1001 Albums Summary

37 minutes of pure garage rock perfection. The song Maps alone would warrant a 5 star review (Maps to Y Control is one of the highlights of any album of this era) but this album in its entirety is also relentless non stop fun. I was 22 when this album was released... which maybe contributes a little to the 5 star review.

I didnt expect much of this from this album but was pleasantly suprised. I am not really a fan of psychedelic rock and you can almost smell the LSD and the 'primo grade marijana' on this album (it even features Jerry Garcia as "musical and spiritual advisor"). However, I did actually enjoy it and would even listen again. The standout tracks were the singles White Rabbit and Somebody to Love but I also enjoyed a few of the other (How Do You Feel, My Best Friend and Embryonic Journey). Can we stop using White Rabbit in every single film trailer now.... pretty please!

I really feel that I should have enjoyed this one more than I did. It just sounded like clunky messy noise to me though. The singles remind me of being in grotty student dives the rest of the album is all just pretty ... meh.

The whole thing just sounded like awful background music in 90s cooking show. There was nothing I liked about it- the vocals, lyrics, musical composition all awful! The only saving grace was its run time - small mercies. I’d rather listen to the Tom Jones version of Burning Down the House (feat. Nina Persson) on repeat than this album again.

I feel like I’m being a real grump here so going to focus on the positives. Mitchell’s voice really is beautiful and I enjoyed having the record playing in the background whilst I worked. However, as much as I appreciate that this is a good record… it just isn’t for me. It just merged too much into the background and there was nothing to make it stand out to me. Apart from that god awful last track which stood out for all the wrong reasons!

I came to REM quite late and aside from the obvious singles I didn’t really listen to them until I met my husband. Therefore they have been a band that I have kind of learnt to love over the years. It’s tricky to explain but I genuinely feel there are not many bands more perfect than REM. This doesn’t mean they are my favourite band or even one I listen to a lot (I do like a lot of messy bands!) its more that when you break down what a great band should be REM just hit all the goals. Anyway on to the album - it’s brilliant. Not even my favourite REM album (that goes to New Adventures in Hi-Fi) but still incredible. It was 5 stars before I even pressed play. Even the hugely overplayed Everybody Hurts still packs a punch.

Surprisingly enjoyable! Cannot stand Jaggers voice but the blues rock vibes were entertaining. The album is far too long and a bit samey so could easily have been a single not double album. Particularly enjoyed Let Loose and Sweet Virginia … I think … they did kind all blur into one.

Some great bops on here but a bit samey. Men were really obsessed with singing about touching women back then.

I think I may actually be coming around to Joni Mitchell. It may be due to the fact that I listened to it whilst relaxing on a lovely Sunday afternoon (and not at work) but there’s something so lovely and dreamy about this. What is this musical genre?Americana, jazz, folk? I’m not sure but I like it. A Strange Boy and Song for Sharon were great…. Oh and Furry Sings the Blues! Mitchell’s voice on Blue Motel Room is just exquisite. Her lyrics are interesting and sometimes witty, inviting you to look them up and read more! I loved this! (Might actually have to give Court and Spark another try). Took me a while to see that it was her wrist in the road on the front cover

I could have done without the nearly 10 min Runaway Child, Running Wild especially with the creepy child voice midway through. The Heard it through the Grapevine cover was also pretty terrible. The album improved dramatically when they get back to the classic Temptations vibes

If you dont take this one too seriously its actually for the most part a lot of fun. I am not sure this is what the band intended though. The tracks Animal, Pour Some Sugar on Me and Hysteria were the standouts for me but I genuinely would listen to this one again - at full blast to drown out the sound of my weird next door neighbours music

The kind of album you have to firstly know what to expect and secondly be in the right mood to listen to. It’s completely jarring, mad, messy, primitive rock and I liked it.

First track is awful and not a great set up for the album. I can imagine this is the sort of music being listened to at a grubby festival on the outskirts of Bristol - not somewhere I would ever want to be. Butterfly and Sutrix, OK are okay but not good enough to justify the dullness of the rest of it

What a lovely record - Paul Simon really is a fantastic songwriter. Obviously this album is just a taste of things to come. He is just dipping his toe into the world of cultural appropriation here (joking of course!) whilst still maintaining his folky style from the S&G days. Whilst as a standalone album it is good it does kinda just make me think…I wish I was listening to Graceland (or the excellent Rhythm Of The Saints which for some reason does not appear to be on this list!)

We must truly be in the favour of the album generator gods who have provided two Paul Simon records one after the other. It is steeped in contraversy and I don’t think all of this is completely unfounded. However, not to be dismissive but this is not what this challenge is about for me. I LOVE this album - it’s pure perfection. There are literally zero weak tracks and they all just make me feel so happy. Is there anything better than going on a road trip with someone you love and putting Graceland on - I think not.

Doo ba doo ba doo ba doo ba doo ba doo …. Good fun but a bit too much scat for my liking

Okay okay we all know Coldplay are crap and overplayed but …. I cannot help but like this album despite this! To provide some context I was a very miserable 19 year old and like most people this age I was still trying to navigate my own music tastes. I bought Shiver when it was released and loved it (I still standby the fact that this is a great song!) I also think I had Brothers & Sisters on Fierce Panda which had unfortunately been lost in some flat move at some point. Anyway, I saw them support Muse and they were great, I bought Parachutes and it was great at the time. Do I still think they’re great - no not really (although I don’t have any hatred for them, just a bit dull)…. But… for a short time they made a miserable me happy and for that I am grateful.

Going up write review as listening… Ooooffff that voice … pretty grating! Oh no - I hate this style of music nooooooooo!! Ol’ Man River into Greensleeves particularly awful. I feel a bit embarrassed even listening to Rock My Plimsoul - god I hope no one hears this! Apparently there is controversy surrounding if he wrote Becks Bolero or not - personally I wouldn’t be even laying claim to that monstrosity. Blues De Luxe should be renamed to Snooze De Luxe (hehehe!). Last track - thank the good lord this is nearly over! He is obviously a great guitarist, I just don’t want to hear it.

This is a really fun album! Obviously of an era but I really enjoyed the vibes. I love the (slightly inaccurate) description of this album being a fusion of Joy Division and Chic from Martin Fry. It’s been a bit of a victim of being associated with the popularity of its hits (The Look of Love and the absolutely brilliant songs Poison Arrow and All of my Heart). However, I do this it’s an interesting record to listen to even without those songs. Oh and I forgot how fantastic All of my Heart is.

I have to admit my heart sank when I saw today’s album. However, I thought to myself, stay strong - this is what this whole experience is about, listening to new records you wouldn’t have before & discovering a love of new music genres. Unfortunately, as expected this was just pure overinflated stinking guff. Poor poor Mussorgsky what did he ever do to deserve this.

Extra star for the Winnipeg the dog on the cover! All album art featuring a real pet deserves bonus points. I enjoyed listening to the record, a little too much guitary blues wangling for me but wouldn’t turn it off. (4 stars if including Winnipeg bonus!)

TLC really really want to let us know that they are crazy, sexy and cool. Oh and they know you’re looking at them, they can see you watching and they are really horny ladies. This is pretty much the vibe of the entire album. It’s not for me, I have no fond memories of this record although I would say TLC would have been far too cool for me at the time (I think this was the era I was really into ABBA). It must have been quite unusual for a group of women to be so vocal and open about their sexuality so for that I can appreciate them. Also Waterfalls is a banger.

I actually really enjoyed this. I love it when pop/rock music has a streak of madness in it. Its was really interesting, with loads of unexpected twists and surprises. The sort of record that I would imagine you get more from each listen. I have not heard much by Eno and have been put off due based on reputation, but I am hoping there will be more on this list (and if not I will be definitely checking out some of his other more of his albums). I have a feeling this album could be my Eno gateway drug.

Forgot to write review as I listened! This album was good - dirty, grimy synth pop. Elegia was a very lovely highlight for me. Just not sure I would listen again.

I don’t think it’s one I’ll be doing karaoke to, however I actually enjoyed this much more than I expected. The jazz/funk music was great with some top level collaborations (Kamasi Washington, Thundercat, Flying Lotus, George Clinton the list is endless!). I also liked the smooth grooves vibes of some of the other songs (Insutitutionionalized and These Walls) Highlights for me were King Kunta, How much a Dollar Cost, The Blacker the Berry & i Too much swearing for me but really interesting and creative record and I think I would listen to some of the tracks again.

As soon as the first song started I nearly vomited in my own mouth. The first time I have been grateful for the noisy workman across the road. I was praying that today was a pneumatic drill day to drown out the sound of this abomination.

Actually didn’t hate this and not what I was expecting from the Bee Gees. Where are the falsetto’s, tight trousers and disco moves? Honestly (and I know I will get hate for this) but some of the tracks kind of sound like slightly shit Beatles b-sides I quite liked Israel & It’s Just the Way, Lion in Winter The voices are equally terrible but then also … there’s something I like about them. For example in When I Do and Lion in Winter the voices are bonkers but I still enjoyed them. The song Remembering even has the great line ‘now I feel as good, as good as if I were dead’ - emo!

Only aware of the hits before listening to this. JMs voice is pretty terrible but the drumming is pretty good. That organ is something else - and not in a good way. Lyrically very immature, that kind of pretension a 6 former who has discovered poetry and the fact there’s more chance of getting laid if you’re in a band has. Kinda all sound a bit like Smash Mouths Walking on the Sun which I would rather listen to tbh.

Okay so here we go with another rap album. Probably the genre I am least familiar with especially ‘ mafioso rap’. So far so good- the lyrics are a bit cliche but I guess they weren’t at the time. The gangster film breaks in the tracks are entertaining if not a little cringe. I can see the concept (an album that’s a movie) and I think it does work. Is it me or is the recording all a little …. Crap? Anyway this album was a bit too long but fun.

Ever wondered what happens when two human pieces of garbage get together to make an album (Spector and Lennon - not poor Yoko)? Well here it is - the audio version of a Birds Eye potato waffle - bland and makes you feel a bit gross. There are some highs - Jealous Guy is great (but the Roxy Music version infinitely better), Oh My Love and Oh Yoko! are nice enough. How anyone can listen to Imagine without have some kind of visceral reaction to either the Lennon hypocrisy or the vomit inducing celebrity COVID version is beyond me. Overall, a boring miss of an album I'm afraid

Wow!! Hits you like a hammer from the start and I love it! Absolute perfection! One of those records that you listen to and regret all the years you missed listening to it. I was searching for the weak track but wasnt able to find it. This record is the reason I am doing this challenge - so pleased I found this!

This is pure dad rock but certainly not bad. Personally I feel they are the most palatable of that era (and dare I say the ‘coolest’). Jimmy Page could absolutely write a killer riff and I kinda liked how there was a variety of rock styles, to some extent, across the record. His voice gets some getting used to, and man this album is tooooooooo long! Should have been two records or some of the song run times reduced. Especially as the two records seem so different- odd choice to make a double album. Stand outs on the first record are Houses of the Holy and Kashmir (COME WITH ME!!) The mega cheesy In the Light going into the rather lovely Bron-Yr-Aur was nice on record two.

I really like some LCD Soundsystem but I would say about 80% of what I listen to is just a bit … meh. This album is an odd choice really Highlights for me How do you sleep, oh baby and Call the Police is a banger. The rest really is just filler that I can imagine being played at a boring house party where everyone is just talking about themselves.

My husband is essentially 50% Simpsons quotes and 50% Kid A and that to me is a perfect combo. This record is beautiful but there is something about it that feels too anxiety inducing for me to give it a 5 stars. Im not sure what it is but it just feels a little sinister and unsettling like the start of a panic attack. Also needs more guitars.. joking!

I preferred ‘Butterfly’ but still an enjoyable listen. I liked the humour, social commentary and he really is a great storyteller. I am not so much of a fan of how he refers to women and I did feel this seemed particularly heightened in this album. Tricky as I appreciate he is reflecting on the toxic masculinity from his youth but also maybe dont refer to women as bitches all the time.

I cannot believe this album is on the list and Rated R is not!? This is surely madness - although not a massive fan of Rated R or stoner metal this record is just so … meh? Whereas at least Rated R has the brilliant tracks The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret and Feel Good Hit of the Summer! This record has nothing … no standout tracks just complete [shrugs shoulders]. Anyway back to the record itself - It felt like a transition album for Homme, you can still hear the Kyuss vibes very heavily in most of the tracks. For me, the second half was much better than the first but may have just been because I had got used to it by then.

Feels a bit too much listening to two LZ albums in such a close timeframe. This one is probably the one I’m most familiar with and as I mentioned before, as a band, they’re one of the better dad rock bands in my opinion. However, the drumming is too much on this album and some of the guitar solos are a bit unbearable. Stairway to Heaven is guff and Misty Mountain Hop should have been binned Going to California was quite lovely though.

This record is so beautiful. It just exudes talent. Sandy Denny has one of the most incredible voices I've ever heard, and Richard Thompson's guitar solos are on the right side of showing off. He's clearly an amazing player, but it never feels like he's playing just because he can. A sailor's life" is probably the best example of that. With loads of bands of this era, an extended guitar section like this would just be boring, aimless noodling. Here, though, it's genuinely interesting and adds to the song. Who Knows Where the Time Goes? is one of the greatest songs ever written. They even managed to do a good job on the Dylan tracks. Knowing how young the band were when they made this, and what tragedies would follow not long afterwards, makes the whole album hit a bit harder.

Actually feel a bit gutted I didnt enjoy this more. I dont really like Sinatra (even with the fact he is a sleazy scumbag put to one side), I can appreciate he has a great voice and I do enjoy him as an actor, I just find it all a little boring. I was hoping the Jobim Bossa Nova vibes would make this more interesting but it just made me think of boring meals in boring restaurants with boring people.

Is Bruce Springsteen cheesy, yep absolutely! I believe he was going for a Spector like wall of sound, with some success. However, it’s just far too much in most songs and makes them just sound a bit overwhelming. Tooting trombones, tinkling pianos, parping saxophones, grooving basses, pumping drums, rocking guitars not to mention glockenspiels, harpsichords, organs, violins, double bass and of course a harmonica all turned up to 11 and covered in Springsteens gravely voice …. Each song sounds like it should be being played at a big moment in a 80s movie. That being said I Iove big cheesy over the top anthems and I know it’s not for everyone but I also kinda love his voice. Anyone who says they don’t like Born to Run is either lying or has no soul. It has a lot of heart …. Maybe (dare I say) a little too much.

This record is so much fun! Feels like a visit to a classy strip joint in the 50s. This is my kind of big band!

More like ZZ Plop. I’m so confused about this record and why it’s on this list. Reading other reviews makes me think I may have even listened to the wrong album. It’s so plodding … and the production is just awful! The guitar riffs all sound the same, the singing is okay but there is just a serious lack of catchy tunes or songwriting skills. That being said- I bet it would be fun to play on guitar hero! Move me on down the line is okay

Honestly, I didn’t have high hopes for this record but after the lengthy introduction I initially thought maybe it wouldn’t be too bad. Unfortunately like most prog rock bands Chicago took whatever was interesting and bearable and overinflated it all with absolute guff. I cannot fathom the misplaced confidence they must have to put out these long crappy tracks with just guitar mess everywhere. Guys just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

I don’t completely love the album but I do absolutely love You Are the Sunshine of My Life and I Believe (When I Fall in Love It Will Be Forever) so much. Superstition is okay but these two tracks are just so lovely they deserve all the stars.

Okay so at least now I know I don’t like Grime. Honestly, I’m trying to be open minded and take each album on a case by case basis but even I am a craving a bit of indie rock, or electronic, disco or some lovely new wave. Please 1001 gods send something different through!! That being said this record was not for me, doesn’t make it bad … just made me feel very old.

Just a taste of the madness to come from Captain Beefheart I guess. Absurd, a little unhinged, creepy, and unsettling but all with its roots clearly in Blues and R&B…. Just a taste of the madness to come from Captain Beefheart I guess. Absurd, a little unhinged, creepy, and unsettling but all with its roots clearly in Blues and R&B. Having listened to Trout Mask Replica (which I am guessing is on this list) this was much more enjoyable in my opinion. I enjoyed the tracks Call on me and Autumns child in particular. In summary… Abba Zabba go-zoom Babbette baboon.

So stunningly beautiful. I don’t really have words to explain how touching this was. I understand that Cave had just lost his son when this record was recorded and whilst you can say this is a bit of a depressing record (which to be clear it absolutely is!), I do think it is much more than that. Its a record about love and grief the heartbreaking, world shattering, gut punching emotions we feel when we really love someone (and not just romantically)- harrowing but actually kind of wonderful. I also really like the cover which looks like a copy of a Jehovah Witness magazine.

I thought long and hard about what to do with this situation and I have come to the decision that I am not willing to listen to this record. I have heard it before (and I actually used to enjoy it), and I do understand that we should be reviewing the music not the person but I guess it comes down to personal boundaries and I am just not willing to listen to a record by a self declared Nazi who wrote and released a song called Heil Hitler. TBH there are some people who are just so awful they should not be given any space or attention in any capacity. His records should really be removed from the list. What next… Himmler sings Gershwin?

Meh....

I really thought I would hate this and The Next Big Thing kind of reinforced my early opinion. However, I am an absolute sucker for a punk cover version so I Got You Babe drew me in! There were some good catchy songs on here - Back to Africa and California Sun in particular. I have been unsure if to mention the lyrics or not as I am trying to be less of a woke gatekeeper (apart from Kanye… fuck that Nazi). There is more of a history behind the intentions of this album here: https://thedictators.com/history so I’ll leave it to people to make their own minds up.

I was 100% obsessed with Blur when I was younger (my first gig!!) so it’s a little tricky to be impartial here. However, I do still feel it’s a brilliant record, full of pop hits and pure undiluted Britpop. Is it a bit dated - yep, is Albarns overexaggerated cockney accent annoying - yep but songs like End of a Century, Badhead, To the End and This is a Low are still absolutely brilliant. There’s more filler in here than I remember - they could have cut Bank Holiday, debt collector, London loves & lot 105 and it would have been a 5 star (why oh why oh why mess up the end of the album with such shite)

Wooooooaaaaahhhh ooooooo ooooooo hey hey oooooooo woooooaaahhhh honestly I’m not sure I even used to enjoy this record when I used to listen to it on loop in my youth. However, come out and play and self esteem are still okay! Holland is by all accounts a very clever dude so I do wonder a little if this entire band was just a way for him to make some money (many of the songs are clearly rip offs of other songs and The Offspring really did hop on the ‘skate punk’ band wagon). However, as they are using that money to fund AIDS research and support Amnesty International I can live with that.

AHHHHHHHHHHHH my ears my ears. The best songs on this record sound like a parody of the worst of the Beatles songs. Mercifully short .

I was kind of disappointed, took itself too seriously to be any fun and unfortunately it was all pretty forgettable. I am doubting now if I will enjoy any British Heavy Metal.