Top 25 Albums Of All Time, 1-5.
Top 5, here we go.
25. Up The Bracket - The Libertines (2002)
24. Dare! - The Human League (1981)
23. Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips (1999)
22. Pink Flag - Wire (1977)
21. Nevermind - Nirvana (1991)
20. Skylarking - XTC (1986)
19. Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches - Happy Mondays (1990)
18. Disintegration - The Cure (1989)
17. Marquee Moon - Television (1977)
16. Perverted By Language - The Fall (1983)
15. Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972)
14. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco (2002)
13. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground (1967)
12. All Mod Cons - The Jam (1978)
11. The Scream - Siouxsie & The Banshees (1978)
10. Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth (1988)
9. Entertainment! - Gang Of Four (1979)
8. Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks (1979)
7. Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969)
6. Ocean Rain - Echo & The Bunnymen (1984)
5. Substance - Joy Division (1988)
Combining both raw punk brilliance (Warsaw, Digital) with the tense, moody post-punk that began the movement (Transmission, Autosuggestion), this collection of previously uncollected Joy Division material (released 8 years after Ian Curtis' death) strangely eclipses their brilliant albums released in the band's lifetime. Every song on this album drips with Curtis' angst, doubt and lack of confidence, but the music never wallows in gloom, rather it is intensely powerful and moving. Love Will Tear Us Apart, the last song ever recorded by Joy Division, is one of the greatest songs of all time. It's an immortal moving tribute to love destroyed, turned foul and self destructive.
favourite track: Love Will Tear Us Apart
4. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths (1986)
Morrissey is, plainly speaking, one of the greatest lyricists of all time, and Johnny Marr is one of the greatest guitarists. Together, not surprisingly, they created one of the greatest bands. The Queen Is Dead is their masterpiece. No album ever recorded can ever stir the depths of emotion this can, time after time, listen after listen. Morrissey's lyrics and voice evoke so much despair, so much pathetic hopelessness and tender pain that it cuts right through you. The horrible resignation in "as I climb into an empty bed, oh well, enough said" is sometimes hard to bear. If you think I'm going over the top, maybe this isn't an album for you. But as an album that goes over the top itself, I wouldn't do it justice without trying to evoke the kind of emotion it does. A stunning album.
favourite track: I Know It's Over
3. London Calling - The Clash (1979)
The Clash was a great punk album, full of fire and fury. But that's all it was, a great punk album. Give 'Em Enough Rope didn't really do much different. And then came London Calling. No words can describe the depth and breadth of style The Clash explored in this monumental, epic masterpiece. It was like they could do know wrong. They tried it all; the usual punk and reggae, but also rockabilly, ska, pop, lounge jazz, R&B and hard rock. It's one of the most revolutionary albums ever released and the pinnacle of punk music. Over a double album of 19 songs they never once slip, from London Calling to Train In Vain, every song is an anthemic rallying call to their generation. A timeless work of complete genius.
favourite track: Death Or Glory
2. OK Computer - Radiohead (1997)
OK, so I'm just like everyone else. I love this album. It's moody, evocative, and experimental without becoming wank. From beautiful simplicity in No Surprises to chaotic, layered complexity in Paranoid Android; from almost sweet-sounding in Let Down to downright terrifying in Climbing Up The Walls; from uplifiting in Airbag to pessimistically depressing in Karma Police; Radiohead run the entire spectrum of style, mood and feeling on OK Computer, and they pull it off every time. Each song is a polished, lush and gorgeous and the last. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
favourite track: Exit Music (For A Film)
1. Doolittle - Pixies (1989)
So, here it is, my number one album. I could never describe in words how much I love Doolittle, probably because I'm not sure why I love it so much myself. From every Frank Black growl/wail to Kim Deal's lusciously husky voice and meandering basslines, from Joey Santiago's piercing guitar squeal to Dave Lovering's brilliant drumming, every part of this album is amazing. But while every part is amazing, the album manages to be much more than the sum of it's parts, thanks to genius songcraft and brilliantly inventive song structure. It's quirky, wierd, raw, powerful, blissful and purely enjoyable at every turn. From pop perfection (Here Comes Your Man), to twisted longing (Hey), to arty dementia (Debaser, Mr Grieves), to raw power (Crackity Jones, Tame), to dark tension (Gouge Away), to oddly grandiose (Monkey Gone To Heaven), it's all momentous, strange and mind explodingly enjoyable. I can't say any more.
favourite track: Debaser
Well there it is. What do you think? What do you agree with from the 25? What do you disagree with?
25. Up The Bracket - The Libertines (2002)
24. Dare! - The Human League (1981)
23. Soft Bulletin - The Flaming Lips (1999)
22. Pink Flag - Wire (1977)
21. Nevermind - Nirvana (1991)
20. Skylarking - XTC (1986)
19. Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches - Happy Mondays (1990)
18. Disintegration - The Cure (1989)
17. Marquee Moon - Television (1977)
16. Perverted By Language - The Fall (1983)
15. Roxy Music - Roxy Music (1972)
14. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot - Wilco (2002)
13. The Velvet Underground & Nico - The Velvet Underground (1967)
12. All Mod Cons - The Jam (1978)
11. The Scream - Siouxsie & The Banshees (1978)
10. Daydream Nation - Sonic Youth (1988)
9. Entertainment! - Gang Of Four (1979)
8. Singles Going Steady - Buzzcocks (1979)
7. Abbey Road - The Beatles (1969)
6. Ocean Rain - Echo & The Bunnymen (1984)
5. Substance - Joy Division (1988)
Combining both raw punk brilliance (Warsaw, Digital) with the tense, moody post-punk that began the movement (Transmission, Autosuggestion), this collection of previously uncollected Joy Division material (released 8 years after Ian Curtis' death) strangely eclipses their brilliant albums released in the band's lifetime. Every song on this album drips with Curtis' angst, doubt and lack of confidence, but the music never wallows in gloom, rather it is intensely powerful and moving. Love Will Tear Us Apart, the last song ever recorded by Joy Division, is one of the greatest songs of all time. It's an immortal moving tribute to love destroyed, turned foul and self destructive.
favourite track: Love Will Tear Us Apart
4. The Queen Is Dead - The Smiths (1986)
Morrissey is, plainly speaking, one of the greatest lyricists of all time, and Johnny Marr is one of the greatest guitarists. Together, not surprisingly, they created one of the greatest bands. The Queen Is Dead is their masterpiece. No album ever recorded can ever stir the depths of emotion this can, time after time, listen after listen. Morrissey's lyrics and voice evoke so much despair, so much pathetic hopelessness and tender pain that it cuts right through you. The horrible resignation in "as I climb into an empty bed, oh well, enough said" is sometimes hard to bear. If you think I'm going over the top, maybe this isn't an album for you. But as an album that goes over the top itself, I wouldn't do it justice without trying to evoke the kind of emotion it does. A stunning album.
favourite track: I Know It's Over
3. London Calling - The Clash (1979)
The Clash was a great punk album, full of fire and fury. But that's all it was, a great punk album. Give 'Em Enough Rope didn't really do much different. And then came London Calling. No words can describe the depth and breadth of style The Clash explored in this monumental, epic masterpiece. It was like they could do know wrong. They tried it all; the usual punk and reggae, but also rockabilly, ska, pop, lounge jazz, R&B and hard rock. It's one of the most revolutionary albums ever released and the pinnacle of punk music. Over a double album of 19 songs they never once slip, from London Calling to Train In Vain, every song is an anthemic rallying call to their generation. A timeless work of complete genius.
favourite track: Death Or Glory
2. OK Computer - Radiohead (1997)
OK, so I'm just like everyone else. I love this album. It's moody, evocative, and experimental without becoming wank. From beautiful simplicity in No Surprises to chaotic, layered complexity in Paranoid Android; from almost sweet-sounding in Let Down to downright terrifying in Climbing Up The Walls; from uplifiting in Airbag to pessimistically depressing in Karma Police; Radiohead run the entire spectrum of style, mood and feeling on OK Computer, and they pull it off every time. Each song is a polished, lush and gorgeous and the last. It is a masterpiece in every sense of the word.
favourite track: Exit Music (For A Film)
1. Doolittle - Pixies (1989)
So, here it is, my number one album. I could never describe in words how much I love Doolittle, probably because I'm not sure why I love it so much myself. From every Frank Black growl/wail to Kim Deal's lusciously husky voice and meandering basslines, from Joey Santiago's piercing guitar squeal to Dave Lovering's brilliant drumming, every part of this album is amazing. But while every part is amazing, the album manages to be much more than the sum of it's parts, thanks to genius songcraft and brilliantly inventive song structure. It's quirky, wierd, raw, powerful, blissful and purely enjoyable at every turn. From pop perfection (Here Comes Your Man), to twisted longing (Hey), to arty dementia (Debaser, Mr Grieves), to raw power (Crackity Jones, Tame), to dark tension (Gouge Away), to oddly grandiose (Monkey Gone To Heaven), it's all momentous, strange and mind explodingly enjoyable. I can't say any more.
favourite track: Debaser
Well there it is. What do you think? What do you agree with from the 25? What do you disagree with?