Album Reviews

Groovy, very nice album.

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Sometimes quite nice, but mostly just o.k. and a bit repetitive. favourite: "Sex Beat" 2,5

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A very mild and sweet album, sung gently and arranged tastefully. Certainly not exciting or innovative, but it’s not supposed to be. A calming slow-burn listen.

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some really good drumming but overall it was meh, shock rock that just doesnt

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nice enough

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not a fan of this kind of music

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Que buen concierto No parece del '69 definitivamente se adelantaron bastantes años a lo que es el punk, pero les quedó fino, y se mostraron muy diferentes a lo que la mayoría podía ofrecer en ese entonces Quien escucha el álbum se da cuenta de la calidad que procuraban tener a pesar de ser una banda de rock que podría uno pensar que es caos y desorden 3.7

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imponente.

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I really enjoyed "Waiting for a Dream" and a few other songs, but as a full album I think his vocal quirks (lotta mouth breathing) are kind of hard to listen to on end and some of the songs were really like...sharp? forlorn?

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Wenz: I quite like this album, especially the energy, favourite song is “Changes” Shermz: Its another Bowie album... I prefer this one. "Changes" wasnt too bad :) 3.5/5?

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Most of their best songs are on this album, which is incredible. Great mix of uptempo songs and a few ballads. They are truly great southern blues/rock musicians. 4/5 Will listen again

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Die US-amerikanische Chicagoer Instrumentalband Tortoise nahm ihr zweites Album zwischen Juni und September 1995 in zwei Chicagoer Studios auf: im Idful Music Corporation und im neu eröffneten Soma Electronic Music Studios – beide Male am Mischpult: John McEntire, zugleich Mitglied der Band. Erschienen im Januar 1996 auf Thrill Jockey, markiert das Album einen Wendepunkt, an dem Post-Rock, Krautrock, Dub und Elektronik nicht mehr als Einflüsse nebeneinanderstehen, sondern zu einem kohärenten Klangraum verschmelzen. Der Vorgänger hatte den Rahmen abgesteckt; dieses Album füllt ihn aus. Das Herzstück ist „Djed", eine 21-minütige Komposition, die durch rund 15 Mixstufen ging und am Ende klingt, als hätte sie diese Arbeit nie gekannt – ruhig, zwingend, unaufhörlich. Marimba, Vibraphon, Bass und Elektronik schichten sich übereinander, ohne je zu drängen. Die kürzeren Stücke – „Glass Museum", „A Survey", das eindringliche „Dear Grandma and Grandpa" – funktionieren als Ruhepunkte und Kontrapunkte zugleich und geben dem Album eine Dramaturgie, die über reine Atmosphäre hinausgeht. Dave Pajo, der hier erstmals als Bandmitglied zu hören ist, verleiht dem Ganzen eine dezente gitarristische Textur, die nie vordergründig wird. Millions Now Living Will Never Die ist kein Album, das erklärt, was es tut. Es tut es einfach – und das mit einer Selbstverständlichkeit, die auch nach fast drei Jahrzehnten nicht verblasst ist. Der Maßstab, an dem sich Tortoise bis heute messen lassen muss.

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Considering how much CS&N and CSN&Y I've listened to over the years, I'm surprised I've never listened to this album. It's got strong bluegrass and blues roots, and I really REALLY like it. So sometimes this 1001 albums list does find me a gem.

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No es mi género

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Garage really isn't thing and listening to it while marking maths books probably isn't the correct setting, however, actually surprised how much I didn't mind it.

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I cant quite put my finger on why I dont like it but I don't.

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Mother fucking Rush

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Background music for elevators.

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Banger after banger Reminds me of jazz poetics Literally lost myself in the sauce

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Every song the Stranglers make just seems to be enjoyable. I find it hard to really call them Punk, but they are a sort of proto New Wave / Art rock band with some Punk elements to it. They just make really nice songs, not too long or too short. They all sound different from one another while still being somewhat similar.

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Seems great. Didn't get a very detailed listen. I think I could definitely quite like this. As it happened didn't hugely grab me but sounded good in a lot of places

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I’m not listening to an hour of this as my 100th album

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As manufactured bands go, Spice Girls had more integrity.

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Bernie Rhodes' little bitches, a sanctimonious nepo-baby boy-band.

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Parasites cosplaying as urban guerilla. Yawn.

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Being a middle age guy and standing in the kitchen and having coffee this morning with my wife of 20 years while Sex on Fire is playing is the height of irony. I was barely competent in the sack when I was in my prime, now the only thing on fire is my lower back pain. I'd be laughing right now if it wasn't so damn depressing. Like my last Kings of Leon album, it's much better later in the day. This cats vocals pre coffee are a no go for me, but it's all good this evening. Jared Followill is a badass bass player. Very tasty bass lines and the highlight of this album in my opinion.

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I'll admit, I came into this album with some preconceived notions of Elvis Costello and thought I knew what I was getting into, but from the first track I was thrown for a loop. Not so great at first, but by "Tokyo Storm Warning" I'd acquired enough of a taste to settle in. That's when I started to hear so many of the 90s bands that must have been directly influenced by his 33 studio albums. Toad the Wet Sprocket, The Wallflowers, Spoon, Weezer, Wilco, whoever the hell did the Friends theme... Hell, Soul Asylum directly incorporated the skeleton of "Blue Chair" into "Runaway Train," and their singer probably owes him royalties for his stellar impression. There are even hints of Sublime in here, which I'd never have expected to hear. Like most albums, some of it worked better than others, but even when it wasn't great, it was interesting, and I definitely preferred his voice in the calm stuff to the almost punky screaming he'd tear into every so often. But all respect to The Attractions, who pretty well lived up to their names. All in all, it was better than I expected, and while I'm more likely to check out some of his other material than I was before, I'm more inclined to reach for some of those influenced artists I mentioned earlier and show my appreciation that way. It's a solid 3.5/5 that I'll round up in thanks for the legacy.

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Nope. Didn't like this at all. Who told them they could 'rock' out the organ? (1/5) I thought **I** was a nerd, but nooo... Emerson & Co. come along and make the dorkiest, dork-fest of an organ album they could imagine with tracks like "The Curse of Baba Yaga". Alright, guys. You failed your saving throws and it's time to leave the church. Get off the organ/synths... Step away from the keyboard, please...

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The Good: (spoiler alert) THE LAST LC album I have to listen to on this list!!! The Bad: The fact that I had to listen to THREE of his albums… The Ugly: Mr Dimery’s face all smashed in by my fist—this is my imagination, I don’t condone violence… though at times this journey just pulls the worse out of you… If you own a dusty coffee shop, where 2-3 regulars show up only on rainy Wednesday afternoons, well then this is your album! We all know that LC is a poet… yet, as many have said before me, and I will gladly repeat, he has NO BUSINESS performing his own songs. The only positive thing about this album is that it is now done and I will never have to listen to LC again, unless it is accidentally thrust onto me in a movie or some empty dusty coffee shop on a rainy Wednesday afternoon... 1*

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Music is pure magic. I remember hearing Mountain Song on KNAC when it was new and not liking it. Sometime in early '89 I was hanging with friends, drinking and smoking, and this CD got thrown on. Well I was gobsmacked, Ocean Size, Jane Says and Summertime Rolls floored me, with the latter probably having my favorite lyric of all time, 'if you want a friend feed any animal.' I must have internalized that at some point in my life, considering I have 4 dogs and 6 cats that are either hand me downs from people who weren't responsible for their shit or cast-offs that just showed up at my abode and promptly received food and water, and a name if they stuck around. Throw in the occasional opossum, raccoon, skunk, deer and hummingbird that also show up to eat and I consider myself fantastically lucky that I'm able to help another living being breathe a little easier. Fuck money, that is my definition of being wealthy. But anyway, this one's in the top 25 of the entire list for me. It's too bad Jane's imploded, another what could've been band. If you like this, check out Deconstruction, it's Eric Avery and Dave Navarro's project right after JA. The vocals are pretty deadpan and just ok, but if you can get past that, the music, songs and lyrics are pure brilliance. Another huge thanks to Alex for creating this site, it's been an exquisite Sunday morning listen on the patio. Sunshine, coffee and singing birds are good for the soul. No talking, man, all action.

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KD had one shot in the singing locker and she fired it on this album of covers and her next album of originals Absolute Torch and Twang. Both records are fabulous and some of my all time favourite music. Once you've heard those two records you've heard KD, pretty much. This is a gem, beautifully produced by Owen Bradley, giving KD that direct link to Patsy Cline. The song selection is perfect, starting with Chris Isaacs sublime Western Stars, through to Black Coffee. The arrangements are exactly right and KD is nicely restrained by Owen; she also gets it exactly right. A stunning timeless piece of Nashville.

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This album gets 5 stars for Moving in Stereo being the song playing during the Phoebe Cates swimming pool scene. As the kids say, IYKYK. This is one of the best debut albums of all time. 6 of the 9 songs are straight up classics.

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Manure

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I worked at Scratches Records in Newtown in the early 90s. We had a significant lesbian clientele, and we sold boxes of this album. Literal boxes. It was a big seller for us. But this wasn't really my bag at the time. I was young and male and into rock and I didn't like country, so I didn't really pay this much heed. I haven't listened to Shadowland in over thirty years. During that, I have chilled out somewhat and developed an affinity for torch songs and some understanding of country music. So it's interesting to see how I find this record now. And holy fuck, what have I been sleeping on? This is amazing! A perfectly constructed throwback to Patsy Cline (thank you Owen Bradley) in production, song choice and performance. And what a voice! I am overwhelmed with how beautiful this record is! That moment in Western Stars at about 1:30 where her voice blends into the lap steel, and you can't separate them, oh my god! Rummaging around in the backwaters of my record collection, it turns out I own a copy of this record. Well, that is living on the turntable for the foreseeable future. Five stars, no notes. (Tangential gripe -- why didn't Dimery include a Patsy Cline record on his list? I guess she didn't really do "albums" as this list defines them, but that seems like a significant oversight.)

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Duck Rock? Uh, ok..? the British (UK) slant on this list is on full display here, it seems, after reading the reviews before going in. I've never heard of it or him (even in passing) and I consider myself pretty knowledgeable in music. I've been a good sport, so far, but I hold little hope. I do vaguely recognize "Buffalo Gals", but it's been eons since I've heard it. What the actual f*ck is this? Is this what cocaine does? I've never had the privilege. This clinches it -- I officially know what the soundtrack to cocaine sounds like. What a hyperactive mess. I chuckled at the absurdity of it. It's definitely something, but it's not anything I care for. "Jive My Baby" and "Duck For The Oyster" actually had me rolling around laughing they were so absurd. Not sure that was the intent. (1.5/5) because I laughed (unintentionally), but rounding down because there is nothing redeeming here. It actually felt more like an assault.

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Any redeeming qualities of this album (and there are very few) are overshadowed by just the slightest modicum of research about this guy. I won't waste my time expounding.

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This one is far from my favorite of theirs, and frankly ranges from laughably pretentious to downright annoying. There's some decent substance between all of that, and there's obvious proficiency on display, but the tone of the synthesizer lends a cartoonish quality that undermines the overall effect. It's a 2/5 that made me spin Lucky Man just to get the taste out of my mouth.

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This was a progressive rock band going full progressive rock band. And me, well, I am a sucker for classical music done by rock bands. I enjoyed this. That acoustic guitar on “The Sage” was a nice piece. The “Live” nature of the recording also added a layer of fun to the whole album too.

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Not gonna lie, after the initial "what the fuck are we doing here," I actually found this one quite fun and refreshing. In fact, I'd have given a much higher rating if it had been fully instrumental, as the singing threw off some of the groove for me (not speaking the language or having a cultural connection can do that, unfortunately). The fusion of jazz, disco, and traditional Indian music must have caught me in the right mood, as it struck a chord I didn't expect to like as much as I did. Still, while I liked it better than a number of other albums we've had on this list, it isn't something I'm likely to revisit (with the exception of Baby Let's Dance Together, which is legitimately going into my rotation) so it hits the ceiling at a 3/5.

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Well, this album kicks ass. Easily the best Buckley album on the list. It's got certified badass Chuck Rainey and groove machine Ed Greene on it, these cats are a couple of all timers locking it down. Now for the elephant in the room, the lyrics are just weird. It sounds to me like Warner Bros. were pushing Tim in a direction to bring up sales. This dudes other albums aren't like this at all lyrically. This comes across like a guy locked in the isolation booth with a few grams of cocaine ad-libbing songs about fucking. If you can get past that, the music on this is funky and way above average, these musicians and backup singers are pros and know how to jam. Spin it a few times and ignore the lyrics and you'll hear what I'm saying.

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Bjork is a pop music genius and a true artist. She has a strong vision and works well with her carefully chosen collaborators who can fit to her creative process. Her approach to melody and expression is immediately identifiable; surprising and yet still catchy. On Medulla,she extends into some pretty esoteric space. You couldn't accuse her of phoning it in -- she is fully committed to the concept. But it often seems overly cerebral and occasionally untethered -- Ancestors is a particular example of where this comes off the rails. And it drags on. I can admire the thought and craft, but out stays its welcome. I strongly defend her artistic right to do whatever the hell she wants. But I personally can't keep up with this

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I can’t believe the top review for this record (as of Dec 2023) is from someone trying to use their PhD in Mathematics as justification for not liking hip-hop. Weak.

Oh fuck yeah, now we're talking. Wait no, I swear I'm not being pretentious. This is the lowest rated album on this site because I guess mostly people aren't very fond of German people smashing metal plates together - who would have guessed. But halle-fucking-lujah, this is something this list needs more of. Albums that make you go "well, that was an experience and now I'm a changed man". Nobody is lying on their deathbed wishing they heard more crappy 80s post-punk or late 60s psychedelic rock. THIS is what we all deserve to be listening to as we embrace eternal oblivion. I'm giving this a high rating not only because I genuinely really love it, but also to help Kid Rock move to his rightful place as the actual worst album on this list. Together we can make a difference. Save the turtles.

Brings back vivid memories of when me and my mate Ray went on a trip to Dresden. We met this rotund goth in a bar, head to toe with tattoos and piercings, real filth and after a while took her into the disabled bogs for a spit roast. We were both pumping away in her with Napalm Death on in the background and her wailing "MEIN GOTT" at the top of her lungs. I remember spaffing all over her back just as Siege of Power kicked in. As i shoot over her, she takes Ray's cock out of her gob and says "do you want fries with that?" in a faux American accent. Anyway, we go outside and there's this gammy little geezer in a wheelchair sitting there furious, giving me daggers, because he's had to wait so long, so I lean into him and I go "I hope you have as much fun in there as we just did you little cunt".

Back when I was in college I used to go to a bar and listen to Neil tunes and do magic tricks for women. There was a bartender there, he was the best. I loved that guy. Some of the best years of my life.

Back when I was in college, there was this dude who would come into the bar I worked at on a Friday night and play fucking 10 Neil Young songs in a row. He would also hit on girls by doing magic tricks. I remember how angry I got every time he made me listen to an hour of Neil Young because I was just trying to have a good time, and he fucking made me listen to this sad, soppy fuck who writes nothing but songs that sound indistinguishable from each other and never seemed to enjoy a happy moment in his entire like. Fuck that guy, and fuck Neil Young. 2/5

Shit like this on the list is both refreshing and infuriating. Refreshing because it is good, fun, interesting, and also not something I would regularly be exposed to! It's why I started this project and keeps me coming back. It's infuriating because the fact that it is included here means that Robert Dimery, the original author of the 1001 albums list is aware that music like this exists. He's clearly aware that there is an entire world of music out there. SO WHY HAVE I LISTENED TO 200 80s BRITISH NEW WAVE ALBUMS AND 200 SCOTTISH ROCK ALBUMS FROM THE 90S??!!?

Rap isn't my preferred genre of music. But I'm a shitty mathematician so I enjoyed this.

I really don't get rap, and I am completely aware of why. I'm a STEM guy, specifically a Ph.D. student in mathematics. Although my verbal intelligence is quite high, it's still about a standard deviation below my quantitative intelligence. Therefore, it should not be too surprising that I prefer melodies to lyricism, and that a genre based on the latter doesn't wow me. I know I'm pretty far out of step with public opinion on this one, but that can easily be attributed to the fact that hipsters with humanities degrees (i.e. extremely verbal-dominant people) are considered the ultimate arbiters of taste for some reason. (Side note: this also explains why prog rock is seen as being for losers.) Best song: Be (Intro), which had a decent instrumental part at the beginning. Everything else just sort of ran together.

Sorry Boomers/Gen X, I was like 20 when this came out so it's one of the best things to ever happen to me. Sorry it's not King Crimson or whatever.

Rage In Favor Of The Machine.

Music for incels to wank furiously by

i ain’t listening to all that i’m happy for u tho or sorry that happened

I am definitely not the target demographic for this album, but I still thought it was very good. There's a lot of skill and artistry put into these tracks, so much so that it is almost invisible. 4 stars for me, plus an extra star just to spite the mathematics PHD guy.

The beauty of music is that it is subjective. It’s typically great for a certain group of people, though it’s never right for everyone. Some for the masses, some more niche, but it all has its place. Meanwhile, with lists like this, there’s always artists or records that anyone would have put on in place of what actually made it. Personally, I would have included Queensryche’s Operation Mindcrime, Live’s Throwing Copper, Joe Satriani’s The Extremist, Sara Bareilles’ Little Voice, or John Mellencamp’s Scarecrow album on a list of must hear records. Others would put totally different albums on and that's awesome. What someone likes vs. dislikes is truly subjective. Again, that's the beauty. With that said, this album objectively sucks. I mean truly horrible. Something had to be the lowest rated album on the list, and this was a place well earned. There is nothing redeemable about this record. To quote my wife, “they should have stopped at 1,000.”

this album is everything that punk pretends to be.