1001 Albums Summary

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. It was perfectly fine. A little too long. 3.5 stars

Not too familiar with Van Morrison, but I thought this was pretty good. Worth a buy.

I thought it was fine when it came out but it never stuck with me over the years. I like it more now than I did 30+ years ago. Still not my preferred genre but I can see why this album is so highly regarded and influential.

I am not sure why I can’t get into Jazz. I like the individual elements in other genres, but when they are all put together I have a hard time engaging. Every few years I will give it another shot and I am usually underwhelmed or overwhelmed, depending on who is jazzing. I had high hopes for Jimmy Smith due to his inclusion in this project. It was fine. I was thoroughly whelmed. Not sure if I will ever revisit but I didn’t regret my time spent with the album. 2.5 stars

I really liked this. Murder Mystery was right up my alley and the album was bookended by some really pretty songs. I will definitely pick this up on vinyl. 4 stars.

Classic Album. 4.5 stars

I love Air. Talkie Walkie is one of my favorite albums. This is a pretty good score. Mellow. It has interesting moments. It fits in as a regular Air album, though it focuses more on mood than melody. I wouldn’t call it essential, but I enjoyed it. Having seen the movie didn’t really influence my opinion on the album, but being an Air fan probably did. 3.5 stars

Not much to say. The band/album name and cover was great. Train Song was the only song that stuck with me. I didn’t hate it, but I probably won’t revisit. 2 stars

Solid album. I remember enjoying it when it came out, but I never revisited the entire album since, just Take Me Out. Tell Her Tonight and Come On Home have been added to my library. I’m glad I listened to this again. 4 stars

My first thought when I saw this album pop up was “Oh No”. I really liked the first few Bjork albums. But at some point (maybe this album) I just didn’t have the patience anymore and I stopped following her releases. Revisiting this was fun. The pull for Bjork for me was always the production, which on this album was more minimalist than I prefer. But after a few songs I was able to adjust well. It took two sessions to finish this album, but ultimate I am glad I did. Don’t hate it as much as before but I will likely not revisit again as a whole, maybe a song or two. 3 stars Also, the “Oh No” that popped in my head wasn’t because I had to listen to this again, it was anticipating the reaction, lol.

I kept checking my app to make sure I wasn’t listening to demo versions. Some songs just sounded unfinished to me. Reading the Wikipedia for this band was a little more interesting than the music presented on the album. It picked up a little in the second half, but overall it was just fine. 2.5 stars

I liked a few songs from this album. It would be a great album to sample. Lots of interesting ideas. But towards the end I kept checking to see how many tracks i had left as i kind of wanted to be done with it. 3 stars

I think this is my first 5 star album for this project. Absolutely an essential album.

Some songs were poignant and heartfelt. Others sounded background music at a candle store. Altogether it was a solid album. 4 stars

It always seemed (given the amount of copies available at the record/thrift stores) that this album and Frampton Comes Alive were the biggest live albums to come from the seventies. I like the story that the reputation of this album grew their fan base in the US. Ultimately I thought it was just fine. I liked a few songs, the second half was stronger to me. Glad to have finally heard it but probably won’t listen again. 2.5 stars

I always rated this album low because I disliked the song ‘Bad’. So I never revisited any of his music after Thriller. I still hate ‘Bad’ as a song, but after a re-listen I think the rest of the album is solid. 4 stars

I made it through the end but it was kind of a slog. Wasn’t bad, just not my thing. 2 stars

Not much to say. I preferred when they leaned into the Memphis sound more than the Nashville sound, but overall it was fine. I wouldn’t be upset it it played in the background but I probably wouldn’t play it on my own. 2.5 stars

This had been on my list to listen to for a while. I had recently gotten into 70’s French pop like Veronique Sanson and was looking for more like that. I knew the name Serge Gainsbourg and the cover made me think it had female vocals so I stored it away to listen to later. When this popped up as today’s album I was excited. The music was fantastic! I recognized the first track from a Beck song. But instead of female vocals I got Serge talking over a groovy melody. Okay, fine. Again, the music had me bobbing my head. There was a weird approximation of sex, I think. Okay, I guess. Overall I enjoyed it a lot. I looked up the album on Wikipedia. What the fuck dude? Why?

The Pixies were not really on my radar during their heyday so this was a welcome surprise. I picked up Surfer Rosa a year ago on a whim and while I liked a few songs it wasn’t enough for me to explore them further. Had I listened to this first, I would have probably had a different reaction to the band. This was great! Not all of it worked for me and Frank Blacks vocals wore on me a little bit but wow this record had energy. I can absolutely see how it influenced many musicians. Will definitely add this to my collection. 4 stars

Naw.

Nah

One of the finest albums of any genre and this generations ‘What’s Going On’. Kendrick’s best in my opinion. Easy 5 stars Also, if you are offended by the language and content you are missing the point of this album. You’re not supposed to okay with the life that Kendrick experienced. This is not glorification, he is just telling you the too common story of being born into a world shaped by decades of systemic racism. That should make you upset, not how the participant is describing it.

Matangi is my favorite of her albums, but this is a close two. I like my music chaotic and unpredictable and this album delivers on both. 4.5 stars

Nope. I just can’t handle the crooning. The vocals all sounded the same. It was like he came to a studio and cut one long whiny vocal track and the band built 11 songs out of it. 2 stars

There wasn’t any song that grabbed me enough to save to my library, but overall I enjoyed the album. May have to have another listen. 3.5 stars

Solid album. A good start to a great discography. 4 stars

I had never even heard of SAULT so I was excited to hear something new to me. The album was good. Glad I heard it but I don’t know if I’ll seek out more from this band. 3.5 stars

The writing was great. The music was superb. Not a big fan of his singing. 3.5 stars

This album blew me away when it came out. The production was so different than what was out at the time. Still timeless. 5 stars

Maybe it because I have had too many whiny British dudes in a row, but I didn’t really like this outside of the Dusty song. 2 stars

This is probably a nostalgia score as I remember my sister loving this band at the time, so most of the songs are familiar. Also, I always thought they were German for some reason which made the banal lyrics seem charming. Turns out it’s just banal. 3.5 stars

Muse is a band that I like but can’t really sit through an album in one session. I get bored. This one is pretty good.

They would get better but this is a great, explosive start. 3.5 stars

I think this is the first Doors album I have listened to in full. Not bad. Real bluesy bar music. 3.5 stars

Never heard of this band or album. I can appreciate how cool this must have sounded in 1982. Some songs have a good melodies. Others sound they they pressed every button on the drum machine. 2.5 stars

This was my first time listening to Kate Bush. I knew the name, I was around during her heyday, but I never actually heard a record until now. This was great. At first I thought the tempo was too fast for her vocals but then the pace slowed a little and even got a little funky with Heads Were Dancing. Glad to check this off the list. I will have to listen to more. 4 stars

Not my thing. The drums and guitars sounded the same on most of the songs to me. 2 stars

The easiest 5 stars I will give on this project. Top 5 album for me. When it first came out, I hated it. I was so upset that it wasn’t Midnite Vultures II. Then something happened in my life at that time and this album suddenly came into focus for me. I lived and breathed it for months. I felt (and still feel) the strings in Lonesome Tears deep in my soul. I started out a lost cause and ended up doing fine. Still play it often and when I got a record player it was the first album I bought. 10 stars

The percussion on this is great. Lots of fun ideas and melodies. While I do like brass, I felt like I was being yelled at sometimes. Liked it, but probably won’t listen to it again.

Took a while to warm up to this album. Not the biggest folk music fan, but as soon as the orchestration came in I was more invested. Pretty good. 3.5 stars

I don’t know much about this band aside from the song ‘Dear God’. The album has a lot of the elements I like in music but it really doesn’t work for me. It sounded like someone wanted to make a Beatles album. Granted lots of artists want to make a Beatles album but nothing here felt sincere. 2.5 stars

Not a huge folk/bluegrass/country fan, but I always had a soft spot for Dolly and Willie. I have a few of her albums but I hadn’t heard this album. It was fine. It flowed nicely and ended strong. 3 stars

Great band. Great first album. Wish they still put out music.

This is the kind of stuff I was hoping to find in this project. Had my head bobbing often and I found myself making that face when you hear something funky. Really liked this. Will definitely add to my collection. 4 stars

Wonderful album. Immaculate production. Great songwriting. Beautiful vocals. Easy 5 stars.

Wow, I wasn’t expecting this, so many people to thank. I’d first like to thank the world. It’s been such a shitshow for the past decade that I really had to learn perseverance and resolve. I’d like to thank my parents. They both had hard lives in different ways and I am inspired on how they pushed through and tried to make the best of everything. Thank you to my kiddo. I know that I have to be a good role model and that it’s important to honor your commitments. But here I am, standing before you as someone who listened to a full Bob Dylan album. A double album at that. Lots of time to think. At times I wondered what I should have for dinner. Other times I was curious if it was a recycling week. At no point did I think that I was glad this was playing. This album did not change my opinion on Bob Dylan. He could be saying the most profound things but I wouldn’t know because it’s being masked by the most irritating vocal choices ever. Does he know he sounds like that? Someone should tell him. 2 stars just for the musicians. They did a pretty good job keeping me sane.

Only one song resembled music. I appreciate the experimentation, but it was like listening to someone noodle on a synth while watching old movies in the background. Giving it two stars because at least it was better than that Brian Eno airport album.

If literature and cinema can have their boogeymen, why can’t music? Eminem is a troll who mastered the art of rhyming. You’re repulsed by what he says but are amazed by how he says it. Hannibal Lecter and Patrick Bateman on wax. 4.5 star album but bumping it up for the pearl clutchers.

I knew of Teenage Fanclub because they collaborated with De La Soul on the best song of the Judgment Night soundtrack. I had not listened to them proper, so I was excited to check this album out. It sounded like the early 90’s. An easy listen. Background music for an episode of Beverly Hills 90210. I liked it, but nothing grabbed me enough to stop my puzzle to add a song to my library. 3 stars

Never heard of The Monks. Very much into this record. Hope to find it in a shop someday. Dropped to 4 stars because it starts to feel a little redundant towards the end.

I only knew this band as a teen from later songs ‘Kiss Them For Me’ and ‘Peek-A-Boo’, so I was interested in hearing a full, earlier album. It’s an interesting mix of goth and pop. Some of the songs sounded similar, but overall I liked it. 3.5 stars

I didn’t know she had another record outside of Back to Black. I knew this album existed but the shops have plenty of Amy Winehouse records so I thought Frank was another bootleg. Riveting information to share in a review. As for the album, it just feels like a less poppy Back To Black, probably due to the lack of Mark Ronson. I always felt that Amy’s sound was gimmicky. We already have Sharon Jones doing this much better. I wonder how her career would have progressed if she had not died so young. Would her sound evolve? Would she have a Stevie Nicks or Madonna phase? Unfortunately we will never know. The album was fine. Songwriting felt like a lot of role-playing. The production was solid. 3 stars

Not much to say. Everyone is talented and I’m sure their fans were excited to see them unite, but it didn’t do much for me. Kind of felt like the same song over and over. 2 stars

What a slog. That felt very long for an album of 2 minute songs. Just not my thing. 2 stars because I like my music weird just not that hard.

That was fun. I don’t think I have listened to this album in the past, but it felt like I knew all the songs already. Will definitely add to my collection. 4.5 stars

I let out an audible groan when I saw this album pop up. I hated the prior Morrissey I listened to for this project. This album was a little better, which I attribute to the rest of the Smiths. I just can’t with his crooning. 2 stars

I think my problem with prog is the same as my problem with Jazz; sometimes people just fucking about without concern to whether it flows well or is engaging. Every band member just getting their shit in. I don’t know much about ELP. For some reason I always thought they made music like Crosby Stills and Nash but that is just me being dumb about three name band names. This album had a lot of good ideas hidden behind all the noodling. I guess there was a story about an armadillo? Why? How high was everyone in the 70’s? That said I like my music weird and if this was tighter I would have probably enjoyed it more. I might check more out from this band. 2.5 stars

Sam and the band went hard. One of the better live albums I’ve heard. Some of the songs sounded the same, but overall it was a pretty easy listen. 3.5 stars

I’m honestly not a huge fan of Red Hot Chili Peppers. I listened to them in middle/high school and kind of fell off what they were doing after One Hot Minute. This album has them fully in their formula. I prefer crooner Kiedis to ‘rapper’ Kiedis. Actually I prefer zero Kiedis, but that’s not an option. Overall, the album is fine. It was a little too long and probably should have been sequenced differently. The band did a great job though. 2 stars

Not much to say. It was fine. Nothing bad, but nothing that stood out. Not sure why this is essential. 2.5 stars

I thought I would hate this album. I didn’t. I didn’t love it though, it was just better than expected. Might even listen to it again someday. 3 stars