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68 Suede - Dog Man Star (1994)

 

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The second and last album by to feature Bernard Butler remains an underappreciated masterpiece (UK#3, USA# did not chart).

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

4.5 Stars

 

Instead of following though on the Bowie-esque glam stomps of their debut, Suede concentrated on their darker, more melodramatic tendencies on their ambitious second album, Dog Man Star. By all accounts, the recording of Dog Man Star was plagued with difficulties — Brett Anderson wrote the lyrics in a druggy haze while sequestered in a secluded Victorian mansion, while Bernard Butler left before the album was completed — which makes its singular vision all the more remarkable. Lacking any rocker on the level of "The Drowners" or "Metal Mickey" — only the crunching "This Hollywood Life" comes close — Dog Man Star is a self-indulgent and pretentious album of dark, string-drenched epics. But Suede are one of the few bands who wear pretensions well, and after a few listens, the album becomes thoroughly compelling. Nearly every song on the record is hazy, feverish, and heartbroken, and even the rockers have an insular, paranoid tenor that heightens the album's melancholy. The whole record would have collapsed underneath its own intentions if Butler's compositional skills weren't so subtly nuanced and if Anderson's grandiose poetry wasn't so strangely affecting. As it stands, Dog Man Star is a strangely seductive record, filled with remarkable musical peaks, from the Bowie-esque stomp of "New Generation" to the stately ballads "The Wild Ones" and "Still Life," which are both reminiscent of Scott Walker. And while Suede may choose to wear their influences on their sleeve, they synthesize them in a totally original way, making Dog Man Star a singularly tragic and romantic album.

 

We Are The Pigs (live)

 

The Wild Ones video

 

New Generation video

 

The Power (acoustic)

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67 Depeche Mode - Violator (1990)

 

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Out of nowhere this 1980s synth-pop also-rans turned themselves into a great rock band with this wonderful album (UK#2, USA#7)

 

Review by Ned Raggett

5 Stars

 

In a word, stunning. Perhaps an odd word to use given that Violator continued in the general vein of the previous two studio efforts by Depeche Mode: Martin Gore's upfront lyrical emotional extremism and knack for a catchy hook filtered through Alan Wilder's ear for perfect arrangements, ably assisted by top English producer Flood. Yet the idea that this record would both dominate worldwide charts, while song for song being simply the best, most consistent effort yet from the band could only have been the wildest fantasy before its release. The opening two singles from the album, however, signaled something was up. First was "Personal Jesus," at once perversely simplistic, with a stiff, arcane funk/hip-hop beat and basic blues guitar chords, and tremendous, thanks to sharp production touches and David Gahan's echoed, snaky vocals. Then "Enjoy the Silence," a nothing-else-remains-but-us ballad pumped up into a huge, dramatic romance/dance number, commanding in its mock orchestral/choir scope. Follow-up single "Policy of Truth" did just fine as well, a low-key Motown funk number for the modern day with a sharp love/hate lyric to boot. To top it all off, the album itself scored on song after song, from the shuffling beat of "Sweetest Perfection" (well sung by Gore) and the ethereal "Waiting for the Night" to the guilt-ridden-and-loving-it "Halo" building into a string-swept pounder. "Clean" wraps up Violator on an eerie note, all ominous bass notes and odd atmospherics carrying the song. Goth without ever being stupidly hammy, synth without sounding like the clinical stereotype of synth music, rock without ever sounding like a "rock" band, Depeche here reach astounding heights indeed.

 

Personal Jesus video

 

Enjoy The Silence video

 

Policy Of Truth video

 

Halo video

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66 The Verve - Urban Hymns (1997)

 

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Wigan's finest turned the Noel Gallagher goodwill into a short-lived long overdue success thanks to their final album (UK#1, USA#23).

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

4.5 Stars

 

Not long after the release of A Northern Soul, the Verve imploded due to friction between vocalist Richard Ashcroft and guitarist Nick McCabe. It looked like the band had ended before reaching its full potential, which is part of the reason why their third album, Urban Hymns — recorded after the pair patched things up in late 1996 — is so remarkable. Much of the record consists of songs Ashcroft had intended for a solo project or a new group, yet Urban Hymns unmistakably sounds like the work of a full band, with its sweeping, grandiose soundscapes and sense of purpose. The Verve have toned down their trancy, psychedelic excursions, yet haven't abandoned them — if anything, they sound more muscular than before, whether it's the trippy "Catching the Butterfly" or the pounding "Come On." These powerful, guitar-drenched rockers provide the context for Ashcroft's affecting, string-laden ballads, which give Urban Hymns its hurt. The majestic "Bitter Sweet Symphony" and the heartbreaking, country-tinged "The Drugs Don't Work" are an astonishing pair, two anthemic ballads that make the personal universal, thereby sounding like instant classics. They just are the tip of the iceberg — "Sonnet" is a lovely, surprisingly understated ballad, "The Rolling People" has a measured, electric power, and many others match their quality. Although it may run a bit too long for some tastes, Urban Hymns is a rich album that revitalizes rock traditions without ever seeming less than contemporary. It is the album the Verve have been striving to make since their formation, and it turns out to be worth all the wait.

 

Bittersweet Symphony video

 

The Drugs Don't Work video

 

Lucky Man video

 

Sonnet video

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65 Kirsty MacColl - Tropical Brainstorm (2000)

 

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USA cover

 

Tragically, the final album by one of the UK music critics most loved female singer/songwriters, who was sadly snubbed by the Great British public throughout her career until her untimely death in December 2000 (UK#39, USA did not chart)

 

Review by Rick Anderson

4.5 Stars

 

This is a very difficult album to critique in a dispassionate way. A singer/songwriter with a nearly perfect bloodline (her father was Ewan MacColl and Peggy Seeger was her step-mother), Kirsty MacColl had been writing brilliant songs and releasing modestly successful albums since the early '80s. The last time listeners heard from her, on 1993's grim Titanic Days, she had just gone through a painful divorce; she swore that she wouldn't record another album until she could make a happy one. Almost eight years later, she did just that. Tropical Brainstorm is, in part, a celebration of the musical traditions of Cuba, Brazil, and Mexico; mambo and samba rhythms are everywhere, and Latin percussion bumps up against violins, trombones, and nylon-string guitars on almost every track. But the songs' lyrical themes range more broadly — while "Mambo de la Luna" is all about the flavor of life in Cuba, "England 2, Colombia 0" is a hilarious tale of romantic treachery and "Us Amazonians" a wry depiction of a matriarchal tropical utopia. But even when her lyrics cut to the bone, there's an underlying sense of happiness and good humor that was entirely missing from her last album. And there's the rub. What makes this album so difficult to approach with much critical distance is the fact that MacColl was killed in a boating accident several months after it was completed; she died in the ocean off the coast of Mexico, one of the places that inspired the exuberant and sweet-natured music on this wonderful record. How to listen to this music in the wake of that fact? With grateful joy, one supposes. And with a gentler gratitude that she was this happy at the end of her life — if Titanic Days had been her last effort, it would have been difficult listening indeed.

 

Mambo De La Luna video

 

 

64 Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000)

 

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This Mercury Music nominated album introduced the world to Alison Goldfrapp & Will Gregory's panasonic sound to non existent movie soundtracks (UK#57, USA #did no chart).

 

Review by Heather Phares

4.5 Stars

 

Though her collaborations with Tricky, Orbital, and Add N To X focused on the sheer beauty and power of her singing, on her debut album Felt Mountain Allison Goldfrapp also explores more straightforward styles. Together with composer/multi-instrumentalist Will Gregory, Goldfrapp wraps her unearthly voice around songs that borrow from '60s pop, cabaret, folk, and electronica without sounding derivative or unfocused. From the sci-fi/spy film hybrids "Human" and "Lovely Head" to the title track's icy purity, the duo strikes a wide variety of poses, giving Felt Mountain a stylized, theatrical feel that never veers into campiness. Though longtime fans of Goldfrapp's voice may wish for more the exuberant, intoxicating side of her sound, lovelorn ballads like "Pilots," "Deer Stop," and "Horse's Tears" prove that she is equally able at carrying — and writing — more traditional tunes. A strange and beautiful mix of the romantic, eerie, and world-weary, Felt Mountain is one of 2000's most impressive debuts.

 

Lovely Head video

 

Utopia live

 

Human live

 

Pilots video

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63 Tori Amos - Little Earthquakes (1991)

 

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The proper debut album by one of the founder members of the Lilith Fair movement (UK#14, USA#54).

 

Review by Steve Huey

4.5 Stars

 

With her haunting solo debut Little Earthquakes, Tori Amos carved the template for the female singer/songwriter movement of the '90s. Amos' delicate, prog rock piano work and confessional, poetically quirky lyrics invited close emotional connection, giving her a fanatical cult following and setting the stage for the Lilith Fair legions. But Little Earthquakes is no mere style-setter or feminine stereotype — its intimacy is uncompromising, intense, and often far from comforting. Amos' musings on major personal issues — religion, relationships, gender, childhood — were just as likely to encompass rage, sarcasm, and defiant independence as pain or tenderness; sometimes, it all happened in the same song. The apex of that intimacy is the harrowing "Me and a Gun," where Amos strips away all the music, save for her own voice, and confronts the listener with the story of her own real-life rape; the free-associative lyrics come off as a heart-wrenching attempt to block out the ordeal. Little Earthquakes isn't always so stomach-churning, but it never seems less than deeply cathartic; it's the sound of a young woman (like the protagonist of "Silent All These Years") finally learning to use her own voice — sort of the musical equivalent of Mary Pipher's Reviving Ophelia. That's why Amos draws strength from her relentless vulnerability, and that's why the constantly shifting emotions of the material never seem illogical — Amos simply delights in the frankness of her own responses, whatever they might be. Though her subsequent albums were often very strong, Amos would never bare her soul quite so directly (or comprehensibly) as she did here, nor with such consistently focused results. Little Earthquakes is the most accessible work in Amos' catalog, and it's also the most influential and rewarding.

 

Silent All These Years (live)

 

Crucify video

 

Winter video

 

Happy Phantom (live)

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62 Elton John - Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)

 

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THE one classic Elton John album (UK#1, USA#1).

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

4.5 Stars

 

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was where Elton John's personality began to gather more attention than his music, as it topped the American charts for eight straight weeks. In many ways, the double album was a recap of all the styles and sounds that made John a star. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road is all over the map, beginning with the prog rock epic "Funeral for a Friend (Love Lies Bleeding)" and immediately careening into the balladry of "Candle in the Wind." For the rest of the album, John leaps between popcraft ("Bennie and the Jets"), ballads ("Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"), hard rock ("Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting"), novelties ("Jamaica Jerk-Off"), Bernie Taupin's literary pretensions ("The Ballad of Danny Bailey"), and everything in between. Though its diversity is impressive, the album doesn't hold together very well. Even so, its individual moments are spectacular and the glitzy, crowd-pleasing showmanship that fuels the album pretty much defines what made Elton John a superstar in the early '70s.

 

Candle In The Wind (live 1984)

 

Bennie & The Jets (live on the Cher show 1975)

 

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (The Muppets show 1977)

 

Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting (live 2006)

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61 Beach Boys - Pet Sounds (1966)

 

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Brian Wilson's musical masterpiece and a seminal work of the 1960s (UK#2, US#10)

 

Review by Richie Unterberger

5 Stars

 

The best Beach Boys album, and one of the best of the 1960s. The group here reached a whole new level in terms of both composition and production, layering tracks upon tracks of vocals and instruments to create a richly symphonic sound. Conventional keyboards and guitars were combined with exotic touches of orchestrated strings, bicycle bells, buzzing organs, harpsichords, flutes, theremin, Hawaiian-sounding string instruments, Coca-Cola cans, barking dogs, and more. It wouldn't have been a classic without great songs, and this has some of the group's most stunning melodies, as well as lyrical themes which evoke both the intensity of newly born love affairs and the disappointment of failed romance (add in some general statements about loss of innocence and modern-day confusion as well). The spiritual quality of the material is enhanced by some of the most gorgeous upper-register male vocals (especially by Brian and Carl Wilson) ever heard on a rock record. "Wouldn't It Be Nice," "God Only Knows," "Caroline No," and "Sloop John B" (the last of which wasn't originally intended to go on the album) are the well-known hits, but equally worthy are such cuts as "You Still Believe in Me," "Don't Talk," "I Know There's an Answer," and "I Just Wasn't Made for These Times." It's often said that this is more of a Brian Wilson album than a Beach Boys recording (session musicians played most of the parts), but it should be noted that the harmonies are pure Beach Boys (and some of their best). Massively influential upon its release (although it was a relatively low seller compared to their previous LPs), it immediately vaunted the band into the top level of rock innovators among the intelligentsia, especially in Britain, where it was a much bigger hit.

 

God Only Knows (live 1978)

 

Wouldn't It Be Nice video

 

Caroline No (Brian Wilson live 1991)

 

 

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60 The Smiths - Strangeways Here We Come (1987)

 

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The last album that Morrissey & Marr recorded together. If only they stayed together they could have been bigger than REM in the early 1990s... (UK#2, US#55)

 

Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine

4 Stars

 

Recorded as the relationship between Morrissey and Johnny Marr was beginning to splinter, Strangeways, Here We Come is the most carefully considered and elaborately produced album in the group's catalog. Though it aspires greatly to better The Queen Is Dead, it falls just short of its goals. With producer Stephen Street, the Smiths created a subtly shaded and skilled album, one boasting a fuller production than before. Morrissey and Marr also labored hard over the songs, working to expand the Smiths' sound within their very real boundaries. For the most part, they succeed. "I Started Something I Couldn't Finish," "Girlfriend in a Coma," "Stop Me if You Think You've Heard This One Before," and "I Won't Share You" are classics, while "A Rush and a Push and the Land Is Ours," "Death of a Disco Dancer," and "Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me" aren't far behind. However, the songs also have a tendency to be glib and forced, particularly on "Unhappy Birthday" and the anti-record company "Paint a Vulgar Picture," which has grown increasingly ironic in the wake of the Smiths' and Morrissey's love of repackaging the same material in new compilations. Still, Strangeways is a graceful way to bow out. While it doesn't match The Queen Is Dead or The Smiths, it is far from embarrassing and offers a summation of the group's considerable strengths.

 

Girlfriend In A Coma video

 

Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before video

 

Last Night I Dreamt That Somebody Loved Me (Morrissey Live in 2006)

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59 Joan As Police Woman - Real Life (2006)

 

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The former lover of Jeff Buckley and violinist for Scissor Sisters, Rufus Wainwright, Antony Hegarty released a fantastic torch like debut album last year (UK & USA has failed to chart).

 

musicOMH.com album review

4 Stars

 

Joan Wasser's credits indicate a lady exalted as the queen of all fag hags. She's played violin for Scissor Sisters and has cropped up in the bands of both Rufus Wainwright and Antony Hegarty. She's even worked with über-queen Elton John. Now she's solo. Sort of.

"As Police Woman" seems merely to mean that she now has her own band - and a keen sense of humour. But Real Life as an album is really all about Joan. The New York City lady follows Rufus and Antony into a quiet, torch-song place to be visited with glasses of vino and candles at the ready. Her music emanates from her whispery, sugary voice - a breathy instrument that never threatens to belt out notes but instead suggests them. Far from fragile, her voice is instead understated and imbues her music with intimacy.

 

The atmospherics produced make for an album that, it must be said, won't be to the taste of anyone impatient for a singalong chorus. There are moments when it's all a bit too bereft of hooks, tempo and purpose - Feed The Light, Flushed Chest, We Don't Own It and Anyone - to appeal to, for instance, radio tastes.

 

But there are plenty of memorable moments too. The title track reminds most of Rufus, while Eternal Flame - nothing to do with The Bangles song of the same name - is a starkly beautiful duet of simple piano and Joan's melancholy voice. Christobel, one of the strongest tracks here, introduces guitar into the otherwise laid back, piano-led orchestral mix to enlivening effect. Old pal Antony is called in for torch song I Defy, where his distinctive, otherworldly warble almost wrests away centre stage from Joan.

 

As with the music of Antony and Rufus, much of this record's charm lies in its musical arrangement and use of a whole gamut of instruments - as befits the multi-instrumentalist at its helm. On subsequent listens Real Life reveals more of itself, a careful brush stroke of a cymbal adding atmosphere here, an echo of strings there.

 

As debuts go, they don't come much more convincing than this. Following her tour support slot with the fantabulously talented Guillemots, it's just possible that queens young and old will have to seek out new band members if Real Life brings Joan Wasser the level of solo success she deserves.

 

Christobel video

 

The Ride video

 

Eternal Flame video

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