1001 Albums Summary

Sound: Jazzy, eclectic Lyrics: Playful, laid-back Highs: "I Left My Wallet in El Segundo," "Can I Kick It?," "Ham 'n' Eggs" Lows: None, but later albums benefit from Phife's expanded presence

Sound: Dense, abrasive Lyrics: Aggressive, political Highs: "Bring the Noise," "She Watch Channel Zero?!," "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" Lows: None; every track is a banger

Sound: Lo-fi, scrappy Lyrics: Irreverent, catchy Highs: "Deceptacon," "The The Empty," "Phanta" Lows: "What's Yr Take on Cassavetes?," "Dude Yr So Crazy!!"

Sound: Heavy, psychedelic Lyrics: Surreal, mythic Highs: "Sunshine of Your Love," "World of Pain," "SWLABR" Lows: Meandering blues jams

Sound: Eclectic, nostalgic (strong Kinks influence) Lyrics: Observational, character-driven Highs: "Tracy Jacks," "End of a Century," "This Is a Low" Lows: "Girls & Boys" is the only track I actively dislike, but there's some filler

Sound: Warm, majestic Lyrics: Passionate, yearning Highs: "Cry to Me," "If You Need Me," "You Can't Love 'Em All" Lows: None; he sells every track with full conviction

Sound: G(eneric)-funk Lyrics: Introspective, fatalistic Highs: "Death Around the Corner" best exemplifies the album's themes Lows: Although he exhibits commendable self-awareness, watching 2Pac hurtle toward an inevitable end is tedious and grim

Sound: Experimental, brass-driven Lyrics: Romantic pop Highs: "Introduction," "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?," "I'm a Man" Lows: "Free Form Guitar"; also, it could have been a single LP

Sound: Murky, claustrophobic Lyrics: Anguished, raw Highs & Lows: Nothing stands out either way; the album is uniform in tempo and mood

Sound: Ziggy-era Bowie Lyrics: Road-weary Highs: "All the Way from Memphis," "I Wish I Was Your Mother" Lows: None

Pleasant, but unremarkable.