96. Low – David Bowie
The first of the Berlin trilogy, David Bowie gets groovy on this album, and I can totally dig it. It's actually hard to type this because I'm gyrating so much thinking about it. Not really. This album is a testament that there's nobody quite like Bowie. And of course, there's nothing quite like the brilliance of Bowie and Eno working together.
95. There’s A Riot Goin’ On – Sly & The Family Stone
Damn, what a drag the collapse of the hippie ideals were. However, the great part is, a lot of great bitter, angry and cynical music was born from it. Nowhere else is this change more evident than with good ol' Sly. In 1968 he's singing "Different strokes, for different folks! And so on and so on and scooby dooby doo and Iiiiiiii, am everyday people!" On 'Riot', however, the music is thin, almost rigged, and frantic, as if he just started a really bad trip. It was originally going to be named "Africa Talks To You", however, was changed to "There's A Riot Goin' On" as a response to the album "What's Goin' On", released five months earlier. To me, that little tidbit perfectly encapsulates the period in which this album was released. It's at once a turn off and beautiful.
94. Zen Arcade – Husker Du
Without bands and albums like this, the eighties would have totally blowed. Husker Du are up there in that 80s indie pantheon, with guys like Sonic Youth. Their music simultaneously broke barriers and broke your face open. Husker Du were definitely a bunch of ballsy guys, taking hardcore punk and adding jazz flavors and piano interludes. For some reason, it was still totally badass.
93. This Nation’s Saving Grace – The Fall
Man, when this album opens, it means business. It's grimy, grungy before grunge was even a thought, catchy and beautiful. The tone of this album suggests swagger, and in the best possible way. I wonder if after they finished this album they went to the pub, got sh*tfaced, and got in a brawl. Somehow, it seems appropriate.