Fair warning before these next 5...I've been posting, on average, 3 times a week since starting this. Next week I begin a new job that will have me much busier than I currently am, so it will probably get to the point when I will be posting once a week. I'll always say on my facebook page whenever there's a new post, otherwise, you can become a follower of this blog and you'll get a message telling you whenever there's a new post.
I am anticipating some flood gates opening after this 5, but I hold to these choices as my personal top 300 albums, as always. So there. Along with these we'll have a few comments from the maineth Josh and my cousin Mike W. about other musical lists possibly in the making and previous posts on this baby you're reading. A review from said cousin as well and one more from good ole Matt. It's double your pleasure today. Also, a new poll inspired by much discussion of Pink Floyd lately, so, take it! Sgt. Pepper's beat out Revolver as the reader's choice for best Beatles album on the last poll. Not sure how that will work out on the list as we've a long way to go before we get there. We best get crackin'....
245. The Moon And Antarctica - Modest Mouse (2000)
Most fans I know of this band insist this is the best album they've done. I actually think they've gotten better and have done better albums since this indie rock gem, although it does include my fave song by Modest Mouse, 3rd Planet. This was their third album and major label debut. Although it's been said this album was much more experimental than their previous efforts, I would also argue it is much more streamlined and focused. This is especially impressive as this album was also more instrumental than their others, which can often mean lyrics, subject and/or emotion takes a dive. Not so here. Check out Gravity Rides Everything, Dark Center Of The Universe, Paper Thin Walls, I Came As A Rat....many great songs on this one. I would say that this is the first real Modest Mouse album, and their first two were just collections of songs. Big difference.
244. New Train - Paul Pena (1973)
This is truly one of the greatest albums to have almost never been released, and an incredible story. Although recorded in '73, New Train was not available to the music-buying public until 2000. Pena was a blind singer/guitarist/songwriter in San Fran during the late 60s/early 70s. He used to open for the Grateful Dead, and both Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders appear on this, his second album. Due to a dispute with the album's producer, New Train would wait almost 30 years to see the light of day...except for Pena's song Jet Airliner, which Steve Miller took for his own. The royalties Pena made from that one song supported him most of his life. Pena would later become more famous (surprisingly) as a Tuvan throat singer, as documented in the great movie Genghis Blues. To me, this album is the greatest musical accomplishment Pena gave us, and it is ridiculously underappreciated. The whole thing is great and hits several different styles, from the straight R&B and soul of Gonna Move and A Bit Of All Right to the rock of Jet Airliner (better than Miller's version) and Wait On What You Want, the Jimi Hendrixness of Cosmic Mirror and the Grateful Dead inflected Venutian Lady. This is probably an album you don't know, and certainly one that will pay off for you if you find it.
243. From The Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos (1998)
Yup, another Tori, I know you all love it. She did fare better than Lil Wayne in the 'poll of haters' offered earlier in the spring on this blog, though, so I know some of you must be with me. I'll be brief as there will be one more Tori album much higher up. This is her fourth album and was quite the risk as she veered away from her typical piano-driven singer/songwriter folk leanings and busted into great rock songs (Spark, She's Your Cocaine), dance/club tracks (Raspberry Swirl) and radio-friendly electronica (Cruel, Liquid Diamonds). Playboy Mommy is one of my Tori favorites. Lyrically it's still comparable to her earlier albums with most tracks touching on her unfortunate miscarriages prior to recording, but if you know nothing of Tori other than the album I ranked at 286 (Under The Pink), you might think this album is from another artist entirely. And I mean that in the best possible way.
242. Hard Candy - Counting Crows (2002)
This is a band that, in the garage, gets a bum rap. I've had many look at me when an album from this band starts up and say, "Really?" I don't understand this. This was their fourth of five current albums out, and the only one I really didn't dig was the most recent. This was the band's most critically acclaimed album, and I believe it to be their second best for different reasons. To me, the singles American Girls and the hidden Joni Mitchell cover track Big Yellow Taxi make me cringe. These are the tracks most critics like, though. It's just too 'rock band trying to make radio' to me. I love tracks like If I Could Give All My Love, which could have come from The Band. Or the awesomely 80s vibe of New Frontier. Or the beautiful pain of Carriage and Black And Blue that sound like they were written and dismissed as too angsty by James Taylor. That's the thing about this band, they're compared with everyone I've listed along with R.E.M., Van Morrison, even Dylan. The thing is, the great songs on this album, I don't even want to hear by those great artists. Nobody does Counting Crows like Counting Crows. Again, they have a better album coming later, but if all you know is Mr. Jones or that song from Shrek, listen to this album and thank me later while denying to your friends how much you like it.
241. Fear - Toad The Wet Sprocket (1991)
This is the second and last Toad album on the list, as this is the band's best. For more on Toad the band, see #280. This was the album that broke the band....well, as much as Toad broke, anyway. It had two great singles make the Billboard charts with Walk On The Ocean and All I Want. It's a strange album in that it borders adult contemporary, mainstream and modern rock and pop, yet it still holds together as a cohesive creation. The subject matter of the songs range from immigrant farewells to those left behind to the self explanatory pseudo-buddhist I Will Not Take These Things For Granted to Hold Her Down, a song dripping with sarcasm from the point of view of a rapist. I am partial to the short and sweet Nightingale Song. A unique, excellent album who's content should not mesh together as an album, but does brilliantly.
A while back (I think) I told you about some of the other musical lists those I know are becoming inspired to do. One of those was from my best mate Josh, whose crazy idea was to do his top 300 songs, which I wouldn't touch because it would drive me insane. Here is his excellent idea to still do the list and prevent the crazies from occurring....
going to construct top 300 songs WITHOUT USING ANY SONGS ON ROLLING STONES TOP 500. It will make it more challenging, less obvious, and more unique. should be fun.
This is an awesome idea and I am quite excited to see this list. Josh has been working on it and, if it gets finished before this blog does, I will post a link or snippets of his list here. Love that idea. Here's a few comments regarding the list from my cousin, Mike W......
I also agree that Green Day's early stuff is better and has more soul to it, although I'd go a step further back than you did and argue 1039 Slip-Slappy Hours (sic?) is perhaps their greatest album. It's raw and perhaps an under-produced guilty pleasure, but I'm partial to it...
Thanks, cuz. I have something to confess, however, and I usually like to save such things as surprises. There is no Alice In Chains on this list. If there would have been, it would have been the Greatest Hits, or maybe even Unplugged, before Dirt. I loved the band, had all albums, still love certain tracks. When I went back and listened to Dirt a few times, I just never felt it was great. I'd still say Nevermind was the best produced album during that period. I'll agree somewhat on Yield, I like it, but don't love it. And that first album by Green Day, which is actually 4 EPs strung together, is a really good album. That very well may be my second fave by them, it's just Dookie is the only one that made it. We'll hear more comments from Mike W. later, but for now, speaking of Alice In Chains with my cousin...
AIC - Unplugged...I have the utmost respect for Nirvana, but while most folks from the grunge era would argue "Nevermind" is the best album of the era, I respectfully would argue "Dirt" is. FWIW, I also think "In Utero" is better than "Nevermind" as well, although there is no denying "Nevermind" is the most influential, but I digress. Similarly, while most folks would argue Nirvana's Unplugged session was untouchable, I argue as great as that was, AIC one-upped them on the acoustic front too...
Thanks again, cuz, and I'll see if that might spurn some people to throw some comments on here. I admit, personally, I would disagree with most of that, but that AIC Unplugged album is a damn good one. Thoughts from the Peanut gallery?.....
Finally, what would an entry be without a review from Matt...
Scissor Sisters- 'Night Work':
The third album from this band. This album delves deeper into the techno/dance sound the bands known for. A couple of well placed ballads make it a good albums that doesn't wear out. As always with this band most lyrics are hidden innuendos to make it cheeky and guilt free to sing along to. Even though live performance doesn't count on this list, I promise if you can see them and somewhat like them you'll become hard core fans. 'Night Work', 'Running Out', 'Fire with Fire', 'Something like this' and 'Sex and Violence' are the highlights of this album.
Thanks as always, Matt. Scissor Sisters is on this list a little further up the road, but not this album, Matt, it sucks. Ha!
Thanks again to Josh, Mike W and Matt for their contributions. We'll get more from all of them later. I'll try to get another post on here by the end of the week while I still have time to do 2 posts a week! In the meantime, as always, take the Floyd poll and throw some comments at me. Curious to hear more about Nirvana vs. Alice In Chains, or how people feel about Counting Crows, or any damn musical-oriented thing. Light me up, people!
I am anticipating some flood gates opening after this 5, but I hold to these choices as my personal top 300 albums, as always. So there. Along with these we'll have a few comments from the maineth Josh and my cousin Mike W. about other musical lists possibly in the making and previous posts on this baby you're reading. A review from said cousin as well and one more from good ole Matt. It's double your pleasure today. Also, a new poll inspired by much discussion of Pink Floyd lately, so, take it! Sgt. Pepper's beat out Revolver as the reader's choice for best Beatles album on the last poll. Not sure how that will work out on the list as we've a long way to go before we get there. We best get crackin'....
245. The Moon And Antarctica - Modest Mouse (2000)
Most fans I know of this band insist this is the best album they've done. I actually think they've gotten better and have done better albums since this indie rock gem, although it does include my fave song by Modest Mouse, 3rd Planet. This was their third album and major label debut. Although it's been said this album was much more experimental than their previous efforts, I would also argue it is much more streamlined and focused. This is especially impressive as this album was also more instrumental than their others, which can often mean lyrics, subject and/or emotion takes a dive. Not so here. Check out Gravity Rides Everything, Dark Center Of The Universe, Paper Thin Walls, I Came As A Rat....many great songs on this one. I would say that this is the first real Modest Mouse album, and their first two were just collections of songs. Big difference.
244. New Train - Paul Pena (1973)
This is truly one of the greatest albums to have almost never been released, and an incredible story. Although recorded in '73, New Train was not available to the music-buying public until 2000. Pena was a blind singer/guitarist/songwriter in San Fran during the late 60s/early 70s. He used to open for the Grateful Dead, and both Jerry Garcia and Merl Saunders appear on this, his second album. Due to a dispute with the album's producer, New Train would wait almost 30 years to see the light of day...except for Pena's song Jet Airliner, which Steve Miller took for his own. The royalties Pena made from that one song supported him most of his life. Pena would later become more famous (surprisingly) as a Tuvan throat singer, as documented in the great movie Genghis Blues. To me, this album is the greatest musical accomplishment Pena gave us, and it is ridiculously underappreciated. The whole thing is great and hits several different styles, from the straight R&B and soul of Gonna Move and A Bit Of All Right to the rock of Jet Airliner (better than Miller's version) and Wait On What You Want, the Jimi Hendrixness of Cosmic Mirror and the Grateful Dead inflected Venutian Lady. This is probably an album you don't know, and certainly one that will pay off for you if you find it.
243. From The Choirgirl Hotel - Tori Amos (1998)
Yup, another Tori, I know you all love it. She did fare better than Lil Wayne in the 'poll of haters' offered earlier in the spring on this blog, though, so I know some of you must be with me. I'll be brief as there will be one more Tori album much higher up. This is her fourth album and was quite the risk as she veered away from her typical piano-driven singer/songwriter folk leanings and busted into great rock songs (Spark, She's Your Cocaine), dance/club tracks (Raspberry Swirl) and radio-friendly electronica (Cruel, Liquid Diamonds). Playboy Mommy is one of my Tori favorites. Lyrically it's still comparable to her earlier albums with most tracks touching on her unfortunate miscarriages prior to recording, but if you know nothing of Tori other than the album I ranked at 286 (Under The Pink), you might think this album is from another artist entirely. And I mean that in the best possible way.
242. Hard Candy - Counting Crows (2002)
This is a band that, in the garage, gets a bum rap. I've had many look at me when an album from this band starts up and say, "Really?" I don't understand this. This was their fourth of five current albums out, and the only one I really didn't dig was the most recent. This was the band's most critically acclaimed album, and I believe it to be their second best for different reasons. To me, the singles American Girls and the hidden Joni Mitchell cover track Big Yellow Taxi make me cringe. These are the tracks most critics like, though. It's just too 'rock band trying to make radio' to me. I love tracks like If I Could Give All My Love, which could have come from The Band. Or the awesomely 80s vibe of New Frontier. Or the beautiful pain of Carriage and Black And Blue that sound like they were written and dismissed as too angsty by James Taylor. That's the thing about this band, they're compared with everyone I've listed along with R.E.M., Van Morrison, even Dylan. The thing is, the great songs on this album, I don't even want to hear by those great artists. Nobody does Counting Crows like Counting Crows. Again, they have a better album coming later, but if all you know is Mr. Jones or that song from Shrek, listen to this album and thank me later while denying to your friends how much you like it.
241. Fear - Toad The Wet Sprocket (1991)
This is the second and last Toad album on the list, as this is the band's best. For more on Toad the band, see #280. This was the album that broke the band....well, as much as Toad broke, anyway. It had two great singles make the Billboard charts with Walk On The Ocean and All I Want. It's a strange album in that it borders adult contemporary, mainstream and modern rock and pop, yet it still holds together as a cohesive creation. The subject matter of the songs range from immigrant farewells to those left behind to the self explanatory pseudo-buddhist I Will Not Take These Things For Granted to Hold Her Down, a song dripping with sarcasm from the point of view of a rapist. I am partial to the short and sweet Nightingale Song. A unique, excellent album who's content should not mesh together as an album, but does brilliantly.
A while back (I think) I told you about some of the other musical lists those I know are becoming inspired to do. One of those was from my best mate Josh, whose crazy idea was to do his top 300 songs, which I wouldn't touch because it would drive me insane. Here is his excellent idea to still do the list and prevent the crazies from occurring....
going to construct top 300 songs WITHOUT USING ANY SONGS ON ROLLING STONES TOP 500. It will make it more challenging, less obvious, and more unique. should be fun.
This is an awesome idea and I am quite excited to see this list. Josh has been working on it and, if it gets finished before this blog does, I will post a link or snippets of his list here. Love that idea. Here's a few comments regarding the list from my cousin, Mike W......
I also agree that Green Day's early stuff is better and has more soul to it, although I'd go a step further back than you did and argue 1039 Slip-Slappy Hours (sic?) is perhaps their greatest album. It's raw and perhaps an under-produced guilty pleasure, but I'm partial to it...
Thanks, cuz. I have something to confess, however, and I usually like to save such things as surprises. There is no Alice In Chains on this list. If there would have been, it would have been the Greatest Hits, or maybe even Unplugged, before Dirt. I loved the band, had all albums, still love certain tracks. When I went back and listened to Dirt a few times, I just never felt it was great. I'd still say Nevermind was the best produced album during that period. I'll agree somewhat on Yield, I like it, but don't love it. And that first album by Green Day, which is actually 4 EPs strung together, is a really good album. That very well may be my second fave by them, it's just Dookie is the only one that made it. We'll hear more comments from Mike W. later, but for now, speaking of Alice In Chains with my cousin...
AIC - Unplugged...I have the utmost respect for Nirvana, but while most folks from the grunge era would argue "Nevermind" is the best album of the era, I respectfully would argue "Dirt" is. FWIW, I also think "In Utero" is better than "Nevermind" as well, although there is no denying "Nevermind" is the most influential, but I digress. Similarly, while most folks would argue Nirvana's Unplugged session was untouchable, I argue as great as that was, AIC one-upped them on the acoustic front too...
Thanks again, cuz, and I'll see if that might spurn some people to throw some comments on here. I admit, personally, I would disagree with most of that, but that AIC Unplugged album is a damn good one. Thoughts from the Peanut gallery?.....
Finally, what would an entry be without a review from Matt...
Scissor Sisters- 'Night Work':
The third album from this band. This album delves deeper into the techno/dance sound the bands known for. A couple of well placed ballads make it a good albums that doesn't wear out. As always with this band most lyrics are hidden innuendos to make it cheeky and guilt free to sing along to. Even though live performance doesn't count on this list, I promise if you can see them and somewhat like them you'll become hard core fans. 'Night Work', 'Running Out', 'Fire with Fire', 'Something like this' and 'Sex and Violence' are the highlights of this album.
Thanks as always, Matt. Scissor Sisters is on this list a little further up the road, but not this album, Matt, it sucks. Ha!
Thanks again to Josh, Mike W and Matt for their contributions. We'll get more from all of them later. I'll try to get another post on here by the end of the week while I still have time to do 2 posts a week! In the meantime, as always, take the Floyd poll and throw some comments at me. Curious to hear more about Nirvana vs. Alice In Chains, or how people feel about Counting Crows, or any damn musical-oriented thing. Light me up, people!
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