1001. Get Behind Me Satan

Get Behind Me Satan
The White Stripes
2005

Tracks
1. Blue Orchid
2. The Nurse
3. My Doorbell
4. Forever For Her (Is Over For Me)
5. Little Ghost
6. The Denial Twist
7. White Moon
8. Instinct Blues
9. Passive Manipulation
10. Take, Take, Take
11. As Ugly As I Seem
12. Red Rain
13. I'm Lonely (But I Ain't That Lonely Yet)

1001! I did it!! I'll write a follow up post after this to wrap things up, but wow. It's a bit hard to concentrate on the album at hand!

But I am going to try anyway, because it's The White Stripes. This isn't the best White Stripes album on the List. Both White Blood Cells and Elephant are better. Still, it contains their unique sound that is always compelling, and they aren't afraid to experiment here.

I just read an article that compared the Meg White/Jack White relationship to a comedy duo. Jack White is the funny guy, always pushing the limits, and Meg White is the straight man, pulling him back in again. I think that is a hella accurate comparison, and it makes for a fascinating dynamic. I'll try to keep that in mind when I dress up like Meg tomorrow for Halloween.

You'll hear from me again soon...

RATING: 4/5

995. Want Two

Want Two
Rufus Wainwright
2004

Tracks
1. Agnus Dei
2. The One You Love
3. Peach Trees
4. Little Sister
5. The Art Teacher
6. Hometown Waltz
7. This Love Affair
8. Gay Messiah
9. Memphis Skyline
10. Waiting For A Dream
11. Crumb by Crumb
12. Old Whore's Diet

This is a companion piece to Wainwright's earlier album "Want One." I really liked his previous entry, so I was excited to listen to this as well. It complemented the mood and style of the earlier album perfectly.

Wainwright experiments with many different styles of music. Amazingly, he sometimes shifts those styles in the middle of songs. He does this without making the track seem all over the place or out of focus. I liked it best when he went with an Eastern style of music but the reggae tribute was interesting as well.

More than anything, Wainwright is a great storyteller. I tend to hang onto to every word. Good stuff.

RATING: 4/5

992. Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes

Desperate Youths, Blood Thirsty Babes
TV on the Radio
2004

Tracks
1. The Wrong Way
2. Staring At The Sun
3. Dreams
4. King Eternal
5. Ambulance
6. Poppy
7. Don't Love You
8. Bomb Yourself
9. Wear You Out

We are in the home stretch with this List! Looking ahead, there are no other albums that officially repulse me off the title or artist alone, so this might be an enjoyable farewell tour.

Based on the title of this album, I was expecting something dark and metal-y. Fortunately, I was only correct about the former. TV on the Radio blends electronica with something indefinable. Naturally, it's the something indefinable I am more interested in, as I am not the biggest electronica fan. I really liked the vocals, which fit the mood of the album perfectly, along with the minimalist lyrics. 

If I had to compare this band's sound to something we've had before, it might be Pere Ubu, but that might be a stretch and I enjoyed this a lot better.

RATING: 4/5

991. Cee-Lo Green is the Soul Machine

Cee-Lo Green is the Soul Machine
Cee-Lo Green
2004

Tracks
1. Intro
2. Soul Machine
3. The Art of Noise (feat Pharrell)
4. Living Again
5. I'll Be Around (feat Timbaland))
6. The One (Feat Jazze Pha & T.I.)
7. My Kind of People (Feat Jazze Pha & Menta Malone)
8. Childz Play (with Ludacris)
9. I Am Selling Soul
10. All Day Love Afair
11. Evening News (with Chazzie & Sir Cognac the Conversation)
12. Scrap Metal (with Big Rube & G-Rock)
13. Glockapella
14. When We Were Friends
15. Sometimes
16. Let's Stay Together (with Pharrell)
17. Die Trying
18. What Don't You Do? (Outro)

Ugh, and now this idiot. Twitter was a mistake. But I will try to separate the art from the artist, even if it causes me to die a little inside.

Cee-Lo does a nice job here blending soul, hip hop, and funk. It's nice to see somebody move away from the East Coast vs. West Coast hip hop sound, and actually do something different. The results are pretty great, and the many featured artists keep it fresh throughout the entire runtime.

Still, the album title sounds like something he coerces women into saying in bed. 

RATING: 4/5

990. College Dropout

College Dropout
Kanye West
2004

Tracks
1. Intro
2. We Don't Care
3. Graduation Day
4. All Falls Down
5. I'll Fly Away
6. Spaceship
7. Jesus Walks
8. Never Let Me Down
9. Get Em High
10. Workout Plan
11. The New Workout Plan
12. Slow Jamz
13. Breathe In Breathe Out
14. School Spirit (Skit 1)
15. School Spirit
16. School Spirit (Skit 2)
17. Lil Jimmy Skit
18. Two Words
19. Through The Wire
20. Family Business
21. Last Call

Kanye West is yet another mentally ill narcissist who believes he should be president. If we all join hands, maybe we can get that ego in check. Unfortunately, I can't be of much help with the delusions of grandeur in this instance, as I thought this album was pretty amazing.

Which is really annoying. I want to be loyal to my girl T Swift, after all. But I grew up listening to this, so it has a nostalgia factor for me. He takes interesting elements of pop and translates it into hip hop. It's hard not to admire the effect. 

Some of the skits were annoying. By the end he was just ranting and boasting (shock), but the singles made up for it. Overall, an entertaining album. Which is disappointing.

RATING: 4/5

986. Fly or Die

Fly or Die
N.E.R.D.
2004

Tracks
1. Don't Worry About It
2. Fly Or Die
3. Jump
4. Backseat Love
5. She Wants To Move
6. Breakout
7. Wonderful Place
8. Drill Sergeant
9. Thrasher
10. Maybe
11. The Way She Dances
12. Chariot Of Fire

We reach yet another aimed at teenage boys. Usually, I find this music appalling or grating, but I actually enjoyed this quite a bit.

This is probably due to their enthusiastic use of hooks throughout the album. My favorite track was probably "Thrasher." I liked how the combined rap, rock, and R&B to make this. It's not the most challenging or complex music, but it is really fun.

2004 has been surprisingly great so far!

RATING: 4/5

985. Franz Ferdinand

Franz Ferdinand
Franz Ferdinand
2004

Tracks
1. Jacqueline
2. Tell Her Tonight
3. Take Me Out
4. The Dark Of The Matinée
5. Auf Achse
6. Cheating On You
7. This Fire
8. Darts Of Pleasure
9. Michael
10. Come On Home
11. 40'

Franz Ferdinand brings us an intensely danceable album here. Typically, I am wary of dance music, as it doesn't always have that much substance. Thankfully, that was not the case here.

Ferdinand provides funny music that is intended to make you want to get up and move. I've been really impressed with the debut albums lately. How are artists able to perfect their sound right out of the gate? It's really incredible.

Just a fun album and one I will be revisiting soon.

RATING: 4/5

980. Smile

Smile
Brian Wilson
2004

Tracks
1. Our Prayer
2. Heroes and Villains
3. Roll Plymouth Rock
4. Barnyard
5. Old Master Painter / You Are My Sunshine
6. Cabin Essence
7. Wonderful
8. Song for Children
9. Child Is Father of the Man
10. Surf's Up
11. I'm In Great Shape
12. Workshop
13. Vega-Tables
14. On a Holiday
15. Wind Chimes
16. Mrs. O'Leary's Cow
17. In Blue Hawaii
18. Good Vibrations

Smile was originally supposed to be released after Pet Sounds, but apparently Brian Wilson set fire to the tapes. The guy was going through some stuff. Instead, they released Smiley Smile, which was a bastardized version of this album. Finally, Wilson got his shiz together, and released the version on the List.

Which means that some of the songs on this album are spoiled in the sense of being released already. But it is still fun to listen to and has that instantly recognizable Beach Boys sound. It's a sound that is a bit too sunny for my taste, but is still enjoyable nonetheless.

The production on the album is also excellent, so all in all, worth the wait. 

RATING: 4/5

976. Scissor Sisters

Scissor Sisters
Scissor Sisters
2004

Tracks
1. Laura
2. Take Your Mama
3. Comfortably Numb
4. Mary
5. Lovers In The Backseat
6. Tits On The Radio
7. Filthy/Gorgeous
8. Music Is The Victim
9. Better Luck Next Time
10. It Can't Come Quickly Enough
11. Return To Oz

I hadn't heard of the Scissor Sisters, but this is a pretty cool introduction to their work. Of course, it's a tad derivative of the Bee Gees, but they could have chosen a worst band to imitate. 

There were a few songs I really liked "Comfortably Numb" but the album was a bit scattered in terms of the styles they were attempting. In some moods that might strike you as fun and varied, and in other moods, it might feel too all over the place.

We've haven't had particularly dance-y albums on the List lately, so this made for a nice change.

RATING: 4/5

975. Want One

Want One
Rufus Wainwright
2003

Tracks
1. Oh What A World
2. I Don't Know What It Is
3. Vicious World
4. Movies Of Myself
5. Pretty Things
6. Go Or Go Ahead
7. Vibrate
8. 14th Street
9. Natasha
10. Harvester Of Hearts
11. Beautiful Child
12. Want
13. 11:11
14. Dinner At Eight

I was only familiar with a couple songs that Rufus Wainwright had covered, so I was pleased to explore more of his work. Wainwright is clearly a very emotionally intelligent songwriter, and there wasn't a bad song on the album. 

I could how his voice might grate for some people, but I really enjoyed it and thought it suited his songs well. Each track was unique but still paid tribute to the central mood of the album. My favorite song is probably "I Don't Know What It Is" but it's a really tough call.

A fairly heavy and emotional album, so gird your loins.

RATING: 4/5

970. Fever to Tell

Fever to Tell
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2003

Tracks
1. Rich
2. Date With The Night
3. Man
4. Tick
5. Black Tongue
6. Pin
7. Cold Light
8. No No No
9. Maps
10. Y Control
11. Modern Romance

I am finding myself drawn more to punk music as I get older, which might be an early stage of a midlife crisis. This is slightly watered down punk, and I actually enjoyed it quite a bit, even though there was the occasional obnoxious song.

You can tell that the people who made this album had a really passion for the genre, and they paid tribute to many punk artists throughout the album's entirety. It was another pretty short and punchy album, which is always admirable.

The next entry is over two hours, so brevity is greatly appreciated.

RATING: 4/5

969. So Much for the City

So Much for the City
The Thrills
2003

Tracks
1. Santa Cruz (You're Not That Far)
2. Big Sur
3. Don't Steal Our Sun
4. Deckchairs And Cigarettes
5. One Horse Town
6. Old Friends, New Lovers
7. Say It Ain't So
8. Hollywood Kids
9. Just Travelling Through
10. Your Love Is Like Las Vegas
11. 'Til The Tide Creeps In/Plans

As I mentioned in the previous post, we've had a lot of fun noise rock lately from fairly obscure bands and it's been a blast. 

I especially enjoyed this album since it was focused on the sunshine-y, California aesthetic. It's not shallow exactly, but it does romanticize the state. Where I am there is nothing but grey skies. 

Much like the other noise rock bands we've had lately, they are not doing anything particularly new, but they still created an entertaining album.

RATING: 4/5

968. Youth and Young Manhood

Youth and Young Manhood
Kings of Leon
2003

Tracks
1. Red Morning Light
2. Happy Alone
3. Wasted Time
4. Joe’s Head
5. Tranny
6. California Waiting
7. Spiral Suitcase
8. Molly’s Chambers
9. Genius
10. O Dusty
11. Holy Roller Novocaine

Once again, we are treated to a great rock band with a decidedly retro feel. I guess we all discovered everything post 2000 was a mistake and we should just make the best of it with throwback after throwback.

And I'm not complaining. I really enjoyed this despite never hearing of Kings of Leon before. They are reminiscent of the Strokes and the Rolling Stones, although I enjoyed them more than the latter.

So a pretty great album. We are in a good streak lately.

RATING: 4/5

964. Feast of Wire

Feast of Wire
Calexico
2003

Tracks
1. Sunken Waltz
2. Quattro (World Drifts In)
3. Stucco
4. Black Heart
5. Pepito
6. Not Even Stevie Nicks
7. Close Behind
8. Woven Birds
9. The Book And The Canal
10. Attack El Robot! Attack!
11. Across The Wire (Widescreen)
12. Dub Latina
13. Guero Canelo
14. Whipping The Horses Eye
15. Crumble
16. No Doze

I had a hard time classifying this album. Technically, this album could fall into the category of world music, indie rock, pop, folk, country, jazz, or trip hop. I guess we will just call it "varied."

This makes for a somewhat scattered album, but it the end it really worked. I enjoyed the exploration of the different genres, and it was always exciting to see what the next track would hold.

Inevitably, there were some slower moments where I didn't enjoy the style they were trying on. But overall, it was very fun, and props to them for doing something different.

RATING: 4/5

963. Frank

Frank
Amy Winehouse
2003

Tracks
1. Intro / Stronger Than Me
2. You Sent Me Flying / Cherry
3. Know You Now
4. Fuck Me Pumps
5. I Heard Love Is Blind
6. Moody's Mood For Love / Teo Licks
7. (There Is) No Greater Love
8. In My Bed
9. Take The Box
10. October Song
11. What Is It About Men
12. Help Yourself
13. Amy Amy Amy / Outro

Poor Amy. Her ending was inevitable, but her talent was immeasurable. "Back to Black" is still one of my favorite songs, and I could listen to her voice all day.

I guess this was before she went off the rails completely, and so you can admire her brashness and humor, with less dramatic irony. That being said, I did enjoy the Back to Black album more. These songs are elevated because of Amy's voice, and I'm not sure how great they would be without it. 

But the range and emotion of her voice is so fascinating that it makes ho hum songs incredible.

RATING: 4/5

962. Hail to the Thief

Hail to the Thief
Radiohead
2002

Tracks
1. 2 + 2 =5
2. Sit Down. Stand Up
3. Sail to the Moon
4. Backdrifts
5. Go to Sleep
6. Where I End and You Begin
7. We Suck Young Blood
8. The Gloaming
9. There There
10. I Will
11. A Punch-up at a Wedding
12. Myxamatosis
13. Scatterbrain
14. A Wolf at the Door

This is the last Radiohead album on the List, which is sad because they continue to put out quality music, and I don't see them taking the Coldplay route anytime soon. But I can explore more of their music once I have graduated from List Academy.

This is probably less experimental than their previous entry, Amnesiac. I think I enjoyed it more because of that. Still, they maintain their unique sound and affinity for pushing boundaries while remaining accessible. 

A solid goodbye to a band I've really enjoyed getting to know through the List. 

RATING: 4/5

961. Your New Favourite Band

Your New Favourite Band
The Hives
2002

Tracks
1. Hate To Say I Told You So
2. Main Offender
3. Supply And Demand
4. Die, All Right!
5. Untutored Youth
6. Outsmarted
7. Mad Man
8. Here We Go Again
9. A.K.A. I-D-I-O-T
10. Automatic Schmuck
11. Hail Hail Spit N' Drool
12. The Hives Are The Law, You Are Crime

I find it impressive when albums can do so much in short time. I am much more accustomed to long and meandering albums that don't know when to bow out gracefully.

The Hives are a Swedish rock group, and let's just say I haven't been blown away by any Swedish songwriters so far. But each track has an excellent hook, and it's really leaves you wanting more.

I was tempted to dislike this album based on the title alone, but damn, they read me like a book.

RATING: 4/5 

960. Highly Evolved

Highly Evolved
The Vines
2002

Tracks
1. Highly Evolved
2. Autumn Shade
3. Outtathaway
4. Sunshinin
5. Homesick
6. Get Free
7. Country Yard
8. Factory
9. In The Jungle
10. Mary Jane
11. Ain't No Room
12. 1969

This was another good alternative rock album. We've had quite a few of these lately and I hope we can ride them all the way to 1001, without any more metal speed bumps along the way.

So this was pretty satisfying noise rock that was varied enough to stay interesting. There wasn't really a stand out track, but it was never boring. I didn't even mind the occasional screech because the hooks were so good.

I don't know if I could make the argument that this is a masterpiece, but it was still really fun.

RATING: 4/5

954. Under Construction

Under Construction
Missy Elliott
2002

Tracks
1. Intro/Go To The Floor
2. Bring The Pain
3. Gossip Folks
4. Work It
5. Back In The Day
6. Funky Fresh Dressed
7. P***ycat
8. Nothing Out There For Me
9. Slide
10. Play That Beat
11. Ain't That Funny
12. Hot
13. Can You Hear Me
14. Work It

I knew I was going to enjoy this, because I trust Missy Elliott to explore more interesting themes than what's present in standard hip hop fare. She is always funny and a little weird.

I ended up liking this a lot more than the previous Missy Elliott album. In the last entry, I felt like her speaking to her audience was a somewhat insecure and unnecessary addition, like when writers start their novels with cringey disclaimers that they tried their best. But I appreciated the intimacy that it provided this album.

This is not faux female empowerment like Destiny's Child, and is really good music to boot.

RATING: 4/5

951. American IV: The Man Comes Around

American IV: The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash
2002

Tracks
1. The Man Comes Around
2. Hurt
3. Give My Love To Rose
4. Bridge Over Troubled Water
5. I Hung My Head
6. First Time Ever I Saw Your Face
7. Personal Jesus
8. In My Life
9. Sam Hall
10. Danny Boy
11. Desperado
12. I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry
13. Tear Stained Letter
14. Streets Of Laredo
15. We'll Meet Again

Long time, no see! We haven't had a Johnny Cash album for about 800 entries now. This is like when Bob Dylan popped his head in again in 1997. And much like Dylan's unexpected entry, this isn't the album of a has-been.

Cash's voice has only grown more powerful over time, and his vocals are definitely the focal point of the album. I didn't like all the covers, but not because of what Cash did with them. I just didn't like all the songs; "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" has always gotten on my nerves (who would phrase something that way?).

In a way, it's a pretty depressing album, because you can feel the heaviness Cash brings to every track. But it's a worthy finale to an impressive career.

RATING: 4/5