planetneutral's Master Rating Log 2021-

planetneutral · 2020-12-30T14:04:16-05:00

Sometime in the era of 2009ish, my wife gave me a copy of the original edition of 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. Like so many foolhardy list-obsessed music enthusiasts, I began an endeavor to listen my way through it. You've heard a similar story in this forum many times before I'm sure. It didn't start well. In August of 2009, a mere eight albums into my effort, the library I work in flooded completely, burying my office in liquid sewage and putting an end to my new practice of sitting in my office listening to CDs. In 2010, I started to keep a rating log on RYM, combining my general listening and half-assed effort to work through the book. - https://rateyourmusic.com/list/planetneutral/planetneutrals-master-rating-log (I stopped using this list for a while. I'm working on catching it up.) I also kept a log specifically related to the 1001 Albums book. - https://rateyourmusic.com/list/planetneutral/chronicle-of-the-1001-albums-you-must-hear-before-you-die (This is up-to-date.) And I picked up a copy of 1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die, which had enough parallels with the 1001 Albums book that I figured I might as well track my progress through both. https://rateyourmusic.com/list/planetneutral/chronicle-of-1_000-recordings-to-hear-before-you-die (Up-to-date.) The 2010 listening effort only lasted until April, the travails of library flood recovery dominating my attention. And it was totally backburnered until 2016, when I started really focusing on the original Dimery 1001 Albums book, using a spreadsheet list and a random number generator to make selections. By this point, I was also tracking revisions to the Dimery list. My current spreadsheet lists all 1,076 albums that I know that have been included in at least one edition. I had two good runs of listening between Jan. 2016 and Apr. 2018. But I was starting to have real problems with the Dimery book, namely that it was almost comically Anglophile. Could I really justify listening to three Dexys Midnight Runners albums? Did I really need to commit to three Blur albums? Or every single thing Brian Eno ever touched? Was I giving too much of my limited lifespan to this guy's musical worldview? I decided that the answer to the last question was yes and so I just stopped, 380 albums into my effort. The last album I reviewed in 2018 was Tanto Tempo by Bebel Gilberto, which I described as "Deeply unremarkable." And I thought that would be the end of the story. I shifted my hobbyist attention away from album listening and into building out Spotify playlists, like my 770+ song 1980s A-Z playlist. But then something unanticipated happened, when my friend announced he was going to listen to the new 2020 edition of the Rolling Stone 500 album countdown. He started at #1, which I completely bristled at, especially since he didn't seem very inspired by the top ten. ("It's all downhill from here!" I protested fruitlessly.) But I realized it was someone close to me, who was taking on my kind of project. So I decided to join him and, in so doing, continue with the other two book-driven lists that I had been tracking. So I am currently about 2/3 of the way through the Rolling Stone list (which my friend abandoned around #50 :o) and, with the new year, thought I'd try to start chronicling my listening here at BEA. I'm a little intimidated since the people in this space take their chronicling and rating and reviewing seriously and I'm kind of a doofus with really mainstream taste and a limited attention span (courtesy of three tech-enabled children, age 10-15). I generally like things and generally listen to things I expect to like. At the time of this post, my mean rating is 75 over 650+ ratings, with 70 being the mode. But part of the fun is that I'm growing a little impatient with the Rolling Stone list as we head toward the bottom, so this ride could get a little bumpy! The reviews I post as "comments" on BEA tend to be terse (despite the logorrhea of this intro post) and, if consensus of the BEA audience is any guide, unhelpful/unpopular. I will probably use this diary context to offer more informal commentary and notes from my listening experience. We'll see. Just wanted to try keeping track of stuff here and see what happens. I'm not especially thoughtful, attentive, or critical. I'm not looking to be convinced not to like something that I find joy in, but I'd love to have people encourage me to reconsider my negative takes. I mostly want to have motivation to keep going. And the reality for me is that documentation is a double-edged sword as it fuels my hobbyistic tendencies, but keeping up with a diary does increase the overhead of the actual listening. My current overall chart: Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by planetneutral Here's one attempt-in-progress to put words to my ratings, which I switched to BEA's scale relatively early on: 100 - Beyond objective consideration. Either basically flawless or containing so much 100+ material that it overcomes any shortcomings. 95 - Important to me, but just slightly out of the 100 league or flawed in some way I can't overlook. 90 - Generally speaking, the highest rating an album will receive if it has no personal resonance for me. Would have to be a significant first experience for me to rate an album of new-to-me music higher than this. 85 - The flawed version of 90. 80 - Genuinely compelling to me. (I consider anything at this score or above worth your time to listen to at least once.) 75 - I liked it+ 70 - I liked it 65 - OK+ 60 - OK 55 - A hint of something redeeming. 50 - Meh. 45 and below - Increasing levels of dislike. I have yet to rate anything below 15. I claim no consistency and surely go through periods where I am more or less enthusiastic in general. Rating is always about how the material meets the mood. This log only chronicles first listens, but it is rare for me to change rating on a re-listen. Thanks for actually reading this far. I intend to start using this diary on 1/1/2021, although I might tinker with a test post or two before then.

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Currents by Tame Impala
Year of Release: 2015

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00692
Rating Date: 2021-01-18

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #382
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 65

Posted comment: With a couple of notable exceptions, mostly too spacey to really grab my interest.

Notes:

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #397 of 500 (79.4% of all items rated - avg. 77.8)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #422 of 693 (60.9% of all items rated - avg. 77.5)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.2% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.7% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

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Mezzanine by Massive Attack
Year of Release: 1998

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00693
Rating Date: 2021-01-19

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #383
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 70

Posted comment: Not typical of my active listening, but a pretty good soundtrack for a headphone session of morning productivity.

Notes: This is the third Massive Attack album I've rated and this feels like it was the strongest of the three. But it's the only one of the three not in the 1001 Albums book and I wonder how I might feel about Protection now, having considered it almost five years ago. I don't know. Trip-hop isn't in my wheelhouse and none of these albums seems to appeal to me like Dummy.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #398 of 500 (79.6% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #423 of 693 (61.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.2% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.7% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

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The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society by The Kinks
Year of Release: 1968

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00694
Rating Date: 2021-01-19

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #384
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? Y
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? Y
planetneutral's music collection? Digital

Rating: 70

Posted comment: I can appreciate this as a whole, but only a few of the tracks are songs I would actually want to keep hearing.

Notes: Still out here breaking hearts, as this is another revered album that just doesn't move me. But that's consistent with my experience with The Kinks in general. Plenty of Ray Davies songs that I love, but it seems like there are ultimately more that I don't.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #399 of 500 (79.8% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #424 of 693 (61.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: #552 of 1,076 (51.3% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: #198 of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:23; edited 1 time in total

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Rocket To Russia by Ramones
Year of Release: 1977

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00695
Rating Date: 2021-01-20

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #385
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? Y
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? Y
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 75

Posted comment: Every bit as solid as the more renowned debut album.

Notes: An album called Rocket to Russia seems like an appropriate enough choice for Inauguration Day here in the states. I'm 80% of the way through rating the current Rolling Stone album list. I'm guessing this last hundred will be slow going for me compared to the top of the list.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #400 of 500 (80.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #425 of 693 (61.3% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.3% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:24; edited 1 time in total

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Donuts by J Dilla
Year of Release: 2006

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00696
Rating Date: 2021-01-21

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #386
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 80

Posted comment: This is cool in and of itself, but it's more resonant when you know something about the context in which it was made.

Notes: Kind of a hip-hop Blackstar, but with an artist whose best might have been still to come.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #401 of 500 (80.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #426 of 693 (61.5% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.3% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:24; edited 1 time in total

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Young, Gifted And Black by Aretha Franklin
Year of Release: 1972

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00697
Rating Date: 2021-01-21

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #388
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 80

Posted comment: Another solid track list that plays to Ms. Franklin's many strengths, with a great Elton cover and an obscure small-town Indiana reference to boot.

Notes: Fourth Aretha album in the Rolling Stone countdown. All above average.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #402 of 500 (80.4% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #427 of 693 (61.6% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.3% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:24; edited 2 times in total

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The Emancipation Of Mimi by Mariah Carey
Year of Release: 2005

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00698
Rating Date: 2021-01-21

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #389
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? Digital

Rating: 65

Posted comment: This feels really good for about six songs and then it falls off and starts to feel slower and more repetitive.

Notes: This album is remarkably unrated by the BEA community, given its representation on an all-time album list.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #403 of 500 (80.6% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #428 of 693 (61.7% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.3% of all items rated - avg. 74.2)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:24; edited 1 time in total

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Surfer Rosa by Pixies
Year of Release: 1988

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00699
Rating Date: 2021-01-21

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #390
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? Y
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N (Note: Officially no, but I own the Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim import disc.)

Rating: 100

Posted comment: Hard for me to separate Surfer Rosa from Come On Pilgrim, as I had the CD with both, but it was probably my most important CD in 7th/8th grade.

Notes: Turns out I had rated/commented on this back in 2018, but it wasn't part of my formal listening log at the time. The old comment still works, so I'm just leaving it.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #404 of 500 (80.8% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #429 of 693 (61.9% of all items rated - avg. 77.5)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: #553 of 1,076 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:24; edited 2 times in total

planetneutral Profile

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Come On Pilgrim by Pixies
Year of Release: 1987

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00700
Rating Date: 2021-01-21

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? N
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N (Note: Officially no, but I own the Surfer Rosa/Come On Pilgrim import disc.)

Rating: 95

Posted comment: Hard for me to separate this from Surfer Rosa, as I grew up on the combined disc. But given the high esteem we all have for Surfer Rosa, that's just a testament to how similarly good this material is.

Notes: Much like Surfer Rosa, it turns out I had rated/commented on this back in 2018, but it wasn't part of my formal listening log at the time. The old comment still works, so I'm just leaving it.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: n/a of 500 (80.8% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: n/a of 693 (61.9% of all items rated - avg. 77.5)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:25; edited 1 time in total

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Kaleidoscope by Kelis
Year of Release: 1999

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00701
Rating Date: 2021-01-22

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #391
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 60

Posted comment: A couple of tracks toward the end that I enjoyed, but a lot of repetitive hooks to get there.

Notes:

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #405 of 500 (81.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #430 of 693 (62.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: n/a of 1,076 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.8% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:26; edited 1 time in total

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