Stuart’s Reviews > Vinyl Me, Please: 100 Albums You Need in Your Collection > Status Update

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.

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.