1001 Albums Summary

I've not listened to much of the early Beatles. I definitely prefer the later albums post 66. Instrumentally it's tight. Too many covers however, and far too twee for my tastes. Get on the drugs lads. 2* All my loving is a bop. Little child is cursed.

I'm the hokey tonk man! My oldest asked me why Barney from the Simpsons is singing. I dig how high in the mix the bass is. 1) ** 2)**** 3)** 4)* 5) The bass slaps ***** 6)* (Side A: 2.5/5) 7)* 8)*** 9)** 10)**** 11)* 12)*** (Side B: 2.3/5) 2.4 overall - 2*

1) Jazzy intro. *** 2) Funky beats. Nice bass tone that carries the rhythm section. Zappa's guitar wiggles through the spaces in time. ***** 3) Nice shifts of pace. Strong organ and piano segments. ***** 4) Interlude - tidy **** 5) Equal parts incoherent and sublime. The drums are fantastic and keep the frantic pace. I'm not a big sax man but can appreciate the licks. I'm a big sucker for an organ however, and those little short sharp tones that cut in from 8 minutes are a thing of beauty. Zappa is going off on one here... The drop at 10 minutes into drum and bass only is lovely. ***** 6)Not sure I needed this after the previous track. Still - nothing wrong with this one either. *** This one is probably going to be 4.5/5. It's everything I like and my first foray into Zappa. Only 133 albums to go!

Public Enemy were on the fringes of my consciousness growing up but it was their crossover with Anthrax I was most familiar with. "Bring the Noise" made it's way into a few pivotal pieces of media (most particularly need for speed underground). This is an absolute banger of a record. Chuck D is pure power, his vocal delivery is crisp and passionate. Terminator X work on the decks triggers happy memories of turntable led rock and metal that made up a huge chunk of my formative years. Flava Fav is hype "Yeah, boyeee!" and the production by the Bomb Squad is sublime. Several songs will make it into my rotation [Bring the Noise][Terminator X at the Edge of Panic][Night of the Living Baseheads][Rebel without a Pause][ and the seemingly proto-nu-metal [She Watch Channel Zero?!] which without a doubt was my favourite. On the negative side some samples are oppressive and can affect the overall flow of a listen. However taking into account the subject matter - that may be intentional. The social commentary as relevant today as the time of writing. My second hip hop album I've deliberately listened to (After Wu Tang Clan be but). I think I peaked too soon! *****

Pulp took the sex, drugs and rock and rolled it into an album. [Mis-shapes], [Disco 2000], [Common People] [Monday Morning] - Anthemic pop/rock heard nationwide at weddings, radio 2 and throwback discos. For good reason though. [Sorted for Es and Wizz] was a hidden classic for me. It has that otherworldly quality only the best substances provide. [Feeling called love][I spy] Are songs where I could do without the lyrics/vocals. The music itself is very enjoyable. Moody, synth heavy and satisfying tonal shifts. [Pencil Skirt], [Underwear] [Live Bed Show] - not sure what context you'd listen to these songs, the lyrical themes are creepy and the music is passable pop. [Something's changed][Bar Italia] Meh. Feel a bit like songs a drunk wedding singer would have in their repitoire. It lands ultimately at 2.5 for me.

I listened to the abridged "best of" album. Ella's voice is beautiful, no doubt about that. The band can play smooth, simple,big band style jazz. For me the music is not dynamic enough, with a similar tone that runs through each song. There is no challenge, no hidden layers in these tunes. Ponderous.

Sometimes funky, too often smooth. A surprising depth in some tracks with powerful social commentary. There are a few covers here, which the Temptations give their own spin. This version of [Papa was a rolling stone] is epic. There's a few songs on the Ballard/soul side I can appreciate but don't vibe with me personally. 2*

Pre listen: Frontier psychiatrist is a staple on the playlist - but I've never listened further. I remember first seeing the music video on morning TV - possibly the big breakfast? Post listen: What a journey. Seamless transitions, happy vibes. Like the best holiday you ever had encapsulated in an album. This is evolution in sound form. Building, iterating and growing. Made purely of samples this is a snapshot of humanity. There are a few songs I'll definitely return to - [Electricity][Radio][Stay Another Season] Downsides wise - personally the art of sampling means that at times the hook or beat I like may just drop out, some vocal samples repeat a little too much and it fades out towards the end a bit too much. Next long car journey this is definitely going on!

Massive blind spot for me - early 80s post punk. Crusty aesthetic smashing into 80s pop. The vocals are an acquired taste, but I like the authenticity. I prefer the tracks where they let off the shackles and are not afraid to go off the tracks. A key example of this is the first track [Dumb Waiters] which is messy and all the best kinds of wild. Other stand out tracks are [Into you like a train] [It Goes On] where the rhythm section really gets it together, some distortion creeps in and the tempo shifts add a nice texture. Between these tracks there is some serviceable radio friendly tracks like [Pretty in Pink] and [All of This and Nothing] that are easy to listen to but don't wow me. I wouldn't turn them off if they came on the radio however. The rest of the tracks are just kind of there for me and have drawbacks like poor lyrics [I Wanna Sleep With You] or just forgettable [She is Mine]. **

Pre: Now here is one from my early teens. I haven't picked this up since 03 or so. I used to listen to it on my portable cd player, doing that funny walk so the disk doesn't skip. Post: Eminem is an absolute master on the mic. His flow is undeniable. He has a wide variety in delivery that invokes strong emotions and his lyrics are little sound bites that I still repeat 26 years later. (And this album has resurrected some that were hiding in my subconscious- uh oh). I can see that the tone/theming is there to shock, provoke and question. For each piece of excellent (and still relevant) social commentary there's equal amounts of homophobia and misogyny that now I'm an adult is embarrassing. As a parent if my kids were listening to this I'd almost certainly throw it in the sea. Guess my parents were right. [Amityville] is the least popular song, but I prefer it over the bulk of the record. The radio classics continue to be earworms with [Stan] being the standout. The fact the title is now part of the general vocabulary and in the Oxford English Dictionary is testament to the strength of the story told here. Not sure I'll ever pick this up as an album again. It's the worst of 00s culture and I want to leave it back there. I'm rating this here and now a conflicted 2.5. **

1 ***** Well, we're in the 80s. I'm an absolute sucker for synth (black metal fan). Ethereal/sinister vibes. Yes! The choral keyboard sound! This is a keeper. 2.** Mellow vibes. Kinda spacey. 3. ** Chill... 4. *** Bass high in the mix, intro is atmospheric. 5. *** Sinister twinkles 6. *** Energy shift, pan pipes. 7. Sex noises. Nah. Skip. 8. *** Feels like a comedown. 9. **** Slow to get going, builds nicely. Synth organ? Let's go! 10. ***** Sinister piano. Final fantasy boss music. I really, really like the dark aesthetic the gothic cathedral gloominess of it all. I definitely listen to bands inspired by this sound. I will likely return to this album again. 3/5.

It's absolutely roasting in the UK right now. This definitely has about as much energy as me. "I am tired, I am weary, I could sleep, for thousand years!" I've seen this album lots of places over the years, I am aware of it's status and the scenes it's reported to have influenced and created. I am reviewing this based on the album not the legacy. 1) *** [Sunday Morning] - Dreamy, hazy start. 2) ** [I'm waiting for the man] - Jazzy. Feels a bit one tone. Piano is rhythm instrument here. Bassline is tidy. 3) * [Femme Fatale] - No. These vocals ain't it - not sure if it's the recording quality or the voice cracking. Beach boys style backing vocals. 4) ***** [Venus in Furs] - Folky, tribal, drone, hypnotic - best so far. 5) ** [Run, Run, Run] - Bluesy rock, sounds of it's era. The guitar solo is - something?! The drums sound really hollow. The bassline carries this. 6) * [All Tomorrows Parties] - Fun piano lick, I can't get on with Nico at all. The lead guitar jangles about discordantly. Too monotone to be this long. 7) *** [Heroin] - The drums that slowly build like a racing heart is fantastic. Feels a bit like a drugged up U2. 8) *** [There she goes again] - This sounds a lot like Dylan. It's an inoffensive 60s rock track. A coherent guitar solo spotted in the wild. The tempo shift towards the end is fun. 9) * [I’ll Be Your Mirror] - Nothing going on here apart from Nico. I am sorry Nico. I won't let you be my eyes. I'd rather risk the bad luck and break this mirror. 10) *** [The Black Angel’s Death Song] - Yes! The discordant strings are back. Feels like a cowboy fighting a demon? 11) [European Son] Energetic bassline. They literally threw the kitchen sink at this. Guitar is rancid. It's all over the place. It's a trainwreck. Overall - 2.2 without Nico it would hit a 3. I can see how it was an influence for many, but I won't return again most likely. On the car playlist : [Venus in Furs] [The Black Angel's Death Song]

First ever disco album - obviously know the classics from various school discos, weddings and the radio. 1) *** [Chic Cheer] Lovely bassline, definitely makes me want to move. Nice album opener settling the tone. 2) ***** [Le Freak] Speaking of radio classics - that guitar lick is iconic. Smooth vocals and funky rhythm. Strings add a lot of depth. Even though I have heard it a thousand times it still absolutely slaps. 3) *** [Savoir Faire] Feels like I'm sat on the floral sofa on the cover listening to this jazzy ensemble. The guitar is the vocal with a tasteful meandering lead - technically fantastic. As always the bass is the backbone. Very chill vibe - not what I was expecting on a disco album. 4) **** [Happy Man] I absolutely love this bassist. Positive, uplifting vibes - like the title. A BASS SOLO! lets go 5) ***** [I want your love] Oh, I didn't realise it was this song. The bells are epic. The strings are sublime. Absolute classic. 6) * [At last I'm free] Ah man, pick the tempo back up. This has wedding singer vibes. Is just kind of there - feels very sparse. I imagine this is a slow dance number. Too long. 7) *** [Sometimes you win] Bopping bassline. THANK YOU FOR THE HORNS/SAX?! saves the song. 8) **** [(funny)Bone] A strings led instrumental. Not sure about the canned laughter. Overall 3.5ish ***(*) The bass on this album is so damn funky. The scratchy guitar tone iconic. The vocals smooth. The embellishments like strings and piano are very well done. Second half quality does fade off after I want your love. I think it's very close to a 4, but I cant see myself putting the full album on again. Definitely have placed half of the tracks in playlists though. I guess Disco/funk/Soul is now on my radar.

Smashing pumpkins always sounded like something Nigel Thornberry would say. Never listened to them as far as I'm aware. 1) Gentle piano opener. Technically competent. 2) **** [Tonight] Oh, pretty sure I have actually heard this one. The music is great, nice soaring strings. Those vocals are definitely an acquired taste. 3) ** [Jellybelly] Thrashy instrumentation. Can I swap the vocalist out? This would be way better with some gutteral growls. Or someone with pipes. Feel bad for the band this song is excellent otherwise. 4) **** [Zero] Heavy. Really like the drums. Fuzzy. The vocals are a bit more hidden in the mix. I like the bridge riff. 5) *** [Here is no why] Kinda dreamy vibes. Reminds me of something that might have come out around mid 2000s. 6) ***** [Bullet With Butterfly Wings] - Southern rock? Lars ulric drumming. Almost nu-metal. Has good energy. Vocals waay better when he's yelling rather than "singing". 7) ** [To Forgive] Organ led Ballard. It's a nice change of pace. Nothing inherently wrong with it. 8) **** [An Ode to No One] Tempo shift. More punk-y. The riff is kind of anxiety inducing. A crescendo song. 9) *** [Love] Space rock. 10) ** [Cupid de Locke] - Art rock. Tells a story. Harp? is a nice tone/riff. 11) * [Galapogos] - Does sound like I'm on an island. Shame Billy's singing. 12) *** [Muzzle] Alternative rock track. Perfectly listenable. 13) ***** [Porcelina of the Vast Oceans] Pink floyd worship? Dreamy fantasy vibes. Can see this being one of my favourites. It's very dynamic. 14 ** [Take Me Down] Oh. They found a different singer? An acoustic closer. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Side A Experimental, varied, prefer the heavier tracks. The vocals are difficult when they are put to the fore on the calmer songs. Need a break. Overall: 3/5 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 15) *** [Where Boys Fear to Tread] - Aww I thought it was going to be an instrumental only piece. Would make a nice grungy/post rock ditty. do-do-do-do! 16) *** [Bodies] Proto KoRn energy. I like the drumming on this one. 17) *** [Thirty-Three] Acoustic, dreamy pop returns. A great contrast to bodies. 18) ** [In the Arms of Sleep] - Floaty rock. 19) ** [1979] - Appears to be one of their more popular tracks, for me this is quite sparse feeling. 20) ***** [Tales of a Scorched Earth] Opening riff captured my attention and brought me back awake after the last two tracks. Appeals to my metal sensibilities. 21) *** [Thru the Eyes of Ruby] - Dreamy Grunge. Enjoy the crescendo's pre chorus. Quite a lot of the tracks on this album have a soothing, wistful quality. This contrasts well with the heaviness. 22) * [Stumbleine] Acoustic track. Feels a bit like something the guy with a guitar would sing at a party. Probably more soothingly than Billy. 23) ****** [X.Y.U.] Desert rock/stoner! Lets go. Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeees. Save me from the ballards! The section from 4:20 is SUBLIME. 24) **** [We Only Come Out at Night] I am a vampire and I've lost my fangs. Finally a new song for the Halloween playlist. Feels like a 60s/70s ditty. Beatles-esque - the vocals are very good (a rarity). 25) ***** [Beautiful] Cute song, nice duet with D'arcy. Can't she sing more often? Feels like it belongs in a coming of age movie. 26 *** [Lily (My One and Only)] Wait - when did we enter the Beatles zone? Track 24? Not too much going on here. Some nice piano twinkliness. 27 * [By Starlight] Ok, we are winding right down now. Feels like a radiohead or coldplay song. Very passive. DEAD EYES - nearing the end now. 28 **** [Farewell and good night] - The end. D'arcy is back. Nice duet by them again. The piano adds a element. Hypnotic/drone-y rhythms soothe. Feels like when the boys used to fall asleep on me. The fading to just piano at the end is beautiful. Part 2: 3.5/5 (rounding up) Vocals are better on the calmer songs. Or Billy is growing on me. ------------------------------------------------------------------ Overview: Inject [X.Y.U.] into my veins. That's the jam on this album. Now, this was a mission to complete. Breaking it in two definitely helped. There are a few songs that did nothing for me, a few that were really good and then a proportion that I'd happily listen to, but not choose to. This is a hard one to give an overall rating to. I don't think I'd put the full album on again so by my own rules it maxes at a 3. ....Yet, I think I just might one day. Who knows, maybe Billy's vocals will grow on me.

I was there for this one. This will bring back memories of house parties, school exams and being on the cusp of adulthood. 1) [Intro] - Ethereal/sinister. Leads into words nicely. 2) **** [Words] - Radio classic early indie/00s rock. Easy to listen to, soothing melodies. The vocals seem low in the mix. 3) ***** [There goes the fear] - I'm heading out of my exams, into that long, long summer break. I am free. This is another radio friendly track. I like how it fades out at times in reflective chill then the drums pound back in. Little thought: These songs are layered. I didn't notice it back in the day but there's a lot going on, samples, little cameo's by instruments, fusion of styles. 4) *** [M62 Song] - The M62 is a barren, often foggy and windswept drive over the hills. It's wild and devoid of civilisation. This captures it perfectly. Apparently an adaption of a king crimson track (I am 100% sure they will be in this project). They synth at the end is haunting... 5) ** [Where we're calling from] I'm assuming we are leaving the M62 and heading into Manchester or Hull. Ambient track - leads nicely into... 6) **** [N.Y.] Oh we are going to New York? Funny M62 this - must have just kept going after Manc! Synth organ is always a winner for me. I really enjoy the drumming here. Feels almost prog adjacent. With the King Crimson influences on track 4 it makes sense. 7) **** [Satellites] The "ping" sound is awesome. I do feel like I am in space orbiting the earth. The choir add more etherealness. Little thought: Carrying on from earlier - they started as dance trio [Sub Sub] - now the song structures, layering, repetition makes sense. 8) ** [Friday's Dust] Multi-Instrumental menagerie. Not my favourite. 9) ***** [Pounding] An uplifting pop-rock anthem. Aptly named. 10) *** [The last broadcast] Space/dream pop. Should be the last track on naming alone. -1* ;) 11)*** [Sulphur Man] Dramatic introduction but then kinda floats flatly into the main track. Downbeat yet soothing. 12) ***** [Caught by the river] Accoutic powered, folky. Soars. A great album closer. Rounding up to a strong 4/5. I'll definitely add this into my rotation and look for a physical copy.

1) intro - beach vibes. 2) Groovy 70s funk. 3) There's that iconic disco guitar tone. Well constructed beats. Brass samples? are nice. Man my French sucks. 4) Downtempo funky disco. Nice flow. Definitely losing a big element not understanding the lyrical themes. Sex noises and cities? He bragging. 5) Bit more fire in this track. Tempo shift. My favourite track thus far. Got my body boppin. Funky bassline. 6) Cool soulfulness. 7) Oh yes. Oh hell yes. Tempo shift! Strong rhythm section. 8) Jazz bar interlude. 9) Funky bass. Bouncy. 10) Moby-like floaty synths. Scratching on the turntables. Pretty chill. 11) Some fun percussion in this one. Some more traditional singing on this - prince esqe. Guitar solo. Lets go! 12) Jet set radio vibe. Some classic call and response. 13) Continuation from 12. Feels a bit more stream of consciousness. 14) This is so 90s. That synth blast is fun. He's showing his versatility and speed of delivery. Weakest track for me though. 15) Oh hell yeah. This is a classic 90s sound. Strong album. I'm a sucker for turntables too! 16) It's an outro. Thoughts: I'm music orientated - lyrics/vocals are another instrument to me. MC Solaar knows how to use his voice to compliment the varied beats that cover jazz, soul, funk, rock and reggae. An easy 4. Especially as this is exactly why I picked up this project - to get out my metal centric groove I'd carved over the last 25 years. I'd definitely put this on whilst walking through town. It's got a good rhythm for a decent pace and uplifting mood. Apparently I am a 90s hip-hop fan going off my experiences thus far?

It's a shame this is on the list. It's just 90s rock with lethargic vocals. Nothing at all is standout. It doesn't make me feel anything. There's no dynamism, no variety, just bleh. It's listenable but has zero edge, a backing track to a lazy summers day.

A live album. Uh oh. It feels like I'm stood outside the bar listening through an open window. I absolutely hate the patronising crowd interaction. I hate it at any gig I go to. Reminds me of bad school memories. I think I need an actual studio recording to appreciate this.

The black album is on this list? Now this is a sound of my teenage years. It's entry level metal, more hard rock with a slight edge. Which is why as an adult 25 years later I can see this for what it is. It's Metallica cleaning up their sound and seeking mass appeal. I'm thinking - when was the last time I listened to this album? I was probably 17. In the last 22 years I haven't put it on. I've listened to the odd song from time to time. Since then I've gone through the archives of metal. I probably sit as a black metal man at the minute, but had phases of power/symphonic, doom/sludge, and death being the dominant forces. Can this appeal with my developed tastes? I'm apprehensive. ----------------- Reflection It's easy listening hard rock/metal. It achieved it's goals and Metallica became icons. The production is very clean. The pace slower. The bass actually audible. The songs have simple hooks that make for radio friendly hard rock. The guitar is prominent and technically proficient. The drums are there and the vocals bark and croon as the songs dictate. As an album it feels very polished. It doesn't challenge or deviate from it's formula. And yet that formula provides toe tapping rhythms, memorable hooks and undeniable success. There are at least 5 songs that are Metallica classics but honestly there is quality throughout. An iconic album in the trajectory of hard rock and metal, no doubt.

Folky, country twanged rock with those classic vocal harmonies. It starts so slow. The recording also seems to push the vocals to the top of the mix, meaning I can barely hear some of the instruments. Nothing really sticks with me until the second half. Luckily from Woodstock onwards the album becomes a bit more experimental, with the proggy [deja-vu] being the standout. The Beatles-esque [our house] appears to be the real hit for many. It's every flavour of cosy and twee - not to my personal taste but I can respect the feelings. [4+20] is dark, folky ditty. It thankfully has one vocalist which makes it one of the best tracks in my book. [Country girl] returns to those proggy sensibilities - but for me the vocals are too busy and detract from some pleasing rhythm and melody. Final track [Everybody I love you!] Returns to the earlier album tendancies of vocals first and everything else is in the back. This is difficult for me to rate because I don't mind the bands sound. I struggle with the grating harmonies and their prominence in the mix. It's between a 2 and 3. I'm not seeking to put it on but probably listen to some songs again.

I'm listening to the OG recording as I'm struggling to find the 1990 version on YouTube music (and I'm a free user of Spotify so listening is difficult to an album unless I'm on the web player at my pc.) I'm listening to this on a sunny summer's day riding home in the car from a family holiday. [Skin Deep] is a drumming masterclass. Textured, varied and expressive - the drummer has super chops. The rest? Kinda faded to the background. I think the issue with me and jazz is - I don't feel it. I don't know good or bad jazz, I don't know what I like or don't like. I don't have the experience or the context. Or maybe I never will? I know however that black metal started off like this for me - and is now my favourite genre - so maybe there's hope? I do know for sure - I dislike live albums and this record made me feel irritated and frustrated. Maybe in 1000 albums time I'd change my tune, but for now, this isn't for me.

Look. I liked my other Zappa album (hot rats) a hell of a lot. So much so I gave it 5 stars. Listening to this in 2026, I can't help but feel it's not possible to rate it out of its context. I'm sure, at the time this mockumentary of an album was hilarious to some. Genre wise: 60s psych, do-wop, noise, drone, jazz, rock and pop smash together on this record. It takes numerous shots at contemporary artists and America/popular culture in general. The tracks I like are "Trouble Every Day" "The Brain Police" and "Hungry Freaks Daddy". These are smart, satirical and experimental. Help I'm a rock was also a fun journey despite it's mad premise. The comedy/mockery/do-wop tracks outnumber the ones that land with me however making it an album I can't see me revisiting. I might chop out the nine or so tracks I actively dislike and make my own mini album. I'm sure Zappa would approve. I'm going to give it a 1 because there's no chance I'd willingly listen to this album again.

I thought Elvis Costello was a crooner from the 60s. Feels: This is some tasteful pop music with depth in sound and inspiration. It's definitely got Beatles (Sgt Pepper) vibes which makes sense because it's produced by the same person. Rich orchestration, some lovely piano/organ, an absolutely sick bassist (Shabby Doll being the highlight). The drums are fantastic in places too. Elvis certainly has his own take on singing, it's got charm for me but I can see others recoil at it. It's a busy-patterned patchwork blanket of a record. Weird, whimsical -one I'll definitely return to.

Cyber future fever dream constructed from the sound memories of the masses drained by the mega corps. --------- The soundscapes are disjointed, glitchy and erratic. Like the classic tabletop RPG - cyberpunk transposed into a hip hop record. After watching interstellar last night this hit the mood. Mike's vocals are ok, although I really dislike the "singing" at times. His lyrics flow, and for me they are nothing compared to the atmospheric aspect of the album. I'm a big sci-fi guy, a genre often wild, sometimes prophetic. This certainly captures that vibe. [To the moon's contractor] was my personal favourite track, a jazzy sprawling bass driven ambient journey inter shot with machine like percussion that felt like walking across the wasteland in a massive Mech. It takes a while to get going, like a rocket countdown. One it's blasts off the album hits velocity and cruises into experimental spaces. 4* - so good I played it twice.