Urban Hat€monger ?

May as well get to the top 10 while i`m off work with flu


13. THE STONE ROSES - THE STONE ROSES (1989)

I always thought it was a shame that I never got to hear this album when it came out given what it did for British pop.I didn`t hear this till long after The Second Coming came out and by that time Britpop was in full flow.I just think it would have been great hearing this when it was totally fresh & original.But even despite all that it`s still better than anything that followed it.I do remember reading a little about the Stone Roses when they first arrived , I was a young metal kid and they didn`t really interest me but they were never out of the papers whether it be for saying something controversial or trashing the offices of their ex record company , there seemed to be an edge to them. I can`t remember a British band making such an impact with their debut since the Sex Pistols.
The music is just pop heaven, anyone would sell their mother to have 3 perfect pop songs opening an album such as I Wanna Be Adored , She Bangs The Drum & Waterfall.But no , it doesn`t just stop there. Don`t Stop is one of the oddest songs i`ve ever heard.It`s basically Waterfall played backwards with a new vocal track over the top of it (played forwards)perfect pop AND experimentation all in one.The album does have a couple of fillers on it but even then there are some bands who would give anything to write fillers as good as these.As the album progresses we`re still not done with the pop gems on offer such as Made Of Stone & (Song For My)Sugar Spun Sister.Shoot You Down sounds like it could have been written at any point during 1967 , But the highlight for me is the extended version of I Am The Resurrection at the end of the album , all 8 minutes of it.4 minutes of one of the best pop songs ever written which decends into a funky jam session with John Squire showing off his talents with a great solo throughout. Not flashy , no guitar wanking, just making a great solo that fits the funkiness of the song before the main riff comes crashing back in again & the song ends.A fitting end to a wonderful album. In fact if they had included a few of their singles at the time on this album (Fools Gold , One Love ,Elephant Stone & Sally Cinnemon) This would have easily got into the top 5.

Favourite Songs - I Wanna Be Adored , She Bangs The Drum , Made Of Stone , I Am The Resurrection



12. THE CURE - FAITH (1981)

You just need to look at the cover to sum this album , it`s bleak, it`s grey , it`s dark & it`s depressing.I love all eras of the Cure , they are one of those bands that you know you will get quality from no matter which album you pick up.Even their worst albums have some great stuff on them.Most people would consider stuff like Pornography or Disintegration as the Cures best albums and I guess musically they are. But I like the simplicity of this album.It`s probably the rawest most emotional album they ever did.Although it is a depressing album I find it very uplifting.Maybe it`s because after hearing this your own problems don`t seem half as bad , who knows.On every single song on this album Robert Smith sounds like he`s about to burst into tears at any given moment.The album starts off with The Holy Hour , a slow lone bass that sounds like it could have come off any Joy Division album that gradually builds to a sombre dirge with Robert Smith echoy vocals low down in the mix just rising above it.And this basically sets the whole tone of the album.Primary follows next and in my opinion of one of the Cure`s best singles ever.It`s the most uptempo song on the album but that by no means makes it a happy song by a long shot.As is Doubt , which basically follows the same pattern , it`s not hard to see why these songs were picked as singles as opposed to the rest of the album.All Cats Are Grey and The Drowning Man sound like they could have easily been lifted off Unknown Pleasures , the latter being one of the most depressing songs I have EVER heard.The title track finishes off the album.A simple track with drum & bass with Robert Smith repeating the mantra "There is nothing left but faith" over and over again. He says it`s the best song he`s ever written.And it is a perfect end to the album.Although it`s dark & depressing it`s almost like there`s a light at the end of it.

Favourite Songs - Primary , Other Voices , The Funeral Party , Faith



11. DAVID HOLMES - BOW DOWN TO THE EXIT SIGN (1999)

One of the reasons I hate music videos is because I like to picture the songs in my own head.I think it makes music more personal when you put your own imagery to the music.This album takes that concept one step further.The album is a soundtrack to a movie.The movie doesn`t actually exist. You imagine it in your head from what you hear on the album.The music is broken up with interludes the album starts off in a bar with a little scene about people ordering drinks and that takes you into the first song Compared To What , a glorious 70s funk style song , after thats done we go into an alleyway outside hearing loads of police sirens before launching into Sick City , a full on hard rock song co-written by Primal Scream & performed by Bobby Gillespie.Primal Scream re-recorded it for their Evil Heat album , but it wasn`t anywhere near as good as this version. The collaberations on this album are what make it so special.You have Bobby G , Jon Spencer of Blues Explosion fame , Martina Topley Bird , my favourite female vocalist and Carl Hancock Rux.Each collaberator gets 2 songs each.As you`d expect Bobbys songs are full on rock songs , Jon Spencers stuff is just plain odd , Martina sings the slower songs that require a big voice and Carl handles the funk side of things , making it a very diverse album.This album to me ends the rubbish said about DJs not being proper musicians.This is one of the most eclectic albums I own and it was all written by Holmes himself.This guy has more musical ability in his little toe that someone like Green Day have in their entire bodies.
Voices, Siren, Rain/Incite A Riot starts off with dialogue from a drug sale and then bursts into a hard hitting heavy peice of funk ,69 Police is a gorgeous piece of instrumental electronica that you may have heard over the end credits of Oceans 11 (David Holmes also does movie scores)Bobby`s back for Slip Your Skin and Martina gives us the wonderful Out Run & Zero Tolerance.
Ever since I bought this on it`s release in 1999 i`ve always gone back to this album , I think it`s a shame so few people have heard it.I think it`s totally unique and I wish he`d hurry up & do another.

Favourite Songs - Compared To What , Sick City , 69 Police , Incite A Riot

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TrampInaTux

Urb I thought you had the Arctic Monkey's album. Oh well, never mind...

Urban Hat€monger ?

Got it on Saturday , not listened to it yet though

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TrampInaTux

You should it's good. A certain romance is one of the songs of the year-the lyrics are amazing.

Urban Hat€monger ?

The Primal Scream live album & the latest UNKLE soundtrack is keeping it off my stereo at the moment.

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TrampInaTux

It's not the best album by any means, but it's still well worth a look. It's good, if heavily overrated.

right-track

I certainly hope Screamadelica hits the top ten Urban and at least a show from Talking Heads in there also. David Bowie perhaps?

Urban Hat€monger ?

Talking heads i`ve had in there Fear Of Music is 40something or other.

Screamadelica & Bowie ...well , they`re quite high up

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TrampInaTux

I'm guessing Low will be number 3/4. Maybe a Queen album in there aswell? You seem like a Queen kinda guy to me.

Urban Hat€monger ?

Nahh i`m not really a Queen fan

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