307. Autobahn

Autobahn
Kraftwerk
1974

Tracks
1. Autobahn 
2. Kometenmelodie 1 
3. Kometenmelodie 2 
4. Mitternacht 
5. Morgenspaziergang

Well, that was exceptionally strange.  Fortunately, I like experiencing weird new things (you have to if you want to try any of the 1001 lists).

For my non German readers, Autobahn refers to the German highways.  Apparently, the song "Autobahn" is supposed to make you feel like you are riding that highway.  I mean, if you riding the highway but there were a bunch of synthesizers on the side of the road.

So, obviously, I couldn't understand anything that was being said.  But it really doesn't matter.  I am not a big instrumental album fan but this was absolutely incredible.  This is definitely a huge musical leap from folksy people singing with a guitar.  There are some strange moments but overall really enjoyable and fun.

RATING: 5/5

306. 461 Ocean's Boulevard

461 Ocean's Boulevard
Eric Clapton
1974

Tracks
1. Motherless Children 
2. Give Me Strength 
3. Willie And The Hand Jive 
4. Get Ready
5. I Shot The Sheriff 
6. I Can't Hold Out 
7. Please Be With Me 
8. Let It Grow 
9. Steady Rollin' Man 
10. Mainline Florida

I loved this album and I was really pleased with myself for liking it.  I mean, Eric Clapton is a big name, right?  Look at me, actually enjoying the classics!

Then I did some research on this album and found out that everyone actually hated this album.  Apparently, Eric Clapton made incredibly racist remarks and is an overall douche.  In this album, he kind of channeled some Bob Marley and Stevie Wonder into his albums, which makes people really mad.

Well, the comments he made are certainly disgusting but sometimes we have to separate the art from the man.  I thought this albums was really catchy and fun (though Marley does "I Shot The Sheriff" better).  "Let It Grow" is a really sweet song that The Book compares to "Stairway to Heaven".  So I hate the guy but love the album, even if it feels like exploitation a bit.

RATING: 4/5

305. Fulfillingness' First Finale

Fulfillingness' First Finale
Stevie Wonder
1974

Tracks
1. Smile Please
2. Heaven Is Ten Zillion Light Years Away
3. Too Shy To Say
4. Boogie On Reggae Woman
5. Creepin'
6. You Haven't Done Nothin'
7. It Ain't No Use 
8. They Won't Go When I Go
9. Bird Of Beauty
10. Please Don't Go

Another great Stevie Wonder album on the list.   This man seriously can do no wrong.  And he just keeps getting better; this album topped them all.

The songs are great and catchy, my favorite being "Please Don't Go".  They also contain a message; on YouTube I saw several videos for "You Haven't Done Nothin'" accompanied by pictures of George Bush.  This is really proof that the songs are as relevant today as they were then.  

The album also is really cheerful and just altogether perfect. Check it out!

RATING: 5/5

304. Inspiration Information

Inspiration Information
Shuggie Otis
1974

Tracks
1. Inspiration Information
2. Island Letter
3. Sparkle City
4. Aht Uh Mi Hed
5. Happy House
6. Rainy Day
7. XL-30
8. Pling!
9. Not Available

All right, first of all: who the hell has heard of Shuggie Otis?  This is one of those picks from the list that will no doubt fuel my dad's opinion that this list is incredibly pretentious since I guess this guy was never popular to the masses.  At least we have avoided disco so far, that is all I have to say.

Anyway, I think the reason this album is so obscure is just because it is so…meh.  There is some mildly interesting psychedelic funk in this album but, come on Shuggie, get with the program.  This is no longer 1967.

Not astonishing, not awful.  Will most likely forget about it in two to three weeks.

RATING: 3/5

303. The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway

The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway
Genesis
1974

Tracks
1. Lamb Lies Down on Broadway 
2. Fly on a Windshield 
3. Broadway Melody of 1974 
4. Cuckoo Cocoon
5. In the Cage 
6. Grand Parade of Lifeless Packaging 
7. Back in N.Y.C. 
8. Hairless Heart
9. Counting out Time 
10. Carpet Crawlers 
11. Chamber of 32 Doors
12. Lilywhite Lilith 
13. Waiting Room 
14. Anyway 
15. Supernatural Anaesthetist 
16. Lamia 
17. Silent Sorrow in Empty Boat
18. Colony of Slippermen: The Arrival/A Visit to the Doktor/The Raven
19. Ravine 
20. Light Dies Down on Broadway 
21. Riding the Scree 
22. In the Rapids 
23. It

I have been in a really bad mood today; it is one of those days where every task you set out to do somehow turns into five impossible ones.  Of course, I had three sugar cookies to calm me down, but I thought music would be better able to calm my nerves.  This is when my handy book comes in.

This is the last Genesis album in the book.  Evidently, I was supposed to be saddened by that fact.  Instead, I thought to myself "Have I listened to any Genesis albums yet?".  Two, actually.  Not exactly a lifelong bond.

Anyway, this is one of those concept albums that scare me.  I have hated concept albums ever since I listened to Tommy many moons ago.  Actually, I only knew it was a concept album because I read about it.  I have no clue what the story was supposed to be.

This is actually not too bad.  Sure, you get a little pretentiousness; I mean, it is prog rock after all.  Still, some melodies were pretty catchy and Peter Gabriel has some great vocals. Check it out.

RATING: 3/5

302. Bad Company

Bad Company
Bad Company
1974

Tracks
1. Can't Get Enough
2. Rock Steady 
3. Ready For Love 
4. Don't Let Me Down 
5. Bad Company 
6. Way I Choose 
7. Movin' On 
8. Seagull

I keep switching between what blog I am most interested in and lately it has been movies, so sorry for not posting lately.  I actually started listening to this album about a week ago and only just now finished.

When I first read about this album, everyone called it "pedestrian".  Naturally, I assumed I would love it because my tastes in music are, um, less than cultivated.  I actually didn't like it too much.  I think that means I am growing.

It was just so generic.  It seems like the kind of music that would play in a movie during a high school party.  I have no idea why it would be on the list when there is absolutely no originality in the album.

Oh well.  I think what we should take away from this is that I am becoming a refined intellectual. Now if I could only drink tea without gagging…

RATING: 2/5

301. Here Come The Warm Jets

Here Come The Warm Jets
Brian Eno
1974

Tracks
1. Needles In The Camel's Eye
2. Paw Paw Negro Blowtorch 
3. Baby's On Fire 
4. Cindy Tells Me
5. Driving Me Backwards
6. On Some Faraway Beach 
7. Blank Frank
8. Dead Finks Don't Talk
9. Some Of Them Are Old
10. Here Come The Warm Jets

So it is early Monday morning and sooner or later I am going to have face reality and begin what is sure to be a rather grueling day.  Before that happy moment, however, I am going to review this album.  I will then most likely be running late all morning and be really cranky.  Yay, foresight!

So, first of all, 1974!  Woohoo!  I am used to my movie and book blog where there is an average of like seven things per year, not forty.  Always excited to move on.

Apparently, Brian Eno is one of the most represented guys on the list.  He seems to be behind the scenes in Roxy Music, David Bowie albums, and, of course, his own solo album.  That being said, until today I had never heard of him.

This album had a couple of catchy tracks and the guitar playing was rather impressive.  Still, it just didn't grab me.  I could hardly hear what was being said.  Furthermore, none of it felt very original and it was all pretty forgettable.

Could have done without it but not offensive.

RATING: 3/5

300. New York Dolls

New York Dolls
New York Dolls
1973

Tracks
1. Personality Crisis 
2. Looking For A Kiss 
3. Vietnamese Baby 
4. Lonely Planet Boy 
5. Frankenstein 
6. Trash 
7. Bad Girl 
8. Subway Train
9. Pills
10. Private World
11. Jet Boy

Happy 300th album everyone! 30% there!

I have gotten in the habit of being sickeningly sentimental on hundred marker posts and this one will be no exception.  Way back in June when I reached 200 I talked about how I wasn't as excited about this project as I used to be.  However, yesterday I was feeling majorly depressed.  I sometimes go through slumps like this (just one of the many perks of being me).  Anyway, I decided to listen to some music and I played "These Days" by Nico.  At that moment, I felt an enormous emotional connection to a song; perhaps the most powerful connection I have ever felt to music.  I would have never felt that if I hadn't begun this journey.  So really, who cares if I have to sift through garbage (here's looking at you, prog rock) more often then in my other blogs?  If I can find even one more "These Days" it will have all been worth it.

And now, to close the 1973s, we have The New York Dolls, precursor to the Sex Pistols.  More yelling, more noise.  The only thing that really sets this apart is that Andy Warhol was involved in the making of this album.  Having just seen another one of Warhol's crappy films, I am not too happy with him at the moment.  However, when he is involved with music, it is pretty fantastic, like with The Velvet Underground.

Overall, obnoxious.  But 300s!

RATING: 2/5

299. 3+3

3+3
Isley Brothers
1973

Tracks
1. That Lady
2. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight
3. If You Were There 
4. You Walk Your Way 
5. Listen to the Music 
6. What It Comes Down To 
7. Sunshine (Go Away Today) 
8. Summer Breeze 
9. Highways of My Life

I think everyone is familiar with at least a couple of songs.  If you are a woman and say you haven't pictured yourself walking down a hallway to "That Lady" then you are most definitely lying.

This album felt like a real throwback to the fifties. It is fun and happy with no political message or pretentiousness.   How absolutely refreshing.

This album has absolutely no emotional depth but sometimes you just want music that you can dance around to and feel good about.  It is an extremely odd break in between two major punk albums but it was a pleasant change.  

Forgettable but fun!  Like a really dumb hot guy!

RATING: 4/5

298. Raw Power

Raw Power
Iggy and the Stooges
1973

Tracks
1. Search And Destroy
2. Gimme Danger
3. Your Pretty Face Is Going To Hell
4. Penetration
5. Raw Power
6. I Need Somebody
7. Shake Appeal
8. Death Trip

I am having a bit of an album marathon so that I can finally make it past both 1973 and the 200s.  We are about to witness history here people!  But before that, we must get through Iggy.  And what a chore that is.

This album's only goal seems to be to be as loud and incoherent as possible.  I really could not understand what was being said at all.  Apparently the studio thought so too, so they called in David Bowie to fix it up.  According to the book, he stayed "true to the vision" and didn't mess with it too much.

That being said, I now have such a low standard for albums after going through this journey that I really didn't hate it too much.  I don't know if this is because I am appreciating music more or if I am just getting of sick of giving albums 1 star.  I prefer to think the former.

RATING: 2/5

297. Billion Dollar Babies

Billion Dollar Babies
Alice Cooper
1973

Tracks
1. Hello Hooray 
2. Raped And Freezin' 
3. Elected 
4. Billion Dollar Babies
5. Unfinished Sweet 
6. No More Mister Nice Guy 
7. Generation Landslide 
8. Sick Things 
9. Mary Ann 
10. I Love The Dead

Oh my god.  I actually liked this album.  No, not liked.  LOVED.

Before, I was a self proclaimed Alice Cooper hater.  I thought that he didn't have much talent and all he wanted to do was shock people instead of providing mindful entertainment.  However, this album rocked my world.

For starters, this album is extremely catchy.  I found myself singing along to "No More Mister Nice Guy" before I even knew the words.  Now, obviously, some of the songs are a bit creepy (just look at the track listing to see what I mean).  "I Love The Dead" is a song about necrophilia.  Just ignore that one; I really can't defend it.

This album is also a really good length.  Memorable but not overly long.  Alice Cooper has been redeemed in my book, though I still wouldn't want to come across him alone.

RATING: 5/5

P.S. "Mary Ann" was actually pretty sweet which makes up for the other creepy songs.

296. Next

Next
The Sensational Alex Harvey Band
1973

Tracks
1. Swampsnake
2. Gang Bang
3. Faith Healer
4. Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong 
5. Next
6. Vambo Marble Eye
7. Last of the Teenage Idols

This album was really hit and miss.  At times, I absolutely hated it.  Then there were those few good tracks that I could see putting on my iPod.  Then I hated it again.

I actually expected this album to be awful.  I had never heard of Alex Harvey and these track names are completely ridiculous.  Maybe that is partly why I am giving this album a semi-positive review.  At least it exceeded my expectations.

I listened to this album pretty intently and the lyrics are nothing to get excited about.  First of all, a lot these songs are covers.  In addition, I found the song "Gang Bang" pretty upsetting (can you guess why?).  A lot of people think that track is hilarious.  Either I am a total buzz kill or they are sick.  Probably both of these things.

However, some of these songs are pretty fun.  "Faith Healer" is actually pretty catchy and so is "Giddy-Up-A-Ding-Dong".  I do have a problem, though, with this being listed as an album you must listen to before you die.  I am pretty sure I could have lived without it.  In fact, I think everyone has been living without it and is doing just fine.

RATING: 3/5

295. Band On The Run

Band On The Run
Paul McCartney & Wings
1973

Tracks
1. Band On The Run
2. Jet
3. Bluebird
4. Mrs Vanderbilt
5. Let Me Roll It
6. Mamunia
7. No Words
8. Picasso's Last Words
9. Picasso's Last Words (Drink To Me)
10. Nineteen Hundred And Eighty Five

The high brow blogs that I read that review the 1001 albums always call albums like this "pedestrian" and praise any progressive rock that we come across.

But either I am a lot less pretentious or I am just as pedestrian as these albums, because I happen to love pop.  It is cute, light, and fun and just stop your hating already.  We get it, you are smarter than us!

Paul McCartney's solo work has become a bit of joke.  Maybe he is not as deep (i.e. whiny) as John Lennon but he is just having fun.  That is all this album is; accept it for what it is!  Personally, I think it is a nice break from ridiculously pretentious albums (ahem…Bongo Rock).

RATING: 5/5

294. Tres Hombres

Tres Hombres
ZZ Top
1973

Tracks
1. Waitin' For The Bus 
2. Jesus Just Left Chicago 
3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
4. Master Of Sparks 
5. Hot, Blue And Righteous
6. Move Me On Down The Line 
7. Precious and Grace
8. La Grange 
9. Sheik 
10. Have You Heard?

Everyone else seems to have preconceived notions of ZZ Top except me.  I didn't even know if it was a band or a person.  Much like the Led Zeppelin confusion I had at the beginning of this journey.

To my surprise, I actually loved this album.  I say that it surprised me because the quote in the book by Dusty Hill was "Everybody everywhere goes to whores, drinks beer, and drives fast."  That is not exactly something I can relate to, at least on weekdays.

Anyway, this album is actually really short; only about thirty minutes.  They had this really cool blues rock thing going on that was pretty unusual and fun.  And they quit before the album became tedious which is also a plus.  Check it out.

RATING: 4/5

293. Innervisions

Innervisions
Stevie Wonder
1973

Tracks
1. Too High 
2. Visions 
3. Living For The City 
4. Golden Lady 
5. Higher Ground 
6. Jesus Children Of America 
7. All In Love Is Fair 
8. Don't You Worry About A Thing 
9. He's Misstra Know It All

First of all, I actually have "Living For The City" on my iPod already.  This is, embarrassingly, a big deal for me.  Yay, The Book is validating my taste!  Now if I can just get them to add Taylor Swift….did I say that out loud?

Anyway, unfortunately for me, the album doesn't get much better than "Living For The City".  That is not to say it is a bad album, it just peaks with a track I was already familiar with.  After listening to so much politically progressive crap that people categorize as music, it is always refreshing to listen to a song that is actually catchy and contains a message.  "Golden Lady" is another good song, but nothing beats the epic second track.

Overall this is a fun album that makes you think.  Who could ask for anything more, who could ask for anything more?  Sorry, I watched American in Paris recently.

RATING: 4/5

292. The Dark Side of Moon

The Dark Side of Moon
Pink Floyd
1973

Tracks
1. Speak To Me
2. Breathe
3. On The Run
4. Time
5. Great Gig In The Sky
6. Money
7. Us And Them
8. Any Colour You Like
9. Brain Damage
10. Eclipse

This is probably one of the most famous albums of all time.  Needless to say, the pressure is on to like it.  I read some blog posts other people have written about this album.  People that don't like it get absolutely destroyed in the comments section.  Thankfully (?), no one leaves comments on my blog so I don't have to worry about intellectual destruction.

I like Pink Floyd and with all the hype associated with this album, I expected to be blown away.  This album starts with a lot of different sound effects.  It kind of reminded me of that scene is Tarzan where random noises actually become beautiful music:

My juvenile comparisons aside, it actually gets pretty awesome.  It probably would have been ten times more awesome if I had weed but you do what you can with the tools you have.  

RATING: 4/5

291. Honky Tonk Heroes

Honky Tonk Heroes
Waylon Jennings
1973

Tracks
1. Honky Tonk Heroes 
2. Old Five And Dimers (Like Me) 
3. Willy The Wandering Gypsy And Me 
4. Low Down Freedom 
5. Omaha 
6. You Ask Me To 
7. Ride Me Down Easy 
8. Ain't No God In Mexico 
9. Black Rose 
10. We Had It All

Oh dear.  What a scary title.  This title kept me from listening to albums for a week.  I can handle a little bit of country but once people start using the "h word" I run screaming.

Was this album as bad as I thought it was going to be? Yes.  You can probably just look at the title tracks and realize why I would hate it.  If you can't figure it out, there is no reasoning with you.  Click here for a helpful link!

RATING: 1/5

290. Countdown to Ecstasy

Countdown to Exstasy
Steely Dan
1973

Tracks
1. Bodhisattva 
2. Razor Boy 
3. The Boston Rag 
4. Your Gold Teeth 
5. Show Biz Kids 
6. My Old School 
7. Pearl Of The Quarter 
8. King Of The World

Man, I have really been slugging through the last of the 200s.  I will blame it on recent events in my life (we are talking about psychics, stalkers, and unrequited love here people). Trying to get back on the album wagon.  Keep your fingers crossed.

Anyway, this album certainly was enough to make me want to get back to music again.  The whole album kind of sounded like a mix of The Beatles and something more South American.  It also sounded very coherent even though the way I am describing it, it kind of sounds like a mess.

Overall, this one was a lot of fun.  I was making pasta while listening to it and kind of resembled Cate Blanchett from Bandits.

RATING: 5/5

289. Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road

Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road
Elton John
1973

Tracks
1. Funeral For A Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)
2. Candle In The Wind
3. Benny And The Jets
4. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
5. This Song Has No Title 
6. Grey Seal 
7. Jamaica Jerk Off 
8. I've Seen That Movie Too
9. Sweet Painted Lady 
10. Ballad Of Danny Bailey
11. Dirty Little Girl 
12. All The Girls Love Alice 
13. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n' Roll)
14. Saturday Night's Alright (For Fighting)
15. Roy Rogers 
16. Social Disease
17. Harmony

Yes, I am still alive.  I have been spending a lot more time with my movies than albums.  Yes, if these blogs were my children, the movie one would be the star football athlete and this one would be the neglected weird child in the corner.

Anyway, I love Elton; "Your Song" is one of the greatest love songs out there.  For that reason, I will stick with this guy through the thick and thin.  There are some golden classics here.  For instance, "Benny and The Jets" which I only became familiar with from this movie:

Yes, I just posted a video from a Katherine Heigl.  But we can't look back people.

Overall, Elton is always a good time.  Most of all, he is not pretentious and that is enormously refreshing after what we have been seeing lately.

RATING: 4/5

288. A Wizard, A True Star

A Wizard, A True Star
Todd Rundgren
1973

Tracks
1. International Feel
2. Never Never Land
3. Tic Tick Tick It Wears Off
4. You
5. Need Your Head
6. Rock 'n' Roll
7. Pussy
8. Dogfight Giggle
9. You Don't Have To Camp Around
10. Flamingo
11. Zen Archer
12. Just Another Onionhead
13. Da Da Dali
14. When The Shit Hits The Fan
15. Sunset Boulevard
16. Le Feel Internacionale
17. Sometimes I Don't Know What To Feel
18. Does Anybody Love You
19. I'm So Proud
20. Oh Baby Baby
21. La La Means I Love You
22. Cool Jerk
23. Hungry For Love
24. I Don't Want To Tie You Down
25. Is It My Name
26. Just One Victory

And once again I use this blog as my glorious excuse for not doing any work.

All right, I get the impression from this album that Todd was a bit, shall we say, full of himself.  For instance, "Dogfight Giggle" is just a bunch of grating animal sounds.  Why would anyone want to listen to this??

In addition, Safari keeps closing after I write a fabulous, possibly award winning review and I sort of want to kick something.  Suffice to say, I am starting to think that this list was made by the most pretentious lot that ever gathered to write a book since the Scriblerus Club.

RATING: 2/5