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| 1K Ratings: 5/5
What is a 5? This has been a question I’ve been considering during a discussion with Toad on the Ichiko Aoba thread a few weeks back. While originally I could only give a vague “they just are” statement in response to his skepticism if I found anything I considered “classic” to genuinely be the things he saw them as to me. But now that I’ve thought, I’ve realized that there really is no definitive answer for me and never will be. These are all simply records that transcend what I would describe as “typical albums” that can easily be described as certain sounds in their reviews. For me, these albums turn into beings, or vague emotions that simply do more than any other album regardless of quality. Its why here I have albums that either have very deep, meaningful write ups while I also have others that are more to the point or just very vague. They’ve stopped being albums to me. They’re entire ideas, beings, and personalities that will forever remain as something more than just art. And that’s really all I can say about these 38 records here. I don’t doubt more will come and some may leave, but for now here are the records I hold dear to myself more than any other. Enjoy! | | 1 |  | Antony and the Johnsons
Antony and the Johnsons
Many point to Anohni’s second release under The Johnsons namesake as the pinnacle of her musical identity, however, I personally believe her debut under Antony and the Johnsons was the overwhelmingly correct choice. It was Lou Reed who recounted to have been “in the presence of an angel” when originally hearing Anohni’s demo for Cripple and the Starfish; and it was a sentiment that he was absolutely correct about. Anohni’s debut with Antony and the Johnsons is indeed a song from an angel. Though it isn’t one of heavenly presence, instead it's a disgusting, broken, and bruised serenade that compromises with twisted songwriting juxtaposed with delicate orchestral arrangements. The real beauty is in the darkness of it all, Anohni’s compromising, aching vocals and her twisted songwriting breathes so much dark personality into the record that it becomes absolutely captivating when pasted between the bars of the beautiful, suffocating strings of the record. An absolute perfect storm. | | 2 |  | The Arrogant Sons of Bitches
Three Cheers For Disappointment
Arguably the 5 I play over and over the most, Jeff Rosenstock’s final record with the sadly short lived ASOB is ska punk at the most perfect state. Teenage angst and rebellion colliding with sloppy, fun instrumentals and loud, rambunctious screams and yells give the album a consistent spark of energy through the 40 minute run time. Unlike other bands in the entirety of the ‘ska’ umbrella, ASOB don’t pay mind to the formality of the genre. Instead, all sax and trumpet leads are openly allowed to thrash about as much as any guitar lead or riff that shreds throughout. A never ending jam of angry teenage ranting this one is. Tell me you don’t fall in love with this record from the first minute of charismatic group yells. | | 3 |  | Bad Astronaut
Houston: We Have a Drinking Problem
Possibly my favorite album ever? This record is simply pop rock perfection in every sense of the word. What the collective that made Bad Astronaut achieved on this record was bleeding every single ounce of their musical ability to push the limits of ‘mainstream rock’ music into an unforgettable, infectious beast. The sound design here is simply genius, with incredibly calculated enginuity maximizing the overall effect of these on the surface earworms. It could be anything simple from a tasteful choice in when to use vocal distortion or where to place a synth lead. The more you listen to this record, the more you feel how much attention to detail in the sound there is here. And of course, how much love and energy was placed between the well intentions of frontman Joey Cape and his perfectly introspective lyrical content. I know I make this album sound like a snoozefest of pretentiousness, but please believe me when I say this is a fun record that easily cements itself as the genre GOAT. | | 4 |  | Bad Astronaut
Twelve Small Steps, One Giant Disappointment
This album is the aural equivalent of the final stage of grief. Acceptance. I consider this album as a sort of “part two” to Joey Cape’s record Resolve on Lagwagon. A record that reveled in the angry, confused brutality of the sudden loss of bandmate and lifelong friend Derrick Plourde to suicide. Here, Joey tries to keep the ball rolling in an upbeat, but shattered, state. Joey is more in clarity with his emotions and it bleeds into the music in some indescribably beautiful ways. Many of these tracks employ the fragments of Derrick Plourde’s drumming for what was going to be a completely different album, and in ways, the chemistry between Joey’s guitar playing and Derrick’s drumming almost feels like they’re having a conversation. Like Joey is coming to terms with what had happened and moving on in a strangely twisted closing remark. | | 5 |  | The Beach Boys
Surf's Up
My first experience with the Beach Boys and I love it. This album is quite the surprising painting of a band aware of their slow descent into mediocrity due thanks to inside drama. The album opens with the line “don't go near the water, it's such a shame it's changed” a rather ironic line for a band that had spent the earlier days of its career boasting about taking on the waves and having a grand ol time. The complete change in tone for this record with repetitive, droning pianos and wobbly synths serenade the rather bleak, desolate soundscape coming from the lacking amount of vocal harmonies. After plenty of beautiful, experimental flair the album ends with the lines “surf's up aboard a tidal wave”. A dark sign of what was to come. Beautiful. | | 6 |  | Blue October
Foiled
The obligatory “childhood album”. Or is it? While a sonic mess, so to speak, how this album compensates is by simply doing what Blue October always did best. Capturing the human emotions in a way many mainstream acts simply can’t. This album is childish and playful, reflecting the drunken buzz of finding “the one” and wanting to spend all your days with them. You see it in both incredibly morbid lyrics and really sappy, gross ones. (You Make Me Smile, She’s My Ride Home) Then you get the moment of self doubt and confusion, “am i good enough?” Where Justin begins to start latching onto insecurities and life drama (Hate Me, Into The Ocean, Let It Go) but eventually, Justin finds his ‘zen’ and decides to roll with life and ‘fly away’ so to speak (Everlasting friend, 18th Floor Balcony). Instrumentally, the album is such a classy mixture of beautiful violin leads and alternative twinkle dink that makes it the one childhood album I come back to for me. | | 7 |  | Buckethead
Pike 13
It's easy to notice something off about this album. The cover art is a picture of the Bucketman himself and his father, Tom Carroll, sharing an embrace. Rarely has Buckethead shown his face to the public, if ever, regardless of age. Beyond that, there is no titles for any of the tracks nor is this record his usual guitar shredding romp. Instead, the majority of this record is dominated by ambient synth. Empty and sparse. The intricate composition places this record above and beyond and it is clearly shown that far more care was put in this record than others in his Pike series. The record sees a shift into more chaotic noise halfway through before altering path for comforting, melodic guitar leads into the conclusion. It almost feels like experiencing how Buckethead sees life from the inside. Perhaps this record was a musical recollection of a dark time in his life and finding grace through his father? Whatever it is, its easy to tell Buckethead will never have a record like this again | | 8 |  | Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial
My first 5 of 2016. I think this may be one of the few times I’ve actively cried when listening to a record. I suppose this just came to me at the right time, as I’ve been incredibly down lately and this record spoke to me pretty well. Where can I even begin? Will Toledo just really understands how to articulate depression into perfectly explainable and beautiful ways. “You have no right to be depressed, you haven’t tried hard enough to like it” was the line that stuck out instantly, as it's one I’ve heard from people before when trying to explain why I stopped enjoying things like I used to. Through plenty of catchy indie rock buzz, Will continues with an onslaught of gut wrenching lines and ballads that just work so beautifully on so many levels. The monologue in Ballad of Costa Concordia is simply one of the greatest moments in any song ever. | | 9 |  | Clarence Clarity
No Now
No Now is one of the densest, most confusing, most complicated records to ever dare have the audacity to call itself a pop record, and I LOVE it. There are so many ways to poke at this album to uncover all the secrets of what this “internet onslaught” is supposed to be. Constantly Clarence throws curveballs with production by dragging composure through harsh bridges that go completely insane sonically. Meanwhile a consistent Egyptian aesthetic blares through the buzz of 20 entire tracks that seem to bounce around without consistent narrative (quite a few tracks here are out of order if interludes are to suggest anything) and seem to poke fun at other genres and ideas in ironic manners. All I can say is this album gets more than enough repeats from me and you need to get on this 20 track glitch pop perfection. | | 10 |  | The Drones
Feelin Kinda Free
A denouncement of Australian government and politics that quite unfortunately finds itself being relevant to a larger scope of the world. Though frankly, what makes this album stand out a bit more than other repetitive political albums is how Gareth Liddiard has simply given up on giving a shit about things. So many albums try so hard to try to call people’s attention to the “REAL PROBLEMS” or “STAND UP AGAINST THE GOVERNMENT, MAN” while this record only states the inevitable facts of where the world is going and how nothing's gonna stop it. There are too many forces in life changing the direction of the world and it's nigh impossible to pretend anyone can pinpoint the world’s issues to one driving force. It's a change in pace and quite honestly makes it better than almost any other political album. Honestly, it does sometimes seem better to just close the curtains, lock the doors, and burry your head in whatever you can to drown out the sad reality of life. | | 11 |  | Marina and The Diamonds
The Family Jewels
I initially 5’d this record as a joke when Sinternet proposed everyone give it a 5 to boost the surprisingly mellow average of the record. Though the more I thought about it, the more I believed a 5 for this record was justified. The narrative of this record is quite amazing, in my opinion. The album follows a narrative of an individual experiencing mass exposure to the limelight while still trying to maintain a grounded view of life and reality (while ultimately succumbing by the end of the story). Marina explores plenty of themes in the Hollywood Fame commentary such as robotic, manufactured lifestyle and loss of individualism (I Am Not A Robot, Oh No!) becoming victimized by gender standards in the industry (Girls, The Outsider) with sharp, sarcastic wit and hooks. Beyond there is a lively, energetic mixture of electro and baroque pop that plays well with Marina’s rougher vocals for one of pop’s, and my, greatest record. | | 12 |  | Shoe
SDAASLOI
Shoe are weird. Well, WE'RE weird. Through their decade long career they managed to release a single EP, which was a very comedic and weird piece of pop rock that didn’t take itself seriously in the slightest. Then, just a year later they would release SDAASLOI which at the time had no album art or even an album title. Their sound saw a drastic change into sarcastic, bitter, sexually appaling, and simply pathetic in many ways. I consider this record the last hurrah of an entire decade, in a way. The death of what would be “cool” and “trendy” in the angst filled pop rock heyday having a comedown into a self realization that things WILL be better… eventually. No more partying, no more sticking it to adults and “the man”, and no more drastic whining over lost love. It's time to put on a tie, suit up, and go to whatever crowded little cubicle you call a job and move on, even though you keep trying to relive the “glory days”. Also this record is hella fun. | | 13 |  | Toby Fox
Undertale Soundtrack
I think this may be one of the few soundtracks where almost every track continues to haunt my subconscious despite not having heard/played the game or the soundtrack for months. If that doesn’t say something about the quality or longevity of this soundtrack then I don't know what does. I may possibly even like the soundtrack more than the game itself. Toby’s ingenious method of using left motifs as a primary aspect of the soundtrack for the sake of character development and storytelling may clue into why these tracks are so ingrained on my mind. Much like Grant Kirkphobe’s approach to composition with the Banjo Kazooie soundtracks, hearing the same structures turned into amazing, new compositions with their own personality makes the soundtrack stick out in extreme ways. And considering theres over 100 tracks here, thats quite the hefty achievement. | | 14 |  | Sparklehorse
It's a Wonderful Life
As Piano Fire continues to grow in popularity thanks to Life is Strange, the rest of this record gets criminally ignored by the general public. It’s A Wonderful Life is a wonderful record that found Mark at his peak with his lo-fi desires and alternative sway for delicate, emotional impact. Mark tugs at the heartstrings to the tune of lo-fi chamber pop as he drops passages of optimism in an overwhelming darkness through the life of substance abuse and depression. Despite the optimism, Mark finds a way to keep things on the downlow by questioning the futility of holding out for a better day through an introspective lens. Abrasive and comforting, this record is the perfect snapshot of emotional turmoil, and a beautiful picture it is. | | 15 |  | There Will Be Fireworks
The Dark, Dark Bright
One of the first albums I truly fell in love with. The Dark, Dark Bright is simply put the most beautiful sum of post rock and alternative rock’s parts. The vocals are delicate, but tinged with a sort of gruff that soothe like a therapeutic lullaby. While instrumentally and lyrically the record amazes with feelings of not belonging to the place of which you’ve always immersed yourself in. The uncertainty in the motions of your life. It causes for some absolutely gorgeous, beautiful passages of instrumental bliss that cement themselves as unforgettable moments in late night listening. | | 16 |  | The Format
Dog Problems
I forever curse the day Nate Ruess sold out. This record serves as a painful, catchy reminder of how amazing of a musician he was when working with the right people. And this record was FULL of the right people. With the aid of producer Steven McDonald and fellow bandmate Sam Means, the trio created one of the greatest pop records of all time in the chamber/baroque vein through the mass scope of directing as many studio musicians as possible to give the album the full, cinematica rock opera scope it carries. Every song here stands out as excellent with sublime instrumental work full of sophistication and playful edge narrating the tale of the downward spiral of a bad break out. The songwriting is sharp and witty, with Nate playing a self absorbed character slowly getting beaten up by life and the reality of his actions and it makes the entire record an energetic, beautiful, and fun piece of self-absorbed bombast that can match the ambition it aims for. | | 17 |  | Thomas Feiner & Anywhen
The Opiates Revised
I consider this record my baby and I require that I am always credited for discovering it whenever you say anything about it in the future. An album that’s very existence tore a band apart and drove the lone survivor slaving away on it to insanity. The end product is one of the most beautiful, haunting records ever created, and it breaks my heart that no one has heard of it. This album moves about anxiously with suffocating orchestral arrangements that lend their melody to Feiner’s absolutely breathtaking baritone vocals as he guides the listener through the most “euphoric” orchestral arrangements I have ever heard in a record. All I can say more is LISTEN TO THIS ALBUM. AHHHH. | | 18 |  | Frank Sinatra
Watertown
Never was I a fan of Sinatra until hearing this record. Goodbye (She Quietly Says) captivated me with the writing behind it. It had an odd sense of self awareness, with a line or two that alluded to this being one of the few Sinatra albums to never be recorded with a live ensemble. A matter of fact, this entire album carries this weird ironic self awareness despite being a fictitious story that seemed to narrate the comedown of Sinatra’s relevance in the mainstream. Maybe I look too deep into it, but there seems to be two entire storylines running at the same time here that makes this album so damn interesting to listen to. So if you’re here for a late night diner story of a man losing all his family, or wanting to listen to Sinatra’s slowly gaining self awareness of ‘losing it’ then by all means be obligated to listen to this one. | | 19 |  | Supercell
Today is a Beautiful Day
The mastermind behind the Supercell project, Ryo, took things above and beyond with their second record. Perhaps to avoid being labelled as “those guys who made that one Hatsune Miku song” they enlisted the help of rising pop star Yanaginagi to aid them in Ryo’s quest to make one of J-Rock’s most ambitious records of all time. This record was written in a way that your mindset shapes how you interpret the album. You feelin like you can take on the world? Then have a full on posi-vibe rock record with incredibly fun piano rock composition and sugar-diabetic triggering lyrics. However, if things are going to hell then this album shapes itself to be a bitter, sarcastic record that wears a mask with mechanical imperfections peeking through the cracks. this record is genius in how it presents itself and I love it. | | 20 |  | Patti Smith
Horses
The most “obvious” 5 on my list, I fell in love with this record from the chilling, opening line. “Jesus died for someone’s sins, but not mine.” Patti has such a sophisticated, and what I’d say “uncivilized” (for the time) approach to performance and songwriting that makes her and the things she say so interesting. Vocally she’s rough with a mixture of sweetness slammed between nasally shifts and stinging vibrato that bounces ever so elegantly between each word that your attention is simply gripped like magic the whole way through. Her writing is also insanely memorable, with plenty of quirpy one liners and monologues that imprint themselves on your brain. Lest we forget, horses, horses, horses, horses. | | 21 |  | Five Eight
The Good Nurse
The most obscure record I have 5d, and one that regardless of who I show it to, they simply don’t seem to like it for one reason or another. Yet I have always been captivated by this record, it's such a beautiful, broken inside look of a man (group frontman) who was ravaged by physical and mental illnesses and his infatuation with twisting body horror with romanticism in disgusting, disfigured outlines. Instrumentally, this record is a very excellent alternative rock record with some incredibly tasteful orchestral arrangements that set the stage for this tale of hospital deathbed woe. Vocally, it takes some getting used to for many, but you may find yourself appreciating the painful strains that perfectly capitalize on the concept of this record. A dark, twisted beauty this one is. | | 22 |  | Why?
Elephant Eyelash
Ah Yoni, you beautiful, weird bastard. While most consider their Alopecia as their best record, I have personally always had a soft spot for Elephant Eyelash. As a hip hop record, this album does an insane amount different than any other act in the entire genre. Their sound leans to a more alternative style with plenty of loud, authoritative drumlines that give the record an impeccable groove and call attention to Yoni himself, who’s uncomfortably whimsical lyrics have so much depth that you either want to try to figure out he's all about or just sit back and laugh when he wants to “slowly hump on a bed of nails”. This album also has one of the most amazing soundscapes ever, so warm and comforting that you just can’t help to be immersed in the fuzzy, indie rock styling of it. Just a beautiful, instantly memorable album. | | 23 |  | Imogen Heap
Speak For Yourself
Imogen Heap has always stuck out as one of the greatest producers. Her styling of electronic and pop music is some of the most intricate, beautiful, and overall best designed. Speak For Yourself demonstrates how flawlessly Imogen is able to manipulate her production to add more depth and life to wherever her current emotional plane demands it to be. Personally, The Moment I Say It, the closing track demonstrates this the best. Production is ambient, but slowly growing with the addition of small, skittery clumsy beeps and violins slowly building a chilling cadence as Imogen details a scene of domestic abuse. The final half of the track evolves into a suffocating, terrifying mixture of a soundbite of an arguing couple, authoritative synths, the repeated calls of “smash” and “another one” before silencing out into a repeated echo. There are other amazing moments here, but I simply don't have enough room to discuss them. Just believe me when I say Imogen is one of the best. | | 24 |  | The Weeknd
Echoes of Silence
The final tape of The Weeknd’s infamous trilogy saw Abel at his absolute low point. Where the drugs, sex, and alcohol was finally taking the toll on his soul and turning him quite literally into a demon. This record sees Abel, or his character so to speak, slowly being shut out and left in the cold in a desperate attempt for some sort of connection with… anything. Abel just repeats the same things over and over, but his tricks aren’t working and things are getting ugly. Echoes of Silence, as in the song, demonstrates this with a metallic ballad with barely a resemblance of glitzy production as Abel calls out into darkness, blissfully unaware of how much damage he has done. The whole album is disturbingly pathetic, and shows the negative downturn of getting too absorbed in the pleasures of life. Easily the best piece of his entire trilogy. | | 25 |  | Muse
Absolution
Ah, Absolution, where rock opera went to die. This story of an Atheist left behind in the apocalypse is bombastic, over the top, unsubtle, unabashedly flamboyant, and overall too ambitiously pretentious. And I wouldn’t have it any other way. This album knows how to balance the fun and ridiculousness of rock opera with a compelling storyline that makes it memorable and timeless for years on end. Good job Muse, a shame you went to hell after this one. | | 26 |  | Pulp
Different Class
Ah, Different Class, the greatest piece of classist commentary and also one of the greatest pop albums of all time. This is the kind of album that you want to jam to, until you’re hit with the cold reality that your life will always be an endless cycle of financial disappointment with what few moments of fun you have always being dampened by the looming feeling of having to return to it after the glamour and glory of the night. In other news, this album has some of the catchiest, best performed vocals and compositions of any album. If you aren’t snapping along to the chorus of Mis-Shapes there’s something wrong with you. | | 27 |  | Mansun
Six
Alternative rock’s often ignored brother of the Smashing Pumpkins, Six is as sophisticated as alternative rock can possibly get. It has the playful bites here and there, such as sampling that cartoon ‘running to a deadstop’ sound effect in a certain song along with finding room for very bouncy, sing-along passages. On the separate end of the spectrum, however you get long running tracks with gorgeous guitar leads, luscious piano melodies, and complex drumlines that show maturity in a far expanding, musical form. I’ve always found it a tad bit a shock how relatively unknown this record is when on the topic of 90s alt rock records, though I suppose that's simply the plight of UK alternative rock bands. | | 28 |  | Signor Benedick the Moor
El Negro
El Negro is a dark, nihilistic, and bitter record that just nonstop vents the frustrations of Signor with balancing his love and appreciation for the art he produces with the overwhelming negative emotions of finding criticism, lack of success, financial turmoil, and all the like. And on here, it drives him to the absolute brink of insanity in an ever tense filled atmosphere where he can, and will, snap at any moment. Its that, along with the amazingly tight, heavy industrial production that makes watching this slowly erupting volcano worth every minute. The final half of .//End may be one of the most chilling moments in a rap song ever. | | 29 |  | Jason Isbell
Southeastern
Southeastern isn’t a complex record. There aren’t many things that go on in this collection of primarily acoustic country tracks. No glitz and no glamour, or any moments that go above and beyond instrumentally. On the contrary, Southeastern is a relatively simplistic record. However, in that simplicity is where Jason Isbell delivers one of the most memorable, emotional, and chilling performances of any musician in just about ever. Lyrically this album is a very damning, personal recollection of life woes that meet instrumental design that knows how to perfectly convey Isbell’s feelings. Particularly in a track like Traveling Alone, where in the chorus which rings the repetitive notion of “I’ve grown tired of traveling alone” you hear just barely in the mix a female voice accompanying Isbell, driving home his need for companionship quite beautifully. As said before, it's not a record you come to looking for extremity, just simplistic beauty at its best. | | 30 |  | The Web
i spider
Tell me, just what can you expect from an album with art such as this one? The Web’s final record was a dark, desolate oddity that found ground in jazz fusion gold. Everything is slow moving, a sluggy motion in a dark atmosphere that tries to quirp playfully but only comes off as disturbing and unwelcoming. The instrumental passages buzz with such a nervous uncertainty that the energy of each track just builds and builds until exploding in dramatic, unforgettable finales and crescendos that just simply cause chills. Personally, the jazz interludes in Concerto and the final two minutes of i spider are enough to convince anyone that this record is certainly something else. | | 31 |  | Typhoon (USA-OR)
A New Kind of House
This album begins in an awfully peculiar way. It starts with the line “Eternity will smile on me”, repeated through a gripping vocal filter. Then, in a glorious explosion a full orchestral entourage a trumpet bounces with a moving, authoritative groove. In context, this track riffs on the closing lines of The Sickness Unto Death, the closing track of their record from three years ago. A song which detailed a very thoughtful, introspective look into the longing of a new beginning after living a life with a lack of actually… living. In reference to the group’s vocalist dark past with Lyme’s disease. From there the EP explores warm sound with a childlike wonder, cautious of moving forward in fear of experiencing the disasters that previously haunted them. Its a beautifully timid moving record that doesn’t hold back spilling out everything it has, and it is quite simply one of the most beautiful sights to ever behold. | | 32 |  | Rise Against
Siren Song of the Counter Culture
While most Rise Against fans would call to their more refined record, The Sufferer, or even their melodic-punk perfection RPM; I myself have always had a liking to their bridge between the two styles, Siren Song. In all honestly, I believe this record has the perfect balance between their gritter hardcore egde and their more accessible arena rock sound. This album just consistently delivers with some of the catchiest hooks in any album and carries quite the emotional baggage… well for a mainstream semi-political punk rock record that is. Difficult to explain it fully, this is just a record that remains special to me far more than anything else this band ever worked on. | | 33 |  | Everything Everything
Get To Heaven
Ah, Get to Heaven, the most fun you will ever have with the consistent reminder that life is going to hell. Contrary to what some will tell you, this record finds just the perfect balance between mainstream indie pop trends and more flavorful alternative styling to make a 17 track powerhouse of some of the smartest, most excellently put together pop music in this entire decade. From the explosive, Hail to the Thief-esque introduction the album offers a vague, but prominent slice of political commentary that can only repeatedly shake its head at the state of UK government and foreign affairs in disgust in some incredibly colorful imagery that is surprising in quality as the album tries to play with the more “repetitive” nature of pop-style songwriting. And with one of the most unique vocalists in the genre, you get an unforgettable, and hella fun, record that will never wear off. | | 34 |  | Queens of the Stone Age
...Like Clockwork
I have no shame when I say this will remain as the greatest project ever done by Queens of the Stone Age. While some stoner rock elements are still present, they have toned down the desert riffage for a far more darker and focused alternative soundscape that brooms with a menacing attitude and tone. Catchy pop choruses shake with thunderous guitar riffs that shock and amaze. This is honestly one of the most intriguing and interesting concept albums in both sound and presentation, just a full on endless feast of instantly classic tracks. | | 35 |  | Typhoon (USA-OR)
White Lighter
White Lighter, much like A New Kind Of House, is just a large and beautiful look into the eyes of someone experiencing new life. The philosophy of Typhoon frontman Kyle Morton and his outlook on life after his near death experience is just one of the most touching and moving viewpoints on life. There’s an odd infatuation with his sickness, a kind of romanticism that he seems obsessed over exploring and discussing over and over. Sure, there’s the negativity that surrounds it such as the chorus of Young Fathers which goes over the many things Morton could’ve been in life. However, from there the record always looks at the future in a humble, grounded level that just amazes. Not to mention the soundscape here being one of the largest, most intricately designed of any album with a full 13 member assemble breathing so many elements to life with various instrumental fills. Truly the most beautiful record of the decade. | | 36 |  | David Sylvian
Secrets of the Beehive
David Sylvian is arguably the master is emotional music. Secrets of the Beehive is just a cold, desolate album that feels like a waltz through the cold december night watching nature just fall into a deep sleep and cease life. Very mechanical synths and hollow drum beats hit the silence with a very slow trotting movement that feels at peace with its inevitable end to the elements. David Sylvian himself keeps things freezing with his deeply rooted vocals that ring with a silent small, cry. Meanwhile tasteful orchestral arrangements give whatever warmth this soundscape could possibly have what it needs. | | 37 |  | Swarms
Old Raves End
So a dubstep producer, a post rock guitarist, and a techno artist walk into a bar. After a few drinks and an intimate moment in bed, they produced Old Raves End. A dubstep record that is simply beauty in its purest form. Sound design is personal and expansive, with warm synths and tasteful samples resting upon the calming foundation of percussion that hooks onto the filling roots and reaches out beyond the formality of the genre. The added guitar elements in songs such as Flikr Of Ur Eyes only further shows how adding outsider elements to the soundscape can make it all the more memorable. It's a massive shame these guys fell off and vanished, as they really did have something special here. | | 38 |  | Open Mike Eagle
Dark Comedy
Open Mike Eagle may be my favorite lyricists in hip hop. His mundane, slightly dorky lyricism and references of sarcastic non sequiturs happen to carry quite the heavy baggage of self depreciation and commentary. The production here itself is incredibly odd and unusual, yet seem to perfectly encapsulate the personality of OME’s performance. I really wish I had more to say here than “I love this record” but there just aren’t many rap records i’ve heard that are this hilarious, clever, and instantly quotable, along with an extra layer of depth to make it stand out as a select choice for my library. | | 39 |  | Eminem
Relapse
And an honorable mention to this record here, as it was the one that got me into music in the first place. Before that, I used to be one of the "le wrong generation" types who hated music and acted as if nothing was ever good. Meanwhile, the second half of this record, believe it or not, was what convinced that there was more to music than mindless stupidity. So thanks Eminem! | | 40 |  | George Clanton
100% Electronica
is it even safe to put this back in here? | | 41 |  | Gavin Clark
Beautiful Skeletons
The life and times of the unfortunately late Gavin Clark, 22 tracks spanning the entirety of his career through his work on various bands and his own personal solo project. Its quite the beautiful album, with some painfully beautiful songwriting and vocals that just croon with the years of failure and addiction adding up and taking its toll. | |
LotusFlower
06.09.16 | consider this my magnum opus | Ovrot
06.09.16 | cool list but needs more riffs | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | metal wasn't a genre i got into until less than a year ago, so I havent found my '5' just yet. | torts
06.09.16 | terrible | Ovrot
06.09.16 | but symbolic already exists | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | thanks for stopping by torts | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | "since when am i a potsy minion"
"I 5’d it to please Potsy tbh" | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | Open Mike Eagle is the trebor of rap. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | "jokes" | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | "tbh" | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | i fixed it for you, bby. | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | there we go. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | wtf did you do. | swipenet
06.09.16 | Well done. I wonder how many people are gonna appreciate the amount of effort you put into this post. That's a lot of words. I'm not gonna pretend I read most of it, but I respect your dedication. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | well considering so far the comments have been "terrible" and sach being here... I wasted my time. | torts
06.09.16 | "Open Mike Eagle is the trebor of rap."
[2]
clover is the treb of non contrib users | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | tbh tho, it's a well put together list, so have this smile
:) | torts
06.09.16 | yea I mean good execution, just horrendous 5's and horrendous user | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | No seriously who keeps editing my list? | iloveyouall
06.09.16 | not me tbh | torts
06.09.16 | I got sowing to fuck you up major | Ovrot
06.09.16 | the gods of riffs | TVC15
06.09.16 | CL0VER, I admire the effort you have put into this list and you do offer sone great food for thought on your contemplations of what makes an album a 5/5 :) | Sinternet
06.09.16 | 'I initially 5’d this record as a joke when Sinternet proposed everyone give it a 5 to boost the surprisingly mellow average of the record. '
oh bby | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | i made a mistake trying to even make something serious here. | torts
06.09.16 | well you are pretty much a joke so why do you think we'd interpret this any different | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | yeah i guess shame on me for expecting people like you to not even bother being facetious for once and shitposting in whatever threads you usually lurk but w/e. | torts
06.09.16 | I don't shitpost lmao | hal1ax
06.09.16 | i applaud the effort bruh. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | thanks hal :/ | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | whats goin on | Ovrot
06.09.16 | torts being a living shitpost | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | shitposting =/= posting shit | Idleness
06.09.16 | everything youve said itt is a shitpost lol | torts
06.09.16 | I love how people who use the term shitpost are 100% of the time worse than people they accuse of doing so in every single way ever,, | torts
06.09.16 | all hail | Ovrot
06.09.16 | you're the one acting like a cunt torts | TVC15
06.09.16 | Aye I applaud your effort too CL0VER and no thanks? K | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | yeah like, chill | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | sorry LPFTW, thanks to you too.
honestly i think im just gonna delete this, it was stupid to even assume this was worth working on in the first place. | torts
06.09.16 | cunt, truth teller, call it what you want ,,, | torts
06.09.16 | good do it I dare ya | TVC15
06.09.16 | Aww don't man I just posted in the meds thread to have it featured :( | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | i mean, it doesnt help that someone was quite literally editing my very list and fucking it up. | TVC15
06.09.16 | Torts shut the hell up | Idleness
06.09.16 | if you think insulting people for their taste isnt shitposting well i mean i guess youre just doomed to a cyclical existence
*cough* you developed most of your taste from yak like a year ago and you barely have the faculties intact to criticize others for theirs *cough* | hal1ax
06.09.16 | lol why would you delete it? cuz like two people are being bitches? | torts
06.09.16 | didn't you have an alt just to go on lists and slander people cause you were upset with the user base lmao | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | @hal, its more of the fact someone was editing my list. if torts thinks he is doing much then hes just being silly. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | that and i didnt want this thread to devolve into a slap fight super early on like it jsut has because torts has no fucking self control. i just wanted to share my interest in things I really like and it to be maybe somewhat civil with the few "this sucks" comments here and there. its just bad to scroll through 50 comments of pure bs. | Idleness
06.09.16 | id be lying if i said i read this list, honestly sputnik is just looking at album art covers and if you see something a lot you ignore it and assume its overrated and if you see something like once and then never again its like wow my interest is piqued. | TVC15
06.09.16 | Nice one with the ad hominem Torts, at least I don't shit on users on a daily basis on a main account and ffs that was only once
Btw it's you and Sach against everyone else in this thread, it must be quite lonely to be you lmao | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | i mean, thats totally fair. I doubted many people were going to read this. I just wanted to share something im enthusiastic over for once because I feel like ive just been to negative lately. | torts
06.09.16 | "if you think insulting people for their taste isnt shitposting well i mean i guess youre just doomed to a cyclical existence
*cough* you developed most of your taste from yak like a year ago and you barely have the faculties intact to criticize others for theirs *cough*"
put on blast by my fav user hands down I am r.I.p. | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | y'all chill lmao, torts is grumpy and cl0ver ur taking it too personal, let it be | Idleness
06.09.16 | or you just what two albums sandwich the one album you dont know and its like "yeah" or "nah" | hal1ax
06.09.16 | your list was edited? in what way? | Idleness
06.09.16 | consider it an intervention =] | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | i had an entry for 100% Electronica on here before and i had a little joke line saying "i 5d it to appease potsy" because of how zealous he was of getting people to listen to it. and someone was editing the entire entry so it was just that single line. | TVC15
06.09.16 | Asdfp277 you right bro...
On a serious note, Foiled is way underrated, love seeing it getting some love. Hate Me and Into the Ocean are still jams | hal1ax
06.09.16 | lol rly? that is weird | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | Yeah, I really love Foiled and a lot of Blue October. Theyve always stuck out to me as one of the only good mainstream alt rock bands from the 2000s and for good reason. | torts
06.09.16 | drinking game take a shot for every time lpftw throws out ad hominem in a thread | Idleness
06.09.16 | wow im contributing to a negative thread actually ill check 17 just for you actually | torts
06.09.16 | why can't I be the saint you are smdh | brainmelter
06.09.16 | wow, sweet list clover. read up to 20, will finish later and check some of these out | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | glad you enjoyed, man. let me know if anything stuck out to you whenever you get around to listening to anything. | Idleness
06.09.16 | when i was like 15 i found an ipod nano with like 4000 songs on it and a bunch of awesome stuff and foiled was on there and i was like wow this needs a better order you guys know the fibonacci sequence of like Tool albums and stuff something like that yeah. X amount of words and what if we could were fucking jams | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | did you just take someones nano? lol. | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | my mom was a big fan of them back when they were "big" and had a copy of History For Sale and Foiled and we'd listen to them a lot in the car. Theyre one of the last "childhood" bands I still listen to and have a really deep apprecation for. Their violinist was always the best part of their group. | swipenet
06.09.16 | Damn, quality thread right here. | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | 100% electronica pie chart | Asdfp277
06.09.16 | dat me | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | well this was fun | theBoneyKing
06.09.16 | Love love love you for 29 | Pheromone
06.09.16 | 27 man, Mansun were great - you heard attack of the grey lantern? | DoofusWainwright
06.09.16 | A couple of surprises here, great list. Always best to see a really personal selection of 5's rather than just the more safe 'muso community approved' selection
I've always said that technically there's little between a 4.5 and a 5 in my ratings - what makes an album leap up to a 5 is hard to define. Probably the personal connection, maybe the magic 'idea'/world building quality you hint at
Also where did you lock up Hasan for this list? | Pheromone
06.09.16 | why does torts act like he's not a fucking 16 year old | Pheromone
06.09.16 | 5s are a weird one for me, I rarely give a 5 & both my Weakerthans albums are more 4.75s - it's only really The Meadowlands that I'd consider a full on perfect 5 album. | DoofusWainwright
06.09.16 | I wish I liked Meadowlands more, I've tried with it a few times over the years now. It's one of those I'll keep trying with though | CalculatingInfinity
06.09.16 | If I was super strict with 5's I'd only have like 4 5's so I don't wanna be mean :/
Quality list man, list needs to be featured despite torts being butts. | Pheromone
06.09.16 | Doof, give it time. It took a few regular plays before the song 'Hopeless' convinced me that it was something special. the hooks are really subtle on it so take some time to grow accustomed too, but fuck man, when it hit me it hit.
| Mort.
06.09.16 | lpftw trying to look intelligent by bringing up ad hominem lol
| Pheromone
06.09.16 | Mort trying to look intelligent by using punctuation in his username like he didn't used to be a fucking transformer
edit:
< 3 | Mort.
06.09.16 | hahahaha NerdTalent obvs my single dot (because some spackle took plain "mort") is my attempt at looking oh so sophisticated
my transformer days were sick MortPrime for life. name actually had nothing to do with transformers, i hate transformers | Conmaniac
06.09.16 | which ones would you rec me from this list | AlexKzillion
06.09.16 | Nice list. And thanks for reminding me to check OME.
10 has 5 potential with more listens | DoofusWainwright
06.09.16 | Mort a Gobots fan confirmed | anat
06.09.16 | Drones record was my easiest 5 in a while. Nice list, will check some of em out | Valkyrion
06.09.16 | you've done a good job with the descriptions although i haven't heard (and probably won't) most of these albums, except maybe 30, grats
i can relate to your description of 5s, even if in my case it applies to more than just 5s (: | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | @Con: All of them, but from browsing your ratings. 2, 3, 8, 15, 16, and 38.
@doofus: yeah, it was always a tad cumbersome to see the 5/5 and "my favorite albums" and "rate my 5s" lists that always had the same 20 records from RYM/Sputnik's all time rated. Its also why I usually avoid listening to those said albums because I always feel like I won't like them as much as others and would rather look for stuff less people know about or would consider "classic".
Also Hasan transcends even 5/5, arbitrary numbers simply cannot define the plight of the underclass hero. It is too perfect for this pathetic list.
@Alex, its a super amazing album instrumentally, and like I said I love it a lot more than most political albums that seem to just state some vague facts or try to pin point one singular entity as a source for problems. Its about the same reason why I like Get To Heaven so much because lyrically its a lot more "in depth" for UK politics... as far as a pop record goes.
@everyone else, thanks for the feedback. dont forget to check some of these beauts out ;) | SharkTooth
06.09.16 | I've heard 13, 20, 34, 39, and 40
out of those I like 34 most | FullOfSounds
06.09.16 | Great and well worded list, I like it.
Surprised no one's bashing you for 5-ing Relapse lol | LotusFlower
06.09.16 | It's an "honorable" 5. Just because it was an important album for my musical journey. In reality it's an arbitrary 2. | FullOfSounds
06.09.16 | Oh okay. | RoundOnEndHiInMiddle
06.10.16 | i love when effort is put into lists like these, makes everything much more interesting. that said, awesome list dude | LotusFlower
06.10.16 | thanks man! | ArsMoriendi
06.10.16 | I think this is a good place to ask this: Cl0ver, why do you have zero in your name?
Would you mind if pronounced it Cle-zero-ver? | LotusFlower
06.10.16 | I would love to go by just Clover, but some ASSHOLE from 2006 already claimed it and their account doesn't even exist anymore according to sputnik so I either had to think of something better or use a 0 in my name like a heathen.
and... yeah. | ArsMoriendi
06.10.16 | I was actually just kidding, but thanks for the serious answer :P | NastyCrab
06.10.16 | 32 was one of the first albums I ever owned and I remember being kinda shocked by the yelling on the first track lol | LotusFlower
06.10.16 | yeah that first track is pretty hard hitting, rest of the album barely matches it. | JS19
06.11.16 | You're right I didn't like 21 at all sorry bro | LotusFlower
06.11.16 | you broke my heart. | Cygnatti
06.11.16 | pos for da list, mate. I definitely don't agree with any of these choices, but you were honest to yoself. that's super important, man. ^_^ | adr
06.11.16 | 24 tho Cyg u used to hype The Weeknd :D
Sweet list though i'm too lazy to read all of those descriptions x_x | Cygnatti
06.11.16 | dude I still love the weeknd. but i'd only 4/5 house of balloons, everything else is a 3.5 or 3. ^_^ | LotusFlower
06.11.16 | House of Balloons is an easy 4.5 for me, such a damn good mixtape. | rabidfish
06.11.16 | It's funny that Surf's up cover probably inspired more Metal album covers than any black sabbath or Deep Purple cover ever did. | Lord(e)Po)))ts
06.11.16 | r u fer fuckin real with some of these | LotusFlower
06.11.16 | maybe? | LotusFlower
06.13.16 | thank m8! | barcafan21
06.28.16 | do you think nate ruess sold out with aim and ignite or some nights? | LotusFlower
06.28.16 | Some Nights. Aim and Ignite was a good transition to a poppier sound that still found him rooted in what made him an excellent performer, the musicians he worked with, but Some Nights is not a group effort. Its a psuedo-band making a solo album for Nate and despite it having the ability to show some amazing tricks (auto tune solo in title track gets me every time) it was just a pretty gross downgrade.
and lets not even get started on his solo album. | MeetMeAtBarItalia
07.11.16 | This is such an interesting and personal list...Your writing sucked me in and I'm really looking forward to checking out some of these. Different Class is my favorite record of all time, and it's so cool seeing Jason Isbell, Typhoon, The Format and Car Seat Headrest get this kind of praise and recognition. Great work ! | LotusFlower
07.11.16 | Hey, glad you enjoyed! I love these albums all a hella lot, so make sure you let me know if you liked anything you checked out on here. | AsleepInTheBack
08.19.16 | Love this list man, can relate so hard to what you said about car seat headrest |
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