The Sane Psycho

18. Alice In Chains- Dirt (1992)

Considered one of the "big four" of Grunge along with Nirvana, Pearl Jam, and Soundgarden (don't worry, you'll be seeing them soon), Alice In Chains burst onto the scene in 1990 with their debut album, Facelift. This album, released in 1992, is considered by most Alice In Chains fans to be their masterpiece, and solidified them as one of the heaviest bands in Alternative music.

I always laugh when people say that Alice In Chains isn't a Metal band. Have they ever listened to this album? Dirt is heavy as ****. Skull crushing riffs and dark, sludgy songs put them firmly on the Metal side of Grunge. The album opens with Them Bones, with it's face melting riff that would make any Metal band proud to be in the same genre as them. Sickman is frantic, manic, and makes you feel anxious. And almost the whole album is heavy, due to the heavy riffs of guitar god Jerry Cantrell, the pounding drums of Sean Kinny, the tight rhythm of bassist of Mike Starr, and of course, Layne Staley's distinct vocals.

Dirt is notorious for being a really dark album, even for Grunge. A lot of Grunge albums contain a lot of angst and inner pain, but this album can actually make one depressed after listening to it. This album is full of songs about drug addiction, depression, anger, suicide, and battling personal demons. It's as if the band members put their personal diaries into song. But not all songs are so dark. Would? is a tribute to Mother Love Bone singer Andrew Wood, and Rooster is about Jerry Cantrell's father, who was a Vietnam vet. They certainly provide some relief for the heavier and darker songs on the album.

Dirt was yet another landmark album in the Grunge genre. Filled with brutally heavy songs, as well as brutally personal songs, this album may not be the most pleasant album to listen to, but if you want pure honesty and reality, this is the album for you.

PierceMusic

I love most of these albums, Sam Lachow just came out with Huckleberry for all you rap fans

Zombeels

Just heard this album. I really liked it. Found it to be sweet and haunting. Thanks for the recommendation.

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What It Is

Zombeels

19. Klaatu - Hope (1977)


Most people know the Moody Blues album Days Of Future Passed where Rock music fuses with classical. Klaatu goes even further to create a whole new sound combining both genres. Hope is a concept album about an advanced ancient civilization that destroys itself. Klaatu was recording this album right around the time that there were rumours about Klaatu being secretly the Beatles. This rumour both helped and hindered them. Their first album 3:47 EST gets most of the attention but this album pulls you along on a journey.

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What It Is

Isbjørn

Hell yeah, Diary! It's goddamn perfect.

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Lisnaholic

Some of the albums here look very interesting and I particularly plan to investigate:-
Zombeel`s choice by Heartless Bastards and Klaatù , Soulflower`s choice by War, YorkeDaddy`s by The Antlers and Goofle`s by The Gris Gris. Many thanks for those recommendations, guys.

However, I have to accuse this list of being way too anglophonic, as such lists often tend to be. So here`s an album from a continent that hasn`t been represented so far, with vocals that transcend linguistic boundaries :-

My apologies for repeating a recommendation that I`ve made elsewhere, but this really is something you should hear before you die - or perhaps as you are dying, in order to set the mood for that cosmic voyage.
( As you`ll see in this poll, it was voted "Excellent" by everyone who took the trouble to vote. According to my arithmatic, that`s 100% :-
http://www.musicbanter.com/country-f...n-huur-tu.html )

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Frownland

^Very nice pick Lisnaholic. I was considering adding it to th list at one point as well because it's one of my favorites

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Studies show that when a given norm is changed in the face of the unchanging, the remaining contradictions will parallel the truth.

Tristesse

20. Life Without Buildings - Any Other City (2001)



The vocal style is unlike anything else I've ever heard, and seems to be the product of having an artist as your singer. I really can't think of the words to describe this album, but if you're into stuff that's a little more abstract you may like this!

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Lisnaholic

Thanks, Frownland. You did a great job yourself on the description of Trout Mask Replica:-
LOL but true.

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"Am I enjoying this moment? I know of it and perhaps that is enough." - Sybille Bedford, 1953

Psy-Fi

21. Linda Perhacs - Parallelograms (1970)

This album is a nearly forgotten psych/folk audio gem that was given new life after being rediscovered and reissued in 2003. A wonderful debut album that, unfortunately, (partly due to being badly pressed by the record label) sank with hardly a trace shortly after being released. This album probably should have made her a star, but she stopped recording music after the album's disastrous debut and wound up continuing her career as a dental hygienist, instead.

If Joni Mitchell had decided to record an album, under the influence of a pleasant acid trip, with the members of Tim Buckley's band circa 1969 (minus Tim) I imagine it would have sounded similar to this. Mellow, trippy, folk/psych/jazz with some avant-garde touches. If I was to whittle my music collection down to 1001 albums (or less) this album would definitely be a keeper.

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She's a Brick House