1001 Albums before we die

Inspired by a not completely original idea that we saw somewhere else, we bought ‘1001 Albums: You Must Hear Before You Die’ and are working through it with the help of Spotify, a random number generator to choose the page and a coin toss if 2 albums on a page.

Rules: Must listen to at least 3 tracks before skipping and album is only skipped if we BOTH agree. We’ll catalogue what we listen to, what we think of it (Rubbish/Indifferent/Good/Excellent) and whether we’d listen to it again.

Simple.

Wednesday, 28 July 2010

650 - Sinead O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got

Year: 1990

Verdict: Rubbish

Comments: Skipped after 3 songs. That meant we didn't get to hear the only decent song (Nothing Compares 2 U). Irish pap.

617 - Neneh Cherry - Raw Like Sushi

Year: 1989

Verdict: Indifferent

Comments: Skipped after 3 songs. A nice piece of late 80's chart music. But once you've heard the hits, there's not a lot left that still sounds fresh or exciting.

102 - Buffalo Springfield - Buffalo Springfield Again

Did not have.

122 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced

Year: 1967

Verdict: Excellent then Good

Comments: Listened to entire album. One of us loved every minute of this and was dancing around the living room. The other loved it to start with, then it became a bit 60's for a bit, before becoming less poppy for the end. Nice.

630 - De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising

Year: 1989
Verdict: Good

Comments: Listened to half of the album. One of us loves this album from back in the day. The other can see the charm, but it's really not the sort of thing they're in to.

84 - The Beatles - Revolver

Year: 1966

Verdict: Good

Comments: Listened to half of the album. All the songs on this album are great. The trouble with The Beatles is that we've heard them so much and so often in our lives, that we can only stand for a limited amount of Beatles mania. The Beatles are great, this album is great, but we just prefer our Beatles in smaller portions.

320 - Joni Mitchell - Court and Spark

Year: 1974

Verdict: Indifferent

Comments: Skipped after 3 songs. To be honest, just a bit boring. Hippy 70's love songs.

263 - Yes - Close to the Edge

Year: 1972

Verdict: Good

Comments: Only 3 songs on album, so listened to it all. Even though it was a little Spinal Tap-esque in places, it was still great. Prog Rock master class. Would listen to again.

We're back...

It's been an age, but we're back working through the 1001 albums. Here goes...
K&J

Sunday, 6 December 2009

887 - Destiny's Child - Survivor

Year: 2001
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: Skipped after 3 songs, but to be fair the first 3 songs are the most famous anyway. In the grand scheme of chart pop, not the worst thing in the world, but really not our sort of thing.

315 - Bad Company - Bad Company

Year: 1974
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: Listened to entire album. Pretty standard 70s rock. Obviously "Can't get enough of your love" is a great track.

662 - Red Hot Chili Peppers - Blood Sugar Sex Magik

Year: 1991
Verdict: Excellent
Comments: Listened to entire album. A 1991 classic. Loved every inch of this album when it came out and still do. A defining album of the 90s.

709 - The Afghan Whigs - Gentlemen

Year: 1993
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: Skipped after half of album. Stereotypical 90s alternative indie rock. Not bad, but there are much better things from the same era.

778 - Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk

Year: 1996
Verdict: Good
Comments: Listened to entire album. Nice relaxing piece of Scottish Indie Folk. Whole album washed over us in no time. Good Sunday afternoon listening.

422 - Siouxsie and The Banshees - The Scream

Year: 1978
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: Skipped after 3 tracks. Can see why people liked it, but didn't do much for us.

853 - Britney Spears - ...Baby One More Time

Did not have. Thank god.

Tuesday, 1 December 2009

Yes, we know, we need to update this blog again. Been busy. We'll be at it again soon...
K&J

Saturday, 14 November 2009

929 - The Killers - Hot Fuss

Year: 2004
Verdict: Rubbish
Comments: Skipped after 3 songs, especially good as it meant we didn't need to listen to 'Somebody Told Me'. Listening to this album makes you feel like you're at a gig in an episode of The OC. Don't do it. The book features a quote from singer, Brandon Flowers, stating "I was alienated as a kid" - not surprising, since he's a whining, annoying git.

372 - Stevie Wonder - Songs in the Key of Life

Year: 1976
Verdict: Good
Comments: Stevie Wonder seems to be a bit too prolific for his own good here. The album as a whole is a bit disjointed, swapping between funk, prog, ballads and so on. However, the really good songs on this album are just that - some of the funkiest funk songs ever written. We'd probably rather listen to a Greatest Hits though. Yes, we're philistines.

795 - Fugees - The Score

Year: 1996
Verdict: Good
Comments: We've never owned this album, but we felt like we'd heard all of the songs many times (mainly because we have). Nice bit of 90s reminiscing. Pleasantly surprised by how fresh it sounded.

485 - ABC - The Lexicon of Love

Year: 1982
Verdict: Good then Indifferent
Comments: This album sums up 80s music - fun, over the top, a bit camp, and after you've listened to a few songs the novelty wears off. The classics 'Poison Arrow' and 'The Look of Love' still fun.

155 - The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Radio

Year: 1968
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: Sounds like classic Country FM. Of all of the country albums we would have chosen to listen to it wouldn't have been this one.

235 - The Doors - LA Woman

Year: 1971
Verdict: Indifferent
Comments: We're not really big Door fans, so this didn't move us particularly. 'Riders On The Storm' is an obvious classic though.

Monday, 2 November 2009

45 - The Dave Brubeck Quartet - Time Out

Year: 1959
Verdict: Excellent
Comments: Listened to entire album. Classic jazz album. One of the best. The epitome of smoky lounge jazz.

487 - Elvis Costello and The Attractions - Imperial Bedroom

Did not have / could not find.

168 - Nick Drake - Five Leaves Left

Year: 1969
Verdict: Good
Comments: Listened to entire album. Very good, well written, well produced album that sounds timeless. Definitely doesn't sound like it's 40 years old. Would happily listen to it again. Well done.

770 - Oasis - What's the Story Morning Glory

Did not have / could not find.

Sunday, 1 November 2009

236 - Elton John - Madman Across the Water

Year: 1971
Verdict: Good
Comments: Listened to entire album. Good although not the best Elton album, but there's no denying that 'Tiny Dancer' is an excellent song (Kate's favourite Elton song in fact).

898 - Drive-By Truckers - Southern Rock Opera

Year: 2001
Verdict: Rubbish
Comments: Skipped after 3 songs. If you were kidnapped in the Deep South by a bunch of toothless hill-billies wearing Nascar baseball caps and bundled into the back of a pick-up, this is the album they would be playing just before they raped your arse and then dumped it in a swamp. Absolutely everything we hate about Country Rock in one 94-minute double album. 3 songs is just too much for any intelligent human being to listen to.

189 - Alexander Spence - Oar

Year: 1968
Verdict: Good then Indifferent
Comments: Listened to half of album. Started off good, then became depressing and dull. Then again, what would you expect from an album written by someone in a mental asylum. Fairly interesting bluesy, trippy, country album - definitely sounds like the late 60s. The first track, 'Little Hands' was ace.

Saturday, 31 October 2009

745 - Jeff Buckley - Grace

Year: 1994
Verdict: Good
Comments: Listened to entire album. Jeff Buckley was obviously a very talented man. We found the album had flashes of brilliance but you had to wade through a lot of melancholic self-indulgence to find them. Probably wouldn't listen to the whole album again, but would listen to selected tracks. If you were in the right kind of mood it would probably be brilliant. Jamie's favourite thing about this album is that it reminds him of guitar shop days with Seth.