1001 Albums (41-60)
I've changed the format of these blog posts, and I'm just pasting my commentary from the 1001 Albums website. I've left the weblinks in - the album title links to Spotify (I haven't tested those since I don't use Spotify), and the artist name links to the Wikipedia page for the album. The Global reviews link is to the reviews logged on the 1001 albums website.
Frankly, the whole exercise seems to me to be a bit lacking in diversity - hopefully we'll see more non-English speaking albums later on. (Click title to read more)
| 41 | Car Wheels On A Gravel Road | Lucinda Williams | 2 |
2.97
|
| More bland Americana, country-inflected singer-songwriter stuff. 2/5 | ||||
| 42 | Femi Kuti | Femi Kuti | 2 |
3.21
|
| At last a bit more diversity, this time Femi Kuti. On my first play, the album is an enjoyable listen. But not much more than that. 2/5 | ||||
| 43 | Brutal Youth | Elvis Costello | 2 |
2.89
|
| I've played this three times now, and I can't say I found this particularly engaging. I think I prefer Costello's earlier material. 2/5 | ||||
| 44 | Pink Moon | Nick Drake | 4 |
3.65
|
| Oh, this is a great album - not one that's new to me. It's short, but its 11 tracks are great, mostly just Drake and his guitar. Quite a melancholy album. | ||||
| 45 | Aftermath | The Rolling Stones | 3 |
3.45
|
| This one of those albums where the UK version differs markedly from the US version - I played the UK version. This is the first album where Jagger-Richards were the writers of all the songs, and it foreshadows the four truly great Stones albums. The lyrical themes tend towards casual and vindictive sexism at times, which to modern ears isn't so great. Still, it's a good album with many strong songs. 3/5 | ||||
| 46 | Sweetheart Of The Rodeo | The Byrds | 1 |
2.81
|
| Oh I dislike country rock. This album was torture for me to listen to, it just sets my teeth on edge. 1/5 | ||||
| 47 | The Doors | The Doors | 5 |
3.96
|
| This a really exceptional debut album. I don't think there's a duff track here, the music and vocals are great. This is an album that has been in my collection for many years, and this was an opportunity to revisit it. 5/5 | ||||
| 48 | Talking Timbuktu | Ali Farka Touré | 3 |
3.11
|
|
I like this album, it's got a cracking swing to it. On the downside, I've got no idea what the songs are about - when I searched for lyrics, they weren't available translated. Maybe the album liner notes would clarify, but I streamed the album. But still, just playing the album made me feel great. 3/5 |
||||
| 49 | Ingenue | k.d. lang | 2 |
2.92
|
| This album comes across as country-inflected sophisti-pop for the grown up market. Not really to my taste, and I don't understand why it's considered one of the 1001 albums. Nice voice. 2/5 | ||||
| 50 | The Atomic Mr Basie | Count Basie & His Orchestra | 2 |
3.51
|
| Not really sure why this album is here, nor why it seems so highly regarded by the critics. Played, but it just seems to noodle on. Inoffensive. 2/5 | ||||
| 51 | ...And Justice For All | Metallica | 2 |
3.45
|
| This is like Spinal Tap. Without the humour. | ||||
| 52 | Superunknown | Soundgarden | 3 |
3.64
|
| This is a very average album that seems to recycle all sorts of hard rock tropes. It all sounds very derivative. I doubt I will play this again. 3/5 | ||||
| 53 | John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band | John Lennon | 3 |
3.28
|
| This is a pretty average album, somewhat self-focussed. I hadn't realised before that there was a partner album by Yoko Ono/Plastic Ono Band - I've played it and it's much more interesting than the John Lennon album! 3/5 | ||||
| 54 | Hot Fuss | The Killers | 2 |
3.74
|
| This album was new to me, and I played through it three times. I am left underwhelmed by this identikit 'new wave' type album that never really distinguishes itself. The songs are all very similar, and on the whole none are particularly engaging (to me, at least). Inoffensive. | ||||
| 55 | Connected | Stereo MC's | 3 |
2.98
|
| This was an album new to me: I played it four times. I really quite enjoyed the record, though I felt it overstayed its welcome at nearly an hour. | ||||
| 56 | Tonight's The Night | Neil Young | 2 |
3.28
|
| Oh god no, not another Neil Young album! This is far from my taste, sorry. | ||||
| 57 | Moss Side Story | Barry Adamson | 4 |
2.6
|
| This is a terrific album that I've had in my collection since release. It's a soundtrack to an imaginary film, and was the first of Adamson's solo album, many of which have a cinematic feel. Adamson of was the bass player in Magazine and the Bad Seeds. The whole album is great, but I particularly liked "On the Wrong Side of Relaxation" with Diamanda Galas' vocals and two of the CD bonus tracks - "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" and "The Man With The Golden Arm". But really, the whole thing makes for an enjoyable listen. | ||||
| 58 | Heaven Or Las Vegas | Cocteau Twins | 3 |
3.3
|
| I'm afraid that I never particularly cared for the Cocteau Twins' music, even at the time of original release. I have revisited their albums periodically over the years but I still find their music a bit over-produced and excessively dreamy for my taste. This album is no exception. After listening to it three times, I don't see any stand-out tracks (or, to be fair, any absolute dogs). Inoffensive. 3/5 | ||||
| 59 | Elvis Is Back | Elvis Presley | 2 |
3.23
|
| Well, this is a rather dull album, perhaps Presley's first move towards the cabaret circuit following his spell in the army. I didn't care much for this album, though I've always loved 'Fever', and I can't see why it's one of the 1001 albums I should listen to! 2/5 | ||||
| 60 | Fragile | Yes | 2 |
3.32
|
| I'm reasonably familiar with Yes, though it's a band that I really don't like. I find the tracks on this album complex (presumably technically proficient), but rather unengaging. It's not an album I particularly enjoyed - I don't really go for progressive rock on the whole. 3/5 | ||||
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