488
Albums Rated
3.37
Average Rating
45%
Complete
601 albums remaining
Rating Distribution
Rating Timeline
Taste Profile
2010
Favorite Decade
Hip-hop
Favorite Genre
UK
Top Origin
Wordsmith
Rater Style ?
75
5-Star Albums
22
1-Star Albums
Breakdown
By Genre
Top Styles
By Decade
By Origin
Albums
You Love More Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Arular
M.I.A.
|
5 | 2.84 | +2.16 |
|
Crazysexycool
TLC
|
5 | 3.08 | +1.92 |
|
In Our Heads
Hot Chip
|
5 | 3.1 | +1.9 |
|
Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
|
5 | 3.12 | +1.88 |
|
The Bones Of What You Believe
CHVRCHES
|
5 | 3.17 | +1.83 |
|
The Blueprint
JAY Z
|
5 | 3.19 | +1.81 |
|
Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Aphex Twin
|
5 | 3.21 | +1.79 |
|
Phrenology
The Roots
|
5 | 3.24 | +1.76 |
|
The Chronic
Dr. Dre
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
|
The Man Machine
Kraftwerk
|
5 | 3.31 | +1.69 |
You Love Less Than Most
| Album | You | Global | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Here Are the Sonics
The Sonics
|
1 | 3.16 | -2.16 |
|
At Budokan
Cheap Trick
|
1 | 3.1 | -2.1 |
|
Porcupine
Echo And The Bunnymen
|
1 | 3.09 | -2.09 |
|
Spiderland
Slint
|
1 | 2.97 | -1.97 |
|
A Date With The Everly Brothers
The Everly Brothers
|
1 | 2.96 | -1.96 |
|
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators
The 13th Floor Elevators
|
1 | 2.95 | -1.95 |
|
Very
Pet Shop Boys
|
1 | 2.94 | -1.94 |
|
White Light / White Heat
The Velvet Underground
|
1 | 2.89 | -1.89 |
|
The New Tango
Astor Piazzolla
|
1 | 2.88 | -1.88 |
|
Nick Of Time
Bonnie Raitt
|
1 | 2.84 | -1.84 |
Artists
Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Arcade Fire | 3 | 4.67 |
| Pink Floyd | 3 | 4.67 |
| Aretha Franklin | 2 | 5 |
| Michael Jackson | 2 | 5 |
| Johnny Cash | 2 | 5 |
| Oasis | 2 | 5 |
| OutKast | 2 | 5 |
| Fela Kuti | 2 | 5 |
| Nirvana | 3 | 4.33 |
| Radiohead | 3 | 4.33 |
| Bob Marley & The Wailers | 3 | 4.33 |
| Black Sabbath | 3 | 4.33 |
| Prince | 3 | 4.33 |
| The Kinks | 3 | 4.33 |
Least Favorites
| Artist | Albums | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Echo And The Bunnymen | 3 | 1.67 |
Controversial
| Artist | Ratings |
|---|---|
| Pet Shop Boys | 1, 4 |
| Miles Davis | 2, 4, 5, 3 |
5-Star Albums (75)
View Album Wall
Popular Reviews
Black Sabbath · 5 likes
5/5
Did everyone get given Sabbath today, the day after Ozzy's death?
I mean, it was apt and brilliant and exactly what today needed, so it's a 5
Ananda Shankar · 3 likes
2/5
The sitar is such an intense instrument that listening intently to an album of it can be overwhelming, sometimes in a good, powerful way, but overall, for me, in a way that batters my senses. Nice to have a range of cultural influences across my albums though, even if I'm not entirely on board.
Limp Bizkit · 2 likes
4/5
Despite having enough understanding of music now that I really shouldn't be scoring this well, I can't deny my 12 year old self a reasonable rating on this one. This got me through many unnecessarily angst-filled moments in my teenage years with it's catchy, shouty lyrics that were so simple that a stupid 12 year old could sing along to. Its driving, growling guitars helped fuel the teenage rage. 'Significant Other' was my favourite album from them mind, I would have probably given that 5 stars.
Van Morrison · 2 likes
5/5
I bought his way back after loving Astral Weeks, and particularly Ballerina from that album. It's very different and way more accessible but still a beautiful album and seemingly so full of love. One of my regrets was seeing Van Morrison at Glastonbury and not really engaging with it, an unappreciative 16 year old who didn't know anything except Brown Eyed Girl!
Joni Mitchell · 1 likes
4/5
Mitchell's voice is never not beautiful and the arrangements always complement her so perfectly. It's not 'Blue' but very few albums come close to that.
1-Star Albums (22)
All Ratings
John Lennon
4/5
Not a bad start to the year. Had listened and liked before but not owned. Might purchase if the right price! Jealous guy resonates.
Elliott Smith
4/5
Surprised and pleased. Ben Folds vibes. Not heard of him at all before this I don't think so appreciated the find. Sad to hear about passing at such a young age too
Aretha Franklin
5/5
That was brilliant. Starting an album with Chain of Fools like that is outrageous. What a great January pick-me-up on a cold morning. Easily 5 stars. Will purchase for my CD collection.
Genesis
2/5
Never listened to a Genesis album before. It wasn't as bad as I expected, like a softer version of Zeppelin. The theme is a good one, but no songs really caught my attention.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Not my go-to, however, had shared this in class last term as a 10 year album anniversary and had grown to appreciate it a little more than I would have at face value. Happy enough to listen to it again today.
Fleetwood Mac
3/5
Having listened to Rumours so much, you'd have thought that the follow up would have been heard too. I didn't even really recognise any tracks. I enjoyed it, but seemed a bit bloated and not as rich a sound, or as emotionally charged as Rumours. ,3 and a half if I could.
Spiritualized
2/5
A bit drab, not for me
The Charlatans
4/5
A less whiny Oasis. This was actually far better than I would have expected. Have probably heard odd tracks from the group but I would listen again happily. 4 stars just about.
Dire Straits
4/5
This was good. Then went and listened to all of Brothers in Arms too. Sultans of Swing is absolutely brilliant and worth the high rating alone. The voice ans guitar playing is just lovely.
Arcade Fire
5/5
The first album received that I actually owned, 10 days in. It is one of my favourite albums by the group, and I love the group too. An obvious 5/5 for me.
Nirvana
5/5
The start of this album is incredible really. It is hard to comprehend an opening 3 tracks like that. The rest of the album needs some respect too. Absolute 5/5
Boards of Canada
4/5
The found samples within were great. For fans of Endtroducing, I feel this would be liked, and that's me! The opening tracks didn't hook me in completely but it grew well. Whenever the bass hit harder, it was better!
Miles Davis
2/5
Obviously brilliantly talented and a very pleasant listen. But I wouldn't choose to listen too a whole album of trumpet normally. But I guess that's kinda the point! Some beautiful tracks that I felt needed to be listened to in a far more focused and appreciative manner than through my phone while in the shower. Probably a 2-2.5
Frank Sinatra
4/5
Some absolute classics on here and no denying that voice. But what the hell is 'makin whoopie'???!!!! Goes from a 5 star to a 4 just for that track. 'of the times' I'm sure?
Curtis Mayfield
3/5
Without a doubt, a beautiful voice and some powerful messages. Hard times, having heard the Roots cover was good to hear the original! I didn't actually know it was Curtis Mayfield. Strong album but no super stand out tracks. About a 2.5, but will give a 3
Echo And The Bunnymen
1/5
Uninteresting. Not caught me at all. Least favourite yet.
Dr. Dre
5/5
Always a classy, the skits are a bit much now and very dick-based!
Slint
1/5
Well this was a bit of a challenge. The vocals were difficult to enjoy, engage with or understand. If this had been instrumental it may have managed a 3. I think I'm going for a 1.
Fun Lovin' Criminals
4/5
First time listening all the way through. Weirdly once got this album accidentally instead of a Funkmaster Flex album after a mix up placing the CDs by the shop assistant. Didn't listen to it then, but this is much better than Funkmaster Flex. Scooby Snacks and Fun Lovin Criminal are the obvious bangers in here but there is a lot of other good quality with a nice sprinkling of brass instruments throughout. Huey Morgan's radio show on a Saturday on 6 music also shows me he knows his stuff and is super eclectic. £1 on music magpie so going to buy!
Van Morrison
5/5
I bought his way back after loving Astral Weeks, and particularly Ballerina from that album. It's very different and way more accessible but still a beautiful album and seemingly so full of love. One of my regrets was seeing Van Morrison at Glastonbury and not really engaging with it, an unappreciative 16 year old who didn't know anything except Brown Eyed Girl!
Slipknot
1/5
I listened to the first 7 tracks. It's not my thing. I can see how it could be someone's hing though. Only a 1 for me though.
Garbage
4/5
This is strong. Quality 90s fare. Powerful voice and some catchy riffs. Stupid Girl weirdly can on the radio on the way home from work today too, which is a top track.
Kraftwerk
5/5
Only 6 tracks, give me more!!
Radiohead
4/5
I remember being a snob about this album when it came out and you could choose how much you wanted to pay to download it. I felt that it devalued it at the time and wrongly assumed this meant it would have been made in a less caring way perhaps. I own three other albums and love The Bends and Ok Computer so it's a nonsense that I'd never heard this in full. Needs more listening for me to give it it's full value, which I think is probably quite high. 4, later rising to 5 probably from me.
Barry Adamson
3/5
This was really interesting and would never have been something I would have otherwise chosen to listen to. An intriguing experience and a great premise. Feels like it deserved a film to accompany it!
The Boo Radleys
2/5
I'm not convinced that this album truly belongs on the list. There were some nice enough tracks but it hardly felt earth-shattering. I kinda felt like I could have listened to the rather similar-styled Belle and Sebastian and probably any of their albums would have outshone.
Alice In Chains
3/5
Had never knowingly listened before and I have to admit I enjoyed! A great Monday album to get you going. Reading the accompanying notes, it seems they are a lot bigger than I imagined and the album seems pretty well crafted. A strong 3+
Can
3/5
I was quite enjoying this until the 18 minute long Aumng, which I have to admit, lost me a little.
Neu!
3/5
The instrumental parts were good! Not massively enjoyable vocals.
The Crusaders
3/5
Street life is such a tune, and I doubt I've ever listened to the full length track, so that was a pleasure. The rest of the album was pleasant enough!
Neil Young & Crazy Horse
4/5
This had one a half listens. Didn't get all the way through last time. I wanted to go back to it though as enjoyed the first half a lot. Beautiful voice and some very nicely crafted songs.
Ramblin' Jack Elliott
3/5
Soothing and enjoyable half an hour.
TLC
5/5
Barely a track that doesn't hit hard. Could go without the interludes of 90s hip hop, but worth it for the main content!
Willie Nelson
3/5
As an album of covers, this holds its weight. It would be easy for it to not seem heartfelt and important. Nelson clearly felt strongly about these tracks and his versions felt necessary.
Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
3/5
I feel like this seems like the precursor to a lot of music made by a multitude of different artists. Some really great rhythms that sounds like a lot of modern music. Winner.
Roxy Music
3/5
Haunting vocals and a voice that is probably a bit marmite for some. There are times in this album that it hit well and others where I craved something a little smoother and more fluid. But when it was good it was just right. Not their best album but worth a listen.
Michael Jackson
5/5
Never listened in it's entirety. Only ever really listened to Bad and Thriller as a full piece. Enjoyed this earlier stuff and the joy of it. It isn't the same polished masterclass as later albums but there is still an immense talent being displayed, and not sounding at all outdated.
Johnny Cash
5/5
I've not listened to many live albums, but most of them that I have, have nothing like as unique an audience. It's a brilliant idea, and the choice of songs that are played along with crowd interaction is quite brilliant.
Ananda Shankar
2/5
The sitar is such an intense instrument that listening intently to an album of it can be overwhelming, sometimes in a good, powerful way, but overall, for me, in a way that batters my senses. Nice to have a range of cultural influences across my albums though, even if I'm not entirely on board.
Hot Chip
5/5
This was an absolute tonic. Great album. I have their three that precede this and have somehow managed to go without listening to this. 'Flutes' is a gem, and was blasted with rattling bass in the car. Already purchased for my CD collection before the day is done. Still holds that mix of party and raw heartfelt emotion that all hot chip albums seem to.
Elvis Costello
3/5
Pleasant enough, but didn't do a lot for me
The Cramps
3/5
It's fun, and full-on, and energetic and reminds me of skateboarding as a youth.
Coldcut
4/5
This was a great throwback to when I used to listen to DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist with Product Placement and Brain freeze. They were regularly spun on my CD player whilst doing my paper round. Arguably, those were better constructed than this. Finding a copy to listen to was also a challenge!!
Big Star
4/5
Brilliant. This is exactly the type of rock I can get on board with. This is what the 70s would have sounded like to me when I picture it. This might however be heavily influenced by the song from the opening to 'that 70s show' being on this album (which was a revelation to me)
The Doors
3/5
Never been big on the doors but nice to listen to an album with what appeared to have a cohesive identity and feel. Seemed to link seamlessly and was enjoyable.
Orbital
4/5
This started a bit shakily, but really grew as the album went on, finishing with a couple of really quite beautiful tracks.
X-Ray Spex
3/5
Amyl and the Sniffers must be inspired by these guys somewhat, lots of similarities. It was quite fun and felt much more modern than 1978.
Arcade Fire
4/5
This album has a strong start and finish but gets a bit drab and samey in the middle. It doesn't hit as hard as Funeral or Neon Bible, or arguably even Reflector. But it's still got a lot of great quality within it.
The Verve
2/5
Way too much of this mid-90s dirge. I can see Urban Hymns being on the list, but not sure this one deserves to make the cut.
David Bowie
2/5
I'm sure there will be better Bowie albums on this list, and I'm sure I've probably been given one of the lesser choices for my first of this project. Just felt a bit like it was a laborious vanity project that didn't achieve anything.
Holger Czukay
4/5
This was cool. I love it when I get something completely from left field. Never heard of this in any way, and was fully engaged for the duration. Felt like it was probably breaking a lot of ground on the sampling front, so I can see how it may hold some important significance. Regardless, worthy!
Elvis Presley
4/5
Yes please, some classics here. Never listened to an Elvis album in its entirety until today. Love a good rock n roll/pop tune that clocks in at less than 2 and a half minutes, and he is the king for that.
Shivkumar Sharma
4/5
Beautiful, soothing and a perfect example of using music for great storytelling.
Kraftwerk
3/5
My previous Kraftwerk album, 'The Man Machine' is superior to this, I believe. So it was a shame it didn't live up to those levels, but still solid electronica.
Alanis Morissette
2/5
What is it about her voice that grates so much? The undulating, whiny nature to large portions of this make it hard work. Whenever I listen to Ironic, I can't help but be reminded by Ed Byrne's comedy bit about her being a 'moaning cow'. That 5 minute sketch watched again on YouTube was more enjoyable than the album listen-through for me
Mudhoney
2/5
Whilst this probably had some important cultural and musical impact on a lot of bands that I quite like, I don't think it has necessarily held up particularly well sadly. A little bit flat and uninspiring.
Butthole Surfers
1/5
Sometimes I think there are albums on the list designed just to make you grateful for the other albums that are actually good.
A group of boys get together in their garage, shout 'kuntz' and 'hay' over some poorly constructed tracks.
Ash
4/5
Sounds like my youth
Joan Armatrading
5/5
Oh man, a beauty, after a week of grafting through some dire albums, this was an absolute gem on a Friday. My heart melts at her voice and the stories she can craft for us. I'd heard about her before and a couple of tracks, but that was just... Mighty
Blondie
5/5
Some albums are just perfect aren't they?
Steely Dan
4/5
A really solid, jazz-infused, pleasure
Kate Bush
5/5
There can't be many better album starts. Her voice is haunting and full of love and passion. The energy throughout is brimming. A wonderful creation
Destiny's Child
3/5
It sounds a little dated now. Emotion is a great tune and a real precursor to Beyonce's solo stuff
Gene Clark
4/5
I could listen to this voice all day.
The Electric Prunes
2/5
Partly might just be the poor quality YouTube video I had to resort to in order to consume this album, but sound quality seemed poor. Some really random tracks that I can only describe as being 'funfair' that seemed awkward and out of place. When they tried to rock a bit more it wasn't too bad.
This was my 65th generated album but took me until 383 to actually listen. Wasn't particularly worth the wait.
The Rolling Stones
5/5
This was one of the first, if not the very first albums I bought with my first teacher pay check. So consistent, amazing guitar and soulful backing vocals in particular. The country / rock mesh is just right.
Van Morrison
4/5
I love Van Morrison anyway, but the live band with him steals the show here. Strings and brass are beautifully performed to some of his best works.
Klaxons
3/5
Ahh, I'm 18 again. Dancing around with a pint of fosters and an endless desire for 'new' music and other new conquests. Some of that new music wasn't always that great though. This is probably one of those. Still... Memories!
Stevie Wonder
4/5
Love a bit of Stevie Wonder. Not many tracks I 'knew' but there were some beautiful songs and lovely instrumental parts with the groove that you hope for. Well worth the listen!
The Darkness
4/5
Well that was pretty good fun
The Police
3/5
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
Nice for some reggae to show up on my list, the album tracks are great and we're so used to a diet of about 20 Marley tracks that it's nice to branch out.
David Bowie
4/5
Amazing book ends of Young Americans and Fame. And some quality in the middle too.
ZZ Top
3/5
Fortunately I was up for a few guitar solos today, because I'm pretty sure that was 80% of the album.
Paul Simon
3/5
What was it about the 80s and white people trying to do 'Africa' things.. the style of it just feels dated and a bit wrong at times. When it doesn't nick from other cultures it is far more tolerable.
Elliott Smith
3/5
All a little too soft and gentle for me. I feel like this probably has more lyrical worth than I was able to get my teeth into. I had 'Figure 8' as one of my first albums and that album felt a little less soppy with more life in it.
Bee Gees
3/5
Who knew? Where's the falsetto voices, what happened between these two time periods???!!!
Peter Gabriel
3/5
A very strong 3. Didn't expect much from this. A very eclectic range of styles that were all enjoyable in their own right, but maybe felt like it needed to stay more in one or two lanes. Enjoyable listen though!
The Clash
5/5
Absolute behemoth of perfection.
Oasis
5/5
It probably shouldn't get a 5 the be honest. But sometimes music doesn't need to be clever, or created with intelligent musicianship, sometimes it just needs to be anthemic rock.
Lightning Bolt
2/5
When there are attempts at lyrics, it's painful. There is often a semblance of a song being generated that I'm on board with. Then it distorts and changes into a different song entirely.
Some of the bass is really driven and engaging.
The top review on this album is one of my favourite top reviews I've seen yet so that easily helps secure it a 2.
Tom Waits
4/5
I think this album helped me to understand Tom Waits a lot more and I think would probably make his studio work more accessible. He clearly has a sharp wit and intelligence.
Metallica
4/5
If I'm having some heavy metal, then give me Metallica every time.
Django Django
3/5
Pleasant enough but sort of passed me by
Frank Sinatra
3/5
So gentle and smooth. Like a just-right hot chocolate.
Christina Aguilera
2/5
Corr, bit long that one. Nice enough voice of course but double albums are a real slog for this challenge.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
Absolute quality.
N.E.R.D
3/5
Lyrically not so great, but in terms of a mash of musical styles coming together to create something unique, it's worthwhile I suppose!
King Crimson
3/5
I'm probably not alone in having the first thought of 'ooh, Kanye West sample'. But this album has a lot more to offer than that. Floyd-esque freaky beauty throughout.
Moby
4/5
This was great at the time and has actually aged really well too. Some intoxicating tunes that might be heavily associated with adverts of the early 00s, but did so because they were catchy, rhythmic, purposeful songs that would be massive earworms.
Beck
2/5
I don't think I've ever really understood the appeal of Beck, and listening to this didn't change my mind.
Miles Davis
4/5
Miles Davis is brilliant, this was an unusual listen in the sense that it sort of washed over me and didn't hook me as such, but sort of went deep into me in the background, unknown. I'd like to listen again when not working to see how it feels a second time.
Dizzee Rascal
4/5
This was revolutionary as a teenager and hit the note of angst-ridden faux gangster 16 year old me. Still has strong vibes.
Jimi Hendrix
4/5
The 13 minute+ tracks are both the best and worst parts of the album. Such musical skill on show but when they are more concise and controlled and less (don't wish to cast aspersions but probably) heavily intoxicated they are certainly more affective. Can't deny brilliance though.
The Undertones
3/5
A fun, short album with some good energy and catchy hooks.
Jeff Beck
4/5
Wow, Zeppelin much? Rod Stewart on vocals, actually liked. Guitar playing outstanding!
Air
4/5
This is quite an impressive piece of music and works together as one seamless whole and creates quite an engaging and almost spiritual feel to it. I do enjoy generally listening to this ambient style of music anyway, but this one felt compellingly coherent, playing I suppose to the requirements of the film.
Fiona Apple
3/5
I read some of the reviews of this album before I listened to it and I think a lot of people were a little too scathing of her. Some people seem to have painted her as overly whiny and talking about how it's so hard to exist in the music game as a woman, but I didn't really get that sort of vibe from the album. I felt that there was a lot of interesting content and I thought actually musically, it was quite impressive and not as generic and made in simple software like was suggested by many. So I was overall quite pleased with my listening experience. Comfortable three stars.
Coldplay
4/5
I always found it interesting that the band apparently hate this album. I mean, yes, lyrically pretty basic, but their most recent material is far more rudimentary in lyrical terms than this and overloaded with synthetic party-pleasing Calvin Harris vibes. Some of the tracks on this are actually quite beautiful. It's not A Rush of Blood to the Head, but that's in a league of it's own (in Coldplay terms)
Oh, and this album is one of my album anniversaries this coming half term in school. 25 years old. What??
Big Brother & The Holding Company
4/5
So Joplin had stuff before her solo work? There you go, who knew! And the style of the recording, really rugged, matches her rugged voice perfectly. Great album.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
4/5
Perfect guitar-driven rock, that sounds like it could have been their greatest hits.
Todd Rundgren
3/5
Whilst this was great, it was a heck of a slog to get through 4 sides! All of them had a slightly different, unique character to them and to know that the music was mostly performed and written all by himself is quite remarkable. An epic piece.
Bill Evans Trio
4/5
The best thing for background, but not enough for the foreground.
Gene Clark
4/5
Smooth as silk on vocals and just glides effortlessly from front to back. Lovely storytelling but really cohesive more than anything.
Soul II Soul
2/5
One or two good songs does not a good album make.
Heaven 17
2/5
A very 80s, dancey, slightly risqué album that often sounded like a precursor to some of the big 80s bands. Probably set some tones for the decade to come.
I didn't particularly like those tones though.
Portishead
4/5
Probably one my most 'local' albums of the 1001, beats that still bang and a voice that is still beautiful. More importantly a stylistic and genre defining piece.
The Chemical Brothers
4/5
I'm probably more of a Surrender man really. However, this still bangs. Final two tracks are probably my favourite and more expansive.
Meat Loaf
4/5
Undeniably fun, head-banging, sing-a-long madness
The Doors
4/5
This was preferable to my previous Doors album from the list, Morrison hotel. Whilst that felt pretty coherent and well crafted, this felt more honest and true to their aim. Riders on the Storm is about as good a last track on your last album before you die too.
Fred Neil
3/5
The cover and name didn't make me want to listen. The voice absolutely did. 'That's the bag I'm in' was a great track.
Os Mutantes
3/5
This is that unusual, crazy, but weirdly wonderful stuff that we are after from this isn't it?
Billy Bragg
4/5
There's no questioning Woody Guthrie's lyrical genius and they've pulled it off pretty well here.
Aretha Franklin
5/5
My second Aretha generated and still as beautiful and brilliant as ever. Incomparable.
Cowboy Junkies
3/5
Ordinarily not something I'd hugely get on board with, but the slower pace and country vibes fit my bank holiday weekend camping in the sun with a beer in my hand and headphones on pretty well.
Dead Kennedys
3/5
This was a nice change of pace. Holiday in Cambodia is a THPS trip down memory lane that I'm always happy to take. Short enough and meaningful enough content to be a valid piece of content on this list.
The Stone Roses
5/5
Hard to fault. Criminal that they never produced anything close to as good as this again. Fool's Gold beat stuck in my head non-stop for the rest of the day.
Bruce Springsteen
5/5
Isn't much better than a little Brucey bonus to start your week off. Consistency like few others.
Kings of Leon
3/5
I'd probably like this a lot more if I hadn't been traumatised by the sheer quantity of over-listening of 'sex on fire' in my university days. Which shouldn't make as much of a difference as it does, but it does.
Basically just The Strokes but with more of a southern voice and not as clever. So, there better be some Strokes on this list to compensate.
My Bloody Valentine
3/5
I like this a lot more than I thought I would. It felt a bit dirge-like at the start but it almost took on a hypnotic element.
Pixies
3/5
I'm not particularly in the know around Pixies, and only know the tracks that everyone does. This album felt like a debut album, and like a predecessor to their next great step. Too haphazard for my liking. I'm hoping there is another album on the list from them that can show them hitting their peak?
Joni Mitchell
4/5
Mitchell's voice is never not beautiful and the arrangements always complement her so perfectly. It's not 'Blue' but very few albums come close to that.
Bonnie Raitt
1/5
No. When you play this album and your streaming service follows up with Into the Mystic by Van Morrison and Carey by Joni Mitchell, it helps put this poor showing into even starker perspective.
The Black Keys
4/5
Wow, this album caught some heat in the reviews. This was the first Blac Key's album I remember listening too, and so I don't pine for their grinder earlier albums and lament the change. I also think that although some of the later tracks do sound a bit samey, there is a lot of quality and pop value to the first half for sure.
Burning Spear
4/5
I loved these vibes. Sunny day, important messages but such beautiful harmony and brilliant musicianship. What my day needed.
Ice T
4/5
Bloated. But Ice-T is goated.
Top gangsta rap, does what you'd expect.
Led Zeppelin
5/5
Remarkably haven't listened to this one in full before. One listen in, I feel like I've missed out on this. For all of IV being my favourite, there is a heck of a lot of value in this one too. Gotta probably be a near 5, let's round up!
U2
3/5
I had the misfortune of growing up around late 90s and 00s U2. This tiff was actually okay.
Venom
2/5
Scrapes a 2 because many of the lyrics hit well shortly after the death of the pope.
Super Furry Animals
4/5
One of the better British rock contributions of my teenage years, probably deserves a place on the list. There is some great songs and inventive use of vocals and varied accompaniments. I still sometimes sing "You've got to tolerate all those people that you hate," when dealing with some tough ones at work.
Coldplay
5/5
I know people will hate Coldplay, but the piano playing and the level of beauty to these songs makes them brilliant. Whilst this album is brilliant in my eye, it is their only brilliant album and they just got worse year on year after this. My favourite tracks on this are actually mostly the album tracks rather than the singles, Green Eyes and Amsterdam are great.
CHVRCHES
5/5
This album has always been loved by me. I went on a very long car journey with a friend and we set the challenge of an album from the 80s, 90s, 00s and 10s where one was from England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland. I chose my 10s album as Scotland and went for this absolute gem. Absolutely beautiful album and synth-pop at its finest.
Pantera
3/5
A quite enjoyable and appropriate level of angst for an accompaniment to my weekly Tesco shop.
Tom Waits
2/5
Not my favourite Tom Waits album, his voice is already a gritty one and this album seems to go to extremes of pushing it beyond what I can cope with comfortably. When he smooths it out a bit, I can get on board more.
T. Rex
3/5
Pretty fun, that voice is just smooth as butter.
Bad Company
4/5
Okay, this was cool. Very easy listening. That voice man.
The Velvet Underground
1/5
I mean I just can't even. That final track will haunt me forever.
Eagles
4/5
Possible to not like a band but quite like an album? Yes.
Common
5/5
17 year old hip hop head when this came out blew me away. Kanye and Dilla doing all the beats was always going to hit hard. Common absolutely killed it as well. Didn't need to listen to this again for 5 stars but was a beautiful journey to be taken on once more. Brilliance.
Daft Punk
4/5
Discovery better be on the list, as it took this album, worked out the kinks and stepped it up on the hard hitting grooves. This one has too much distortion and heavy heavy bass. But was the precursor to something great.
Violent Femmes
4/5
That was great fun. Bolster in the sun is a great opening and then I was in for the ride. I'm sure I'm not alone in finding out that Gone Daddy Gone is not a Gnarls Barkleytrack!
Lorde
3/5
Whilst this obviously has some bangers, it is rather generic at times and there's only so much of the subject matter I can relate to as a 37 year old father of 2
G. Love & Special Sauce
2/5
I remember this album when Jack Johnson was getting a lot of airtime during my skate/surf teenage years. I wasn't much good at skating and definitely not at surfing. This album is hit and miss at being good at music. It's the musical equivalent to doing a kick flip in the skating world. Kids with little greater knowledge of music will think it's great but anybody with any expertise know that it's barely scratching the surface.
Iggy Pop
4/5
I spent the whole album not knowing any of the Bowie links and just thinking that I had no idea that Iggy's solo stuff sounded so much like Bowie.
Bowie was rather good wasn't he. This album was also pretty good.
The White Stripes
4/5
Literally spent all of last week listening to this album in my class with my year 6 pupils as it was celebrating its 20th anniversary. Blue Orchid is a banging start and it's pretty good tracks all the way through with a good range of tempo and musicianship on show. Actually prefer this to Elephant and their others.
Blur
5/5
Parklife is my favourite album and encapsulates what was great about them for me: fun, cheeky, hit lines and hooks that become earworms and mundane drudgery of British everyday culture being brought to life.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
3/5
I wasn't 'spellbound' by this. The opening half was strong but the last half felt too samey.
The Beach Boys
5/5
When I think of 'pop music' this is probably the album that first comes to mind, or certainly is up there. Quintessential pop music.
Talking Heads
4/5
I hadn't listened to his album in its entirety. Obviously impossible to have missed Psycho Killer. But this is high quality for a debut isn't it. Great to explore in relation to their later work, which suffice to say I was playing for the rest of the day!
Talking Heads
4/5
2 days in a row of Talking Heads. Debut yesterday and this one today! What a treat. A more mature and confident sound and a desire to talk about some interesting content. Cities is great.
Magazine
3/5
A nice surprise. Good energy. Have to admit the cover made me apprehensive but I got a fair bit of joy, especially the opening 3 or 4 tracks.
Leonard Cohen
2/5
I needed a lift on this Monday morning. This put me in a drab mood for the duration.
John Lennon
3/5
Well well well was exactly track I needed. Its not my favourite Lennon album and it's not a patch on the best Beatles, but it's still got a lot of value.
The Specials
2/5
Everything just feels a little mismatched and incoherent. 2 stars for reminding me of C&A and Enjoy Yourself.
Travis
4/5
Soft Radiohead for pussies. Well it just so happens that I'm a bit of a pussy.
Solomon Burke
4/5
This is that just absolute pure, beautiful music that I'm after, joyous.
Megadeth
4/5
Holy fuck, I did not expect to love this quite so much. The guitar absolutely shreds. Perfect length album, no overly-long tracks. Meaningful lyrical content. Well, there you go, Megadeth, I didn't know.
A lot of time for that cover too.
The Sonics
1/5
How can an album full of covers with just extra 'aaaaoooowwws' be worthy of inclusion on this list. Surely 'influence' alone shouldn't count that much.
Dolly Parton
4/5
A beautiful little album. Tracks that are short and sweet, poignant, and of course, beautifully sung.
3/5
I'm more of a Parklife man, and this doesn't hold as many obvious hits, but there's no denying that it laid the foundations for greatness and demonstrated the beginnings of what those that love Blur love about them. Oily Water is my favourite track here.
Joanna Newsom
3/5
There is an obvious unorthodox beauty to this album. The instrumentation carries the album along in an ethereal state. Whilst I catch glimpses of lyrical genius across the album I get a sense that I'd need to study the lyrics more to recognise just how clever they are, yet that isn't quite how I feel music should be digested. I'm also a sucker for the 3m30-5 min song construction variety which Newsom clearly isn't!
Christine and the Queens
4/5
I listto both the English and French ones. I would say just go French, far less stilted and probably closer to their truth.
3/5 but 1 extra because my name is Chris.
Sigur Rós
4/5
Achingly beautiful and dreamlike. Worthy.
Stevie Wonder
3/5
Being in the shadow of 'Songs in the key of life' must be hard for any album. Solid Stevie.
Björk
4/5
I absorbed this album into me whilst running on a North Devon beach in the sunshine and it washed over me brilliantly. Loved it. 'Post' must be on the list as well surely?
The Who
3/5
It's surprising (to me at least) how poppy, Beatles-like and American early Who was. It's good, probably quite jmportant, but I'm not particularly excited by it.
The Stooges
2/5
Gritty, brassy, feels like a live album with some punk-jazz vibes. I'm not sure whether I was necessitated into it mind, but fair play to that raw energy.
Lloyd Cole And The Commotions
3/5
A surprising 3 stars from an 80s British band with terrible cover and band name that I'd never heard if and probably will forget about in a week or two. I was expecting complete disappointment so I can't moan. Strings were a surprising inclusion and appreciated.
B.B. King
4/5
Whilst this list might be pretty inconsistent on most days, every live album I've had - my 4th now I think - has been a great experience.
Getting this bit right for sure.
David Bowie
3/5
Get rid of tracks 6-9 and replace with something more worthwhile (ie the rest of the album) and then you get 4 stars.
Booker T. & The MG's
4/5
Organs are cool. Green onions are spring onions so it goes from a 5 to a 4 for that reason only.
Guided By Voices
2/5
I don't really understand why they only finished about 3 of these songs. They all start and then they all finish. I feel like there was potential to this. Quite Shins-y at times. But, just, like... finish a song!!
Cocteau Twins
2/5
Dream pop before Beach House cam along and showed you how to do dream pop.
OutKast
5/5
Whilst many might think of The Love Below/Speakerboxxx when it comes to Outkast, this is by far and away their best work. Each track hits. Bombs over Baghdad is a masterpiece. Lots of the features being local artists and it being made in their home town, I think they must have really just hit a perfect moment as artists. Was one of my favourite albums as a teenager and was lovely to revisit today!
PJ Harvey
4/5
An interesting take on the concept of 'England' that required a lot of knowledge and incredible musicianship to craft. Some catchy stuff and a lot of the historical parable-like tales give me Decemberist vibes.
Black Sabbath
4/5
I don't think I'd quite appreciated how Zeppelin, Sabbath are. This album was not as dark as I maybe expected and funking rocked basically.
4/5
Two PJ Harvey albums in 3 days, separated by Black Sabbath.
I would not have expected to be giving all of these albums 4 stars at the beginning of the week.
Such a different album to 'Let England Shake' but there is such brilliance once more. Track with Thom Yorke is perhaps unsurprisingly a standout.
The Auteurs
2/5
Another album on the list I'm not convinced by. I don't think it's distinctly important. Lyrically okay, musically okay, nasally uninspired vocal delivery.
Hopefully it's one of the removed ones across reprints?!
The Young Gods
1/5
Non merci
Simon & Garfunkel
4/5
I mean, you can't deny there are some incredible singles on here. 29 mins is a great shout for this project too. 'A hazy shade of winter' did a great job pf packing in a lot for less than 2 and a half minutes. Top track.
Bridge over troubled water was always my favourite probably still is, but this is close.
Paul McCartney
3/5
This felt cathartic amidst all the shit that was happening at the end of the Beatles. I think it was a processing album. It was a chance to come to terms with the loss of an important part of his life for the last 10 years.
Very interesting, but not necessarily enthralling.
Public Image Ltd.
1/5
It just felt a little bit on the side of very average to poor punk, that.
The Lemonheads
3/5
I didn't really feel a lot for this in either direction. So, a 3 I suppose? Just not inspiring me.
Wu-Tang Clan
5/5
Raw, I'm a give it to ya, no trivia, I'm like cocaine straight from Bolivia, my hip hop will rock and shock the nation like the emancipation proclamation.
Absolute 💯
Pink Floyd
4/5
As a rock opera, unmatched. An epic, sprawling, haunting masterpiece. Take 60% of the songs as individuals and you're probably not keen. But as a whole, brilliant.
Japan
3/5
Duran Duran but a little darker
Bob Marley & The Wailers
4/5
How had I never heard the track 'High tide or low tide' before, sounded like it should be one of his best known!!
Solid showing all the way through, as you'd expect.
Scott Walker
3/5
Loved this voice. I'm pretty sure I'd never heard this guy's music before, but his songs sounded instantly memorable. Old man's back again was great.
Black Sabbath
5/5
Did everyone get given Sabbath today, the day after Ozzy's death?
I mean, it was apt and brilliant and exactly what today needed, so it's a 5
Pavement
2/5
Im6mot particularly enthused. Influence or not to some great indie bands, I didn't really enjoy.
Funkadelic
3/5
I mean, it's undeniably funky.
The crying on the last track scared the shit out of me when it happened though. A funky beat made terrifying with that and the rest of the shit going on.
Sade
3/5
One cool muthajazzer
System Of A Down
4/5
All I ever knew was Toxicity and Hypnotize/Mesmerize, perhaps because this one came out when I was ten. It's not toxicity levels of enjoyment but this still had the fun of those albums and the absolute carnage that I loved too.
My wife asked me to turn it down whilst I was making lunch though.
The Band
3/5
There's some pretty good tracks on here and some seriously heartfelt, passionate song delivery. Tears of Rage and The Weight are obvious highlights.
The Disposable Heroes Of Hiphoprisy
3/5
Ice T and Chuck D vibes. Very political and poetic. Lots of important messages, but the delivery becomes a bit too much for an hour's worth. Better when he intersperses with a little more of the comedy and the variety of vocal delivery.
Anita Baker
2/5
I'm not all that sure about this inclusion. There are numerous 80s and 90s female pop/soul vocalists who have surely produced more valuable and influential albums. It was 'nice' enough, but mehh.
The Stooges
3/5
Not my absolute favourite Stooges album, but the vocal range and delivery always impresses well and it hit the spot pretty well.
Goldfrapp
4/5
Beautiful vocals. Clowns and Happiness are lovely tracks.
Goldfrapp were one of the first bands I saw live and at my very first Glastonbury in 2004. Pre this album, but they still hold some significance for me. I also had my first proper snog watching them too, so there's a special place for this group in my heart!
John Grant
3/5
Part of me felt 'pick a lane!' but then the variety was quite cool too. The track about films and aliens made me laugh. Some of the lyrics were madness but also brilliant.
Title track was probably my favourite, but it became more engaging in the last half generally.
The Velvet Underground
3/5
Banana.
Distortion.
Risqué lyrical content.
Some more distortion.
Some great song making hiding amidst the drugs.
Led Zeppelin
4/5
It is bloated. A double album always seems either an extravagance or a lack of a good production team who were willing to whittle it down to an appropriate number of tracks.
The guitar seems to be grooving very nicely in the first half and, as some other reviews seem to have noted, became less enamouring in the last portions.
Still, it's Zeppelin.
Fela Kuti
5/5
Fucking yes man, sitting in sunshine with my 4th pint of the day and this on. Absolutely fucking glorious. What a groove.
The White Stripes
4/5
When they rock harder it works better.
Fatboy Slim
5/5
I can understand people not getting this. But if you've been in a field or tent as a teenager at one of his shows then it'll become clear. Rhythmic, pounding, heartbeat-altering, bowel-bass-rumbling tunes that you will be drenched in sweat after.
Nitin Sawhney
4/5
This is exactly the sort of culturally important, something-I've-not-listened-to-befpre content that I was hopeful of. Unique in delivery and range, some really beautiful, moving pieces and some significant history captured from a perspective other than the mainstream white western world
Neil Young
3/5
I can always happily listen to a Neil Young album but never truly invest in it and love it. His voice is always haunting and emotional and engaging. But I honestly have never listened to an album of his and then wanted to listen to it again.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
I don't have as much or an aversion to Costello as most of the reviewers clearly have. A lot of this felt quite raw and emotional and not necessarily 'polished' and I quite like that about it.
Al Green
3/5
A soulful, beautiful voice and a serene and easy ride throughout the album, yet, not blown away by standout tracks apart from the obvious couple. Happily put on as background any time though.
The Young Rascals
2/5
I left my wallet in El Segundo sample!!
Worth 2 stars at least for that. Doesn't quite have the same level of interest as A Tribe Called Quest have for me though.
Jack White
3/5
There were elements of this that were better than much of The White Stripes I've listened to recently, which was a pleasant surprise. However a lot of the last half just merged into one a little bit.
Marvin Gaye
5/5
Such emotional depth. Often you struggle to hear just how impassioned an artist is with their lyrical content. Not here. Sheer, raw emotion and beautifully crafted from beginning to end.
Siouxsie And The Banshees
2/5
I'm still not inspired after my second offering from Siouxsie. It's okay and I can imagine of it's time it was groundbreaking. Probably doesn't help that it's not my go to sound anyway.
Black Flag
2/5
It feels like something I would have enjoyed as a 16 year old, beers etc. 20 years on, it's a little less up my street now. I did like the music mix that was played after the album of related tracks mind.
The Doors
4/5
This is what I think of when I think of the Doors, and this is good.
Nick Drake
3/5
Beautiful, simple and seemed... Earnest? I enjoyed it but wasn't suddenly awake to a new obsession like many seem to have with this fella. That said, I felt that if I'd explored it more lyrically and contextually then I might uncover a greater interest in him.
Elton John
3/5
Sometimes I'm in an Elton mood, sometimes his voice seems too 'put on' and over-egged and it grates. This album walks the line a bit. Some of the tracks are pure Elton and I'm on board with, but sometimes his faux-American tones take it too far for me?
Amy Winehouse
5/5
Dark, beautiful, sad, a perfect capture of her emotional state. You can feel the pain and the attempt to get through her challenges using music so creatively and astoundingly. Musically brilliant and lyrically engaging.
A shame there wasn't more, a redemptive third album where she is free of pain would have been beautiful.
Dire Straits
5/5
Effortlessly cool guitar work. Songs that sound great and meaningful now, even after 40 years.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
3/5
Hard to see past the conflict of 'Oliver's Army' - what has the makings of a brilliant song is tainted.
And then he spends the last track of the album ruminating over peace, love and understanding. Well, there you go.
It was a better album than the last Elvis Costello album on the list. But, reviews suggest I've got quite a bit more to endure.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Give me Exile on Main St please. Now that is a fully complete Stones album that demonstrates their musical value. This is a bit meh.
Neneh Cherry
3/5
I have to admit that this was a lot better than I was anticipating. Only knew Buffalo Stance, a lot of it a similar vein, although not as catchy.
This feels like 1989, must be same era as when Madonna was trying out a similar vibe.
I panicked when I saw 1989 and thought that this may have been included genre-wise at the expense of De La Soul's 1989 debut, but fortunately not as that would have been a rap crime.
Wilco
2/5
When the tempo picks up a bit in the last half of the album, I'm more on board, but the opening half felt a bit drab. It seems to be doing roughly what The Shins do, but with less spirit and enjoyment.
Prince
5/5
Undeniably, a masterpiece.
Miles Davis
5/5
Damn, that was just about the best vibe. My car journey in had large periods where I suddenly went... "Oh, what I'm here already?" I got so entranced by the music.
Very rarely do I replay an album later that day from this list. This time however I nearly went for a third.
Leonard Cohen
3/5
You have to be in a certain place to receive this music, and I don't necessarily think I was quite there. Leonard Cohen's voice has always not quite appealed to me either.
However, the situation, the poetic reflection on everything is quite a marvel. The choir accompanying points often add a pleasant lift.
Teenage Fanclub
3/5
Plenty fun enough, but not enough about it to make me jump on their bandwagon.
Boston
4/5
A lot of fun rocking out to this in the car on the way to work.
I feel like '30-something dad of two' is the audience for this album and I am that audience. Rocking.
Arrested Development
4/5
There is a lot to love about this album: its socially conscious themes and lyrics, the effort to bring in a cultural fusion of themes and music, and great instrumentation.
Mr Wendel and Everyday People were well known to me as a hip hop listener in my teens, I'd never heard the album in full. As with many hip hop albums of the 90s, it is bloated with some filler and overly long as a result. Nas, the following year, showed that a hip hop could be condensed to 10 tracks to great success with his debut.
I have to admit I got a bit bored on the vocal delivery by the end too. Overall, though, a lot to be positive about.
Sister Sledge
5/5
Save yourself the pain of any of the 1995 remaster remixes and just listen to the 8 original tracks.
Hard to believe that so many bangers are on one album. This disco does not suck.
The Cure
2/5
The Cure for what? This was miserable.
I liked the drums on occasion. Scrapes a 2.
Foo Fighters
4/5
There's only one Foos album on the list and it is their debut?
What Grohl did in making this album largely solo is a marvel. But to not have The Colour and The Shape on the list is a big misstep.
This album set them on the way and was still excellent but not the 5 that their follow up was.
Stephen Stills
3/5
Was it listenable? Yeah sure, I felt like I'd heard every track without having heard it before. Will I listen to it again? No, because I left like I'd heard every track before.
Portishead
4/5
Hauntingly beautiful. The instrumentation is brilliant as always with Portishead and the eerie vocals, which can sometimes be too much for me, didn't prove to be so on this album.
The Mamas & The Papas
3/5
The last half of the album felt stronger than the first half. I don't know whether that was simply because California Dreamin' put me in a more receptive mood or what, but it felt that way.
Who gave the okay for that album cover though? What the hell!
Joy Division
2/5
I hadn't realised the circumstances of the album when I listened. Read up afterwards. The album made more sense then. But whilst it might have increased its value it didn't increase the enjoyment for me.
Scissor Sisters
3/5
Undeniably fun, but apart from the singles, nothing all that catchy and memorable. Worth a listen though, and if you can't find a little joy in some of this then you're probably a bit dead inside.
Marvin Gaye
4/5
Sexy
Roni Size
3/5
I've listened probably to more drum and bass than the majority of people doing this list.
Brown Paper Bag is absolutely brilliant, structurally a great template for many further drum and bass artists, and is a very early peak in the album. Effectively, for me, this album works at its best when there are less or no vocals. That is a little bit my preference in the genre anyway, often the lyrics just make me cringe or don't carry enough weight or purpose to be worthwhile.
A lot to love in it, and inspired a lot of great modern artists that have taken the genre forward.
Run-D.M.C.
5/5
Easily one of the most important albums in one of my favourite genres. Understandably dated, of course, it's over 40 years old? There weren't many rap groups around and sonically very little options were available to two MCs and one DJ to create varied production.
It's vital, witty and brilliant so it gets a 5.
David Bowie
4/5
This is my fourth Bowie album from the list and easily the most consistent yet. The short and sweet approach helps, the 10 minute opener an exception - but didn't feel at all like 10 minutes. 6 songs, all strong and a very coherent and powerfully evocative album. Almost a 5.
Soundgarden
4/5
Chris Cornell was a brilliant singer. I always found his voice incredible. It shines on herel. Some tracks seem to foreshadow his end without being obvious, and shows he maybe always had some troubles thoughts and challenges without it being overt.
Very few voices that can challenge him in rock. All said, 16 tracks and 70 minutes definitely started to feel too long. Needed slimming down, but some great tracks within it.
Jacques Brel
2/5
Très français.
Deux croissants s'il vous plaît.
Donald Fagen
3/5
Unashamed amalgamation of all that the 80s had to offer. Felt like the median song of the GTA Vice City soundtrack
Nirvana
4/5
Is it wrong that I prefer a more polished sound? I completely get the point and the fighting back against media and expectations but I struggled a bit with 'Tourette's' and 'Scentless Apprentice' (despite a cool drum groove on this one.)
For those without a background understanding of the band and Cobain's position, 'Rape Me' could understandably be a difficult and shocking listen. Hopefully, there is enough out there for people to comprehend its purpose.
My favourite tracks are those that wouldn't feel out of place on Nevermind: 'heart-shaped box' and 'all apologies' in particular. I don't feel bad about that though. Also, pretty high ranking on the album cover front.
Michael Kiwanuka
5/5
The sound of souls being healed. Listened to it straight through again after finishing.
Keen for more modern listens that have slipped by me. Lovely inclusion.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
Not excited by this. Started and ended well but the middle was uninspiring.
Also, the cucumber, cauliflower, cabbage thing? What the actual?
The Prodigy
4/5
This has more variety and depth than I remember. I always recall thinking that there was a little too much of the same and a distinct lack of bass and depth to songs, but actually there's more there in this listen alongside the classics.
3 kilos gave me bonobo/Quantic vibes (which is a winner).
I got introduced to The Prodigy at the time of Fat of the Land, and that will always be the zenith for me. This is a close second.
Radiohead
4/5
The Bends, Kid A and Ok Computer are some of the best albums going in my book. I don't even consider myself a Radiohead fan particularly.
This one is far less accessible and a hard to access Radiohead album is not a good sign for the general audience members taking on this list. It's a good album, I enjoyed it, but it's so much grittier, no real catchy hooks or even particularly catchy rhythms and bass lines like in other works.
I'm torn between a 3 and a 4. It's a 3 and a half for sure. I'm going to lean to a 4 because I would go back to it and a lot of 3s I don't go back to.
Michael Jackson
5/5
All the best artists are fucking mental. Obviously no different in this case.
Wall-to-wall brilliant pop with amazing production. Absolute 5.
The Stranglers
3/5
This was great, with the exception of a lot of objectification of women in quite a crude way, bringing it down.
Big points for organ playing though!
Stevie Wonder
4/5
On my wedding anniversary. An album saturated with so much love, getting soppy listening to it. Lots of classics, lots of beautiful vocal. Slightly over sweet at times but was okay with that today.
Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
1/5
This was a lot, both in the literal time sense but also in the sense-battering intensity side of things too. An hour and a half of this is a lot to ask of me. I managed ten of the twelve tracks before i just couldn't take any more. I don't fell like I would have been missing anything from the final 2? But it saved me 14 minutes of challenge.
Underworld
4/5
Way more subtle, layered and interesting than I was expecting. Had a more boisterous 'born slippy' view of Underworld in my head. This gave me a very good different perspective to them.
N.W.A.
5/5
Where this album shines is with the production and sampling. The bass lines hit so hard all across. Gangsta Gangsta's sample hits so good.
Lots of these tracks set the way for so much of rap music for the years to come.
I've criticised a lot of previous albums from 90s, 80s and before for their misogyny and lack of social awareness. But this is fucking gangsta rap you fucking idiots, of course it's going to be like this you muthafucking bitch.
Funkadelic
4/5
Obviously funky, but perhaps less obviously rocks pretty hard as well. Guitar is very enjoyable. About as mad a collection of track names as you could imagine having. I'm definitely under this groove though.
The xx
4/5
Calm, serene and beautiful. Particularly the front half of the album.
Turbonegro
2/5
The sort of lyrical content I would have dreamed up as a pubescent boy.
Enjoyed the guitar. Should have been an instrumental album. Did the band know what the singer was laying over the top of their creations??!
Ramones
4/5
Punchy, raw, straight to the point and completely raucous for 30 mins straight. Yes, there is an element of similarity between tracks, but what were you expecting? For them to turn into Queen or ABBA (or any other 70s stars) for a track or two and then seamlessly turn back in order for some variety? It's hard hitting punk from start to finish.
Otis Redding
3/5
Made me just want to go and listen to Sam Cooke to be fair. Lots of classic songs with excellent delivery and an incredible backing band. Often pine for the original regardless though.
Genesis
3/5
I didn't really get whether this was a 'musical' or not? It felt like it was but I also didn't feel like a got a coherent story or theme to it all?
Nevertheless, for a 90 minute album it actually held up okay. Obviously a lot of fill, but there were tracks, particularly in the first third that were well worth listening too. Needed distilling.
Massive Attack
5/5
Stuck between a 4 and a 5 for this.
Some of the rapping is not for me, feels a bit dated and not effectively complimenting just how audaciously perfect the instrumental elements of this album are. Nelson absolutely smashes it with every second of her involvement and brings it up to the 5 with her levels of perfection.
Yes
2/5
I literally had an hour and a half Genesis album two days ago, that exhausted all of my patience. What the hell is going on with the randomness of the track structure? Here's an 8 minute track (that albeit is a relatively decent album opening), here's a minute and a half of Brahms? What? Felt properly conceited at times. Stop with the high quantity of prog rock.
Franz Ferdinand
5/5
The tonic I needed after a prog rock heavy week. Fun, simple and catchy as hell. Not all music needs to be madly intricate and confusing and difficult to interpret!!
Simon & Garfunkel
5/5
Very few perfect albums out there. This has got to come close.
The Strokes
5/5
Great cover, hard-hitting, catchy songs with lyrics to scream and riffs to tap your toes to. Sub 40 minutes with no filler. Absolute winner.
The Blue Nile
3/5
Had no expectations and was pleasantly surprised. Some of the strings were lovely and the vocals weren't as difficult to engage with as I half expected!
Astor Piazzolla
1/5
Haunting. Felt like I was trapped in a fairground, but not in a good way.
Meat Puppets
3/5
Instrumentals were often epic, vocals were hit and miss. Interesting mix of styles throughout.
New Order
2/5
I like synth, but this is a lot of synth. Best track was Elegia by far. Balanced the synth levels well with an emotive set of other instrumentation.
And also, has anyone noticed that Sumner is just a terrible vocalist?
The 13th Floor Elevators
1/5
The jug is bad. This much jug is absolute insanity.
Does this just make the list because of the audacious amount of jug??
Beatles
5/5
Somehow took me 272 albums to generate a Beatles album.
This is their first 'great' album in my opinion, when they really came into their own in songwriting and experimentation and most definitely is an album that you should listen to before you die.
Jeff Buckley
5/5
One of the albums that I've always felt I should listen to but never did.
Buckley's voice is something special and their are some truly beautiful songs on here. I actually listened to this album 3 and a half times today and it was a special experience. This is what I was hoping I would come across during this journey!
Rufus Wainwright
2/5
I don't have much to say. Yes, sounds a bit like Thom Yorke, yes it's obviously not as good as Radiohead.
Deep Purple
4/5
I plan on suing this app for the whiplash I got today from severe levels of head banging.
Damn, those guitars man!!!!
MGMT
4/5
No denying the quality and staying power of the big singles. The rest of the album plays nicely, and although not as memorable, certainly not a disappointing track amongst them. Solid 4.
Radiohead
5/5
This is my third Radiohead album from the list. Two of the less 'important' ones previously: Hail to the Thief and In Rainbows.
This is obviously a masterpiece and is haunting and beautiful and still packs of lot of relevant meaning considering it's nearly 30 years old. Electioneering is absolutely one of my favourite Radiohead tracks.
The Roots
5/5
This is not the best Roots album. But, this album is definitely one of the most ambitious and genre-encompassing. My preference is to lean towards Things Fall Apart, The Tipping Point or even Illadelph Half-life when I choose a Roots CD to pop on. That said, a re-listen today shows just how much these guys can master music in all of its varieties, and there are still some absolute bangers on here to boot.
k.d. lang
3/5
This was not something I'd go to normally, but this was a beautiful voice to accompany me on my Tesco shop. Very pleasant and calming and at just the right tempo.
The Pogues
3/5
Gave me some nice memories of my visits to Ireland, as regardless of lyrical content and themes, this just screams Ireland at you. Particularly the tracks with The Dubliners. At least fairytale of NY was listened to in November rather than the height of summer.
Malcolm McLaren
2/5
The UK grapples with its changing multiculturalism in the 80s and is influenced and altered, doesn't know if it's appropriation or embracing. I'm still not sure either. Some sounds overwhelmingly 80s, some bang.
Frankie Goes To Hollywood
4/5
Important on a social and political level. Bloated by unnecessary covers and a poor middle to final quarter. Buoyed by some amazing singles, Two Tribes is still an incredible standout track.
The Beach Boys
4/5
This was the most 'Beatles' that I've heard the Beach Boys. I've only ever listened to a couple of their albums all the way through. This one I wasn't even aware of. Much more ambitious and experimental than what I knew by them. Have to admit I prefer a little less of Brian Wilson on the vocals. There are some kooky tracks but also some real quality too.
Dinosaur Jr.
2/5
I saw very little high value musical content in this. Seemed like a lot of drudgery and poor vocal delivery with occasional good instrumental patches. Too much angst for me, although would have probably been of use age 15.
Aerosmith
2/5
Mildly interesting at times, particularly the big tracks that obviously hit hard. But 10 inch is creepy as fuck, especially when you know how big a creep Tyler was.
3/5
Is the cover meant to be a vagina?
If the Beatles had made half of these tracks they would probs be heaped with praise. A lot of good tracks with some quite wacky topics and approaches taken!
Prince
5/5
Such a horny little man. So over sexualised that it is unreal! The first half of the album is absolutely brilliant, last third is mehh, it became a bit too much like I was spectating a Prince gangbang.
I still think it's probably a 5 star album mind!
Bobby Womack
3/5
Soulful and smooth, an easy listen, although not as memorable or funky as I perhaps was hoping.
Taylor Swift
3/5
Taylor Swift gets a lot of shit just for being popular. This is a pleasant listen, it is quite good lyrically, she has an enjoyable voice and although the backing is quite sparse it is enjoyable. I happen to be a fan of Bon Over and The National and their inclusion on the album is obviously great, but their musical influence seems to have made a wider impact on the album too.
I would of course, rather listen to them but this album has good value.
Johnny Cash
5/5
This is my second live Cash album. I gave San Quentin 5 stars, and this is somehow even better. With SQ I had no idea what I was going to hear, with this one I roughly knew what to expect but it's still just delivered so we'll.
The songs are perfect for the environment. The announcements, the boos for the lieutenant, the side comments and jokes. It's brilliant.
Faith No More
3/5
When the singing is really unleashed and the guitars are given the freedom to go for it, this is good. Overall strong but some of it wasn't super exciting in the last third.
Pet Shop Boys
1/5
A lot of 90s UK pop clichés in this.
I also struggle with the clipped, posh voice of the vocalist and always have. Found it a struggle to get through.
I get that this may have some significance for some demographics but not at all for me.
Janet Jackson
2/5
What's the deal with 80s and 90s hip hop albums and the 'interlude'. Why did anybody think this was necessary?
Some of the songs seem a bit preachy and not sure how much she backed this up with actions in her life? Happy to be proven wrong on this.
The tracks where she was more 'Prince-y' and less preachy were far better. But why not just listen to a Prince album?
A lot of the production is very similar and that can be a bit of a drag.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
2/5
Sometimes I feel bad about it, but I am hugely indifferent to any of the work of Neil Young.
Morrissey
4/5
Morrissey is great, I think I'm probably as cynical and grumpy as him, so we make a good match. His voice always resonates for me and his social perspectives are always interesting if not always agreed with!
CHIC
4/5
Funky, delicious Sunday morning for me here. Bass line will be going around my head for the rest of it.
The Who
3/5
Quite a dark, sobering story to tell. I wonder as a Who fan at the time how this would have been received to knock out a rock opera like this. Tackling abuse is always a hard battle, straddling crude and upsetting with thoughtful reflections, but that's kind of the point.
Not much to refer to as a single. I felt like I needed to listen to it, and am glad to have seen it through. I didn't necessarily enjoy it as an experience all that much though.
M.I.A.
5/5
A crazy, exotic mix of London and all of its cultural influences. A great voice to capture it and beats that absolutely bang. Had to listen twice.
Mekons
1/5
There were a couple of tracks where they constructed a song. But mostly it was just nonsense backed by mostly unpleasant violin.
Supergrass
4/5
I like Supergrass. I like this album. Is it a vitally important album of modern music despite its fun? Not sure how revolutionary it was. Still great mind.
Gets a 4 especially as 'Sun hits the sky' was playing with a beautiful sunrise on the way to work.
The Smiths
4/5
'There is a light that never goes out 'is great, and is a love song that I can get behind.
This is a great album, and Morrissey-hate just seems stupid and influenced by other's opinions. His music doesn't preach hate and if I only listened to musicians with my politics then I'd be missing out a lot of good music from my life.
Elvis Costello & The Attractions
4/5
This is my fourth Elvis Costello album on thus list. Despite never loving one of those previous albums they've all gained a 3. I feel like this was the best of the set. It's going to have to get a 4 on the basis of being superior to his others alone!
Arcade Fire
5/5
This is a beautiful album. I assume this completes my trilogy of arcade fire albums and that they do only have three on the list. 4 and 5 for those. This was always my favourite and was a 5 before I enjoyed having an extra listen today.
Cream
3/5
So it starts alright, and then it just feels like it becomes a little more generic, typical 60s psychedelic rock and I lost most of my interest. Very little stood out after the opening two but it wasn't unpleasant.
Supertramp
4/5
I think that I used to believe that 'Supertramp' weren't a real band but were a pisstake? I just thought with a name like that, they didn't seem real.
This album was great, although my streaming provider made it difficult to listen to the album in full and in order. I did get all of the tracks and I enjoyed it all, just good fun 70s-style rock music.
The Soft Boys
4/5
Felt like it was the inspiration for half the indie bands I like in the 00s. Definitely see this as a precursor to some greatness, albeit not as great, because having to break new ground. Upgraded to a 4 because it clearly has weight in the music I loved as a teen.
Jane's Addiction
3/5
On the whole, this was enjoyable and a great change of pace from the other recent albums. The final two tracks lost me a bit, particularly 'of course' with the repetition of being made to slap yourself in the face by an older brother? Appreciated the guitar riffs most and the strained voice a little less.
Lynyrd Skynyrd
4/5
These are several genre defining songs on one album. There's a pretty high level of quality, originality and interest to this album. Like about a quarter of the artists on this list, they have a shady past, it doesn't ruin the listening experience though.
JAY Z
5/5
Hip hop royalty. First great album after his debut and was executed with catchy bars that were both more mainstream popular and hip-hop underground.
Production value was immensely high.
Eminem did outshine him on Renegade but it's hard not to be outshone by Em.
Ignore the fact that 2 of his next few followups were collaborators projects with R Kelly, that he cheated on Beyonce and was good mates with P Diddly. Take the album on face value!
Kings of Leon
2/5
Can't tolerate the voice for a whole album. Some songs okay but all blends into one long Southern whine.
A Tribe Called Quest
5/5
Absolutely incredible album. Lyrically witty, intelligent and perfectly delivered. Beats that intrigue and hit. Two of the best crew tracks with Scenario and Show Business. Just completely brilliant.
The Kinks
3/5
Fairly indifferent to this UK Beach Boys. But I also hate clowns so a bonus there.
Black Sabbath
4/5
So, it appears that I am a fan of Sabbath. This is my third album and I have enjoyed each! Absolutely rocks and this one showed some great range I feel, Changes demonstrating that particularly of course.
Sufjan Stevens
5/5
The orchestration is often moving and beautiful. The storytelling is engaging and the lyrical delivery is both delicate and powerful. A great concept and brilliantly executed.
Steely Dan
4/5
Dad album. 37 year old dad of 2 here. So, guess what? I like it. Cracker for a debut.
Herbie Hancock
5/5
Some brilliant funky jazz, a lovely surprise. 'Rock it' is the extent of my Herbie Hancock knowledge. Glad I can now say I've listened to this through. Quite the genius.
Bauhaus
2/5
This was quirky as anything so far. Some bits enjoyable, some bits weird as hell. But sort of liked that madness?
Beastie Boys
5/5
The thing about this album as a kid was that it made you feel like you could be them and make music too. It made me write raps with mates, try to rap over some crazy old vinyl we found. It gave me confidence to be white and like rap music. It also crossed the boundaries between the tap and the rock that I liked.
Fight for your right and No Sleep Til Brooklyn back to back is also a ridiculous one-two knockout punch.
Kanye West
5/5
Kanye's spiralling mental health decline over the last 20+ years has been quite the spectacle.
It's a remarkable study into the fragility and madness that power and success gives a person.
Kanye was arguably one of the best hip hop producers ever, and this album is a perfect case for it. His rapping also showed that he could offer some interesting critiques that a lot of hip-hop at this time wasn't willing to offer.
As always, skits are shit and don't offer a lot, but the top tracks offer so much.
It feels painful to give a 5 to a certified dickhead in 2025 but in 2004 at least, he wasn't a complete one.
Joe Ely
2/5
It wasn't terrible. But this isn't really targeted at me. I'm not interested in this southern brand of Americana at all.
The The
4/5
The synths and keys in this were epic. Lyrically okay but I was really on board with the weighty instrumentals that built really well in every track.
Talking Heads
3/5
I probably preferred both of the other Talking Heads albums from this list. This one was great but I almost got lost in the repetitive, hypnotic grooves of every song and whilst I was completely engrossed in it, most of the tracks didn't have the overall capture that I got from previous releases.
The Coral
2/5
As with the majority of early 00s British music additions to this list, they are undeserving of a place. I gather it has since been removed from later additions but it's beyond me how, although somewhat unique and interesting, this can be deemed top 1001 material. Dreaming of You was a very catchy tune in my teens, but a lot of the album is a bit of a struggle now.
Deee-Lite
2/5
A lot of electronic music in the world. A lot of options.
People obviously love 'Groove is in the heart and rightly so, but as an overall album, despite enjoying the funk-filled vibe, this doesn't even hit the top 1001 electronic albums.
Prince
3/5
The first half is average. 2nd disc is good and way more consistent. Not his best work and 80 minutes is obviously too long.
Fats Domino
4/5
Great listen. I love delving into thee older albums. Mastering a 2 minute song. Straightforward and catchy.
Van Halen
3/5
I feel like the talent they clearly hold as musicians never really came together to form highly consistent songs. Like there is great drumming, good vocals and amazing guitar playing. Yet whilst those parts are great the songs are not great enough.
Gil Scott-Heron
4/5
Soulful and mindful. Love the accompaniments and Scott-Heron's voice is spectacular. Sounded more modern than 70s and its conscious lyrics aren't out of place in 2025.
Iron Maiden
4/5
Shit yeah!!
Supergrass
3/5
Copied from 'In it for the money' by Supergrass from 30 albums ago... I like Supergrass. I like this album. Is it a vitally important album of modern music despite its fun? Not sure how revolutionary it was. Still great mind.
I didn't enjoy this as much as 'In it for the money' and because two Supergrass albums is too much, this one just gets a 3.
Red Hot Chili Peppers
2/5
The oversexualised lyrics come off crude and unpleasant. Prince somehow gets away with albums all about sex without sounding like a horny teenager. This just sounds like the work of horny teenagers for the most part, which might be why I quite liked it in my mid teens. Couldn't listen to the full 8 minutes of Sir Psycho Sexy. But listened to Under the Bridge twice to make up for it.
Fiona Apple
3/5
A beautiful voice with warmth and lyrics with a decent amount of creativity. Not 100% sure middle-aged white man is the target audience though so I'm probably underappreciating this.
Spacemen 3
2/5
This felt a little random. Weird, but hypnotic. Sort of what I needed on my Christmas Tesco shop. But also, no.
George Harrison
4/5
Any album this long should be too long to be great. Every rule has an exception I suppose. This album felt like an important release and opportunity for Harrison to be freed from any boundaries, shackles or inability to shine because of Paul and John. Probably my favourite solo album from a Beatles artist.
Various Artists
4/5
Never read the reviews. It's always the way to find out that an artist involved was a racist, murderer or did something highly controversial. Never read the reviews.
Merry Christmas everyone. Bloody murderers.
4 stars.
David Bowie
5/5
This is my fifth Bowie album on my list.
It is one I've listened to multiple times before and own.
It is my favourite from his before I started this list and still is my favourite. I will find it hard to have it proven to me that it is not his best.
Screaming Trees
3/5
Catchier than I anticipated. Actually gave it half of a second listen because I was quite intrigued by it. I'd never heard of the group before, and that was surprising considering how similar a sound they have to many other very popular artists, some of which I like. A strong 3 stars, missing those big songs to make it a 4, but pretty consistently good throughout.
Jungle Brothers
4/5
As a teen, the Native Tongues were on regular rotation for me, which was weird as a goofy spotty white kid from Devon.
De La Soul? Fuck yes. A Tribe Called Quest? oh my days yes please, Black Sheep? Go on then, take that. Jungle Brothers? Oh, yeah sure, okay, but maybe we put on De La or Tribe or Black Sheep perhaps.
Sadly, always a bit of the third or fourth wheel of a set of options. I owned the album, it was their best album, I liked it, but it got very little rotation because there was so much else that was similar and better.
I'm going to give it a 4 as it made me think of so much other greatness and I still enjoyed the listen through.
Lauryn Hill
4/5
It's a great album, and one of the few times I've really enjoyed a female rapper. Lauryn has a great flow. The production is also very good.
I'd say a few too many songs lean on borrowing previous hit tracks for hooks, and that means it loses some of its kudos and value for me.
Madness
2/5
Listening to Madness always made me feel anxious and a sense of incoming doom. I'm pretty sure it has to do with the dominance of the minor key. Even though most of it lyrically is quite fun, non-threatening and there is a ska vibe that gets you moving, I can't shake the anxiety that accompanies it!
Obviously a couple of big tracks, catchy and Madness are a bit of a UK institution for middle aged people, but I'm perpetually unnerved by them.
5/5
This was my first ever album, on cassette. I knew it from back to front. I listened and wrote down all the lyrics to many of the tracks and I sat in the playground in Year 2, aged 7 or 8, singing these songs with my friend Marc Lobb. Often, we had a little audience of reception pupils (probably wondering what the hell we were attempting to sing, with my garbled interpretation of what I thought the lyrics actually were).
This album is engrained deeply into me.
Controversial opinion: the second half of the album is far better than the first. Some Might Say and Cast No Shadow are my two favourite tracks.
How cool is it that this is my first album? Well my follow ups (as best as I can remember) were two albums from The Corre, two albums from The Lighthouse Family, Now 42, and the creme-de-la-creme, The Vengaboys.
Boom (X4)
Cheap Trick
1/5
Unlike all of the other live albums I've had from this list (Mr Cash I'm primarily looking at you sir) this album offers no particularly engaging 'live experience'. It didn't enhance the musical experience and didn't make me like the music any more.
Sound quality is poor, songs are very uninspired in delivery and structure. Crowd engagement was virtually 0. Not sure of this inclusion.
Kendrick Lamar
5/5
Very few modern rappers have a unique and interesting style, a broad production style and the ability to get across fun, witty lyricism alongside real social commentary.
Kendrick can do all that. This album is probably his best example of doing it.
Buck Owens
2/5
Wham Bam, thank you mam. Is this where the phrase comes from?? Damn.
Seems like this might have been groundbreaking, didn't mind listening to it, wasn't inspired, but it passed by without upsetting me particularly.
Beth Orton
3/5
A lovely voice. Overly long songs, but to be contrary, my favourite was 'Pass in time' which is the longest on the album.
An album that didn't wow me, but would be perfectly happy to have on in the background at pretty much any given time.
Bruce Springsteen
4/5
This felt like a real departure from most Bruce that I know. Really meaningful, really poignant, you can feel that these are stories and tales that are close to his heart. I thought I was going to end up finding it dreary and perhaps too stripped back but that never really happened for me.
I do feel the album was missing an edge l, excitement or a 'hit' but it was never meant to be engineered that way so it's hardly surprising. Strong enough for me to want to return to experience it again.
The Zombies
4/5
How did this group not get a third album? Better singers than the Beatles, lovely piano and organ and a banger like 'Time of the Season'. Why would critics of the time not like this? Madness. Felt somewhere between Beach Boys and Beatles and I was pretty well engrossed.
Grizzly Bear
2/5
A too experimental and abstract version of Fleet Foxes. Whilst Fleet Foxes bring a little more joy and light to the music, this often felt a bit too dark and introspective. The first few tracks I was fairly on board but then it just became a bit too morose for me.
My Bloody Valentine
2/5
Sometimes I feel like I like this album. I feel like I'd need no distractions, a dark room and some high quality headphones to get the absolute most out of it.
When I don't have this, which is 99% of my music listening opportunities, i don't get the effect and it just sounds distant, mixed up and a drone.
Will endeavour to find that dark room one day.
The Go-Go's
4/5
Super fun and energetic. A lovely tonic for anything, including the massive traffic jam on my way to work!
The Only Ones
3/5
Cracking instrumentation, lyrically pretty nice. A voice that is certainly divisive: sometimes it sounds strangled and unpleasant, sometimes it meets the lyrical content perfectly. Reminds me of the singer from the Buzzcocks with a voice that isn't for everybody. Some catchy songs and 'Another girl, another planet' is of course pretty timeless.
Hole
4/5
Better than I anticipated, less harder rock and more poppy than I expected as well. Flowed well throughout, good range of style, not as samey as expected. Not sure why I hadn't listened before. The single 'Celebrity Skin' was obviously well known but enjoyed the rest too.
Judas Priest
4/5
This generator has taught me that I love 80s British heavy metal.
And I'm grateful for that.
Exception in this album is 'united' which genuinely sounds like it was made to be a song sung for Man United at a football ground!
3/5
This seems really left field for a number one billboard album. A lot of love for the soul and jazz vibes and for trying to capture the theme. No big 'hits' sounded to me as I listened, but enjoyed as a whole piece.
Peter Gabriel
4/5
This is just joyous fun, classic 80s brilliance. Sledgehammer is a pop masterpiece and the rest of the album is cracking too.
Drive Like Jehu
2/5
These albums that were not commercially successful or often, not even critically successful upon their release are always an interesting listen. That we look back and note that these albums broke new ground in music that an audience wasn't ready for, and show respect for that is great.
However, often these albums are for genres that I don't know or like the artists that spawned from this newly broken ground, so it is hard for me to go, "wow. Yes, look at what these guys were doing with distorted noise rock sounds in 1994, can you believe it?"
While it was too long, I often enjoyed the more instrumental parts of the songs. Probably still a 2 though.
Ella Fitzgerald
3/5
My drive to work on Friday, my drive home from work on Friday, my drive to my kids' swimming lesson on Friday night, my drive home from my kids' swimming lesson on Friday, my drive to Tesco on Saturday morning, my shopping around Tesco, my cooking of lunch on Saturday, my washing the dishes after lunch on Saturday, half of the prep of sausage casserole for the Saturday evening's dinner.
Not sure how this album is supposed to be experienced. It started strongly and then just became a blend of neverending sameness, which is unavoidable. 59 straight songs in one genre/from one artist is more than enough even if you're an avid fan.
Obviously, beautiful lyrics, amazing voice, quite the labour of love to have made it, but exhausting.
Madonna
3/5
Ok, so this isn't the Madonna that typically comes to my mind. I have a later, messier view, and an earlier 'Like A Virgin' view, but not this. This, musically, lyrically, tempo, is all way more up my street and seems to have a good consistent vibe to it. One of the better surprises here. Almost gave it a 4.
Madonna
1/5
Madonna two days in a row??
Ray of light yesterday was surprisingly good and got a 3.
I'm nearly angling for a 1 with this. What is the aim? The techno pop tracks early in this album are shocking. Only when the sort of country-pop tracks are tried does it sort of hit a note of acceptability.
And 'music' as a title. I don't understand? Is it that you were trying to amalgamate loads of different music genres into one, or are you just being super lazy? Or do you actually have that much of a state of self-importance that you feel an album can be titled as such?
Ok, it's getting a 1 now.
The Smiths
4/5
Just because he's a bit of a wanker doesn't stop this being great.
Unhappy birthday is pure Morrissey it's brilliant.
Such perfectly memorable lyrics and tunes across it. Gets 4.5, better than 'Queen is Dead' but for some reason I'm not rounding up.
Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
4/5
Hip hop tracks = absolute 5s
Soul tracks = mediocre 2s
Average 3.5, upped to a 4 because the single 'The Message' was one of my first hip hop loves.
Tom Waits
4/5
I love the journeys and visions I get with Tom Waits. He paints a picture in his music better than most. Is the voice sometimes too much at its gravely-gargliest? Yes, of course. But there are moments of sweeter sounding tracks for when it's right too.
U2
3/5
It seems like pretty generic pop rock, but may have been important in leading in 1991? Fairly listenable, but fairly unaffected by it.
The Offspring
4/5
13 again. Good, solid entry-level punk that takes me back. Even listened to Americana after.
Dirty Projectors
2/5
'Stillness is the Move' is a great track that I played a couple of times. Seemed out of place with much of the rest of the album. Actually quite disliked the first couple of tracks. Last half of the album was a bit better and enough to stop a 1/5.
The Rolling Stones
3/5
Not my favourite era of Stones. Obviously a couple of great tracks but mostly similar and poor themes covered. Too much denigration of women and the protracted final track was an ache to listen to.
Nas
5/5
Out and out the best hip hop album ever. Lyrically, so engaging and enthralling over some quality boom bap beats that provide an effortless back drop for Nas to shine. The only thing that is sad is how Nas was never going to better his debut and although he's had good albums, nothing has ever matched it or really got near.
Miriam Makeba
3/5
What a beautiful voice and a pleasant venture into some African rhythms. Never would have expected to have listened to this in my life and was happy to come across it today. Not necessarily my go to thing but didn't stop me appreciating!
Mj Cole
2/5
I'm not sure what this offers that a million other garage records and soulful dance grooves out there do. I'm not sure it was necessarily groundbreaking enough in the scheme of music as a whole let alone the UK music scene. That said, I didn't hate it, it just didn't push anything new and the hype man rapper was poor.
Richard Hawley
4/5
I was feeling a bit under the weather today, this was a really lovely tonic, so pleasant and flowing beautifully. Was kind to my head, heart and my soul.
The Cure
3/5
Suitably moody for a wet January drive to work. Dark and brooding with some lush guitar sounds that I love the feel of. No catchy 'tunes' or lyrics but some lovely guitar rhythms that I was happy to soak up.
Queen
3/5
How is it that Queen are one of the most well-known bands of all time, yet I've never listened to an album in full from them?
Felt less pop, and more rock from them. Being a second album they are probably still finding their feet and their direction. I enjoyed the guitar work and the vocal delivery, but I think I'm mainly just trying to break down what my perception of Queen is as a band first in order to enjoy this as much as I feel I should?
Drive-By Truckers
1/5
There's a fair few reasons to dislike this USA at the moment. I'll add this to the list.
Nirvana
4/5
Live albums on the list are always great. This is absolutely no exception. My only qualm with this is purely that the album needed more Nirvana tracks. But as a performance, a moment in musical history and an insight into the group, it is mightily impressive.
Stephen Stills
3/5
I got a lot more on board with this than I was anticipating. Despite being an overly long double album, the majority of songs were short and quite catchy. There was enough interesting guitar noodling and interesting topics to latch on to to make it enjoyable.
Red Snapper
3/5
Pretty good vibes, better when there were no guest vocalists. A lot of electronica around in the 00s and not especially sure this offers much more than the rest. I recognise that it being live instruments, a double bass for instance being used is quite unique but there are other bands to do similar, Fingathing were one that comes to mind with double bass and DJ. Albums in the electronic category like these also come at the expense of losing other important albums in the genre or edge of the genre, so always feels a bit of a shame.
Bob Marley & The Wailers
5/5
Can there be a better album that hits the political commentary edge balanced so brilliantly alongside some of the best love songs to be made? Endlessly engaging and beautiful. Masterpiece.
Carole King
5/5
Carole King is queen. Songwriting masterclass.
Sugar
2/5
Lots making Nirvana and Pixies comparisons but I don't really feel it. It wasn't really my thing and I didn't get caught by any of the tracks except 'Hoover Dam', although the album passed without too much of a dislike, it didn't pass with much 'wow' either.
Mott The Hoople
2/5
Surely there's enough Bowie on this list that we don't need a knock-off Bowie as well?
Santana
4/5
Not often that you have a guitar player that seems to almost speak to you through his playing. Quite a mystical power.
Manic Street Preachers
4/5
I'm a sucker for the strings in this album.
Also it is inextricably linked in my mind to Euro 96, my first big footballing memory, being of the same time period.
Gang Starr
4/5
Anything DJ Premier touches tends to be pretty golden. Guru is one that splits me. Days where I love his smooth mellow monotone, but sometimes I want a voice with greater range and energy. Guru's power is his lyricism and velvet delivery and backed by Preemo it's always strong. This one teeters on the edge between a 4 and a 5. I might just tap in between the stars in a blurry-eyed early morning review tomorrow and see what comes of it.
The War On Drugs
4/5
Beautifully crafted soundscapes and Dylan-esque vocal delivery (and occasionally quality of performance) for modern times.
A few people have mentioned the drums when scanning a few reviews, and I agree there is very little differentiation in patterns, which feels a shame but by all means is likely very intentional.
Overall a great listening experience.
Willie Nelson
3/5
He has a voice that you want to spend time with. You could happily listen to it tell you stories for days like a comforting grandpa retelling tales from his youth. Perfectly pleasant without the feel of being groundbreaking. Although I don't know the genre well enough to know whether it might have been.
Adele
3/5
An obviously beautiful voice. I'd never really clocked how much this album talks about her getting old. But... 25?? Almost got angry about it at one point when she'd said it for the third time. Stop whining and say something different.
Cyndi Lauper
3/5
Epitome of 80s pop in my mind. Which makes it catchy as hell and fun, but apart from the obvious (sadly overplayed) songs I didn't get an awful lot out of it.
Metallica
4/5
Fast, intense , incredible guitar work. Vocally strong if a little too much angry growling for me. Masterful though. Strong 4.
M.I.A.
3/5
This is not delivered with the same urgency or vibrancy as her first album. There are definitely bangers on here, but not to the extent of her first which blew me away and got a 5 from me.
What do I know though as this album stays and her first album has now been removed from the list??
The Afghan Whigs
2/5
The question I suppose is whether the singer is glorifying the objectification and belittling of women in a relationship or whether he is dishing up a critique of toxic male arrogance and flawed world views?
Band-wise, very strong and enjoyable. Conflicted on the lyrics.
Kelela
2/5
Mostly indifferent to this. It's pleasant enough, but background at best.
Little Richard
2/5
I can recognise the importance and significance of this album without particularly loving it. It's not really for me, but it helped influence a lot of music that was for me. Listening to it was enjoyable and I'm glad that I have.
The Cult
3/5
Fugazi
2/5
Mostly uninterested by this area of music, and this album doesn't do an awful lot to change that for me.
Tears For Fears
4/5
I've a soft spot for 80s new wave pop rock like Tears for Fears. 'Guilty pleasure' might get banded around, but I don't think you should feel guilty for enjoying this.
Terrible cover and album title, but beautifully crafted tracks and catchy ear worms galore.
Waylon Jennings
3/5
Quite pleasant, short and sweet. Not as annoying as I often find country albums, and nothing had a grating affect on me. Felt engaged throughout.
Laura Nyro
3/5
When the singing is more melancholic and wistful it is more enjoyable. Where it ramps up and becomes pact and 'jazz hands' then it's less my vibe. Clearly a great voice and surely a huge influence to many despite personally never having heard of her.
5/5
Genuinely brilliant album, lyrically genius, the theme runs through as a seamless thread that doesn't detract from each individual tracks quality. Way more impressive as a coherent whole than any Beatles album with better guitar work and equally (again, if not better) lyrical delivery. Excellent stuff, loved the listen.
Linkin Park
5/5
Back to 12 years old, I engaged lyrically with a lot of what this album had to say. Tapped into our era and took us for a ride. Impressive that they built on it with great further albums too. Important and not a bad track.
Liz Phair
3/5
Massive, massive respect to this. Never heard of her somehow. But love artists like Self Esteem who surely have been hugely influenced. Interesting lo fi vibe that I quite like but didn't seem to all fit as cohesively as a whole as I'd hope for.
Lyrically very clever and important though.
Bee Gees
2/5
Odessa was quite a pleasant listen if I remember correctly. This actually had some really bad singing. I sort of assumed some Trafalgar related themes but... I must have missed them? Sort of has the vibes of some Elton John songs in places without being particularly good.
Slade
2/5
I had to Google how long the original length album was when my streaming provider gave me the extended version. Fortunately this made it short enough for me to tolerate it. A grating voice and little on the lyrical intelligence wouldn't have let me cope with much more.
Abdullah Ibrahim
3/5
A lot of this was very chilled, pleasant and beautiful; a lot of this was very... Jazz.
Prefab Sprout
2/5
Not loving this. I don't mind my 80s pop but whilst I enjoyed a lot of the lyrics I didn't walk away with the same long lasting ear worm as a wham, hall & Oates or Duran Duran album would have given me.
Gotan Project
2/5
I felt like I was going to like it at the start but it became too long and too much of the same.
Metallica
4/5
Master of Puppets got a 4 from me, leaning towards 5. This also gets a 4, but leans towards 3. It doesn't have the same warmth and depth that MoP haa in my opinion. These songs felt longer, more abrasive and less accessible. However, the skill and talent as ever is undeniable and 'One' is arguably one of the best metal tracks for me.
Normally, a Rod Stewart track and his voice makes me die inside a little. This was far more pleasant than expected. Good length, good swinging tempos
Hanoi Rocks
3/5
I didn't mind this actually, quite a fun inclusion that livened a misty grey day. Didn't engage with it very deeply but there was plenty of fun vibes to carry it.
Amy Winehouse
4/5
You can't deny the voice. The emotional connection and social commentary is there but just not honed to 'Back to Black' levels. I love the soulful and hip hop laden beats and backdrops, it's rich.
Bill Callahan
2/5
Sometimes hints at being beautiful, sometimes just simply drab and boring. Feels like an attempt at being Matt Berninger but with less emotion in his voice and less lyrical impact.
1/5
This is exactly the sort of unusual, out there, never-would-have-ever-listened-to albums that I wanted from this list.
Hated it.
Bon Jovi
3/5
Despite some obviously very catchy 80s glamorous hair metal tracks, it's all quite shallow really isn't it? It's just Jovi pretending he's in love with women to get them to sleep with him in ten different forms. Can't deserve anything too high as a result of that but the catchiness does still hold true, and there are some definite memory associations with many of these tracks for me.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
2/5
Jesus. Mary and Joseph that's a lot of distortion. Stone Roses but distorted beyond being listenable.
The Birthday Party
2/5
Not as fucking mental as all the reviews would have you think. Way more tolerable than the alto-sax jazz and Jesus and Mary chain distortion-fest I had this week.
The Everly Brothers
1/5
Let's hark back to the days of women were in their rightful place yeah? This shit plays well to the current manosphere vibe in the world. Trad wife values and all.
No I don't want to go on a date with you and hopefully nobody else does either. Get over yourselves fellas and give women some respect.
Going to go cleanse my palate with some Little Simz and Wet Leg now.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
4/5
Energy, beautiful vocals, some (some!) great lyricism. Maps being an absolute masterpiece. Some tracks needed more development but it's a debut and reminds me of being 16.
Brian Eno
4/5
Instrumentally, this is an absolute groove and I'm all over it. Vocal extracts excluded this is massively up my street, but most of the vocals didn't sit as well with me, seemed conflicting with the music and used too much distortion. I preferred the vocals when they weren't English and then they blended more with the instrumentation.
Curtis Mayfield
5/5
About as cool as an album can be. Damn.
David Holmes
3/5
A lot of times... Yes yes yes. This has Fatboy Slim vibes and DJs of the 90s and early 00s. I grooved along well. The vocal samples were sometimes an unwelcome distraction from the energy that the songs gave however.
Thin Lizzy
4/5
Once again, a very enjoyable live album.
Is there a list of like '101 live albums to listen to before you die' as I might prefer that overall.
Lots of energy and loads of fun and some good guitar playing.
Finley Quaye
2/5
Hold on, he's Scottish? What?
Something half decent in here, but not enough to make me keep asking about his Scottishness. Then you read the top review and the associated news articles that it references and it does at least confirm that he is definitely Scottish.
Megadeth
3/5
Whilst the guitar playing wows me, as it should anyone, I don't have the same engagement with the singing or the group as a whole compared to many other metal groups on this list. Fun and impressive, but not as much of a reaction to this as I hoped for.
The Temptations
3/5
The problem with this album is that the last two thirds of the album virtually all make the same point and do the same thing. The first third was more ambitious in topic and style and promised a lot and then it became a bit repetitive in theme. I'm mostly happy with listening them do that but I feel like the album could have offered more ambition.
Bonnie "Prince" Billy
4/5
Melancholic without being depressing.
John Coltrane
4/5
Yeah it's cool, it would have been better with a whiskey and a dusty vinyl record of it in a shadily lit room on my own, instead I had my commute in the car to work on a Wednesday morning. So, I loved it, but I felt like I needed to consume this differently. Will try again with this one another day. For the meantime it's a 4.
Gary Numan
4/5
Beautiful synths, worthy topics of discussion lyrically, 1979 must have seriously broke some ground. Still sounds fresh and powerful.
Jeru The Damaja
4/5
Somehow missed this one despite believing myself to be a bit of a hip-hop head. I do love the flow and anything with Premier is of course great. This feels quite important but this is released in 1994, the same year as Illmatic, as another NY rapper. This isn't anywhere near Illmatic by any means. Good but not groundbreaking.
Pink Floyd
5/5
An undeniable classic. I listened to it 3 times today to be absolutely sure. No question, a 5 in every way: themes, aesthetic, continuity, catchiness, and of course the cover.
Miles Davis
3/5
This is my fourth Miles Davis album and they have progressed in scores from 2 to 4 and then most recently to a 5 with 'In a Silent Way'. I felt like this might be a sign of my improved musical understanding, perhaps in part because of this journey and that I was embracing jazz in a new way, but 'Bitches Brew' has thrown a curveball to proceedings. It contains a lot of brilliance, mainly in the middle of the album, but I don't feel unjust in saying that it's too long and perhaps too obscure. 'In a Silent Way' was obviously more compact and more singular, this perhaps more adventurous but it was almost too complex for me. Going to go 3. Which leaves only a 1 vacant for Miles. I hope there isn't an album where he went really left field that comes up for him that I absolutely hate.
Yes
4/5
An example of where the long song doesn't feel like a chore. Good fun.
Echo And The Bunnymen
2/5
My third Echo album, didn't like the first two, rated a one and a two. Surprised that this one was more interesting and had a bit more of an impact on me, but not enough to move me into a 3. More listenable but still wouldn't choose to listen.
Fatboy Slim
3/5
It's not 'You've Come A Long Way, Baby' but it's still interesting. It hasn't got the same powerful grooves or hard-hitting rhythms and bass. You can certainly see this as an important step to that great album though, and I'm surprised that's I'd never heard it before!
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1/5
This was a day late for an April fool. 'Gabg Bang' was as bad as I anticipated after reading the tracklist.
Sonic Youth
2/5
Pet Shop Boys
4/5
This part of the Wikipedia page captures my opinion of it pretty well... Singer Tennant reflected on the different style of Behaviour: "It was more reflective and more musical-sounding, and also it probably didn't have irritatingly crass ideas in it, like our songs often do."
Much more preferable to previous PSB albums I've listened to, his voice seems much more laid back, tuneful and calming than other releases.
Isaac Hayes
3/5
When Isaac is singing it's worth the time. Also, 'Do Your Thing' is an absolute jam and is a great long song in a world of terrible long songs. Give me more of that sweet voice and you've got a much higher score.
OutKast
5/5
I remember the excitement around this album, Ms Jackson had been a huge hit for me as a young teenager not long before this, that and some other cross over hits made hip-hop more accessible and shone a light on Outkast and a brand of hip-hop that hadn't come to my attention yet. This had everything that I wanted, it was experimental and poppy at times but also demonstrated some classic Outkast stylings that I'd already fell in love with on Stankonia.
The whole idea of the double album and two solo pieces joined together, the CD case where you could flip the cover artist to whatever you were loving most. 'Hey Ya' is undoubtedly overplayed but it was still a brilliant piece. Big Boi's Speakerboxxx was by far the album I played more and still sounds incredibly fresh, but every time I listened to The Love Below I also found and liked something new. A great album, and I remember thinking, "hold on, I'm basically getting 2 albums for the price of one! I'm definitely using my paper round money for this!"
Cat Stevens
5/5
It's a beautiful album, I like its simplicity and relatable themes. I enjoy Stevens' voice and as far as acoustic floo pop, it's about as good as it gets. Must have had lots of comparisons with Van Morrison and Dylan etc at the time. I prefer Dylan as a complex songwriter and Van as an emotive and evocative performer, but there's no denying the pop power and joy that this album gives. My first listen to this album too, remarkable to have two huge hits in Wild World and Father and Son on one album.
Suede
4/5
I love that Rolling Stone called this “one of the most pretentious albums ever released by a major label.” and it's a terrible take on the album. Ambitious, dark, introspective, full of grandiose strings and meaning. All of this does not make it pretentious, it makes it valuable and rewarding and real. Whilst Parklife was a similar time and went for a more accessible 'lads lads lads' approach in Brit-pop peak times, to have this as a counterpoint to it does not mean it was pretentious and a mis-hit it only makes it more important in my opinion.
Whilst there are no stand out 'singles' to this album, unlike their follow-up, this is hugely consistent and real strength across the board, the run from 'New Generation' through to 'The Asphalt World' was particularly engaging.
Jazmine Sullivan
2/5
As a concept, creating a set of songs about women being 'Heaux' or 'Hoes' from the perspective of women rather than men in hip hop and R&B labelling women as hoes with very little other context or story, is a smart idea. The layup of also having a woman tell her tale and then Sullivan doing her thing to tell it, is also quite a nice approach - as a concept I can understand its conclusion.
In execution terms, the songs are pretty weak, the production is very poor and I couldn't help but think that there are some artists who could have done much better justice to the 'idea' than Jasmine managed.
Good candidate for removal on the next edition.
The Mothers Of Invention
1/5
Oh man this is shit. You can hate on the populist approaches of society in a far less childish manner than this, surely? Nearly gave up on several occasions.
Koffi Olomide
2/5
This feels like it is a mainstream, simplified, accessible but watered-down version of this style of music. I don't know much about this style, but it feels adapted for my accessibility and I'd rather have something closer to the truth. For most of it, it made me move and was quite fun. Again... 'musical artist proves to be unpleasant character'#42 on this list. Quel surprise.
R.E.M.
4/5
I'm not a 'fan' of REM necessarily but they are always entirely listenable. This album got two listens today whilst I went about my ways on a Sunday. Instrumentally great. I'm never massively tracking what Stipe is talking about but his voice is a perfect accompaniment to the music. Great for a first album for sure.
Milton Nascimento
3/5
Some pleasant vibes, and one of my more enjoyable foreign language albums I've had so far.
The Hives
3/5
Energy, angst, catchy, perfect for 13 year old me. A little too basic for me now, maybe? Still very fun, but does get minus points for sorta being a compilation album.
Talking Heads
3/5
Album #447 for me and all four Talking Heads albums from the list have now been listened to. This album is not the best of them, or the worst. Lyrically not as much of a standout, but instrumentally more prominent for me.
I would like to thank this list for making me more aware of the group and their music. I never really listened to them before and I now actually sometimes choose to play their music without being forced to by this generator.
U2 always sound like they have something really important to say, but I struggle to get what it is.
Bono's lyrics seem lazy with rhymes that seem amateurish at best.
U2 at their least effective for me.
Nine Inch Nails
4/5
Such an intense listen. This certainly has a place for being listened to. I remember listening quite a bit to their album 'With Teeth' but never had a copy of this somehow. It does tell a very dark story and does it so effectively. Whilst it was a hard listen at times, sometimes it was very engaging and beautiful. I enjoyed the slower more tuneful singing, Trent's voice is great when in this mode.
Pink Floyd
5/5
Yeah, this is pretty good. Had me from the very start with that opening track epic and kept me throughout. Pretty special.
Tom Tom Club
4/5
Imagine being that good at this whole 'music' thing, that you can be both Talking Heads and Tom Tom Club. Absolute top tier musicians.
Genius of Love is absolutely bonkers and genius. The beats are so crisp and rhythmically on point. Occasionally it has the vibe of being a bit of a comedy record with some lyrics, but overall it holds strong.
Silver Jews
4/5
Lasted the exact length of my car journey to work which gives it an extra star, finished as I parked. I am a bit of a sucker for the sombre, poetic indie angle - National, Bon Iver etc. so this is up my street.
"You're the only Ten I See" in Tennessee is exactly that cheesy poetry that I'd come up with in feeble attempts to write my own poetry whilst at university. Sometimes it hits well here rather than coming off awkward.
Aphex Twin
5/5
Yes please. This with the sun on a glorious day was lovely. I always thought Aphex Twin was a bit darker, might have been some of those album covers of his.
Read one of the reviews that said it sounded like music to accompany an outdoor shower sex scene, but that idea just added to the vibe really.
Billie Holiday
3/5
Although it felt important and significant as a milestone ending to a glittering career, the album didn't engage me with enough variety or memorable lyrics and hooks. I enjoyed it, it was pleasant but not wowed.
The Dandy Warhols
3/5
There were points where this was great and although nothing jumped out at me and included none of the tracks that I knew from them, it was a nice one. Nothing wow, but good.
Devendra Banhart
1/5
I thought I might like it for a bit and that it might be a bit Sufjan Stevens, but it was mainly just weird and creepy and not enjoyable.
The Psychedelic Furs
3/5
This was better than I imagined. The sort of post punk that has probably had a bit of an effect on modern artists that I quite like, like Idles and Fontaines. Not quite impactful enough on me for 4+ but was edging there.
Sly & The Family Stone
2/5
I spent most of my time hating the sound quality of the vocals on this album. I enjoy the funk/soul vibes but I couldn't get past the poor recording quality and sometimes just uninspired lyrics.
The Fall
2/5
I felt like I was going to enjoy this in the first few tracks and then it just started to really drag. Songs too long, and album too long, became a bit drab.
The Beach Boys
3/5
The Beach Boys doing Beach Boy things, sounding like the normally do.
Cee Lo Green
3/5
I quite like Cee Lo Green's voice, I like his range, I quite like the variety to the album and the soulful vibes in much of it. I generally like hip hop and appreciate Outkast and Killer Mike and Southern style rap a bit. But this just isn't enough of an album to really impress for me. It doesn't wow and make me impressed.
His Gnarls Barkley work is excellent, but they may be down largely to Danger Mouse on production.
Beatles
3/5
Important evolutionary step. However, it pales in comparison to their later work. That many covers and for them to mostly be the best tracks does reduce its value.
Morrissey
3/5
It's good, but it's missing the rest of the band that helped make him great (musically) and although I try to always remove the artist's indiscretions from their work, this is becoming more of an issue for him by this point.
The Kinks
5/5
I've had three Kinks albums now, and honestly Arthur and Village Green are absolutely fantastic creations. Genuinely these albums shine as a whole above most Beatles albums, lyrically and musically intelligent, varied and catchy too. Not sure if I've got any more coming but happy to if they are at this standard.
The Who
4/5
Amazing bookends to the album. Solid middle but not to the extent of the three all-star tracks.
The Jesus And Mary Chain
3/5
Way more refined than the debut. Ditched the distortion, cleaned it up a bit. Still sort of feels like a slightly more boring Stone Roses
Dolly Parton
2/5
They are pretty amazing singers, but distinctly unimpressive tunes. A bit morose, this should have been the precursor album to some Spice Girls girl power vibes with a lot more energy and less hobo.
Incredible Bongo Band
3/5
I mean, there's a lot of bongo. But this is also more than just bongos. Some pretty good fun to be enjoyed here.
The Flaming Lips
3/5
My interest peaked a few tracks in but seemed to wane as the album went on. I don't mind the voice that lots moan about, it is endearing and wholesome to me. I felt it was too similar at times, particularly pacing. It shone when it added in a bit more grit.
Baaba Maal
2/5
I always feel a little culturally insensitive or very unworldly when I listen to the non-English speaking albums on this list and find it difficult to engage deeply.
I liked a lot of the energy and the vibe to it, but struggle to connect with it a bit when I have no lyrical engagement, although the voice does often remain powerful and inviting.
The Yardbirds
2/5
Some nice guitar playing but some otherwise pretty boring arrangements and lyrics.
Fela Kuti
5/5
My second Fela album. He is unreal. Zombie was one of my favourite albums on the list so far (and I'm nearly halfway through it).
I also stand by the fact that the live albums on this list are absolutely brilliant every time.
The Cure
4/5
Not sure what it was about this but it seemed so emotive and engaging. All the way through the first two-thirds especially I was enraptured, it seemed to both be dreamy and hard-hitting. The album was long and the songs did become protracted closer to the end so it became more about trying to squeeze it into my day than about enjoying it how it was meant to be.
All instruments seem to work so harmoniously. I don't really know much about The Cure, but I'm glad I listened to this album.
4/5
Despite having enough understanding of music now that I really shouldn't be scoring this well, I can't deny my 12 year old self a reasonable rating on this one. This got me through many unnecessarily angst-filled moments in my teenage years with it's catchy, shouty lyrics that were so simple that a stupid 12 year old could sing along to. Its driving, growling guitars helped fuel the teenage rage. 'Significant Other' was my favourite album from them mind, I would have probably given that 5 stars.
The Byrds
2/5
It wasn't amazing. It felt quite experimental and probably quite ground-breaking at the time, but I was mostly a bit bored by the majority of it.
Jefferson Airplane
4/5
Female vocals nail it every time. Male vocals are less powerful. Good overall and enjoyed the listen through. Some necessary 60s music to consume.
Guns N' Roses
3/5
Undeniable how classic the hits are, albeit overplayed. Somehow one of those albums that I'd heard 5 tracks a billion times but not sure if I've ever heard it all of the way through.
Like much of this brand of music, the misogyny is on a high tier, and in this modern world, it thankfully sounds dated and inappropriate as song content. That definitely brings it down to a 3.
Rufus Wainwright
3/5
This was better than the other album by his on the list. Had a bit more energy to it, but still felt like a poor man's Thom Yorke. Also, just a little too long, better in the first half.
George Jones
4/5
This was a pleasant surprise, a joyful listen and a soothing voice.
Manu Chao
4/5
What a beautiful blend of varied culture, language and musicality. Great summer vibes brought to a grey morning.
Flamin' Groovies
3/5
The wiki leaned on the similarities to Rolling Stones, and they were correct. I didn't find it immensely original but did enjoy, but as with many albums, it began to overstay it's welcome in the last 15 minutes.
Maxwell
2/5
Somehow this would be a soundtrack to making love. That used to be a thing didn't it? Can't imagine putting it on now, I think I'd just spend too much time laughing and wouldn't ever go at speeds fast enough to actually ejaculate.
Eurythmics
3/5
It's a pretty solid album overall. The hits are obviously huge but there's plenty to enjoy otherwise too.
The Pretty Things
3/5
At times, a really great example of a narrative album, lost itself for me in the final third. A lot of Floyd, Beatles and Who in there for me; influencing or influenced by I'm not sure. Worth a listen though.
SZA
4/5
Nice to have some balance to the creepy male misogynists that fill up a large portion of this list. Woman can have a voice too, and that voice can be beautiful and powerful too.
Norah Jones
4/5
Ah man, this was just beautiful today, amongst all of the other chaos and challenge, this was serenely settling.
Green Day
5/5
Too many classic pop songs of great value not to love this. This is about as small a percentage of punk that punk-pop can have. But it doesn't stop it from being any less fun or brilliant.
Shack
3/5
A Belle & Sebastian style indie pop bit of fun that doesn't seem immensely deep or all that important but is still pleasant enough to listen to. Didn't feel like they were from Liverpool, and had somehow never heard of them.
PJ Harvey
4/5
PJ Harvey is proving to be one of my most consistent artists on this. Three albums ans three ratings of 4. This is as brilliantly poetic and powerful as the others, if not more. Tipping towards a 5 at points.
Doves
3/5
I warned to this one a lot. I gave it two listens. I approached it quite pessimistically because of a lot of 00s British indie and rock that I didn't enjoy from the list so far. I enjoy Elbow and a lot of this seems like a big precedent for their music, which must have began at a similar time. A high 3.