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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Proud Mary: The Best Of Ike & Tina Turner by Ike & Tina Turner
Year of Release: 1991

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00702
Rating Date: 2021-01-22

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #392
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? N
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? Y
planetneutral's music collection? N

Rating: 70

Posted comment: Feels like an uneven legacy if this is really the best of it, but evidence suggests that this collection only represents parts of the chronology.

Notes: I'm completely over the inclusion of compilations in all-time album lists, particularly at the expense of, you know, albums.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #406 of 500 (81.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #431 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: #199 of 1,000 (19.9% 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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1989 by Taylor Swift
Year of Release: 2014

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00703
Rating Date: 2021-01-22

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #393
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? CD

Rating: 80

Posted comment: Loaded with hits and some of the best songs weren't even singles.

Notes: I had no special affection for Ryan Adams before it surfaced that he was a big dose of human fail, but he was right about 1989.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #407 of 500 (81.4% of all items rated - avg. 77.8 )
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #432 of 692 (62.3% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: #554 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 (19.9% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:27; edited 1 time in total

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Diana by Diana Ross
Year of Release: 1980

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00704
Rating Date: 2021-01-23

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums (2003/2012/2020)? #394
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: A couple of top-notch tracks with Nile Rodgers really doing work to try and hold this together as an album, somewhat successfully.

Notes:

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #408 of 500 (81.6% of all items rated - avg. 77.7)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #433 of 692 (62.6% 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 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.9% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:27; edited 1 time in total

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Black Messiah by D'Angelo And The Vanguard
Year of Release: 2014

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00705
Rating Date: 2021-01-23

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: unreleased 2012: unreleased 2020: #395
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: Maybe it's just my mood, but I vibed with this more than the other D'Angelo albums.

Notes: So many R&B albums would be better if they were edited down to 40-45 minutes. This could be said about any genre, of course. But just about every album in the 90s-and-forward R&B canon is a hour, usually more, and it takes repetition and/or weaker material to get there. Often both.

In project creep news, I've completely compiled the previous two Rolling Stone lists with reference to the current one (to ensure my metadata numbers - "692 distinct albums over the three editions," he told himself with 99.7% confidence.) So I can now easily include previous rankings. You're welcome. 😄

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #409 of 500 (81.8% of all items rated - avg. 77.7)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #434 of 692 (62.7% 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 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (19.9% of all items rated - avg. 80.0)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:27; edited 2 times in total

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Something/Anything? by Todd Rundgren
Year of Release: 1972

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00706
Rating Date: 2021-01-23

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: #173 2012: #173 2020: #396
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: I appreciate this more for the ambition than the actual songs, but I could see that changing as I age with them.

Notes: This marks 20% completion of the Tom Moon 1,000 Recordings list, which is notable in that it's only collateral damage from pursuit of the other two lists. Will have to be ready for a wider range of music (read: classical, more jazz) when I actively go after that list.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #410 of 500 (82.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.7)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #435 of 692 (62.7% of all items rated - avg. 77.4)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: #555 of 1,076 (51.4% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: #200 of 1,000 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:27; edited 1 time in total

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When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? by Billie Eilish
Year of Release: 2019

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00707
Rating Date: 2021-01-23

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: unreleased 2012: unreleased 2020: #397
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: 55

Posted comment: It's not all terrible, but I don't really connect with this lyrically or musically.

Notes: Completely undermines the integrity of an all-time albums list to not require a certain longevity prior to consideration, as one might with a sports hall of fame. If anyone still cares about Billie Eilish in ten years, it will be because she was capable of better than this.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #411 of 500 (82.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.6)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #436 of 692 (63.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.3)
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 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:28; edited 1 time in total

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True Sadness by The Avett Brothers
Year of Release: 2016

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00708
Rating Date: 2021-01-23

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: N 2012: N 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? Digital

Rating: 75

Posted comment: Solidly crafted as ever, but only a few songs that hit the higher level of Avett songwriting.

Notes: I watched the May It Last documentary tonight, which focuses on the recording of this album. I was also discussing this album on another thread. Seemed like a "meaningful coincidence," so a quick break from the Rolling Stone list to consider this one.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: n/a of 500 (82.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.6)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: n/a of 692 (63.0% of all items rated - avg. 77.3)
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 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:28; edited 1 time in total

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The Raincoats by The Raincoats
Year of Release: 1979

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00709
Rating Date: 2021-01-24

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: N 2012: N 2020: #398
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: I like a lot of the sounds, even if the songs themselves are kinda meh.

Notes: One of a small handful of albums on the Rolling Stone list that I can claim no familiarity with whatsoever. Feels a bit like the result of the intentional effort to feature more female artists on the Rolling Stone list, but that's cool. I'm glad I heard this.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #412 of 500 (82.4% of all items rated - avg. 77.6)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #437 of 692 (63.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.3)
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 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:29; edited 1 time in total

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There's Nothing Wrong With Love by Built To Spill
Year of Release: 1994

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00710
Rating Date: 2021-01-24

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: N 2012: N 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? CD

Rating: 95

Posted comment: One of the most important albums in my years spent adrift immediately after college graduation.

Notes: This falls in the category of "albums way better than most of these list-canonized things." It's also BEA's Album of the Day, which I took as a sign that I should formally log this as-of-yet-uncommented album that's squarely on my all-time chart, currently at #30.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: n/a of 500 (82.4% of all items rated - avg. 77.6)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: n/a of 692 (63.2% of all items rated - avg. 77.3)
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 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 19:29; edited 1 time in total

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Brian Wilson Presents Smile by Brian Wilson
Year of Release: 2004

planetneutral Master Rating Log ID#: 00711
Rating Date: 2021-01-24

Included in...
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums? 2003: N 2012: N 2020: #399
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die (2005/2013/2017/2018)? Y - Removed
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die (2008)? N
planetneutral's music collection? CD

Rating: 70

Posted comment: I recognize the significance and the achievement that this represents, but don't love these songs and can't help wonder what might have been.

Notes: Maybe if this material had hit my brain at the same youthful age as something like Sgt. Pepper, I'd have more interest in what Brian Wilson is doing here. It feels like he was in the same space as Village Green Preservation Society Ray Davies.

Rating metadata
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2020 rating order: #413 of 500 (82.6% of all items rated - avg. 77.6)
Rolling Stone 500 Greatest Albums 2003/2012/2020 Combined List rating order: #438 of 692 (63.3% of all items rated - avg. 77.3)
1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die 2005/2013/2017/2018 Combined List rating order: #556 of 1,076 (51.7% of all items rated - avg. 74.3)
1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die rating order: n/a of 1,000 (20.0% of all items rated - avg. 79.9)

Last edited by planetneutral on 01/24/2021 20:30; edited 1 time in total

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