1000 Greatest Albums of all Time

 878 The Pogues - Rum Sodomy and The Lash (1985) Studio Album - Folk Punk About the Act: The Pogues, despite their blatant Irishness, were formed in London. Their original name was Pogue Mahon, and anglicanisation of the Gaelic for "Kiss My Ass". They produced an interesting blend of folk music and punk, or to put it another way, a punk version of folk. They take the earthiness of folk and add swearing and more "adult" themes and ideas. They are probably best known for the Christmas song "Fairy Tale of New York", which is the one in which a bitter couple call each other bad names. That's typical Pogue humour. They were originally fronted by Shane McGowan, one of the ugliest men in rock. He was sacked in 1991 after his drinking and erratic behaviour had affected their promotion, replaced briefly by Joe Strummer of The Clash, and then by one of the original members, Spider Stacy. They split up not long after and have been back together a couple of times....

 879 Abba - Arrival (1976) Studio Album - Pop About the Act: Abba were a Swedish Pop group. They were formed in 1972 and ruled the world of pop until 1982. They reformed in 2016. They were two guys whose names begin with B and two girls whose names begin with A - these initials forming the name of the band. They came to huge prominence when they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with "Waterloo". For some of their successful years they were two married couples. They all sang, but the focus was usually on the ladies. The guys were the writers and main musicians. They have been revered and reviled the world over, but especially in the UK and Australia. They are one of the most successful bands of all time. About the Album: This was the fourth album by the band, and was released at a point where they were starting to achieve global stardom, so it became a global hit. My History with this Album: I have loved Abba ever since they were a current thing, and this may have been o...

 880 Al Green - Al Green Is Love (1975) Studio Album - Soul About the Act: Al Green is an American Soul singer, who started his career in 1955 and is still going. That's an impressive career length.  His personal life looks a bit like a roller-coaster at times. In the late 70s, after some bad incidents, he turned to Gospel and became a Pastor. Later, he came back to secular music. He has sold a large number of soul records, with a style that is reminiscent of early Motown soul. About the Album: This was Al Green's 9th album, and the last to top the US R&B/Soul charts. My History with this Album: None Review: So I don't know if there is a difference between "soul" and "R&B". From my little knowledge, I gather that Ray Charles pioneered soul, mixing Gospel and Blues together. Although this is from 1975 it definitely harks back to early 60s soul, in that the blues and gospel feels are very prominent. I have to say that musically, it really gets me, ...

881 Bill Callahan - Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle (2009) Studio Album - Alternative Country About the Act: Bill Callahan is an American Singer Songwriter who started his career in 1990 under the name "Smog", creating home-recorded tapes of music that was deliberately bad, using bad instruments, bad recording equipment, badly played on badly-tuned guitars. Wikipedia describes it as "experimental". Over the years he got better, and eventually he got a contact and started recording in a studio and releasing under his own name.  About the Album: This is Bill Callahan's second album as himself, after 14 albums under the name "Smog". My History with this Album: None. I don't think I have heard of him before. Review: On my first listen, not paying much attention, I thought of him as a poor man's Leonard Cohen. I put off listening again, but did so this afternoon, listening properly. He won me over. He most especially won me over in the second song...

 882 Cheap Trick - In Color (1977) Studio Album - Power Pop About the Act: Cheap Trick were an American Rock band from Illinois, formed in 1973. They are still going apparently, but their peak of fame was the late 70s. They were known as Power Pop, which is effectively pop-rock I would think. They were popular first in Japan, and then in America. Their best known song is "I want you to want me" which is a staple of pop-rock compilations. About the Album: This was the band's second album, and was very successful, breaking through in Japan before America noticed them significantly. My History with this Album: None, although their seminal hit "I want you to want me" is on it. Review: In some ways I pity America in the late 70s. The 70s were an incredibly fertile time for music, with Prog Rock, Album Rock, Heavy Metal, and then Punk. Mostly, though, these were British things (except Punk), and the UK music scene was truly awesome in the 70s. In America, they must ha...

 883 Tears for Fears - Songs from the Big Chair Fears (1985) Studio Album - Pop About the Act: Tears for Fears are generally thought of as a British 1980s pop band, and there is some truth in that, however having been formed in 1981, they are still going. It is fair to say that the 80s were their heyday.  They were formed by Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith, with a couple of others (Manny Elias and Ian Stanley), who left after a while. In 1989 Curt Smith left too, leaving Roland on his own with the name, but he came back in 2000, and they have been together ever since. They were one of the most influential bands of the 80s pop scene in the UK, their sound being very definable  as 80s pop. About the Album: This was the second album by the band, and their most successful. It hit number 2 in the UK charts, and no. 1 in America and Canada. My History with this Album: I know some of the tracks, as they were chart hits. Review: So, I know Shout and Everybody Wants to Rule the Worl...

 884 Stevie Ray Vaughan - Couldn't Stand the Weather Vaughan (1984) Studio Album - Blues Rock About the Act: Stevie Ray Vaughan, sometimes referred to as SRV was an American Blues Rock guitarist from Dallas, Texas. He came to prominence in the early 80s with his band Double Trouble, and spearheaded a new wave of bues guitarists. His life was troubled by drug and alcohol addiction, but when he died in 1990, he had rehabilitated, and his death was due to a helicopter accident. He has been recognised as one of the world's greatest guitarists.  About the Album: This album was actually attributed to "Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble". It was a well-received album, both commercially and critically. Of the 8 tracks, 4 are originals and 4 are covers. My History with this Album: None Review: It's blues rock and so immediately hits a good spot for me. I have not listened much to SRV in the past, although I may have some of his tracks on compilations. I do listen to qui...

 885 War - The World Is A Ghetto (1972) Studio Album - Funk Rock About the Act: War are a band from California, formed in 1969 and are generally described as Funk but their music incorporates elements from diverse influences including Jazz, Reggae, Rock, Soul, Blues, Latin and Afrobeat. They have had a reasonable turnover of members, the only original member left is Leroy "Lonnie" Jordan.  About the Album: This was the fifth album by War, and their best-selling. In fact, in America, it was the best-selling album of 1973.   My History with this Album: None. Shame. Review: I love this album. A few years ago I delved into 70s Funk quite a bit, but seem to have missed War. To be honest, to call it Funk is too narrow a term, this is a melting pot of fusion, but at heart it feels like Funk, and occasionally Jazz Fusion. The music is bouncy and fun, except when it is slow, when it isn't. There are definitely elements of Parliament, and Stevie Wonder, and even James Brown, b...

 886 Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell (1980) Studio Album - Heavy Metal About the Act: Black Sabbath were a Rock/Heavy Metal band from Birmingham, England. They were founded in 1968 and are mostly famous for having Ozzy Osbourne as their singer until 1979, and for being one of the most influential pioneers of Heavy Metal. As is evident from their name, they took influence from dark occultic imagery and ideas, and became known for Doom Metal.  The classic line-up of the 70s was Ozzy, Tommy Iommi, Geezer Butler and Bill Ward. Ozzy was fired at the end of the 70s for lack of engagement, possibly caused by his drug and alcohol abuse, and replaced at the suggestion of the daughter of their manager, Sharon (later to be Sharon Osbourne), by Ronnie James Dio, who at other times was involved with Rainbow, and his own band Dio. Although they had a hiatus between 2001 and 2006, they have been in more or less continuous existence until 2017. About the Album: This was the band's n...

 887 Fleetwood Mac - Tusk (1979) Studio Album - Art Rock About the Act: Fleetwood Mac are an American/English Art Rock band that existed from 1967 and still have some sort of vague existence. They started out as a blues band, with Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer and John McVie. The band name was formed from Mick Fleetwood and John McVie's names. In 1970 their session keyboard player Christine Perfect married John McVie to become Christine McVie, and officially joined the band. After some guitarist turnover, they persuaded Lindsey Buckingham to join in 1974. He agreed as long as his musical and romantic partner Stevie Nicks could also join. Hence from 1975, for a while, they were the "classic" line-up of McVie, McVie, Buckingham, Nicks and Mick Fleetwood. Initially this was two couples and Mick Fleetwood, but during the recording of their smash hit album Rumours in 1977, both of the couples broke up. They managed to hold together as a band for 3 more albums bef...