1001 Albums Summary

BEFORE: Had this CD as a teenager but haven't listened in years, although I still have Ready or Not on a few playlists. Let's see how it holds up... AFTER: First version of this I found was censored. No thanks. The beats and hooks mostly hold up well and Lauryn Hill was clearly an outstanding talent. Wyclef holds his own. The rhymes are hit and miss and it is hard to work out what Pras actually brought to the table, if anything. Falls off hard in the second half. Highlights: Ready or Not, Fu-Gee-La, Zealots, Family Business, Lauryn Hill when they let her sing without interrupting. Lowlights: Pras trying to rap, the racist nonsense after The Beast, The Mask, No Woman No Cry (I like Wyclef but he has no business covering Bob Marley and needs to stop trying). VERDICT: 3.5/5. Some hidden gems on there beyond the singles, but too uneven to be a classic.

BEFORE: I've definitely heard it before, I know and like a lot of the songs and already I know it's a massively influential album. Outside The Clash and Refused, I've never been a big punk guy. AFTER: 29 minutes. Banger after banger. Nothing outstays its welcome. Like AC/DC, they have a formula that works and don't stray too far from it. Joey's idiosyncratic delivery, the early rock and roll influences and the backing vocals really elevate these simple but powerful songs. An absolute classic and worth listening with a pair of decent headphones. It's also nice to hear a band who are so upfront about what they want. HIGHLIGHTS: Everything. LOWLIGHTS N/A VERDICT: A wonderful album. Influential and catchy as hell. 5 stars.

BEFORE: I haven't listened to this in full before but I did pick up a very worn copy on vinyl a few weeks ago that I've been meaning to listen to. My FIL was a big Willie Nelson fan and I'm familiar with Stardust and Georgia On My Mind. Funnily enough, I'm the same age as Willie was when he released Stardust. AFTER: Willie Nelson has one of the most beautiful voices of all time. Smooth but never too smooth. I don't listen to a lot of music this mellow but I'm a big Ray Charles fan and this scratches the same itch. HIGHLIGHTS: Georgia On My Mind, Blue Skies, Unchained Melody, On the Sunny Side of the Street, Moonlight in Vermont. LOWLIGHTS: Parts of September Song are a little soporific. I also struggle with this much harmonica. I know it's an essential part of the genre but it always reminds me of fucking Blues Traveler. VERDICT: 5 stars. A gentle, warm and beautifully realised album. The few elements I don't love are really just a matter of personal preference.

BEFORE: I'm generally with Jeff Lebowski when it comes to the Eagles. I was over-exposed to their earlier Greatest Hits by various drunk bogan relatives at family holidays, wedding receptions etc. but I'm a little more open-minded with this album and even partial to the singles in the right context. AFTER: The production is incredible. Every instrument sounds crystal-clear in the mix while preserving a strong sense of dynamics. The music itself is more of a mixed bag. HIGHLIGHTS: The guitar work on Hotel California, Life in the Fast Lane (I like Joe Walsh), Victim of Love apart from the the chorus, Try And Love Again even the ridiculous falsetto outro, the harmonies and production throughout. LOWLIGHTS: Wasted Time is turgid and forgettable in a way that no string section can fix. A Peter Cetera-level turd rolled in glitter. The Last Resort is a better ballad but is at least 2 minutes too long. Pretty Maids All In A Row is forgettable and the intro is cheesy. VERDICT: A light 4 stars. Too many ballads but otherwise better than I expected.