Fantaverse Top 100 Albums of All Time (THREAD #5): #60-#51
Posted: November 5th, 2012, 2:19 pm
New thread guys, desperately short on a number of people, and missing some entirely, please send some more in! Anyway, I'm leaving NZ for the UK in five days, so I will try and post a record a day until then (depending on just how hectic my last few days here are), but after then, I may be without the internet for at least a week. I think it would be beneficial if we all took a break then to refresh and come back stronger, as some people are very far behind, and not too many comments have been posted recently either. Giving us a good week should allow everyone to catch up, so unless anyone really wants to push on and take the reigns from me for a little while, I propose we take a break. That ok with everyone?
Anyway....
Album No.60
Alyson
To Be Added At Later Date
englishozzy
Keane, "Hopes and Fears", 2004
Cruelly likened to Coldplay, Keane's pop/soft rock blend is best showcased in their debut album Hopes and Fears. I came across this band when my fiancee dragged me to a U2 concert with Keane supporting and found that they held their own against the rock giants, although I don't rate U2 as highly as most people. I instantly downloaded this album when I got home and has stayed in my Top 100 since.
"Everybody's Changing"
"Can't Stop Now"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r7Fe2Wi5iE
Geezer
To Be Added At Later Date
BleedBlackandGold
Minor Threat, "Out of Step", 1983
The bands only official album Its a staple in hardcore punk.
"Look Back And Laugh "
Leestu
R.E.M., “Monster”, 1994
I remember a few fellow fans of R.E.M. being disappointed by this album when it first came out, which considering it followed Automatic For The People is understandable, but from my first listen, and taking it on its own merits, from the opener What’s the Frequency, Kenneth I was hooked by their version of a full bloode rock record about fame and celebrity. Plus for a sentimentalist like myself there is the added emotional factor of River Phoenix and Kurt Cobain, both friends of Michael Stipe, dying during the writing of this album, resulting in the album being dedicated to River, with Rain (his sister) contributing to the background vocals on Bang and Blame, and Let Me in being written and recorded as a tribute to Kurt.
“Bang and Blame”
“Let Me In”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjQOs-5HaQ
NSpan
Spindrift, "Classic Soundtracks Vol. 01", 2011
Japexico
Space Vixens Theme
Hellbound
Theme from Confusion Range
Shadytown
When I Was Free
Theme from Ghost Patrol
Legend of the Widower Colby Wallace
Devil with a Gun
Theme from Amboy
Roundup
Showdown
Theme from Drifter’s Pass
Red Reflection
The album these guys were born to make. The title is an intentional misnomer, as these are all original songs. In fact, only a couple were created for actual feature films. For the most part, this was a collaboration with IFC where young directors got a chance to create faux-movie trailers/intros based on the music (which came first, in most cases). Spindrift is yet another band on my list that struggled to capture their live sound in the studio. Their music (usually referred to as "psychedelic Western") was always explicitly reminiscent of Ennio Morricone scores. So when they finally approached recording in terms of creating soundtrack music--even when the source "film" didn't exist yet--things just clicked. If you ever get a chance to see these guys live, don't miss it!
Note: I got a bit greedy and posted three songs, feel free to pick two... or go nuts and listen to all of 'em.
"Hellbound (Theme from 'Dust Up')"
"When I Was Free"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIS2PZxpKlE
"Theme from 'Ghost Patrol'"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVb2i2FwiDc
numbersix
Wolf Parade, “Apologies to the Queen Mary”, 2005
Two frontmen may seem like a disaster waiting to happen, but for a brief moment in time the collaboration headed by Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug was sublime. In their debut album, there’s a wonderful tension between the more guitar-driven rock songs of Boeckner, and then the stranger, proggier songs led by Krug and his keyboards. Lyrically the songs gave a sense of continuity, but that musical variation ensured that the album was an exciting listen. I’m not sure what comparisons to make, though it’s worth mentioning they were discovered by Modest Mouse’s frontmen, and at times sound like a more muted and digital version of fellow Kanucks The Arcade Fire.
Sadly, the band started to pull apart right after this. Boeckner and Krug seemed more interested in their own bands (the electro-rock act of Boeckner’s Handsome Furs, and Krug’s odd Sunset Rubdown), even though they failed to reach the musical highs of Wolf Parade’s best work. And WP’s following two albums were a major disappointment, the magic never being recreated, the guitars never merging with the synths. So all that remains as a testament of two highly talented musicians working in harmony is this great record.
"Modern World"
"Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkgqrxkEbW4
Ron Burgundy
Air, "Pocket Symphony", 2007
"Mayfair Song"
"One Hell Of A Party"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdGE8WiD3Pw
silversurfer
The Secret Machines, "Ten Silver Drops", 2006
I was at first mesmerized by this record cover, when wandering into my local HMV and seeing this flourescent green with 10 silver drops protruding from it. I was entranced. I believed it would probably be some kind of Ministry of Sound record, having not heard of the band until this point, but nevertheless I was eager to discover just who The Secret Machines were. And well, their sonic sound easily matched and perhaps even bettered that brilliant cover art. It's a beautiful record, swirling and at times epic even, as the band weave through genres from Psyche-rock to Krautrock and even a dash of alt-country, but at every step you feel draw into this deeply personal record, feel every strum of the guitar like it bears down heavy on your soul, and crumble under the fragile vocals. It's a stunning record, one which consumes me on every listen, much more than I ever expected it could do, and all despite only having 8 songs (not the TEN I anticipated from the label!)
"Lightning Blue Eyes"
"Alone, Jealous And Stoned"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAG2unCknzs
transformers
Between The Buried and Me, "Alaska", 2005
The first of their albums to feature their current lineup and this is when the band really came into their own. Way more progressive than their first two albums while still retaining the raw heaviness. This is the album that cemented them as an elite metal band, but this was far from their peak (Although "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" is still my favorite song of theirs) .
"Selkies: The Endless Obsession"
"All Bodies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjug7xyyQ7I
Anyway....
Album No.60
Alyson
To Be Added At Later Date
englishozzy
Keane, "Hopes and Fears", 2004
Cruelly likened to Coldplay, Keane's pop/soft rock blend is best showcased in their debut album Hopes and Fears. I came across this band when my fiancee dragged me to a U2 concert with Keane supporting and found that they held their own against the rock giants, although I don't rate U2 as highly as most people. I instantly downloaded this album when I got home and has stayed in my Top 100 since.
"Everybody's Changing"
"Can't Stop Now"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9r7Fe2Wi5iE
Geezer
To Be Added At Later Date
BleedBlackandGold
Minor Threat, "Out of Step", 1983
The bands only official album Its a staple in hardcore punk.
"Look Back And Laugh "
Leestu
R.E.M., “Monster”, 1994
I remember a few fellow fans of R.E.M. being disappointed by this album when it first came out, which considering it followed Automatic For The People is understandable, but from my first listen, and taking it on its own merits, from the opener What’s the Frequency, Kenneth I was hooked by their version of a full bloode rock record about fame and celebrity. Plus for a sentimentalist like myself there is the added emotional factor of River Phoenix and Kurt Cobain, both friends of Michael Stipe, dying during the writing of this album, resulting in the album being dedicated to River, with Rain (his sister) contributing to the background vocals on Bang and Blame, and Let Me in being written and recorded as a tribute to Kurt.
“Bang and Blame”
“Let Me In”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUjQOs-5HaQ
NSpan
Spindrift, "Classic Soundtracks Vol. 01", 2011
Japexico
Space Vixens Theme
Hellbound
Theme from Confusion Range
Shadytown
When I Was Free
Theme from Ghost Patrol
Legend of the Widower Colby Wallace
Devil with a Gun
Theme from Amboy
Roundup
Showdown
Theme from Drifter’s Pass
Red Reflection
The album these guys were born to make. The title is an intentional misnomer, as these are all original songs. In fact, only a couple were created for actual feature films. For the most part, this was a collaboration with IFC where young directors got a chance to create faux-movie trailers/intros based on the music (which came first, in most cases). Spindrift is yet another band on my list that struggled to capture their live sound in the studio. Their music (usually referred to as "psychedelic Western") was always explicitly reminiscent of Ennio Morricone scores. So when they finally approached recording in terms of creating soundtrack music--even when the source "film" didn't exist yet--things just clicked. If you ever get a chance to see these guys live, don't miss it!
Note: I got a bit greedy and posted three songs, feel free to pick two... or go nuts and listen to all of 'em.
"Hellbound (Theme from 'Dust Up')"
"When I Was Free"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIS2PZxpKlE
"Theme from 'Ghost Patrol'"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVb2i2FwiDc
numbersix
Wolf Parade, “Apologies to the Queen Mary”, 2005
Two frontmen may seem like a disaster waiting to happen, but for a brief moment in time the collaboration headed by Dan Boeckner and Spencer Krug was sublime. In their debut album, there’s a wonderful tension between the more guitar-driven rock songs of Boeckner, and then the stranger, proggier songs led by Krug and his keyboards. Lyrically the songs gave a sense of continuity, but that musical variation ensured that the album was an exciting listen. I’m not sure what comparisons to make, though it’s worth mentioning they were discovered by Modest Mouse’s frontmen, and at times sound like a more muted and digital version of fellow Kanucks The Arcade Fire.
Sadly, the band started to pull apart right after this. Boeckner and Krug seemed more interested in their own bands (the electro-rock act of Boeckner’s Handsome Furs, and Krug’s odd Sunset Rubdown), even though they failed to reach the musical highs of Wolf Parade’s best work. And WP’s following two albums were a major disappointment, the magic never being recreated, the guitars never merging with the synths. So all that remains as a testament of two highly talented musicians working in harmony is this great record.
"Modern World"
"Dear Sons and Daughters of Hungry Ghosts"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkgqrxkEbW4
Ron Burgundy
Air, "Pocket Symphony", 2007
"Mayfair Song"
"One Hell Of A Party"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdGE8WiD3Pw
silversurfer
The Secret Machines, "Ten Silver Drops", 2006
I was at first mesmerized by this record cover, when wandering into my local HMV and seeing this flourescent green with 10 silver drops protruding from it. I was entranced. I believed it would probably be some kind of Ministry of Sound record, having not heard of the band until this point, but nevertheless I was eager to discover just who The Secret Machines were. And well, their sonic sound easily matched and perhaps even bettered that brilliant cover art. It's a beautiful record, swirling and at times epic even, as the band weave through genres from Psyche-rock to Krautrock and even a dash of alt-country, but at every step you feel draw into this deeply personal record, feel every strum of the guitar like it bears down heavy on your soul, and crumble under the fragile vocals. It's a stunning record, one which consumes me on every listen, much more than I ever expected it could do, and all despite only having 8 songs (not the TEN I anticipated from the label!)
"Lightning Blue Eyes"
"Alone, Jealous And Stoned"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAG2unCknzs
transformers
Between The Buried and Me, "Alaska", 2005
The first of their albums to feature their current lineup and this is when the band really came into their own. Way more progressive than their first two albums while still retaining the raw heaviness. This is the album that cemented them as an elite metal band, but this was far from their peak (Although "Selkies: The Endless Obsession" is still my favorite song of theirs) .
"Selkies: The Endless Obsession"
"All Bodies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rjug7xyyQ7I