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User
Soundoffs 1
Album Ratings 417
Objectivity 75%
Last Active 01-01-70 12:00 am
Joined 01-01-70
Review Comments 4
| One List for All Lists
My Lifetime Top 10 | | 10 |  | The Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness
Each year, for one random week, this band are the best band in the world. I’m never sure when it’s going to happen and I’m still not sure why it happens.
The band only made three true “Smashing Pumpkins” albums (the rest of their output being Billy Corgan vanity projects or forgettable at best) but this double album helped elongate their “lightning in a bottle” period of genuine interesting output.
It’s far from perfect – once X.Y.U has finished pounding my eardrums into oblivion, the rest is largely of side two is of little importance, but across the two discs and twenty eight tracks lies most of the Smashing Pumpkins career highlights, be it the lengthy epics (Porcelina, ‘Ruby and X.Y.U) or the true contenders for the best alternative rock song ever written (Tonight Tonight, 1979).
It’s the only double album that I can think of that wouldn’t be improved by being cut in half. I wish there was more left after this for the band to release another album that was even half as good. | | 9 |  | The Mars Volta
De-Loused in the Comatorium
Frances… was THE album that taught me what a “5” meant on Sputnik - ironic considering 13 years after release I rate it a lowly 4.5. De-Loused is the true classic album from The Mars Volta’s discography.
What do you cross if you combine exceptional musicianship, relentless energy, obtuse composition and an ounce of restraint? The answer is this - the quintessential progressive album of the last 20 years.
Coming into this from the wackier end of the band’s back catalogue means I consider this to be a “tame” album compared to later efforts but the reality is that this album hit the best balance between experimentation and consistency.
The pure noise of “This Apparatus…” hinted at what was to come in future years and simultaneously reminds me that by no stretch is this album “normal”. There are no highlights just 60 minutes of ridiculous creative genius.
“The Mars Volta” is defined as being “the partnership between Omar Rodríguez-López & Cedric Bixler-Zavala”. This was peak ‘Volta. | | 8 |  | Brand New
The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me
5930 | | 7 |  | Refused
The Shape of Punk to Come
The definitive, prophetically titled post punk album and a staple of every top 10 list I have ever written since I was 13.
When I first heard this masterpiece I was told that upon release, the band realised that they would never top it and immediately called it a day. I don’t think it’s a true story, but it may as well be - they won’t ever top this as their “comeback” album, released 17 years on demonstrated so well. This is all the Refused the world will ever need.
The cover describes this as “A Chimerical Bombination in 12 Bursts”. I’ve got no idea what “Chimerical” means, but I there are 11 “Bombinations” on this album and a surprising closing track.
This album was the gateway for me into louder, angrier music and it says a lot that it’s the only punk derived record to remain in my top 10 to this date. They say that the classics never go out of style… | | 6 |  | Explosions in the Sky
The Earth is Not a Cold Dead Place
2614 | | 5 |  | The Beach Boys
The Smile Sessions
334 | | 4 |  | Sufjan Stevens
Illinois
2201 | | 3 |  | Pink Floyd
The Dark Side of the Moon
7185 | | 2 |  | Pink Floyd
Wish You Were Here
6216 | | 1 |  | Godspeed You! Black Emperor
Slow Riot For New Zero Kanada
Either the 1st or 11th best album I’ve ever heard. The greatest EP ever recorded.
Having added two Pink Floyd albums into my list, I couldn’t bring myself to add the other well-known Godspeed… classic and leave just 6 open spots for my final 6 entries. Number 1 could have just as easily gone to “Lift Your Skinny Fists…” but on balance I think this edges it, for having all of the impact, energy and brilliance of its successor in just a 28 minute run time.
Listed to them both, but this is as accessible as Godspeed will ever get. The closing word on post rock and a piece of work that will forever be regarded as a true masterpiece of the genre.
This is how good music can be. | |
calmrose
12.09.18 | nice to see 4 in someone else's top 10, it also happens to be my 4th favorite album of all time | Source
12.09.18 | >Joined 12-31-69
:thinking: | calmrose
12.09.18 | pretty sure that's one of this site's many glitches | Source
12.09.18 | Yeah I've noticed it before with other users. I don't understand it though | Lord(e)Po)))ts
12.09.18 | What a sexy year to join the computer | Attackoftheshark
12.09.18 | 1 is really good | Uzumaki
12.09.18 | Really nice list here. | BerryGarlicia
12.09.18 | joined 12-31-69 | StrikeOfTheBeast
12.09.18 | 2 is my favorite. | bish7751
12.09.18 | Thanks - no idea why my join date shows that. I'm working through the top rated all time albums on this site so wanted to do my top 10 before going through those |
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