1001 Albums Summary

A classic Beatles album with few misses. It’s easy to tell this is an influential album even to this day, as I experienced “Within or Without You,” a song that uses unique instruments that seem foreign. However, I believe it can be said that Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band is not the magnum opus of The Beatles. Overall, this is an album that I would recommend to anyone who appreciates classics like this.

Kenya by Machito is a fun jazz album that combines traditional and more modern instruments to create a musical blend. To me, this is done exceptionally well and a consistently intriguing album results. The reason for the score is due to its lack of obvious influence rather than enjoyment of each song. Overall, Kenya is a great album that I would recommend to jazz listeners, but I do not view this album as the perfect introduction into the genre.

Like any calm jazz album, Time Out explores the limits of music through complex compositions. I saw a crescendo in Take Five, the stand out track from this record. Peaking at #2 on the billboards, popularity and significance is undeniable. However, personally, this album is, at times, seemingly lackluster and its structure is not well defined, a jazz constant which is accentuated here, to my discontent.

A gritty rock album with enticing riffs and questionable lyrics, Sticky Fingers remains a classic 55 years after its release. Other than the strange melodies of “You Gotta Move,” these songs are consistently interesting and groovy. After full creative independence, The Rolling Stones expand on their sound, experimenting with the blues and song structure; I found myself enjoying this subtle spin on the classic rock and roll of the time.

Can someone check on this guy? Mellow yet never dull, On the Beach contains many slow, peaceful ballads. Tracks like “Walk On,” “See the Sky About to Rain,” and “Revolution Blues” are well composed and work the melancholy into the song without being totally depressing. “For the Turnstiles” seems to be the only poor song, unfortunately featuring a banjo and a style of singing that does not fit with Neil. Still, this album fills its time with a balance of lyrics and instrumental breaks that adds to the delicate sound.