Status Updates From Vinyl Me, Please: 100 Album...

Finished Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot today the penultimate album in the book. A good listen but not one for my collection.

A few more albums and reviews completed: Townes Van Zandt (Live at the Old Quarter), Tom Waits (Bone Machine), The War on Drugs (Lost in the Dream), Kamasi Washington (The Epic), Kanye West (808s & Heartbreak), and The White Stripes (Elephant). These are all great albums, worthy of a place in anyone’s vinyl collection. I don’t currently own any of them on vinyl, but they’ve all been added to my ever-growing wishlist.

Since my last update I’ve listened to—and read reviews of—albums by Thin Lizzy, Justin Timberlake, A Tribe Called Quest, TV on the Radio, and UGK. I enjoyed all of them and will add them to my rotation; however, I’d probably only add Jailbreak and Midnight Marauders to my vinyl collection.

I really enjoyed Steely Dan’s Aja and Sufjan Stevens’ Illinois — both are pretty cool albums with an interesting mix of genres, blending jazz influences with a rock edge. I’m not sure I’d add them to my vinyl collection, but they’re fun records that I’d definitely listen to again.

I bought Masseduction by St. Vincent on CD on a friend’s recommendation and really enjoyed it, but I never explored her work much further. I’ve seen her on Later… with Jools Holland and other shows and always liked her performances. Strange Mercy was an enjoyable listen too, but I don’t think it’s one I’d add to my vinyl collection at this stage.

Over the last few days I've listened to—and read reviews of—albums by Elliott Smith, Patti Smith, The Smiths, Spiritualized, Dusty Springfield, and Bruce Springsteen. Although I enjoyed about 83% of them, I’ll probably only consider one as an addition to my vinyl collection. The rest I’m happy to revisit on Spotify whenever the mood strikes.

Over the weekend I listened to—and read the reviews of—albums by Radiohead, Fela Kuti, The Replacements, The Rolling Stones, Rush, Gil Scott-Heron, Sigur Rós, Paul Simon, and Nina Simone. There are definitely a few I’d love to add to my vinyl collection.

Was Deaf… really “the last great Big Rock album, and a funeral for the radio it ultimately wooed,” as Andy O’Connor suggests? I’m not too sure, but when you add guest drummer Dave Grohl to the already impressive Queens of the Stone Age lineup, you get one hell of a record—and one I sincerely want to add to my collection.

Prince is one of my all-time favourite artists. I bought every CD he released up until the digital age, and Sign o’ the Times ranks right up there for me. It’s also very high on my vinyl wishlist. I can’t argue with Tom Breihan’s statement: “The idea that a single human being could’ve produced an album this varied, expansive, and flat-out great should honestly make the rest of us feel terrible.”

You picked Third? Not Dummy? Wow, that’s surprising. I do think Portishead absolutely deserve a place on this list, but if I were buying one of their albums for my vinyl collection, I’d be hard-pressed not to choose Dummy. Third is good—don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed listening to it—I just question its place in this volume.

Ok so, Surfer Rosa by the Pixies is indeed phenomenal. My favourite track is obviously “Where Is My Mind?”—it’s just such a good song. Chris Lay’s point that “It’s hard to imagine a world where this album doesn’t exist,” because without it “you run the risk of no Radiohead, no Weezer, no Smashing Pumpkins, and on,” is a very scary thought indeed.

Whilst on holiday I listened to albums by Elton John, Joy Division, Kraftwerk, Led Zeppelin, Scratch Perry & The Upsetters, Loretta Lynn, Madvillain, Massive Attack, Joni Mitchell, My Bloody Valentine, Willie Nelson, Neutral Milk Hotel, Nirvana, Outkast, Pavement, and today Joanna Newsom’s Ys—and read all the reviews. A mix of great albums: some already in my collection, some I want and others I’ll revisit.

I haven’t intentionally listened to Michael Jackson in years, but Bad is undeniably an incredible album. The debate over separating art from the artist is a complicated one. Nothing was ever proven, but my personal stance is that he got away with it rather than being innocent. That makes it hard to celebrate his work. One thing’s for sure: I wouldn’t want a 12.375-inch square photo of him displayed in my house.

If you’re a hip-hop fan and Donuts by J Dilla isn’t in your collection, are you even a hip-hop fan? This album is exceptional. When people talk about a master of their craft, this is exactly what they mean—Dilla was a true pioneer. Has anyone made beats like this before or since? Doubtful. As Andrew Martin notes, the impact of Donuts is truly immeasurable. It’s essential for any hip-hop collection.

Is there a more aptly named album than Iggy Pop & The Stooges’ Raw Power? Probably not. I do like some of Iggy’s work—he’s an icon, a pioneer, a legend, and absolutely deserves his place in the history books. But it’s not something I listen to regularly, and this album just doesn’t do enough for me to justify adding it to my vinyl collection. Sorry, Iggy.

Appetite for Destruction is not only one of my favourite albums of all time; it’s probably the best debut LP ever—and I challenge anyone to claim otherwise. Drew Millard describes it as a “fantabulous fuck-you of a debut album,” and he’s absolutely right. There’s zero filler here. It’s a record that demands to be listened to from beginning to end.

Gary Suarez says, “Picking one’s favourite member of the Wu-Tang Clan is a volatile exercise… Even so, Liquid Swords makes it hard, if not impossible, to make a case against Genius/GZA as the superlative clansman.” I wouldn’t want to make that choice myself, but I will say this: Liquid Swords is a great album, and it sits high on my hip-hop vinyl wishlist—along with pretty much everything RZA has produced.

This weekend I listened to Aretha Franklin’s Aretha Now, Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain, Peter Gabriel’s Peter Gabriel [3], and Marvin Gaye’s Here, My Dear, and just read all the reviews this morning. Each album was great and I’d happily add all of them to my vinyl collection. I was absolutely mesmerized by the track Maggot Brain—the moment I heard it, I immediately played it back for my wife the next time I saw her.

Eric Sundermann starts his review with “Is there a perfect record? Because if there is, it’s Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours..." I can’t really argue with that. I owned it on CD, I’ve streamed it countless times, and it was one of the first records I bought when I got back into buying vinyl. It’s a magnificent album, and the hype is absolutely real.

There’s a reason why the Fugees covered Killing Me Softly with His Song — it’s an absolute banger from Roberta Flack. It’s a brilliant way to open Killing Me Softly the album, and Roberta’s soulful voice is perfect throughout. Not one I’d necessarily buy on vinyl, but a great album nonetheless.

Similar to my thoughts on Discreet Music, Yore by Evenings is an instrumental album that completely drew me in. I’d never heard of Evenings before this, but I really enjoyed it. Like Tyler Barstow notes, “It takes time for it to find its way into the deeper sections of your mind,” and “Every time I listen… I feel a little more awake and in tune.” I’d love to spend more time with it to experience that feeling myself.

I’d heard of Brian Eno as the producer behind artists like U2 and David Bowie but knew little about his solo work. I don’t often listen to music without lyrics, but Discreet Music was fabulous on the ears. It’s the kind of album that demands quiet focus to truly appreciate its ambient soundscapes. I’ll definitely revisit it again—it feels like one that rewards deeper, more attentive listening.

Bob Dylan is a legendary singer-songwriter, and if you ask anyone which album deserves a place in their collection, Blonde on Blonde is always near the top of the list—and I completely agree. It’s a brilliant album from start to finish, full of character and poetry. I also love the story behind the blurred cover artwork—it perfectly matches the album’s hazy, dreamlike feel.

I didn’t discover Nick Drake until I was well into my 40s (he died a year before I was born), but I was instantly captivated by his music once I did. By the time I started listening, everything was digital, so I never owned any of his albums physically. Pink Moon is a beautiful, minimalist work—short at just 28 minutes, but stunning throughout. It’s definitely one I’d consider buying on vinyl.

The Doobie Brothers have a fun yacht rock vibe, and Minute By Minute really defines that genre. I love the single What A Fool Believes, and there are a few other gems too. I won’t be adding it to my vinyl collection — there’s not quite enough to justify the spend — but it’s a fun album all the same.

I love Endtroducing by DJ Shadow, and yes, it’s firmly on my vinyl wishlist. When Ben Munson says it’s “universally revered” and “set an unreachable benchmark,” he’s absolutely right — this is a hip-hop tour de force, a uniquely brilliant album and truly one for the ages.

Who are Dirty Projectors? That was exactly my question when I first read the review and listened to the album. It turns out they’re the brainchild of singer-songwriter David Longstreth. I thought it was pleasant enough — interesting, even — and worth another listen, so I’ve added it to my “listen again” list. That said, it didn’t quite hook me enough to think, “This is amazing, I must own this.”

Over the weekend I listened to Daft Punk's Random Access Memories , Miles Davis' Bitches Brew and Def Leppard's Hysteria as part of this challenge. Three very different albums but all fun in their own way. Hysteria was one of the first albums I ever bought, so it’s firmly on my vinyl wishlist, along with Bitches Brew. I like some Daft Punk tracks — especially Get Lucky — but overall it’s not really my genre.

I mentioned D’Angelo in an earlier update after his unfortunate passing last month, so it’s fitting to see Voodoo included here. Drew Millard perfectly sums it up in his review, calling it “a singular, perfect document, a work of R&B magical realism for the ages” — a statement I’m fully on board with. A timeless, soulful masterpiece.

I love a bit of jazz, and John Coltrane is an undisputed pioneer. A Love Supreme’s importance, as Andrew Martin notes in his review, cannot be overstated. It’s a brilliant work of art that brings pure joy to the ears — spiritual, soulful, and timeless. And yes, why not enjoy it with a slow gin fizz in hand?