1000 Greatest Albums of all Time

 734 Ramones - Road to Ruin (1978) Studio Album - Punk About the Act: The Ramones were an American punk band that existed from 1974 to 1996. They were one of the most influential punk bands in the New York punk scene in the late 70s. They have been recognised in many lists as being of the most significant rock bands, well, ever.   Unlike other punk bands who's style often included colourful dyed hair, the Ramones adopted long hair and leather jackets as a kind of uniform. Also, all members of the band adopted stage names with the surname "Ramone" even though they were not related. The "classic" line-up was Dee Dee Ramone, Joey Ramone, Tommy Ramone and Johnny Ramone, all of whom are now dead.   Their music was categorised by fast beats, raw, simple rock and short, abrupt songs. Later, they diversified into more poppy music. About the Album: This was their fourth album. My History with this Album: None Review: This album has the depth and substance of a cheap appl...

 735 Bon Iver - For Emma- Forever Ago (2008) Studio (cabin) Album - Indie Folk About the Act: Bon Iver are an American Indie Folk band formed in 2006, although at the start it was just the main guy Justin Vernon, who recorded an album, and then formed a band to tour. They have now had four studio albums. About the Album: This was the first album, recorded in a cabin in the woods in Wisconsin, while living alone, by Justin Vernon. Some stuff was added later but mostly it's his own work. My History with this Album: None. Review: This is an odd, and somewhat remarkable album. It is predominantly acoustic guitar, and many, many, multitracked falsetto singing, with some other instruments added at points. It came as no huge surprise to me when I read up on it after listening that this was recorded by a lone man in a cabin in the woods in winter, and that the themes are lost love and mediocrity. It is cold, and spacious, like a snowscape, and as such is really evocative. It's not a p...

 736 Brian Eno - Taking Tiger Mountain (1974) Studio Album - Art Rock About the Act: Brian Eno is from Sussex, England. He started his musical career as a synth player in Roxy Music but left because he didn't like Bryan Ferry. He then made some solo albums before pioneering Ambient Music (it was he who coined the phrase). He has created his own stuff, produced lots of high-profile albums, composed the opening sting for Windows '95 and despite this claims to not be a musician. About the Album: This was Brian's second studio album. My History with this Album: None Review: I'm sure Brian poured his heart and his soul into this album, but I find myself not really caring. I think it is entirely understandable that there will be some albums in this list, and right now it feels like a long list, that I find it hard to dredge up an opinion on. I'm tired, I confess. It doesn't help that the vocals are delivered in an extremely flat way, on purpose I believe, kind of pre-...

 737 Chuck Berry - Chuck Berry Is On Top (1959) Compilation Album - Rock & Roll About the Act: Chuck Berry was one of the founding fathers of Rock & Roll, combining elements of Blues and Country into a new style. He was particularly known for his incorporation of guitar solos, and unusually, wrote most of his own songs.  His first hit was Maybelline in 1955, and he continued to have a string of hits until the beginning of the 60s. After a short spell in jail, he returned but his popularity faded somewhat, he had become a nostalgia act. However, in 1972 he had his only number 1 single "My Ding-a-Ling" He was from St Louis, Missouri. He died in 2017. About the Album: This album is billed as being his third studio album, however it is actually a compilation of previously-released singles, plus one extra track. The listing of personnel includes Bo Diddley and Willie Dixon My History with this Album: None Review: I like a good bit of Rock & Roll, and I like a good bit ...

 738 Metronomy - Nights Out(2008) Studio album - Electronica/Wonky Pop About the Act: Metronomy mostly is a guy from Devon, England, called Joseph Mount, although he has touring friends who also sometimes get involved in the studio. The music is described as being several things by Wikipedia - the most accurate is probably "electronic rock" but my favourite is "wonky pop"  There are six studio albums About the Album: This was the second album. My History with this Album: None Review: My first impression was yuk, it's out of tune. It is, and quite a bit of slow, deep vibrato is used to make more out-of-tuneness. Mostly it's electronic and sounds like early electronic pop (except out of tune), such as you might expect from The Human League. Some of the tracks are instrumental, and the songs have a vocal delivery that is also reminiscent of the Human League, but some nice female vocal parts. There are occasional "real" instruments involved, and someti...

 739 Creedence Clearwater Revival - Pendulum (1970) Studio Album - Rock About the Act: Creedence Clearwater Revival, sometimes referred to simply as Creedence, or CCR, were a rock band from California, although they might rather you think they were from Louisiana, given the song content.  They sang about bayous and swamps and such things, and are often categorised as "Swamp Rock" as a result. They were four guys, two called Fogerty (brothers) and a Cook and a Clifford. They were a band with different names before Creedence, but became Creedence in 1967. They lasted for a whirlwind 5 years before falling apart spectacularly in 1972. From my research it would seem mostly around the question of how much control John Fogerty, the singer, songwriter and lynchpin of the band should have. Their greatest hits album Chronicle, was released in 1976 and is still on the Billboard top 200. They have sold a staggering number of records, and are hugely popular in America particularly. I...

 740 Radiohead - Hail To The Thief (2003) Studio Album - Experimental Rock About the Act: Radiohead are an English Rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and have been in existence since 1985, continuously, with no breaks, reunions, hiatuses or even any changes in members. 36 years. That in itself is impressive.  Their lead dude is Thom Yorke, who writes the songs, sings the songs and plays lots of instruments. They are credited for being trailblazers in Alternative Rock. They have created 9 studio albums. About the Album: This was their sixth studio album, and comes out of a period of embracing electronic music. My History with this Album: None. Review: I expected lots of guitar thrashy stuff and depressiveness and Thom Yorke's keening falsetto voice. I didn't expect lots of electronica, odd time signatures, strange harmonies, shifting musical perspectives and for it to be so experimental.  I got the depressiveness and the vocals, and there is some guitar, but this is far...

 741 The Eagles - The Eagles (1972) Studio Album - Country Rock About the Act: The Eagles, or sometimes Eagles, are a Californian Country Rock band, formed in 1971 and with a longish break between 1980 and 1994, they are still going. They were and to be honest are, hugely successful, and are credited as being a seminal band of the Country Rock genre. About the Album: This was their debut album. For something so Californian, it surprised me to find that it was mostly recorded in London. My History with this Album: I have heard it before a few times, I would not say I was familiar with it. I know the single Take It Easy, and the other singles, Witchy Woman, and Peaceful Easy Feeling, I remember having heard before. Review: This opens with Take it Easy, a song I really like. It in turn opens with lines about "seven women on my mind, three that wanna own me, three that wanna stone me, one say's she's a friend of mine" which is a great lyric. Some of this is Rock, some of ...

 742 St Vincent - Strange Mercy (2011) Studio Album - Experimental Pop About the Act: St Vincent is not a band, as I had thought for many years, but an individual, one Annie Erin Clark from Tulsa Oklahoma. She released her first album in 2007 and has released 6 more since.  About the Album: This was her third album. My History with this Album: None Review: Imagine a cross between Air and Bjork. If you don't know, Air are a French band doing electronica that has a lush, paddy stringness to it, and Bjork is an experimental genius making strange sounds. What do you get? Strange sounds with some bits of lush, paddy stringness. It's experimental in a modern kind of way, janky and disjointed at times, with lots of production. Odd sounds, odd harmonies, odd chord sequences, odd song structures, odd lyrics, but fairly normal airy singing. It's not as odd as Bjork, and doesn't have the genius or the pathos, but is interesting and curious and, despite the oddness, actually very l...

 743 The Smiths - Louder Than Bombs (1987) Compilation Album - Alternative Rock About the Act: The Smiths existed as an alternative Rock band from 1982 to 1987. Five years, in which time they wowed a generation and took the world by storm. They were famously from Manchester, and their two most famous members were Morrisey who sand and pranced about a bit, and Johnny Marr who played the guitar. They released four studio albums and have a loyal following. About the Album: This is a compilation album, of singles and B sides that had not been released in the US, created specifically for the US market, although it did sell in the UK as an import. It is a double album. My History with this Album: None Review: The Smiths. I have reviled them for years, without really knowing much of their music. Sorry, world. The problem was, I was in Manchester when they were at peak popularity, and so you had to have an opinion. Also, I'm not that impressed with Morrisey as a person. So, this is a compi...

 744 Joan Jett - Bad Reputation (1980) Studio Album - Glam Rock About the Act: Joan Jett started her musical career as a member of The Runaways, from 1975 to 1979. She then became Joan Jett as a solo artist, followed closely by becoming Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, who are still going, though with some changes of blackhearts - maybe their hearts cleaned up and they needed replacing. Oh, she's American, and considered to be Rock, maybe Punk. About the Album: This album was released in the brief period between runaways and blackhearts, and was the first of two solo albums in that time. It was originally self-released as Joan Jett, and then swiftly re-released as "Bad Reputation" There were slightly different versions for different territories, I listened to the US version. My History with this Album: None. Review: This is an interesting juxtaposition, just after Mott the Hoople, who I expected to be more Glam. This was more Glam than I expected, with the predominant ...

 745 Mott the Hoople - Mott (1973) Studio Album - Glam Rock About the Act: Mott the Hoople were an English Glam Rock/Hard Rock band. They existed from 1969 to 1980 and have had some brief reunions since 2000. After three years of mediocre performance, they nearly split up, but David Bowie heard about the possibility, and being a fan, stepped in, giving them the song "All the Young Dudes" and produced the album of the same name. This song and album brought them huge success. About the Album: This was their sixth studio album, and their follow-up to the successful "All The Young Dudes". It did moderately well. My History with this Album: None, I know the opening track All The Way from Memphis Review: Mott the Hoople, I know a few of their hits. I did actually review another of their albums a while ago but I had forgotten it. What I expected was typical Glam Rock, full of Pop and nonsense, not necessarily in a bad way, but my knowledge of Glam is mostly from hits in th...

 746 The Cribs - Men’s Needs- Women’s Needs- Whatever (2007) Studio Album - Post-Punk Revival. About the Act: The Cribs are three brothers called Jarman, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire. They formed in 2001, became successful, and are still going. For three years from 2008, they were joined by one Johnny Marr, formerly guitarist for The Smiths. That seems quite bizarre. About the Album: This was their third studio album. It did not include Johnny Marr. My History with this Album: None Review: So this is kind of similar to some American Post-Punk, Green Day, The Offspring, and things of that ilk, but less slick (maybe in a good way). In fact I thought it was American until there was a line about the Circle Line. Then I found out they were from Wakefield. I particularly like the title of the album, the song "Be Safe" which features a monologue by Lee Ranaldo of Sonic Youth, and the last track, Shoot The Poets, which is a more gentle and acoustic number (well it starts acoustic a...

 747 David Bowie - Lodger (1979) Studio Album - Experimental Pop About the Act: David Bowie was a British Pop/Rock star from Bromley in Kent. He first started to come to prominence in the late 60s/early 70s, and was musically active up until his death in 2016.  Bowie was noted for his ever-shifting style, and constant reinvention of himself musically and adopting a variety of public personas. His popularity waxed and waned over his career, as the styles and personas he experimented with were more or less attractive. Some might accuse him of style over substance, but it is more true to say that the style was the substance. He released 27 studio albums, including two credited to the band Tin Machine.  He also had a career as an actor, and was an active artist and art collector. As one of the world's pop megastars, his history, public and private life have been endlessly picked over. About the Album: This was his 13th Studio album, wow, and was the third in what has become k...

 748 Big Black - Atomizer (1986) Studio Album - Noise Rock About the Act: Illinois 1981 saw the birth of Big Black. Two guitarists, a bassist and a drum machine. six years and two albums later they ceased to be. They are variously described as Punk and Noise Rock, or Industrial, although they predate most industrial. About the Album: This was the band's debut album. My History with this Album: None Review: Unusual, yes. Ground-breaking, yes. Nice to listen to, no. There's a thumping drum machine, overdriven and mechanical-sounding guitars, basically making a lot of crunchy and screechy noises. The bass is being played with a saw-blade plectrum, or so it sounds. There are notes, after a fashion, and even chords, but this paved the way for crunchy noise rock that did away with even that. The vocals cannot be at any point described as being singing. Shouting is more like it. The words, well apparently they were controversial in subject matter, and yes I can work out some of the ly...

 749 The Police - Reggatta de Blanc (1979) Studio Album - White Reggae About the Act: British Pop band featuring Geordie Sting on bass and vocals, American Stewart Copeland on the drums, and  Lancastrian Andy Summers on guitars, who had previously been in Zoot Money's Big Roll Band, The Animals and Soft Machine and had played live with some big names.  They burst onto the scene in 1978 and lasted in their first stint until 1984. They have had a couple of reunions since.   About the Album: This was the band's second album, the first to reach No. 1 in the UK, and the first to spawn UK No. 1 Singles (Message in a Bottle and Walking on the Moon). My History with this Album: I don't think I have had a copy of this album, which I get confused with their first album, Outlandos D'Amour because of the d/de in the title. I do know the hit songs, and The Bed's too Big Without You and Bring on the Night, from later live albums. Review: They are an inventive threesome, and t...

 750 Curtis Mayfield - There’s No Place Like America Today (1975) Studio Album - Soul About the Act: Curtis Mayfield is dead. He died in 1999, at 57, a year older than I am. He died of complications from type 2 diabetes, a condition I have. Hmmm. He was an American Soul/Funk singer. He was born in Cook Country Hospital in Chicago. He started singing in a gospel choir, and at 14 joined the vocal group The Impressions. In 1965 he wrote People Get Ready, one of my favourite gospel songs. In 1070 he went solo and had 22 solo albums.  About the Album: This was his 9th solo album - impressive as it was only his 5th year as a solo artist. My History with this Album: None, although I know the first track, Billy Jack. Review: Wikipedia says this is Funk/R&B. I say it is Soul. I don't claim to know more than Wikipedia, but the distinctions are quite vague here. I guess it's kind of funky, but if you think this is going to be funk-style-dance then you might be disappointed. It has th...

 751 Roxy Music - Siren (1975) Studio Album - Art Rock About the Act: Roxy Music were a British Pop band in the 70s and early 80s. They were very trendy for a while, and are often described along with David Bowie as style influencers in the Art Rock scene. They were fronted by Bryan Ferry who has a distinctive croony-like voice and distinctive floppy-like hair. In 1970 they started, in 1972 released their first album. In 1976 they had a holiday, but came back in 1979. In 1983 they retired. Like many bands of that era they reformed for a while (maybe for a couple of whiles) in the new millennium in order to tour, and presumably make lots of money in the process, but they didn't add to their tally of 8 studio albums. About the Album: This was their fifth studio album. By this time they were hugely successful. The cover, unsurprisingly for Roxy Music, features an attractive woman. This happened to be the infamous Jeri Hall, an actress and model, who at the time was in a relations...

 752 The Dave Clark Five - Glad All Over (1964) Studio Album - Rock and Roll About the Act: The Dave Clark 5 were a guy called Dave Clark, and four other guys. They were contemporaries of The Beatles at the time of the "British Invasion" in the mid 60s - when the US went mad over British bands, and they did well, better in the USA than in the UK. They lasted from 1959 until 1970 About the Album: This was an era when bands who sold in both the USA and the UK had different albums in the different countries. This was the band's first US album. My History with this Album: None Review: You probably know "Hard Day's Night" by the Beatles and "Twist and Shout" by the Beatles. That's the sound of this album. 1960s rock and roll. You might even know some of the songs. I knew "Glad All Over" and "Do You Love Me" and "Bits and Pieces". For the time, this is actually hard rocking stuff. It's raw at the edges, there's a...

 753 Jackson Browne - Late for the Sky (1974) Studio Album - Singer/Songwriter About the Act: Jackson Browne is an American Singer/Songwriter. He wrote some songs, and did some singing, and played guitar and piano, and seemingly still does all of those things, but maybe not right now. He started in the late 60s in the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, then writing songs for other people, and finally recording them himself. He has won awards, sold lots of records, been an activist and done charity stuff. In 2015 Rolling Stone ranked him as 37th in the list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.  About the Album: This was his third solo studio album. My History with this Album: None Review: I have decided to like Jackson Browne. You might think that I should have said "I have REALISED I like Jackson Browne". I'm not sure. One of the themes that is emerging as kind of a meta-aspect of these reviews, is some gentle thinking about how we form opinions. Most of the time I feel like...

 754 Jefferson Airplane - Long John Silver (1972) Studio Album - Psychedelic Rock About the Act: In 1985 the band Starship released the single "We Built This City". 31 years later, GQ magazine declared it to be "the most detested song in human history". This was, of course, before Baby Shark appeared. Starship, had quite a high turnover of members, but they formed in 1984, kind of from the ashes of the band Jefferson Starship. They have had four studio albums, and significantly retained the main singer from Jefferson Starship, Grace Slick, for the first two of those albums. It was she who sang "We Built This City".  She was also the main singer for the previous band, Jefferson Starship. Winding backwards, Jefferson Starship were formed in 1974, and existed for 11 years, releasing 7 studio albums in that time. Confusingly, they reformed in 1992, and so there are currently two bands, one called "Starship" and one called "Jefferson Starship...