1001 Albums Summary

Day #001 What an album to kick off my project. Well known as I listened to this a lot in my younger days. Fantatic mix of punk, ska, reggae and even snippets of soul and jazz . ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Day #002 Album number two is also another well-known classic. Recently purchased on vinyl. With major contributions from Max Weinberg and Roy Bittan from the E Street Band. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#003 again a classic album I have on vinyl. And maybe the album of the Stones which made them the greatest band on earth. Full of great rock, blues , soul and gospel tunes. My first 5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#004 I was 18 when this came out, just after I discovered the pixies and just before or after the Smashing Pumpkins. Later I became more a Pearl Jam lover because of the live shows. But Nirvana was one the the bands that started me moving into grunge and alternative rock music to be the soundtrack of my late teens and early twenties. Except for the last song, it are all fantastic songs with great melodies and high energy! 5/5

#005 I know Black Sabbath from ofcourse Paranoid and few other songs. I am not a metalhead but like a good heavy guitar riff now and than and see the importance this album has had for the genre. I accidently started this morning with the Paranoid album before I realized the cover was different 😉. I listened the correct one few times today and although I love the heavy guitar work it is not an easy listen with some weird structures and doomy sounds this is not something for everyday :). 3/5

Day #6 . 4/6 I own physically (3 LP, 1 CD). And already 2nd member of the club of 27 in my project. Guess Amy will come soon as well. This will be a solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Janis sings from the top of her toes straight from her soul. She is meaning it and that reflects how she sings. Great bluesrock to underline it.

Day #007 I am familiar with Nick Cave and know some of his work, but he isn't heavy in my rotation and I don't own any of his albums. Push the Sky Away was the last record I think I fully listened to. I have a few friends who are huge fans and actually saw him this week in Germany, so I’ve been seeing a lot of footage pop up on my social media. His live performances seem incredibly impressive, but maybe also a bit intense and overwhelming. Because of that, I’ve never taken the plunge to see him live. I listened to this album during my commute to work. It's normally a 20-minute ride, but due to a roadblock and traffic jam, I managed to finish almost the entire record. In a sense, it is really beautiful how Nick processes the death of his beloved son, and I am glad I've now experienced the full album. It is incredibly well-made. The ambient, atmospheric sound fits the heavy subject matter perfectly, but it is just a bit outside of my usual listening range and taste. 3/5.

Day 8 : I know the name and recognize the cover but never listened to this. Discovered that Without You is from this album but also that it is a cover. But this is the version I know and not sure about the original. Typicaly 70s singer songwriter album with very heavy Beatles influence/vibe. I read that he was a drinking buddy of John Lennon in his NY period. Random notes per track - Gotta Get Up : Starts like it could have been Billy Joel with the Beatles. Like the vibe and loose horns accompanying it. Its a fun song - Driving Along: Another great beatles influenced composition. I like it - Early in the morning sounds like a song from Nina Simone. Nice bluesy track - Moonbeam song : too cheesy for me - Down : nice with the horns -Without you: I knew this one but not actively that was from Harry Nillson. Classic 70s song. nothing more, nothing less - coconut: never heard this and not sure what I should think of this, would be nice for a children's compilation. Could also fit on any album from Jack johnson - Jump into the Fire: great rocker with a nice build up though a steady rhythm and in between guitar work and a crazy bass . the long drum solo part is saved by the guitar that is being interweaved with it until the end. - I'll never leave you - slow ballad which fits as a album closer. I don't like the singing here too much. Its a bit a weird track too be honest. John Lennon vibes indeed. Overall it was an interesting listen and might play it again or when I see the vinyl at a flea market for a reasonable price (lets say 5-10 euro) I might take it with me. It's not really a 4 yet for me but rather a 3.5.

#009 I heard the name and that critics were very positive. But as I am totally not interested in DJ stuff I I don’t consider as music but as a cut and paste exercise which might also be considered as art but not sure if I call that real music. I could also not listen to this in one go. It bored me although sometimes some interesting musical patterns were observed, but at the same time realizing that it was not created by the artist but only found and copied and pasted onto the collage. Which might be a craft on its own but does not fit in my definition of making music. Also as there is no additional lyrics on top of it (like e.g Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique

Familiar with the hits but never really listened the album except maybe for 1 time. Especially due to Fairytale of New York I feel it a bit weird time of the year to listen to this now during a June heatwave. Nevertheless I love the Irish folk how Shane McGowan has made this. 4/4

Didn’t know it. Ok album rock with some synths which would become more apparent when the 80s started

Very familiar with this YES album, had it on tape in the 80s and listened a lot to it and still recalled every note. Thought I had it on cd/vinyl but that was Close to the Edge. I like this album much better than a lot of later albums, although never listened that much to those. To me this is a perfect prog/symphonic rock album. 5/5

Cuban Jazz from 1957? Ok that is way out of my comfort zone. Hearing it gives some summer vibes which is good as we are in a heatwave as we speak. The Cuban Jazz of Machito appears to me as a bunch of old TV program opening tunes. Ok for one spin but that’s it. As I don’t have any knowledge of the genre I can not judge the quality

Saw QOTSA live about 10 years ago or so. Did not listen to this album before. I liked it but the longer version has few songs too much. This is stoner rock, a grunge spin-off which is sometimes fun to listen to but not daily

Mellon Collie!! One of my favorite and most played albums of the 90s. (Cd) Saw them live on this tour and still have the T-shirt. I love the dynamics on the songs from slow build ups to grungy/alternative guitar explosions ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#016 One of his best and most legendary albums. Together with Blood on the Tracks and John Wesley Harding also my favourite. Was nice to play this one again and realized that few songs were less familiar to me especially in the last part of the album while I have the cd for 30 years or so. I might give it another view listens soon again and put It on my vinyl wishlist ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#017. Familiar with the singles Turn to Stone, It’s over and ofcourse Mr.Blue Sky but never listened to this album in full. It’s well crafted for sure. But the vocoder usage is getting a bit too much and resembles the auto-tune abuse of current days. Very beatlesque which lots of strings. It’s not something to add to my rotation or to put on my vinyl wish list. So I keep it with ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Liked it more than I thought , was only familiar with March of the Black Queen and Seven seas of Rhye. Needs a few more listens. They almost sounded like Led Zeppelin in those days.

#019 This is not for me, it sucks and don’t listen to this type of hiphop or gangsta rap or however you call this. Cannot listen to this, just scanned the tracks but stopped quickly. ⭐️

Day 20: Isn't Khaled the artist known for "Aicha" a big hit from the 90s or so? It is ok to play this for one time but it is another music style out of my range. Very poppy and catchy tunes but Algerian/arabic music is just not for me. The cover of Imagine though was quite a torture and was tempting to give another one, but in general this is way better dan gangsta rap so I keep it with 2

XTC is a band that I know exists and really dig their hits Making plans for Nigel and Senses working overtime. But never listened to real albums (Except I recall a singles collection). Oh yes also Dear God I know but did not realize it was an XTC song. First impression is that it is heavy Beatles infused 80s pop. The album is a nice listen and introduction for me to learn more from the band. But i might need more listens to fully grasp the quality (As reading the reviews, this seems to be their best and magnus opus. But for now I stick at 3 stars. Might change later song picked for my playlist : 1000 umbrellas.

I like and respect Zappa for the genius and eccentric creative artist he was. I like some of his work (Joe’s Garage) . Am not familiair with all of enormous catalogue. I know the cover of Hot Rats but never listened it. This is some kind of freestyle jazz which is probably great but is not really for me. I give it 3 stars for the guitar solo’s

Day 23. Although I have never been and am still totally not into electronic music. I hate most hiphop, rap and dance music, but this different. Portishead is one of the few exceptions. This sounds so good. I had this on a tape around 1996. Have the second album on cd, but not this one. I must have listened this a lot as every track was very recognizable with my memory. I love the sultry atmosphere and singing of Beth Gibbons with the moody beats and sounds. It is said that it is the greatest music to make love. Was doubting to 4 or 5 stars but looking at my other 4s and 5s so far I keep it with 4.

Day 24: 38 minutes of 80s pop with Cindy Lauper. The major hits from this album I remember well when I was in primary school. So there is some youth sentiment here for me, but I totally do not recognize the albumcover and never had the urge to listen to this album. It's not bad and has some catchy tunes but will probably never go back to it again. So a typical 3 start album.

"I did not know this album until I got a vinyl copy last year. I played it one or two times, but it didn't really get me. So, the 1001 Albums Generator gave me the opportunity for another try today. It is not an easy record to grasp, understand, or appreciate. Reading some of the praise for this album—which ranks high on many '70s and especially 1979 album lists—I got the feeling I should love it if so many other people do. It's often seen as their best album. I like the Talking Heads—especially the Stop Making Sense concert movie—and I was already familiar with 'Heaven' and 'Life During Wartime.' But while some songs on here are really great, other tracks are difficult for me as a 'simple' music lover due to the unusual rhythms and sounds —especially the album closer, 'Drugs.' I am torn between 3 or 4 stars. I was leaning toward four, but the last three songs shift it back to a 3 for the moment."

Day 26 , First artist with the 2nd album in my list. I had "Black Sabbath" on day 5. This album with offcourse Paranoid and War Pigs speaks more to me than the previous one. Great guitar riffs that became defined as "Heavy Metal" a new genre was born. This can only get the full 5 stars

Day 27 This is '80s hair metal/hard rock featuring the major hit "Jump," which was even covered by Bruce Springsteen. This is music from my youth. Though I didn't actually own this album back then and had never listened to it all the way through, I did have a cassette copy of OU812, which I think I like a bit better. 1984 is a decent rock album, even if it's a bit infused with an outdated '80s synth sound. However, Eddie's amazing guitar work still makes this a solid 4 stars.

"Twist and Shout" is an Isley Brothers song, and that was actually all I knew about them. I guessed they made soul music, but I had never listened to them actively and wasn't really aware that "That Lady" was theirs as well. And "Listen to the Music"—I thought that was by the Doobie Brothers... or is it? (Turns out, it's a great cover!). This was a fantastic listen! It has a beautiful, warm '70s sound with funky guitars, incredible vocals, and great melodies. I am no soul music expert—I hardly own any soul albums, although I've always been interested in learning more. This was a perfect opportunity to dive a bit deeper into the genre. As long as it stays authentic with that warm sound, and doesn't lean too far into disco or dance music, I am all in. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

When I think of Elton John, unfortunetaly my first thought is the summer that Nikita was at the no 1 spot for few months and the video was on the tele daily. I started to hate it as a young kid and had always a certein prejudice against Elton John due to this. Than I now and than saw this album listed in best albums overviews etc. So I think I have listened to it once a few years ago, so I was a little bit familiar. But now I have heard it 2-3 times today and I love it! Great compositions and lyrics. Beautiful arrangements with the piano and the strings. 5 stars!

I never listen to this type of music. I paused due to holidays and did listen though a few tracks per day. But I must say in between there is some soul and jazz which is ok. The second part ‘the love below’ might even be better. It are actually two different solo albums of the two rappers that form ‘OutKast’. Basically I hate gangsta rap and most rap in general with just a few exceptions. But I tried to listen with an open mind and try to put away my prejudice and than you also hear some good soul and jazz hidden in between. The hit song ‘Hey Ya’ is also quite catchy. Still it is a way too long ride with 2 hours of rap music. But I can understand why this is seen as a very high rated album/artist in the genre. As I understand that most of the music is played by live musicians instead of samples increases my interest in this album and also the lyrics have more depth than other rap music. I must say I got a bit intrigued by this album and did some re listening in bits and pieces. Although it will never be my favorite genre. I am positively surprised by the musicality.

On the day that one of my favourite artists Glen Hansard tragically died due to a motorcycle accident I have to listen to the 2nd hiphop album in a row. What a contrast. I am totally not into Rap or HipHop except some rare exceptions. I was postively surpised by the outkast double album I had before my holiday break. The positive thing of the Roots is that it is a live band playing instruments and sample usage is minimal. That is a plus , but the sound goes is so many directions that it is lacking consistency. Best song is The Seed (2.0) but for the rest I was not really enjoying it. 2 stars

Sounds really beatlesque to me, more than glam rock. Nice listen, but very thin lyrics. Typical 70s album which is an era I like a lot but did not became a T.Rex fan. I think I only was familiar with Get it on. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Legendary 2nd album of a young Bob Dylan with one of the most famous songs of the American songbook ‘Blowin in the wind’ a song I learned about in high school as it was used during music lessons. It also has the fantastic still relevant anti war song ‘Masters of War’ . Other outstanding tracks are ofcourse A hard rain’s a-Gonna Fall and Don’t think twice. And the typical epic spoken word talking’ blues songs might be seen as the early predecessor of rap. It’s not a Friday night party album but it’s one of the essential works and is showing the enormous talent young Bob had. I might rather listen to Blonde on Blonde and Blood on the Tracks but this cannot be rated lower than 5 stars (also to compensate many low ratings from people who does not seem to be like or understand Dylan. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I only knew Tainted Love. It all sounds catchy but hardly any real instruments are used. It is recorded on a drum machine and one of the first digital synthesisers. The old fashion guy in me always said that music needs to be made by real instruments. Therefore it all sounds bit cold and distant. But I also like the early 80s sound and I acknowledge that making music with a synthesiser requires also a certain talent and creativity. And sure these guys have that. And aside from the drum computer and synclavier (which I am sure needed a lot of knowledge and craftsmanship to operate and create catchy music with) I am happy to hear an incidental saxophone. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Yeah! Pixies - Doolittle! This album is a landmark in my musical journey into alternative music. I still remember seeing the Pixies on Dutch television, with Black Francis scratching his guitar with a Coca-Cola can. It was a massive turning point for me at a time when I mainly listened to bigger mainstream acts like Dire Straits, The Police, Pink Floyd, and Bruce Springsteen. After discovering their explosive, catchy mix of alternative rock, surf, and punk, the floodgates opened—leading me straight to bands like Nirvana, The Smashing Pumpkins, and Sonic Youth. I’ve probably listened to this album hundreds of times, and I genuinely love every single second of it. It’s the perfect balance: Kim Deal’s driving basslines paired with David Lovering’s thumping drums, topped with the chaotic, distorted guitar riffs of Black Francis and Joey Santiago. Timeless, noisy perfection and an absolute 5/5.

Legendary outlaw country music. Amazing capture of the rousing prison audience. But this is not the type of country I put up daily. I also tried the extended edition but that did not really help. I totally understand the status but the music is bit too simple in my ears. I do love the American Recordings albums though ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I sort of know who Brian Eno is, but never knew he was in Roxy Music and he made solo records in 1974. I was sceptical before I started listening. I was expecting more ambient/electronic soundscapes than rock guitars. Guess 1974 was too early for that. It is an interesting album and a lot to discover which probably needs multiple listens before it all is reaching my ears/brains It is not your daily wallpaper music, it needs attention. It sounds like an discovered unreleased album of David Bowie that was hidden on the shelves. Also you hear Talking Heads vibes avant la lettre. It is a kind of glam rock but than not the straight forward stuff (like The Sweet). It's more Art/AvantGarde (as far as I have an understanding what AvantGarde actually means or refers to) and more experimentation. Not for the easy listener. For now I give 3 stars as it is not something I will revisit long term I am afraid. Altohugh I read it is one of his more easy albums which makes me anxious for his other works which I am also not really familiar with but expect to be more ambient/electronic.

Alice Cooper, I only know the hits and my favourite has always been Halo of Flies next to School's out. I was expecting an album full with glam/hard rock in that style. I was surprised that the album is much more diverse. I did not really expect to hear bits of Beatles (Luney Tune) , The Who (Public Animal #09) and even jazz (Blue Turk) that could have been from old cartoonfilms (Blue Turk). Fun album but sometimes bit too cabaretesque for me. ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Day #39 I am familiar with the album name and cover and it has many well known songs (Changes, Oh! You Pretty Things, Life on Mars) but I don't think I ever listened to the album in a serious way from beginning to end. It is very good I must say. "Changes" has been one of my favourite Bowie songs since long. The album is more piano driven and has really beautiful songs which I was not yet familiar yet (like Eight Line Poem and others). Kooks has nice Beatles vibe, understood that song was created/recorded while he just became a father. I wonder if the band "The Kooks" got their name from this song. The album is listed as one of his best works. I might need few more listens but it will definetely go yo my vinyl wishlist and looking at my ratings in belongs to the pile of 5 stars.

Brilliant voice. Of course, I’m familiar with her, but when an artist becomes as massive in the mainstream as she did, I tend to lose interest and move on to other things. So, I’ve never actually listened to her full albums, though I’d never turn the radio off if she came on. At a certain point, that was practically impossible anyway, as Adele was on the radio and in the media on a daily basis. So now I took the time to listen to the full album from start to finish. It sounds really amazing and pure. Beautiful carved instrumental arrangements are guiding a great voice. Also, what a surprisingly great cover of The Cure's "Lovesong" 4/5

Never heard of this band before! I recognize the name Julian Cope, but I don't really know any of his music. Turns out he was in a band with Ian McCulloch before McCulloch formed Echo & The Bunnymen, but their egos were too big for one band, so Cope started The Teardrop Explodes. The music is quite different from Echo & The Bunnymen from what I recall — much more uplifting, although I haven't closely listened to the lyrics yet. It was a fun listen and feels like typical early '80s new wave/pop. Wikipedia classifies them as post-punk, which I understand, but I'd say the music is way too catchy and poppy compared to most post-punk bands. All in all, it was a nice discovery, but nothing groundbreaking for me. 3/5

This might have been my introduction to the blues back in 1989 as a 15-year-old kid (except maybe for some of Eric Clapton’s major hits). I loved "The Healer" back then, and to this day, both that title track and "I'm in the Mood" with Bonnie Raitt really speak to me. Overall, it’s a great album, although the tracks toward the end felt a bit boring on a first listen.Also due to the repetive nature of the blues chords. That said, I read in reviews that those late tracks are actually his more pure, traditional blues songs, and that some critics feel this album is a bit too polished compared to his better early work. Still, I really enjoyed it, and if I ever spot this one at a record fair for a reasonable price, I’ll definitely buy it!

This album does not need another review by me I think. Have this both on CD and Vinyl and is one of the biggest records of the 70s. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is the only Peter Frampton album I know and have it even on vinyl. Mainly because it is so well known that I thought I should have it as well. But I did not play it very often. I even saw Peter Frampton live about 20 years ago on a festival but I only remember the talkbox parts as I was eagerly waiting for that. Quite amazing that this album has been ranked so high and was the best selling album of 1976 and one of the best selling live albums ever. I can name many more live albums which are just as good or better. Also listening to it today I tried to understand what made this album so amazingly famous. I knew also the album cover for many years before I ever listened to it Other reviews talk about that this is the definition of dad rock, which might be right (I am a dad so I fall in the right category ;)). I listened to it twice. First in the car and at work through my AirPods and this evening the original vinyl, which was the better experience I must say. It can also use a remaster to clean up the sound and improve the vocals in the mix. . I read on AllMusic.com that I should probably checkout the 1999 remastered version for better audio quality. The guitars are great but not all songs are strong compositions. The Stones cover Jumping Jack Flash is terrible imho. Also noted that lot of editing was done which was more common those days than currently (like also is the case with Springsteens 1975-85 live box). I must say I started to enjoy it more and more with the second listen today and the last two songs are really great, especially the talkbox solo in "Do you feel like we do" was a great listen. So instead of 3 I will give it 4 stars.

The only thing I ever heard is I think Autobahn. I understand the importance of Kraftwerk in the development of electronic music, but that is not my cup of tea. Cold repetitive sounds with some sparse lyrics en no emotions. Music for robots and I am not... The daily album playlist provided the english version and only after reading some other reviews I realized there is also a German version. "wir sind schaufensterpuppen" whatever.... I always select one track per album to add to my 1001album playlist but I have no clue what to add, maybe just the most short one.... 1 or 2 stars...

The project is torturing me, day after the Kraftwerk bleeps I get a hiphop artist I never heard of and I would have appreciated that it stayed that way. Hiphop from space. I stopped halfway which I hardly do. Not for me, next please

Well what is there to say!? Timeless classic which I heard a thousand times and never gets bored. One of the most perfect pieces of music in history.

It has been awhile that I listened to this. Like many people who were digging Colplay's first few albums, I lost my interest after they went to a kind of boring muzak. I remember that I really liked this album, I have the CD and even the Live DVD of the tour. It starts very strong with bangers like Politik, The Scientist and Clocks, but I must confess that I lost my focus a bit on the second half. But the main part of this album has stood the test of time and would still rate it as 4/5. After this came 1 or 2 albums that still are before they really went downhill unfortunately.

Never, really never heard of this. Typically late '60s folk-rock with a bit of Bob Dylan and psychedelia, and it closes out with country even. It reminded me also a bit of The Incredible String Band, which I knew from the record collection of the father of a high school friend. Now it is a bit outdated, but I think it is well crafted and very typical for the period. Plus, I'm not entirely sure I like the vibrations in his voice. Nice to have heard—that is the purpose of this project—but I will not become a fan...

This starts out really great! I've never heard a full album from The Temptations before, and I'm still not very familiar with Motown or soul, but a lot is happening on this album—sometimes maybe even too much. This is especially true on the long, haunting, and psychedelic 'Runaway Child, Running Wild.' The screaming child mixed in is breathtakingly uncomfortable and scary. However, with so many vocalists, I feel all the different backing vocals and sounds are a bit too much at times. On the positive side, the percussion is very nice and the funky guitars are great. Some songs have great lyrical themes (like 'Cloud Nine' and 'Runaway Child'), but others are really simple, throwaway love songs—even if the music still swings greatly. I had also never heard this very different version of 'I Heard It Through the Grapevine.' I understood that this version was recorded to quickly jump on the train of Marvin Gaye's popular version. The first half (3 songs) I would rate a 4/5, but it drops a bit in the second half, so it will stick at a 3/5.

Before listening: what a torture this project does to me today. Just returned from a fabulous concert of Wilco and than this. I would not be able to mention a song from Beyonce, only know she is very famous but in a pop style which is totally not for me. My prejudice is that it is very overproduced and over commercialised and far from what I consider as art and beautiful. But let’s give it a try… After listening: My prejudice turned out to be correct. I read that this is music for hairdressing salons, I would rather say music for low budget porn movies. 1/5

No not again a rap album! Although I found out that a lot of the instrumentation was done by real musicians and includes soul/jazz which might be interesting and the theme of social/racial injustice also speaks to me. But I really don’t dig gangsta rap music , it is too far from music I can relate to and feel comfortable with. I could not complete the album as the torture to finish it was too high, very weird voice also. 1/5

Two hip-hop albums in a row. In general, I hate hip-hop music, but there are a few exceptions, and the Beastie Boys are one of them. I went on a high school camp in 1986 where we had just one tape played all weekend long—the Beastie Boys' debut album with "(You Gotta) Fight for Your Right (to Party!)". Ill Communication is their fourth album, from 1994. I was a university student at that time and had a tape copy of it, mostly due to the banger "Sabotage" and its great video. I must have seen that video countless times on the MTV that was always playing on our student house living room TV. The Beastie Boys originally started as a punk band, and traces of that can still be found on this album through a few short, fast punk moments ("Tough Guy", "Heart Attack Man", and of course "Sabotage"). Next to that, there's a lot of creative sound design, funky guitars, jazz, and rapping. Although I'm still not a big rap guy—and an hour of straight rap is still tough for me to get through—this album is so rich in melodies and all kinds of instruments, and it really rocks. That’s unique; you definitely can't say that about the average gangsta rap album, which I mostly rate a 1. This is a 3.5—not sure yet if I'll round it down to a 3 or up to a 4 stars tomorrow morning!

When this album was hot I hated MJ but also Madonna and Prince. I listened (and still) to Bruce Springsteen and the Stones , Pink Floyd etc. I laughed at MJ as his concerts were done when Bruce was just halfway. I saw the Michael movie this year which is mainly about his youth, the Jackson 5 up to Thriller. After that he went downhill. With Bad the sound went also way less organic and into terrible 80s drumcomputers and synths. The albums has some parts which are ok . The titel song and also Dirty Diana I can sort of appreciate but not sure of that is sufficiënt for 2 starts…

Bit weird album, luckily quite short. Like a very mediocre version of Talking Heads. Cannot imagine that Mick Jagger approved this terrible cover of Satisfaction. Some nice guitars keep it from a 1 . So ⭐️⭐️

I never listened to John Martyn. This is the fun of this project, listen to new discovered music which can be over 40 years old. I am really happy I get to know this music. Very interesting and creative guitar style. Esoteric and experimental. Not sure if I like all the songs but interesting is the key word here. I was afraid I could not stand his voice, especially the first few lines on the first track are typical but got used to it quite quickly. Later it did remind me a bit of Ben Harper. Also for a moment I had to think about Nick Drake and after that I read that they were friends. Album needs more listens than just one as it is also not an easy listen and you cannot discover everything with one listen. The last track "Small Hours" is too long in my opinion and bit boring (altough I have read the opposite in some reviews). It seems that part of the album was recorded outside to get also outside nature sounds mingled in between. I will need a separate listen to discover those. Also curious for some other albums to learn more from him

No brainer 5 stars , one of the best albums in the list if you would ask me. Risen from the ashes of Mother Love Bone, Pearl Jam was born after Eddie Vedder wrote and sang his lyrics over the now famous songs like Alive and Once. It was a perfect match. Although it took awhile, Ten brought grunge to a bigger audience. I was 18 when this came out and I was immediately blown away by it and liked it more than Nevermind. Had more meaning, less punk, more (classic) rock and what a voice! I know every second of this album, have the cd since 92, the vinyl since I bought again record player in 2021 and is one of my favourite albums of all time (as of many people). Saw them live multiple times and PJ is in my top3-5 bands of all time. Ten is the greatest debut album of all time.

Never listened to this, I was aware of the existence and knew it was a project of this guy from Blur. But a virtual band from a britpop celebrity and a cartoonist. It never triggered me to investigate it. I don't like virtual bands whatever it means. I want real musicians taking credits for what they do, preferably using real instruments. I recognized the hit which apparently is called "Clint Eastwood". Aside from a lo fi punk song (Punk) and some other snippets which give a bit of a (brit)pop/rock feeling with some guitars this album is full of boring underwater sounds and lame beats and raps which are endless, repetitive, too long and irritating. Really don't understand the hype and " critical acclaim" about this.

First thing I thought was, jee what a coincidence that this album was picked for me the day after she died. But it turned out that the randomizer was a bit less random today and every active user got this or another Dolly today. And I really like this gesture. I never listened to her really but are aware of the big hits like Jolene etc. Also I am not a huge fan of traditional country music, but I like a lot country influenced music like what we label these days as Americana, roots or alt.country. But this album is really pretty. She is a great storyteller, if I am correct this is her first album full with her own compositions. I listened to it a few times and especially liked the title song, Travelin Man and Early morning breeze . 4/5

A difficult one. It is indeed very spacey. It feels like a strange mixture of Britpop (like Oasis or Blur) and Pink Floyd, mixed with the post-rock of bands like Godspeed You! Black Emperor and The Black Heart Procession. There are long parts of weird soundscapes which can be quite struggling to listen to—sometimes you wonder if it's even music at all. But I liked the parts that are more guitar- and rock-focused. I also liked the first track, which includes a clever adaptation of Elvis's "Can't Help Falling in Love". Other tracks have very basic, standard lyrics; it is really all about the atmosphere they create. Difficult to describe, but an experience. Initially, I even thought of giving it 4 or 5 stars because of those great guitar moments, but it lands on 3 stars in the end.

I definitely was aware of this album, I was in highschool in 1989 but Stone Roses did not really got my attention. It was before the Oasis and Blur hype and also it's bit different. I never listened to this album, guess that the single "Fool's Gold" was not interesting enough to discover more. I was not really attracted to it. When I put it on this morning I started positive. Quite nice guitar parts and melodies, well crafted. But several tracks linger on unnnecessary long and I got bored. I also never knew that Fools Gold lasted over 9 minutes. Why?? 3 minutes would be enough.

Another hip-hop album from 1989. Hip-hop is generally not my genre of choice, and this one definitely didn't change my mind. I must confess it swings—the horns are nice, but as it turns out, those are just samples. Honestly, I'd rather check out the original soul and funk songs those samples were taken from instead of listening to them endlessly looped here. Though "Mama Gave Birth to the Soul Children"—which actually features De La Soul—has that more organic, upbeat, and less aggressive vibe that I think is quite cool. Unfortunately, the rest of the album doesn't keep that up; the continuous name-dropping throughout the tracks gets really irritating. Plus, that dance and house music influence that creeps in is really not my thing. While it has some decent musical elements buried in the mix, an album like this is just a struggle for me to get through. It’s not for me. This is a 2-star album—back down to the usual rap rating territory.

This project for sure ensures I listen to music I otherwise would never discover or listen to. Not that this particular album will be added to my vinyl wishlist, but at least I know now who Scott Walker is, as I had no clue who he was beforehand. So before I started listening, I read the Wikipedia page of the album and the artist. Oh, it is one of the Walker Brothers—and of course I know the 60s hit "The Sun Ain't Gonna Shine Anymore," which was even recorded by Bruce Springsteen for his soul cover album Only the Strong Survive. I had no further clue about this artist. This is his fifth solo album, released in 1969, showing he was quite a productive artist who never crossed my path. It is quite remarkable to call your fifth album number 4, but the previous album was a Jacques Brel cover album. After this Scott 4, he released several albums to please the record company but not his own artistic interests, so he has forbidden those releases from getting pressed on CD. He remained active and made some other records into the 90's and even up to 2012, changing musical genres up to avant-garde. Not sure if I ever will take the time to check those out. He has a great voice, that must be said. Musically, it is a kind of folky acoustic guitar with some strings and orchestral arrangements—chamber or baroque pop, I suppose. It reminds me a bit of Western Stars by Bruce Springsteen, which was mainly inspired by Glen Campbell and Burt Bacharach. When checking the Wikipedia page of Western Stars, it surprisingly has a reference to Scott Walker, so my ears didn’t lie to me and the circle is round. I listened to this on a Sunday, which is a perfect day for this type of music. Although it will probably not come into my regular rotation, I thank the project for adding this album, as it gave me the opportunity to learn about this artist and music. He is a very interesting and intriguing artist who walked a very unusual path from a teen pop star to these orchestral arrangements. It is very well crafted, and some songs I kind of like, but some others are quite cheesy. Guess this ends up on 3 stars.

Like Pearl Jam's Ten a few days ago, this is one of my all-time favourite albums of the 90s. It was released just before I started university, and I quickly picked it up on CD. Last year, I also obtained the "RSD Essential Red Smoke Vinyl edition" (wow, those marketing guys know how to sell things!). This album is more concise and rough than the huge double album follow-up two years later, Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, which I rated a while ago already at 5 stars. I cannot say which I like better; there is a place for both. It was my main introduction to the band, and I love the explosive, dynamic, scorching guitars mingled with the urgent voice of Billy Corgan. So, another 5 stars.

Great classic prog rock from 1976 and a landmark album for the genre, typically with one track of 20 minutes covering a full side of the record. Great guitar work and, of course, the voice of Geddy Lee, which you'd know among a thousand. The high notes can get a bit tiresome to listen to, so you have to dose this music. Having seen the band a few times already, I'm heading to their show again next year. Curious to see the replacement of the irreplaceable drummer Neil Peart. Initially I didn't want to go, but Anika Nilles seems to be doing a great job. This album goes to my vinyl wish list for sure. 4/5

Not sure about this one. Has some great songs. ‘If there is something’ I knew from David Bowie (Tin Machine). And also the later added Virginia Plain is a great song and ‘Would you believe’ has a great Rock n Roll / David Bowie vibe. But I cannot really make something of the Bob (Medley) and the chaotic Sea Breezes as an example. It’s just not it for me. As an album it is very incoherent and it goes nowhere. I guess I am not a big Brian Eno guy and this album is not something I will easily come back to. 2 stars

Never listened to this, I might have heard the band name. And for some reason the name of Ed Kuepper sounds a bit familiar to me. Punk from Australia. It’s like Ramones but then with horns and a bit more variety, which is a positive thing. Adding blazing horns to a thriving bunch of punk rock guitars is a great addition and quite unique, I think—it's just a shame they are only on a few tracks. I’m not so fond of the singer's voice to be honest, but well yeah, that has never been the most important in punk music. But although it is still kind of raw it also is well crafted.

Jazz I would like to learn appreciating, but I don’t know a lot about it and it’s a bit out of my league. I try to recall that when this was made, Elvis was hardly or just around the corner. Beatles and Stones were not there yet, and rock 'n' roll also had just been born. Jazz was a mainstream music style next to blues, folk, and country music, as far as my knowledge of popular music around 1956 goes. The music landscape looked much simpler than currently with the plethora of styles. So back to jazz. I am aware there are a lot of different sorts of jazz, but I don't have a clue how to distinguish them. I know the name of Duke Ellington, and from listening to this album it is clear he is the band leader, giving room for different musicians from his band to accelerate and show off their skills. Which are probably great, as they are also announced like that. But it is not yet something for me. It is interesting to be thrown back to a jazz festival in 1956 though, like a time machine. Although I am sure these are great musicians with fantastic control over their instruments, it is also very chaotic music and difficult for me to keep my attention. More jazz albums will follow, this was the first real jazz album (aside from Machito I had before, which was very different). No clue what I will add to my playlist yet..

From Australian punk few days ago to boring Australian electro. Another album fully created by samples, 3500 different ones it seems. This a kind of AI music avant la lettre. As also AI is generating something ‘new’ by combining existing material. It is probably very creative and innovative but it remains ‘just’ cutting pieces of existing music composed and created by other musicians and sticking them together. In addition this album is boring as hell. With sleepy repetitive rhythms which might supposed to be meant to be danced to in some kind of club. Well that are not the clubs where you will find me.

My second Rush album within a week, which I don't mind actually. Also, this one I have on CD. The songs are getting a bit more radio-friendly and shorter than in the 70s. As the 80s had arrived, more synthesizers got weaved into the prog rock of Rush as their sound in the 80s evolved and they became less hard rock and more sympho. Moving Pictures is one of their best albums, if not the best, and has some great hits like the opening track "Tom Sawyer", the instrumental "YYZ", and "Limelight". 5/5

Although I usually don’t listen to this type of soft, easy-listening soul, it was a nice, gentle startup for a Monday morning. She has a great, sweet, soothing voice. Of course I'm familiar with "Son of a Preacher Man," and I also recognized "Breakfast in Bed" from the UB40 and Chrissie Hynde version—so that's how I learned it was a cover. Actually, not all the songs are soft easy listening. The album features really great, swinging horn arrangements, like in "Don't Forget About Me," and it's very well crafted. I enjoyed listening to it so much I even put it on repeat a few times. I was torn between 3 and 4 stars for a while, but the songs with that heavier orchestral approach are just a bit too cheesy for me, so I'll stick with 3 stars.