1000 Greatest Albums of all Time

 832 U2 - Boy (1980) Studio Album - Rock About the Act: U2 are a huge Rock band from Ireland. They were formed in 1977 and have been active ever since. They are Bono, The Edge, Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton. They are mega-famous wold conquerors. About the Album: This was the band's first album My History with this Album: None. Honestly. Review: I am no expert on U2. I did not know when I had my first listen, for example, that this was their first album. I don't think I knew any of the songs. However, in the first few seconds I might have identified this as U2. It's the guitar. I mean, Bono has a fairly distinctive voice, but not so much at the time and there were other people around with similar high, strident voices. But the guitar... Well there's a certain jangly, echoey reverby arpeggiated sound that is definitively U2, at least for their first few albums.  There are shades of other contemporary bands in here, there was a certain sound to certain rock bands that was ...

 833 Eels - Electro-Shock Blues (1998) Studio album - Alternative Rock About the Act: Eels (definitely not THE Eels) are an alternative rock band from L.A. They were formed in 1991 and are still going and have had 13 studio albums. Their front-man singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mark Everett goes by the stage name E and is the only person to have been in the whole duration of the band. He also released a couple of albums as a solo artist, although the distinction at times is moot, there have been times when he was the only member of Eels. About the Album: This was the second album by Eels, who at the time were E and drummer Butch Norton. My History with this Album: In the late 90s I watched some MTV, and that was how I discovered Eels, and that I really liked their music. I have had, I think three of their albums since then and this was one. It was not the one I played most, but I am pretty familiar with it. It was not until reading up that I found that "Elizabeth...

834 Rush - A Farewell to Kings(1977) Studio Album - Progressive Rock About the Act: Rush were a Canadian Hard Rock/Prog Rock band who existed from 1968-2018. I wonder when they first started if they ever imagined they would be rocking for 50 years. For much of their existence they were a threesome, Geddy Lee (bass, vocals), Alex Lifeson (guitars) and Neil Peart (drums). They also all contributed synth work.  Their defining features were combining Heavy Rock, verging on Heavy Metal, of the style of Led Zeppelin and others, with more progressive elements— long songs, complex structures and rhythms, and sci-fi and fantasy content. The other defining feature was that they were very musically “tight” - a term which means not only playing very closely in time, but also very much complementary to each other - almost indefinably playing as a unit rather than as separate musicians. They managed to become more progressive towards the end of the 70s and into the 80s, unlike British Prog bands...

 835 Lynyrd Skynyrd - Second Helping (1974) Studio Album - Blues Rock About the Act: Pronounced LEN-ard SKIN-ard, this southern blues rock band for Jacksonville, Florida started life gigging under under a variety of names from the mid-60s until settling on this name in 1969. They created 5 studio albums before a private charter plane crash in 1977 killed their frontman (and a backing singer), seriously injuring the rest. They reformed briefly in 1979, and then again in 1987 and are still going. Their fated lead singer, front-man and main songwriter was Ronnie Van Zandt. About the Album: This was the second studio album by the band. It was well-received. It contains the hit single Sweet Home Alabama. My History with this Album: None. I know Sweet Home Alabama, all of the other tracks were new to me. Review: Well I did NOT expect this to be a cross between rap and Celtic folk. I was right. I did expect it to be Southern Blues Rock. I was right. I did expect it to open with Sweet...

 836 Spiritualized - Let It Come Down (2001) Studio album - Symphonic Rock About the Act: Started 1990, still going. Space Rock/Neo-Psychedelia/Shoegaze. English. Led by Jason Pierce, who used to be a Spaceman. 8 Studio albums so far. About the Album: This album is the band's fourth, and took 4 years to create. It uses 115 session musicians including an orchestra and the London Community Gospel Choir. Phil Spector was parly involved in its creation. My History with this Album: None Review: I don't know where to start. OK, let's start with this. I did not expect this album to be like this. I have heard of Spiritualized, but didn't know anything about them really. I think I thought they might be electronica or ambient or something like that. I was wrong. They are kind of spacerock/new psychedelia, like The Verve, and I guess they were contemporaries of that scene, the emerging Britpop thing at the time. But that really doesn't give a coherent picture. Take a Britpop p...

 837 A Tribe Called Quest - People’s Instinctive Travels And The Paths Of Rhythm (1990) Studio Album - Hip-Hop About the Act: A Tribe Called Quest was an American Hip Hop group from Queens, New York, and existed from 1985-1998 with some reunions since. They were regarded as one of the influential groups in "Alternative Hip Hop" in the 90s, and have had 6 studio albums, 5 of which were in their first incarnation. About the Album: This was the group's first album and heavily features front-man, producer and rapper Q-Tip. My History with this Album: I have a vague feeling I have heard it before, but cannot really place that feeling. Review: I don't know if it was inevitable, I don't think so, but something odd has happened. I listened to a rap album, twice, and enjoyed it. I really did. So far, this is the best rap album I have heard. I think. There are many contributory factors for this I think, and not just because I have come out of a glut of 60s soul. Let's d...

 838 The Temptations - Anthology (1995) Compilation - Soul/Disco About the Act: The Temptations are a long-running vocal group from Detroit, who started in 1960, and have metamorphosed in style almost as often as they have had new members. Only Otis Williams,  owner of the name, is left of the original members. First they were 60s Soul, then they were Psychedelic Soul, then Funk, then Disco, then "Adult Contemporary", and then they settled into performing the old hits for an extended career. They are one of the most successful pop groups worldwide. About the Album: This is a compilation of some of their tracks/hits. There have been various incarnations, 1873, 1986 and 1995. I am reviewing the 1995 version with 46 tracks. I listened twice. Phew. My History with this Album: None. Review: The album runs more or less chronologically through their career. It starts as 60s Soul, of a Motown variety, moves into more psychedelic stuff before morphing into Funk and Disco for the 70s. ...

 839 Jimi Hendrix - The Cry of Love (1971) Studio Album/Compilation - Rock About the Act: Jimi Hendrix famously died in 1970. Before that he was the highest paid entertainer in the world, and one of the most influential and innovative electric guitarists. He had a solo career of only four years, which started when he moved from his native US to London. Before that he was a jobbing guitarist for various bands. About the Album: This is not one of the three studio albums that Jimi released with the Jimi Hendrix experience. He was working on an album before he died, and this album was put together from those recordings and some other stuff, after he died. Some say it is the studio album he was working on, and others say it is a compilation of his later work. I think the truth is somewhere between the two. My History with this Album: None, I didn't even know it existed. Review: There are no songs on this album that I know, but it is recognisable as Jimi Hendrix. Musically it is maybe ...

 840 Various Artists - The Best of Girl Groups Volumes 1 and 2 (1990) Compilation (double) - Girl Group (Soul/Bobby Soxer/Do-Wop) About the Album: This is a highly acclaimed compilation in 2CDs by Rhino Records. It's the sort of thing that in this country you might expect to see at 3.99 in a Garden Centre. My History with this Album: None Review: There are not many multi-artist compilations in this series for reviewing. There is not information about it on Wikipedia, but the reception seems to have been positive. It is choc-full of hits with a smattering of lesser-known songs, and it's hard not to imagine Grease or similar situations - girls with cardigans and white socks, listening to the juke box while sipping milkshakes in the drug store. On one level it's a fun collection of songs that you could use to feel nostalgic, or as the music for a themed party. On another level it's kind of like a cultural artefact. I feel honour-bound to describe it, even though if I drop ...

 841 Dexys Midnight Runners - Too-Rye-Ay (1982) Studio Album - Pop About the Act: Dexys Midnight Runners (with no apostrophe!), currently known as "Dexys" are a band from Birmingham fronted by singer, writer, and driving force Kevin Roland, the only member who has been with them through their whole history. They started in 1978, took a break for a cuppa between 1986 and 2003 and are still going. I always thought they were Irish, possibly because they have a deliberately Irish vibe to them. Kevin has Irish parents. They had two major hits (UK Number 1) with "Geno" and "Come On Eileen", the latter of which also topped the US charts. About the Album: This was the band's second album, and the one which contains "Come On Eileen". It features the addition of a violin section to enhance the band, which already had a brass section. My History with this Album: I must have heard it before, but I don't remember. I know a few of the songs. Review: ...

 842 The Ronettes - Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes (1964) Studio Album (Mostly) - Soul About the Act: The Ronettes were three girls who sang. They existed for 10 years from 1957 to 1967 and then again briefly from 1973 to 1974. They featured Veronica Bennett who became Ronnie Spector (by marrying Phil Spector). They had one album. About the Album: This was their one album. My History with this Album: None, but I know several tracks that were hits Review: I try to review albums as much as possible in isolation. However, I have just reviewed The Chamber Brothers, a 1960s soul album, and before that Diana Ross - a soul compilation mostly from the 60s. The problem with this album is that it is not as slick and well-produced as Diana Ross, nor does it have the live and more raw feel of the Chamber Brothers. To be honest, I was more put off by the recordings than the songs themselves, and I have to bear in mind that it was a few years earlier. Not many, but this was a time when studio ...

 843 Chambers Brothers - The Time has Come (1967) Studio Album - Psychedelic Soul About the Act: The Chambers Brothers are an American Psychedelic Soul band from LA, who were formed in 1954 and are still going. They were at heart four brothers, but I think they have now all left the band.  About the Album: This was their debut album (12 years on from forming as a band), and it spawned their most successful single Time Has Come Today. My History with this Album: None. I had never heard of the Chambers Brothers before this list. Review: I am not an American, nor a Social Historian, but I think I can accurately claim that in 1960s America there was a certain separation between the Black community and other communities. As a result of this, and for marketing reasons, the idea of music that was created with a Black audience in mind was an actual thing. I'm not sure if today we would be quite so sure about what constitutes "Black Music", but then, I think, they were generally q...

 844 Diana Ross and The Supremes - Anthology  (1974) Compilation Album (Triple) - Soul About the Act: Diana Ross - you have probably heard of her. She's from Detroit and was a major superstar in the Motown world. She came to fame as the lead singer of the Supremes, the best-selling female group in US history. They were originally billed as "The Supremes" and then "Diana Ross and the Supremes". She left in 1970 and has had a meteoric career since. About the Album: This retrospective compilation was released in 1974, and updated versions were released in 1986, 1995, and 2001, each time adding more songs. I listened to, and am reviewing, the original 1974 version, with only 35 tracks on it (the 2001 edition boasts 50). My History with this Album: None. Some of the biggest hits are very familiar, though. Review: I listened to it twice, it was nice. OK, that's not much of a review. Must do better. This is mostly classic Motown stuff, some hits that I know, and qu...

 845 Bruce Springsteen - The Rising (2002) Studio Album - Rock About the Act: Bruce Springsteen, sometimes known as "The Boss" is an American singer/songwriter and musician, known for his songs about working class Americans. He is one of the world's best-selling music artists. He has been active since 1964, but his break came in the mid-70s, notably with the album "Born to Run". His style is mostly rock, but with elements of folk. He has been consistently highly regarded, and has released 20 studio albums. He is famed for the energy and length of his live shows. About the Album: This was Bruce's 12th studio album, and clocks in at a whopping 73 minutes for a single album. Impressive. My History with this Album: None Review: My hands are still wet from doing some washing up. Just a tiny bit. As I scrubbed the pans I was listening to a Classic Rock radio station, and they played "Born in the USA" by Bruce. This stuck me as slightly coincidental as I ...

 846 Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood - Nancy & Lee (1968) Studio Album - Country/Crooner About the Acts: Barton Lee Hazlewood (July 9, 1929 – August 4, 2007) was an American country and pop singer, songwriter, and record producer, most widely known for his work with guitarist Duane Eddy during the late 1950s and singer Nancy Sinatra in the 1960s and 1970s.[Wikipedia] Nancy Sandra Sinatra (born June 8, 1940) is an American singer and actress. She is the elder daughter of Frank Sinatra and Nancy Sinatra (née Barbato), and is widely known for her 1965 signature hit "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'". [Wikipedia] About the Album: This was (obviously) a collaboration between Nancy and Lee. Surprisingly, given how well it was received, it has very little information on Wikipedia. My History with this Album: None. Review: There is a strong tradition of crooner/country music like this, backed by an orchestra, and with vocals way high in the mix, very dominant and clear. It re...

 847 Jethro Tull - War Child (1974) Studio Album - Progressive Folk About the Act: Jethro Tull have been in existence since 1967, with a 5-year break recently. They were named after an 18th Century agriculturalist. They are a British band, and could be thought of as a curiosity, had they not been so successful. Folk in Britain comes in two main varieties, English Folk and Celtic Folk (mostly from Scotland and Ireland, but Northumberland and other places also join in). English Folk has developed a distinctive nasal style of singing. Jethro Tull have managed to successfully merge English Folk, Heavy Rock, and at times Classical and Progressive elements. They have managed to change styles with the times, while maintaining their Folk-Rock core sound. Their frontman, Ian Anderson is a charismatic, mad wizard, who sings lead vocals and plays the flute (famously on one leg). He took flute playing into some quite inventive sounds, and with Heavy Rock (and sometimes otherwise) backing,...

 848 Cheap Trick - At Budokan (1979) Live Album - Rock 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: Unusually for a live album, this was the band's breakthrough to success in the USA. They were initially very popular in Japan (hence the screaming audience on the album). They capitalised on this by touring in Japan, and during that tour this album was recorded. It was originally intended only for Japanese release, but they started receiving airplay in the US, and imports were selling so well, they released it in their home country. It went triple platinum and made their career. In the UK it was released as coloured vinyl, whi...

 849 Sonic Youth - Goo (1990) Studio Album - Noise Rock About the Act: Sonic Youth were an American Rock band from NY. They started in 1981 as a no wave band (Whatever that means) but became a "noise rock" band. After 15 albums and 30 years they quit in 2011. About the Album: This was the 6th album from the band, following up their success with the previous album. It was a commercial and critical success. My History with this Album: None Review: So here's the thing. I knew that when I started this undertaking, that there would inevitably be stuff I am not so keen on. What I hadn't really thought about was that all of these albums, as a result of my selection method, are precious to somebody. This has led me to try and find the qualities that people like in everything I am listening to, and that has been, broadly speaking, a good thing. It does mean I have been tiptoeing around a bit when I didn't immediately take to something. That's maybe less good, and I nee...