1001 Albums Summary

The next time I'm getting stoned in a planetarium, I'll fire this one up. Until then, I'll pass.

A thing that I have noticed as I've been listening to my random 1001 albums is how much tighter older albums are, because you could only fit ~45 minutes of sound onto an LP, and how much more often there is cuttable material on newer albums, because there is not that limit. I have loved this album since it came out, but it would be so much better if all of the skits, chit chat, and listing of members of the group were removed. In fact, I bet it would be a nice tight 45 minutes. Anyway...FIVE STARS.

I like Dusty Springfield. But, I couldn't help but notice that nearly all of the songs on this album are inferior covers of classic Motown and other R&B songs. I can imagine the author's thought process: On one hand, the Supremes, Shirelles, etc were important foundational artists and people should hear their songs. But, if too many of their albums are added to the list, there won't be space for the 6th best Radiohead album. What is one to do? The solution: how about an album of a British woman singing a bunch of those songs less well?...boom!

My impression of the GBV song writing process: “Hey, that’s a really good idea for a song! Let’s write a couple more verses and maybe a bridge or something” “Nope. Song’s done. We’re moving on.”

My five year old has a playlist of non- children’s songs he heard and said he liked. It’s a crazy list that ranges from booker t and the mgs to edvard grieg to fugazi to the spice girls. He’s listed to a lot of my albums from this list with me in the car and liked a few (and voiced his dislike of a few). He listed to this album with me and identified four songs that should go on his playlist. He also said “this music makes me dance”. I would probably give this a 3 or 4. But today we’re rating together, so it’s a 5.