7 Years Of Sputnik: Albums 200-101
So, last December marked my 7th year on sputnik. I said I would rbe doing a massive r200 favourite album list, but it got delayed (I rwas travelling around europe for 3 rmonths), but here is part one, ras well as my favourite track on each. Please note I rmade no rattempt at objectivity - these are the albums that have defined rmy life, rincluding 'gateway' stuff. There's almost no pre-90s stuff rbecause I simply don't rlisten to that much. Call me plebian, or give rme suggestions, or neither. |
| 1 |  | Ling Tosite Sigure
#4
TK in the Yuukei. This is my favourite band in the world, and the lowest
ranking album of theirs on this list. Listening to Sigure is like sex for me, like
happy summer days, like a warm bed. |
| 2 |  | The Killers
Hot Fuss
Mr. Brightside. Only album of theirs I like, and I listened to this endlessly
when I was about 15. |
| 3 |  | Pendulum
Hold Your Colour
Hold Your Colour. Another album forever linked to certain memories of high
school. This track in particular really struck a chord when I was dealing with
overwhelming romantic jealousy, as odd as that sounds. |
| 4 |  | All That Remains
The Fall of Ideals
This Calling. One of those gateway albums, melodic metalcore was my first
toe into the waters of hardcore. |
| 5 |  | Sigur Ros
Takk...
Saeglopor. For a long few years as a teen, a good part of what made music
good to me were the lyrics. This is one of those albums that helped change
my mind |
| 6 |  | Deftones
Around the Fur
Lotion. Before Sigure, Deftones were my favourite band in the world. This
has never been one of my favourite albums of theirs, but it's still fucking
excellent and sexy. |
| 7 |  | Radiohead
Amnesiac
Pyramid Song. Yeah, I like this more than Kid A. I'm weird. |
| 8 |  | Fear Before
Fear Before
Fear Before Doesn't Listen to People Who Don't Like Them. This album is
weird and different, if not as cohesive and groundbreaking as Open Mouth. |
| 9 |  | In Flames
Come Clarity
Come Clarity. These guys were THE gateway to heavy music for me, and
this album in particular was the first I ever listened to where I slowly came
to enjoy harsh vocals. Considering I now use harsh vocals in my own band,
I suppose I owe a great deal to this. |
| 10 |  | Brand New
Daisy
You Stole. They really did take this sound as far as it can go. I still
remember the shock of hearing Vices for the first time. |
| 11 |  | Gotye
Like Drawing Blood
Night Drive. Gotye's most widely inventive and emotionally invested album. |
| 12 |  | Protest the Hero
Scurrilous
Dunsel. I prefer this to Fortress, which is an unpopular opinion. But instead
of being technical and wanky for the sake of ridiculousness, they actually
used their talents to craft an insanely catchy and fun set of songs. |
| 13 |  | Transistor Transistor
Ruined Lives
Teratogen. This is just badass. |
| 14 |  | Dead Can Dance
Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
Summoning the Muse. Grand and beautiful. |
| 15 |  | Silversun Pickups
Swoon
No Secrets This Year |
| 16 | | Kanye West
808s and Heartbreak
Welcome to Heartbreak. Yeah, this if my favourite Kanye album, suck on it. |
| 17 |  | The Weeknd
House of Balloons
House of Balloons. I don't normally enjoy rnb much (or even the rest of his
output), but I love this album. |
| 18 |  | R.E.M.
Green
Orange Crush. I get that early REM is historically important for music, but
it's never had much relevance for me in the new millenium. This is their
earliest album I really love. |
| 19 | | Angus and Julia Stone
Down The Way
Yellow Brick Road. This song alone would probably get in my top 20 songs |
| 20 |  | Frenzal Rhomb
Meet The Family
You Can't Move Into My House. One of the most legendary bands to come
out of the Aussie punk scene, these guys served the same purpose for me
and my friends that other 90s skate punk did for american kids. |
| 21 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Happiness
Carl Barker. The first half of this album is the most cohesive and serious
they've ever been. The second half is pretty fun too |
| 22 |  | Gaza
He Is Never Coming Back
The Bishop. I named a story I wrote at the end of High School (which alone
brought my overall mark up to a level useful for university) after this album,
even if they refer to different things. |
| 23 |  | Anberlin
Vital
Unstable. Their best work |
| 24 |  | Death Cab For Cutie
Transatlanticism
We Looked Like Giants. Not my fav album of theirs, but still pretty powerful. |
| 25 |  | Counting Crows
August and Everything After
Round Here. An early lyrical influence (lyrics are my main forte, even if these
days they bear no resemblance to these) |
| 26 |  | Mass of the Fermenting Dregs
Zero Comma, Multi-Colored World
Their EP was better, but this is still a class act and pretty damn original. The
Japanese alt/indie rock scene really is something else |
| 27 |  | The Cure
Disintegration
Last Dance. One of the few 80's albums I really dig, possibly because it
doesn't really sound like one |
| 28 |  | Placebo
Sleeping With Ghosts
Sleeping With Ghosts |
| 29 |  | Thrice
Major/Minor
Blinded. I may not find much connection to the overt religiousness of these
songs, but that doesn't stop it being one of their finest works |
| 30 |  | Black Light Burns
Cruel Melody
New Hunger. A single line from this song inspired much of the previously
mentioned story, and I listened to this compulsively for a few months. |
| 31 |  | pg. 99
Document #8
In Love With An Apparition. no comment needed really |
| 32 |  | Propagandhi
Supporting Caste
Dear Coachs Corner. By far their most cohesive and compelling release |
| 33 |  | Glassjaw
Worship and Tribute
Radio Cambodia |
| 34 |  | Russian Circles
Empros
Mladak. Memorial will probably take this place soon |
| 35 |  | Thursday
No Devolucion
Gun in the First Act. It's nice they went out on such a strong note, and although the lyrics suffered from the short
writing time, the music certainly didn't. |
| 36 |  | Radiohead
Kid A
How to Disappear Completely. "this isn't real, this isn't happening" |
| 37 |  | Dangers
Anger
We Have More Lies Than Sense. Oh, righteous anger at its finest |
| 38 |  | Botch
We Are the Romans
Swimming the Channel. I won't lie, this has never had the impact on me that it has for so many others, including my
bandmates, but its still cool |
| 39 |  | Kamelot
The Black Halo
best powermetal |
| 40 |  | The Flashbulb
Soundtrack to a Vacant Life
The First Rain and You. Hardly a vacant life by the sounds of it |
| 41 | | Florence & and the Machine
Ceremonials
Shake it Out |
| 42 | | Kendrick Lamar
Good Kid M.A.A.D. City
Swimming Pool |
| 43 |  | The Jam
Sound Affects
This is Entertainment. Oh look, its an oldschool album! |
| 44 |  | A Wilhelm Scream
Partycrasher
Boat Builders. My AOTY last year, and possibly better than Career Suicide |
| 45 | | Yes, I'm Leaving
Mission Bulb
Creepy Man. One of the best bands in Sydney right now, and I was lucky enough to play my first ever show with
them |
| 46 |  | Number Girl
NUM-HEAVYMETALLIC
One of the most original bands out there |
| 47 | | Crystal Castles
II
Baptism. Like with hip hop, electronic music isn't something I partake much, but Crystal Castles really are brilliant at
creating a unique atmosphere |
| 48 | | Captain, We're Sinking
The Future Is Cancelled
More Tequila, Less Joe. One of the most striking release of last year, and brilliant lyrics |
| 49 | | Thrice
The Alchemy Index
Open Water. I'm classing the two releases as one |
| 50 |  | Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago
re:stacks |
| 51 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas...
Storm |
| 52 |  | Genghis Tron
Board Up the House
Board up the house. Unique and pummelling |
| 53 |  | Gnarls Barkley
St. Elsewhere
Just a Thought |
| 54 |  | The National
Trouble Will Find Me
I Need My Girl. This song is just too perfect |
| 55 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Downtown Battle Mountain
I Told Them I Invented.... the best use of his voice he even made |
| 56 |  | Jimmy Eat World
Bleed American
A Praise Chorus. This is not in my top 3 of theirs, but still pretty great |
| 57 | | Frank Turner
Love, Ire and Song
Jet Lagged. |
| 58 |  | Converge
Axe to Fall
Losing Battle. Why is this so low? Because they've done better, repeatedly |
| 59 |  | Bloc Party
Silent Alarm
Like Eating Glass. I get why this was a big deal at the time, but I got into them later and this a long time after that |
| 60 | | Between the Devil and the Deep
Paper Spines
Paper Spines. Australias greatest post-hardcore band, featuring local legend Dave Drayton |
| 61 |  | The Wonder Years
The Upsides
Hotels and Brothels. In many ways, this was their first real album after finding themselves, so while it wasn't as
polished and brilliant as later work, its still fantastic. |
| 62 |  | Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
Oh Comely |
| 63 |  | Placebo
Meds
Because I Want You |
| 64 |  | Deftones
Koi No Yokan
What Happened To You? |
| 65 |  | Defeater
Empty Days and Sleepless Nights
Empty Glass. They really should have ended the story here, where it made sense |
| 66 |  | Every Time I Die
New Junk Aesthetic
Wanderlust |
| 67 |  | The Bled
Pass the Flask
Ruth Bezzi Better Watch Her Back. one of the best albums in its style |
| 68 |  | Innerpartysystem
Innerpartysystem
This Town Your Grave. These boys put on one hell of a show, back when I chose to watch them obvlious to the
existence of Poison the Well, ETID and Dillinger who were on at the same time |
| 69 |  | letlive.
Fake History
This Mime (A Sex Story) if only they'd maintained the quality of production for blackest beautiful |
| 70 |  | TK from Ling Tosite Sigure
flowering
Far more sonically expansive and laid back than his work with Sigure, but still immediately identifiable as him |
| 71 |  | Editors
An End Has A Start
Push Your Head Towards Air |
| 72 |  | Dirty Three
Ocean Songs
Deep Waters. Peaceful, beautiful, serene |
| 73 | | Tool
10, 000 Days
Vicarious. It gets bogged down in the second half, but the first half is their best work to date |
| 74 |  | Kings of Leon
Only By The Night
Closer. Yeah, they got overplayed but damn its still good |
| 75 |  | mewithoutYou
Brother, Sister
a glass can only spill what it contains |
| 76 |  | Brand New
Deja Entendu
Me vs Maradona vs Elvis. definitely their weakest of the three |
| 77 |  | Gorillaz
Demon Days
Feel Good Inc. |
| 78 |  | Darkest Hour
Deliver Us
Demon(s) |
| 79 | | Million Dead
Song to Ruin
Breaking the Back. God, his lyrics. So good. |
| 80 |  | Nine Inch Nails
Ghosts I-IV |
| 81 |  | High On Fire
De Vermis Mysteriis
King of Days. dem riffz |
| 82 |  | Safe Hands
Montenegro
Somnambulance. They're not exactly doing anything new but fuck do they do it well |
| 83 |  | Comadre
Comadre
PARADISE MUST BE NICE! |
| 84 |  | R.E.M.
Reveal
I've Been High. badly underrated album |
| 85 |  | Poison the Well
Versions
Breathings for the Birds. One of the most important bands for me, this album is only kneecapped by weird
production. But still highly invented and tightly written |
| 86 |  | We Lost the Sea
The Quietest Place on Earth
A Quiet Place. RIP Chris Torpey |
| 87 |  | Scar Symmetry
Holographic Universe
Holographic Universe. gloriously ridiculous |
| 88 | | Maybeshewill
Sing the Word Hope in a Four-Part Harmony
History Will Be What We Make of It |
| 89 |  | Rolo Tomassi
Astraea
Illuminare. They finally nailed everything they were trying to do |
| 90 |  | Grimes
Visions
Skin |
| 91 |  | Dance Gavin Dance
Downtown Battle Mountain II
Need Money. the production for this is so damn good |
| 92 |  | Soilwork
Stabbing the Drama
Nerve. another gateway band and album |
| 93 |  | Isis
In the Absence of Truth
Holy Tears |
| 94 |  | Frank Turner
England Keep My Bones
Redemption. An inconsistent album, but this is absolutely his best song |
| 95 |  | Frenzal Rhomb
Sans Souci
60, Beautiful and Mine |
| 96 | | Ted Danson With Wolves
WWTDWWD?
Another fantastic Sydney band, noodly punk with sax solos and tongue in cheek lyrics |
| 97 | | .9mm Parabellum Bullet
Termination
Butterfly Effect |
| 98 |  | Team Sleep
Team Sleep
Our Ride to the Rectory |
| 99 | | Keane
Hopes and Fears
Somewhere Only We Know. 14 year old me loved this and I still enjoy it |
| 100 | | Alexisonfire
Crises
To A Friend |
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