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Bulldog · 03-13-2009, 09:16 AM

And away we go...

30. Supergrass - Road To Rouen (2005)

Supergrass are a funny band. Seems like everytime they release a bright and chirpy pop album they follow it up with madly ambitious and moodier pieces of work, and vice versa. As had happened after their debut I Should Coco (which was followed by two other fantastic albums), Road To Rouen was the followup to the great yet flawed Life On Other Planets. The quirky melodies and infectious choruses are gone (you won't any songs like Grace here) and instead we're presented with lavish orchestral arrangements, lengthy instrumental passages, art-rock atmospheres, glam-rock riffs and shades of folk (such as on the gorgeous Low C), reggae (Coffee In the Pot) and even jazz (St. Petersburg). The only song here which resembles any of their past work is the punchy Kick In the Teeth (which, while being a musical standout, still manages to work well enough within the album). All in all, this is an absolutely wonderful album - it's the sound of one of Britain's finest musical exports trying something new with one of the most theatrical and exciting records of the decade.
The best bits: Tales Of Endurance Pts. 4 5 & 6, Roxy, Low C

29. The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) (1968)

There had to be one Beatles album eh? It could have been Revolver, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt Pepper's or Abbey Road, but if I marooned on a desert island Crusoe-style with only one Beatles album for company, I'd probably pick this one. While it's basically the total opposite of their other albums in its disjointed and eclectic nature, it's for me an album which is greater than the sum of its parts. I think I'll throw in that whole 'it's the sound of the band splitting up' cliche too (seeing as many of these songs are solo compositions). It's a gigantic labyrinth of an album, finding the Beatles dispensing with the psychedelic sheen of their last few works in favour of a more lo-fi and raw sound and an album which incorporates so many styles and moods, such as ska (Revolution 1), country (Don't Pass Me By), folk (Dear Prudence), blues-rock (Yer Blues), hard rock (Helter Skelter), sound collages (Revolution 9), you get the picture. Basically, if you haven't already, give it a go for crap's sake. Sure, it's an album which lacks the sense of unity of, say, Abbey Road, but the dazzlingly eclectic approach taken here makes for easily the most fascinatingly experimental and (in places) dark Beatles record - even if this results in with the odd miss, whatever low-points there may be a re more than made up for by the highlights; written and executed as they are with typical panache.
The best bits: Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey, Long Long Long

28. Human League - Dare (1981)

By 1981, the Human League had released two admirably profound and ambitious enough albums, but to no effect in terms of chart payout. After splitting the original lineup, singer Philip Oakley brought two teenage backing vocalists on board (Joanne Cathrell and Susan Sulley) and, with an arsenal of synthesizers, took to the studio without much hope. What resulted was an album that sold by the continent-load; a smash hit against all the odds and one of the first albums to be recorded entirely on synth. Although it's easy to dismiss as unabashed synthpop, it certainly does maintain shades of the Human League's artier, earlier albums (a prime example of this being on the aptly entitled Darkness), but while the more experimental ethics behind their earlier releases had been virtually disregarded by Oakley and his co-writers on the record, pop melodies play more of a part in the song structures here. Sure, synthesizers and drum machines have become more advanced since then (Do Or Die sounds like the soundtrack for a Snes game in places), but for a start that adds to the charm and, secondly, rarely has a band manipulated machinery in the studio and yielded such infectious, melodic and emotional results. One of the most important pop albums of all time, and definitely one of the best too.
The best bits: Open Your Heart, Darkness, Don't You Want Me

27. Love - Forever Changes (1967)

One of those albums which barely made a dent in the charts upon its initial release, but has had its reputation grow significantly down the years. Here is where the more electric, harder-rocking edge on Love's music gives way for a much more gentle and contemplative sound, with an album dominated by some of the finest acoustic guitar-work ever and some beautiful orchestrations to back it up. All this is tied together majestically by Arthur Lee's terrific voice, resulting in a truly essential album which merges baroque pop, psychedelia and folk-rock. It's another one you probably already have if you're reading this (if that's not the case, what are you waiting for?!).
The best bits: Alone Again Or, Andmoreagain, the Red Telephone

03-13-2009, 09:16 AM	#117 (permalink)
Bulldog why bother? Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: UK Posts: 4,840	And away we go... 30. Supergrass - Road To Rouen (2005) Supergrass are a funny band. Seems like everytime they release a bright and chirpy pop album they follow it up with madly ambitious and moodier pieces of work, and vice versa. As had happened after their debut I Should Coco (which was followed by two other fantastic albums), Road To Rouen was the followup to the great yet flawed Life On Other Planets. The quirky melodies and infectious choruses are gone (you won't any songs like Grace here) and instead we're presented with lavish orchestral arrangements, lengthy instrumental passages, art-rock atmospheres, glam-rock riffs and shades of folk (such as on the gorgeous Low C), reggae (Coffee In the Pot) and even jazz (St. Petersburg). The only song here which resembles any of their past work is the punchy Kick In the Teeth (which, while being a musical standout, still manages to work well enough within the album). All in all, this is an absolutely wonderful album - it's the sound of one of Britain's finest musical exports trying something new with one of the most theatrical and exciting records of the decade. The best bits: Tales Of Endurance Pts. 4 5 & 6, Roxy, Low C 29. The Beatles - The Beatles (White Album) (1968) There had to be one Beatles album eh? It could have been Revolver, Rubber Soul, Magical Mystery Tour, Sgt Pepper's or Abbey Road, but if I marooned on a desert island Crusoe-style with only one Beatles album for company, I'd probably pick this one. While it's basically the total opposite of their other albums in its disjointed and eclectic nature, it's for me an album which is greater than the sum of its parts. I think I'll throw in that whole 'it's the sound of the band splitting up' cliche too (seeing as many of these songs are solo compositions). It's a gigantic labyrinth of an album, finding the Beatles dispensing with the psychedelic sheen of their last few works in favour of a more lo-fi and raw sound and an album which incorporates so many styles and moods, such as ska (Revolution 1), country (Don't Pass Me By), folk (Dear Prudence), blues-rock (Yer Blues), hard rock (Helter Skelter), sound collages (Revolution 9), you get the picture. Basically, if you haven't already, give it a go for crap's sake. Sure, it's an album which lacks the sense of unity of, say, Abbey Road, but the dazzlingly eclectic approach taken here makes for easily the most fascinatingly experimental and (in places) dark Beatles record - even if this results in with the odd miss, whatever low-points there may be a re more than made up for by the highlights; written and executed as they are with typical panache. The best bits: Happiness Is a Warm Gun, Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except For Me and My Monkey, Long Long Long 28. Human League - Dare (1981) By 1981, the Human League had released two admirably profound and ambitious enough albums, but to no effect in terms of chart payout. After splitting the original lineup, singer Philip Oakley brought two teenage backing vocalists on board (Joanne Cathrell and Susan Sulley) and, with an arsenal of synthesizers, took to the studio without much hope. What resulted was an album that sold by the continent-load; a smash hit against all the odds and one of the first albums to be recorded entirely on synth. Although it's easy to dismiss as unabashed synthpop, it certainly does maintain shades of the Human League's artier, earlier albums (a prime example of this being on the aptly entitled Darkness), but while the more experimental ethics behind their earlier releases had been virtually disregarded by Oakley and his co-writers on the record, pop melodies play more of a part in the song structures here. Sure, synthesizers and drum machines have become more advanced since then (Do Or Die sounds like the soundtrack for a Snes game in places), but for a start that adds to the charm and, secondly, rarely has a band manipulated machinery in the studio and yielded such infectious, melodic and emotional results. One of the most important pop albums of all time, and definitely one of the best too. The best bits: Open Your Heart, Darkness, Don't You Want Me 27. Love - Forever Changes (1967) One of those albums which barely made a dent in the charts upon its initial release, but has had its reputation grow significantly down the years. Here is where the more electric, harder-rocking edge on Love's music gives way for a much more gentle and contemplative sound, with an album dominated by some of the finest acoustic guitar-work ever and some beautiful orchestrations to back it up. All this is tied together majestically by Arthur Lee's terrific voice, resulting in a truly essential album which merges baroque pop, psychedelia and folk-rock. It's another one you probably already have if you're reading this (if that's not the case, what are you waiting for?!). The best bits: Alone Again Or, Andmoreagain, the Red Telephone Last edited by Bulldog; 03-14-2009 at 11:38 AM.