Current Events > My journey through "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" topic 3

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"1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die"

So I picked this up at a used book store the other day. This topic will be a chronicle of my journey through this book. I have listened to a ton of music spanning multiple genres through the years. I've listened to a lot, so I'm excited about finding a few new diamonds in the rough.

The book covers albums from 1950 to 2005. Yeah it's an older book and it's missing nearly 2 decades of music...but honestly I'm okay with that.

So what I'm going to do is simple. I'll randomly select an album using a number generator app . I'll listen to said album and briefly discuss it here. I'll fill out this basic form for each album:

Artist-album title
Release year
Nationality
Runtime
1st time listen or heard before?
Do you really need to hear this album?
Thoughts about the album.
YouTube link

I'm shooting for an average of an album a day. Feel free to post your thoughts on the current or past albums. This should be a lot of fun. So let's get this party started!

Albums reviewed so far:

1. Frank Sinatra- In the Wee Small Hours
2. Elvis Presley-s/t
3. The Louvin Brothers- Tragic Songs of Life
4. Louis Prima- The Wildest!
5. Fats Domino- This is Fats
6. Duke Ellington- Ellington at Newport 1956
7. Frank Sinatra- Songs for Swingin Lovers!
8. The Crickets- The "Chirping" Crickets
9. Miles Davis- Birth of the Cool
10. Machito- Kenya
11. Billie Holiday- Lady in Satin
12. Jack Elliott- Jack Takes the Floor
13. Marty Robbins- Gunfighter Ballads and Trail Songs
14. Miram Makeba- s/t
15. Solomon Burke- Rock n Soul
16. The Beach Boys- Pet Sounds
17. Paul Revere and the Raiders- Midnight Ride
18. Simon and Garfunkel- Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme
19. The Beatles- Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
20. Tim Buckley- Goodbye and Hello
21. The Byrds- Younger Than Yesterday
22. The Young Rascals- Groovin
23. Jefferson Airplane- Surrealistic Pillow
24. Jimi Hendrix Experience- Are you Experienced
25. The Rolling Stones- Beggars Banquet
26. The Kinks- The Kinks are the Village Green Preservation Society
27. The Byrds- The Notorious Byrd Brothers
28. Creedence Clearwater Revival- Bayou Country
29. The Bee Gees- Odessa
30. Sly and the Family Stone- Stand!
31. The Grateful Dead- Live/Dead
32. Black Sabbath-s/t
33. The Carpenters- Close to You
34. Stephen Stills- s/t
35. Marvin Gaye- What's Going On
36. John Lennon- Imagine
37. The Beach Boys- Surf's Up
38. Elton John- Madman Across the Water
39. Led Zeppelin- Led Zeppelin IV
40. Randy Newman- Sail Away
41. Stevie Wonder- Talking Book
42. Alice Cooper- School's Out
43. The Temptations- All Directions
44. David Bowie- The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars
45. Bob Marley and the Wailers- Catch a Fire
46. Can- Future Days
47. Lou Reed- Berlin
48. Mike Oldfield- Tubular Bells
49. Iggy and the Stooges- Raw Power
50. Stevie Wonder- Fulfillingness' First Finale
51. Eric Clapton- Ocean Boulevard
52. Kraftwerk- Autobahn
53. Queen- Sheer Heart Attack
54. Dion- Born to be with You
55. Patti Smith- Horses
56. Pink Floyd-Wish You Were Here
57. Earth, Wind, and Fire- That's the Way of the World
58. Curtis Mayfield- There's No Place Like America Today
59. Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers- s/t
60. The Modern Lovers- s/t
61. Boston- s/t
62. Kiss- Destroyer
63. Rush- 2112
64. Jorge Ben- Africa/Brasil
65. Parliament- Mothership Connection
66. Billy Joel- The Stranger
67. Talking Heads- Talking Heads: 77
68. Elvis Costello- My Aim is True
69. Pere Ubu- The Modern Dance
70. Kraftwerk- The Man Machine
71. Elvis Costello- This Year's Model
72. Public Image Ltd. - Public Image
73. Magazine- Real Life
74. The Cars- s/t
75. The Saints- Eternally Yours
76. Willie Nelson- Stardust
77. Chic- C'est Chic
78. Gary Numan- The Pleasure Principle
79. Motrhead- Ace of Spades
80. The Undertones- Hypnotised
81. The Jam- Sound Affects
82. Tom Waits- Heartattack and Vine
83. UB40- Signing Off
84. The Teardrop Explodes- Kilimanjaro
85. Bobby Womack- The Poet
86. Tom Tom Club- s/t
87. Rush- Moving Pictures
88. The Cure- Pornography
89. Violent Femmes-s/t
90. Cyndi Lauper- She's So Unusual
91. Paul Simon- Hearts and Bones
92. Echo and the Bunnymen- Porcupine
93. ZZ Top- Eliminator
94. Meat Puppets- Meat Puppets II
95. Frankie Goes to Hollywood- Welcome to the Pleasure Dome
96. Run-DMC- s/t
97. Sade- Diamond Life
98. Cocteau Twins- Treasure
99. Minor Threat- Out of Step
100. Van Halen- 1984
101. Prince and the Revolution- Purple Rain
102. Tina Turner- Private Dancer
103. A-ha- Hunting High and Low
104. Tears For Fears- Songs from the Big Chair
105. Beastie Boys- Licensed to Ill
106. XTC- Skylarking
107. Steve Earle- Guitar Town
108. The Smiths- The Queen is Dead
109. Peter Gabriel- So
110. Def Leppard- Hysteria
111. The Sisters of Mercy- Floodland
112. Guns N' Roses- Appetite for Destruction
113. The Jesus and Mary Chain- Darklands
114. Tracy Chapman- s/t
115. Neneh Cherry- Raw Like Sushi
116. Janet Jackson- Rhythm Nation
117. Deee-Lite- World Clique
118. The La's- s/t
119. Depeche Mode- Violator
120. LL Cool J- Mama Said Knock You Out
121. MC Solaar- Qui Sme LeVent Rcolte Le Tempo
122. Pearl Jam- Ten
123. Saint Etienne- Foxbase Alpha
124. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy- Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury
125. K.D. Lang- Ingnue
126. Ministry- Psalm 69
127. The Smashing Pumpkins- Siamese Dream
128. Sebadoh- Bubble and Scrape
129. William Orbit- Strange Cargo
130. Method Man- Tical
131. Nas- Illmatic
132. Oasis- (What's the Story) Morning Glory?
133. DJ Shadow- Endtroducing...
134. The Divine Comedy- Casanova
135. Sepultura- Roots
136. Everything But The Girl- Walking Wounded
137. Primal Scream- Vanishing Point
138. Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds- The Boatman's Call
139. The Verve- Urban Hymns
140. Billy Bragg and Wilco- Mermaid Avenue
141. Turbonegro- Apocalypse Dudes
142. Madonna- Ray of Light
143. Queens of the Stone Age-s/t
144. Incubus- Make Yourself
145. Moby- Play
146. Britney Spears- ...Baby One More Time
147. Bebel Gilberto- Tanto Tempo
148. Limp Bizkit- Chocolate Starfish and the Hot Dog Flavored Water
149. Goldfrapp- Felt Mountain
150. Madonna- Music
151. Silver Jews- Bright Flight
152. The Bees- Sunshine Hit Me
153. Rufus Wainwright- Want One
154. Devendra Banhart- Rejoicing in the Hands
155. Franz Ferdinand- s/t
156. N.E.R.D. - Fly or Die
157. The Beta Band- Heroes to Zeros
158. Ozomatli- Street Signs
159. TV on the Radio- Desperate Youths, Bloodthirsty Babes
160. Rufus Wainwright- Want Two
161. Beck- Guero
162. Jeff Buckley- Grace
163. Eno- Another Green World

https://youtu.be/iPXHFbcgzAk?si=66yqY_4HFVKOMjLL

Album #164
Manu Chao- Clandestino (1998)
France
Runtime: 45:47
1st time listen
Recommend a listen? Yes

Well this was a challenging listen and I dont mean that in a bad way. How do even begin to explain this album? It is laced with Latin, reggae, world music with rock elements, and even techno. It's quite the hodgepodge of genres. Not only that he sings in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish. It seems like the excellent Latin guitar playing is really the throughline that ties all these pieces together. It's really difficult to pick out specific highlights on my first listen, because this album feels like one stream of consciousness put to wax.

I'm not sure that I can properly review this album after just one listen. There's just too much for me to take in at once. That aside, I really enjoyed this album and I look forward to returning to it in the very near future. Give it a shot. Highly recommended!

Highlights:
I enjoyed the entire album

https://youtu.be/DOs5lmxDo74?si=XQSnPc08YX5w6xYI

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
143/164
New album listens for me so far: 65
Heard it before: 99

Album #165
U2
Ireland
Runtime: 55:22
Heard it before
Recommend a listen? Sure

This is the last U2 album that I enjoy in their discography. This is where they started to shift their sound into the alternative rock side of things, but there's still remnants of the old U2 here. After this album I don't have any use for U2. That being said their first 7 albums are very much worth exploring.

This album had 5 hit singles, with Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses being my favorite of the bunch. The album drags for me by the time we get to the back half and overall it's a little more poppy than I generally care for. It's still a pretty good album and worth at least a listen. Recommended.

Highlights:
Even Better than the Real Thing
One
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Mysterious Ways
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)

https://youtu.be/FJza6aJiotE?si=7iBHnL7_sazsqObD

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
144/165
New album listens for me so far: 65
Heard it before: 100

Welcome back. Best thread on the board.

I found Clandestino challenging too. It was the first album I heard while going through the list that was like nothing I knew, and I loved the experience.

It's worth reading the Wikipedia article on the album background as it kind of explains how it's so eclectic.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clandestino

I'd recommend Bongo Bong/Je ne t'aime Plus

https://youtu.be/cfLIlP-GAmg

ai123 posted...

Welcome back. Best thread on the board.

I found Clandestino challenging too. It was the first album I heard while going through the list that was like nothing I knew, and I loved the experience.

It's worth reading the Wikipedia article on the album background as it kind of explains how it's so eclectic.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clandestino

I'll give that a read. It definitely was one of the more difficult reviews to give. I couldn't rely on any personal stories, lyrics, and it being a combination of genres that I'm less familiar with. So I had to basically rely on explaining what I was hearing and nothing more. Hey I did my best.

trentpac posted...

Album #165
U2
Ireland
Runtime: 55:22
Heard it before
Recommend a listen? Sure

you missed the album title here

TheGoldenEel posted...

you missed the album title here

Whoops. I'll delete it and repost it. Thanks.

Album #165
U2- Achtung Baby (1991)
Ireland
Runtime: 55:22
Heard it before
Recommend a listen? Sure

This is the last U2 album that I enjoy in their discography. This is where they started to shift their sound into the alternative rock side of things, but there's still remnants of the old U2 here. After this album I don't have any use for U2. That being said their first 7 albums are very much worth exploring.

This album had 5 hit singles, with Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses being my favorite of the bunch. The album drags for me by the time we get to the back half and overall it's a little more poppy than I generally care for. That being said it's still a pretty good album and worth at least a listen. Recommended.

Highlights:
Even Better than the Real Thing
One
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
Mysterious Ways
Ultra Violet (Light My Way)

https://youtu.be/FJza6aJiotE?si=7iBHnL7_sazsqObD

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
144/165
New album listens for me so far: 65
Heard it before: 100

trentpac posted...

Hey I did my best.

You did a great job of describing one of the most diverse things I've heard. Better than I could do (Baby Shark is my limit).

Album #166
R.E.M.- Document (1987)
USA
Runtime: 39:52
Heard it before
Recommend a listen? YES

I basically divide R.E.M.'s albums into 3 eras/categories:
1983-1988 S-tier era
1991-1996 A-tier era (great/good, but flawed)
1998-2011 B-tier era (good/okay, only for mega R.E.M. fans)

I was introduced to R.E.M. in 1991 when they started putting out albums that were good, but flawed. So intially I kind of overlooked and underappreciated the band. They had tracks that I liked, but it wasn't until many years later when I started checking out their earlier material, that my opinion of the band significantly changed. I finally saw what everyone else saw in the band. I finally got it. This is one of those albums that helped change my mind about them.

There's really no bad songs on the album, but side 1 is clearly stronger than side 2. It's an excellent jangle pop/alternative rock album and I'm really not sure why I haven't added it to my collection yet. Highly recommended.

Highlights:
Finest Worksong
Welcome to the Occupation
Exhuming McCarthy
Disturbance at the Heron House
It's the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)
The One I Love
King of Birds
Oddfellows Local 151

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_kZSJf-8AIaYsk3z5_ETllwmawMVJX68d4&si=rNRKiTu19ptPE8vQ

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
145/166
New album listens for me so far: 65
Heard it before: 101

That's a very accurate tier list. Though I do think New Adventures can hang with their very best stuff.

I've always been fond of the saxophone honking all over Fireplace. Turns one of their average songs into something a lot more interesting.

ai123 posted...

That's a very accurate tier list. Though I do think New Adventures can hang with their very best stuff.

I've always been fond of the saxophone honking all over Fireplace. Turns one of their average songs into something a lot more interesting.

New Adventures and Automatic for the People are both great albums. Monster and Out of Time is where most of the inconsistencies are in that era. Out of Time has some great tracks, but as an album, it's a confused mess IMO. It doesn't know what it wants to be.

Achtung Baby is possibly my favorite album of all time. Always found it way too dark to call it poppy. I also love the ridiculous number of double entendres on the album. It is all about lust and betrayal.

I do agree with your REM assessment. Their 80s output, along with Automatic for the People and New Adventures, is their best.

trentpac posted...

New Adventures and Automatic for the People are both great albums. Monster and Out of Time is where most of the inconsistencies are in that era. Out of Time has some great tracks, but as an album, it's a confused mess IMO. It doesn't know what it wants to be.

That's fair.

Out of Time has Low and Country Feedback, which are two of my favourite R.E.M. songs. But it also has tracks I barely remember exist.

trentpac posted...

This is the last U2 album that I enjoy in their discography. This is where they started to shift their sound into the alternative rock side of things, but there's still remnants of the old U2 here. After this album I don't have any use for U2. That being said their first 7 albums are very much worth exploring.

i think zooropa and pop absolutely hold up tbh

miss me with most of the rest of their stuff though

Dissident_77 posted...

Achtung Baby is possibly my favorite album of all time. Always found it way too dark to call it poppy. I also love the ridiculous number of double entendres on the album. It is all about lust and betrayal.

I do agree with your REM assessment. Their 80s output, along with Automatic for the People and New Adventures, is their best.

Not that you necessarily would have responded, but I just realized that my name change was throw you off. I'm bsp. I suggested Achtung Baby at the end of the last one.

ai123 posted...

That's fair.

Out of Time has Low and Country Feedback, which are two of my favourite R.E.M. songs. But it also has tracks I barely remember exist.

Those are good songs and I like a good deal of the album. It's just that the album feels like a bunch of random songs thrown on an album without any rhyme or reason. I personally find the shifts a little jarring in places. But again, I do actually like the album overall.

TheGoldenEel posted...

i think zooropa and pop absolutely hold up tbh

miss me with most of the rest of their stuff though

Just for the song Lemon alone, I'd like to shoot all copies of this album into the sun. Man I hate that song. That song aside, I can see why people like Zooropa...it's just not for me.

Dissident_77 posted...

Not that you necessarily would have responded, but I just realized that my name change was throw you off. I'm bsp. I suggested Achtung Baby at the end of the last one.

Oh good to know about the name change. Glad to see some of the regulars have found their way back!

trentpac posted...

Oh good to know about the name change. Glad to see some of the regulars have found their way back!

Of course! My favorite topic here.

But sorry to say, Lemon is awesome. Either that or Stay is the best song on Zooropa.

trentpac posted...

Just for the song Lemon alone, I'd like to shoot all copies of this album into the sun. Man I hate that song. That song aside, I can see why people like Zooropa...it's just not for me.

Have you ever listened to the podcast U Talkin' U2 to Me? It's a comedy podcast that I mostly listened to because it's a spinoff of Comedy Bang Bang, but it helped give me an appreciation for some of the weirder U2 albums

Never cared that much for Achtung Baby, but Document kicks ass.

U2 never clicked for me at all. Them and The Smiths have always been the two in my usual genres I just don't really like.

REM rocks though

trentpac posted...

I basically divide R.E.M.'s albums into 3 eras/categories:
1983-1988 S-tier era
1991-1996 A-tier era (great/good, but flawed)
1998-2011 B-tier era (good/okay, only for mega R.E.M. fans)

I mostly agree with this but Automatic for the People is an outlier in that I like it as much as their best albums, in fact it's maybe my favorite REM album of all time.

Also I would probably put the album Green in A tier.

Because why not?

https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/5/555bf78a.jpg

TheGoldenEel posted...

Have you ever listened to the podcast U Talkin' U2 to Me? It's a comedy podcast that I mostly listened to because it's a spinoff of Comedy Bang Bang, but it helped give me an appreciation for some of the weirder U2 albums

I haven't. I'll keep that in mind.

Album #167
Lemonheads- It's a Shame About Ray (1992)
USA
Runtime: 33:08
1st time listen
Recommend a listen? Sure

The Lemonheads are an alternative rock band. The book describes them as "bubblegrunge", and I think that perfectly describes their sound here.

I haven't listened to these guys since the 90s and I honestly forgot about them. My girlfriend had the "Come on and Feel the Lemonheads" album, so she had it on rotation quite a bit throughout 1993-1995. I was pretty indifferent about the band at the time. I found it to be pretty inoffensive/decent enough to listen to. So when she stopped listening to them, so did I.

Flash forward three decades later and I find myself listening to the Lemonheads again. Has my opinion on them changed? Sort of. I definitely enjoy them more now than I did back then. Overall I found this album to be an enjoyable experience, but there's still just something missing from the list of ingredients that make up a band that I truly love. I wouldn't say that this is an album that you must hear before you die, but there's plenty of stuff on here that I'll definitely be adding to a playlist or 2. It's only 33 minutes long, so why not check it out. Recommended.

Highlights:
Rockin' Stroll
Confetti
It's a Shame About Ray
My Drug Buddy
Hannah and Gabi
Kitchen
Mrs. Robinson

https://youtu.be/5n5mdh0MPFo?si=6Bxl83xEoj31pmtN

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
146/167
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 101

trentpac posted...

I haven't. I'll keep that in mind.

By the way, after they went through the U2 discography, they went through REM lmao. Then Talking Heads, and recently they went through Bruce Springsteen's discography.

I love the first 3 Lemonheads albums (Hate Your Friends, Creator, Lick). They're quite punky and angry and tense, but also funny. Lick features Corey Brennan who is now a renowned Classics Professor (I saw him on a recent documentary about Ancient Rome).

It's a Shame About Ray is where they became bland to me, and just another indie/alt guitar band. Mrs Robinson is one of the most unnecessary, hit-seeking, by-the-numbers covers I've heard. Compare it to their earlier attempts at Proud Scum's I am a Rabbit, or Kiss' Plaster Caster, which convey a real sense of a young band having fun. Even their version of Luka is better than this.

Which is a too-long way of saying I think your first instinct was your best instinct.

ai123 posted...

I love the first 3 Lemonheads albums (Hate Your Friends, Creator, Lick). They're quite punky and angry and tense, but also funny. Lick features Corey Brennan who is now a renowned Classics Professor (I saw him on a recent documentary about Ancient Rome).

It's a Shame About Ray is where they became bland to me, and just another indie/alt guitar band. Mrs Robinson is one of the most unnecessary, hit-seeking, by-the-numbers covers I've heard. Compare it to their earlier attempts at Proud Scum's I am a Rabbit, or Kiss' Plaster Caster, which convey a real sense of a young band having fun. Even their version of Luka is better than this.

Which is a too-long way of saying I think your first instinct was your best instinct.

I'll definitely check out those albums then. I have heard their version of Plaster Caster. I think it was on the Kiss tribute CD my friend was playing on the bus ride home from one of our high school band competitions. It was one of the 3 or 4 covers that I actually liked on that album.

I think a lot of it is due to the fact that they started out as a proper band, with two songwriters and a lot of in-fighting.

By the time Ray came out, The Lemonheads were basically Evan Dando's attempt at solo stardom.

Album #168
Fred Neil- Fred Neil (1966)
USA
Runtime: 37:56
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Fred Neil is a singer/songwriter folk rock artist. Most people will know his music from Harry Nilsson's cover of "Everybody's Talkin'" that was pretty much the main theme for the movie Midnight Cowboy. The original version of that song is included on this album.

His voice is deep, full, and rich sounding. He bends in many other genres into his version of folk rock. If you're a fan of artists such as David Ackles or Tim Buckley, you'll adore Fred Neil. The entire album is great, but for first time listeners, try The Dolphins and Everybody's Talkin'. This album is a grower, as it's a bit laid back, but the more you listen to it, the more you'll realize the depth of musicality here. I think this record is incredible. His debut album Bleecker & MacDougal is definitely worth a listen as well. Very highly recommended.

Highlights:
I love every second of this album.

https://youtu.be/bh1w4zUOZYI?si=suYDVyEZfmwBk7V0

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
147/168
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 102

Bleecker & MacDougal is pretty great. As much as I like Fred Neil, though, I do think that Nilsson cover is the best version of his song, haha. It's very hard to hate.

Shotgunnova posted...

Bleecker & MacDougal is pretty great. As much as I like Fred Neil, though, I do think that Nilsson cover is the best version of his song, haha. It's very hard to hate.

You're not wrong. That cover is incredible.

Album #169
Korn- Follow the Leader (1998)
USA
Runtime: 73:48
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? Sure

I first heard Korn by blind buying their debut album in preparation for a Megadeth concert. Korn, Flotsam & Jetsam, & Fear Factory were the opening acts for Megadeth on their Youthanasia tour. It was an excellent concert and every band killed it.

I really enjoyed their first two albums, but I enjoyed this album a whole lot less. I picked up their next album Issues and then I parted ways with the band. I didn't start hating them or anything...I think I was just all Korned out. So I basically haven't listened to Korn since the early 2000s. (Aside from random tracks here and there)

This album starts off strong, then progressively gets weaker, and then it just drags on too damn long. (This was one of the very, very few times that I actually listened to this album from start to finish. Most of time I shut off with 4 or 5 tracks left.) This record is a mixed bag. There's some really great tunes, but there's also some absolute trash on it. Ice Cube and Fred Durst each appear as guest vocalists on a track. (I don't like either track)

This is another one of those albums where I'm ultimately going to give my recommendation, because there's some worthwhile material here, but do I like the album as a whole? Not so much. So a reluctant recommendation here.

Highlights:
It's On!
Freak on a Leash
Got the Life
Dead Bodies Everwhere
Reclaim My Place

https://youtu.be/yQwnNfSZM8M?si=PRO2eK99xfPQOTCE

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
148/169
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 103

Album #170
Love- Forever Changes (1967)
USA
Runtime: 42:52
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Love are a psychedelic rock band that are acoustic guitar driven with orchestral elements. I've had this record in constant rotation for literally decades now and I never get tired of it. I've heard most of their material, but I only own this album and their Four Sail record. I really need to pick up a few more of their albums.

There's a reason why this album is in nearly everyone's top 10 psychedelic rock records. It manages to help define the genre, yet be completely unique from the other bands of the genre. Their sound is light and airy, yet it doesn't sound like the hippy dippy sunshine and flowers crap the genre also produced. Very highly recommended.

Highlights:
Alone Again Or
A House is not a Hotel
Andmoreagain
The Daily Planet
The Red Telephone
Maybe the People Would be the Times or Between Clark and Hilldale
Bummer in the Summer
You Set the Scene

https://youtu.be/VRTKtOZ-ta0?si=7Jtd6qtuTWXTL4eV

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
149/170
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 104

I've been meaning to check that one out. The Damned cover of Alone Again Or is great

trentpac posted...

Album #170
Love- Forever Changes (1967)
USA
Runtime: 42:52
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

This might well be my favourite album.

Every song is an absolute gem in a perfectly arranged setting, and listening to it always makes the world seem a slightly nicer place. It does have its darker moments (The Red Telephone is almost menacing), but how could anyone not be uplifted by You Set the Scene?

There's nothing else quite like it (and I have searched a lot). It's the one album that I will side-eye people for not liking.

If you are against person of taste, however, I recommend checking this out, which is kind of in the same spirit.

https://youtu.be/bhXz43FttV8

Sometimes I randomly get Andmoreagain stuck in my head, lmao.

ai123 posted...

If you are against person of taste, however, I recommend checking this out, which is kind of in the same spirit.

https://youtu.be/bhXz43FttV8

Oh sweet! I've definitely seen that record cover before. (probably when I've looked up lists of this type of music) I will 100% be giving that a listen.

Album #171
Al Green- Let's Stay Together (1972)
USA
Runtime: 33:38
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? YES

Al Green is soul music royalty. This is his fourth album, but this is where he started firing on all cylinders. He would go on a run of 6 highly successful records starting with this album. If you're looking to get into Green, check out these records from this period. (1972-1975) In particular I'd recommend this album as well as his "I'm Still in Love with You" record.

There's really not a bad track on the record. Even the tracks I omitted from the highlights are great. He does a good cover of the Bee Gees "How Can You Mend a Broken Heart?", that everyone seems to love, but personally I would've preferred another original track. But that's just me nitpicking. For anyone into soul/R&B music, this is an essential album to add to your collection. Highly recommended.

Highlights:
Let's Stay Together
La-La for You
What's is this Feeling?
Old Time Lovin'
I've Never Found a Girl (Who Loves Me Like You Do)
Judy

https://youtu.be/ImcCmVMLT1M?si=SSzazrB1cBzxsmF2

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
150/171
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 105

Album #172
Eagles- Hotel California (1976)
USA
Runtime: 43:28
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? Yes

The Eagles are rock/country rock band. For whatever reason they seem to have a chunk of the population that hates them. I honestly don't get it and this is coming from a very casual Eagles fan. They have 7 albums, with 5 of them being excellent, 1 that's good, and one that sucks. I basically think 6 out of their 7 albums are worth picking up. Here's how I'd rank them:

7. Long Road Out of Eden
6. The Long Run
5. The Eagles
4. One of These Nights
3. On the Border
2. Hotel California
1. Desperado

This album is overplayed, but that doesn't mean it's still not an incredible album. Side 1 of this album is excellent and it flows perfectly. Side 2 has some really high highs and some lows. I know people like this song, but I'm not that big of a fan of Victim of Love. To me the highlight of side 2 is the albums closer "The Last Resort" written by Don Henley and Glenn Frey. I probably haven't listened to this album in over a decade, so I found it to be quite an enjoyable trip down memory lane. Highly recommended.

Highlights:
Hotel California
New Kid in Town
Life in the Fast Lane
Wasted Time
The Last Resort

https://youtu.be/9fZjoE2c3Ts?si=0NdGdrxzLDu8wM2t

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
151/172
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 106

trentpac posted...

The Eagles are rock/country rock band. For whatever reason they seem to have a chunk of the population that hates them.

Even when they were popular, they tended to attract an older fan base. So they've always been considered kind of "uncool." I think The Big Lebowski made it especially popular to hate on them.

Personally, I think they're very musically talented, and there are a few tracks of theirs that I really love. But most of their music is kind of boring to me. So while I respect them and have never jumped on the "Eagles SUCK!!" bandwagon, I'm not much of a fan either.

My tolerance for classic rock is pretty high, but The Eagles are a bit too soft rock and a bit too country for me. I don't mind some of Joe Walsh's solo stuff though.

action52 posted...

Even when they were popular, they tended to attract an older fan base. So they've always been considered kind of "uncool." I think The Big Lebowski made it especially popular to hate on them.

Personally, I think they're very musically talented, and there are a few tracks of theirs that I really love. But most of their music is kind of boring to me. So while I respect them and have never jumped on the "Eagles SUCK!!" bandwagon, I'm not much of a fan either.

That checks out. Like I said in my review, I'm more of a casual Eagles fan. Basically I never really ever get on an Eagles kick, like I do with my favorite bands. They're more of a band where I'll listen to an album of theirs between my regular plays. I'll listen to an album and thoroughly enjoy it, but then I'm good on the Eagles for another 3-6 months. Rinse and repeat.

Eagles have a few bangers and some of them are on Hotel California but I never feel the need to listen to the album

I used or hate on The Eagles too because it seemed the cool thing to do. But then one day I was like, "wait, most of their stuff is damn good".

The song One of These Nights is my favorite. That intro...

Album #173
Metallica-Metallica (1991)
USA
Runtime: 62:31
Heard it before/own it
Recommend a listen? Yes

I got into metal sometime in 1991, so this was my first Metallica album. I hadn't gotten around to them yet, as I was mostly busy exploring Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Megadeth, and Black Sabbath. After I picked up this album, I almost immediately picked up all of their other albums. I was instantly hooked, although Megadeth was and would still remain to be my favorite trash metal band. All these early Metallica albums take me back and I instantly think about cruising around with my boys.

This is Metallica at the peak of their popularity and they would remain trash metal royalty to me until they released their Load and Reload albums. What a mess those albums are and they'd only get worse going forward. I do think there's a good record between Load and Reload if you cut out all the absolute trash on them. Giving us 1 50+ minute album. But I'm getting sidetracked here...

The first of the album is excellent, but the album does lose some steam for the last of the record. It's not that those last 3 songs are bad, in fact they're pretty good, but they're probably the 3 weakest tracks on the album. Personally I would've preferred if the album ended after The God that Failed and left the final 2 songs off the album entirely and used them as B-sides for singles. Most of these songs have been beyond overplayed at this point, but it's still a fun album to return to from time to time.

Being a guitarist and this being my 1st Metallica album, I would end up learning a bunch of these songs at the time. (Enter Sandman, Sad but True, The Unforgiven, Wherever I May Roam, and Nothing Else Matters) I still enjoy playing Nothing Else Matters to this day. I have lots of fond memories of this album for that reason as well.

It's certainly not my favorite Metallica album, but it's a good one, and a must to get if you have been living under a rock. Recommended.

Highlights:
Enter Sandman
Sad But True
Hollier than Thou
The Unforgiven
Wherever I May Roam
Don't Tread on Me
Through the Never
Nothing Else Matters
Of Wolf and Man

https://youtu.be/qby6DlZlG3s?si=Fh4upucZvINbvEw-

Recommended out of the 1001 so far:
152/173
New album listens for me so far: 66
Heard it before: 107

Never really been into metal. Deep Purple is probably my limit (I'm basically a hippie if I'm being brutally honest with myself), but I did used to date someone whose favourite album this was, and she played it all the time.

I won't say I learned to love it, but eventually I understood why she did.

Long winded post on Metallica coming up as this one is near and dear to me.

Metallica is my favorite band of all time. 80's stuff only though.

But my favorite album, and even when it comes to the original mixes, despite the poor mastering and lack of bass And Justice For All remains my favorite album. Usually among most old school Metallica fans I find the top album comes down to either Ride the Lightning or Master of Puppets.
While many will point toward the Black album as the line drawn in the sand where they stopped liking Metallica I have found a surprising number of people who dislike Justice and think Puppets is the last great Metallica album.

For me Justice remains my favorite as I like the longer album. Its 11 to 18 minutes longer than the previous 3. Its got some much longer songs and I love that. I like James more mature voice. Its more mature on Puppets as well compared to how screechy he can be at times on the first two albums. I think it has the best instrumental song on Justice and I also think it has the strongest side two lineup of songs. Ill take something like Shortest Straw and Harvester of Sorrow over the others. I fucking love Harvester of Sorrow.

I have great memories of the other albums when they came out but I really have extra special memories of when Justice came out. I was in junior high just on the brink of becoming a teenager and Id stay the night at a friends house playing NES all night and just flipping this tape over and over again listening to it in this crappy little boombox in his room at the end of summer in August in sweltering heat and no AC. With a box fan in the window and a $2 rented Nintendo game and pizza.
I know no one care about my memories haha but its such a vivid recall of that exact time when that album came out. I remember listening to both Lightning and Puppets when they came out but I dont have specific memories like that.

Anyway for me its:
And Justice For All
Master of Puppets/Kill Em All
Ride the Lightning

I dont think Kill Em All gets the same respect as Lightning and Puppets and to me its right there with them and has some amazing stuff. That is one hell of a debut. Just because I listed Lightning last doesnt mean I dont think its great. I think all 4 are masterpieces but someone has to come in last. It has my least favorite instrumental and a couple of the songs I think are slightly weaker than other albums counterparts.

What I mean by counterparts is say comparing the opening track 1 song on each album I think Fight Fire with Fire is good, but not as good as Hit the Lights, Battery, or Blackened. To me song #2 Ride the Lightning is awesome but not as good as Four Horseman, Master of Puppets, or And Justice for All.

So for this reason Ride the Lightning is my #4 album out of the first four. But still epic and I still play it in regular rotation to this day. I play all of those first 4 albums regularly. Ive listen to them all within the last two weeks. Full playthroughs from start to finish. 37 to 42 years later and I still love them all.

The Black album gets too much hate from the older fans. I liked it when it came out when I was in high school. I still like it. I just don't have it in masterpiece territory like the 80's stuff. People rag on the slower style and other criticisms as well but it was a conscious choice by James to slow things down. They said in the 80's they kept trying to go faster and faster and longer and Justice was the peak of that and they said they physically had issues playing it live and it was wearing them out. They decided they couldn't keep trying to go faster so they tried something new. It wasn't about radio play or selling out. Just a choice to go against the grain and slow things down. All in all I like the album a lot still and it is the last album I truly enjoy by them.

Load and Reload has some songs I like here and there but as you alluded to I feel it would have benefitted from being combined into one stronger album. There is so much stuff on those two albums I skip. Then after that is just drops off a cliff with St. Anger and I'm done with them. But I'm not mad at them. I don't trash them or think they sold out because someone wanted a haircut finally. Like I look at all of my favorite artists and for most of them I only like them for a period of a few years or a few albums or sometimes a single one. This isn't strange for me. It is par for the course and that is ok.

I got carried away with my response. I always do with them. I just enjoy the music so much and it was a huge part of my life growing up. It still honestly blows my mind they put out those first 4 albums in a 5 year period from 83-88. No one else has given me 4 full albums I consider masterpieces I play from start to finish let alone in 5 years. Crazy. That period will always be my favorite and I will always love them for that.

Kudos to anyone reading all of long winded thoughts on this.