Hey, this is my first of 1001 albums, its Paul Simon, who I do like, so a high average seems about right
Some good ones but overall I am not a big fan. The title track is the standout
Album 4 - the purpose of this is to be exposed to music you might not otherwise listen to right? I listened, liked one, but couldn’t say I want to re listen to the rest. The one leads to the 2 rating.
Nice. If I wasn’t a tough grader I might give it another star
Yes, this is a classic; but somehow Nyro's voice starts to grate after a while.
No; not a fan.
Guess I had moved on long before
Never a big Stones fan, they always seemed petulant
Did not listen
Did not listen
I don't get why so many 5's or what critics found appealing. What I hear are three note melodies and dull, repetitive, angsty lyrics. "We Float" seemed like the only one with some redeeming musical qualities but even those were embedded in dah dah de dah notes repeated over and over and uninspiring lyrics. Sorry, another 1 from this listener.
Given the quality of the recent albums of the day I've gotta give Sly & The Family a 3. I might have given it a 2 but Stand!, I Want to Take You Higher, the drum solo on Sex Machine, Everyday People, ... there is enough goodness on this to rate a 3 even if the album as a whole isn't chock full of it.
The title song is really his anthem, isn't it? The rest, meh. His talent was overwhelmed by Yoko, wasn't it? Hard to imagine (?!) he thought many of these were his best work for the time.
Trash and Subway Train seemed to have marginal redeeming value. They’ll not make it on any favorites list of mine however.
Could have been worse. Some effort went into the lyrics, the tunes have some decent melodies. Not something I want to hear again though
Holy mackerel, something from this century that actually has listenable tunes and lyrics? Something I’d not been aware of before but would eagerly listen to again? This is why I started this 1001 journey.
I was not aware of Jansch but it seems evident that a lot of the folk scene of this era was. I knew I’d heard Angie before, which led me to wonder why Simon & Garfunkel titled it Anji; that then led me to the composer, Davy Graham’s version and some exploration of his work. Another excellent addition to 1001
This review can’t be unbiased since I grew up in the Hudson Valley where McLean was writing this and getting into and out of the folk scene around Pete Seeger, another local. Pie was a youth anthem as well as Vincent, reason enough to make this one of 1001 albums deserving to be heard again 50 years later though.
Perhaps after all this time we have heard the title song a few too many times. Still a great song however. The whole album- its inclusion on this list well deserved - is chock full of good ones.
A great example of its time. Changes has been played to death of course but the rest, not as familiar, exemplify the directions Bowie would take. Good choice for a 1001 albums.
Probably would not have listened had it not shown up; funky
Janice sure could belt it out, couldn’t she? Big Brother tried to hold up the instrumental aspects but, really, the guitar work can’t hold a candle to her vocals and we just want Janice to recover enough to continue.
Oddly my previous album of the day was James Brown - at least one of whose songs reminded me of Joplin. But after I checked the dates I wondered if the influence was the other way around and Joplin had done a bit of cultural appropriation
An exceptional album, there is so much here to like
Amusing, quirky. I can take it in small doses snd can see how this might rate being one of 1000 albums one should be aware of
After an out if order listen a daily offering that disappointed Beauty and the Beat provided a refreshing upbeat. I don’t expect the Go-Go’s to become something to return to regularly ut did add at least Our Lips are Sealed to my never ending favorites playlist
After reading some of the reviews I thought “hmm, that seems like something I might like.” But after listening I’ve gotta agree with some of the negatives. Meh. Schmalzy. Mawkish. Bathetic. Nah.
I am sure I have started to play this before and been put off by the opening title track. Feeling obligated to give it at least a but more I listened to the whole album. And while it won’t become a favorite I better appreciate Monk’s contributions now and see why this rates inclusion in 1001
I clearly don’t get the in joke. Repetitious lyrics, references that keep reappearing in other songs, too similar cadences, obnoxious accents. What’s to like?
Some real classics on this but, you know, the music just can’t be separated from the awful person the musician turned out to be. I listened and agree maybe this deserves to be one in a thousand, though any time he comes up in a playlist I move on as quickly as I can
The instrumentals are actually interesting and the boys evidently put some effort into the lyrics this time around. Not enough to make me want to think much about their meaning. 2 because they show improvement and I can see how this might be considered influential
I see my feelings about Neil Young are shared with not a few others. When I saw this was in 1001 My first thought was “uh oh” but decided I should try on general principles. But by the end, along with my wife volunteering “I’ve never cared for his whiney voice” - exactly my thoughts by that point, my mind was made up. Plus variations on ‘My my, hey hey’ keep coming up on playlists, a song whose insipid lyrics strike my as all too Neal Young. 2 because of his influence.
I felt shock and awe when this first came out: classical music (that I was familiar with) played by rock musicians. A bit over the top? Sure, but I wonder how many listeners were turned on to the idea that maybe some of those classical composers had something to offer too. Glad this came up as a something one ought to listen to.
More Neil Young, just a day after Rust? Sorry, the voice just grates. 2 again for his influence
The title and final tracks are the standouts of course. I hadn't realized Lennon played on this, and so the repeated, strident denials that "Nothing's gonna change my world" in his cover of Across the Universe seems poignantly prescient. Don't know though, would we call the rest cultural appropriation today?
They do have orchestra in their name so I guess that should excuse some of the excess. I can’t help but hear Queen in many of these as well. Still, while enjoyable it is a bit long. Was it a little ELO joke that “It’s Over” was only the second track?
Yup, that's bongo music all right. Not really meant for deep listening I guess but surprisingly pleasant, especially on a hot summer day. The In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida cover provided a throwback chuckle.
Tried it. Did not care for any of it. Reminded me of Broadway show tunes from one that I'd never heard of.
Thought I might like this as sometimes Elvis can be enjoyable, but nope. The little heard ones seemed to deserve their obscurity and the familiar seemed hackneyed.
I wasn’t familiar with B&S before but the date and title had me fearing the worst. I was inspired to give this a try by the comments of those who hated it, however. More 60s folk than 90s indie if you ask me, I found this quite enjoyable. I may explore B&S more; thanks for queuing it up 1001!
An easy 5 from this still a fan after half a century of listening
Repetitive lyrics, repetitious melodies, repeated chords, reiterative themes. I tried - again - to understand why PJ Harvey gets a nod as worthy of being included in 1001, more than once. I just don’t get it. “Let it Burn” is about right
I liked this in the last century, I like it still.
Interesting, Bitter Sweet Symphony has come up in playlists before but I had not associated an artist with it. A number of these have worthwhile characteristics. However Richard seems to think that repeating the same phrase over and over during a track makes a lyric more meaningful when, in fact, it simply makes this listener want to shout “enough already, we get it, move on!”
Lets shout single words like Pantera does. I have DETERMINED that this is shite. Formulaic beat out those chord intros, lyrics screamed interspersed with guttural few word phrases, metal riffs in the middle, more shouted phrases, end with guitar riff. Were the early 90s really this bad musically? Maybe why I have little from this era in my collection. Vulgar display of power, they got that right
Meh.A rocker in its day. Influential?
Monotonic, repetitive melodies; repetitive lyrics, I get the feeling the singer is falling asleep or stoned at the microphone. The percussion is the most engaging aspect of this and for that it gets a two. I Might Be Wrong, Dollars and Cents has some redeeming qualities. The others not so much
Not a fan of country music I generally turn it off as soon as I can. Despite that this is better than the last 1001 that came up in my queue, which got a 2, so here’s a 3 for you Lorreta
So many angry words but, as another reviewer notes, almost 35 years later and what happened to focusing that anger on “taking the power back”? Guess they were just empty words to sell some albums as a mad boy grips the microphone. “Vocals not to soothe but to ignite and put in flight” - oh please. Move along, nothing to hear here.
Once again, after reading some of the exultant as well scathing reviews I had dim hopes for Elbow, who I was not familiar with. And once again I was surprised to hear something, while not great, was interesting and pleasant. Even wife said “this is nice” after a few tracks. Going out on a limb with a 4 just to counter the haters
Selfish has some redeeming qualities as does Pressure. The rest, nah. Sounding as though engineered to sound like they are playing at half again speed, I guess I just can’t relate. “We live in a society of frauds and counterfeits” has me wondering if this is all self referential though.
It’s the Beatles, from well more than a half century ago and it all still sounds great. What more needs to be said
I made the mistake of listening to the 2 disk, over 90 minute remastered version instead of the original 38 minute version. 90+ minutes of David Crosby is, I now realize too much David Crosby. We also know why the group was CSNY and not any of the permutations.
Now that I've listened I am a little surprised that the reviews seemed largely more positive than I am feeling. Not bad but I don't think I want to listen again.
The accompanying vocals have not aged well but Mr Charles’s voice and style still make this a classic.
Some nice drum work, but other than that, this people says this is just noise with attempts at clever words
It is Meat Loaf, so it is a bit amusing. Influential? I don't find that thought as amusing.
Gravely voiced Cash, speaking and straining his way through Bridge over troubled water, Paul Simon’s song that can’t be disconnected from Garfunkel’s clear voice, was I initially thought — courageous. But then he tries to cover The first time ever I saw your face — and my reaction was I don’t think so, Johnny. But wait there’s more, an attempted cover of Lennon and McCartney’s In my life. And then - say it isn’t so - Cash does his rendition of Danny Boy. Followed by Desperado. At which point I have to say “no”, even if Don Henley was in the studio.
I wanted to appreciate the last album created in his lifetime but this was just sad, as if Cash decided to record his favorite singing in the shower moments.
Yes, now it is cheesy 70s dad rock and has got to be the quintessential example of the genre. Then, it was on what passed for everyone’s playlist. In the unlikely event that this never comes up on some playlist ever again it still deserves its rating for an influential recording you do have to listen to and respect before you die
I don’t know, Bruce is good but he got better than this.
Happy music
Pleasant enough but nothing especially inspiring
The first two tracks: meh. The rest: just lovely.
I hear Lou Reed and I think of taking a walk on the wild side. Unfortunate because many of these are quite nice and sweet. The murder mystery: no.
