Rated 6/10
Gives me strong "Pacific Coast Highway" in a barely legal soft-top vibes. Both genius and "ooof - hasn't aged well" in equal measures. Having not listened to a whole heap of hip-hop originally (too many posh white kids pretending to be "street" at my school), am very much enjoying the chance to do so now. Even if it is through the lens of modern acceptability. 5 stars for the vibes, 1 star for the bitches.
Rated 8/10
Totally revolutionary at the time. After a long period where rock had got bloated and pop was top of the world, long hair and leather jackets were BACK. Fond memories certainly, but perhaps not quite as revolutionary as it seemed at the time.
Rated 8/10
Of course, for purists, this probably isn't rock, it isn't heavy enough, it's too commercial. Well, tough, music should be joyous and there aren't many better examples of where the truck labelled "rock" (quote marks intentional) crashed through the door marked "pop" with some absolute bangers. Yes, hair metal drove their clown car through shortly afterwards, but this is a fine fine album.
Rated 10/10
Absolutely superb from start to finish. A joyous mash of jangly guitars with "Summer of Love" vibes. "I Wanna Be Adored", "Waterfall" and "I Am the Resurrection" all absolutely monster tracks, but there are no low point here at all. Burned so bright and, inevitably, fell so fast.
Rated 4/10
Jack White's vocals - annoying in the White Stripes, annoying as a solo artist.
Rated 6/10
What the Stones would have sounded like if they'd produced anything decent after 1973 (don't come at me with "Start Me Up" either). It's gritty white boy rock and it either floats your boat or it doesn't. Mine is floating, but with concerns about a small leak just below the waterline.
Rated 8/10
Heh heh heh. What a stupid album.
Stupid. GLORIOUS. Album.
Why all the Bon Jovi hate on here? Obviously they're not achingly hip, or genre defining or using revolutionary production values. But let's neck some shots, strap on some leather strides, swish our outrageously long hair and punch the air with a group mates enjoying an assault of power chords and songs about girls.
If you can't enjoy that, then you're the problem, not the music
Rated 6/10
Clearly technically very accomplished, but didn't give me the musical equivalent of an wedgie. Probably of those where you want to nod wisely when someone mentions it "yes, yes, of course I've listened to Endtroducing" but that you will never listen to again.
Rated 6/10
If only all hip-hop was this much fun. Magic Number suffers badly from overplay, but the rest bounced along with great lyrics, production and them.
Rated 8/10
Had never heard of, but quite enjoyed this one. Definite +0.5 for the album cover as well which is excellent. The early punk vibes are strong with this one - enjoyable thrashy nonsense
Rated 4/10
This gives me a warm nostalgic glow, because all the very cute girls that were into indie music absolutely ADORED this album. And not just them, it felt like it was absolutely everywhere.
On the other hand, I thought it was pretty dull at the time, and neither age nor heavy rotation on Absolute Radio every single day since, has changed my opinion. Inoffensive - sure? Very popular - naturally? Should be on this list - NO SIR.
Rated 6/10
This seems VERY popular. Can't say it did it for me. I didn't *hate* it, but nor was it the greatest thing since I filled my ears with sliced bread.
Rated 8/10
Yeah - nothing wrong with a bit o'Cash. Are the prison albums better than other versions, I'm not sure, but the hits are here and they all rattle along with Cash's gravelly tones over the top.
Rated 6/10
If you'd been listening to a lot of swing and big band, and then this dude came along, it must have been a total mind-melt. Almost suffers from familiarity now, but can only imagine how revolutionary it must have been. And still some solid bangers if you want Granny dancing at the wedding.
Rated 8/10
Definite warm nostalgia feelz on this one as it was an important part of my transition from "no, only guitars are good music". Not entirely coherent as an album true, but as an example of the "French-house" wave that was coming, it's definitely up there. Plus, shiny helmets *snigger*
Rated 8/10
Too young to have a sense of the social impact of this, but impressive on how they managed to harness a spiky bouncy joy whilst commenting on the total pile of dogshit that was the UK in the late 70s
Rated 2/10
Didn't even need to enter it into the search box on Spotify. Inexplicably popular with "ladz" that like to "banter" when it came out, and probably still very popular with those self same estate-agent, BMW driving, golf playing, "I could have been a professional footballer but I did my knee at age 15" fucknuts now.
Extra kudos to the "Pam Ayres" reference a few reviews down. Cap. Doffed.
Isn't 1001 albums great? An artist I wasn't aware of in a genre I (very) rarely listen to but this is good stuff. Of course, some of the tracks are familiar from other artists, but this really makes me want to escape the rat-race and open a small beach hut selling crisp beers, fruity cocktails and the freshest seafood you've ever tasted
Rated 8/10
Luxurious mullets? Hilariously bad knitwear? Layer upon layer of synth? I'm not sure, but I might have landed back in the early 80s.
Which, in the case of this album, is no bad thing. This was always on heavy rotation in our house thanks to my two older brothers, so one I feel I know well. The big hits are there, but "Head over Heels" was always (and remains) my favourite - glossy, luscious, over the top production with soaring vocals - a thing of beauty.
Rated 6/10
Modern pop. Sounds sexier in French.
