262. Nick Drake | Pink Moon (1972)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Pink Moon
2. Place to Be
3. Road
4. Which Will
5. Horn
6. Things Behind the Sun
7. Know
8. Parasite
9. Free Ride
10. Harvest Breed
11. From the Morning

---

Pink Moon is a melancholy album. The music is folk. It's Nick Drake singing and playing guitar.

Nick Drake sings in monotone and with little energy. In almost every song he alludes to death. Place to Be makes it clear he doesn't expect to live a full life and other songs seem to contain anger or loathing. It's a very dark set of lyrics. This music is beautiful, though and combined with the dark lyrics, the album is quite haunting.

It was a great loss to the music world that Nick Drake ended his life after this album. There were very few good quality singer-songwriters in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Nick Drake was one of the best despite only producing three albums' worth of songs.

Not that it would have made a lick of difference though if he had lived and continued to make music. Nothing short of divine intervention would have stemmed the tide of awful singer-songwriters that were to plague the music world from the 1970s onward.

I really enjoy this album, even though there seems to be something improper about enjoying the product of someone's pain. I do think it's worth listening to and should be a part of any serious music collection. This album should be on the 1001 Albums list as an example of what a good singer-songwriter is.

All the songs are outstanding.

★★★★★★★★★★

230. Joni Mitchell | Blue (1971)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. All I Want
2. My Old Man
3. Little Green
4. Carey
5. Blue
6. California
7. This Flight Tonight
8. River
9. A Case of You
10. The Last Time I Saw Richard

---

Blue is a personal album. The music is folk. Joni Mitchell sings mostly about her past relationships. Her voice takes some time to get used to, and it's well worth taking the time. The songs aren't very catchy but the music goes well Joni Mitchell's singing.

I can imagine this album was quite risqué when it was released. Although the women's lib movement was in full force, how many women were writing and singing about their sexuality? Even though it wasn't known until much later, how many women would sing about giving up their child for adoption? (Little Green)

I think this album is great simply because it is so personal. I think it's worth listening to, but not too sure about it needing to be on the 1001 Albums list. If it deserves to be on the list, it's because of its personal nature.

All the songs are very good. I think All I Want, Little Green, California, River and The Last Time I Saw Richard are the stand outs.

★★★★★★★★★☆

229. Leonard Cohen | Songs of Love and Hate (1971)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Avalanche
2. Last Year's Man
3. Dress Rehearsal Rag
4. Diamonds in the Mine
5. Love Calls You by Your Name
6. Famous Blue Raincoat
7. Sing Another Song, Boys
8. Joan of Arc

---

Songs of Love and Hate is a bitter album. The music is folk. There is generally very little accompaniment to Leonard Cohen's singing. Generally, it's vocals, a guitar and string arrangement.

The lyrics are the central feature of this album. And as the album title indicates, these songs are about love and hate. They seem to be personal songs. Filtered through Leonard Cohen's singing, the lyrics become cynical, scornful and angry. So, I'd say there's more hate than love. But I'm not very good at deciphering lyrics.

Despite that, I think Leonard Cohen is the best folk singer/songwriter. His lyrics are more personal, more authentic, more universal, less whiny and less narcissistic than what is emerging among the pop and new folk singer/songwriters. While his songs and lyrical themes wouldn't work well in the mainstream, it would have been wise had the new crop of singer/songwriters approach their lyrics with more seriousness.

I think this is a great album. It's dark and moody. It's an album worth listening to. Folk enthusiasts will definitely want to add this to their collection. Of course, folk has been done to death, and this album isn't extending the genre in any significant way, so it doesn't belong on the 1001 Albums list.

All the songs are excellent. The stand outs are Avalanche, Dress Rehearsal Rag, Diamonds in the Mine and Joan of Arc.

★★★★★★★★★★

223. Don McLean | American Pie (1971)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. American Pie
2. Till Tomorrow
3. Vincent
4. Crossroads
5. Winterwood
6. Empty Chairs
7. Everybody Loves Me, Baby
8. Sister Fatima
9. The Grave
10. Babylon

---

American Pie is a somber album. The music is folk. Don McLean has a wonderful voice. He is more poetic than his fellow singer/songwriters and more sincere. Many of the songs feel deeply personal and that he is confiding in the listener who he treats as a good friend. 

The problem with the album is the title song, American Pie, and Vincent. Both are far superior to the remaining songs. American Pie also suffers from lyrics that are too distracting. The desire to interpret the meaning of the every lyric obscures a profound commentary about a sad event and its aftermath. Maybe it's not his fault, but had the lyrics been less obvious, temptation may have been avoided.

This is a very good album. I've never had a high opinion of it because of American Pie and all the nostalgic baggage that comes with it. But there's a serious songwriter hidden behind that song. The remaining songs are deeply emotional. I'm glad I had a chance to better appreciate Don McLean. I think this album is worth listening to to know what a good singer/songwriter sounds like. I don't think it really belongs on the 1001 Albums list, though.

All the songs are good. The stand outs are: Till Tomorrow, Vincent, Winterwood, Everybody Loves Me, Baby, Sister Fatima and The Grave.

★★★★★★★★★☆

201. James Taylor | Sweet Baby James (1970)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Sweet Baby James
2. Lo and Behold
3. Sunny Skies
4. Steamroller
5. Country Road
6. Oh! Susanna
7. Fire and Rain
8. Blossom
9. Anywhere Like Heaven
10. Oh Baby, Don't You Loose Your Lip on Me
11. Suite for 20 G

---

Sweet Baby James is a soothing album. The music is folk, country and rock. James Taylor sings well and the music sounds good, but it all soothes in the sense that it dulls the senses.

Listening to this album is like sitting in warm water. It may be comfortable, but it doesn't get your blood flowing like sitting in really hot or cold water. So, while I can tolerate the music and not be offended, that's the problem. This music doesn't challenge or incite or provoke or inspire. Must music do that? Great music should.

I don't think this album is necessarily worth listening to, although it's probably a better example of the vapid, superficial and egocentric feel-good music that is becoming popular and that both Simon and Garfunkel and Cat Stevens have recently been doing. It should be that I don't think this album should be on the 1001 Albums list.

The songs sound fine. The ones I thought were better than others were: Steamroller, Country Road and Fire and Rain.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

191. Nick Drake | Bryter Layter (1970)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Introduction
2. Hazey Jane II
3. At the Chime of a City Clock
4. One of These Things First
5. Hazey Jane I
6. Bryter Layter
7. Fly
8. Poor Boy
9. Northern Sky
10. Sunday

---

Bryter Layter is a lugubrious album. The music is folk, although the presence of piano and saxophone belie the simplicity of that observation. Nick Drake gets some assistance from some of the members of Fairport Convention, John Cale and two members of the Beach Boys.

The songs all sound really beautiful. Although, there is a foreboding quality to the beautiful melodies, as if to suggest that while everything seems well on the surface, just a glance below reveals a different truth. I think the lyrics suggest the same.

Each instrument is very quiet and restrained. There isn't much interplay between them, but they work together well. This is one album where it's very important to pay careful attention to the music.

This is an outstanding album. It's certainly worth listening to. I'm not too sure about whether it should be on the 1001 Albums list. It's not as if there hasn't been enough folk albums. However, this is a different kind of folk album. It certainly shows a folk style that is more introspective than political and worldly. I guess I'd lean in favor of it being on the list.

All of the songs are excellent. The stand outs are: At the Chime of a City Clock, One of These Things First, Hazey Jane I, Fly, Poor Boy and Sunday.

★★★★★★★★★★

173. Skip Spence | Oar (1969)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Little Hands
2. Cripple Creek
3. Diana
4. Margaret/Tiger Rug
5. Weighted Down (The Prison Song)
6. War in Peace
7. Broken Heart
8. All Come to Meet Her
9. Books of Moses
10. Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang)
11. Lawrence of Euphoria
12. Grey/Afro

---

Oar is a wacky album. The music is a mix of folk and rock. Skip Spence wrote all of the music and lyrics, played all of the instruments, sang all of the songs and produced the album. That's quite an achievement for someone who had just gotten out of a mental hospital after being admitted there for chopping down a hotel room door with an axe in a drug fueled frenzy while attempting to attack two of his Moby Grape bandmates.

The music varies between nice melodic songs and dark, brooding ones. The lyrics are somewhere between cryptic and meaningless.

This is an excellent album. This album could be one big demonstration of insanity or it could be a wacky parody of itself. But it's neither. Despite the wackiness, it's a serious demonstration of the talents of a disturbed mind. It may not need to be on the 1001 Albums list, but it's definitely worth listening to.

Little Hands is the best song on the album and one of the most uplifting songs I've ever heard. Other stand outs are: Cripple Creek, Weighted Down (The Prison Song), War in Peace, Book of Moses, Dixie Peach Promenade (Yin for Yang), Lawrence of Euphoria and Grey/Afro.

★★★★★★★★★☆

169. Leonard Cohen | Songs from a Room (1969)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Bird on the Wire
2. Story of Isaac
3. A Bunch of Lonesome Heroes
4. The Partisan
5. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy
6. The Old Revolution
7. The Butcher
8. You Know Who I Am
9. Lady Midnight
10. Tonight Will Be Fine

---

Songs from a Room is a broody album. The music is folk. It's slow, dark and personal. 

The songs fit together well. The music complements the lyrical content and does well to focus the listener on the singer.

I like this album. It's definitely worth listening to. Leonard Cohen makes his folk music personal, but in an emotionally detached and cold way. Story of Isaac is a good example. In that way, his style of folk seems a lot different from the other folk artists on the 1001 Albums list.

The stand out songs are Bird on the Wire, Story of Isaac, The Partisan, Seems So Long Ago, Nancy, The Butcher, You Know Who I Am  and Tonight Will Be Fine.

★★★★★★★★★☆

150. Nick Drake | Five Leaves Left (1969)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Time Has Told Me
2. River Man
3. Three Hours
4. Way to Blue
5. Day is Done
6. Cello Song
7. The Thoughts of Mary Jane
8. Man in a Shed
9. Fruit Tree
10. Saturday Sun

---

Five Leaves Left is a glum album. It's primarily a folk album, but it's not a simple folk album; many of the songs have string arrangements. The cello and bass guitar are very prominent in their respective songs which contributes to the dark quality of the album. Nick Drake's singing style also contributes to the dark quality by conveying little emotion or energy.

I think this album would be perfect to listen to while sitting next to a window on rainy, fall day. I am actually surprised that Nick Drake wasn't a very successful artist. I guess that partially explains why I had never heard of him and his music until I started doing this.

I instantly fell in love with this album when I first heard it. It is certainly worth listening to, and would be a great addition to any collection. I am at a loss to select any stand out songs; I think they are all fantastic.

★★★★★★★★★★

147. Bee Gees | Odessa (1969)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Odessa (City on the Black Sea)
2. You'll Never See My Face Again
3. Black Diamond
4. Marley Purt Drive
5. Edison
6. Melody Fair
7. Suddenly
8. Whisper Whisper
9. Lamplight
10. Sound of Love
11. Give Your Best
12. Seven Seas Symphony
13. With All Nations (International Anthem)
14. I Laugh in Your Face
15. Never Say Never Again
16. First of May
17. The British Opera

---

Odessa is a pretty album. Many of songs are melodic and have a big orchestral sound. The Gibb brothers have pleasing voices, but unfortunately their singing doesn't lend itself to singing along unless you can hit the high notes.

The album starts off strong, but peters out at the end. The three instrumentals right at the end are partly responsible for that. The Bee Gees play their instruments well, but the main reason for listening to the Bee Gees is for the singing. If it had been a single instead of a double album, it would be a strong effort from beginning to end.

Another problem is that it's a disorganized album which is a common problem with double albums. There's no coherent theme. Fortunately, the songs do sound good together.

I'm not sure the significance of this album with respect to the 1001 Albums list. It's a good album and I enjoy listening to it. I'd venture a guess that it's an early album heralding the soft rock genre that begins to develop during the early 1970s.

The stand out songs are Odessa (City on the Black Sea), You'll Never See My Face Again, Black Diamond, Marley Purt Drive, Edison, Melody Fair, Suddenly, Lamplight, I Laugh in Your Face and Never Say Never Again.

★★★★★★★☆☆☆

132. Van Morrison | Astral Weeks (1968)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Astral Weeks
2. Beside You
3. Sweet Thing
4. Cyprus Avenue
5. The Way Young Lovers Do
6. Madame George
7. Ballerina
8. Slim Slow Slider

---

Astral Weeks is a sublime album. (I could have said it's an ethereal album, but that would just be a bad joke.) Without Van Morrison singing, this album would be a very strange jazz album. The double bass plays a significant role throughout each song to compensate for the more subtle presence of the drums and other percussion.

In some songs there's often a flute, strings or a guitar playing in the background without an obvious connection to the music. Van Morrison has an undulating singing style. It's hypnotic and would grow tiresome if he weren't so passionate. All together, it makes for a unique album.

I've never thought much of Van Morrison, but I think this album is wonderful. It certainly deserves to be on the list and is a must for any serious collector. All the songs are outstanding, but Astral Weeks, Sweet Thing, Cyprus Avenue, The Way Young Lovers Do, Madame George and Ballerina are the stand outs.

★★★★★★★★★★

114. Leonard Cohen | Songs of Leonard Cohen (1968)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Suzanne
2. Master Song
3. Winter Lady
4. The Stranger Song
5. Sisters of Mercy
6. So Long, Marianne
7. Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye
8. Stories of the Street
9. Teachers
10. One of Us Cannot Be Wrong

---

Songs of Leonard Cohen is a calm album. The songs are folk. The songs center on Leonard Cohen's guitar-playing and singing. There are exceptions, of course. Perhaps, because of a lack of a rhythm section, many of the songs lack energy and seem sad. Even the ones with some bass accompaniment aren't terribly uplifting, either. The lyrics, which are well-written and interesting, and Cohen's voice, which is not very strong, might contribute to the sense of sadness, too.

I really liked this album. I'm not very good at interpreting lyrics, but I enjoy painting a mental image from them. Leonard Cohen writes lyrics and creates a mood where the mental images are clear.

Yet, I'm not exactly clear why this album is on the 1001 Albums list. I'm guessing that it's because he is at the forefront of a group of folk singers who perform their own songs and write lyrics which are more introspective than political or universal.

I think this album is certainly worth listening to, but for those who aren't keen on folk, it's not going to win them over. It's a well-balanced album song-wise, so it's hard to pick out any stand outs, but if I were pressed to choose them, I would say Suzanne, Master Song, So Long, Marianne, Hey, That's No Way to Say Goodbye and One of Us Cannot Be Wrong are the ones I'd choose.

★★★★★★★★★☆

75. Nina Simone | Wild Is the Wind (1966)

---

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. I Love Your Lovin' Ways
2. Four Women
3. What More Can I Say
4. Lilac Wine
5. That's All I Ask
6. Break Down And Let It All Out
7. Why Keep On Breaking My Heart
8. Wild Is the Wind
9. Black Is the Color of My True Love's Hair
10. If I Should Lose You
11. Either Way I Lose

---

Wild Is the Wind is a gritty album. The music does a good job supporting Nina Simone, since the music is all about her singing. She has deep and powerful voice; it's not beautiful, but it's emotional–and that's what really matter.


And it's the emotion which links all these songs together. Without that, these songs become an arbitrary collection. She puts more emotion in one note than most singers put in a whole career. 


The first time I heard this album, I liked it, but it didn't appreciate it. After having listened to it a few more times, I'm just so overwhelmed by the honesty and purity of her singing.


The songs are all great, but the really outstanding ones are: I Love Your Lovin' Ways, Four Women, Lilac Wine, Break Down And Let It All Out and Wild Is the Wind.

★★★★★★★★ ☆☆

56. Bert Jansch | Bert Jansch (1965)

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Strolling Down the Highway
2. Smokey River
3. Oh How Your Love Is Strong
4. I Have No Time
5. Finches
6. Rambling's Gonna Be the Death of Me
7. Veronica
8. Needle of Death
9. Do You Hear Me Now?
10. Alice's Wonderland
11. Running from Home
12. Courting Blues
13. Casbah
14. Dreams of Love
15. Angie

---

Bert Jansch is a somber album. Needle of Death captures the essence of this album so well, but even the instrumental songs are sad and lonely. The music and Bert Jansch's voice together are haunting, yet compelling.

Many of the songs are so brief that you're not sure you've heard them at all. Despite just having a guitar to accompany the singing, the music is rich.

The folk artists featured so far on the 1001 Albums list have consistently sung about mature themes. Bert Jansch continues this trend by covering the dark and lonely sides of life and love.

I really enjoyed this album. This certainly isn't a pick-me-up album, but it is worth listening to. All of the songs with singing: Strolling Down the Highway, Oh How Your Love Is Strong, I Have No Time, Rambling's Gonna Be the Death of Me, Needle of Death, Do You Hear Me Now?, Running from Home, Courting Blues and Dreams of Love are excellent. The instrumentals: Casbah and Angie stand out among the others, which are still nice interludes.
★★★★★★★★★☆

55. The Beatles | Rubber Soul (1965)

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Drive My Car
2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown)
3. You Won't See Me
4. Nowhere Man
5. Think for Yourself
6. The Word
7. Michelle
8. What Goes On
9. Girl
10. I'm Looking Through You
11. In My Life
12. Wait
13. If I Needed Someone
14. Run for Your Life

---

Rubber Soul is a fine album. Each song not only has its own identity, but it also fits together well with the other songs to form a very consistent album. This album has also avoided the sappy-love-song trap and instead deals with a variety of topics, some of which are more mature love songs.

This album shows not only how the Beatles have matured as songwriters but it also shows how rock and roll is maturing and stepping further away from its blues and country roots. Once again the Beatles have pushed the boundary of rock and roll out a little further as Brian Wilson understood clearly. Let the arms race begin!

This is an album worth owning. All the songs are excellent, except maybe for What Goes On. However, I've always liked songs that Ringo sings on. 
★★★★★★★★★★
Once again the Beatles have received ten stars. I expect that will continue for the remainder of their albums. Maybe some people will think their albums don't deserve ten stars, but what I have been surprised to discover, at least according to albums found on the 1001 Albums list, is that the Beatles have continually been the trail blazers of the rock and roll genre. There's always a new and refreshing sound and approach that wasn't there before when one of their albums comes up to be listened to.

50. Bob Dylan | Bringing It All Back Home (1965)

Wikipedia Entry

---

Tracks

1. Subterranean Homesick Blues
2. She Belongs to Me
3. Maggie's Farm
4. Love Minus Zero/No Limit
5. Outlaw Blues
6. On the Road Again
7. Bob Dylan's 115th Dream
8. Mr. Tambourine Man
9. Gates of Eden
10. It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding)
11. It's All Over Now, Baby Blue

---

Bringing It All Back Home is a complex album. The first half is electric and the second half is acoustic. The songs are enjoyable. Some are slow and ponderous and others are lively and silly.

The lyrics are certainly are the most important feature of this album. Each line is easy enough to understand. However, what emerges is either impenetrable or utter nonsense.

Perhaps Dylan's music isn't meant to play second fiddle to the lyrics. But rather, it is essential to the lyrics. It's in the tone of his voice or how he strums his guitar or what note he's hitting. So he's trying to evoke emotion more than meaning. It certainly seems to apply to this album.

Putting prejudice aside, this album is certainly worth listening to. Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie's Farm. Love Minus Zero/No Limit, Outlaw Blues, On the Road Again, Mr. Tambourine Man, Gates of Eden and It's Alright Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) are the highlights. 
★★★★★★★★★☆

36. Bob Dylan | The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan (1963)

Wikipedia entry

---

Tracks

1. Blowin' in the Wind
2. Girl from the North Country
3. Masters of War
4. Down the Highway
5. Bob Dylan's Blues
6. A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall
7. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right
8. Bob Dylan's Dream
9. Oxford Town
10. Talkin' World War III Blues
11. Corrina, Corrina
12. Honey, Just Allow Me One More Chance
13. I Shall Be Free

---

The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan is a philosophical and poetic album. Bob Dylan has a lot to say; it's clever and it isn't trivial. Of course, it isn't the deep kind of philosophy you'd get from a university philosophy class. It's also a poetic album, but it isn't the poetry you'd read in a university literature class. But neither is the point; Dylan is just starting the conversation.

The music is simple, but the messages are strong. More complex music may have been just a distraction.

This is another album that must be listened to. It's not as complete a game changer like With The Beatles is, but it opens the door to lyrics with more substance, which certainly had been missing in most of the previous albums. All the songs are quite good, but the best ones are: Blowin' in the Wind, Girl from the North Country, Masters of War, Bob Dylan's Blues, A Hard Rain's a-Gonna Fall, Talkin' World War III Blues and I Shall Be Free.
★★★★★★★★★★

24. Joan Baez | Joan Baez (1960)

Wikipedia entry

---

Tracks

1. Silver Dagger
2. East Virginia
3. Fare Thee Well (10,000 Miles)
4. House of the Rising Sun
5. All My Trials
6. Wildwood Flower
7. Donna Donna
8. John Riley
9. Rake and Rambling Boy
10. Little Moses
11. Mary Hamilton
12. Henry Martin
13. El Preso Número Nueve

---

Joan Baez is a simple album. With such little variation, the songs could have all ended up sounding the same, but Joan Baez is able to make them all quiet distinct from one another. She has a beautiful voice that is both powerful and delicate.

Her guitar playing does well to support her voice and never does it get in the way of her voice. When most of the songs are about people, the voice is and should be the most important instrument.

This album is worth listening to, carefully. The more attention paid to it, the richer the reward is. East Virginia, House of the Rising Sun, All My Trials, Donna Donna, John Riley, Little Moses, Mary Hamilton, Henry Martin and El Preso Número Nueve are the most rewarding songs.

★★★★★★★★★☆

17. Jack Elliott | Jack Takes the Floor (1958)

Wikipedia entry

---

Tracks

1. San Francisco Bay Blues
2. Ol' Riley
3. Boll Weevil
4. Bed Bug Blues
5. New York Town
6. Grey Goose
7. Mule Skinner Blues
8. Cocaine
9. Dink's Song
10. Black Baby
11. Salty Dog

---

Jack Takes the Floor is a fun and entertaining album. Jack Elliott's lyrics are simple, yet picturesque conjurations of Americana. Each song is prefaced with a short, but interesting introduction. These introductions make him sound as simple as his stories, like a country bumpkin, but it seems he's just being playful.

I really enjoyed the album. Jack Elliott's guitar playing and singing seemed very natural, fresh, honest, personal and unfiltered.

The whole album is worth listening to, but the best songs are San Francisco Bay Blues, Boll Weevil, Bed Bug Blues, Mule Skinner Blues, Cocaine and Dink's Song.

★★★★★★★★★☆