71. Paul Weller - Wild Wood (1993)
Another artist I got into as a teenager when all his albums were in the bargain bin at HMV. I think I got all his albums in one go and, while each one has its merits, this is the one I'd call a truly brilliant album. It mixes elements of traditional British folk, blues and soul, resulting in a an album that's just great stuff end-to-end. Hardly the most adventurous thing the Modfather ever did, and it's true to say that its followup
Stanley Road boasts the more memorable and catchy tunes, but
Wild Wood is to me his most consistent effort and his absolutely essential album (I know Toeandno disagrees with me on this one).
The best bits: Can You Heal Us (Holy Man)?,
Has My Fire Really Gone Out?,
Moon On Your Pyjamas
70. UNKLE - Psyence Fiction (1998)
Although he's not running wild on this album with the soundscapes of
Endtroducing..., DJ Shadow's more reined-in production approach for UNKLE's debut benefits massively from repeated listenings. Another trip-hop/ambient techno classic which features an all-star cast of guest contributions too, including Richard Ashcroft, Badly Drawn Boy, Mike D and an uncredited appearance from that king among men Mark Hollis. It varies majestically in mood as well, from explosive to tense to chilled to just plain eerie. The video for
Rabbit In the Headlights (featuring the vocal talents of some geezer called Thom Yorke) is incredible too.
The best bits: Lonely Soul,
Celestial Annihilation,
Rabbit In Your Headlights