[sketchyjoe]

Here they are. The long-awaited results of the epic quest to find the top 100 punk albums.

1. Dead Kennedys - Fresh Fruit For Rotting Vegetables
When Jello Biafra answered East Bay Ray's advert in a local music paper few could have predicted the outcome would be the greatest punk album of all time. Fresh Fruit is a half-hour minute rollercoaster ride through the harsh underbelly of the american dream. From the bouncy Let's Lynch The Landlord, to the barely controlled chaos of Chemical Warfare, from the classic Faux-fascist anthem California Uber Alles to the haunting screech of the timeless Holiday In Cambodia, this album delivers. The songs are often gloriously offensive such as I Kill Children and Kill The Poor but all contain the bitter sarcastic edge of Jello's lyrics which are perfectly complimented by Ray and Klaus' guitar work. This is an album that sounds like it was written for a forthcoming apocalypse or mental breakdown, the perfect mix between the minimalism of In God We Trust Inc and the expansiveness of Frankenchrist where all the songs can provoke, educate and make you want to rock out like a crazy fool. The best punk album of all time and definitely not one for the idiots.


2. The Clash - London Calling
Just looking at the front cover of this album made me want to buy it, although I had never really listened to The Clash before that. Although still teeming with punk rock attitude and left-wing politics, this album moved away from the traditional punk sounds, experimenting with rockabilly, folk, ska, pop, and reggae. Standout tracks include the title track, the Paul Simonon-arranged reggae number The Guns of Brixton, swooning pop of Train in Vain, the '50's-esque Brand New Cadillac, and the bright ska of Rudie Can't Fail. Named the Best Album of the '80's by Rolling Stone, this was a true breakthrough in the punk rock scene.


3. Operation Ivy - Operation Ivy
The punk influenced ska-punk sound of Operation Ivy is clearly portrayed in this album. Tim Armstrong sets the rythmn of upbeat guitar, whereas the pick-style ska bass cuts through and is easily heard. "Sound System" is a prime example of their ska-punk sound, and "The Crowd" shows their punker side. This album has set the woodwork for the third wave of ska, and will be remembered as a piece of important history forever.


4. Streetlight Manifesto - Everything Goes Numb
On this album, the Keasbey era Catch 22 boys and a new horns section amaze, and show people what ska-punk should really be about. Driving drums, stupidly fast rythm guitar sections and the ever boppy horns make this album a ska-punk force to be reckoned with. Actually, on second thought, THE ska-punk force to be reckoned with. Best ska-punk album of all time? Certainly the most well rounded.


5. Propagandhi - Today's Empires, Tommorrow's Ashes
A dramatic departure from their previous albums, TETA marked a maturing of Propagandhi's sound. With a new bassist, harder music and the same brilliant lyrics that can join two seemingly unconnected political and historical subjects at will. With furious songs such as March Of The Crabs, Fuck The Border and Back To The Motor League covering topics from middle class hypocrisy to the repression in the Phillipines, Propagandhi proved themselves once again as one of the best punk bands of the 90s. So all together now, "I LIKE TO PARTY FUCKIN' HARD!"


6. The Clash - The Clash
The Clash established themselves as one of the standout groups in the burgeoning punk scene of the UK in 1977 with this album. It is a brilliant effort, a masterpiece of punk, if that can be said. With far left leaning politics and stick-it-to-the-man lyrics, they became both a musical and political force to be reckoned with. The vocals of Joe Strummer, leads of Mick Jones, and driving basslines of Paul Simonon make it a hot choice for Best Punk Album. It was released in two versions when the record company thought the UK version unfit for American consumption, but the UK version is considered the better (despite its lack of White Man In Hammersmith Palais, a Clash classic).


7. C'ock Sparrer - Shock Troops
Cock Sparrer could've been the next Sex Pistols if they'd not refused to buy Malcolm McLaren a drink but instead of wondering what could have been they produced this classic album. Addressing issues like patriotism, the failure of the punk movement, working-class pride and their day-to-day existence on timeless singalong anthems such as Where Are They Now?, We're Coming Back, Take 'Em All, Riot Squad and Watch Your Back, Shock Troops is probably the best Oi! album ever created.


8. Leftover Crack- F'uck World Trade
After a long break and a few tours Leftover Crack comes out with their second full length album. Here they bring back some of their Choking Victim ska sound but also incorporate sounds from rockabilly, folk, and just plain straight up hardcore. Stza's vocals are ever grating, charging his politcal lyrics even more. Ezra's guitar still has those upstrokes, but many more added hardcore power chords, and Alec's bass still going back and forth between ska and punk. Many say this album was the best of 2004, many say it was the best ever, but it sure was the best from Leftover Crack.


9. Stiff Little Fingers - Inflammable Material
"Inflammable Material planted in my head, It's a suspect device that's left 2000 dead". So starts Stiff Little Fingers classic debut album. The 'Irish Clash' summed up what it was like to be young in Northern Ireland during the troubles. With killer riffs, great basslines and socially conscious lyrics that attacked the IRA and the army (Wasted Life), record labels (Rough Trade) and displayed a witty bitter humor (Barbed Wire Love). The first independent album to breach the UK Top 20 this album is a both an important landmark in music history, a great record and gave a whole generation new hope for an Alternative Ulster.


10.The Toy Dolls - Absurd Ditties
The Toy Dolls had been putting out music for a decade when they recorded their best album with Absurd Ditties. It was filled with brilliantly catchy songs featuring cheesy yet hilarious lyrics, Olga's distinctive vocals and mammoth solos as Toy Dolls songs always were but on Ditties there were differences with the acoustic intro to My Wife's A Psychopath, the redneck jaunt in Drooling Banjos and the hard rocking, pseudo-classical Toccata in Dm sitting comfortably alongside more traditional TOy Dolls songs like the dual-solo Sod The Neighbours or Alec's Gone (about Coronation Street oddly enough). Absurd Ditties showed that The Toy Dolls were, and are, one of the most under-rated punk bands around.