Music RedCafe's Favourite Albums Of All Time Contest (Round 4)

oneniltothearsenal said:
That's exactly why I expected more diversity as well myself. With the more European and worldwide nature of the forum, I expected more electronica since the 90s was the original rave scene and 808 State is peak Manchester vibes. And I'd also call the 90s the best era of hip hop so while I see a few hip hop albums, I'm surprised not to see more. And we can always count on @Dirty Schwein for a complete surprise, I still can't get over Backstreet Boys
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The album form (of the latter half of the 20th century, which this contest is about, as against singles, EPs, mixtapes, DJ mixes and other forms) is inherently tied to rock (and rock-adjacent) music and its surrounding discourse. The rockist dominance is therefore hardly surprising.
 
Dirty Schwein said:
You're just jealous of their amazing melodies and harmonies. I can send you a playlist of their best songs if you want?
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That sounds like one of those horror movies you love :p

1950 said:
The album form (of the latter half of the 20th century, which this contest is about, as against singles, EPs, mixtapes, DJ mixes and other forms) is inherently tied to rock (and rock-adjacent) music and its surrounding discourse. The rockist dominance is therefore hardly surprising.
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I get what you're saying but I'd say the 90s were the most diverse decade for albums of all time in the last pre-iPod, pre-streaming music decade. The format fits hip hop as well, particularly in the 90s when you have most of the iconic hip hop albums There were also the best of electronic albums from the early techno era like 808 State and The Orb to more mainstream like Portishead, Massive Attack, etc.
 
Dirty Schwein said:
Michael Jackson is black. Kind of.
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:lol: even when they let a black guy in, he wants to be white.
Solius said:
Demographic of the forum probably trends towards older these days I think. Doubt we've got many in their early/mid 20s posting.
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I'm 41 – most great guitar music fizzled out way before I was coming of age, so thought there would be more like-minded choices. I'm not downplaying any of the bands being chosen either, I like most of them but it it's all a bit samey/boring, don't ya think?
Wibble said:
Have there been any really good albums since the 90's. Individual songs maybe but albums?
American Idiot and Back in Black is about all I can think of.
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That's my point, really. Rock/guitar music was nowhere near its peak during the 90s and yet the majority of lists are still littered with that genre. Can't wait to see the 00s lists full of Coldplay etc :boring:
 
Thunder Perfect Mind (Current 93)
Trompe Le Monde (Pixies)
Vauxhall and I (Morrissey)
If you're feeling sinister (Belle & Sebastian)
OK Computer (Radiohead)

Hon mention:

Musick to Play in the Dark (Coil)
The Black Rider (Tom Waits)
Transient random noise-bursts with announcements (Stereolab)
Curtains (Tindersticks)
Goo (Sonic Youth)
 
youngrell said:
I'm 41 – most great guitar music fizzled out way before I was coming of age, so thought there would be more like-minded choices. I'm not downplaying any of the bands being chosen either, I like most of them but it it's all a bit samey/boring, don't ya think?
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Yeah I do a bit. I’ve tried to vary my lists a bit in terms of genre.
 
1. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy - Jawbreaker
2. Static Prevails - Jimmy Eat World
3. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
4. Repeater - Fugazi
4. God Fodder - Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
5. Black Love - The Afghan Whigs

I've done some soul-searching.

@Dirty Schwein changed me mind Nov. 14.
 
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Wing Attack Plan R said:
1. 24 Hour Revenge Therapy - Jawbreaker
2. Static Prevails - Jimmy Eat World
3. Loveless - My Bloody Valentine
4. God Fodder - Ned’s Atomic Dustbin
5. Black Love - The Afghan Whigs

I've done some soul-searching.
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Loveless nearly made mine.
 
I feel a bit bad that I didn't include Slowdive's Souvlaki. Or Mogwai's Young Team.
 
This is a tough decade to pick out five only.

Radiohead - OK Computer
DJ Shadow - Entroducing
Leftfield - Leftism
Depeche Mode - Violator
Portishead - Dummy

Not gonna agonise any longer, could be here all night changing them.

​

 
As I was digging through 90s albums, I ran across a Robert Pollard (Guided By Voices) quote: “I used to think Alien Ant Farm was as bad as it could possibly get. But now, with current music, I look back fondly on Alien Ant Farm.” I had never heard them, and holy balls, he was right the first time. They make Limp Bizkit and 311– well those bands really are shit too, but I guess they make them sound like they aren’t such outliers. I wonder if a Worst List would be doable in future rounds?
 
  1. Illmatic - Nas
  2. The Chronic - Dr Dre
  3. Enter The Wu Tang - Wu Tang Clan
  4. Dah Shinin' - Smif'N'Wessun
  5. Midnight Marauders - A Tribe Called Quest
 
My favourite album of all time has to be Dark Side Of The Moon by the greatest band of all time Pink Floyd.
And I urge anyone who has never listened or even heard of it to give it a listen.
 
Wing Attack Plan R said:
You can get Mogwai in during the 00s. Hardcore Will Never Die, Rave Tapes, both amazing.
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So they are, but they're both 2010s. But the 2000s brought us Rock Action, which to my mind is their best album. Amazingly even quality though, they've almost never put out anything drab in 30 years of prolific releases. And by the sound of recent single "God gets you back", it's going to continue.

And, you've got to love their consistent preference for piss-take album titles, considering they inhabit a genre known for hyperpretentiousness on that point. I mean, "Rock Action", "Young Team", "Hardcore will never die, but you will", "The Hawk is Howling", who gives albums names like that, unless you're a 6th rate metal act?
 
Just realised that Play by Moby came out in 1999 as well, those songs seemed to be on the soundtrack of everything around 99/00.

I remember seeing an interview with Moby where he discussed that they basically just licensed everything out as the album didn't receive much fanfare on release and before they knew it they'd managed to license out every song on the album and then at some point in 2000 it reached no.1 in the UK charts.
 
Wibble said:
Have there been any really good albums since the 90's. Individual songs maybe but albums?
American Idiot and Back in Black is about all I can think of.
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Definitely.

It depends on your preferences of course, but my favorite Bad Religion album is from the 2000s and Mastodon, Gojira and Animals As Leaders have produced some amazing stuff. Then there's stuff form bands like The Avalanches, Malajube, Cowboy Fringants (both from Quebec), Wintersleep, Death Cab for Cutie, Elbow, Bloc Party (less commonly picked, but A Weekend in the City is amazing), Fleet Foxes, Placebo (yeah, I really like Sleeping with Ghosts), Oceansize, Zutons, Radiohead (again), Stromae, and so forth and so on. Dutch hiphop has also really bloomed, but that won't mean much on here.

People will laugh at this or that, but that's taste of course. And my list isn't the most recent, because I haven't followed new music as much for the last 10-15 years. But I really don't think music has been getting worse.
 
Cheimoon said:
Definitely.

It depends on your preferences of course, but my favorite Bad Religion album is from the 2000s and Mastodon, Gojira and Animals As Leaders have produced some amazing stuff. Then there's stuff form bands like The Avalanches, Malajube, Cowboy Fringants (both from Quebec), Wintersleep, Death Cab for Cutie, Elbow, Bloc Party (less commonly picked, but A Weekend in the City is amazing), Fleet Foxes, Placebo (yeah, I really like Sleeping with Ghosts), Oceansize, Zutons, Radiohead (again), Stromae, and so forth and so on. Dutch hiphop has also really bloomed, but that won't mean much on here.

People will laugh at this or that, but that's taste of course. And my list isn't the most recent, because I haven't followed new music as much for the last 10-15 years. But I really don't think music has been getting worse.
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There are greatsongs here and there but imo whole great albums are seriously lacking. I remembered one - Get Ready by New Order - and I'm sure there are a few more, but the 80's and 90's had so many, and even far more great songs from less than brilliant whole albums.
 
Grace - Jeff Buckley
Ten - Pearl Jam
Automatic for the people- REM
OK Computer - Radiohead
Lewis Taylor - Lewis Taylor.
 
BootsyCollins said:
Snoop Doggy Dogg - Doggystyle
Dr.Dre - The Chronic
OutKast - Aquemini
Twista - Adrenaline Rush
Dr.Dre - 2001
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Now that‘s a great call. I remember buying it back then for an absurd amount of money (being a teen) as an import by pure luck as I didn‘t know him. Almost same month I got 36maf‘s Mystic Styles. Epic time
 
Cheimoon said:
Definitely.

It depends on your preferences of course, but my favorite Bad Religion album is from the 2000s and Mastodon, Gojira and Animals As Leaders have produced some amazing stuff. Then there's stuff form bands like The Avalanches, Malajube, Cowboy Fringants (both from Quebec), Wintersleep, Death Cab for Cutie, Elbow, Bloc Party (less commonly picked, but A Weekend in the City is amazing), Fleet Foxes, Placebo (yeah, I really like Sleeping with Ghosts), Oceansize, Zutons, Radiohead (again), Stromae, and so forth and so on. Dutch hiphop has also really bloomed, but that won't mean much on here.

People will laugh at this or that, but that's taste of course. And my list isn't the most recent, because I haven't followed new music as much for the last 10-15 years. But I really don't think music has been getting worse.
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I agree. Genres come and go a bit, but metal overall has been incredible since 2000s. Opeth, Agalloch, Mastodon, ISIS, Drudkh, Moonsorrow, Tool (Lateralus and 10000 days), Riverside, Pain of Salvation and Cult of Luna all did great stuff during the 00's. Then later on we have bands like Alcest, Deafheaven, Elder, Pallbearer, Yob and Uncle Acid which alll produced very good stuff. And it's not like I'm that well versed in the genre anyway. Hip Hop is a genre I generally tend not to listen to, but as a genre it clearly has been at its top during the 2010s, stuff like My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy and good kid, m.a.a.d city are all timers.

There's an incredible amount good music nowadays, you just need to look a bit more.
 
BootsyCollins said:
Yes both great albums. The feel back then, oh man! The midwest is really under-rated.
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I stopped with Rap music mostly around mid 2000s so this is just a very subjective view but I haven't heard a better female rapper than Gangsta Boo (the albums of her being still extremely underwhelming productions especially given her potential) - bit of a shame she's basically unknown. I rummaged most of the underground Memphis stuff from dedicated internet pages (most rappers seem to not being alive or locked up anymore). Tough area, tough style.
 
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