Liked it, would listen to again.
Already listened to it.
Groovy, mix of genres. More instrumental than lyric driven. Found out Janet’s “You” was a sample of one of the songs here.
Oh I really liked this. Thought I didn’t care about Billy Joel’s style but it definitely grew on me as I listened to it. I marked a few songs.
Easy listen. Not necessarily a huge fan but a very listeneable and charming album. The fact that it’s live makes it more entertaining. 3/5
Maybe not *my* kind of music, but objectively a good album with classics. Very poignant lyrics. Want to listen to it again another day to fully appreciate the lyricism and the themes explored.
90s rap. If you feel like listening to this, good album. The song with sex sounds kind of grossed me out.
Classic singles and some strong songs that mainly carry this album.
Very theatrical. Wasn’t fully convinced at first but ended up being one of my favorite discoveries in this project. That’s why it gets 5 stars
Meh, too instrumental. I kind of found it boring
Meh. Kind of corny. Not a big far of their voice (turns out Jimmy Fallon’s impression on SNL was more accurate than I thought). You end up singing the final choruses because they can get stuck in your head, but they are not amazing songs
Seems like a very divisive album - some love it, some hate ut. Unfortunately I’m on the side of those who don’t like it. Creepy at moments, with a sometimes umpleasant voice. It does sound authentic and original, I’ll give it that. It’s also certainly cohesive. Music to ambient a haunted mansion in halloween.
Had several songs that I knew just not by name - but songs that you’d have heard if you’d ever been around straight 30yo men or in a gym. Music for frustrated straight men teenagers in the 90s.
Haha had already listened to this. This is an amazing album. It’s a *serious* album, dealing with veeery serious topics. The lyrics are front and center and command you attention - to the point where there is even a flat out accapella song. It is done brilliantly, with a sense of urgency to convey these feelings. You can feel the sincerity in each line.
Ok album to listen in the background. Nice sounding, pleasant.
Had already listened to it and was torn between 4 and 5 stars. The songs are not revolutionary by any means, but it sounds so good. I mean, it’s true that it does sound like background jazzy music for a fancy restaurant… but it’s the best representative of it’s kind. Smootj Operator is also a rare instance of such a jazz loungey song crossing over to mainstream - so no wonder this album was included here. I mean, I enjoy this album. I’d listened to it, listened to it and will probably listen to it again.
I’m torn here: do I rate it according to “objectively” how good it is or according to how much I like it. It’s really not my type of music, but much like it happened to me with “ten” by pearl jam I discovered this album had classic songs I’d heard a thousand times before.
Not my kind of music but a good punk album.
Went somewhat skeptic but ended up quite liking it.
Liked it but didn’t pay a lot of attention to it
Meh did not like it. It’s the kind of rock I don’t vibe with. I reserve my 1 star for worse things
I like The Black Keys, would listen to this album again. I liked the singles. I'm surprised it isn't El Camino in this list, though.
Enjoyed it! Very loud, very 80s glam rock. Aside from Jumo, I discovered and liked “Panama” and “I’ll wait”.
A classic album. I mean the title track alone, new kid in town, victim of love…
I found myself really enjoying it - especially the first two sides, which were more “groovy”; the second side was kind of a let down, but still a pleasant surprise.
Not sure how to grade this. A jazz album. Very loud. I preferred the miles davis one.
I liked it. Did I listen closely to every single lyirc? No - but an album I'd return to in the future. 90s street rap. Good beat.
Really interesting album. Should listen to again to pay more attention.
It ended up being one of my favs so far. I really liked Daydreamin and by the second half of the album I was sold
A nice album full of classic covers
A classic album, fastastic.
I saw many people like this. I didn’t. Completely instrumental and in the most boring way. There were moments it virtually fell into silence and I wondered if my headphones had died. It makes for decent background music - but this is not a compliment. I might be missing something, idk.
A good album, but far too long.
I really wanted to like this because I like Feel Good Inc, but outside from the singles I found it to be a bit boring.
Two stars because her voice is grating but some of the beats are interesting
Very good album, though sometimes his voice seemds drowned by the instrumentation.
A classic album and my favourite from the beatles
I didn't have high expectations going into this album because I'd heard Definitely Maybe and it was a meh. But, I found this a lot more enjoyable. Of course the singles are already well known, and burnt out, but the non singles were listenable enough.
Was not sure how to rank it since it’s mostly an instrumental album. I did not like it at first, but eventually I started recognizing that it offers an interesting fusion between prog rock and jazz.
Meh not awful or unlistenable but boring.
Very groovy, a great listen. You end up singing all the choruses. Favs: Let’s stay together, how can you mend a broken heart, judy
I’ll use the listening notes to react live this time:
From the title I thought it was going to be a rock album - turns out it was more country.
Hillbilly highway really doesn’t appeal to me.
Gettin tough, I’ll admit, is catchy.
My Old Friend the Blues sounds like 00s country
Very southern.
Someday sounded good.
Oh State Trooper is indeed a Springsteen cover.
Beautiful album. Amazing for a Sunday. I love It’s too Late and I feel the esrth move. Some classic melodies as well.
Instrumentals good but a little more subtlety in the lyrics would’ve been nice
Cool discovery. I didn't find it bland like I read others say. He reminded me of chris stapleton, eric clapton and seal in different moments.
An obvious 5/5. An amazing, classic, album. The fact that it’s long yet it keeps you engaged makes it even greater. “As” and “another star” are my favorites.
Nice, ok album. I already knew Stand. I also liked the first song, Orange Crush and Turn You Inside Out
Super experimental but sounded good
Very mediocre album. At it’s best it was uninspired, bland, it sort of had an improvised feel to it - as if he was trying things out with his guitar. At it’s worst it was downright unlistenable. The first song was a bore. I despised Love You. And what the fuck was “if it’s in you”?! Painful to listen to. Painful.
I’ve said this in another review, but it’s hard to judge purely instrumental albums. I guess this sounded good and was better than others I’ve listened to for this project in the past, so this is why it gets 4 stars.
Ugh it really wasn’t for me. I know they are acclaimed but I didn’t lkke the singing and the songs were not for me. I enjoyed Riders in the Storm though
I think I’m going to need more time with this album. It is not my kind of music but there were a couple of interesting sounds throughout. I did like (and did know) Psycho Killer, and maybe because of that I also enjoyed the songs that followed as well, the last one.
Had never heard of them but liked this, especially the single What’s Golden.
Wasn’t my favourite of theirs but still good.
Coldplay might be corny, but there’s a reason why they got so popular. This album is original, is fresh, some of the songs have a grand production (Clocks is one of my favorites of theirs). In general I liked the first half more than the second. It’s also to their merit that some of the songs are more on the longer side and yet they don’t tire you.
Great album. Love Last Night, Someday, Soma. Very 2000s.
Good album - very late 90s rock. Very British and Oasis-esque? Consistant throughout
An classic indie (? Alternative?) album. The songs are different, they have an exciting production, there’s a variety in each of the songs’ sounds while remaining cohesive. My favs are Bigmouth and the title track.
An ok 90s rap album. None of the songs were bad, but none really stood out neither (well maybe with the exception of the one sampling all i need and the one sampling i will survive)
Beautiful voice. I hear the criticisms that the singer uses too much vibrato - and I can understand why many could find this annoying.
I am glad this album is included because it proved to be a short and pleasurable listen. I didn’t think too much of the lyrics until “For today I am a boy” grabbed my attention - and rushed to see whether it was about what I thought it was. I’m glad about the diversity this brings to the list, especially since I’d never heard of the artist.
This… was certainly very different from everything I’ve heard so far in this project. Some songs were more listenable than others. In the first track I thought this could turn out to be a very interesting (in a gold way) album, but as the songs went on I found myself getting not only disinterested but also irritated by the production and the grating sound of the singer’s voice. There’s supposedly a bigger message in the lyrics, but the way they are shouted makes it difficult to make the words out.
In any event what they were saying didn’t sound revolutionary enough to give the sound a pass. I suppose it being “edgy” and different makes it avoid a 1 star rating from me.
I know it’s a classic album, but it’s really just not for me. I recognize its impact in punk music, and the first songs I could enjoy, but just not my type pf music.
A very middle or the road, run off the mill, 90s rock album. Not unlistenable but nothing really stood out. Soundtrack music to a 90s/00s teenage drama movie. 3/5
An amazing album that remains fresh and exciting all the way through. One of the reasons why this is the case is because all the well known songs and singles are in its second half, so you get all the hits by the time you'd normally start getting bored. The first half is just fantastic, gets you pumped up with the more rockish vibe. The second half is more chill but just as good. There's also a nice variety of sounds, with very worldly tunes, while remaining cohesive. There's also some more experimental songs (Mother) that make it more interesting and original.
An objectively good album. Janis' voice is fantastic. Very countercultural, late 60s. Subjectively, it's not really for me. 4/5.
I really liked this. I only knew Running Up that Hill. It’s very experimental and really ahead of its time - doesn’t sound 80s or dated at all. I thought the first few tracks were really strong, but it kind of lost me around the middle - but then I loved Jig of Life with all the bag pipes. It’s definitely an album I’ll go back to.
Remember, it’s called “1001 albums to listen before you die”, not the 1001 best albums necessarily. This must be one of the oddest picks in the list, as well as one of the most obscure (I read it only charted in an Indie UK chart?). I was surprised it even had a wikipedia page longer than 3 paragraphs.
I mean I don’t know how to judge this. Because it’s quite good for what it is (it’s listenable, it has some interesting and weird moments musically wise, though on the first listen there were some boring moments in which you just tune out), I’ll go with a 4/5. I don’t think I’ll find myself listening to this ever again though.
It’s pop music, it’s not that serious of an album. Some cringe lyrics and Angels is so burnt out at this point. Nonetheless relatively listenable and a nice break from some more alternative/indie albums.
A fantastic pop record. It might be even better than Thriller - though Thriller has higher highs, this one I find mlre consistant. Dont Stop Til You Get Enough is just an irresistable opener. Rock with You is timeless. The first five songs until the title track are just a string of bangers, then it kind of slows down until it picks up the groove again in the last couple of tracks. They were the slow songs the ones I’m not that big a fan of.
Too trippy and bizarre for me. It's the sort of 60s music that I actively dislike. I say music but it's not very "musical" at all. The first few tracks I actively disliked, but then I guess the rest were somewhat listenable - though again, I'm not a fan of "satire" albums. My fav was "Any Way the Wind Blows" 2/5
Great rock album. Solid, consistant, doesn’t drag on for too long. I liked the first few tracks the best.
Second day in a row with a Hole album! Never happened to me that I got the same artist two consecutive days. I liked this album as much as I did yesterday’s (“Live Through This”). It has a very nostalgic, 2000s teens movie soundtrack, Freaky Friday-ish, vibe to it. You want to blast this in a car, windows down, going to the beach.
I mean… not unlistenable? It’s purely instrumental. It does have this eery, haunted, liminal vibe. Like the type of album you should hear while walking in the woods in the middle of the night. It sounds like the soundtrack to a crime documentary. I found it impossible to focus on the album. Very easy to start doing other things and forget that this is playing in the background, you sort of tune it out. 3/5
What a short and sweet album. RIP Dolly.
While I loved her like everyone else, I actually wasn’t too familiar with her discography outside of her hits. Right away I adored the first song, and it really moved me (knowing the news that she’d passed away). It was then hard to follow up this first track, which I felt was then hard to strongest, but I also fairly liked the ones that followed. She had such a charming voice, so full of personality.
I believe this is the most recent album I got so far. It’s a classic album already. Though I enjoy his following two albums more (especially TPAB which I do find more diverse in sound than this one), this starts his streak of amazing records.
When I saw the title and cover of the album I wasn’t expecting for it to sound like this. It was a very pleasant, chill, laid back jazzy album. It’s a good one to put on in the background not just when you’re in the kitchen but also just to do regular chores around the house. 4/5.
Pretty good discovery. In spite of its length it keeps you interested through its variety of sounds. Some very gradiose sounding songs - and some very quirky lyrics too.
This album was very meh for me. Not unlistenable but very middle of the road rock. I don’t really have a lot to say aside from the fact that I discovered today that Sonic Youth and Musical Youth are two different artists. 2/5
I get that this influenced albums like Nevermind and the whole grunge scene, but I just didn’t like it. There wss not a song that I would want to listen to again.
An album that flows seamlessly. It’s smooth country if it exists such a thing. I liked his voice, very Jack Johnson-esque but with better songs. I went ahead and listened to Pink Moon after this.
Very varied album that experiments with different sounds. In general very groovy and of its time. Some of the songs are played for as long as they need to as if they were just jamming. Others have a long buildup very nicely done.
When the first song started and the drums started playing I was like “omfg this is going to be amazing!”… until every song after that sounded exactly the same. This is inoffensive background music for a sonic videogame.
I think my fav was “Rough Out Here”, maybe ‘cause it was the one that stood out the most
A staple of early 2000s rock. It might not be totally my style (hence the 4 not 5 stars) but I recognize that this is a good album. I got some late Beatles vibes in some of the songs. Ironically for a gay man my favorite track was “I fell in love with a girl”.
Pre listen thoughts: I love the cover. Also is this the album with “It’s My Life” on it? (Turns out not)
Happyness is easy - omg this song is so long. Also, I hate songs with children’s choirs. Not starting well
Very Chris Isaak kind of voice
I Dont Believe in You and Life’s What You make it - much better, though more on the longer side in terms of length
April 5th - OMG so slow
Living in Another World - finally this woke me up a little bit
Give it up was the most unremarkable song
Chameleon Day - so many silences! I thought the record had paused!
Time it’s time was so 80s
Overall thoughts: an album very of its time. The way he sang made it incredibly hard to make out what he was saying.
I wasn’t expecting to like this album as much as I did. Amazing melodies and song structures, every track was unique in its own way while also remaining cohesive.
I didn’t like the first song (that was just so long and totally instrumental and bizarre) but then I guess the rest of the album was alright, very 70s and funky.
Very cool 80s rock album. Isn’t particularly my taste but was eventually charmed by it.
It is a good album, but it suffers from paling in comparison to the ones that he as a soloist or with his band would later release. Still a fine record and nice to listen to.
I understand the appeal (it’s a frustrated emo record), but I’m not too sure. It was too noisy for me in certain parts.
The first song I actively disliked (with it’s different instrumentals not matching with each other, intentionally). However, later tracks like Cupid Come and When You Wake were more standard and mainstream and I enjoyed more.
“Calmer” tracks, like All I Need, were followed by a string of harder and noisier ones, starting with “Feed me with your kiss”.
I know this is acclaimed, but let me be honest and say that this was just noise to me.
Upon seeing the title, I thought the album was going to be way noisier than it was - good. Some of the songs were fine. I liked the first track and songs like Party Hard. It has a kind of gothic, sometimes The Cure-like, vibe to it in some parts.
Very different from most other albums on this list. It's of course a very theatrical style - something that wouldn't look out of place in a dark opera / musical. The first song reminded me of Sunset Boulevard's title track.
It's not bad! I can't grade it under three stars. There's actual, idk, musicality in the arrangements; he's actually singing and singing well. Might not be something that I'll revisit but at least I'll be able to die having listened to it.
Mmm it’s odd. When I got the other Nick Drake album I decided to also listen to this one, and I thought back then that they were both nice, chill albums by someone with a smooth voice. Today listening to this one for the second time I found it sleep inducing - just a constant folk boring string of songs. Luckily it is less than 30 mins long. Short power nap times.
Oh I loved this. I echo most of the reviews here in their thrill to discover this newer album. It managed to blend different styles and convey different moods throughout. The songs seemed to flow seamlessly into the next one. I was immediately hooked by the first track and I loved that one the most but I liked all of them.
It wasn’t my fav. I thiught it was too slow and samey throguhout. Not bad but maybe not for me.
Sorry but just noise to me.
I’d listened to this album before, and when I did I put down in my notes that it was boring and gave it a 2 stars. Yesterday when I got it I thought that it was actually not that bad - just more lyric driven than anything else. As it went on, however, I did somewhat see why I’d thought it was boring on my initial listen.
Went into this album completely blind because not only had I not heard any of the songs, I also hadn’t even heard of the band itself. It was an ok 80s album, very of its time. I had to turn on the lyrics because it was hard to make out what he was saying (what’s up with that weird pronounciation of “work” in the fourth track?).
My fav was Mad Cyril
If there's such a thing as a "Randy Newman sound" this is it. It's a fine record, but you could be forgiven for singing along to the Toy Story song on top of some of the tracks here.
I can tell why many people are not too fond of this album. I personally prefer their 2017 album to this one. A less gentle take than the one I have is that it’s boring or too samey. To me it’s moody and more ambient music. It’s like the soundtrack of alternative 2010s “no labels” kind of kids. I mean, look at it: the name of the band, the album and even the cover itself look like templates for a yet to be defined name and image.
It’s a more experimental listen, it has some Chris Isaak vibes sometimes. Both of their voices are well suited for the type of music they are making.
Not bad. It’s very late 90s RHCP-esque rock. Like the soundtrack of an early 2000s teen movie. Kind of samey, but I guess Drive stood out because I knew it prior.
