Yes- it's my list of favourite albums thread (music and lyrics, singer)

[jackhammer]

Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords (1995)

I like a lot of Hip Hop. I also dislike a lot of Hip Hop and I am certainly no expert but every now and again I hear an album that reminds me how good the genre can be and how sadly corrupted it has become over the last 10 years.

Liquid Swords is one of those albums and perversely I much prefer this to GZA's regular band Wu Tang Clan. GZA is probably the most experienced member of the influential Wu Tang Clan and he has one of the best flows I have heard in Hip Hop and lyrically he is both incisive and enlightening. The production by fellow Wu Tang member RZA is faultless. It's clean and unfussy. Samples are kept to a minimum and the Samurai cinema samples that are used give the album a shape and flow and don't detract from the clean beats. This is'nt your usual bitch and ho gangster cliches. This is intelligent, street level urban Hip hop which is what the genre is ultimately all about.

Duel Of The Iron Mic:

[simplephysics]

Liquid Swords took a few listens for me to fully appreciate it, but yea, brilliant album.

[FireInCairo]

Killer album.

[jackhammer]

Hawkwind - Sonic Attack (1981)

One of my favourite bands ever and the first album I ever got stoned to when I was a teenager. Although I don't partake anymore, listening to this album always takes me back to a bunch of us in a grotty bedsit with joss sticks, a ton of booze, a bong in the corner and some choice 70's psychedelic music belting out.

There is no point in talking about the actual musical contents, as with Hawkwind you always get trippy space jams and obtuse lyrics although Sonic Attack is a little heavier than previous output.

[jackhammer]

The Jimi Hendrix Experience -Are You Experienced? (1967)

What I would'nt do to have been around in '67 when this beauty hit the shelves. The fucker is now over 40 years old and still blows the crap out of many Rock albums even now. Backed by the brilliant Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, Jimi tore through the U.K with a superlative blend of heavy riffs, Psychedelia and Blues. What is more remarkable is that it all just sounds so effortless and timeless.

It's a cliche but if you only have just a passing interest in heavy rock then this album should be in your collection. If you think that Jimi is just a bunch of stale riffs then check this live version of 'I Don't Live Today' and check that awesome jam round the four minute mark. It makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

[Bulldog]

There's a massive hole in my music library where Hendrix should be. I've always had an interest in him but I've never known where to start. In fact every album on this page are ones I've had an eye for for yonks. Great thread man

[jackhammer]

Hard On's - Dickcheese (1988)

This is not of the finest albums ever made by far. However it does have a huge nostalgic factor for me. I first heard this when a local punk band were tuning up in a local flea pit when everyone knew everyone. This was being played over the pubs system and it was such a blast. I asked stig (bands drummer) who it was and he said he had just imported it on vinyl that day but he would do me a copy. The wanker never did and I have been forever searching for it and nearly 20 years later, found it a few months back.

I had to approach this album with trepidation though. It was half a life time away, I was originally drunk on a pathetically small amount of alcohol when I heard it. Let's just listen to it and file it away under teenage folly I said to myself...Guess what? It did'nt happen. It was EXACTLY as I remembered. Flawed-yes but undeniably a riot. Years before the Pop-Punk phenomonem gained momentum in America, the Hard On's were belting out frat jokes and bubblegum Pop Punk with righteous infectiousness.

As already stated. It's not a classic by far but it's damn fun and genuinely was a breath of fresh air in '88 when punk was essentially buried under a tidal wave of Thrash/Death Metal. Maybe this is why I dislike Green Day so much. Although they have dissimilar sounds, The Hard On's were essentially doing the same thing but with added humour and a distinctly non commercial attitude. this is the only half decent YT vid I could find but if you want a listen just PM.

*apologies. This should have been before Hawkwind alphabetically.

[4ZZZ]

The Hard-Ons are still doing the circuit here in Australia. I think caught them live in the late 80's but can hardly remember them. Who have thunk I would have seen them mentioned here. Good pick jackhammer.

[Alfred]

Sounds good Jackhammer! Real catchy.

[jackhammer]

PJ Harvey-Stories From The City, Stories From The Sea (2000)

Although the angst from her earlier output is missing to a certain extent, this still proves and confirms that PJ Harvey is a damn good songwriter and can imbue her music and lyrics with heart and soul without resorting to cliches.

'Beautiful Feeling' and 'Horses In My Dreams' show PJ delivering her bittersweet trademark lyrics over simple yet exquiste acoustic guitars. Album opener 'Big Exit' is the nearest thing she has come to Pop, if you could ever call PJ pop that is.

PJ is never afraid to fill her music with what she is feeling at the time. She can tread dark paths but she wont leave you feeling isolated. She can rant and wail yet you don't feel excluded. She can crank up the raw guitar sound and still be tender. Quite simply, this is up there with 'Horses' as one of the very best ballsy Female albums.

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