3. Air - Talkie Walkie

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDV2980.JPG

 

I bought this album on its release in 2004, listened to half of it, then put it away! Oh dear at me - luckily I was inspired to re-listen after the brilliance of Pocket Symphony and subsequently fell totally for this, Air's 4th album. The whole album now contains 9 out of the top 10 of my most played tracks on i-tunes, thanks to the atmospheric electro physchadelic feel of Cherry Blossom Girl (one of the best songs ever, imo), Mike Mills (an instrumental named after their music video director), Alpha Beta Gaga which was once used for an Orange advert and Alone In Kyoto, which was on the Lost In Translation soundtrack. I now rate this as the best album of the 00s so far.

 

Cherry Blossom Girl:

'Tell me why can't it be true?'

 

 

Mike Mills:

 

 

Standout tracks: Cherry Blossom Girl, Mike Mills, Run, Alone In Kyoto, Surfing On A Rocket and Another Day

4. Portishead - Dummy

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/8285222.JPG

 

If there was ever an album to listen to on a dark summers evening, then this is it. Bristol's Portishead broke through with Dummy, their 94 debut album, and it simply captivated me since with its simply stunning meodies and the gorgeous voice of Beth Gibbons.

 

I remember seeing Portishead i the late 90s at Ashton Court festival in Bristol... they played as the sun set.... one of the most perfect gigs - ever.

 

Your top 20 - I own every single album in it! Although I'm not sure Talkie Walkie's better than Moon Sfari - ir that Zero 7's The Garden is better than Simple Things... (for me, anyway ;) )

 

Fantastic, really great selection :wub:

 

Your choice of stand-out tracks (Stoned, Destiny, In The Waiting Line, Sail Away, My Lover's Gone, It Can't Come Quickly Enough) is generally sublime, and you're 100% spot on with Zero 7's "The Garden", you picked out the best two tracks by far.

 

But I can't agree with you on Amsterdam :( It's not groundbreaking or anything, but still gorgeous to listen to.

2. Blur - Parklife

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/FOODCD10.JPG

 

There are few albums that have had such an effect on me as Parklife. When I were a lad of 18 and started out an University, my taste in music was frankly appalling. Luckily, I got in with the right crowd and was introduced to Blur and instantly took to them through this album. It has its amazing highs - the album track Badhead (an ode to a whinging loved one likened to a hangover) is my fave Blur song, To The End (the French film noir homage), Girls and Boys and Parklife (Britpop anthems), Far Out (a travel through the galaxy including Wolf 359 from Star Trek!), The Debt Collector (ooom-pah never sounded so good) and This Is A Low (utterly beautiful meloncholy). The thing that prevents its ascent to the top are the tracks that let the album down - Trouble In The Message Centre, London Loves, Lot 105 and Clover Over Dover - you are guilty of tarnishing a great album.

 

To The End:

'Well you and I collapsed in love'

 

 

This Is A Low:

'And the queen, she's gone round the bend, jumped off Land's End'

 

 

Standout tracks: Badhead, To The End, This Is A Low, Far Out, The Debt Collector and Girls And Boys

1. Radiohead - OK Computer

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDNODATA02.JPG

 

Released in 1997 and topping most sensible year end polls, this album is Radiohead at their absolute peak. One of very few albums with no duff tracks in my opinion, it is just a work of musical artistic genius. The standout track is Subterranean Homesick Alien, merely an album track but the most gorgeous song ever recorded. Paranoid Android, at 6 minutes 23 is an epic musical voyage with an MTV censored cartoon video, Karma Police is a bleak track focusing on state opression, Let Down does not live up to its name, No Surprises (stunning due to the use of the xylophone) is an ode to being left in peace, Climbing Up The Walls benefits from a lush remix by Zero 7 and Lucky was orginally recorded for the Warchild album, but quite rightfully found a home on OK Computer. This will probably be my favourite album forever!

 

 

Subterranean Homesick Alien:

'I wish that they'd swoop down in a country lane, late at night when I'm driving. They'd take me onboard their beautiful ship show me the world as I'd love to see it'

 

 

Karma Police:

'Arrest this girl, her Hitler hairdo is making me ill'

 

 

No Surprises:

'A handshake of carbon monoxide'

 

Standout tracks: Subterranean Homesick Alien, No Surprises, Let Down, Karma Police, Paranoid Android, Lucky and Airbag

 

 

Finally while on the OK Computer subject, here are 2 of the best b sides ever:

 

Meeting In The Aisle:

 

Climbing Up The Walls (Zero 7 remix):

Summary:

 

1 Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)

2 Blur – Parklife (1994)

3 Air – Talkie Walkie (2004)

4 Portishead – Dummy (1994)

5 Pulp – His n Hers (1994)

6 Coldplay – X&Y (2005)

7 Pulp – Different Class (1995)

8 Oasis – Definitely Maybe (1994)

9 Zero 7 – The Garden (2006)

10 Coldplay – Viva La Vida Or Death And All His Friends(2008)

 

11 Oasis – (Whats The Story) Morning Glory (1995)

12 Suede – Coming Up (1996)

13 Tricky – Maxinquaye (1995)

14 Coldplay – Parachutes (2000)

15 Portishead – Portishead (1997)

16 REM – Automatic For The People (1993)

17 Air – Moon Safari (1998)

18 Zero 7 – Simple Things (2001)

19 Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002)

20 Radiohead – The Bends (1995)

 

21 Goldfrapp – Seventh Tree (2008)

22 REM – Reveal (2001)

23 Air – Pocket Symphony (2007)

24 Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2007)

25 Blur – Modern Life Is Rubbish (1993)

26 Gorillaz – Demon Days (2005)

27 Kylie Minogue – Light Years (2000)

28 Royksopp – Melody AM (2002)

29 The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)

30 Massive Attack – Mezzanine (1998)

 

31 Blur – Blur (1997)

32 Snow Patrol – Eyes Open (2006)

33 Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2005)

34 Radiohead – Kid A (2000)

35 Daft Punk – Discovery (2001)

36 Mylo – Destroy Rock and Roll (2005)

37 Travis – The Man Who (1999)

38 Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)

39 Keane – Hopes and Fears (2004)

40 The Cranberries – Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? (1993)

 

41 Will Young – Fridays Child (2003)

42 Blur – The Great Escape (1995)

43 Dido – No Angel (2000)

44 Pulp – This Is Hardcore (1998)

45 David Gray – White Ladder (2000)

46 Dido – Life For Rent (2003)

47 Scissor Sisters – Scissor Sisters (2004)

48 Gorillaz – Gorillaz (2001)

49 Supergrass – I Should Coco (1995)

50 Snow Patrol – Final Straw (2004)

 

 

Thanks for all the comments :D

 

Great countdown Matt! I own two albums from your top 10 as well as Blur's greatest hits and Radiohead's greatest hits as well so I'm a fan a of a few of your artists. :D Thanks for doing this.

 

Great countdown Matt! I own two albums from your top 10 as well as Blur's greatest hits and Radiohead's greatest hits as well so I'm a fan a of a few of your artists. :D Thanks for doing this.

I never got round to getting Radiohead's GH as I seem to own everything they have done :lol: Glad you are a fan though and thanks for commenting!

i own 21 of the albums :o almost half.

I have 24!

 

Great to see four Blur albums in there, 'Modern Life' is my personal favourite! :wub:

I own these:

 

1 Radiohead – OK Computer (1997)

2 Blur – Parklife (1994)

4 Portishead – Dummy (1994)

5 Pulp – His n Hers (1994)

6 Coldplay – X&Y (2005)

7 Pulp – Different Class (1995)

8 Oasis – Definitely Maybe (1994)

 

12 Suede – Coming Up (1996)

13 Tricky – Maxinquaye (1995)

15 Portishead – Portishead (1997)

16 REM – Automatic For The People (1993)

18 Zero 7 – Simple Things (2001)

19 Coldplay – A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002)

20 Radiohead – The Bends (1995)

 

22 REM – Reveal (2001)

24 Amy Winehouse – Back To Black (2007)

29 The Strokes – Is This It? (2001)

30 Massive Attack – Mezzanine (1998)

 

31 Blur – Blur (1997)

33 Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not (2005)

34 Radiohead – Kid A (2000)

36 Mylo – Destroy Rock and Roll (2005)

38 Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (2007)

 

44 Pulp – This Is Hardcore (1998)

49 Supergrass – I Should Coco (1995)

50 Snow Patrol – Final Straw (2004)

 

Woo, quite a lot! :o

 

OK Computer is my favourite album of all time as well - it's just incredible. 'Paranoid Android' is my favourite song of all time :)

 

I've never actually listened to an album by Air ;o

I have umm...two of them ('Back To Black' and 'Seventh Tree') and only one of them on actual CD. I still enjoyed reading this even though there are only about ten albums I'd have any interest in hearing. (but that's more to do with me almost exclusively liking mainstream female fronted music as opposed to you having an 'awful' list :lol:)

I'm a bit disappointed the earliest album in this is from 1993, as there was so much fantastic music out there before the 90s (IMO the 90s was the decade mainstream music died, but we'll leave that argument for another day). However, your list was still very well written and there are a few albums in there I enjoy. Good job. :)

Albums that nearly made the top 50 (aka the next 10):

 

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/PRERELPORTIS.JPG

51. Portishead - Third (2008)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/IMCD159.JPG

52. Pulp - Intro (1993)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/FOODCD29.JPG

53. Blur - 13 (1999)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/X4839302.JPG

54. Manic Street Preachers - Everything Must Go (1996)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDV2910.JPG

55. Air - The Virgin Suicides Soundtrack (2000)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/CDSTUMM188.JPG

56. Goldfrapp - Felt Mountain (2000)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/PRESCISSORCD.JPG

57. Scissor Sisters - Ta Dah! (2006)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/cdfheit45101.JPG

58. Radiohead - Amnesiac (2001)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/wbrcd1.JPG

59. Massive Attack - Blue Lines (1991)

 

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/blurleisure.JPG

60. Blur - Leisure (1991)

Adore Goldfrapp, Coldplay, Gorillaz, Arctics, Portishead and others from your list. Excellent Dido is here :cheer: