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| Asleep's Top 100 Albums
In hindsight, a top 100 list was a pretty dumb idea, ridiculously time consuming and arguably a futile project given that a perfectly accurate ranking is basically impossible as my enjoyment of music is dependent on so many fluctuating variables (my mood, the weather, what I have and havenât been listening to recently, how attentive the listen is, et cetera et cetera). Still, Iâm really glad I cobbled this together for it was a fantastic and enlightening experience and (I hope) a halfway interesting read. So, I present Asleepâs loosely ordered top 100 list to celebrate over 2 years on sput and (basically) 1000 ratings. Ta da. | | 101 |  | Elbow
Asleep In The Back
Wow this took a long time to make. I'll just add, I don't really expect anyone to read this whole thing (in before td;dr). This was mainly for me. BUT if you do in fact read the whole thing I'll love you forever.
A few honourable mentions: pg.lost - It's Not Me, It's You!; Ween - GodWeenSatan; Stars of the Lid - And Their Refinement of the Decline; Foxing - Albatross; The Wonder Years - The Greatest Generation; Dire Straits - Brothers In Arms; The Notorious BIG - Ready to Die; Metallica - Ride the Lightening; Linkin Park (half of discog); Mount Eerie (discog); The Microphones (discog); The Who - Who's Next?; Refused - The Shape of Punk to Come; The Lawrence Arms - Oh! Calcutta!; Miles Davis - Kind of Blue; Touche Amore - Stage Four.
Cool? Cool. | | 100 |  | Ween
Quebec
When Ween of all bands go serious it really is something pretty special. Itâs like when your closed off and reserved friend opens up about their feelings in a way you never thought they could or would; the whole thing feels so much more impactful because you know how hard it must have been for them to come out with it and that it must mean a whole lot to them. Whilst Ween have always, I feel, let their emotions shine through their veil of humour subtly, its wonderful to see that veil lifted, even if briefly. | | 99 |  | Mount Eerie
Lost Wisdom
About half of the Mount Eerie discography could be placed in this spot, but my personal favourite of the bunch at the moment (bar one: see below) is Lost Wisdom. Itâs Phil at his most straightforward and folky, a smorgasbord of lush instrumentation and philosophical lyrical nuggets that I just gobble up. The icing on the cake are these harrowing female vocals from (I believe) Julie Doiron that I wish we saw more from Philâs work as theyâre simply beautiful here, perfectly at home in Philâs secluded world. Iâll stop gushing now, but seriously, the Mount Eerie body of work is a neglected one that I wish more would dive into. | | 98 |  | The Postal Service
Give Up
Pretty much the king of musical dichotomies, stitching together the human with the electronic and the happy with the sad to form a bubbly and glitchy hybrid mush that I just canât stop spinning. | | 97 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
An album that sput introduced to me, and also an album that sput kind of ruined for me. Too much blind praise, too much blind hate and too much meme-age; at some point I think my own thoughts got lost amongst the mass, for I find it hard to remember what made this resonate so strongly with me in the past, the recordâs spark having dissipated through tired arguments and overdone debates. However (and this is an important however), I still maintain itâs a damn fantastic album, albeit not top 5 material as it would have been a year ago. A sturdy 4. | | 96 |  | Elliott Smith
Either/Or
A sad bubble of soft blues and greys thatâll tear you to shreds if youâre not careful. | | 95 |  | Racing Glaciers
Caught in the Strange
The perfect soundtrack for long secluded walks during the early hours of the morning. | | 94 |  | Ryo Fukui
Scenery
A soaring jazz gem; vibrant and bubbly but tinged at the edges with melancholy; generally quite composed and restrained, but still explosive when it needs to be; technical without compromising on emotional impact; a flurry of keys to nourish the soul. | | 93 |  | Tim Hecker
Harmony in Ultraviolet
Few records just take me away from the world as immediately and wonderfully as Harmony in Ultraviolet. A snap of Heckerâs fingers, the rising wall of delicate noise that is âRainbow Bloodâ, and Iâm gone. | | 92 |  | The Raconteurs
Consolers of the Lonely
Jams interspersed with more jams interspersed with more jams. Just jams really, so anyone who loves âSeven Nation Armyâ-style The White Stripes should love this. Oh, and thereâs âCarolina Dramaâ, what a phenomenal closer. | | 91 |  | Art Blakey
Moanin'
As old as Moaninâ is, it really doesnât show its age. It's still got a spring in its step and spark in its eye, resolutely firey and still swinginâ. Really itâs as good evidence as any for why you should respect your elders. | | 90 | | Ichiko Aoba
ăăăłă
Fragile, serene, haunting and enigmatic folk magic. Like staring into a koi pond on a warm summers night, blurred specks of yellow reflecting back amidst the shimmering blues and greens. | | 89 |  | Empire! Empire! (I Was a Lonely Estate)
What It Takes to Move Forward
An incredibly delicate record, making great use out of those twinkly guitars and utilizing silence and space to build tension and anxiety. Whilst an overtly solemn affair, I find What It Takes To Move Forward exudes a surprising amount of warmth, a dainty little fireplace to warm the toes of the weary. | | 88 |  | Orchid
Chaos is Me
Chaos is Me is an unwavering wall of noise; itâs also surprisingly intricate. Chaos is Me is abrasive, unforgiving and initially incomprehensible, only becoming more abrasive, more unforgiving and (paradoxically) more comforting in its catharsis with further listens. Chaos is Me is a climbing favourite of mine and it could be yours to â stick with it, its quite good. | | 87 |  | Alt-J
An Awesome Wave
Charismatic, creative, gentle, and still one of the best things to rise to the top of the British mainstream in a long while. | | 86 |  | Bruce Springsteen
Darkness on the Edge of Town
Springsteenâs life long battle of depression really boils to the surface on Darkness on the Edge of Town, from his pained yelps on âSomething In The Nightâ and âStreets of Fireâ to his beautifully soft croons on âRacing In The Streetâ, to even the bitter edge with which he spits out lines on âAdam Raised a Cainâ. Itâs pretty heartbreaking, but Iâm glad itâs as prominent as it is; not only does it make for a potent record, it also provides the somewhat reassuring realisation that even men as towering and seemingly bulletproof as The Boss bleed just like the rest of us. And yes, that sucks, but itâs something I need to be reminded of every once in a while. | | 85 |  | The Dear Hunter
The Color Spectrum (Complete Collection)
Weâre into the 4.5s friends, kicking them off with a record that is very much a âmore than the sum of its partsâ record. Itâs a bit too polished, a tad too contrived, a smidge too derivative and a âjack of all trades, master of noneâ kind of deal, but who cares; the colossal 36 track epic nails its underlying âcolour spectrumâ concept and provides a moving journey through the world of rock and the mind of visionary Casey Crescenzo. Basically itâs really, really cool and I like cool things. | | 84 |  | Death Grips
Bottomless Pit
Death Grips demonstrate how to breathe life into old ideas, retrieving a bunch of rusty parts scattered across a musical career and bolting them together into something new and interesting. With the catchiness of The Money Store and a plethora of production tricks and sonic textures picked up from No Love Deep Web through to The Powers that B, Bottomless Pit provides a wonderful contrast from the bands recent experimental streak in a welcomed return to an easier sound. Whatâs great though is that their use of these new tools mean Bottomless Pit doesnât sound like a mere rehash of their earliest works; its very much its own thing. Guitars roar, drums pound and bleeps bloop in a cacophonous but digestible mound of noise and hooks. Certainly not an album to convert the Death Grips cynic, but for the Death Grips fan this was just the kick in the teeth that the doctor ordered. | | 83 |  | Caspian
Dust and Disquiet
When I say Caspian have nailed Post Rock for the impatient, I really do mean it as a compliment. I donât always (read: I basically never) have the time to devote to the standard post-rockian affair, those meandering monoliths that jerk tears and shatter planets. I adore them, but sometimes I need my shot of euphoric beauty in a more immediate package to fit around, well, life. Whilst Caspian can compose 12-minute epics like the best of them, theyâve also cracked the art of the concise and undemanding with the elegantly simple and simply elegant Dust and Disquiet. | | 82 |  | Nails
You Will Never Be One of Us
An album to pummel your own face to, itâs that edgy. | | 81 |  | Sun Kil Moon
Benji
A beautiful collection of songs about life and death that I havenât had enough time to bond with yet. Expect to see this one soar. | | 80 |  | Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp a Butterfly
Conceptually speaking, TPAB is practically unparalleled. Iâve not sure Iâve ever seen an artist so elegantly and seemingly effortlessly execute a project quite this ambitious. Itâs awe-inspiring to say the least. The only thing holding it back, funnily enough, is its inconsistent mastery of the basics. As technically proficient as Kendrick is and as gorgeous as the beats can be, sometimes the individual components donât produce enthralling songs, sometimes meandering a little too long, sometimes feeling more like tools of the concept rather than engaging individual tracks. However, the key word here is sometimes. Itâs, of course, still a stunning project, a monolith in the world of modern hip-hop that deserved its spot at the top of many 2015 lists. | | 79 |  | Unwound
Leaves Turn Inside You
Uncomfortably numb. | | 78 |  | Deep Purple
Machine Head
A hazy, swirling, rockinâ pool of purples and blues | | 77 |  | Psychedelic Porn Crumpets
High Visceral Pt. 1
Psychedelic Porn Crumpets are the best kinds of crumpets. It's true, I swear. I'll hand you over to my good buddy conman here to explain why: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/74512/Psychedelic-Porn-Crumpets-High-Visceral-Pt.-1/ | | 76 |  | The Mountain Goats
The Sunset Tree
I really should get around to diving into more of The Mountain Goats colossal discography. I really should move on, but I havenât. I canât help it; The Sunset Tree has captured me and wonât let go. | | 75 |  | Drei Affen
Drei Affen
Iâm quite new to screamo/crust, so Iâm sure thisâll get bumped down when I find a band that does it better, but my god this tears me to shreds every time and I have no idea why. | | 74 |  | My Chemical Romance
The Black Parade
Iâll CAAAAARRRRRYYY OOOOOONNNNNN, Iâll CAAAAARRRYYYYY OOOONNNNNN loving this album even though Iâm probably way to old for it. I suspect this one may attract cries of âGasp! You ranked that piece of commercialised emo drivel above X!? You dumb?â Probably, yeah | | 73 |  | Off Minor
The Heat Death of the Universe
Sing it with me fellas: NEVER SAY / EVERYTHING / WILL BE / OK. This should probably be rated higher than it is but I just donât often want to listen to it. Donât get me wrong, itâs a jagged, bleak masterpiece of a skramz record that does what it sets out to near perfectly, but prolonged listening puts me in a mental state that Iâd rather avoid. | | 72 |  | Iron Maiden
Powerslave
OG m/ | | 71 |  | Yes
Close to the Edge
Close to the Edge is a funny one. Everything about it screams âgod, this is a pretentious, campy green booger of an album that Asleep will despiseâ, yet I love the crap out of it. I still donât really know why, and I hate that. | | 70 |  | Bad Astronaut
Houston: We Have a Drinking Problem
I think I have a drinking problem. Also, this is a fantastic album. Itâs easy listening stuff, a restrained and subtle pop rock endeavour thatâs catchy as hell whilst containing a potent and cold emotional undercurrent in contrast to its generally bright aesthetic. Itâs a fantastic pairing, a complimentary tag team of consonance and dissonance that allows both elements to shine. | | 69 |  | Black Sabbath
Paranoid
Classic riff after classic riff after classic riff after classic riff ad infinitum | | 68 |  | Every Time I Die
New Junk Aesthetic
The most fun you can have with drop D, probably | | 67 |  | The Story So Far
Under Soil and Dirt
Rarely does a pop punk project ever sound quite this angry, quite this fuming, quite this ⊠well, punk. Parker Cannon spits venom over 11 glorious, jagged pop punk jams that I always seem to come back to whenever my love life goes tits up again. | | 66 |  | Rainbow
Rising
âBest dad rockâ official titleholder | | 65 |  | Converge
Axe to Fall
Convergeâs most straightforward effort Axe to Fall pulls no punches, slamming the listenerâs face into the tarmac from the get go. It lets up briefly halfway through with âWorms Will Feedâ, only to smirk and sneer âDid you really think this was over?â before dropkicking you down a flight of stairs. So yeah, itâs exactly what youâd want from Converge. | | 64 |  | PUP
The Dream Is Over
With guitars screeching, bass booming and drums pounding, The Dream Is Over blazes as brightly as the flaming sofa that adorns its cover. Lace over the top the manic cries of one of the most characterful vocalists Iâve heard in some time and youâve got yourself something pretty special. | | 63 |  | Orchid
Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow!
I feel like the yellow flash in the pan that is Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow! is the easiest Orchid LP to overlook. It isnât the blazing inception of Chaos is Me, adored (quite rightly) for kick-starting with vigour the career of one of screamoâs most beloved; nor is it sprawling Gatefold, the bandâs nuanced curtain call, praised for its elegant evolution into uncharted territory for the genre. Indeed, one could argue Dance Tonight! Revolution Tomorrow! is actually quite uninteresting (relatively speaking), merely a leaner and cleaner version of what the band already achieved with their debut. Such thinking is dangerous however, for it could lead one to miss out on a real treat, a flaming, spiralling tornado thatâs about as far from a sophomore slump as you could get. For me at least its as good as Orchid got, which is to say very, very, very good. | | 62 |  | Converge
You Fail Me Redux
Shatters faces whilst shredding heartstrings | | 61 |  | Sons Of Granville
Sons Of Granville
Go read my review for this little hidden gem, it explains it all. Please. Pretty please? | | 60 |  | The World Is a Beautiful Place...
Whenever, If Ever
A masterclass in revivalism, demonstrating perfectly how to carefully blend old and new to create something unique. | | 59 |  | Ween
The Mollusk
Cohesion isn't a word I usually associate with genre-hopping duo Ween, nor something I generally look for in their albums, but The Mollusk certainly proves that one doesn't have to stick to what one knows (or what others expect from you) to create something wonderful. Of course this is still Ween through and through - ever jovial and playful, dazzling and delighting with music that seems a lot simpler than it actually is - it's merely lashed together a bit more tightly than usual with fishing line and anchor chains.
TL;DR: Ween under the sea = best Ween. | | 58 |  | Mr. Bungle
California
A bizarre and wonderful collection of musical oxymora. | | 57 |  | Green Day
American Idiot
Iâm not sure I can listen to the opening 3-chord barrage of âAmerican Idiotâ without smiling, picturing 16yo me screaming his lungs out in the front row at Leeds Fest. Iâm not sure I can put âWake Me Up When September Endsâ on without thinking of that awkward time I sung it for some god-awful music assignment at school. Iâm not sure Iâll ever be able to play âBoulevard of Broken Dreamsâ without recalling how me and my old roommate used to jam it together repeatedly as a guitar and keyboard duet to the (very vocal) distaste of our neighbours. Iâm not sure Iâll ever be able to perceive American Idiot as an album, nor appraise it with any sense of objectivity, for it really is better described as a bundle of memories. Itâs bottled nostalgia, and I love it. | | 56 |  | Linkin Park
Hybrid Theory
Hybrid Theory is another stubborn favourite, an irremovable keystone of my musical journey as the second CD I bought and the first album I ever loved. It honestly surprises me that I still love it as much as I do, and not just a nostalgic love but a genuine âdamn, this is actually a great albumâ kind of love. However, Iâm under no illusions; I know this is a simplistic, commercialised pop album in loose nu-metal clothing; I see its obvious flaws. Yet, clearly I couldnât care less. Maybe I just have awful taste, or maybe thatâs just the unconditional love we reserve for a select few old friends; I think that would make sense, for Hybrid Theory is pretty much the oldest musical friend I have. | | 55 |  | TotorRo
Home Alone
Warm, boisterous, mathy jams tinged with post rock. See my review for more. | | 54 |  | Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against The Machine
52 minutes of aggression and swagger; easy to love and hard to put down | | 53 |  | Pg. 99
Document #8
Sloppy and sincere. Encapsulates the spirit of the genre perfectly. | | 52 |  | The Front Bottoms
The Front Bottoms
Awkward, fumbling basement pop punk. Essentially a hook machine with a heart. | | 51 |  | Run the Jewels
Run the Jewels 2
Banger after banger after banger for 40 glorious minutes. Also, the placement of this above pretty much every hip-hop âclassicâ I can recall really does show my noob status when it comes to the genre. Iâll get around to fixing that eventually, I promise. | | 50 |  | Toh Kay
Streetlight Lullabies
As Mr. Toh Kay so eloquently put himself, "Something to put your feet up to, when you're not quite in the mood for the ball of frenetic energy that is Streetlight Manifesto." | | 49 |  | Vektor
Terminal Redux
I donât think a thrash record has ever quite as genuinely moved me quite like Terminal Redux does. Also, the dude makes âSKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEâ sounds every once in a while, so thatâs cool. | | 48 |  | Streetlight Manifesto
Everything Goes Numb
I might ruffle a few feathers in ranking this below the bulk of Tomasâ other work, but eh, my list. A vital pillar within 3rd wave ska for good reason, sporting some of the best lyrics of any Streetlight project and containing enough energy to level a small village and put it back together again. Itâs everything the genre should be really. | | 47 |  | Death Grips
The Money Store
Something this abrasive should not be this catchy. An amalgamation of this many different genres and styles really shouldnât feel this natural, nor cohesive. A project with such poetic, abstract, bleak and disturbing lyricism has no right to be this fun and (relatively) accessible. The Money Store has no right to work; plain and simple, it just shouldnât. But it does, so yay. | | 46 |  | The Hotelier
Goodness
Like comfort food, but music. | | 45 |  | Tigers on Trains
Grandfather
Rustic is the best descriptor for Grandfather I could think of, you know, âcause itâs really frickinâ rustic. Every step just feels so natural, so rootsy, so warm and gentle that it feels like it couldnât have happened any other way; and Iâm glad it didnât, as the journey through the thicket with Tigers on Trains is as touching and comforting as they come. | | 44 |  | Julien Baker
Sprained Ankle
It's astounding how well I feel like I know Julien from just 30 minutes or so of music. I mean, of course I don't know her at all, not really, but that's the magic of Sprained Ankle; it radiates, exudes and sparkles Julien, all her wishes, her beliefs, her flaws and her persona lain out; it almost mimics a face to face encounter, a heart to heart chat over a pint. It's thus easy to feel like you've met Julien, and just as easy to relate to her confessions on life and loss. I guess this explains why Sprained Ankle worked it's way so swiftly and devastatingly into the dusty depths of my chest. It's the musical mirage of a friend, another struggling soul to hold hands with as the ship goes down. Jeez I'm melodramatic. I'll end with this: I hope you're doing ok Julien, sincerely. | | 43 |  | Mount Eerie
A Crow Looked At Me
Iâm so sorry Phil. | | 42 |  | Pinegrove
Cardinal
If poetry set to a careful blend of emo, indie rock and country sounds appealing to you then jam this, jam this so hard. | | 41 |  | The Smith Street Band
No One Gets Lost Anymore
Self-destructive self-deprecation has never sounded quite this anthemic. | | 40 |  | Frank Turner
England Keep My Bones
Whilst England Keep My Bones contains some of Frankâs best crowd pleasers, itâs the deeper, more creative cuts that have always interested me the most. Sure âI Still Believeâ and âIf Ever I Strayâ are fantastic belters, but they donât compare to the heart retching heartbreak of âRedemptionâ, to the adorable b-side âA Song For Eva Maeâ, or to the dark rocker âOne Foot Before The Otherâ. Heck, thereâs even a poem, ye old England style in the form of âEnglish Curseâ. Itâs this odd balance between easy listening radio candy and braver forays into very un-Frank styles that makes the record such an interesting one for the Frank fan and why itâs so damn easy to love. | | 39 |  | American Football
American Football
American Footballâs s/t is a fading Polaroid, a blurry almost-image with just enough detail to bring forth a flood of memories. Itâs twinkly, summery goodness, dripping nostalgia, overflowing with the comforting hue of days gone by. Itâs lovely. | | 38 |  | AJJ
People Who Can Eat People are the Luckiest People
I love people. I love life. I also hate people and hate life. AJJ get that. I love AJJ. | | 37 |  | Jordaan Mason and The Horse Museum
Divorce Lawyers I Shaved My Head
If Dali had played in a lo-fi indie folk band it probably would have sounded something like this. Predictably, it's reeallyy weird. Though enigmatic and pretty hard to decipher, Divorce Lawyers⊠appears to be a musical exploration of the self, a tale of gender dysphonia and unstable sexuality within a cracking marriage that pertains more generally to the underlying characteristics of identify crises. It progresses as an almost-story - personified and conversational with clear characters and events - yet it never solidifies, never entirely comprehensible. Indeed, it often feels like a shadow of a narrative, an obtuse collection of fragmented experiences and emotions. The accompanying instrumentation compliments, rootsy guitar work peppered with suitably quirky horns and keys. While Divorce Lawyers... is a cryptic and contorted mess, it can be a surprisingly comforting retreat for those undergoing deep internal conflict. I speak from personal experience: it helps. | | 36 |  | Frank Turner
Sleep Is For The Week
An undemanding and cosy helping of rootsy and relatable folk goodness. | | 35 |  | The Hotelier
It Never Goes Out
Poetic, passionate, personal, political, potent pop punk. Alliteration is fun. | | 34 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Lift Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven
One of the few records in existence that I think deserves the (quite overused) title of âmasterpieceâ. Would be higher if only I listened to it more. | | 33 |  | Sunhouse
Crazy on the Weekend
Zak said it best I think: âDo you want to hear music made by one of us?â Heart-shattering stuff. | | 32 |  | Radiohead
In Rainbows
In Rainbows is a record I find it hard to talk about in any depth. Of course, that's not because it's a bad record (I mean duh, this is a top 100 list), more that I just don't want to. It so effortlessly thrills and soothes that I feel little need to dissect it. It just is; it just does; it just works, no assembly required, no deep analysis necessary. Try it. Let it wash over you and pull you in. It's lovely, I promise. | | 31 |  | Streetlight Manifesto
The Hands That Thieve
Streetlight shake off the shackles of 3rd wave ska to do whatever the hell they feel like on The Hands that Thieve and itâs awesome. Not that the band have ever let themselves be confined by the genre they reside in, but Streetlight really do go a bit haywire here. The record zips every-which-way, picking up influences as it goes and mushing them together to form a characteristically poignant and rallying package. Side note: yeah this is weirdly highly placed, I didnât see it coming either. Ah well, it floats my boat. | | 30 |  | Radiohead
The Bends
The Bends simply rocks. Solemnly and reservedly, sure, but it rocks all the same and thatâs all you need to know. | | 29 |  | The Antlers
Hospice
I donât really feel anymore when I listen to Hospice. It used to shake me, forcing a lump in my throat regardless of my mood. Now it just makes me feel numb. | | 28 |  | Radiohead
Kid A
Kid A is an easy record to love for the way that it replicates and complies a bunch of emotions and sensations of the everyday. This makes it a fantastic record to live with; a companion to go through daily turbulence with, to laugh and cry with. It doesnât require much explanation really. Listen to it; if youâre alive youâll probably get it. | | 27 |  | Ghost Mice
All We Got Is Each Other
Ghost Mice play sloppily, sing shakily, and canât produce a record particularly well. Of course, none of that matters as All We Got Is Each Other still destroys me every single time in spite of (and partially because of, I suppose) its flaws. Every other line is a punch in the guts in an album that deserves to be ranked up there with the Carrie & Lowells and Benjis of the last decade. Itâs simply folk punk as it should be: charismatic, passionate, and utterly human. | | 26 |  | Catch 22
Keasbey Nights
An unwavering, unadulterated and uninhibited mess of an album that literally bounces of the walls like some kid whoâs eaten one too many candy bars. Itâs an endearing mess though, like itâs your little scrapper of a kid causing chaos rather than your neighboursâ screaming brat that you just want to dropkick through a window. | | 25 |  | Spiritualized
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
If youâve ever wanted to be privy to a guy losing his mind amidst drugs and heartbreak then this is your album. It helps if you can relate, so go get your heart trodden into the ground and then grab a crate of beer; itâs worth it, I promise (well, you know, other than the âhaving your heart brokenâ bit, âcause that sucks). | | 24 |  | Clever Girl
No Drum And Bass in the Jazz Room
Clever Girlâs first and only ep makes me happy. Honestly, itâs hard for ones spirits not to be lifted a smidge when this little thing embraces you with a big warm hug, horns tooting and guitars merrily noodling. Itâs carefree, jovial and a comforting companion. Wish these dudes made more music. | | 23 |  | Vektor
Black Future
The first truly m/ metal record I ever loved and still pretty much my favourite. Some may sneer at its placement above pretty much all the metal âclassicsâ but eh, this just hit the spot for me; a perfect mix of proggy thrash and death metal with a few sprinklings of black metal here and there, topped with a nutcase of a vocalist who I adore and just the right amount of cheese to be palatable. | | 22 |  | Snowing
Fuck Your Emotional Bullshit
A screaming little bottle rocket of an emo ep that Iâve destroyed my vocal chords yelling along to on more occasions than Iâd care to recall. Charming and cathartic, sloppy and sincere, messy and moreish â what more could you ask for? | | 21 |  | Animal Collective
Strawberry Jam
Who knew a collection of beeps and boops with some nut singing / shrieking over the top of it could make me feel quite so much. Only under the masterful guiding hand of Animal Collective could it be done, I guess. | | 20 |  | The Menzingers
On the Impossible Past
Just go read Artâs review for this; says exactly what I want to say but better than I ever could: http://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/74314/The-Menzingers-On-the-Impossible-Past/ | | 19 |  | Against Me!
Crime as Forgiven By
Crime is an utterly captivating EP. Its folk punk through and through: brash and passionate, sloppy and sincere, young and angry. Itâs not well produced, its not instrumentally complex and its not really all that well written, but it doesn't need to be when overflowing which such unwavering vigour and emotion. | | 18 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
Fight me if you think there exists a better post-rock climax than that found in âMoyaâ. Donât actually, youâd probably win, for Iâm the type of dude to tear up to a crescendo and talk for hours about song composition and pacing (lets just say I donât even âliftâ, bro). Whether I can fight for it or not, the point still stands: this is a bloody good post-rock album. Delicate, cathartic and uncharacteristically concise, it is one of those few albums that I wouldnât change a second of for fear of causing the whole thing to cave in on itself and lose that âthingâ that makes it quite so magical. Although I believe Post-Rock still has a lot to give (and Iâm quite sick of those still gleefully waiving the âpost-rock is deadâ banner), Iâm pretty sure weâre never going to get another Kanada. | | 17 |  | Captain, We're Sinking
The Future Is Cancelled
âIâm lonely now, and thatâs okâ ⊠âcause I have this album to keep me company. There is comfort in shared isolation I guess. | | 16 |  | Bon Iver
For Emma, Forever Ago
A cosy acoustic forest of sad things that Iâve had a few too many nights alone with for my own good | | 15 |  | Against Me!
Against Me!
Few albums so readily induce such a wide range of emotional responses simultaneously as Against Me!âs acoustic EP. Not only is it the spiralling-yet-reserved, frantic-yet-composed, and anthemic-yet-solemn peak of their career, its also the peak of folk punk (so far as Iâve seen). | | 14 |  | Radiohead
OK Computer
Good album. | | 13 |  | Regina Spektor
Soviet Kitsch
I like you Regina. Youâre quirky and you make me happy. I donât know why make me happy, for you sing about a lot of sad stuff. But you do, so thanks. | | 12 |  | Converge
Jane Doe
Ey, weâre into the 5s. If youâve actually read everything up to this point then you have no life, but I love you. As for this, well, this is Jane Doe. âNuff said really. | | 11 |  | Frank Turner
Tape Deck Heart
Simple, sappy songs about the ups and downs of love, companionship and life with hooks thatâll melt your face clean off. There isnât much to say really; this simply grabbed me and wouldnât let go, introducing me towards my now favourite artist and worming its way into my tape deck heart as it did so (sorry, had to do it). | | 10 |  | Bruce Springsteen
Born to Run
A classic in every sense of the word really: fantastic and varied musicianship, unrelenting hooks, utterly genuine vocal delivery, wonderfully (and deceptively) simple yet effective lyricism, relatability, timeless style, undeniable influence and an undeniable legacy ... the list goes on and on and on. Also, the dude is such a nice chap, incredibly humble and still making music. Heâs a true legend, and this is a truly legendary record. | | 9 |  | Say Anything
...Is a Real Boy
Max used to be an awkward and damaged chap. It probably sucked to be in his head in 2004 and Iâm certainly glad heâs better now, but in a twisted way I kind of miss the broken guy that produced ⊠Is A Real Boy, the ugly and sporadic by-product of the manâs woes and idiosyncrasies. Obviously I donât really want another human being to go through some personal crisis just because I might get a good album out of it, but when the results are this characterful, charming and creative itâs a disturbingly easy thought to have. | | 8 |  | Sufjan Stevens
Carrie and Lowell
I donât cry. I used to, I think, quite a lot, and often when it was unwarranted. Life slapped me around a bit. Iâm sturdier now. I donât cry. Yet, after dozens and dozens of listens I canât sit through this without welling up. | | 7 |  | Neutral Milk Hotel
In the Aeroplane Over the Sea
An album thatâs been talked to death about â through memes and mockery as much as genuine discourse â so I shanât waste too many words here. Iâll just add that I appreciate In The Aeroplane Over the Sea because itâs a work of art. I donât use such words to imply itâs flawless. Far from it, what I mean is I admire and adore its dedication to whatever the hell vision the band had when they made it. Itâs music for the sake of music, art that exists for its own sake only and doesnât care if you understand what itâs trying to say or not. Indeed, the disparate interpretations it has led to and the (arguably futile) search for the meaning it has inspired from so many listeners are what make it just so bloody fascinating and one of my favourite records. And yeah, I suppose it helps that it sounds phenomenal too. | | 6 |  | The Tallest Man on Earth
The Wild Hunt
The Wild Hunt is many things, most of which are quite unexpected and contradictory: itâs possibly the most fundamentally human album Iâve ever heard â unkempt and raw, struggling but determined â even though Kristianâs brittle croons can sound anything but human at times; itâs instrumentally lush, with each strum brushing against heartstrings, surprising given how I find instrumental intricacy prone to overpower and undercut emotional potency; itâs an album I used to despise, but now itâs one of my favourites. Weird, huh? | | 5 |  | Car Seat Headrest
Teens of Denial
From the painfully singable hooks to the gorgeous instrumentation to the intricate and varied song structures, this pretty much has everything I look for in a record. Above all though, the lyrics came at just the right time in my life to hit me like a train, but also to give me a hand up. The way the record honestly and brazenly tackles the trials that most all 20 something year olds go though has this brilliant message of âYeah it sucks, but donât feel embarrassed or ashamed to feel like crap sometimes; we all go though it and come out the other side the better for itâ. Will bares his soul for us, and I for one am incredibly grateful. | | 4 |  | The Microphones
The Glow Pt. 2
This record elicited the strongest and most inexplicable emotional response from me on first listen that a record ever has. Itâs uplifting and yet unsettling, it induces anxiety and claustrophobia whilst interspersing this with comforting snippets of beauty; the contrast is exquisite. The delicate vocal delivery, the natural and enigmatic lyrical content, the lo-fi elements and the ingenious recording/production all build to create a truly unique experience. In sum: Phil is God. | | 3 |  | Streetlight Manifesto
Somewhere in the Between
There havenât been many times where Iâve put on a record and its reshaped my entire appreciation of music, but my first listen of Somewhere in the Between did just that. Itâs somehow delicate and poetic whilst also relentless and visceral, technically brilliant yet still emotionally devastating. I still donât know how they made such contradictions work but they most certainly did. Whilst I no longer label it my favourite album, to say it still means a lot to me would be an understatement. Indeed, itâs an album I often credit with getting me into music, and leading to me becoming an avid Sput user and a reviewer (yeah, sorry about that, now you guys are stuck with me). | | 2 |  | Frank Turner
Love, Ire & Song
If you know me then you probably know I love Frank. He and his music inspired me to pick up a guitar (as much as my neighbours and wallet probably wish he hadnât), which has led me to pretty much my favourite hobby (whoo). The singer-songwriter is also a prolific, humble and chill dude who sings his bloody heart out and is someone I never cease to relate to. Love, Ire and Song is his peak, the blueprint for pretty much any music looking to work its way under my skin. I wonât try describing it, for the experience it provides is an inherently individual one that you ought experience for yourself with no spoilers. Go on. Shoo. Listen to it. Stop reading this boring ass list. | | 1 |  | The Hotelier
Home, Like NoPlace Is There
So apparently this is my favourite album. Slightly unexpected, but it makes sense. I first listened to this when a 2 and a bit year relationship of mine crashed and burned. It helped then and continues to help me cope with life and things now. Not that the grief that the record grapples with is that kind of heartache, but the sincerity and sorrow with which The Hotelier confront loss is something that obviously struck a chord with me. Thankfully my dependence on the record continues to lessen as things continue to get better, as I move on and become a more stable and grounded individual. Still, I think it (and records like it) will always be necessary crutches for me occasionally. And thatâs okay. Music is a vital companion for so many of us for a reason, something to look forward to at the end of a hard day and a slice of whatever you need to pick you up when youâve fallen down. For me, thereâs no record that executes that concept quite as well as Home. | |
AsleepInTheBack
08.23.17 | Feel free to gawk at my shoddy music taste. Cheers to anyone who gives this a skim. | theBoneyKing
08.23.17 | Can already tell this is great stuff, will read it when I have the time. Only heard 18 of these... | Drifter
08.23.17 | I like it
"Iâm not sure I can put âWake Me Up When September Endsâ on without thinking of that awkward time I sung it for some god-awful music assignment at school."
Lmfao that's awesome
"A cosy acoustic forest of sad things that Iâve had a few too many nights alone with for my own good"
Same ;-; | BeyondCosby
08.23.17 | Cool list man. That was really fun to read. Nice job having your own opinions and sticking to them. | Conmaniac
08.23.17 | holyyyyy shit Asleep fantastic job, feature worthy for sure. only read the ones I was v familiar with but I'm bookmarking to sift through all of these. | Conmaniac
08.23.17 | also thanks tons for the shoutout (: | hesperus
08.23.17 | some good shit on here
out of curiosity, would YFM be on the list if they hadn't done the Redux? | dctarga
08.23.17 | Was a good read, will come back for the few I didn't totally read because I do like the descriptions and many of these I need to check out for my self.
On 68, "The most fun you can have with drop D, probably" I really liked that comment lol
| AsleepInTheBack
08.23.17 | Cheers guys, appreciate it more than you know.
Yeah hesperus regular YFM would be on here if it weren't for redux, but I think redux is generally an improvement and I didn't see the need to put both up | AsleepInTheBack
08.23.17 | Also I'll forever love whoever was responsible for the feature, thanks a bunch | ArsMoriendi
08.23.17 | Ween is on here twice and gets and honorable mention?
:D | UpwardSpiral
08.23.17 | 73 -'but prolonged listening puts me in a mental state that Iâd rather avoid'
Yeah that is why I avoid skramz these days, even though it's one of my fav. genres. | Artuma
08.23.17 | holy shit | minty901
08.23.17 | man, i love this list. so much good stuff. cant wait to check out all the stuff i havent heard of. | Frivolous
08.23.17 | nice work asleep, i'll have to check some of these out | butcherboy
08.23.17 | loved reading this, Asleep.. we've got different tastes in some regards, but this sort of list always makes me happy.. labour of love.. | Papa Universe
08.23.17 | huh, okay | AngryJohnny
08.23.17 | A good read, lots of nice picks here | SandwichBubble
08.23.17 | I rec'd you 37. :D glad it's one of your favorites now | Conmaniac
08.23.17 | yeah tons, TONS
1 is such a 5, glad to see so many albums on here it'd be pointless to list em all | CalculatingInfinity
08.23.17 | Agreed with some things, disagreed with plenty more but tons of effort and heart is here and that's all I can ask for in a Sput list. Great job dude. | bgillesp
08.23.17 | Awesome list, descriptions, choices, etc | cylinder
08.23.17 | Lotta good shit here, man, nice. Cool to see you can appreciate all diff kinds of rock; punk emo indie prog (you got the right Yes album) and even some Bungle in there. Good stuff | BlushfulHippocrene
08.24.17 | "If youâve actually read everything up to this point then you have no life..." :(
"but I love you." :3
Such an impressive job, Ben. Your number one was a surprise, but not too much of a surprise. Some very great descriptions here as well. | theBoneyKing
08.24.17 | Just finished reading the whole thing and...this is amazing, Asleep! Really love the high amount of folk on here especially, and the wruteups are superb. | theBoneyKing
08.24.17 | By the way, given that 98 is ok here, and considering the styles of a lot of the other stuff here, you should really check out Death Cab For Cutie - Transatlanticism. It would fit right in on this list (and it's a top 10-15 album ever for me ;-D ) | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Thanks everyone, love you guys, especially those who seem to have read the whole thing, you guys are the best
Let me know if you give any of them a go Minty, mate.
Yeah Sandwich 37 is an absolute gem of a record, thank you!
Yeah Boney I'll make sure to get on that, you know, after checking the handful of things you've already recd me in the last few days ;)
Seriously though, the overall attitude of respect for, and appreciation of, diverging tastes in these comments is awesome to see | verdant
08.24.17 | excellent work ben, love personal reads like this and it helps that you're a great writer :~) | RoundOnEndHiInMiddle
08.24.17 | oh hell yeah, love lists with descriptions like these. some pretty interesting picks as well, great job dude. | neekafat
08.24.17 | Beautiful writing Asleep, makin' me want to do one of these soon haha
"Good album." [2] | ashcrash9
08.24.17 | Incredible effort and great list, my dude! | DinosaurJones
08.24.17 | WHEN WE FALL, WE WILL FALL TOGETHER | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | NO ONE WILL CATCH US SO WE'LL CATCH OURSELVES
Thanks a bunch jack / Round / neeka / ash, much love | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | Also yeah Neeka do one! | schoonda
08.24.17 | Love Ire & Song yes dude fantastic record, never got into much of his stuff after that unfortunately | AsleepInTheBack
08.24.17 | It's a wonderful record yeah. That's a shame, his discog is a goldmine in my opinion (as if that didn't come across in the list haha) | foxblood
08.25.17 | glad to see a fan of the boss | AsleepInTheBack
08.25.17 | He's one of the greats yeah. His non-'Born to Run' stuff needs more love on the site, even though Born to Run is his best imo. | Sunnyvale
08.26.17 | Cool list. 6 and 10 would be in my top ten as well. | AsleepInTheBack
08.26.17 | Cheers pal. Yeah they're both easy picks for me | DoofusWainwright
08.26.17 | Respect for 21, 33 and 81 | crankstrap
08.28.17 | Solid list. | AsleepInTheBack
08.28.17 | Thanks fellas | Sowing
08.28.17 | Incredible list. Nice to see #95 and #45, in particular. | foxblood
08.28.17 | yeah the promise, nebraska, the rising, live 75-85, darkness, the river etc all need more love. he has a great discog but they're all overshadowed by born to run, which is def a classic. | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Cheers Sowing
Definitely fox, though I'm guilty of not having got around to all of those myself. I'll need to fix that | theBoneyKing
08.30.17 | I really need to properly get into Springsteen, I'm a casual fan having heard his stuff on the radio and just around in general but I've never really actively jammed his stuff. | DoofusWainwright
08.30.17 | I've listened to enough Springsteen to know he'll never go to the level of being a favourite for me unfortunately | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | From what I know of your taste Boney it certainly wouldn't hurt to give Born to Run a go. Very easy listening but a lot deeper than it first appears. If it's a bit too pristine for you, maybe delve into Darkness. | theBoneyKing
08.30.17 | Nebraska actually always seemed the most interesting one to me, that one is constantly being referenced as a touch point for a ton of albums I listen to. | AsleepInTheBack
08.30.17 | Fair play. Dive in wherever really. Planning on checking War on Drugs today by the way, where to start Boney? | theBoneyKing
08.30.17 | I'd say go with Slave Ambeint or Lost in the Dream first. The newest might not be the best place for a first time listener. | DoofusWainwright
08.30.17 | 'Nebraska' is the one I own - I'm finding it's real good, but not a life changer so far. | TheWalkinDude
09.09.17 | We'd get along | Papa Universe
09.09.17 | I take it you'll love me forever now, Asleep. | AsleepInTheBack
09.09.17 | Neat WalkinDude, lets do that. Sup.
And why is that Unique? | Papa Universe
09.09.17 | "BUT if you do in fact read the whole thing I'll love you forever."
for the reference | AsleepInTheBack
09.09.17 | ffs, now I have to love Unique of all people forever. Thank you though, sincerely. | Papa Universe
09.09.17 | Yeah, I made you ma bitch!
The list is dope tho. |
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