Music Banter - View Single Post - Musicphantom's Top 100... Yes, Another One

music_phantom13 · 06-15-2009, 05:17 PM

96. Energy - Operation Ivy

Operation Ivy... it's such a shame this was the only album they ever released. But for a single full length, they still secure a spot as one of my favorite punk bands. Energy is a raw, intense, energetic masterpiece of hardcore punk and ska. It combines some amazing lyrics and group punk vocals with upbeat guitars distorted in a hardcore punk way strumming on the upbeat with a nice running ska bass line and drumming that's definitely above your average punk or hardcore band. This album is pretty much the conception and the epitome of ska punk; they founded the genre and managed to do it better than anyone else ever has yet. There's not a single track of filler on here. And it has some great pure hardcore gems as well; the opening song Knowledge is more or less straight punk. Pretty much the Sex Pistols or the Clash of 90's youth.

Best Songs: Bad Town, Sound System, Unity, Bombshell

95. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd

Yes, I know this is probably a rather unusual choice for a favorite Floyd album. But there's just something about it that appeals to me more than any of the others that I could have chosen. It doesn't have the same nostalgic, psychedelic feel that I find in their other albums, but seems to better resemble Syd's psyche: a fractured, spacey sounding album with songs that often start out sounding very upbeat, but break down into something that is almost scary, with bizarre, clashing, messes of sound. And the lyrics... truly straight from the mind of a crazy man. Written as he was quickly spiraling into a pit of insanity from which he would never return, I feel that this is exactly what Pink Floyd was supposed to be; they continued to make music that was often bizarre or that played off the psychotic side of Syd that came through in this debut album, but no one sane could match this music and these lyrics.

Favorite Songs: Lucifer Sam, Pow R. Toc H., Interstellar Overdrive, Bike

94. It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through - Jeffrey Lewis

Jeffrey Lewis is, simply put, a brilliant songwriter. This is a great... I'm really not sure of the genre, but I would guess anti-folk and sort of lo-fi album. Jeffrey Lewis' sweeping acoustic guitar playing on the album has a strangely soft yet energetic feel to it, and his lyrics are absolutely genius, as he tells stories by singing/talking over top of his albums in a slightly out of tone, cracking voice. The album is pretty much split with about half of the songs being more abrasive, raw, and heavy and half being laid back and softer but still energetic. I feel that this review really doesn't do the album justice; just check this out if you've never heard it. You're missing out.

Best Songs: Back When I Was 4, Don't Let the Record Label Take You Out to Lunch, Graveyard

93. The Misfits - Static Age

A marvellous hardcore/horror punk album, this is the best thing that the Misfits ever recorded. Again, not a single song I would consider filler in this album, and it really sounds to me like a combination of hardcore punk and rockabilly/surf music like the Cramps for most of the songs, and has a perfect low quality production that gives it a static sound running through the whole album (just what you'd expect from the title, right?). This is punk done right. The lyrics match with the angry, brutal feel of the album - "I got something to say/ I killed a baby today/ and it doesn't matter much to me/ as long as it's dead". Very simple songs, but done so marvelously that this album is an absolute classic, even though it wasn't fully released until 1997.

Best Songs: Last Caress, Angel****, Some Kinda Hate, She

06-15-2009, 05:17 PM	#10 (permalink)
music_phantom13 Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 942	96. Energy - Operation Ivy Operation Ivy... it's such a shame this was the only album they ever released. But for a single full length, they still secure a spot as one of my favorite punk bands. Energy is a raw, intense, energetic masterpiece of hardcore punk and ska. It combines some amazing lyrics and group punk vocals with upbeat guitars distorted in a hardcore punk way strumming on the upbeat with a nice running ska bass line and drumming that's definitely above your average punk or hardcore band. This album is pretty much the conception and the epitome of ska punk; they founded the genre and managed to do it better than anyone else ever has yet. There's not a single track of filler on here. And it has some great pure hardcore gems as well; the opening song Knowledge is more or less straight punk. Pretty much the Sex Pistols or the Clash of 90's youth. Best Songs: Bad Town, Sound System, Unity, Bombshell 95. The Piper at the Gates of Dawn - Pink Floyd Yes, I know this is probably a rather unusual choice for a favorite Floyd album. But there's just something about it that appeals to me more than any of the others that I could have chosen. It doesn't have the same nostalgic, psychedelic feel that I find in their other albums, but seems to better resemble Syd's psyche: a fractured, spacey sounding album with songs that often start out sounding very upbeat, but break down into something that is almost scary, with bizarre, clashing, messes of sound. And the lyrics... truly straight from the mind of a crazy man. Written as he was quickly spiraling into a pit of insanity from which he would never return, I feel that this is exactly what Pink Floyd was supposed to be; they continued to make music that was often bizarre or that played off the psychotic side of Syd that came through in this debut album, but no one sane could match this music and these lyrics. Favorite Songs: Lucifer Sam, Pow R. Toc H., Interstellar Overdrive, Bike 94. It's the Ones Who've Cracked That the Light Shines Through - Jeffrey Lewis Jeffrey Lewis is, simply put, a brilliant songwriter. This is a great... I'm really not sure of the genre, but I would guess anti-folk and sort of lo-fi album. Jeffrey Lewis' sweeping acoustic guitar playing on the album has a strangely soft yet energetic feel to it, and his lyrics are absolutely genius, as he tells stories by singing/talking over top of his albums in a slightly out of tone, cracking voice. The album is pretty much split with about half of the songs being more abrasive, raw, and heavy and half being laid back and softer but still energetic. I feel that this review really doesn't do the album justice; just check this out if you've never heard it. You're missing out. Best Songs: Back When I Was 4, Don't Let the Record Label Take You Out to Lunch, Graveyard 93. The Misfits - Static Age A marvellous hardcore/horror punk album, this is the best thing that the Misfits ever recorded. Again, not a single song I would consider filler in this album, and it really sounds to me like a combination of hardcore punk and rockabilly/surf music like the Cramps for most of the songs, and has a perfect low quality production that gives it a static sound running through the whole album (just what you'd expect from the title, right?). This is punk done right. The lyrics match with the angry, brutal feel of the album - "I got something to say/ I killed a baby today/ and it doesn't matter much to me/ as long as it's dead". Very simple songs, but done so marvelously that this album is an absolute classic, even though it wasn't fully released until 1997. Best Songs: Last Caress, Angel****, Some Kinda Hate, She