Well as implied, they are quite different. But since I mentioned it in this thread, of course I think it's worth having. ;)

i think its worth having....but it's defiantly by the numbers hardcore....you could look at 'Songs To Fan The Flames of Discontent' as almost their cross over album

Correct. All 3 are great, IMO, in their own way.

http://images.businessweek.com/ss/06...skylarking.jpg

XTC - Skylarking

I always thought this album was just ok, but I put it on last night and had one of those revelatory "this album is the SHIIT" moments. Since I never really thought much about them, I never checked out any other albums. What should I go for next?

English Settlement

http://www.project-11.com/wp-content...llmatic_pv.jpg

second half of this album is straight bangers.

Whole album! I still remember the day I first heard this. I was like 17 or 18 and working at McDonald's in suburban Houston. Friends and I were hanging out in the parking lot, when this new employee from Brooklyn comes over and is playing some Nas, I think he had a boom box, no joke. We were all blown away by this album, and I've since considered it one of my favorite rap albums. The extent of my rap/hip-hop knowledge/appreciation at the time consisted of Cypress Hill, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, A Tribe Called Quest, Pharcyde and the like.

sidewinder: excellent taste as usual

anticipation: where's the love for side 1?

Black Sea, Drums and Wires, English Settlement, Go 2, The Big Express, The Dukes of Stratosphear

it just doesn't measure up when you look at it comparatively. The Genesis is filler, NY State of Mind and The World Is Yours are overrated, and i don't particularly care for Halftime.