820. Wilco - Being There

Release Date: 1996
Label: Reprise

Named after the budget shop emporioum, Wilco are one of those bands that never seem able to transfer their critical appeal to commercial success. This is their second release, and is a double album choc full of great songs.

Rating: 8/10

785. Green Day - Dookie

Release Date: 1994
Label: Reprise

I own this one already

Rating: 9/10

676. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Ragged Glory

Release Date: 1990
Label: Reprise

Having listened to these previous albums back in September, it's difficult to remember what I thought about them. I'm often in two minds about NY, and I think this is one of those times when I can leave him.

Rating: 5/10

633. Dwight Yoakam - Buneas Noches from a Lonely Room

Release Date: 1988
Label: Reprise

I wasn't particularly bothered by this album. It was fine, but there wasn't anything memorable to come from it.

Rating: 5/10

444. Neil Young & Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps

Release Date: 1979
Label: Reprise

Neil Young's reaction to the punk movement was to release this definitive statement. It can't really be called a comeback album, but even at the age of 34 Neil Young was consisdered yesterday's man. 'Rust Never Sleeps' is a welcome reminded that rock 'n' roll will never die.

Rating: 9/10

341. Neil Young - Tonight's The Night

Release Date: 1975
Label: Reprise

After the relative disappointment of 'On The Beach', it was good to hear a Neil Young album I enjoyed again. 'Tonight's the Night' is an improvement on the previous album, and although critics can't seperate them in terms of quality I found this album to be more accesible. I still don't rate it as highly as his earlier works, but perhaps that has something to do with time spent with the songs.

Rating: 8/10

336. Emmylou Harris - Pieces of the Sky

Release Date: 1975
Label: Reprise

After appearing as a guest on Gram Parsons posthumous hit "Grievous Angel", Emmylou Harris made her (solo) major label debut with this release. Like the Gram Parsons record, I thought this one was vocally and musically beautiful.

Rating: 9/10

326 Gram Parsons - Griveous Angel

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

Country music gets a bad reputation sometimes, thanks in no small part to the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, but if you look beyond that, you will find great albums like this. Grammar Parsons has already appeared - as a band member - a couple of times in this blog - with the Byrds and with the Flying Burrito Brothers - but this is the first (and only) time we see him on his own (albeit with a lot of help from Emmylou Harris. Anyway, long story short, I thought the album was great. The only song I didn't care for was the first 'live' track.

Rating: 9/10

323. Randy Newman - Good Old Boys

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

We'll mention the elephant in the room straight away. The opening track is not a song you'll want to play in the company of others. It's use of the 'n-word' isn't designed to offend, it's supposed to make you sit up and take notice. Perhaps, because of that, this is another album by Pixar's go to composer that is worth buying.

Rating: 8/10

319. Neil Young - On The Beach

Release Date: 1974
Label: Reprise

'On The Beach' was recorded after but released before the next Neil Young album on the list, Tonight's The Night'.It is considered to be a 'difficullt' album, even by Young's standards. I didn't really get that vibe from it, it was not particularly challenging to listen to. It started of well enough, with the first three songs being particularly impressive. I wasn't to keen on 'For The Turnstiles' though. After that, there was another upturn in quality, but a disappointing conclusion with the nine minute 'Ambulance Blues'. Overall, impressive, but not great.

Rating: 7/10

277. John Cale - Paris 1919

Release Date: 1973
Label: Reprise

Former Velvet Undeground guitarist, John Cale suprises us - me - with a beautiful record inspired in part by his Welsh upbringing.  Of course it stands to reason that this album is seemingly unavailable for me to buy.

Rating: 9/10

246. Neil Young - Harvest

Release Date: 1972
Label: Reprise

This is another album I already own, and probably my favourite Neil Young album.

Rating: 10/10
Favourite Song: Heart of Gold

241. Randy Newman - Sail Away

Release Date: 1972
Label: Reprise

Randy Newman is a name familiar to those who grew up on Pixar movies. Younger people are probably not aware that he is a very funny and sarcastic songwriter though, and this talent is evident throughout this record. The opening track, which doubles as the title track, is an ironic promotion for slavery, sung from an American perspective. The album also includes the original version of 'You Can Leave Your Hat On' too.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Political Science

230. Joni Mitchell - Blue

Release Date: 1971
Label: Reprise

This is another album I already own, probably for the past ten years or so. I'd be lying if I said I played it regularly, but I enjoy it enough to keep.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: The Last Time I Saw Richard

217. The Beach Boys - Surfs Up

Release Date: 1971
Label: Reprise

Having been convinced the only really important Beach Boys album was 'Pet Sounds', and that their career effectively ended with the abandoning of 'Smile', it was a pleasant surprise to see them given one last chance. Reviewers that have listened to this as part of their own project are both highly positive and express much love for the album and it is easy to see why. Although, my admiration isn't that strong, it is something I'd choose to listen to again.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Surfs Up

192. Ananda Shankar - Andanda Shankar

Release Date: 1970
Label: Reprise

I will confess that I sometimes have a habit of skipping the 'world albums' in this book - often with the intent on going back to them, but sometimes because I can't find the album on Spotify. I was intrigued to learn this record contain a couple of covers in the form of 'Jumpin Jack Flash' and 'Light My Fire' so I thought I'd give this a spin and I can honestly say I was fairly impressed by it. It was short enough to keep my attention, none of the songs outstayed their welcome and the album was actualyl very good.

Rating: 9/10
Favourite Track: Light My Fire

186. Neil Young - After The Goldrush

Release Date: 1970
Label: Reprise

My admiration for CSN&Y around the time I was eighteen lead me into purchasing a Neil Young best of soon afterwards, and subsequently a couple of his studio albums. This was the second I bought (after Harvest) and is probably the one I know the least. Having said that, it is still an enjoyable record.

Rating: 8/10
Favourite Track: Only Love Can Break Your Heart

136. Neil Young - Everybody Knows This is Nowhere

Release Date: 1969
Label: Reprise

And so we enter the final year of the 1960s. This is the year that gave us Woodstock; the year John Lennon left The Beatles (even if it was Paul who 'split' the band the following year); the year David Bowie released Space Oddity, and the year Sugar Sugar was sung all summer.

Neil Young kicks us off with his second solo album, but his first important release. Joining him on instrumental duties (i.e. other guitar, bass and drums) is contemporary Liverpool FC midfielder-cum-defender - and future TV quiz-show personality, Emlyn Hughes. I liked every track on this album, except for the penultimate one. I didn't love any though and the three best ones are already included on the Greatest Hits album I own.

Rating: 7/10
Favourite Track: Down By The River

113. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland

Release Date: 1968

Label: Reprise

I've written before about Jimi Hendrix on this blog, and I tend to get the impression that his legacy outweighs the quality of his albums. Electric Ladyland is a sprawling mess with brilliant highs - Crosstown Traffic, Voodoo Chile, All Along The Watchtower - and embarrassing lows. It's better than 'Axis- Bold is Love' but it's just too long to maintain any interest.

Rating: 7/10

Best Song: Crosstown Traffic 

101. The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream Last Night

Release Date: 1967
Label: Reprise

Who the hell are the Electric Prunes I hear you say? And you'd be right to. According to sources, they were young band plucked from obscurity in the USA and handed some songs to sing. The title track became the band's signature tune, but there are equally memorable songs on here - 'Onie' is a lush, simple song for example. The problem we have though is that there are too many styles for one album. The band go from psychedelic rockers to novelty songs in less than half an hour. Mind you that's exactly what Cream did.

Rating: 6/10
Favourite Track: Onie