Reviews by john

An early sense of excitement came from hearing “The Cutter” as an opening song. Sharp songwriting and a catchy hook had me looking forward to a lot more. Sadly, nothing quite matched that high. That seems to be my experience with Echo & The Bunnymen - they’re good for a couple fantastic new wave/post punk/pop rock songs and everything else on the album is just an attempt at the same sound.

Some glimmers of hope came pretty late, like the hypnotic second half of “Higher Hell”, or how “Gods Will Be Gods” ended.

This is about as true of a middle of the road album can get for this list. 3/5

Not only one of the better albums of all time, but one of the most aptly named albums of all time. Stevie Wonder sings about the human experience, and often the black American experience, with such conviction and joy that even the saddest songs in here are still comforting and uplifting.

The first disc of the double album is generational, specifically the run of songs from “Sir Duke” to “Pastime Paradise”. Those songs don’t need to be talked about. But honestly the second disc is no slouch either, it makes it hard to say that this album is too long - which is insane to say out loud about an hour 45 minute long album.

The confident proclamations of “Black Man”, the warmth of “As”, the piano groove in “Ebony Eyes”. Not to mention the perfectly-timed introductions of things like an electric guitar in one song, or a harmonica solo in another song; this album plays itself out with perfect pacing.

If you told me to hand you an album that best encapsulates the emotions of the overall human experience, I’d likely give you Songs In The Key Of Life. I don’t want to presume toooo much about the demographic of people who get through these 1001 albums, but I’m guessing a large subsect is atheistic white men? So it’s a testament to the strength of this album that

A grab bag of fragmented ideas that range from jagged social protests to meandering ideas that float off into the ether.

For one song to be as directed and tense as "Viet Nam" to immediately transition into the soothing, rolling solo guitar on "Cohesion" is certainly chaotic, but it somehow works? It's kinda like they said the rules for this album is that there are no rules. Wanna do some instrumental noodling for a song? Sure! Wanna demand widescale policy change in America for another song? Go ahead!

The start of "Shit From and Old Notebook" was a highlight for me, as I too experience similar stream-of-consciousness anger at the nature of advertising.

"Corona" did jolt me out of the doldrums at that point in the tracklisting, it's like the band very intentionally tried to form their version of a pop-leaning rock son, and it worked. Unfortunately, this meant that most everything after lost a bit of it's magic.

Reading more on Mike Watt, it seems like this man just lives to create. So many bands, so many albums, it is reflected in his musical style here -- pure flow of ideas, from head and heart straight to mouth.

Most of my points go to this album being a very peculiar project, breaking the mold for how a western music record could be structured. As for the musical content? Mehhhhh. Fun and/or invigorating for small moments at best. 3/5, no need to return to this one for casual listening

Was a slow start that got better on the back half, a rarity for anything that leans pop.

The intro of "Dance Little Sister" was incredibly corny, so it's impressive that it could recover from there.

"Let's Go Forward" was pretty catchy and probably my pick from the record. Love the chorus and the warm, plucky guitar that added a lot of color.

Actually this album is sprinkled with good ideas, like the 'shoowop' 50's style chorus in "Sign Your Name".

"As Yet Untitled" is bold enough to probably tip the scales on this one and make it a firm 3/5.

But I do ultimately think people were a little too hungry for anything that resembled Prince, which is understandable. A lot of goodness that falls just short of greatness imo

So admittedly Outkast is a huge cultural blind spot for me (as is most stuff from 1990-early 2000), so I can kinda listen to most of their albums with fresh ears and a lot of music/cultural frames of references to compare things to. One comparison stands out - there’s a lot of Sly & The Family Stone spiritually passing through these guys imo. Even down to the flag album artwork of There’s A Riot Goin On!
Stankonia must’ve sounded like the modern day experimental funk, with similar topics that range from Americas shortcomings in how it treats black people, to highly personal relationship stuff. All with some frenetic, vivid production work that's just as varied as it's subject matters. On that note, it's a bit on the nose but I think Kendrick Lamar has obviously become the next flag-bearer as an artist who creates hyper-unique works of art that speak for the Black American experience. He even has these wild vocal inflections that Andre3000 had.

These were my thoughts on my first full listen (trying to avoid talking about the mega hits on here, since ive heard those) ~~

The “Kim & Cookie” interlude is very clever given the prose of the next song, that was a huge highlight for me.

I know it’s one of the more noteable songs on this album, but “Bombs Over Baghdad” is really a remarkable song considering this came out before 9/11. And just the totally intricate, chaotic way the song is produced. Super impressive. I almost hear some breakbeat influence in that repetitive snare halfway through the song. That halfway point couldve been the end of the song, but it kept evolving with different instrumental passages getting cooler and cooler as it went on.

“Humble Mumble” is soooo pretty. The way the instrumental is introduced really makes it feel like you’ve pulled back the leaves on some musical jungle scene. We’re Andre3000 and Erykah Badu dating by then? I’ve heard about that.

Something that really moved the needle on how highly I view this record was just an interlude, “Cruisin in the ATL”. I’m a sucker for those little ‘in the car’ interludes where it’s a scene from a group of people in a car, or even better, a radio ad.

Then, for it to be followed by the hypnotic, bouncy chorus of “Gangsta Shit”? I think this was around where I felt like this was a true 5/5. The 808’s could be placed right into a late 2010’s beat and go just as hard. Absolutely insane.

I feel like this album is so dense that you could do separate studies on the production work and the lyrical content. I can't even speak all that much to the lyrics on first listen because as quickly as a clever bar would fly by, some new funky synth would whirl past as well. On top of it all, they still retained a deeply 'Atlanta' sound amidst all the pushing of these musical boundaries.

They had me narratively in their grasp completely but the point “Toilet Tisha” ended. I am so captivated that I forgot to mention that football style "break!" interlude that has been underpinning this whole project. Very clever.

It’s a 5/5 for sure. What a pleasure it is to not just listen to a 5/5 you already know, but to be introduced to a 5/5 for the first time.

So much more palatable compared to the last two days. Truly gothic and not afraid to just air an idea out and experiment a bit.

What weakens this album a bit is that there's not much to latch on to. Sometimes I felt a bit like things got a bit too hazy. Some meandering was done. Not anything offensive, but occasionally hard to stick with.

Track 14 (the one that's just their names) was quite cool though, with the speeding up of the tape track, and lyrics that seemed to just be stream-of-consciousness. Fish cakes!!

My pick is "Man with X-Rray Eyes" as it's quite catchy. Soft 3/5

Costello me once, shame on me. Costello me two days in a row? Must be the 1001 albums list.

Man this was rough, especially hearing what Costello was capable of on yesterdays album. The material on Brutal Youth was performed worse in almost every way. From the clanky guitar on "Kinder Murder" to the pitchy belting on "Still To Soon To Know" .

Most every trope I don't like about 90's pop/rock/alt is here. Acoustic rhythm guitars feel like melodic placeholders that were just never changed or improved upon from the demos of these songs. I agree with the namesake of the most popular track on here, this is hell. What in the world is "Clown Strike"? It's half-baked. Most of these songs are.

I see that Elvis Costello and Neil Young are playing a show in Manchester this coming year. What a dream come true for the curator of this list, and what a total nightmare for me. Just two of my least favorite singers that happen to be all over this list.

Always unhappy to hand out a 1/5, but that's what this was. Could barely get through it. I will happily remember not a thing from this blob of mush

Probably one of the better Elvis Costello albums we’ve had so far, since there seems to be so many of them. This one at least held my attention until the end. Seems like it was a bit ahead of its time, I hear a lot of 80’s tropes in this late 70’s project. So points for that.

However, this man doesn’t need to occupy so many spots on the list here. Plain and simple.

My picks are “Pump it Up” and Lipstick Vogue”. Mid 3/5

Totally captivating.

Words don’t do this experience any justice. Patti Smith is so emphatic and animated in delivering some of the most unique lyricism you’ll ever hear in anything rock/pop adjacent. The vocal inflections are unreal. Usually, with an artists you kinda sacrifice unique lyrics for catchy delivery or appealing instrumentals. Not here, she has it all. I’m just floored.

“Gloria: In Excelsis Deo” and “Birdland” are my picks from the record, but really this is just front to back amazing. Easy 5/5, no need for a long write up just go listen to this masterpiece

I’m gonna call this genre ‘deconstructed new wave’. These guys are happy to pick at the tropes of their sound, happy to give their songs some length & room to breathe. For that bit of experimentation, I commend them.

But at the end of the day this is still a relatively unremarkable new wave album on this list. The more of these I hear, the less likely I am to latch onto anything from this sound or time.

The beginning of the bossa nova craze in America, you say??? Well you’ve piqued my interest.

Unfortunately, I got more out of the other Getz record on this list, "Getz/Gilberto". Maybe it took him a few years to really find his bag, maybe it's his Brazilian counterpart bringing the heat, but that album has more impactful melodies and establishes better, more smooth sonic backdrops. I hate to think in such a comparative manner, but that album just does everything Jazz Samba does, just better.

Given that this album was before the Gilberto collab record, I will give it props, as I'm sure this blew some Americans minds being their first dive into bossa. Nothing on here is bad, some of it is super fun and feels improvisational, but it didn't knock me off my feet by any means.

Light 3/5, happy to hear it but won't go back to it

These guys do a great job at making music, but fall just short of creating something with impact.

"Default", "Firewater", and frankly most songs here sound like they're made for Amazon commercials. Hints of character, offensively inoffensive, and technically well-produced.

I've gotta be a bit harsh on this album's inclusion, this is not very important music, especially for the time it came out. the EDM boom was happening, rap was being taken in some wildly interesting directions. At least stomp-clap had a sound and aesthetic!! Then there's this milquetoast project.

The music is a 3/5, but it taking up a space on here is 2/5 material. Not worth your while

I don't know, I feel like it's slightly formulaic for an inclusion on this list.

There's some moments, the accordion on the title track makes a ton of sense. There's some good pop-country songwriting on the two songs that follow, "I Sang Dixie" has a simple but beautiful chorus that wraps itself up quite nicely.

I do hear the charm in Dwight's simple, straightforward delivery. And I'm not questioning his gangster, he seems like a true Kentucky fella. But This didn't move the needle much for me. Maybe I'm not the most qualified for this record, but I do like me a good country record. This one just wasn't it.

Speaking on country (kinda) music, it's a DAMN shame there's no Jimmy Buffet on this list. I know he can be a bit campy/hackish, but he's gotta have a case for a spot on here

This will be a very fragmented, stream-of-consciousness review. No grand statements or linear writeups, just a few thoughts.

It’s crazy that it’s been Dark Side Of The Moon, Physical Graffiti, The Doors debut, and now this all in the span of a few days. Specifically with this album and Dark Side being globally rated albums #3 & #2, thats wild to me.

So few albums innovate AND are culturally, universally praised immediately. Listen to that little synth/keyboard in “Maxwells Silver Hammer”. This was 1969? No way. So far ahead of its time.

You know it’s a great Beatles album when even the Ringo song is good. Please listen to the demo version of “Octopus Garden”, George Martin helped Ringo shine on this one.

“Golden Slumbers”? More like Golden Melody. What an incredible way to work a melody into multiple songs.

And how about "Sun King"? it's literally like an audible version of laying out in the grass under the sun. So airy and easy-going.

Good memories of Paul's live tribute to George Harrison, with his ukulele version of George's "Something". Somehow nearly as charming as the original on Abbey Road.

I could go on and on. Everything's already been said though. This has got to be the best album of the 60's no? George Martin reels in the experimental sounds of Sgt. Pepper's, refines it, makes it more grandiose - all while corralling 4 guys who are starting to get at each other's necks. Isn't it insane that they weren't on the best terms making this album? They sound so cohesive and imaginative here. So much artistic ambition realized with complete success.

6/5 stars, an exemplary work of art

Alright alriiiight I get it I like The Doors I think Jim Morrison was worth his star power.

Songs like “Break On Through” and “Light My Fire” are culturally ubiquitous at this point. But I really liked the composition of “Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar)” for its circusy instrumentation, something I believe was later explored on Strange Days and The Soft Parade.

I also liked the swagger of “Back Door Man”. It’s heavy for its time and has a great piano section.

This is an easy 4, could honestly be a 5 depending on the day. So much character to everything Jim Morrison stepped in front of, backed by instrumental work that probably lit the studio on fire

They fucked with a chance at another generational album here by making it wayyyyy too long. Should’ve been cutting things out during the process of choosing the track list, not being additive to make it a double album.

The dust has kinda settled on albums like these, I feel as though I don’t have much to add in the conversation surrounding this project. “In My Time Of Dying” and “Bron-Yr-Aur” are behemoths. “Ten Years Gone” may be a little slept on, maybe so for “In The Light” too. Everything else is just fine.

The quality is all there, but damn this is too long. Strong 3/5 hard one to rate

Nothing I can be too analytical about here since this is so out of my wheelhouse and in a language I don’t know anything about (which I’m thankful for, more non-English albums pls).

But I enjoyed my listening experience. Much like the album cover, some of the production is a bit dated but that’s the only gripe I can come up with. 3/5

I wonder what the total live album count is on this list. Can probably find that answer somewhere. With each passing day I have more questions about the little intricacies of this list. Anyways.

"Chain Gang" was super fun and catchy. This whole record almost functions like a modern-day club dj set it's just one song into the next, everyone's meant to just keep dancing.

Sam Cooke sounds pretty good live. Near vocal-booth quality of singing and TONS of energy.

The medley at the end of "Sentimental Reasons" was a sweet moment. You can hear the people having fun and singing along while Cooke leads the crowd.

The closing "Having A Party" is worth the wait too, I encourage everyone to stick it out till then.

A sneaky 4/5 honestly for how infectious it is

Hi Madeline & Matthew, today is the day of your wedding and this is the album! How fitting. Nothing to say about this album that hasn’t already been said. I’m happy that this record has been a soundtrack to night hikes in the past. 5/5 the 1001 albums list works it’s magic once again

You ever find those songs on YouTube that are “X song but if it was written with minor chords”? This sounds kinda like that. It seems to be intentionally dissonant at times. I like to think I have at least a little tolerance for material that functioned as a blueprint for forming a genre or trend down the road, in this case shoegaze. But this just didn’t click on any level for me. Especially with the knowledge that MBV did this sound justice later on.

‘Isn’t Anything’ sits in an uncomfortable middle ground between being a background-listening, passive sonic atmosphere and a listening experience worth paying any close attention to. 1/5