16. The Cure "Disintegration"
When I first heard this album I was a little kid and I liked it alot but after a few years of having to listen to 80s music obsessively I drifted away and kind of tuned out whenever my parents would put something like this on. However a few years after drifting out in my teens for some reason I don't remember, I think I got dumped or something, I had put on Disintegration because sometimes the New York Dolls just don't cut it.
I was amazed by what i'd heard, I was familiar with the album but for some reason the shimmering guitar lines, soulful vocals and breathtaking lyrics were just enchanting and seductive in a way they never were before. The music itself was something that was amazing to me too even without Robert Smith fronting them they could've still evoked feelings which is impressive and they managed to get me to be able to listen to songs that were over five minutes long, another impressive feat. In fact I think the later half of the album is my favorite and all those songs are pretty lengthy. It became my favorite album for awhile after hearing it that night. In closing: Disintegration touched me more than my father ever did. Yes, that's right, I ended this with an incest joke.
Favorite Song: Disintegration
MySpace.com - The Cure - LONDON OR LOS ANGELES, UK - Other / Other / Other - www.myspace.com/thecure
15. Sigur Ros "()"
Sigur Rós's 2002 album often gets called pretentious. Now that isn't just because its post-rock. For one, the tracks are all untitled as is the album. This icelandic bands lyrics aren't there, in fact the vocals consist of a nonexistent language consist of rather repetitive syllables. While that is considered pretentious on it's own I find it to be quiet honest. Taking away the pretty words and using the voice as an instrument, something thats rarely seen. The only problem with this is, its held back by as I stated earlier repetitive noises. Vocally the noises are all the same 'words' just placed in different ways, if you pay too much attention to the vocals the album is apt to annoy you. Now the booklet is just blank pages for listeners to write their interpretation in, pretentious? Yes, but since when has the album art ever really meant that much?
() has two different sides to it, a lighter first half and a darker second half. The first half is more atmosphere focused, full of pianos and ambiance. They spend more time creating textures instead of melodies. Its best not too focus too much on this music and let it play in the background making an easy soundtrack for you to lose yourself in. The second half, is my favorite part. It focuses on building and they create very interesting moments musically. They create this experience when they climax and they form all these spacey moments to some of the most intense guitar work Sigur Ros has ever done.
This album is often hailed as a disappoint, especially after following Ágætis Byrjun. Personally I feel it was a progression, they've managed to be less melodramatic musically. Their climaxes and builds are better executed. The soundscapes can be so warm in songs and so cold in others.
Favorite Song: Untitled VIII (Popplagið)
MySpace.com - Sigur Ros - ReykjavÃ*k - Visual - www.myspace.com/sigurros