68. Spiritualized - Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (1997)
If there`s one thing I love it`s big sounding albums , and this is BIG.It almost sounds like it could have been produced by Phil Spector.If I had to describe this album to anyone I would say it`s stoner rock meets classical music.There`s a great cameo on this album from Dr John on Cop Shoot Cop ,and the London Community Gospel Choir crop up on a number of songs to make this album something special. My only regret about this album was the version of Come Together on here, as good as it is is not the special version they released as a single backed up with a full orchestra. I remember getting goosebumps the first time I heard that song it was so good. When I bought this I got the special limited edition that came as a pill box , complete with sleeve notes written as a perscription & the CD itself came out of a plastic packet with foil over it just like a packet of pills, needless to say 8 years later the whole thing is scratched to hell because of that so I think a replacement is due.
Favourite songs - Ladies & Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space , Come Together , Electricity
67. The Mars Volta - De-loused In The Comatoruim (2003)
I have to admit I was never much a fan of ATDI , Don`t get me wrong I liked them , but only the occasional song. When I first heard about the Mars Volta I have to say I was curious , especially when I read that their music consisted of pretty much everything under the kitchen sink. The more I read the more I wanted this album to come out. I was expecting to be dissapointed but luckily I wasn`t. I was totally blown away when I heard this. It sounded totally unlike anything I had ever heard before. I didn`t like all of it , not straight away anyway. But the sheer originality behind it kept me going until I loved it in it`s entirity.See ... this is what I want from my music. I want originality , i want things to be just so odd i`m unsure if I actually like them or not and I have to repeatedly listen to try and figure it all out.This is how music should be. Totally uncompromising , original , people making the music they want to make without sanitising it & dumbing it down to get 3 minutes on the radio. Great stuff.
Favourite songs - Roulette Dares (The Haunt Of), Drunkship of Lanterns , Cicatriz ESP
66. Janes Addiction - Ritual De Lo Habitual (1990)
An open letter to Perry Farrell
Oh Perry , Perry. Why didn`t you just leave it as it was and have this as people`s last memory of Janes Addiction. Fine you want to get back together , but couldn`t you have just played a few old songs & then go back to doing whatever you were doing before? Don`t get me wrong here , Strays is an OK album but to me it`s not Janes Addiction , it sounds like Guns n Roses being Janes Addiction. It`s nowhere near as good as this is , in fact after hearing your bloody awful solo album (which to me sounded like you were trying to make the lamest ever trip hop album ever recorded ) I would be very surprised if you did so again. But in the event that you can please listen to this album first to remind yourself just what you are capable of. The thing I loved about Janes Addiction was the way they could take a slow ballad & just fill it with intensity & make it heavy in emotion rather than in sound , the very same thing that made me love Joy Division so much. Your last album was just full of Navarro`s macho posturing & solos , back when this came out that was what you were the alternative to.
Much Love
Urban H
Favourite songs - Stop , Been Caught Stealing , Classic Girl
65. Chemical Brothers - Exit Planet Dust (1995)
They may be more diverse these days but I always liked them best when their albums had big beats in them . This album put dance music on the map for me, before this I had no interest in dance music whatsoever. But I heard a couple of songs & couldn`t believe my ears , those beats , the pumping bassline , the wailing sampled guitars , Beth Orton & Tim Burgess guesting on songs. Call it dance music if you like but to me this rocks harder than a hell of a lot of rock bands do.This album is pure Rock N Roll.
Favourite songs - Leave Home , Life Is Sweet , Playground for a Wedgeless Firm