101 Albums I Love (lyrics, electronic, alternative, blues, country)

sleepy jack · 08-31-2007, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban Hatemonger

I did

Jesus Urban, how were you ever comfortable with the order you put them in? I've got mine all figured out and i've spent pretty much all day switching everything around and when I think i'm done I move one album then im like "Fuck" and end up moving a whole bunch and it annoys me I can't get it right >.<

And Jayetc, The Opposite of December is a great album. My favorite metalcore album, and Nerdy is fantastic my favorite metal song easily.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-31-2007, 07:37 PM

I was still changing it up till I did the top 5

sleepy jack · 08-31-2007, 07:38 PM

Ahh, I think i'll start then and take a break from getting picky with it.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-31-2007, 07:40 PM

Now you know why mine took about a year to finish

Son of JayJamJah · 08-31-2007, 07:51 PM

85.

Rush - Moving Pictures (1981)
The eighth time is a charm for the greatest Canadian progressive rock trio of the last 30 years. But seriously, this was the first time I really gave Rush and fair shot and it turned me on to their music and I now enjoy this album and 2112. "Tom Sawyer" is probably Rush's best known single and a track you will recognize even if you don't know the band. As was the case with a lot of their music these mega-talented Canucks wear ahead of their time musically. Instrumental track "YYZ" sounds like a new song more then one written almost thirty years ago. It's inspiration is also a great story as it was inspired by an airport Morse code pattern. "Limelight" has among the best phrasing and transitions of any song I've ever heard and is a Rush standard as well. It is a Shakespearian story of Peart's discomfort with fame and the burdens it brings. There is also the 11 minute synthesizer driven "Camera's Eye" and the third installment of the fear series "Witch Hunt". If you don't know Rush and their music, buy this album.

Musical Content: ****
Artistic Content: ****
Impact: ***

Favorite Song: Limelight

84.

The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead (1970)
"God Damn well I declare" Workingman's Dead is a folky jaunt into the psychedelic. The opening track "Uncle John's Band" is in my opinion the best song the dead ever produced. The Bluegrass style acoustic sound and the harmonizing vocals are it's trademark. The closing track "Casey Jones" is among the Dead most popular tracks and gives us the memorable opening line "Driving that train High on Cocaine". The middle six tracks are largely country influenced folk music and lend the title of the album because they we're born out of Garcia's Merle Haggard "Workingman Blues" cover. My favorite among them is Robert Hunter's "Easy Wind". The album was recorded in a rush because of pending drug charges and increasing debt that crippled the band at the time making the accomplishment even more impressive.
Musical Content: ***
Artistic Content: ***
Impact: *****

Favorite Song: Uncle John's Band

83.

Jack Johnson - On and On (2003)
Thank goodness for acoustic folk and rock music today. I can't see how anyone would not enjoy this music as background at the least. On and On is not his strongest effort but still a very good album from end to end. "Times like these" is a solid opening track written about the 9\11 aftermath. "Taylor" is a catchy riff driven acoustic song with a snappy memorable intro. Dig the baseline on "Wasting Time" or the Rhythm of "Rodeo Clowns" to really get a feel for the sound he's aiming for. Back to back middle tracks "Holes to Heaven" and "Dreams be Dreams" are great mellow jams with a cozy mood for the later hours. The best track on the album in my mind is "Mediocre Bad Guys" chalked full of feeling, great lyrics with creative patterns & phrasing and catchy fills.
Musical Content: *****
Artistic Content: ***
Impact: ***

Favorite Song: Mediocre Bad Guys

82.

The Velvet Underground - Loaded (1970)
The fourth effort by the band and the last with Lou Reed. One major strike against the album is the absence of drummer Mo Tucker. The standout performances of LP are "Rock & Roll" a real Rock & Roll Jam with upbeat lyrics and melodies throughout and the often imitated but never duplicated "Sweet Jane" that stills gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Still like all great albums it takes more then a few hits to make them notable and this one is "Loaded", to borrow the phrase, in more ways then one. The first track "Who loves the Sun" is a catchy little ditty that reminds us of their Andy Warhol days. There is also the far out track "Cool it Down" with a haunting dual lead vocal effect. While this is a sort of Velvet Underground swan song, it is also an evolution for the group. Warhol's influence and gravitas are gone and the music is still brilliant. To close their final album it'd be hard to write a better song then "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" a harmonious lighters up swaying in the breeze type number.
Musical Content: ****
Artistic Content: ****
Impact: ****

Favorite Song: Sweet Jane

Son of JayJamJah · 08-31-2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Crowquill

Jesus Urban, how were you ever comfortable with the order you put them in? I've got mine all figured out and i've spent pretty much all day switching everything around and when I think i'm done I move one album then im like "Fuck" and end up moving a whole bunch and it annoys me I can't get it right >.<

And Jayetc, The Opposite of December is a great album. My favorite metalcore album, and Nerdy is fantastic my favorite metal song easily.

I totally feel y'alls pain already. I have been swapping all week. In the end though, I'll not be as concerned with the exact order as much as the list as a whole. It's be a shame to exclude on of my favorite LP's simply by forgetting to mention it.

That's awesome about Poison the Well too Crow, it's among my favorite new metal as well. You can call me J.J if you want, everyone I know does.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-31-2007, 08:01 PM

Loaded is a very under rated album.

But i'm glad that John Cale had left by then because I prefer his solo stuff to either The Velvet Underground or Lou Reed's solo stuff.

Son of JayJamJah · 08-31-2007, 08:03 PM

John Cale = Immense Talent

Not a huge fan of his stuff though, still I respect the hell out of it.

What tracks do you like of Loaded Urban?

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-31-2007, 08:11 PM

I think one of the reasons I like the album is not because the individual songs are amazing or anything but because I can listen to it as an album.
One of the things that's always bothered me about the Velvet Underground is that for every great song you get , you get a really awful unlistenable one.
The beauty of Loaded for me is although the best songs on it are not as great as some of the ones on other albums , because it's probably their most mainstream sounding album the worst songs on it are not as unlistenable as some of the worst songs on the other albums.

If that makes any sense

Son of JayJamJah · 08-31-2007, 08:28 PM

81.

Soundgarden - Superunknown (1994)
Remeber this Shit? To me one of the most underrated commercial successes of the 1990's. "Spoonman", "Fell on Black Days", "Superunkown", "My Wave" and of course "Black Hole Sun" all charted as singles in the 18 months following the release of the album. Spoonman is about a Seattle street performer named Artie for those of you who had always wondered, Google it sometime. Cornell's dark melancholy lends itself to some painstakingly real lyrics. "Fourth of July" is a musical narrative of a bad acid trip and a great track near the end of the album. "The day I tried to live" deals with the suicide attempts of a friend of the band. So like most great music, Soundgarden's Superunkown is born out of pain, which translates to pleasure as you listen.
Musical Content: ****
Artistic Content: ****
Impact: ****

Favorite Song: Fourth of July

80.

System of a Down - Mezmerize (2005)
System of a Down's fourth album is the first of a part release, the other being Hypnotize. The album features dual lead vocals by Serj and Daron and The Iraq was is a major theme of the album from the intro track "Solider Side" to the radio single "B.Y.O.B" which garnered attention when the graphic explicit lyrics at the end of the song made it over national airways on Saturday Night Live when the band failed to alter the ending of the song as they had rehearsed. There is also the thundering System styled "Revenga", the eclectic "Radio\Video" and my personal favorite "Question!" a haunting and energetic track in the middle of the album. The last two tracks deal with Hollywood culture and there is a great story attached to "Old School Hollywood" which is a song about a celebrity softball game in which Hollywood mogul Jack Girardi and Adam Carrola almost came to blows. The energy and creativity on "Mezmerize" are typical of System of a Down and the consistent quality of the songs as well as the thoughtful track ordering make it a great Metal album.
Musical Content: ****
Artistic Content: ****
Impact: ****

Favorite Song: Question!

79.

311 - Grassroots (1994)
The second 311 album and the one that made me a fan for life. There is an amazing synergy within this album, a myriad of styles mix together to create the most creative pop\rock album of the year 1994. "Applied Science" was the first song that I got into and before long I was listening to the entire album 2 or 3 times a day. The critics and radio also loved Grassroots as singles "Homebrew", with it's catchy chorus and Led Zeppelin guitar riff and title track "Grassroots" with it's thumping rhythm were 311's biggest successes ever at the time. In addition the unique "Omaha Stylee" which is almost like three songs trapped in one provided a funky edge to 311's sound that would continue to explore in future albums. The Choruses on the Grassroots album have some of the best hooks I have heard. Still one of the most popular albums with hardcore fans of 311, many of whom follow them each summer that they tour.
Musical Content: ****
Artistic Content: ***
Impact: *****

Favorite Song: Omaha Stylee

78.

KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap (1993)
For those who do not know: The artist name means Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone. The album name references a return to the roots of hip-hop music. It was KRS-One's first solo project, his previous albums had been released with Boogie Down Productions. The Rap\Reggae influenced album touches on subjects from racism and police discrimination with tracks like "Black Cop" and "Sound of Da Police", the state of hip-hop past and present in "Mortal Thought", the title track "Return of the Boom Bap" and the autobiographical "Outta Here". The album also contains the humorous dream sequence "Can't Wake Up" as Kris dreams of being a blunt being smoked by hip-hops biggest names. This is KRS-One best effort as an emcee; classic hip-hop beats back some of the most creative and crushing lyrics in rap history. Despite going on 15 years old "Boom Bap" stands the test of time better then you might think.
Musical Content: ***
Artistic Content: *****
Impact: ****

Favorite Song: Outta Here

08-31-2007, 07:37 PM	#22 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I was still changing it up till I did the top 5 __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-31-2007, 07:40 PM	#24 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Now you know why mine took about a year to finish __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-31-2007, 07:51 PM	#25 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	85. *Rush - Moving Pictures* (1981) The eighth time is a charm for the greatest Canadian progressive rock trio of the last 30 years. But seriously, this was the first time I really gave Rush and fair shot and it turned me on to their music and I now enjoy this album and 2112. "Tom Sawyer" is probably Rush's best known single and a track you will recognize even if you don't know the band. As was the case with a lot of their music these mega-talented Canucks wear ahead of their time musically. Instrumental track "YYZ" sounds like a new song more then one written almost thirty years ago. It's inspiration is also a great story as it was inspired by an airport Morse code pattern. "Limelight" has among the best phrasing and transitions of any song I've ever heard and is a Rush standard as well. It is a Shakespearian story of Peart's discomfort with fame and the burdens it brings. There is also the 11 minute synthesizer driven "Camera's Eye" and the third installment of the fear series "Witch Hunt". If you don't know Rush and their music, buy this album. Musical Content: ** Artistic Content: Impact: * Favorite Song: Limelight 84. *The Grateful Dead - Workingman's Dead* (1970) "God Damn well I declare" Workingman's Dead is a folky jaunt into the psychedelic. The opening track "Uncle John's Band" is in my opinion the best song the dead ever produced. The Bluegrass style acoustic sound and the harmonizing vocals are it's trademark. The closing track "Casey Jones" is among the Dead most popular tracks and gives us the memorable opening line "Driving that train High on Cocaine". The middle six tracks are largely country influenced folk music and lend the title of the album because they we're born out of Garcia's Merle Haggard "Workingman Blues" cover. My favorite among them is Robert Hunter's "Easy Wind". The album was recorded in a rush because of pending drug charges and increasing debt that crippled the band at the time making the accomplishment even more impressive. Musical Content: * Artistic Content: * Impact: *** Favorite Song: Uncle John's Band 83. Jack Johnson - On and On (2003) Thank goodness for acoustic folk and rock music today. I can't see how anyone would not enjoy this music as background at the least. On and On is not his strongest effort but still a very good album from end to end. "Times like these" is a solid opening track written about the 9\11 aftermath. "Taylor" is a catchy riff driven acoustic song with a snappy memorable intro. Dig the baseline on "Wasting Time" or the Rhythm of "Rodeo Clowns" to really get a feel for the sound he's aiming for. Back to back middle tracks "Holes to Heaven" and "Dreams be Dreams" are great mellow jams with a cozy mood for the later hours. The best track on the album in my mind is "Mediocre Bad Guys" chalked full of feeling, great lyrics with creative patterns & phrasing and catchy fills. Musical Content: * Artistic Content: * Impact: * Favorite Song: Mediocre Bad Guys 82. The Velvet Underground - Loaded (1970) The fourth effort by the band and the last with Lou Reed. One major strike against the album is the absence of drummer Mo Tucker. The standout performances of LP are "Rock & Roll" a real Rock & Roll Jam with upbeat lyrics and melodies throughout and the often imitated but never duplicated "Sweet Jane" that stills gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. Still like all great albums it takes more then a few hits to make them notable and this one is "Loaded", to borrow the phrase, in more ways then one. The first track "Who loves the Sun" is a catchy little ditty that reminds us of their Andy Warhol days. There is also the far out track "Cool it Down" with a haunting dual lead vocal effect. While this is a sort of Velvet Underground swan song, it is also an evolution for the group. Warhol's influence and gravitas are gone and the music is still brilliant. To close their final album it'd be hard to write a better song then "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" a harmonious lighters up swaying in the breeze type number. Musical Content: Artistic Content: Impact: Favorite Song:** Sweet Jane Last edited by Son of JayJamJah; 08-31-2007 at 08:30 PM.

08-31-2007, 08:01 PM	#27 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	Loaded is a very under rated album. But i'm glad that John Cale had left by then because I prefer his solo stuff to either The Velvet Underground or Lou Reed's solo stuff. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-31-2007, 08:11 PM	#29 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	I think one of the reasons I like the album is not because the individual songs are amazing or anything but because I can listen to it as an album. One of the things that's always bothered me about the Velvet Underground is that for every great song you get , you get a really awful unlistenable one. The beauty of Loaded for me is although the best songs on it are not as great as some of the ones on other albums , because it's probably their most mainstream sounding album the worst songs on it are not as unlistenable as some of the worst songs on the other albums. If that makes any sense __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-31-2007, 08:03 PM	#28 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	John Cale = Immense Talent Not a huge fan of his stuff though, still I respect the hell out of it. What tracks do you like of Loaded Urban?

08-31-2007, 08:28 PM	#30 (permalink)
Son of JayJamJah Occams Razor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: End of the Earth Posts: 2,472	81. *Soundgarden - Superunknown* (1994) Remeber this Shit? To me one of the most underrated commercial successes of the 1990's. "Spoonman", "Fell on Black Days", "Superunkown", "My Wave" and of course "Black Hole Sun" all charted as singles in the 18 months following the release of the album. Spoonman is about a Seattle street performer named Artie for those of you who had always wondered, Google it sometime. Cornell's dark melancholy lends itself to some painstakingly real lyrics. "Fourth of July" is a musical narrative of a bad acid trip and a great track near the end of the album. "The day I tried to live" deals with the suicide attempts of a friend of the band. So like most great music, Soundgarden's Superunkown is born out of pain, which translates to pleasure as you listen. Musical Content: ** Artistic Content: Impact: Favorite Song: Fourth of July 80. System of a Down - Mezmerize (2005) System of a Down's fourth album is the first of a part release, the other being Hypnotize. The album features dual lead vocals by Serj and Daron and The Iraq was is a major theme of the album from the intro track "Solider Side" to the radio single "B.Y.O.B" which garnered attention when the graphic explicit lyrics at the end of the song made it over national airways on Saturday Night Live when the band failed to alter the ending of the song as they had rehearsed. There is also the thundering System styled "Revenga", the eclectic "Radio\Video" and my personal favorite "Question!" a haunting and energetic track in the middle of the album. The last two tracks deal with Hollywood culture and there is a great story attached to "Old School Hollywood" which is a song about a celebrity softball game in which Hollywood mogul Jack Girardi and Adam Carrola almost came to blows. The energy and creativity on "Mezmerize" are typical of System of a Down and the consistent quality of the songs as well as the thoughtful track ordering make it a great Metal album. Musical Content: Artistic Content: Impact: Favorite Song: Question! 79. 311 - Grassroots (1994) The second 311 album and the one that made me a fan for life. There is an amazing synergy within this album, a myriad of styles mix together to create the most creative pop\rock album of the year 1994. "Applied Science" was the first song that I got into and before long I was listening to the entire album 2 or 3 times a day. The critics and radio also loved Grassroots as singles "Homebrew", with it's catchy chorus and Led Zeppelin guitar riff and title track "Grassroots" with it's thumping rhythm were 311's biggest successes ever at the time. In addition the unique "Omaha Stylee" which is almost like three songs trapped in one provided a funky edge to 311's sound that would continue to explore in future albums. The Choruses on the Grassroots album have some of the best hooks I have heard. Still one of the most popular albums with hardcore fans of 311, many of whom follow them each summer that they tour. Musical Content: Artistic Content: * Impact: *** Favorite Song: Omaha Stylee 78. KRS-One - Return of the Boom Bap (1993) For those who do not know: The artist name means Knowledge Reigns Supreme Over Nearly Everyone. The album name references a return to the roots of hip-hop music. It was KRS-One's first solo project, his previous albums had been released with Boogie Down Productions. The Rap\Reggae influenced album touches on subjects from racism and police discrimination with tracks like "Black Cop" and "Sound of Da Police", the state of hip-hop past and present in "Mortal Thought", the title track "Return of the Boom Bap" and the autobiographical "Outta Here". The album also contains the humorous dream sequence "Can't Wake Up" as Kris dreams of being a blunt being smoked by hip-hops biggest names. This is KRS-One best effort as an emcee; classic hip-hop beats back some of the most creative and crushing lyrics in rap history. Despite going on 15 years old "Boom Bap" stands the test of time better then you might think. Musical Content: * Artistic Content: *** Impact: Favorite Song:** Outta Here Last edited by Son of JayJamJah; 09-02-2007 at 06:10 PM.