I've been talking
about doing this list for years and finally I'm
making it happen. I'm making it happen. This list is comprised
of albums that for one reason or another I have grown to love
over the years. Some of them date all the way back before I
was born. I was a child of the 80's. So most of the 80's entries
are kind of nostalgic.
Many
of these albums I dare to consider some of the best
ever written. I hope you enjoy the list and maybe even
feel drawn to check out a few that you are unfamiliar with.
40.
Led Zeppelin-
Physical
Graffiti
(Dreamin')
Of late, there
has been a lot of attention drawn to their sixth album (and only studio
effort that was a double-album), 1975's
Physical Graffiti. While most fans will point to "Stairway To Heaven" as
being the most influential Led Zeppelin tune, other critics have looked
towards "Kashmir" as being the ultimate song that defined the band. Whatever
side of the fence you stand on, there's no denying that
Physical Graffifi is a highwater mark
for a band who prided themselves on excellence.
album review--->
39. Mat Kearney- City of Black and White
(Runaway
Car)
At first listen, this new album
sounds different from the Mat Kearney I grew to know and love from his first
album. There is none of the "rapping" or spoken word that made his first
album's pieces so unique. Some may prefer this new album over the first one,
it just depends on when you first heard his music and enjoyed it. It's
different, but in a good way. He is truly a poet, a musician, and an artist.
If you are new to Mat's music and stumbled upon his newest single, I highly
recommend you purchase both his albums to get a hold of a collection of
really great songs.
38. MuteMath- S/T
(Chaos)
This album is a little
different than most that were released this year, because this album was
really released twice. It has been a big rollercoaster ride for Mute Math
and them putting out their debut full length. They released it earlier this
year on tour, selling it at their shows and using their own money to fund
that. September 26th was when the record was officially released by Warner
Brothers.
album review--->
37. Alice in Chains- Jar Of Flies
(Nutshell)
One of the atmospherically and melodically
varied releases from Alice in Chains, Jar of Flies is less of a hard rock
effort than some of their other releases, but still shines as an excellent
example of Jerry Cantrell's songwriting abilities and Layne Staley's
haunting vocals. The album did produce two songs that got decent radio play,
in "I Stay Away" and "No Excuses," but it's the lesser known tracks that
really make the album, from the interweaving of darker, almost sinister
passages with more soaring tones on "Whale and Wasp," to the outstanding
vocal harmonies and use of harmonica on "Don't Follow." As always, Alice in
Chains do something unique and interesting, which is what really made this
band great to listen to.
36. Jimmy Eat World- Clarity
(Lucky
Denver Mint)Every once in a while, you come across an album that not only impresses you, but just really makes you feel grateful to be alive. Something that just makes the world that much better of a place, knowing that something like this exists. For me, "Clarity" is one of these albums. I enjoy every incarnation of Jimmy Eat World, from the raw, indie punk of the early days, to the more radio-friendly sound they've adopted more recently, but this album is where everything just really came together. "Clarity" is huge, daring, multi-layered, unpredictable, and just mesmerizingly beautiful.
35. Nada Surf- Weight Is A Gift
Before I write anything, you must understand how much I love Nada Surf's previous album, "Let Go". I would certainly put it in my Top 20 favorite albums of all-time. Whenever you have a situation like that, you cross your fingers that their next album can be nearly as good. Well, I would go so far to say it's better, but in a different way.
album review--->
34. Duran Duran- Rio
(Rio)
To this day, the mere mention of Duran Duran in the rock press brings with it much disdain, if not outright dismissal. Classic rock purists sometimes believe their word is gospel, so you won t find many who dare to stray from the guitar-based genre they hold in such high regard -- that is, anything with synthesizers is evil. You'd be very hard pressed to find any Duran Duran album in an American list of top rock albums
album review--->
33. Toad The Wet Sprocket- Fear
I think Fear is probably the most complex of Toad's albums, and with the most variety of moods. If Toad is indeed the thinking man's band, then this album is a quintessential piece of work. You've got beauty in songs like Walk on the Ocean. A rather paradoxical simplistic diversity in "Butterflies," a unique and unusual musical setup coupled with the contrastingly noncomplex central concept of the song. The childish wonder in "Is it For Me", raw anger in "Hold Her Down", human yearning in "All I want", wit in "Something to Say", wistful appreciation in "I Will Not Take These Things For Granted"...Glen Phillips' lyrics are characteristically haunting, and musically speaking, the depth of the band is incredible.
32. Doves-
Some Cities
If "The Last Broadcast", Doves' last album, provoked the feeling of a band playing from some etherial plane far above the heads of their listeners, this time Doves places the music directly in your face, as if you were watching them perform in some cramped club in the middle of some large city. This music is much more gritty than The Last Broadcast, even moreso than "Lost Souls," and Doves pulls it off, too: but not without a few bumps along the way.
31. Blind Melon- S/T
(Change)
album review--->
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