)
For a reason that has completely escaped me, I thought I didn't like The Smashing Pumpkins. I knew I liked 'Cherub Rock', because, well who doesn't? Other than that I was sort of dreading going into this. What the hell was I thinking? The wide suffocating guitars surrounding you at all times, the distinctive jazz-like drumming from Jimmy, the creativity and individuality oozing out of each track. The opener into 'Mayonaise' is more or less a perfect track run, with 'Quiet' being somewhat overlooked. The theme of the album, Billy's nostalgia and depression, is not lost on 'Today' despite its cheery instrumental. The serene beauty of 'Hummer' crashing head-first into the impenetrable wall of harsh guitar on the first leg of 'Rocket' was definitely no accident. Once you've recovered from that whiplash, 'Disarm' is there to take you into its acoustic and cinematic arms. You're lulled into a soft and blissful sleep with the lullaby of 'Soma', before it smashes you over the head with a frying pan with its second half's rude and crunchy awakening. The width and size of the guitars on 'Geek U.S.A.' would be overwhelming if they didn't tickle my brain in an indescribable way. 'Mayonaise' is a perfect track, and is in a sense the entire sound of "Siamese Dream" condensed down; it's almost the 'Be Quiet and Drive (Far Away)' of this record. 'Spaceboy' is a great track, especially when you know the meaning behind it, but the fake orchestra here is a little out of place when you focus on it too much. 'Silverfuck' is such an incredible cacophony of sound and organised chaos, I absolutely love it. 'Sweet Sweet' is just about the only forgettable track here, but gifting us 'Luna' as an outro makes that instantly forgiven. Overall, this project's laser focus on the sound of its guitars reminds me somewhat of "Loveless", one of my favourite albums of all time, except with intelligible vocals (love you mbv). A 90s classic.
★★★★★
25/1001
All Hope Is Gone - Slipknot (2008)
The album's name is a good summary of how I felt switching this on at 6am. I don't like much metal at all, I'm not a fan of screaming vocals, and I did not like anything of Slipknot's that I'd heard. 'Gematria' was actually quite sonically interesting but lost me by the time it had finished. 'Sulfur' was the first of small handful of surprises, being probably the best track here. 'Psychosocial' was the only track here I was already aware of, and I'll admit there's a lot to like, but it was just not interesting to me altogether; it's the type of thing I think I would've liked were I much younger. 'Dead Memories' is, admittedly, a great song, which got me a bit excited for the rest. Big mistake! Everything after it, up to 'Snuff', was just boring and forgettable (besides 'Butcher's Hook' which I'll remember for how bad it was, and 'Gehenna' for the hilarious spooky Kang and Kodos sounds). 'Snuff' itself, despite being quite trite, was very enjoyable and had a satisfying crescendo. The outro track was, fittingly, pretty forgettable and boring. The drums throughout sounded programmed and hollow, the vocals in both their writing and performance were hard to take seriously or stomach half of the time, and most of all I was just bored. There's a good EP somewhere hidden among the tracklist here, and I wish I'd listened to that instead.
★★
25/1001
A Hard Day's Night - The Beatles (1964)
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Given that, counting individual members, over ten albums containing one or more Beatles member take up space on this list, I knew my day was coming, and perhaps it was a good starting point considering it was the first album of theirs with all completely original songs. The opener, which also acts as the title track, is a strong start; from that iconic opening Fadd9 chord through to the end it's a delight. 'If I Fell' is a saccharine but sweet all the same track revolving around George's 12-string and the way John and Paul's voices weave around each other in that shared mic to create a charming harmony. The four note right ear acoustic riff on 'And I Love Her' is addictive, and the shock of being dropped in to 'Tell Me Why' subsides when you realise how much of an earworm it is. 'Can't Buy Me Love' doesn't even buy you dinner, because it jumps right into its chorus and John's crunchy guitar solo with its own ghost solo underneath it. 'I'll Cry Instead' and 'When I Get Home' doing their best country and Motown impressions, respectively, aren't my cup of tea, but it all manages to be fun. And what better way to close out an album than with the cowbell-driven 'You Can't Do That' (and 'I'll Be Back' but honestly I forgot it the second it was done). A short, sweet, joyous album that totes the line between essential Merseybeat and Jangle Pop at times. Not their best, but not too bad at all. Not as psychedelic and trippy as their later work, a great comfort album.
★★★★
