Your Top 10 Albums of All Time

[bojangles]

I am neither Glen nor a mod but I am still posting.

In no particular order except the last:

Jeff Buckley - Grace

Jeff Buckley was so talented that even listening to this album will make you sad about his unfulfilled potential. His guitar work is brilliant but what really makes this album special is his phenomenal 3-octave voice. Everybody, whether you know him or not, is familiar with his cover of Hallelujah, but Grace is full of other songs like the wistful Last Goodbye, the moody Lover, You Should've Come Over, the more rock-like Eternal Life, and, my favorite, the haunting title track, Grace. Grace is just a perfect song between the calm urgency of the beginning to the eerie climax in the last minute. If this was a list of songs rather than albums, it'd probably be at the top.

Don't miss...

[youtube]A3adFWKE9JE[/youtube]

Iron Maiden - The Number of the Beast

Honestly, this could've easily been Powerslave, Somewhere in Time, Piece of Mind, or even The Final Frontier or A Matter of Life and Death. Maiden does a great job of spreading their best songs over all of their albums, but I have to give it to Number of the Beast just because of Hallowed Be Thy Name. Gers, Murray, and Smith's galloping guitars are in full force, creating what has to be one of my favorite riffs in any song of all time. Dickinson's voice is just perfect for this song as well. The title track and Run to the Hills are great songs too.

Don't miss...

[youtube]G90ngH2anxQ[/youtube]

Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea

Gonna keep this brief because it seems like everybody and their mother has it on their list, but Jeff Mangum's voice combined with his strange-if-not-beautiful lyrics make this just a lovely album to listen to in full.

Don't miss...

[youtube]2gkAF5_UOj8[/youtube]

Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

I won't lie -- this was the last album I added to this list. I had it up to 9, but I just couldn't figure out the last album to add, since I was trying to avoid duplicating artists and not use any greatest hits. Then I realized I was skipping over the little 5-track Wish You Were Here. While Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall get more love, Wish You Were Here just drips with pain and emotion over the loss of Syd Barrett. The title track is probably my favorite, by the marathon of Shine on You Crazy Diamond is pretty stellar too, especially with the incorporation of the saxophone.

Don't miss...

[youtube]-QCCz4mtd0E[/youtube]

Shinedown - Leave a Whisper

I'm a big Shinedown fan, but I knew to limit myself to only one of their albums, so I picked this one. While it's missing some of their best songs like I Dare You, What a Shame, and Second Chance, it is definitely their greatest array of music. Every song on this album is brilliant -- I can say that I believe there is just no filler. No More Love, Better Version, and Fly From the Inside are great heavier songs, while songs like 45 and their cover of Simple Man are really movingly beautiful. 45 in particular captures a depressing sort of beauty just perfectly. The deluxe version also has some great gems like the demo Soon Forgotten. Brent Smith has a great voice and it suits this music perfectly.

Don't miss...

[youtube]mqFzKkIjobk[/youtube]
[youtube]-kwpbvruBhI[/youtube]
And special bonus...
[youtube]ZblazK4PcJk[/youtube]
(this song is from the album Sound of Madness]

Soundgarden - Superunknown

This is the first of the three bands that feature Chris Cornell (lol), and this is also probably the best example of 90s music that anybody can provide. Kim Thayil's gritty guitar work is a great compliment to Cornell's amazing vocal range, which gets lots of workout, especially in Beyond the Wheel (not this album). Returning to Superunknown, the opening of Let Me Drown to My Wave to Fell on Black Days to Mailman to Superunknown is a perfect draw into the album. Then other songs like Black Hole Sun and Spoonman carry on the drive that the 5-song opening established. If you're ever interested in the grunge-style rock scene that was rampant in the 90s, this is the album to check out.

Don't miss...

[youtube]cyNi-wjAs6w[/youtube]

Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog

Chris Cornell, part 2. This time he's paired up with Eddie Vedder for a tribute album to Andrew Wood, who was Cornell's friend before he died. Two great vocalists teaming up promises for a really powerful album, and songs like Say Hello 2 Heaven, Reach Down, and Hunger Strike confirm this. This is the only album by Temple of the Dog, which is really unfortunate because this is definitely a strong showing. To be honest, Reach Down's imposing 11 minute duration had me turned off from it for a while, but if you listen to it, you'll realize that it still feels like it isn't long enough because you still want more. Cornell's vocals shine in this song along with a great solo from Mike McCready. Vedder's vocals come out in Hunger Strike. The real magic, though is Say Hello 2 Heaven. This is Cornell's song that is about Wood himself, and the emotion in his singing is definitely evident through his powerful presence.

Don't miss...

[youtube]NmxaFf-lpZY[/youtube]

Alter Bridge - One Day Remains

Alter Bridge never really made it big, but the combination of Myles Kennedy's vocals and Mark Tremonti's guitar make this a band that shouldn't be overlooked. Blackbird is their most popular album, but there's a great range of songs on One Day Remains, from the harder rocking title track and Metalingus to the deeply emotional Broken Wings and In Loving Memory, the latter of which is addressed to Tremonti's mother who had recently died.

Don't miss...

[youtube]1xICZAQ7GBQ[/youtube]
[youtube]_MTH0CzU4-8[/youtube]
And special bonus from their album "Blackbird"
[youtube]lwhbcdbkeXY[/youtube]
(great solo in this song)

Rainbow - Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow

Props to shnen for showing this band to me, since basically the more I listened to it, the most I liked it. Blackmore's guitar work is obviously fantastic, but IMO the best part of this album is Ronnie James Dio's vocals, which sort of remind me of Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, only a bit more refined. They display a great range of talent from Sixteenth Century Greensleeves and Man on the Silver Mountain to The Temple of the King, and it's all worth listening to. If you like this, you should definitely check out "Stargazer" from their shorter album, Rainbow Rising.

Don't miss...

[youtube]NP2gGuP62-c[/youtube]

#1

Chris Cornell - Songbook

This is it. This is my favorite album. In Chris Cornell part 3, he has a great list of live acoustic songs, many of which are covers, but all of which are excellent. Some of his covers are of himself, like the acoustic covers of Soundgarden songs, like Black Hole Sun, or Audioslave songs, like Doesn't Remind Me. Some of his covers are actually better than the originals, IMO, like Wide Awake (originally by Rage Against the Machine). However, nothing can compete with the majesty of his covers of Imagine (the best non-Lennon version probably) or Led Zeppelin's Thank You, which is probably one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. The Keeper is another great song here and the only studio song.

I can't praise this album enough so here are the songs you should listen to:
Wide Awake
Cleaning My Gun
The Keeper
Black Hole Sun
Imagine

and of course:

Thank You

 

[bojangles]

Because DM and I are kind and charitable gentlemen, I have revived this thread. I just deleted literally 75 posts, so I reopen this with an ultimatum:

Byrne, if you ruin this thread again, I will ruin you.

 

[Carl]

oh, hey, i just noticed this thread here

top 10

10) the avalanches - since i left you
9) panda bear - person pitch
8) sigur ros - agaetis byrjun
7) the strokes - is this it
6) modest mouse - the moon & antarctica
5) jay-z - the blueprint
4) wilco - yankee hotel foxtrot
3) daft punk - discovery
2) arcade fire - funeral
1) radiohead - kid a

 

[ChaoticaMortis]

Thanks bojangles, I actually wanted to post in this before it kind of imploded.

I really want to make a heavily detailed post about my favorite albums with cool descriptions for each individual release, but for now I'm just going to post my list and edit in the changes later. Enjoy speculating on why I like each album until I finally tell you why (yeah, all two of you that are probably interested). My top 5 are specific, but 6-10 is in no particular order.

10. "The Devil's Bris," by Voltaire
9. "Disintegration," by The Cure
8. "Obsolete," by Fear Factory
7. "Beneath the Remains," by Sepultura
6. "Endtroducing...," by DJ Shadow
5. "Plastic Beach," by Gorillaz
4. "Replicas," by Gary Numan (or Tubeway Army)
3. "Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends," by Coldplay
2. "The Slip," by Nine Inch Nails
1. "Remission," "Leviathan," "Blood Mountain," and "Crack the Skye," by Mastodon (yes, these are obviously 4 different albums, I just can't decide which I like the most and I'm not taking up other spots on the list for each album)

Now, I shall get some sleep so I can write something worth reading about each of these wonderful pieces of music.

 

[jonnyrolo]

My top ten albums in no particular order:

George Michael - Faith
Sample Track - Faith

Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP
Sample Track - Stan

Rise Against - Siren Song of the Counter Culture
Sample Track - Anywhere But Here

AFI - Sing the Sorrow
Sample Track - Silver and Cold

Outkast - The Love Below/Speakerboxxx (double album)
Sample Track - Hey Ya!

The Doors - (Self Titled)
Sample Track - The Crystal Ship

Green Day - Dookie
Sample Track - Longview

Rihanna - Loud
Sample Track - Only Girl

BlesstheFall - His Last Walk
Sample Track - Guys Like You Make Us Look Bad

Crass - Penis Envy
Sample Track - What the Fuck

 

[meddle]

So, back in 2005 or so, Smogon completely changed my taste in music.

Dweedle, Jackal, chaos, Justin, Glalie, Noobster, Carl, Steelicks, DM, and countless other great posters & people all contributed to this odd sort of musical renaissance that, for whatever reason, took place on a Pokemon forum. I think back then we probably all posted more about music than about Pokemon, what from all the various musical battles we had (man, scoring those was a bitch) and all the top 10 list threads that cropped up. I can't believe it's already been 6 years since we all started uploading our favorite crap through the communal FTP.

As a result, this list and memories of the Smogon of six years ago are inseparable in my musical consciousness. Yeah, this list has a lot of "oh, that album again," on it, but whatever. These are the albums I fell in love with back then and are still the ones I still listen to on a weekly basis.

10. Porcupine Tree – In Absentia

Back in 2005 began the collective Smogon circle jerk over Steven Wilson and a band called Porcupine Tree. Liking this band was basically a fast track to being accepted in the community (much in the same way it seems as though being unabashedly elite over competitive Pokemon does at present). This album is just a very balanced, elegantly-crafted, and easy-to-listen-to prog rock album that goes through several dark and surreal manifestations with some heavy riffs and acoustic sections thrown in.

Favorite Track(s): Trains

9. The Mars Volta – De-Loused in the Comatorium

I'm not going to pretend that I am into all the pseudo-poetic mumbo-jumbo that this band seems to stuff into every album they make, but instrumentally this album was just unlike anything I had ever heard. This album is a relic from my drug-laden college stupor, but today still sounds as mind-erasing and cathartic as it ever did.

Favorite Track(s): Cicatriz ESP

8. At the Drive-In – Relationship of Command

I'm not often in the right mood to listen to this album but when I am... this album just courses with pure energy. It ropes you in and won't let go until it's over.

Favorite Track(s): Quarantined

7. Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy

Yeah, yeah, a Led Zeppelin album, how typical. I'm not a die-hard Zeppelin fan by any stretch of the imagination (hell, most of their big singles are annoying as fuck to me), but this album.... this album is different. Out of all of their albums this one stands out because every song has a uniqueness, each bringing something new to the table, each one highlighting how sonically diverse this band could be. It touches on blues, classical, reggae, and folk music all while maintaining this very clean-but-still-edgy aesthetic.

Favorite Track(s): The Rain Song

6. Radiohead – Hail to the Thief

As far as Radiohead albums go, this one doesn't get as much love as it should. It was nice to see them take a break from all the digitized, electronic distortion of Kid A and Amnesiac and get back to more purely "rock" instrumentation. I usually don't listen to this album end to end (like I do with literally every other album in this list) but there are just so many good songs on here that I couldn't not have it here.

Favorite Track(s): There, There (The Boney King of Nowhere.)

5. Arcade Fire – Funeral

I think Jackal is to thank for introducing this album to me and to Smogon, back when I was very Indie-hesitant and "safe" with my musical choices. This is on a lot of lists, and for good reasons--it's just that good. I can't really add much more about this album that hasn't already been stated in this thread. Just listen and you will be enthralled.

Favorite Track(s): Rebellion (Lies)

4. Talking Heads – The Best of Talking Heads

I couldn't for the life of me pick a Talking Heads album for this so I just went with a compilation album which encapsulates everything that is awesome about this band. David Byrne is one of the most incredible frontmen and live performers of any band I have ever known. There is not a bad song on this album. It's just pure bliss.

Favorite Track(s): This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)

3. Radiohead – Kid A

So I suppressed the deep-seeded compulsion that just about everyone has nowadays to like something that no one else likes and put Kid A on my list. This album is just incredible. When I first listened to it, it was like some kind of religious experience. This is the first album I encountered that just sent chills down my spine every time I listened to it.

Favorite Track(s): Optimistic

2. Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here

Well, it was hard to choose between #1 and #2 for this list, which, for anyone around that still remembers me, should come as no surprise that they are both Pink Floyd albums. I like this album primarily because it is paced so well and strikes such a nice balance between psychedelic jamming and good old-fashioned guitar-strumming. The songs on here are just flawless.

Favorite Track(s): Have a Cigar

1. Pink Floyd - Animals

No, Meddle is not my favorite Pink Floyd album. Wish You Were Here is a very close second to this one, but Animals just steals the show for me. This album just has so many good moments. It's sarcastic, it's cynical, it's political, it's atmospheric, and it's just damn good. If you are only a casual Pink Floyd listener and have only listened to (and enjoy) Dark Side of the Moon (still a great album) or The Wall, I highly recommend you give this a listen.

Favorite Track(s): Dogs

 

[Jellicent]

Jeeeez, compiling a top 10 albums list is hard. Sadly, a lot of older artists that I love (especially Dino and Frank <3) have the bulk of their great work spread out over way too many LPs and singles, and I've yet to find a "best of" for any artist that I can truly accept as "the best of". Also, musical taste is subject to change through time, so this is representative of me right now, but probably won't be accurate a month from now. 3 years ago, The Velvet Underground and Nico would be here; 2 years ago, White Light/White Heat would have that same slot; last year, The Velvet Underground would be in my top 10 (still my current favorite from the band); now, none of those albums are in my top 10, but the band remains one of my favorites.

Anyways, onto my current top 10 ^.^

The Vapors - Magnets

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The Vapors are sadly most known for their one hit, "Turning Japanese". It's a catchy tune, but the band itself offers a surprising amount of depth and a unique style that tends to get forgotten. Their mod revival poppy beats mixed with incredibly dark lyrics makes for some great music, and it really shows on their second album, Magnets. From the dark "Jimmie Jones" to the bizarre "Spiders" to catchy "Lenina", the entire album is a winner. Definitely worth checking out, even if you aren't a fan of their only hit. My favorite track:
[youtube]xpwBCfGpoo4[/youtube]

Television - Marquee Moon

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Television is wonderful. Marquee Moon is a bit of a classic, but definitely for a reason. I saw them perform their final show in NYC (with Apples in Stereo as a header; great show ^.^), and even as old men, they fucking nailed it. This album was post-punk before there was even really a punk. Their only mistake was not clinging to Richard Hell. I've never felt disappointed listening to this album, and if you haven't already, definitely give a shot. If you have, check out Tom Verlaine's Dreamtime. It's another great album (doesn't quite hit Marquee Moon status, but that's hard to match) that definitely needs more loving. My favorite track:
[youtube]4f3d5ZdE4vY[/youtube]

The Jolly Boys - Great Expectation

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This one might seem like a bit of an oddball among my other picks, but shit I can't stop listening to it. The Jolly Boys have been around since the 40's playing mento music. With Great Expectation, they cover some excellent tunes from artists I truly respect (Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, The Stranglers, etc.) Normally, that would spell disaster, but they manage to make these great songs their own and I love it completely. This has been spinning in my stereo since I first heard it and shows no signs of stopping, so it's a well deserved #8. My favorite track:
[youtube]WCzXn8C2eg0[/youtube]

The Sonics - Here Are the Sonics!!!

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A true garage classic. Like many garage acts from the 60's, they've got some solid covers such as "Have Love, Will Travel" and "Walkin' the Dog". Their original work stands up just as strong, if not stronger, however. "Strychnine" is an amazing tune, and other tracks like "The Witch" and "Psycho" are just as top notch. Raw, in-your-face, and fun, The Sonics are a fantastic act. My favorite track:
[youtube]c_nLk5yS7XE[/youtube]

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Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!

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Nick Cave is one of those artists that just keeps getting better. His early work with The Birthday Party is great, but god do I love this album. Every track has a trashy, garage-fueled, poetic beauty. Yes, an album can be poetic and garage-fueled, and Nick Cave shows just how that's done. Although it's a bit softer, my favorite track:
[youtube]bFjrmATIUYU[/youtube]

Iggy Pop - Lust for Life

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Probably not a surprise, given my pick as "The Passenger" as my favorite track off Great Expectations. Iggy Pop is one of those few artists that embodies the sex, drugs, and rock and roll lifestyle that makes no attempt to glorify it. Instead, you can feel it taking a toll on him in his music, despite his inability to quit it. You get nothing but the raw, unapologetic truth from Iggy here. My favorite track:
[youtube]J8C6OfhbC6U[/youtube]

Talking Heads - '77

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Before I really fell in love with music, I enjoyed the Talking Heads songs I had heard on the radio and decided to pick this up. When I first played it, I just kinda slid back, entranced. For whatever reason, this album just hit a spark with me that's hard to explain. From then on, I was on my path to loving all sorts of music. '77 was an album that just set things in motion for me, and few albums have matched that initial wonder. I truly love this entire thing, but if I have to pick, my favorite track:
[youtube]s9CjnDufqeQ[/youtube]

Talking Heads - Fear of Music

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Despite not having my top album pick, Talking Heads are my favorite band as a whole. While I love '77 (and More Songs, Remain in Light, Naked, fuck, all of their shit is great), Fear of Music is my favorite from the band. You really catch the act at their darkest and most experimental at this album. Other Heads fans, while Byrne's solo stuff is great, I also highly recommend Jerry Harrison's The Red and the Black (especially if you're into Fear + Remain era Heads). On topic, picking a favorite from this is pretty hard (I really wish I could also link to "Cities" here), but I'm going with:
[youtube]bGpE2oXf0aE[/youtube]

Human Switchboard - Who's Landing in My Hangar? Anthology

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Are anthologies allowed? Cuz here's an anthology. Who's Landing In My Hangar would crack this list's top 3 regardless, but with the recent full anthology that was popped out, it even beats out Talking Heads. My first time hearing Who's Landing was the closest I've come to a second '77 musical revelation; it's that good of an album. Add in a shitload of amazing bonus tracks, and you have a real fucking winner here. My favorite track:
[youtube]0tfAG-52xt8[/youtube]

The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers

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My absolute favorite album of all time. Every single track is amazing. I love Jonathan Richman as a songwriter and artist (saw him live, and he was as beautifully awkward as his recordings would suggest). While Richman's later work lends itself more to acoustic, low-key tunes, his early work with the Lovers is introspective, garagey bliss. A special shoutout goes to my boy Jerry Harrison, for being the only man to appear on 3 of my top 10 favorite albums ^.^ Favorite track is damn near impossible to pick; just pick a song from this album and I'll agree it's fucking perfect. For the sake of consistency, here's a great song:
[youtube]gZuK9QREmcs[/youtube]

 

[Reverb]

I really like rap and newer music and this list reflects that...

10. The Blueprint 3 by Jay-Z
9. The College Dropout by Kanye West
8. Teflon Don by Rick Ross
7. Tha Carter III by Lil Wayne
6. Watch The Throne by Kanye West and Jay-Z
5. Take Care by Drake
4. Life After Death by Notorious B.I.G.
3. Ready to Die By Notorious B.I.G.
2. The Black Album by Jay-Z
1. My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy by Kanye West

 

[Glen]

in no order, the whorl is in everything

MERCHANDISE - STRANGE SONGS (IN THE DARK)

I LOCKED THE DOOR, I'M A LITTLE BOY

the oddly well-adjusted post-something offspring of a basal, animalistic hardcore group. it sounds like a dull ache in your chest and it feels like you're leaving something behind.

[youtube]IlTiLbPWPjE[/youtube]

drony, wracked with the burn of being, romantic like it's too noisy for your girl to hear what you're saying so you just kiss her.

[youtube]K3JTtXw_Ttk[/youtube]

an odd enough mix of morose and playful to make you sensible of strange feelings. the lyricism is bordering on banal but the sounds that escape from behind his teeth are haunting. if this is a thing that you approve of, check out d vassalotti's book of ghosts, side project of this side project. soo meta.

THE LAWRENCE ARMS - THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

IF IT COULD END RIGHT NOW
THE LAST LINES WOULD BE
'GOOD FRIEND, HOW LOUD DO YOU WANT LIFE TO SHOUT HER ANSWERS IN YOUR EAR?'

a fucking pop punk masterpiece. the lawrence arms are notable for their acrid, self-deprecating lyrics, cheeky juxtapositions of pop culture with high literature (the leaflet bears, side by side, a quote from faust and a quote from ghostbusters), and a sound that draws as much from old jawbreaker as it does from, um, newer jawbreaker. while all the songs are visceral, the bassist writes the more fervid ones and the guitarist, the more disconsolate ones. hilariously, years ago the drummer wrote that shitty song 'swing life away' and sold it to rise against for 500 dollars to pay his rent.

[youtube]y7_2j4SyCnY[/youtube]

'cool songs' indeed. masterfully self-absorbed tragedienne guitarist chris mccoughan is here to make you feel just a bit better about your life. the lyrics flip flop between cringeworthy and stunning. sometimes i think to myself 'maybe chris will be ok' and then i listen to their later albums and realize that he will never, ever be ok.

[youtube]nmza_LjM_-0[/youtube]

here comes brendan kelly, refining embarrassment with the self into aggression like it's some kind of ore. the 'unfun' influences really show here, and i find a certain unabashed nudity in songs like this that you just can't find in chris'. self esteem is probably a factor there. for a long time brendan worked at 7-11 and would occasionally wear his uniform on stage.

DISGRACE IS THE COLOUR OF RED THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR
I'LL BE WEARING THAT, WORKING CONVENIENCE STORES

IBOPA - WHEN YOU WRITE

OH, WHEN YOU WRITE YOU'RE STILL CRAZY ABOUT ME...

the Indestructible Beat Of Palo Alto, one of jamie stewart's projects before xiu xiu. also his dad was in the band. also his dad killed himself at some point. maybe that's why xiu xiu, as a project, is infinitely more pregnant with misery. this is an ep of paltry playtime and only two songs, but on the plus side they are both spectacular.

[youtube]4Xo77icPAgg[/youtube]

this is a good contender for my favourite song of all time. i had originally heard the ten in the swear jar version of this song which is much more anguished and comfortable with oblivion. this, on the other hand, replete with strings and some serious twang, is fucking triumphant. it is reassuring to know that at one point jamie stewart was happy.

SILVER APPLES - SILVER APPLES

HOURS ARE A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS, HOURS ARE A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS

my life before silver apples was numb with unknowing, one continual lip quiver. the fact that this music is forty five years old shines in me like sunlight.

[youtube]j7gmhvMVO20[/youtube]

try not to watch the video or something. if you read my 6k you'd know how strongly this song affected me, so i'd rather not waste more worthy words on it. i am a font, but i am not infinite.

[youtube]zXogqefZjs8[/youtube]

post-everything while being pre-most things. a rather unsung influence on all of jamie stewart's projects despite the similarities being uncanny as all hell. eerily beautiful, at once spectral and substantial, like some silent form or phantom flexing at you and asking you to touch his bicep.

TITUS ANDRONICUS - THE MONITOR

I'VE DESTROYED EVERYTHING THAT WOULDN'T MAKE ME MORE LIKE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN

this is my favorite album of 2010, and so far the best album i've heard from this decade. a semi-tongue-in-cheek concept album about the american civil war, and the lead singer's professorial (literally) mastery of english peppered with some severe fucking depression gives rise to one of the most heart-rending and inspiring albums i've ever heard. a lot of songs open with lincoln quotes so powerful that they make me genuinely long to be an american, and it's so heavy with springsteen nods that the gaslight anthem would blush. old billy bragg gets some much-deserved attention too.

[youtube]dFHlK8ZXgvE[/youtube]

there are few better ways to spend seven minutes. it's got whoa-ohs raucous enough to bring a tear to an old against me! fan's eye. part of this group's charm is that the vocalist really isn't anything resembling skilled; it's a lot like modest mouse's lonesome crowded west in that he just sings and yells with such sincerity that you forget what vocals are supposed to sound like. i've heard people say he sounds like the dude from bright eyes singing punk but i've never listened to bright eyes so i dont know??

SO WE'LL RALLY AROUND THE FLAG, RALLY AROUND THE FLAG
RALLY 'ROUND THE FLAG BOYS, RALLY ONCE AGAIN,
SHOUTING THE BATTLE CRY OF FREEDOM
RALLY AROUND THE FLAG, RALLY AROUND THE FLAG
GLORY, GLORY HALLELUJAH, HIS TRUTH IS MARCHING ON

what has birthed this urge in me to die for something i don't normally give a fuck about? oh right, titus andronicus.

[youtube]3ZYignZ2HfE[/youtube]

if you're going to name your band after 'one of the stupidest and most uninspired plays ever written' (t s eliot's words), you may as well make sport of it and write some of the best lyrics imaginable. indulge me:

TONIGHT TWO GREAT SHIPS WILL PULL BACK TO THEIR PORTS
DEPLETED OF EVERYTHING THAT SHOOTS FLAMES AND REPORTS
AND IN THE MORNING THE SHELLS WILL WASH UP ON THE SHORE
AND THE MIGHTY OLD EARTH WILL HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE
BUT TO SHIVER AND SHAKE AND MAKE SHIT IN THEIR SHORTS
BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT MEN, IF YOU'VE BEEN ASSURED
THERE'S A WAY TO
LIVE THE VALUES YOUR FOREFATHERS GAVE YOU,
PREPARE TO BE TOLD "THAT SHIT'S GAY, DUDE",
BUT I GUESS THAT WHAT THEY SAY IS TRUE

THAT THERE IS NO RACE MORE HUMAN, NO ONE THROWS IT AWAY LIKE THEY DO

THE THINGS I USED TO LOVE I HAVE COME TO REJECT
THE THINGS I USED TO HATE I HAVE LEARNED TO ACCEPT
AND THE WORST OF THE THREE YOU NOW HAVE TO EXPECT
SATAN AIN'T HARD TO SEE WITHOUT CRANING YOUR NECK
HE'LL BE SEVENTY-SOME INCHES TALL
HE'LL BE CHUGGING A BEER AND HE'LL BE GRABBING HIS BALLS
HE'S A REMOTE EXPLOSIVE WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO CALL
HE'S JUST EIGHTEEN FOR NOW BUT HE'S GOING TO MURDER US ALL

SOLIDARITY'S GONNA GIVE A LOT LESS THAN IT'LL TAKE
IS THERE A GIRL AT THIS COLLEGE WHO HASN'T BEEN RAPED?
IS THERE A BOY IN THIS TOWN THAT'S NOT EXPLODING WITH HATE?
IS THERE A HUMAN ALIVE AIN'T LOOKED THEMSELVES IN THE FACE
WITHOUT WINKING
OR SAYING WHAT THEY MEAN WITHOUT DRINKING,
WHO WILL BELIEVE IN SOMETHING WITHOUT THINKING
"WHAT IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T APPROVE?"
IS THERE A SOUL ON THIS EARTH THAT ISN'T TOO FRIGHTENED TO PROVE?

I THINK OF ALL THE PEOPLE WHO GOT A HOLD OF YOUR BRAIN
WHEN IT WAS NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF PUTTY
SO TRY AS YOU MAY BUT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A TOURIST (OH BUDDY)
AND HALF THE TIME I OPEN MY MOUTH TO SPEAK
IT'S TO REPEAT SOMETHING THAT I HEARD ON TV
AND I'VE DESTROYED EVERYTHING THAT WOULDN'T MAKE ME MORE LIKE BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN
SO I'M GOING BACK TO NEW JERSEY I DO BELIEVE THEY'VE HAD ENOUGH OF ME

SO WHEN I LEAVE BOSTON MY TAIL IS BETWEEN MY LEGS
AFTER DEEP CUPS OF PATIENCE HAVE BEEN DRUNK TO THE DREGS
AD NOW I'M HEADING WEST ON 84 AGAIN
AND I'M AS MUCH OF AN ASSHOLE AS I'VE EVER BEEN
AND THERE IS STILL NOTHING ABOUT MYSELF I RESPECT
STILL HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING I DID NOT LATER REGRET
I'VE A HAND AND A NAPKIN WHEN I'M LOOKING FOR SEX
AND THAT'S NO ONE TO TALK TO WHEN FEELING DEPRESSED
AND SO NOW WHEN I DRINK, I'M GOING TO DRINK TO EXCESS
AND WHEN I SMOKE I WILL SMOKE GAPING HOLES IN MY CHEST
AND WHEN I SCREAM I WILL SCREAM UNTIL I'M GASPING FOR BREATH
AND WHEN I GET SICK, I WILL STAY SICK FOR THE REST
OF MY DAYS PEDDLING HATE OUT THE BACK OF A CHEVY EXPRESS
EACH ONE A FART IN THE FACE OF YOUR IDEA OF SUCCESS
AND IF THIS BE THY WILL THEN FUCKING PASS ME THE CUP
AND I'M SORRY, DAD, NO, I'M NOT MAKING THIS UP

BUT MY ENEMY, IT'S YOUR NAME ON MY LIPS AS I GO TO SLEEP
AND I KNOW WHAT LITTLE I'VE KNOWN OF PEACE
YES, I'VE DONE TO YOU WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME
AND I'D BE NOTHING WITHOUT YOU, MY DARLING, PLEASE DON'T EVER LEAVE

PLEASE DON'T EVER LEAVE

if you're in a hurry or something you can skip to 5:15 for the rawest fucking humanity ever bared ('im sorry, dad, no, im not making this up' brings me to tears). shit like this reminds me that my senses are just conspiring to make me feel whole. if you listen to one song on my list, make it this one

BILLY BRAGG - BACK TO BASICS

IN THE END IT TOOK ME A DICTION'RY
TO FIND OUT THE MEANING OF "UNREQUITED"
WHILE SHE WAS GIVING HERSELF FOR FREE
AT A PARTY TO WHICH I WAS NEVER INVITED

speaking of giving billy bragg some much-deserved attention, this is a collection of his earlier stuff done with an electric guitar and nothing else. the bard of barking waxes political in a way that punk rock never could, and writes songs of longing that put morrissey to shame if only because they're more real; while billy is a regular looking english dude, i can't imagine morrissey ever having trouble landing a guy or a girl or whatever the fuck he's into and that vitiates the whole tragic pining thing for me.

[youtube]ReFDBkJYWIE[/youtube]

for a while i thought this was just one of his typical croons to an absent girl but then i noticed the lyrics 'if your bed is wet, i'll dry your tears' and at first i was like 'billy what the fuck man' but then i remembered he has a son.

[youtube]aCfRcgoPxTw[/youtube]

when i listened to this at 18 i thought to myself 'i hope i can write something like this when im 22' and now that im 23 this song just makes me sad.

I SAW TWO SHOOTING STARS LAST NIGHT
I WISHED ON THEM, BUT THEY WERE ONLY SATELLITES
IS IT WRONG TO WISH ON SPACE HARDWARE?
I WISH, I WISH, I WISH YOU'D CARE

PRINCE - 1999

GOOD EVENING, THIS IS YOUR PILOT PRINCE SPEAKING
YOU ARE FLYING ABOARD THE SEDUCTION 747
AND THIS PLANE IS FULLY EQUIPPED WITH ANYTHING YOUR BODY DESIRES

i've not done all the research necessary to truly get a grip on prince's history, but basically he made so much fucking music that his label told him to stop putting out albums so as to avoid messing with sales, so he adopted various pseudonyms under which to put out more music. he also plays 20 or 30 instruments and has hundreds and hundreds of unreleased songs. too bad he's bat-shit crazy.

this album is fantastic, and it's a little tamer than his earlier stuff (and yes, lyrics like 'im not saying this just to be nasty, but i sincerely want to fuck the taste right out of your mouth' are tame in comparison to some of the shit on his first couple albums). this is the kind of music that exists to dance around sparsely clothed to.

[youtube]aYjtqb_9jwE[/youtube]

given prince's, you know, literal hatred of the internet ('the internet is completely over' - prince, 2010), this will probably be deleted soon but hopefully itll stay for a bit. i feel like after listening to this song enough you might be pumped up enough to think you could court a black girl. good luck.

other standout tracks on this album that dont exist on youtube are the titular 1999, all the critics love you in new york, and international lover. hell, i'd fuck prince.

DEATH GRIPS - EXMILITARY

TEN NINE EIGHT SEVEN TRIPLE SIX FIVE FORKED TONGUE

i was hoping to avoid putting a hip hop album on here because zzz but this album is too important to avoid my gorgon gaze. the money store got some well-deserved hype but it's fucking garbage compared to this masterpiece. while the money store has 'catchier beats' or something and tries to be better-produced, this is nothing more than a black guy yelling at you for forty eight minutes while you try to process exactly what is going on and what you've done wrong.

unnamed death grips ep from before this is even rawer but i'm going with this one because it has spread eagle cross the block

[youtube]Htl3XWUhUOM[/youtube]

i think what i find some interesting about this group is that they have the ability to make me want them and accept no substitute, and few other groups or sounds have that effect on me. i will get into moods where i only want to listen to death grips, and nothing else sates the primal hum because nothing else sounds like it. walking around listening to this, you fucking hope someone tries to rob you at knife point. if you're in the woods, you fucking hope a bear pops out. you dare everything to try anything.

[youtube]Vd1-P-R_f-0[/youtube]

one of the most important songs ever written. he is yelling in your dead ear over rumble, of all fucking things, with no added beat except for claps. it shouldn't work but it does because you have no choice but to trust him. punk wishes it was this punk.

MCLUSKY - MCLUSKY DO DALLAS

MY BAND IS BIGGER THAN YOUR BAND
WE'VE GOT MORE SONGS THAN A SONG CONVENTION

one of the best things to ever come out of wales. dejected, broke as shit, robbed, and completely overlooked, they acrimoniously parted ways in 2005, never to speak to each other again. it's sheer rock and roll, snide and sinister and self-loathing, cursing all it knows and much of what it doesnt. some songs are pixiesish but not anywhere near as light-hearted.

[youtube]ZJK3KwmExMk[/youtube]

his voice is polarizing, but it's grown on me. lyrically, it's as wounded as it is clever ('im fearful im fearful im fearful of flyin, and flyin is fearful of me'), and sonically, it's the natural result of having been forsaken by everything. this is what i imagine orphan bands sounding like.

WHY? - ESKIMO SNOW

ALWAYS ONE ROSE GROWS THROUGH A LITTERED LOT OF GRAVEL
OR WE'RE STRUCK DUMB AND DOOMED WHEN IT DOESN'T

it was really hard for me to pick a why album because they're all incredible in their own ways. eskimo snow, despite having its name and a lyric based upon an apocryphal yet oft-promulgated 'fact' about eskimos, is fucking beautiful. yoni did something here that's for the first time without hiphop, yet strangely not wanting of it. i still think his two best songs are good friday and simeon's dilemma, neither of which are on this album, but for some reason i'm drawn towards this one.

having been enamoured with why for about seven years now, i'm frequently reminded that old words take on new meanings when you grow up, and i like that.

[youtube]toAsO0fOGbY[/youtube]

so honest and petty you feel like a shrink. there's a sense of righteousness in his lyrics that dares you to admit you're not just as fucked up and embarrassed as he is. his leitmotif is ascension from a world where the liar lies to himself.

I'M NOT WHO, WITH MY EYES
FROM STAGE, I CLAIM TO BE
I'VE ONLY CRADLED DEATH AND MY OWN ENDING FLESH
FROM FAR OFF AND ABSTRACTED LIT
CANDLE WICK FLICKERING

AND WHEN A THING STARTS FINISHING AROUND ME
I FAINT OR FAKE A MOUSTACHE, AN ACCENT, OR FLEE
IN FEAR MY EXPIRED LICENSE BE PULLED BY SHEER PROXIMITY

FACT: THE POSEUR ON THE BOWLER GETS SHOT FIRST
THINKS HE'S THE SHIT CAUSE HE CAN SPIT AND CURSE
ACTING BRASH AND FLASHING A PISTOL THAT SQUIRTS
SCOWLING, AND SHOUTING "SHALL WE DANCE?"

SHOULD OUR HEROES' HANDS BE HOLDING THIS BLACKEST PURSE?
MOM, AM I FAILING OR WORSE?
MOM, AM I FAILING?
WHAT SHOULD THESE EARNEST HANDS BE HOLDING?

STILL SPORTIN' MY EX-GIRLFRIEND'S DEAD EX-BOYFRIEND'S BOXERS
I WANNA OPERATE FROM A BASE OF HUNGER
NO LONGER BE ASHAMED AND HIDE MY
TEARS IN SHOWER WATER WHILE I LATHER FOR PLEASURE

I WANNA SPEAK AT AN INTIMATE DECIBEL
WITH THE PRECISION OF AN INFINITE DECIMAL
TO LISTEN UP AND SEND BACK A TRUE ECHO
OF SOMETHING FOREVER FELT BUT NEVER HEARD
I WANT THAT SHARPENED STEEL OF TRUTH IN EVERY WORD

THE SMALL FRY IN THE BOWTIE DIES FIRST
ACTING WILD LIKE THE SPIRIT OF GOD MOVING AFTER CHURCH
FAKIN' HE'S HARD LIKE HE'S PACKED DOWN DIRT
ALL READY, AND YELLING "BE MY GUEST"

SHOULD OUR HEROES' HANDS BE HOLDING THIS BLACKEST PURSE?
MOM, AM I FAILING OR WORSE?
MOM, AM I FAILING?
WHAT SHOULD THESE EARNEST HANDS BE HOLDING?

the things we wonder, often times more sung than spoken, finally put into an actual song.

[youtube]HDgpZKgok3Y[/youtube]

a mournful and hurting metaphor as any ('looted of gold, if there ever was some / and even the good wood gone'). he swings dark feelings around like they were regular feelings, and i really can't think of an artist i'd more prefer a hug from. the doubtless reciprocity of it makes me giddy. as long as humans continue to fail each other, i will love his music from the bottom of my heart.

 

[WeGotTheJazz]

Christ, am I the only Smogon member who absolutely detests 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea'? Jeff Mangum's voice makes me want to punch steel. Not 'beautiful' in the least.

Anyway, most of my favourite music is in the form of video game soundtracks or individual songs from otherwise simply-decent releases, so I've never really thought about favourite albums by commercial artists. I'll give it a go though.

10. Gnarls Barkley - St. Elsewhere
Before this album I used to listen to nothing but hard rock, thrash and power metal (oh the days of my youth). So glad I chanced upon 'Crazy' on TV one day, thus changing my taste for the better.
Favourite Track: The whole album's spectacular but I'm going to go for Crazy.

9. Kanye West - Graduation
The rapping is lame and the synths are cheesy as fudge, but I'd be lying if I said this isn't my favourite motivational album. There is just something about Graduation that's so..inspiring.
Favourite Track: I Wonder

8. Daft Punk - Discovery
Standard. I don't think I need to say anything about this one, although I might as well mention that Interstella 5555, the anime musical using the album, is a stellar (teehee) watch.
Favourite Track: Face To Face

7. Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - Before Today
A lot of you have probably heard of this album thanks to Pitchfork's 'Best Track of 2010' List, 'Round & Round' being #1. The whole album's a pretty good listen, actually, with styles ranging from 80's new wave to goth-pop to post-punk to some kind of ironic chillout. A solid overall listen.
Favourite Track: Reminiscences (said ironic chillout track..that's actually a cover of an Ethiopian wedding song or something. Wack.)

6. AM & Shawn Lee - Celestial Electric
An awesome collaboration between a psychadelic folk musician and jack-of-all-trades Shawn Lee (who did the soundtrack for Bully #Themoreyouknow). A great mixture of funk, soul, folk and a few other cool styles. Saw these guys play at the Rough Trade record store in East London a while back and they were absolutely phenomenal. An experience I'll never forget.
Favourite Track: It's gotta be Somebody Like You. I am genuinely surprised this isn't regarded as a funk classic.

5. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor
The most well-known album by the legendary Japanese synthpop group. Arguably the greatest precursor to most electronic music as we know it.
Favourite Track: Technopolis

4. Pizzicato Five - Pizzicatomania
A Japanese pop group that underwent many transformations over the years. People are more familiar with the stylish duo of Maki Nomiya and Yasuharu Konishi, but the band's 80's era is criminally under-rated IMO. Just a lot more daring with regards to mixing up musical styles, and a lot more catchy than the more popular albums from the 90's.
Favourite Track: Boy Meets Girl

3. Stereolab - Cobra & Phases Play Voltage In The Milky Night
Arguably one of the more pretentious bands from the last couple of decades. They've gone through drone to summer pop to space lounge while retaining political lyrics (Ping Pong, their biggest hit, is a blatant attack on capitalism).
This album's of the 'space lounge' style; I just love the sound, honestly, regardless of the lyrics.
Favourite Track: Puncture In The Radax Permutation (told you they're pretentious)

2. Tatsuhiko Asano - Spacewatch
God. Right here.
Words cannot express how much I love this man's music. The ambient, slightly creepy yet ethereal soundscapes (gah I hate that word but goddamn) that he creates so effortlessly are just..magnificent. Majestic. Insert other shitey adjectives here.
A Track: It's not actually my favourite, but it's the only one off the album I could find: Vermillion

1. Tatsuhiko Asano - Bonjour
While I love both his albums equally, Bonjour edges it in this list because it was the first of the two that I discovered. A more organic, forest-y sound compared to the above, but no less magnificent/majestic/whatever. Oh my God I just creamed my pants thinking about it.
Favourite Track: Lemonade. Oh man, the chills.

 

[DM]

Christ, am I the only Smogon member who absolutely detests 'In The Aeroplane Over The Sea'? Jeff Mangum's voice makes me want to punch steel. Not 'beautiful' in the least.

I can appreciate this point of view; Mangum is by no means a "good" vocalist, and I can see that NMH is an acquired taste. But what he is is a perfect complement to the music and the overall tone of the album. He is in the same league as Tom Waits or Christopher Simpson (Mineral) in that their voices are exactly what the lyrics need to be sung correctly. For these artists (for me at least), picking out one piece of the tapestry and saying "that part is lacking" is to miss the forest for the trees.

 

[ChaoticaMortis]

5. Yellow Magic Orchestra - Solid State Survivor
The most well-known album by the legendary Japanese synthpop group. Arguably the greatest precursor to most electronic music as we know it.
Favourite Track: Technopolis

Technopolis is really cool. It sounds quite similar to Kraftwerk to me. Definitely going to check this band out more.

 

[shnen]

Will finish descriptions etc when I can be bothered, most likely tomorrow.
10. Metal Box - Public Image Ltd.
Jah Wobble was a fucking beautiful bass player who I idolised for a short while, and his best work was undoubtedly with PIL. The combination of this great bass playing with John Lydon's oddly captivating vocals makes a weird, hypnotic sound and metal box is in my opinion their best work. Makes good background music but at the same time it evokes a very particular feeling.
Best song:
[youtube]CEToKGfjlmM[/youtube]
9. Powerslave - Iron Maiden
As a massive Iron Maiden fan, I found it hard to decide which albums would go where on this. Powerslave is obviously the stereotypical quintessential early 80s Maiden album, and this title is definitely not undeserved. Powerslave contains multiple songs which are among Maiden's best, such as The Duelists, Powerslave and The Rime of the Ancient Mariner. While at first I came for Aces High and Two Minutes to Midnight, the three aforementioned songs are what really makes the album for me. Despite a few blips (Back in the Village is pretty out of place) Powerslave is definitely a solid album most of the way through. Although Powerslave doesn't compare to Seventh Son of a Seventh Son in my opinion (spoilers!!), it is still a fantastic album that rightfully deserves the praise it has gotten.
Best song:
[youtube]DtXclrTmvy0[/youtube]
8. The Very Best of The Beach Boys Yeah I cheated and went for a compilation.
7. A Different Kind of Fix - Bombay Bicycle Club
6. Magic and Medicine - The Coral
5. Village Green Preservation Society - The Kinks
4. The Doors - The Doors
3. Halycon Digest - Deerhunter
2. Rainbow Rising - Rainbow
1. Seventh Son of a Seventh Son - Iron Maiden

I made it pretty easy to guess my age here didn't I

 

[Spork]

SILVER APPLES - SILVER APPLES

HOURS ARE A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS, HOURS ARE A SONG THAT NEVER ENDS

Oh yes. I love Silver Apples. It belongs to no time plane. Sometimes I think it sounds like it was never meant to be heard.

 

[VuvuzelaBzz]

I've only really been into music since around November of last year and have constantly been finding new stuff I like, so this list is bound to change around a bit in the next few months. That said, I'm very fond of all the albums on this list. Vocals are my favourite part of music, so as you'll see they play a big role in my list. I'm not very good at describing music, but I'll attempt it.

Putting them in order of preference is a bit too difficult for me, so here they are in alphabetical order:

Badmotorfinger - Soundgarden

Soundgarden is my favourite band, so picking which album by them to include was tough. The reason I chose this over some of their more musically diverse albums is that this album contains many of Chris Cornell's best vocal performances. The best way to describe this album with one word is 'dirty'. The music is heavy, and though it's more refined than the rest of SG's heavy releases, it's still rough around the edges. Most of the songs have great riffs and soaring vocals, though there are calmer ones, such as Mind Riot.

Favourite Track: Slaves And Bulldozers

California - Mr.Bungle

This is probably the weirdest album on my list. As is the case for most of Mike Patton's projects, the music is crazy and an acquired taste. There's really no other way to describe the sound of the album, as none of the songs sound a thing like eachother. There's constant genre shifts, often in the duration of a single song. If you like avant-garde music and haven't listened to Mr.Bungle, definitely try this.

Favourite Track: Goodbye Sober Day

Feathergun - Rishloo

Out of all the albums on this list, this is probably the one I listen to most freequently, simply because of the atmosphere it creates. The band have stated that what they hope to achieve on the listeners' side is to paint an aural landscape in the their mind, and for me that's exactly what this album achieves. Andrew Mailoux's voice blends perfectly with the slow psychadelic music and takes the listener on a trip, evoking a spectrum of emotions.

Favourite Track: Scissorlips

Grace - Jeff Buckley

This is the only album of one of the most promising artists of the 90s. Jeff had the most beautiful, melodic voice I've ever heard, and in this album he displays it perfectly. Every song is full of emotion, from the faster tracks such as Eternal Life, to the ballads such as Last Goodbye. I love every minute of this album, from the moment is begins with Jeff's wonderful falsetto until it ends with the tragically beautiful lyrics:

"Asleep in the sand
With the ocean washing over."

Favourite Track: Mojo Pin

Operation: Mindcrime - Queensryche

This is my favourite concept album by a large margin. I don't want to go in depth about the concept, but in m opinion it's interesting and portrayed in an understandable manner through the music and lyrics. The songs are pretty fast-paced for the most part, however there are slower moments, mainly leading up to and in parts of the album's musical and conceptual climax, Suite Sister Mary.

Favourite Track: Speak

Rising - Rainbow

This is the first 'big' band the legendary Ronnie James Dio was a part of, teaming up with Ritchie Blackmore, one of my favourite guitarists, to create an amazing album. It's a pretty short album, consisting of only 6 songs and clocking in at 33 minutes. The only thing close to a low point for the album is "Do You Close Your Eyes", mainly due to the cheesy lyrics. It starts amazingly with Tarrot Woman and ends with what is one of my favourite two-song successions, Stargazer and Light In The Black.

Favourite Track: Stargazer

Smoke Bomb - Twelve Foot Ninja

This is the only EP on my list and the reason for that is simple; TFN haven't released a full album yet. The music is heavy and upbeat. Despite the fact that it fuses genres such as reggae, metal, electronic music and funk, it does so in a way that's very catchy and accessible. The lyrics tell the story of, you guessed it, a twelve foot tall ninja. Easily the funnest album to listen to on this list.

Favourite Track: Manufacture Of Consent

Temple Of The Dog - Temple Of The Dog

Temple Of The Dog is a tribute band made to honour the death of Andrew Wood. The songwriting throughout the album is great and it features Chris Cornell, Wood's one time roommate, at his vocal peak. Though the album does pay tribute to Wood's death lyrically in two songs(Say Hello 2 Heaven, Reach Down), it also touches issues such as religion and isolation.

Favourite Track: Four Walled World

The Perfect Element: Part I - Pain Of Salvation

I like a lot of PoS' material, so I had a tough time choosing between this and Remedy Lane. I ended up going with this over the latter because even though RL has some of my favourite songs by them, this album is, in my opinion, more consistent. This too is supposed to be a concept album, but I don't view it as such, as the concept is nigh impossible to grasp through the lyrics. The music is evenly split between heavy tracks and ballads, featuring Daniel Gildenlöw's signature vocal polymelodies on various occasions.

Favourite Track: Falling/The Perfect Element

Violator - Depeche Mode

This is the most recent addition to this list. Started listening to this near the beginning of July and I love it. I'm going to listen to some of their other material when I'm able to, but I'm pretty sure it won't top this. I love slow dark music, and this definitely delivers in that respect. David Gahan's voice compliments the slow electronic music very nicely, making this a great listening experience.

Favourite Track: Clean


I'll definitely listen to some of the stuff posted here when my internet allows me to.

 

[WeGotTheJazz]

I can appreciate this point of view; Mangum is by no means a "good" vocalist, and I can see that NMH is an acquired taste. But what he is is a perfect complement to the music and the overall tone of the album. He is in the same league as Tom Waits or Christopher Simpson (Mineral) in that their voices are exactly what the lyrics need to be sung correctly. For these artists (for me at least), picking out one piece of the tapestry and saying "that part is lacking" is to miss the forest for the trees.

I can respect that but..Mangum just sounds...awful. Like he wouldn't fit into any sort of musical style because he sounds so out-of-tune. idk, maybe it's something that's beyond me.

Technopolis is really cool. It sounds quite similar to Kraftwerk to me. Definitely going to check this band out more.

Mmhmm. There's quite a bit of debate as to whether YMO or Kraftwerk had more of an impact on modern electronic styles..most side towards Kraftwerk, and I do too, but I think YMO's more 'pop' elements make them a better listen than the often-souless Kraftwerk sound.

YMO have got quite a bit of material under their built, with 9 studio albums and ~10 live ones...I'd recommend Technodelic after Solid State Survivor, although their whole discography IMO is excellent.

EDIT: Oh, and do check out each individual member's solo work: Ryuichi Sakamoto in particular is a prolific composer, and has collaborated with various notable musicians including Alva Noto and David Sylvian (oh man I love this song so freaking much).

 

[WaterBomb]

Guess I can't ignore this any longer...

10. Battlefield Band - Happy Daze
Song Selection: Medium Man / Floating Candles / Nighean Cailleach Nan Cearc
Ok, so I'm likely the only user on this board who has ever heard of Battlefield Band, so I'll give a very brief synopsis. Battlefield Band is a Scottish traditional folk band, founded in 1969 and has released over 30 studio albums. They've been through a cycle of members, with the final original member retiring in 2011. As for this album itself, it's one of my favorites of their releases, particularly the pieces with Mike Katz on the bagpipes. This album infuses traditional Scottish folk with a bit of contemporary flair, as evidenced by the song selection.

9. Skillet - Comatose
Song Selection: Rebirthing
Comatose makes the list due to the stark difference in sound quality between it and its predecessor, Collide. Skillet achieved a very crisp and clean sound with this album, and incorporated very nice orchestral harmonies into many of the tracks. The song selection is my personal favorite song by this band period, not just the album. Yes, I know this album was a departure from their edgier early days, and I know it's pretty generic sounding when it comes to rock music. However, I believe the quality of the instruments cannot be ignored.

8. Foo Fighters - The Colour and the Shape
Song Selection: Everlong
Even though it was only their second album, I feel it's still their best. Those of us who were around at the time surely remember tracks like "Monkey Wrench", "My Hero", and "Everlong", which cemented their place among the elite of rock. This album edges out their self title from '95 only because they were so successful in breaking out of the shadow of Kurt Cobain's death. The Colour and the Shape epitomizes the best of the Alternative sound of the 90s.

7. Three Days Grace - One-X
Song Selection: Animal I Have Become
Three Days Grace is a largely underappreciated band, and One-X (their second studio album) showcases why. They take a genre like Alt Metal, full of painfully generic groups already, and add about as much variety to it as humanly possible. From tracks like "Riot" to "Over and Over" to "Pain" they bring a wider spectrum and show how far this type of music can really stretch. Great drum beats and heaviness make this album one of my favorite head-nodding experiences.

6. Genesis - A Trick Of The Tail
Song Selection: Dance On A Volcano
Ah, now it's getting tougher. I was raised on Genesis, and I think this is their best work in their long history, and a pioneer of the Progressive Rock genre. As the first album with Phil Collins as lead singer after Peter Gabriel left, they entered an amazing stretch in the mid to late seventies that saw the release of several great and immortal pieces. The song selection "Dance On A Volcano" is nothing short of beautiful in its composition, arrangement, and execution, and is a fitting opening track. Other notable tracks from the album include "Squonk" and "Los Endos".

5. The Offspring - Americana
Song Selection: The Kids Aren't Alright
The Offspring, pioneers of punk rock, didn't disappoint with this masterpiece in 1997. The brilliant mind of Dexter Holland makes their songs as clever and satirical as they are musically solid and catchy. You don't fully appreciate how challenging the music is to play until you watch them live, but the arrangements of these songs give a bit of insight into it. Unfortunately, the Punk genre has taken a turn for the worse in the 2000s, but we will always remember the guys who made it good in the first place.

4. Metallica - Ride The Lightning
Song Selection: For Whom The Bell Tolls
Ah, what would a top 10 list be without Metallica. Well, choosing my favorite album of theirs was tough, but I settled on Ride The Lightning. I feel this album edges out Master Of Puppets due to greater track variety and uniqueness. By the time MoP came out, Metallica had fully invented Thrash Metal, and as a result the entire album was that same flavor. Ride the Lightning, however, still possessed a few pieces that hadn't completely made the leap, such as "Fade to Black". This enhanced versatility gives the nod to Ride the Lightning from me.

3. Dream Theater - Train Of Thought
Song Selection: This Dying Soul
One of the many things that has always impressed me about Dream Theater is the ability to not only transition from one song to the next seamlessly, but to make that same transition from one album to the next. Being able to produce entire sets of songs while staying true to a theme, incorporating untouchable instrumental skill with introspective lyrics and complicated arrangements, and never selling out to achieve mainstream success, are all qualities that make Dream Theater, in my mind, one of the greatest bands of all time. Train Of Thought is a great installment in their long career, I think effectively linking their earlier sounds of the 80s and 90s with their new direction in the 2000s. Every track is amazing, with particularly good pieces being "This Dying Soul", "Honor Thy Father", and "Stream of Consciousness".

2. Ra - From One
Song Selection: Do You Call My Name
I've always maintained that Ra is a vastly underrated band, and this album (their first) is a testament to the attitude that the masses are blissfully ignorant. Ra takes hard rock, an ordinary genre with little to no variety from band to band, and adds in a deceptively eerie Egyptian flavor to produce a brilliant, minor keyed set of songs that still keep the heaviness expected of their genre. From One is still their best work in my opinion, with dominating tracks like "Fallen Rock Zone", "Violator", and "On My Side" still a mainstay on any playlist I make.

1. 311 - Transistor
Song Selection: Beautiful Disaster
Sorry if my #1 choice disappoints you, but I can't leave out my all time favorite band. 311 has always been on the cusp of mainstream success, but have still maintained a unique sound and a loyalty to their rock-reggae-rap roots. Transistor, their best release, is a great bridge between their hybrid beginnings in Music and Grassroots and their more mellow, reggae infused and sometimes spacey undertakings in Soundsystem, From Chaos, and Universal Pulse. The song selection "Beautiful Disaster", along with "Use Of Time", "Prisoner", and "Borders" make up the core of this incredibly diverse and masterful 21 track release.

 

[Xephyr]

I'll give this a go.

10. The Rapture - Echoes

9. Pendulum - Immersion

8. Death From Above 1979 - You're a Woman, I'm a Man

7. The Ramones - The Ramones

6. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

5. Battles - Mirrored

4. Slint - Spiderland

3. Talking Heads - Remain in Light

2. Animal Collective - Merriweather Post Pavillion

1. LCD Soundystem - Sound of Silver


I love dance punk.

 

[Groombridge]

in no order, the whorl is in everything
MCLUSKY - MCLUSKY DO DALLAS

one of the best things to ever come out of wales. dejected, broke as shit, robbed, and completely overlooked, they acrimoniously parted ways in 2005, never to speak to each other again.

Not quite: Falco and Jack the drummer of mclusky started Future of the Left pretty much straight after, continuing in a similar trajectory. They released Curses in 2007 and Travels With Myself and Another in 2009, both solid. This year, they took on Julia from Million Dead on bass and a second guitarist, and put out The Plot Against Common Sense. This is easily one of the best guitar records of the year, and for money, better than any of mclusky's albums too.

Robocop 4 - Fuck Off Robocop


mclusky is dead: long live future of the left

 

[Glen]

Not quite: Falco and Jack the drummer of mclusky started Future of the Left pretty much straight after, continuing in a similar trajectory. They released Curses in 2007 and Travels With Myself and Another in 2009, both solid. This year, they took on Julia from Million Dead on bass and a second guitarist, and put out The Plot Against Common Sense. This is easily one of the best guitar records of the year, and for money, better than any of mclusky's albums too.

Robocop 4 - Fuck Off Robocop


mclusky is dead: long live future of the left

oh, neat, the more you know.

i'd heard a bit from the future of the left but i thought it was just the vocalist. i'll give them a better chance, thanks!

 

[The Grand Babido]

bump (oops O_O)

#10: the national - alligator

#9: gypsy & the cat - gilgamesh

#8: dj shadow - endtroducing.....

#7: gza / genius - liquid swords

#6: the mars volta - de-loused in the comatorium

#5: the cure - disintegration

#4: kanye west - a beautiful dark twisted fantasy

#3: nas - illmatic

#2: foals - antidotes

#1: bloc party - silent alarm


top three are set in stone, its hard to decide how the others rank

i'm sorry i am not very good at explaining music, i'd rather let the music itself do the talking hahaha

 

[lordX]

i did a top 5 a while back, it was 1) mbv - loveless 2) ylt - i can hear the heart.... 3) white stripes - de stijl 4) belle/sebastian - sinister 5) mbv - isnt anything

i guess that i have expanded my tastes, so i'll post a more updated list here! note: i'm not going to include the "indie classics" that everyone loves so much. i'm pretty sure we all realize that the lonesome crowded west, doolittle, loveless, kid a, in the aeroplane over the sea, etc are great albums. i just don't want them clogging up my top 10 list, since they would probably top it.


10. red house painters - down colorful hill

9. the feelies - crazy rhythms

8. the mountain goats - all hail west texas

7. kanye west - my beautiful dark twisted fantasy

6. janelle monae - the archandroid

5. swans - white light from the mouth of infinity

4. titus andronicus - the monitor

3. galaxie 500 - on fire

2. godspeed you! black emperor - slow riot for new zerø kanada

1. this heat - deceit

as a note, my top 10 listened to albums on last fm are, in order: surfer rosa/come on pilgrim, madvillainy, loveless, doolittle, bee thousand, de stijl, the lonesome crowded west, white blood cells, the white stripes, and hail to the thief. i don't necessarily think that this represents what i like now, since before i started listening to more music i basically just listened to the white stripes / pixies / radiohead. and then i went through the mbv-is-god phase (while i still adore their catalogue [AND NEW ALBUM THIS MONTH DONT LET ME DOWN KEVIN SHIELDS!!!], there is more out there...loveless is still top 3 for me, though).

also, i have no idea when i listened to hail to the thief this much. i generally regard radiohead's albums as kid a > ok computer > hail to the thief = amnesiac = the bends > in rainbows = the king of limbs.

and lastly, glen is right when he says that the battle of hampton roads is one of the most affecting songs ever written. i still get chills when i listen to it sometimes. pretty much all of the monitor is fucking GREAT.

 

[jam]

10. Dangerdoom (MF Doom and Dangermouse) - The Mouse and The Mask
9. Ratatat - Classics
8. Captain Murphy - Duality
7. Earl - EARL
6. Netsky - 2
5. Nero - Welcome to Reality
4. Tyler the Creator - Goblin
3. Koan Sound - Funk Blaster
2. Dance Gavin Dance - Dance Gavin Dance
1. Noisia - Split the Atom : Special Edition

 

[Nas]

In no particular order:

Follow the Leader - Eric B. and Rakim
Paid in Full - Eric B. and Rakim
Murda Muzik - Mobb Deep
The Infamous - Mobb Deep
Hell on Earth - Mobb Deep
The Seventh Seal - Rakim
Cruel Summer - GOOD Music
The Blueprint 3 - Jay-Z
Be - Common
Life After Death - The Notorious B.I.G.

If you couldn't tell, I like hip-hop, just not the garbage that is put out nowadays.

 

[Sweet Jesus]

No particular order

1. Hypnotize - System of a Down

deserves a special mention for being the first and one of the only albums I discovered in my childhood and still occasionaly listen to today.

2. Ummaguma - Pink Floyd

Epic group, sad their latest albums are the only one's that still get attention.

3. In the wake of poseidon - King Crimson

I have over 24 hours of this group's music on my itunes for a reason, they're the best! This album is probably my favourite of them.

4. Vicious Delicious - infected mushroom

I don't listen to any electronic music apart from this group, they really have something more than others of the same style.

5. Selling England by the pound - Genesis

Another prog rock group, they were really much better at their begginings with peter gabriel.

6. Gentle Giant - Gentle Giant

I don't listen to this one that much, but it really showed me another side of music no other group could have.

7. Soul mining - The The

I listen to so much progressive rock, but sometimes I feel I have to take a break from all this complex music and since today's pop sucks, this does the job much much better.

8. Jean Leloup - Les fourmis

If you're interested in the local music of other places, this guy is a hero where I live and for a good reason. The fact he sings in french limits his popularity but his music deserves worldwide recognition.

9. Apostrophe - Frank Zappa

Such a genius! An amazing album full of humour diversity and incredible music.

10. Red - King Crimson

KC appears twice for a good reason :). The album as a whole is great, but this song... this one song still makes me shiver a year after I discovered it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9IQnDRYIYU

There's also plenty of other songs I would have liked to mention but weren't on the best albums :(.