Sho Rates Albums @shoratesalbums - Tumblr Blog

Hi world! Gimmick blog incoming!

I've been listening through the entirety of "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die", a book by Robert Dimery that collects great albums of music history you should not be missing out on.

Being curated by one old white dude the list has its horrible biases but it's still a good source to find new music; and I've already found some of my all-time favourite albums through it!

I'm going through the list randomly, and I'm rating and reviewing all albums on a scale from 1 to 10:

1 - absolute shit 2 - unbearable 3 - not my type of music, curse the no-skip rule! 4 - gets annoying 5 - meh. didn't suck but didn't enjoy it either 6 - enjoyed it but don't need to hear it again 7 - straight to my spotify library 8 - playlist material! would get it on vinyl 9 - near perfection 10 - those albums that are a part of my soul, you know

Of course I have my taste in music and that's just my opinion; I'm not claiming to be objective, and I'm far from the only person who's doing this. I just think that I'm funnier than I am so I'm putting this project online. Anyway i love music this is going to take several more years lets go

Click here for a random album!

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #sho rates albums

No. 935 | Beck - Sea Change (2002)

Beck's music is super varied. The only other album I know is 1996's 'Odelay' (#814), which I found incredibly annoying—this one is super different. It's more honest singer-songwriter stuff with sad lyrics, nice melodies and gentle guitars—but that doesn't mean it's tame at all.

My favourite song: Lonesome Tears

Rating: 7/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #beck #sea change #sea change (2002)#folk rock #country rock #musicblogging #sho rates albums #7/10 #935

No. 452 | Gary Numan - The Pleasure Principle (1979)

A staple of the New Wave. Pleasure Principle is the first album Numan published under his own name after recording with Tubeway Army for a while. I am a sucker for New Wave and Synthpop, but none of the songs really stuck out to me... maybe because he seems to use the same synth pad for every bloody song.

My favourite song: Tracks

Rating: 6/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #gary numan #the pleasure principle #the pleasure principle (1979)#synthpop #electropop #musicblogging #sho rates albums #6/10 #452

No. 41 | Stan Getz & João Gilberto - Getz/Gilberto (1964)

So much worth mentioning about this album. With its hit single "The Girl From Ipanema", it was the record that made Bossa Nove popular. It was also the first non-American album to win a Grammy for Best Album. It's so hot today, and this music makes me feel like I am sitting at a beach bar. So smooth.

My favourite song: The Girl From Ipanema

Rating: 7/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #stan getz #joao gilberto #getz/gilberto #getz/gilberto (1964)#jazz music #bossa nova #musicblogging #sho rates albums #7/10 #41

No. 548 | Abdullah Ibrahim - Water From An Ancient Well (1986)

An album with 8 different jazz originals by pianist Abdullah Ibrahim—and it has everything from wild pieces with an improvisational vibe to smooth pieces you'd hear in the lounce of a slightly odd hotel. I like those more chill pieces.

My favourite song: Song for Sathima

Rating: 5/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #abdullah ibrahim #water from an ancient well #jazz music #musicblogging #sho rates albums #5/10 #548

No. 273 | David Bowie - Aladdin Sane (1973)

A personal anecdote. This album cover was part of my admission exam at the Filmakademie. At the time, I neither knew it was an album cover, nor the person on it. Years later, David Bowie's music has become super important to me. Character development...

My favourite song: Lady Grinning Soul

Rating: 6/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #david bowie #aladdin sane #aladdin sane (1973)#glam rock #hard rock #musicblogging #sho rates albums #6/10 #273

No. 937 | Missy Elliott - Under Construction (2002)

Missy Elliott's fourth and apparently best album. I thought this was rather monotonous and I didn't like the lyrics, but then again I'm not a rap type at all.

My favourite song: they sounded identical

Rating: 4/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #missy elliott #under construction #under construction (2002)#hip hop #musicblogging #sho rates albums #4/10 #937

No. 817 | Eels - Beautiful Freak (1996)

This alt rock record is largely the brain child of Mark Oliver Everett, alias 'E'. If I'm honest, I didn't find it particularly interesting to listen to. I only hope the album cover won't haunt me in my dreams now.

My favourite song: Not Ready Yet

Rating: 5/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #eels #beautiful freak #beautiful freak (1996)#alternative rock #post-grunge #musicblogging #sho rates albums #5/10 #817

No. 199 | Traffic - John Barleycorn Must Die (1970)

This album fell into the era and periphery of what critics dubbed "British rural psychedelia". It's folk rock, but much more than that, drawing from folklore as well as jazz and blues. I listened to it twice in a row. I'm OBSESSED

My favourite song: Freedom Rider

Rating: 8/10

#I've since gotten it on vinyl... this was one of these fantastic discoveries!#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #traffic #john barleycorn must die #john barleycorn must die (1970)#progressive rock #jazz rock #musicblogging #sho rates albums #8/10 #199

No. 878 | Boards of Canada - Music Has The Right To Children (1998)

The de facto debut album of Scottish electronic music duo Boards of Canada (named for the beloved NFB). I'm glad this caught me at a late work night. The vibe is immaculate.

My favourite track: Roygbiv

Rating: 7/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #boards of canada #music has the right to children #music has the right to children (1998)#electronic music #downtempo #musicblogging #sho rates albums #7/10 #878

No. 814 | Beck - Odelay (1996)

With his fifth album, Beck made a colourful multi-genre record, utilising everything from samples to scratchy guitars to creative percussion to hip hop influences to... I guess mic feedback or something? I find this music unbelievably annoying.

A bearable track: The New Pollution

Rating: 3/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #beck #odelay #odelay (1996)#alternative rock #sampledelia #musicblogging #sho rates albums #3/10 #814

No. 192 | Ananda Shankar - Ananda Shankar (1970)

In the 60s, the sitar became an instrument closely linked with psychedelic rock, and Eastern infused Western music became all the rage (see: Norwegian Wood). Actual Indian musicians saw that and were like "Wait you can do that?" What we got is an interesting blend of styles from the opposity perspective. And to be honest, playing The Doors on sitar fits like ass on bucket (as we Germans use to say)

My favourite song: Snow Flower

Rating: 5/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #ananda shankar #ananda shankar (1970)#raga rock #indipop #musicblogging #sho rates albums #5/10 #192

No. 216 | John Lennon - Imagine (1971)

The most highly regarded album of Lennon's, maybe. Imagine is of course best known for its titular track, 'Imagine'—but it's full of great tunes, eclectic songwriting and excellent musicality. And, boy, Paul may be my favourite Beatle, but 'How Do You Sleep' is a banger and a half.

My favourite song: How Do You Sleep?"

Rating: 7/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #john lennon #imagine #imagine (1971)#rock music #musicblogging #sho rates albums #7/10 #216

No. 815 | Belle and Sebastian - Tigermilk (1996)

The first record of a long, critically acclaimed, yet commercially mediocre discography. Tigermilk was published with the student-run label of the Glaswegian university Belle and Sebastian was founded at, and the indie pop ensemble quickly found and underground fanbase. Their music is fun, creative, and smart.

My favourite song: She's Losing It

Rating: 7/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #belle and sebastian #tigermilk #tigermilk (1996)#indie pop #chamber pop #musicblogging #sho rates albums #7/10 #815

No. 91 | The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)

"The original art rock record". Many have dubbed this the most important and most influential album ever made. I don't know, man. I liked the A side.

My favourite song: Sunday Morning

Rating: 5/10

#blasphemous? mebe #i'll revisit it one of these days #1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #the velvet underground #nico #the velvet underground and nico #art rock #experimental rock #musicblogging #sho rates albums #5/10 #91

No. 508 | Michael Jackson - Thriller (1982)

When the world was beginning to hate disco (sigh), MJ came around the corner with this post-disco masterpiece, and nobody realised its greatness until management just didn't stop pulling hit singles off of it. I even think the initial single ("The Girl is Mine" with McCartney) is one of the weakest songs of the album. I mean, they had Billie Jean, what were they thinking??

My favourite song: Billie Jean

Rating: 8/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #michael jackson #thriller #thriller (1982)#pop music #post-disco #musicblogging #sho rates albums #8/10 #508

No. 268 | War - The World Is A Ghetto (1972)

War saw that even rich people had clogged toilets and broken down cars and made the unifying "The World is a Ghetto"—and with it, the best-selling album of 1973 in the US. My highlight was the 13-and-a-half minute prog soul/funk/jazz saxophone jam "City, Country, City"

My favourite song: City, Country, City

Rating: 6/10

#1001 albums you must hear before you die #1001 albums #war band #the world is a ghetto #the world is a ghetto (1972)#psychedelic soul #jazz #musicblogging #sho rates albums #6/10 #268

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