Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#31

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Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#31

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.40

englishozzy
Linkin Park, "A Thousand Suns"
, 2010

Image

Im a huge fan of Linkin Park so feel free to me as much as you like i'm used to it. A Thousand Suns was more of a concept album than anything and really found the band experimenting with their sound while still producing a very good album.

"Blackout"

"Burning in the Skies"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kh_YCSW5lPc

Geezer
The Replacements, "Tim"
, 1985

Image

1.Hold My Life – 4 stars
2.I'll Buy – 3 stars
3.Kiss Me On the Bus – 4 stars
4.Dose of Thunder – 3 stars
5.Waitress in the Sky – 3 stars
6.Swingin Party – 4 stars
7.Bastards of Young – 5 stars
8.Lay It Down Clown – 2 stars
9.Left of the Dial – 5 stars
10.Little Mascara – 4 stars
11.Here Comes a Regular – 5 stars

I owe this entirely to my brother. He's the one who first played me some Replacements tracks, not all that long ago. Well, if we were to re-do the song listing, 3 of these would easily make my top 100, with two of them in the top 50, and one challenging the top 10. It really wouldn't matter what else was on the album, it would be on the list for those 3 alone (Left of the Dial, Bastards of Young and Here Comes a Regular). But there's a lot of other great songs here as well, like Kiss Me on the Bus and Little Mascara. Brilliant record, and without it, I bet a whole ton of the other albums on my list would never have been made.

"Here Comes a Regular"

"Bastards of Young"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl9KQ1Mub6Q

Leestu
Beck, “Mellow Gold”
, 1994

Image

This really is an album like nothing I had ever heard before. It says something when Loser is the most accessible song on the album. I was fascinated, intrigued and could not stop listening to it.

“Beercan”

"Truckdrivin Neighbors Downstairs (Yellow Sweat)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb5FuDdbBo0

NSpan
To Be Added At A Later Date

numbersix
The Rolling Stones, “Let it Bleed”
, 1969

Image

My favourite Stones record is, like Sticky Fingers, a blend of old blues Stones and classic-era rock god Stones, firing off larger-than-life anthems while having space for some honky tonk on the side. It gives the record a sense of grittiness, a sense that the band still have their feet on the floor (you can almost hear them floating away on Exile on Main St).

There are the beautiful and recognisable songs like Gimmie Shelter and the acceptably OTT You Can’t Always Get What You Want, but there’s also some tender moments, like Love in Vain, and the very rural stomp of Country Honk (an even rootsier version of Honky Tonk Women). The album has a breadth that makes it so damn listenable.

"Country Honk"

"Midnight Rambler"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0HJTQSghmk

Ron Burgundy
Tool, "Undertow"
, 1998

Image

"Prison Sex"

"Crawl Away"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfHHTWLIChg

silversurfer
Howlin' Wolf, "Moanin' In The Moonlight"
, 1959

Image

With that bellowing growl of a voice, Howlin' Wolf has long been my favourite blues singer, and this for me is his best collection of songs. Compiled by Chess, this was the first record of Wolf's and it's filled to the brim with sex and anguish, driving home such emotional impact with some great melodies. There's just so much intensity in Wolf's vocals, and with the backup of Willie Dixon on bass, the songs carry an eerieness and a power never bettered in the blues (though he comes close himself on his follow up self titled record [though often referred to as the Rocking Chair album]). I honestly believe there are few artists who could ever match the intensity of Wolf, with his growl and enormous figure, he would have been quite intimidating in person, but on record he is equally as fearsome. Tracks like "Smokestack Lightnin'" (which I featured in my 100 Songs Countdown), "I Asked For Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)", "How Many More Years" and "Evil" epitomise this fantastic intensity, and coupled with such bleak lyrics and a great ear for melody, his for me is one of the most influential blues records of all time.

"How Many More Years"

"Evil"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmoZkL3fsvs

transformers
Muse, "Black Holes and Revelations"
, 2006

Image

"Assassin"

"Knights of Cydonia"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z9D71pQaTnc

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

#40

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti (1975)

Image

This album has an interesting background (which you can read about at AllMusic or Wikipedia). It's 60% brand new recordings and 40% previously unreleased rarities compilation. And the older recordings are mixed in with the newer songs--emphasizing the diversity of sounds found on the massive double-LP. The new material is as strong as ever, but it's amazing that some of the older songs were simply sitting on a shelf at the time (ex. "Houses of the Holy" was scrapped?!). They cover a multitude of styles and genres, essentially making this their "White Album." Physical Graffiti is my favorite--and, in my opinion, the best--of Led Zeppelin.

Track Listing--In Order of Date Recorded:

July 1970
"Bron-Yr-Aur"

December 1970 – January 1971
"Night Flight"
"Boogie with Stu"

February 1971
"Down by the Seaside"

May 1972
"The Rover"
"Houses of the Holy"
"Black Country Woman"

January–February 1974
"Custard Pie"
"In My Time of Dying"
"Trampled Under Foot"
"Kashmir"
"In the Light"
"Ten Years Gone"
"The Wanton Song"
"Sick Again"

"In My Time of Dying" (sorry for the length, but it's worth it!!)


"Houses of the Holy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KSd3yys69AE
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by Geezer »

Good pick, Span. Their second-best, in my opinion.
Yeah, well, you know, that's just, like, your opinion, man. - The Dude

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

englishozzy Linkin Park, "A Thousand Suns", 2010
There's a major stigma associated with this band, as you acknowledged. Doing my best to listen to your selections without expectations: I didn't have a problem with the first track. But they lost me somewhere during the breakdown/buildup/return section. Second song was pleasant and inoffensive. More accessible than I might've thought.

Geezer The Replacements, "Tim", 1985
Looks like this will be one of the most widely recognized albums by the end of the countdown! If my count is correct, we could cover the entire album with just two more entries.

Leestu Beck, “Mellow Gold”, 1994
I dug these tracks. In fact, I enjoy most of what I hear from this guy. When this album came out, it was quite popular in Austin I eventually got a copy, along with a few others. I can only describe his sound as the singer-songwriter child of Ween and the Beastie Boys. But, in my opinion, he never matches (much less exceeds) either of those comparisons. I guess the extent of his appeal eludes me even to this day.

numbersix The Rolling Stones, “Let it Bleed”, 1969
Fantastic album. One of my personal favorites. Honestly, I wasn't expecting to see this show up on anyone else's list! I guess the Beggar's Banquet formula worked so well that they decided to repeat it. If this album were to (hypothetically) show up on my own list, you didn't take either of the songs I would showcase. Great picks, nonetheless.

Ron Burgundy Tool, "Undertow", 1998
Gotta give these guys props for making prog "cool." On top of that, they simply rock--hard and heavy. I think most of their fans place Tool on an unrealistic pedestal, but there's plenty to like here. In hindsight, I believe this band cleared the way for At the Drive-In's transition into The Mars Volta (for better or worse).

silversurfe Howlin' Wolf, "Moanin' In The Moonlight", 1959
One of the greats. I never thought his music had the emotional impact of some of his predecessors, but his larger-than-life persona, his distinct voice, and his association with other great musicians makes me think of him as the Johnny Cash of the blues. The big difference, of course, is that Howlin' Wolf was a great songwriter and most of his best tracks are originals. In that sense, I'd rank him ahead of the Man in Black.

transformers Muse, "Black Holes and Revelations", 2006
Another prog-rock crossover that probably owes a degree of debt to Tool. Some of their albums are a bit uneven, but I dig 'em nonetheless. I saw them live, and--from what I could tell--they were solid performers. Unfortunately, the venue was WAY too big... so I feel like it was just a preview.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.40

englishozzy Linkin Park, "A Thousand Suns", 2010 - That first song was nothing like I'd ever heard of Linkin Park before. Definitely a kind of NIN vibe in the beginning with a strong dance beat. Decent, definitely among the better songs of theirs. Second song didn't really appeal, sounded very much like what I expect from the band. It's good to see they are willing to experiment here and there though, as I had always assumed they had just stuck to a formula that worked and reaped the success of it without really trying new things.

Geezer The Replacements, "Tim", 1985 - Fantastic record, filled to the brim with pop gems. Interesting you don't rate I'll Buy that high, for me it's certainly one of the standouts of the record.

Leestu Beck, “Mellow Gold”, 1994 - I think I mentioned earlier in the countdown how this record has never really stuck with me. I'm not sure why particularly, I think mostly the songs just don't have that 'something' I get from Odelay, which for me is a record filled hits. I guess that's what your refer to as "accessble", and I prefer my music at least initially to be accessible so that I want to listen to more. It's kind of funny that you like this record for its inaccessibility yet you commented on NSpan's Band Of Skulls pick, suggesting the section you don't like is when it becomes less accessible! Funny how music works I guess!

NSpan Led Zeppelin, "Physical Graffiti", 1975 - I suspect with time this will become a real favourite of mine. As it is though with me having only listened to the entire record just over a year ago because of my deliberate staging of listening to their albums chronologically, it isn't quite there yet. Some absolute stormers on here though, with In My Time Of Dying being a particular favourite. I didn't know the history of the record and that these were essentially a compilation of work from the previous few years, but it does make the variety on the record come to light more than I had previously recognised.

numbersix The Rolling Stones, “Let it Bleed”, 1969 - I have a few Stones records, this included, and while I can certainly appreciate many songs on each record I think overall I just don't appreciate the entirety most of the time. For one I've never been a fan of Country Honk, the country twang just doesn't sit well with me. However, Gimme Shelter, their cover of Johnson's Love In Vain, Let It Bleed and Midnight Rambler are great. There is certainly many strong tracks on here, even balanced out with some which I don't rate quite so highly, so I guess this probably is one of my favourite records of theirs, just not enough for it to ever be one I can truly love.

Ron Burgundy Tool, "Undertow", 1998 - I picked up this record following the song countdown and was a little disappointed it didn't match the brilliance of Sober. But listening here again, there are some very good moments on the record and maybe I should give it another go. Can certainly hear their influence on the likes of TMV and Muse NSpan recalled.

transformers Muse, "Black Holes and Revelations", 2006 - For me the last great Muse record. Some fantastically over the top prog rock on here, with the likes of Take A Bow, Knights Of Cydonia and Exo-Politics standing out. I loved how they could marry their earlier sounds with this more expansive and experimental pop they started to explore. Pity they went too far into electro after this though, as I've never found anything to really appeal since.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

silversurfer19 wrote:Geezer The Replacements, "Tim", 1985 - Fantastic record, filled to the brim with pop gems. Interesting you don't rate I'll Buy that high, for me it's certainly one of the standouts of the record.
Agreed. Aside from "Left of the Dial" (and perhaps "Bastards of Young"), those first three tracks are the strongest on the album. "I'll Buy" in particular.
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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.39

englishozzy,
To Be Added At A Later Date

Geezer
Against Me!, "White Crosses"
, 2010

Image

1.White Crosses – 5 stars
2.Teenage Anarchist – 5 stars
3.Because of the Shame – 5 stars
4.Suffocation – 4 stars
5.We're Breaking Up – 4 stars
6.High Pressure Low – 4 stars
7.Ache With Me – 2 stars
8.Spanish Moss – 4 stars
9.Rapid Decompression – 4 stars
10.Bamboo Bones – 4 stars
11.One By One – 5 stars
12.Bob Dylan Dream – 5 stars
13.Lehigh Acres – 2 stars
14.Bitter Divisions – 4 stars

This track listing is for the limited edition that includes the four bonus tracks, 3 of which are excellent. A continuation into a "cleaner" sound that that began with New Wave, I think they took that sound and built a much more complete record (although I could do without "Ache With Me"). Even if many would disagree, I think it's particularly amazing how this band can just keep re-inventing themselves and still sound so damn good. Because of the Shame is easily up there with ANY song they ever wrote (my brother featured it earlier, if you don't recall listen again, as it would be my first choice). This is currently their most recent album, but they are working to put out a new one this year, and you can imagine I'm waiting with baited breath.

"White Crosses"

"One By One"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsxwqKrTizg

Leestu
The Lemonheads, “It’s a Shame About Ray”
, 1992

Image

There was something about The Lemonheads that just clicked with me at the time. They didn’t try and do anything special, just wrote honest good quality music. But they are all such short songs and the album is so good here’s three.

“Bit Part”

"Confetti"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOMKe4uTALI
"My Drug Buddy"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40D9iqrfk2I

NSpan
The Violent Femmes, "The Violent Femmes"
, 1983

Image

While I'm happy to see that The Replacements have received so much love throughout this countdown, I believe there is another band that is equally deserving of praise (for both inherent quality and historical importance): The Violent Femmes. Major points to Surf for featuring their debut on his list earlier on. While the Replacements foreshadowed 90s alt-rock, The Meat Puppets gave us a twangy proto-grunge, and Camper Van Beethoven paved the way for an alt-country revival, The Violent Femmes fell somewhere in the middle: no strangers to folk but a bit more geared to "classic" rock. Their hit, "Blister in the Sun," found crossover appeal that transcended genres and even generations. But one timeless hit isn't enough to make a complete and satisfying album. Fortunately, the Femmes had no problem with consistency. Eight of the album's ten tracks hold up as singles and are featured in regular rotation on college radio to this day.

Their follow-up (Hallowed Ground) is nearly as great, in my opinion. It's more dense and ambitious and, thus, harder to crack. But it's extremely rewarding. Exploring themes of organized religion and personal spirituality, it's basically Aqualung for 1980s alt-rock punks. Its omission from my list probably just came down to my particular mood that day, but I believe it is essential listening for anyone who enjoys The Femmes' debut. One last note: as most of you know, Gnarls Barkley more recently covered "Gone Daddy Gone." But what you might not have noticed is that the original song lifts an entire verse from Willie Dixon's "I Just Want to Make Love to You." Listen for it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHVkxFOMx2Y

Side one
"Blister in the Sun"
"Kiss Off"
"Please Do Not Go"
"Add It Up"
"Confessions"

Side two
"Prove My Love"
"Promise"
"To the Kill"
"Gone Daddy Gone"
"Good Feeling"

"Add It Up"


"Please Do Not Go"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEGHCSDuggw

numbersix
Manic Street Preachers, “Holy Bible”
, 1994

Image

This is a real nostalgia pick, but there’s something deeply unique about this record. It’s not quite goth, not quite metal, not quite industrial, but it’s imbued with a darkness, most evidently in the taboo-breaking and often ugly lyrics of Richey Edwards (who shortly after disappeared, most likely committing suicide despite fans claiming they spotted him around the world). Richey’s words were written with such force and verbosity that singer James Dean Bradfield can hardly keep up.

This is also a very adolescent record, dealing with self-harm, anorexia, transgender issues, aggressive US foreign policy, and references to hip alternative writers. So I best see it as a snapshot of those of us in the 90s who didn’t dig pop-punk, grunge, Brit-pop and techno, who sat in the middle with our literary aspirations and shells of cynicism, wishing one day Richey would turn up.

"Of Walking Abortion"

"Die in the Summertime"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPJtsI74xow

Ron Burgundy
Kanye West, "The Late Registration"
, 2005

Image

"Diamonds From Sierra Leone"

"Heard 'Em Say"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ivp0owZH6bI

silversurfer
R.E.M, "Murmur"
, 1983

Image

There's just something quite wonderful about REM's debut. Beguiling, intriguing, mystifying. And that's just trying to decipher Michael Stipe's vocals! Casting such a unique sound onto the American music scene, it's no wonder this record has become so influential, literally creating the term "Jangle Pop" and spearheading the alternative music scene which would blossom throughout the 80s. But this record is more than just a footnote in musical history, the record is indeed timeless - in that you simply cannot place the music in any other era before of after. It was a standalone, and it simply is. It's a stunning record from start to finish, with the brilliantly disco-esque Radio Free Europe opening it with such a potency, before Pilgrimage welcomes a sort of call of arms for the music scene and charges through the record, taking breathes only for the beautiful Talk About The Passion, Perfect Circle and Shaking Through. Murmur is a record which continues to intrigue and inspire me. With it's chiming, crystalline guitars, unconventional harmonies and mumbled verses which rather than alienate the listener but instead draw you in to discover what Stipe is singing, it was a masterstroke of production, truly creating an atmospheric record filled with mythology. Inspirational from first note to last, alternative rock, and my love for music, was never the same after hearing this record.

"Pilgrimage"

"Radio Free Europe"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wTFTAS1ji8

transformers
Eminem, "The Marshall Mathers LP"
, 2000

Image

"Stan"

"Drug Ballad"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk2YNFC9sAA

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by Leestu »

silversurfer19 wrote:

Leestu Beck, “Mellow Gold”, 1994 -....It's kind of funny that you like this record for its inaccessibility yet you commented on NSpan's Band Of Skulls pick, suggesting the section you don't like is when it becomes less accessible! Funny how music works I guess!
Just to clarify: I actually really like the whole Band of Skulls album, I was more saying it's such an awesome start with the first few songs....and Nspan used the term "accessibility" as the possible reason, not me. :D

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

Ozzy: Like what others said, the first song was a very nice surprise, but the second didn't really hold my attention.

Geez: I bought this the other week on the back of other recommendations. Still getting used to it, but loving it so far. Here Comes A Regular is so great.

Leetsu: I've always respected but never loved Beck. I do appreciate him mixing hip-hop, indie, and folk so early in the 90s, but I just don't have the urge to listen to more. Good songs anyway.

NSpan: It may be a 10 minute song but actually felt like a 3 minute one. This is the best Zep stuff I've heard so far. Might even make me get an album. Nice work!

Ron B: Tool sounds like a mix of Pearl Jam and NIN. Considering I'm not particularly into either of those acts, it's understandable that this didn't rock my world too much.

SS: I've yet to really look back that far into rock, but those songs were really good. An obvious influence on Tom Waits.

Tranny: I've said it many times, but I really dislike Muse and all their ridiculous indulgences.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by englishozzy »

#40

The Replacements - Tim - 7/10
Beck - Mellow Ground - 6/10
The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed - 6/10
Tool - Undertow - 7/10
Howlin' Wolf - Moanin' in the Moonlight - 5/10
Muse - Black Holes and Revelations - 10/10
Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti - 8/10
"Then telephone for an axe"

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by englishozzy »

#39

Slayer, "Divine Intervention", 1994

Image

My favourite Slayer album, Divine Intervention firmly put Slayer above the rest in a transitional time for music. Instead of wielding to bands such as Nirvana and Pearl Jam, Slayer continued to produce the heavier music to set them apart from the trend-setters.

Killing Fields


Serenity in Murder
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wio0OLTDHxw
"Then telephone for an axe"

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.39

englishozzy Slayer, "Divine Intervention", 1994 - Didn't really appeal. I can sense a real Metallia influence here, but it doesn't have the same hooks that band could utilise to grab my attention. Just a bit angry, really.

Geezer Against Me!, "White Crosses", 2010 - First song was pleasant enough I guess, but I'm sure this band don't go for pleasant. It just didn't grab me while at the same time being unoffensive. Second song was a little better, but overall I think I prefer their work on New Wave.

Leestu The Lemonheads, “It’s a Shame About Ray”, 1992 - Certainly a contender for my own countdown, and great song choices, Bit Part and Drug Buddy are two of my favourite tracks from the record alongside Rudderless, Kitchen and Ceiling Fan In My Spoon. Just a very honestly enjoyable record, like you say, the band didn't give any preconceptions of what to expect, it's just great pop music. Evan Dando was a highly underrated songwriter and produced some real gems with The Lemonheads, and this is certainly their best effort.

NSpan The Violent Femmes, "The Violent Femmes", 1983 - Great song choice for a fantastic record. Surprised to see them even turn up on the countdown to be honest, I'd almost given up hope of having anyone else pick it. I've not really explored any of their other material so will have to check out Hallowed Ground.

numbersix Manic Street Preachers, “Holy Bible”, 1994 - And here I was thinking I was the only Manics fan on here. You'll be hearing more from this monumental record in the future from myself. Yes, I know it's hard to imagine, but I did spend my youth sitting in my bedroom listening to this and reading Sylvia Plath... I think I've come to terms that Richey will never reappear though. It did tear my heart out for a good couple of years.

Ron Burgundy Kanye West, "The Late Registration", 2005 - Definitely one of the more interesting acts in the hip hop genre, he generally uses his samples well to make simple and catchy pop music. Not something I'd ever buy, but I can understand why he is so popular....

transformers Eminem, "The Marshall Mathers LP", 2000 - ....However, for the most part I just don't get Eminem. I get why people like him, they like his humour, his dark lyrics, but I just don't find the appeal. And add to that, musically it just isn't all that inspiring. Plus is reminds me of my sister blaring it out on her stereo non-stop for a couple of months. Yikes!

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by numbersix »

Ozzy: It's better than modern metal, but generally not my thang.

Geez: I get confused with all the Against acts, but I think these are the ones I like the least. The usual anthemic stuff.

Leetus: I think you correctly identified the reason why I was never a fan of the Lemonheads: they always settled too easily. They never wanted to rock the boat, so they sound very much like an act from the era but not one that defined it or changed it. The third song wasn't bad though.

NSpan: Those two songs were great, especially the first. They seem like aband who were unfortunate enough to have a hit like Blister in the Sun, unfairly portraying them as one hit wonders. I've liked everything I heard from this album and their follow-up.

Ron B: I don't mind Kanye. Sure, he's a moron and is spawning the child of one of the most brainless women on the planet, but he can make some catchy hip-hop. These songs weren't bad at all.

SS: An album that's already on my list. First song was decent but I do love Radio Free Europe. You can hear the influence of the Feelies (a band you introduced me to) on this record, as well as the excellent Pylon.

Tranny: Stan is okay, though Dido is a little irritating. The second song didn't do a whole lot.

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by silversurfer19 »

Album No.38

englishozzy,
To Be Added At A Later Date

Geezer
Third Eye Blind, "Third Eye Blind"
, 1997

Image

1.Losing a Whole Year – 4 stars
2.Narcolepsy – 4 stars
3.Semi-Charmed Life – 5 stars
4.Jumper – 5 stars
5.Graduate – 5 stars
6.How's It Gonna Be – 5 stars
7.Thanks A Lot – 3 stars
8.Burning Man – 4 stars
9.Good For You – 3 stars
10.London – 4 stars
11.I Want You – 4 stars
12.The Background – 3 stars
13.Motorcycle Drive By – 5 stars
14.God of Wine – 4 stars

I know this isn't going to be a terribly popular selection, but oh well. This was an essential album of the era I grew up in. Getting to see them live a few years ago just reignited my love for this band. It's not particularly innovative, just catchy, pop-rock melodies that scream 90's. You'll see more of that as we go on this countdown, I can assure you. You'll remember Motorcycle Drive By from my top 100 songs, it was in my top 25, and I'm sure there's others everyone has heard as well.

"Motorcycle Drive By"

"Graduate"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmrC_Pij5gc

Leestu
R.E.M., “Document”
, 1987

Image

This album was my introduction to R.E.M. who would go on to became one of my favourite bands ever. I remember being a struggling uni student when this album came out but I felt it was important enough for me to blow half of my weekly allowance on purchasing it. Money well spent!

“King of Birds”

“Oddfellows Local 151”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXVwtQdhVNM

NSpan
To Be Added At A Later Date

numbersix
Sigur Ros, "( )"
, 2002

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Post-rock is a very college music genre, quite lofty, quite intellectual in some ways. Sigur Ros managed to become huge because the overwhelming power of their music and vocals enabled them to access even the coldest heart.

I already mentioned I had first experienced these guys when they were supporting Godspeed You Black Emperor, and I still remember being bowled over by their live show. I don’t think the band have ever been able to capture that in their studio efforts, but this is the closest they have come. Ignore the pretentious title (or lack of). This is a beautiful record. It’s tender and delicate in places, incredibly sad at times, and elative in others. The great thing about having no lyrics (it’s all gibberish) is that we insert our mood in the music, and I’ve spoken to fans who have wildly difference opinions on the emotion each song is trying to convey.

Some will remember the 4th track (originally called Njosnavelin) from the end of Vanilla Sky, which made the scene a lot better than it really was. It’s a wonderful piece of music. Enjoy.

"Track 4 (Njosnavelin)"

"Track 6 (E-bow)"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnXuLNOwzDk

Ron Burgundy
Nine Inch Nails, "The Downward Spiral"
, 1994

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"A Warm Place"

"Eraser"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfGoVSmxovE

silversurfer
Weezer, "Pinkerton"
, 1996

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While you may recall NSpan notes this as Weezer's last record, for me, I appreciate many of the songs which were to follow, but essentially the band which Rivers formed would never be the same after Pinkerton. This is a brutally emotional album, one in which Rivers truly wears his heart on his sleeve, but instead of making a sombre record to reflect the mood, instead it's fun, bouncy and very, very catchy. Marrying the two aesthetics would be difficult if not impossible for most bands, but Weezer were not most bands. The energy is just as vibrant as on their debut, the lyrics as emotive and addictive, and the band's enthusiasm intoxicating. When first hearing this after the long gap since The Blue Album, I noted the darker themes but could not stop listening to the music. Rivers was able to capture that torn emotion that we have felt at some point in our lives; searching for true love, being hurt in relationships, long distance relationships, lesbian deception and underage love.... those last two just me, then. Ahem. What could this album have become if Songs From The Black Hole was ever released, well I guess as a final product we'll never know (though the bootleg I... acquired gives a decent indication of a wonderful conept album). But this is a damned good substitute. Anyway, NSpan and Geez have already combined to steal away three of my favourite songs from the record (Tired Of Sex, Across The Sea and The Good Life), but such is the quality of this record you can easily shuffle through the record and still come across another couple of storming tracks.

"Why Bother"

"Pink Triangle"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsVyBHJrNQw

transformers
Rage Against the Machine, "Evil Empire"
, 1996

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"People of the Sun"

"Vietnow"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sqFprD6qIs

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Re: Fantaverse Top 100 Albums Of All Time (Thread #7) #40-#3

Post by NSpan »

#38

The Byrds - Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)

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Forget what you think you know about The Byrds on this one. David Crosby had just left the band, and guitarist Roger McGuinn had a loose idea for a concept album based on the history of American music. Searching for a jazz pianist, they stumbled across full-time alien hunter, part-time country-rock figure, Gram Parsons. Parsons did his best jazz impersonation on an old piano and was made a semi-official member of the band. But it wasn't long before he hijacked the entire outfit and turned their next album into his personal passion project. Let's get one thing clear: what you're about to hear isn't "country music." At least not according to the entire country music establishment in 1968. Though parts were recorded in Nashville with some legit country music session musicians, the Nashville community saw these long-haired Los Angeles-natives as a bunch of hippie freaks that stood as a threat to their values. Meanwhile, the Byrds counterculture fanbase in Los Angeles simply didn't know what to make of it. To be frank, everybody hated it--and it didn't sell. That said, The Byrds were still an international force by this time. That meant their record was distributed far and wide, with many people listening to it (even if ultimately dismissing it). Gram Parsons recorded a couple more great records (this time with the Flying Burrito Brothers), then promptly OD'd in the Joshua Tree National Park following a 48-hour morphine-and-alchohol-fueled search for extraterrestrial life. Meanwhile, the Byrds eased back into their jangly psychedelic folk-rock... and nobody really talked about the whole affair for a little while. But, unbeknownst to them, a groundswell had started. Sweetheart of the Radio gained a cult status amongst fringe members of the folk-rock and hippie communities, while also gaining the attention of progressive country artists in Texas and California. The pillars of Nashville had been shaken. Though the term "country rock" may have been apt at the time, that branding quickly became overtaken by music manufactured specifically for mass consumption and assured not to offend. In hindsight, the Byrds--with a lot of help from Gram Parsons--may have recorded the first widely-heard "alt-country" album ever.

Side 1
1. "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere"
2. "I Am a Pilgrim"
3. "The Christian Life"
4. "You Don't Miss Your Water"
5. "You're Still on My Mind"
6. "Pretty Boy Floyd"

Side 2
1. "Hickory Wind"
2. "One Hundred Years from Now"
3. "Blue Canadian Rockies"
4. "Life in Prison"
5. "Nothing Was Delivered"

"Nothing Was Delivered"


"One Hundred Years From Now"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpAtReodpu0
Last edited by NSpan on January 13th, 2013, 6:58 pm, edited 1 time in total.
On the run from Johnny Law ... ain't no trip to Cleveland.

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