Ian McHugh
@tonemonkey.bsky.social
I’m a blues musician and DJ, host of Blues is the Truth and compère at the Ealing Blues Festival. Currently working my way through listening to 1001 Albums to listen to before you Die and sharing my opinions which are many.
https://linktr.ee/ian.mchugh
https://linktr.ee/ian.mchugh
92/1001 The Cure-Pornography. The Cure have always been accessible goth-y music and this is a good example of why that is. I didn’t recognise any of the hits, but I wasn’t put off. There’s enough sensibility to be accessible but this isn’t pop music. It’s darker, more interesting. #1001albums
September 15, 2026 at 7:54 AM
92/1001 The Cure-Pornography. The Cure have always been accessible goth-y music and this is a good example of why that is. I didn’t recognise any of the hits, but I wasn’t put off. There’s enough sensibility to be accessible but this isn’t pop music. It’s darker, more interesting. #1001albums
91/1001 Malcolm McLaren-Duck Rock. It’s an attempt to grab the zeitgeist & does manage to be prescient for the tropes of later hip hop & to beat Paul Simon to ‘bring African influence’ to western music (that was ‘borrowed’ from African slave descendants). Double Dutch has a groove though. I enjoyed
September 14, 2026 at 7:02 AM
91/1001 Malcolm McLaren-Duck Rock. It’s an attempt to grab the zeitgeist & does manage to be prescient for the tropes of later hip hop & to beat Paul Simon to ‘bring African influence’ to western music (that was ‘borrowed’ from African slave descendants). Double Dutch has a groove though. I enjoyed
90/1001 Ash-1977. It starts with the sound of a Tie Fighter and is from my youth so why wouldn’t I like it. Unfortunately time has left it a bit period generic sounding but it’s not one I’d turn off. #1001albums
September 13, 2026 at 11:18 AM
90/1001 Ash-1977. It starts with the sound of a Tie Fighter and is from my youth so why wouldn’t I like it. Unfortunately time has left it a bit period generic sounding but it’s not one I’d turn off. #1001albums
89/1001 Run DMC-Raising Hell. Pretty much the first hip hop I remember from my youth. Nostalgic and still punchy. I enjoyed the trip back. #1001albums
September 12, 2026 at 6:00 AM
89/1001 Run DMC-Raising Hell. Pretty much the first hip hop I remember from my youth. Nostalgic and still punchy. I enjoyed the trip back. #1001albums
88/1001 Pink Floyd-The Wall. I don’t get all the fuss about Floyd. This seems to me to be rather full of its own cleverness, goes on too long & really is pleased with itself. My favourite parts are how well recorded it is & the little rhythm guitar parts on The Wall. The rest leaves me cold.
September 11, 2026 at 7:07 AM
88/1001 Pink Floyd-The Wall. I don’t get all the fuss about Floyd. This seems to me to be rather full of its own cleverness, goes on too long & really is pleased with itself. My favourite parts are how well recorded it is & the little rhythm guitar parts on The Wall. The rest leaves me cold.
87/1001 Bob Dylan-Time Out of Mind. Later period Dylan that still sounds classic with some truly great songs. He still had it. #1001albums
September 10, 2026 at 6:33 AM
87/1001 Bob Dylan-Time Out of Mind. Later period Dylan that still sounds classic with some truly great songs. He still had it. #1001albums
86/1001 The War On Drugs-Lost in the Dream. There’s a folky ambience to this. Sound wise I’ve heard similar things on modern Dylan records, but this is less demonstrative, more insidious, and it does its best to insinuate itself into your consciousness rather than demanding attention. #1001albums
September 9, 2026 at 7:27 AM
86/1001 The War On Drugs-Lost in the Dream. There’s a folky ambience to this. Sound wise I’ve heard similar things on modern Dylan records, but this is less demonstrative, more insidious, and it does its best to insinuate itself into your consciousness rather than demanding attention. #1001albums
Reposted by Ian McHugh
Post the US Labor Day, another shoutout to @tonemonkey.bsky.social for puttin' in the work on this daunting project!
85/1001 Kraftwerk-The Man Machine. Imagine grooves so straight they actually have real groove. It’s an odd experience as it seems at first so robotic and unflowing but it’s not at all. An odd genius. #1001albums
September 8, 2026 at 5:23 PM
Post the US Labor Day, another shoutout to @tonemonkey.bsky.social for puttin' in the work on this daunting project!
85/1001 Kraftwerk-The Man Machine. Imagine grooves so straight they actually have real groove. It’s an odd experience as it seems at first so robotic and unflowing but it’s not at all. An odd genius. #1001albums
September 8, 2026 at 10:06 AM
85/1001 Kraftwerk-The Man Machine. Imagine grooves so straight they actually have real groove. It’s an odd experience as it seems at first so robotic and unflowing but it’s not at all. An odd genius. #1001albums
Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson-Winter in America. Groove leads you into a protest against social injustice. This isn’t a divisive record, it’s warm and welcoming yet it deals with some serious stuff in a way that is accessible to all. A wonder. #1001albums
September 7, 2026 at 6:36 AM
Gil Scott-Heron/Brian Jackson-Winter in America. Groove leads you into a protest against social injustice. This isn’t a divisive record, it’s warm and welcoming yet it deals with some serious stuff in a way that is accessible to all. A wonder. #1001albums
The Cardigans-First Band on the Moon. It’s easy to see why Lovefool was the hit it was. It’s so accessible fun and joyous. That’s not to say the rest of the album is not good it’s just that it goes to some interesting places that people drawn in by the single won’t expect. #1001albums
September 6, 2026 at 7:30 AM
The Cardigans-First Band on the Moon. It’s easy to see why Lovefool was the hit it was. It’s so accessible fun and joyous. That’s not to say the rest of the album is not good it’s just that it goes to some interesting places that people drawn in by the single won’t expect. #1001albums
82/1001 Air-Moon Safari. Ambient. Sounds like summer being lived with very cool people under striped umbrellas by the med with a cool spritz. I quite enjoyed it. #1001albums.
September 5, 2026 at 8:01 AM
82/1001 Air-Moon Safari. Ambient. Sounds like summer being lived with very cool people under striped umbrellas by the med with a cool spritz. I quite enjoyed it. #1001albums.
81/1001 Iron Maiden-thé Number of the Beast. It’s Maiden. Expect gallopy beats and the whole thing to be pompous like an unironic Spinal Tap yet strangely good and you’re there. It’ll never be my favourite but it’s not the worst ever. #1001Albums
September 4, 2026 at 11:21 AM
81/1001 Iron Maiden-thé Number of the Beast. It’s Maiden. Expect gallopy beats and the whole thing to be pompous like an unironic Spinal Tap yet strangely good and you’re there. It’ll never be my favourite but it’s not the worst ever. #1001Albums
80/1001 John Lennon-Imagine. A very good album even if john (and Paul) never reached the same heights they did previously in their post Beatles careers this has some wonderful songs and performances. I’ve always liked oh Yoko. Contains one of the top three versions of Jealous Guy. #1001albums
September 3, 2026 at 6:34 AM
80/1001 John Lennon-Imagine. A very good album even if john (and Paul) never reached the same heights they did previously in their post Beatles careers this has some wonderful songs and performances. I’ve always liked oh Yoko. Contains one of the top three versions of Jealous Guy. #1001albums
79/1001 Stevie Wonder-Talking Book. Near perfect, Stevie has all the groove, great songs and a wonderful recording. A great length too. You must hear this. #1001albums
September 2, 2026 at 7:30 AM
79/1001 Stevie Wonder-Talking Book. Near perfect, Stevie has all the groove, great songs and a wonderful recording. A great length too. You must hear this. #1001albums
78/1001 The Strokes-Is This It. A better than just decent album with good songs, angular riffs and a sound that takes you back to the 70s. I had fun. #1001albums
September 1, 2026 at 6:36 AM
78/1001 The Strokes-Is This It. A better than just decent album with good songs, angular riffs and a sound that takes you back to the 70s. I had fun. #1001albums
77/1001 The Lemonheads-It’s a Shame About Ray. Most of my memory of this was the cover of Mrs Robinson. I quite enjoyed the rest of it. Decent songs. Slightly Americana feeling. Not as grungy as I had filed it under. Not a bad listen. #1001Albums
August 31, 2026 at 10:50 AM
77/1001 The Lemonheads-It’s a Shame About Ray. Most of my memory of this was the cover of Mrs Robinson. I quite enjoyed the rest of it. Decent songs. Slightly Americana feeling. Not as grungy as I had filed it under. Not a bad listen. #1001Albums
76/1001 James Brown-Live at the Apollo. I love James Brown. This album is good, but… it has always sounded like the band are playing 15% too fast. It’s like the band are being paid by the song not the hour and they have a bar to get to. It doesn’t quite let the funk breathe. #1001albums
August 30, 2026 at 11:05 AM
76/1001 James Brown-Live at the Apollo. I love James Brown. This album is good, but… it has always sounded like the band are playing 15% too fast. It’s like the band are being paid by the song not the hour and they have a bar to get to. It doesn’t quite let the funk breathe. #1001albums
75/1001 Bill Evans Trio-Sunday at the Village Vanguard. This is some wonderful musicianship mired by the fact that it’s too complete. I don’t need take 2. I just need the best one. There is groove, style & invention plus a band playing to stretch themselves & taking the audience for the journey.
August 29, 2026 at 8:02 AM
75/1001 Bill Evans Trio-Sunday at the Village Vanguard. This is some wonderful musicianship mired by the fact that it’s too complete. I don’t need take 2. I just need the best one. There is groove, style & invention plus a band playing to stretch themselves & taking the audience for the journey.
74/1001 Dr Dre-The Chronic. Not one for me this. Why does so much hip hop have to be filled with anger hate & violence? There are other choices. Specifically here it’s directed at a couple of folks who attracted the Dr’s ire and it feels like Snoop is doing the heavy lifting. It could have been good
August 28, 2026 at 8:29 AM
74/1001 Dr Dre-The Chronic. Not one for me this. Why does so much hip hop have to be filled with anger hate & violence? There are other choices. Specifically here it’s directed at a couple of folks who attracted the Dr’s ire and it feels like Snoop is doing the heavy lifting. It could have been good
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris-Trio. I mostly am not a fan of country music. Too many trucks and guns and jingoism. This is human personal and so beautiful it hurts. I love it. Wonderful. Dolly was such a great loss the other day. #1001albums.
August 27, 2026 at 7:26 AM
Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris-Trio. I mostly am not a fan of country music. Too many trucks and guns and jingoism. This is human personal and so beautiful it hurts. I love it. Wonderful. Dolly was such a great loss the other day. #1001albums.
72/1001 The Monkees-Headquarters. For those like me who grew up watching their crazy capers on tv repeats be aware that this contains none of your favourite Monkees songs. None of what it contains is bad, but it is very typical post Beatles 60s commercial pop, not awful, not awfully original either.
August 26, 2026 at 7:57 AM
72/1001 The Monkees-Headquarters. For those like me who grew up watching their crazy capers on tv repeats be aware that this contains none of your favourite Monkees songs. None of what it contains is bad, but it is very typical post Beatles 60s commercial pop, not awful, not awfully original either.
71/1001 The Police-Regatta de Blanc. This album reminded me why greatest hits compilations exist. There are many songs on the this album I really enjoy, they are the singles. There are also those trying too hard to be clever or funny & don’t hold my interest. It’s good. I prefer the greatest hits.
August 25, 2026 at 7:55 AM
71/1001 The Police-Regatta de Blanc. This album reminded me why greatest hits compilations exist. There are many songs on the this album I really enjoy, they are the singles. There are also those trying too hard to be clever or funny & don’t hold my interest. It’s good. I prefer the greatest hits.
70/1001 Sade-Diamond Life. An enjoyable listen and when it hits its highs almost perfect. The biggest high for me is the opener though and what comes after seem like attempts to recreate that and there aren’t the emotional or pacing dynamics of a truly great record. #1001Albums
August 24, 2026 at 6:33 AM
70/1001 Sade-Diamond Life. An enjoyable listen and when it hits its highs almost perfect. The biggest high for me is the opener though and what comes after seem like attempts to recreate that and there aren’t the emotional or pacing dynamics of a truly great record. #1001Albums
69/1001 X-Thé Wild Gift. Rapid and sometimes interesting but I don’t know if it was me, my mood, or the music but it never seemed to develop into anything lasting that I could grab onto, so it hasn’t stayed with me. #1001albums
August 23, 2026 at 7:24 AM
69/1001 X-Thé Wild Gift. Rapid and sometimes interesting but I don’t know if it was me, my mood, or the music but it never seemed to develop into anything lasting that I could grab onto, so it hasn’t stayed with me. #1001albums