Music has always been an incredibly important part of my development as a person. There has been music that has taught me things about life that no one person ever told me to my face. Music is my release from the stronghold of reality, and I might be lost without it. With all that said here is my top 10 albums of all time starting with #10.
Actually a few Honorable Mentions first:
The Bends by Radiohead (1995)
Doolittle by The Pixies (1989)
Nevermind by Nirvana (1991)
#10- The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips (1999)
What do you get when you mix a bunch of 40 year-old musical geniuses and heroin together? The answer to that question is The Soft Bulletin. This album is a mixture of beautiful chaos and eloquently situated words jumbled into an end-of-the-millennium masterpiece. Right from the start with Race For The Prize, The Flaming Lips signal their ingenious intent to create an album the way they thought music should be with soft vocals and heartbreaking melodies. The best song to me on this album is the second one on the album called A Spoonful Weighs A Ton which is a heroin hallucination turned into a unique song that captures the pleasures of life. The Soft Bulletin is more then music, its almost a moving epic of emotion. This is an album that anyone can enjoy and everyone should appreciate.
#9- Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan (1966)
How could you have an all time greatest album list without the greatest songwriter of all time? Dylan's way with words is second to none and in Blonde On Blonde he shows why he changed the way music is made forever. The way Dylan changes moods and styles throughout the album is simply amazing. He is a master craftsman and this is his masterpiece. This is a 14-track album that was recorded in only a few days but 40 years later it still remains as one of the most astonishing musical achievements of all time and that is why it is #9 on my list.
#8- Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth (1988)
You would be hard pressed to find anybody who knows anything about music and has heard Daydream Nation that would argue with this pick. That's partly because this album is great - which is the boring reason - but it's also because this album is one of a handful that shaped what indie rock is. PitchforkMedia.com rates it as the #1 album of the 1980s and I almost agree with the exception of The Pixies' Surfer Rosa. Daydream Nation is a record that promotes intellectual thought and makes listeners ponder issues of life. This is what makes an album great. A great album has never been made where no thinking is required. Daydream Nation is almost as if it was architecturally designed by God to make people discover what is real in life and what isn't. This album is one of my favorites and definitely has the greatest name for an album ever.
#7- Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin (1971)
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones got together to form this little band called Led Zeppelin back in the 60s. Little did we know that they would become arguably the greatest band of all time, but I am sure they knew that it would happen. Never ones to understate themselves, Led Zeppelin have created the greatest musical empire ever, (next to The Beatles of course) and just about all of their albums could have been on this list. IV begins with the energetic rock songs Black Dog and Rock & Roll, both of which are undeniably awesome. Then in the middle lies arguably the greatest rock ballad ever written in Stairway To Heaven. This song could have put the album on the list by itself. The long, drawn out sophistication of this epic is simply phenomenal and will never again be matched. This album is one for the ages and continues to amaze me every time I listen to it.
#6- Surfer Rosa by The Pixies (1988)
If I had to describe this album in one word it would be BADASS! From the second you press play on the stereo this album blazes to life with thunderous drums, disgusting guitar riffs and a tidal wave of bass that carries the listener through the scorching momentum that is The Pixies. The songs are unrelenting, Frank Black tries to scream lines like "I got no arms, I got no legs, " above the blaring music. Joey Santiago's guitar's are masterful but turn aggressive and delicate. Kim Deal, bass and back vocals, brings a perfect touch of femininity. Under the fiery guitars of Bone Machine and Something Against You lays a tuneful Gigantic and the song that made them legends of underground rock, Where Is My Mind?. Surfer Rosa is an amazing and original album that is captivating beyond belief.
#5- Piano Man by Billy Joel (1973)
Of all the albums on this list, this is the one I wouldn't expect to see on anybody else's list. However, I think it is completely underestimated in musical appreciation. I must first admit I grew up on this album and could sing any song completely perfect. However, it is not until a year or two ago I discovered how musical enticing it really is. Joel's incredible sense of piano rhythms and harmonies and hard to dislike. He matches it only with his rough and tumble lyrics that range from songs about the Wild West to songs about getting high on cocaine. Not to mention he has Piano Man in the second slot on the album. One of the great anthems of struggle, it detaches itself from happiness and clings to desperation. However, he involves multiple instruments throughout the album that start the feet a tapping and the mouth a singing. This on the other hand does not mean the album is just catchy, when in fact he is lyrically skilled and shows his talents in every track. Billy Joel is the type of rockstar I would want to be (and I don't mean a drunk that can't drive).
#4- Revolver by The Beatles (1966)
What can I say about The Beatles that hasn't been said already. Well the truth is I am personally not a Beatlemaniac and never will be, but I appreciate great music when I hear it. VH1 wrote a book of the hundred greatest albums a few years ago and this was the top dog. I certainly agree that this is the best of all The Beatles incredible albums. With songs that range from joyous, like Good Day Sunshine, to decimating songs of loneliness, like Eleanor Rigby, this record shows off the amazing talents of the four guys from Liverpool named Paul, John, George and Ringo. Revolver is a harmonious yet sophisticated album that may very well be a perfect album, and can definitely be called a masterpiece.
#3- The Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse (2000)
Every so often does an album come along that palpitates our hearts, ignites our passions, and justifies our existence. all in one attempt. The acrimonious Isaac Brock sings, "Everyone's afraid of their own lives, If you could be anything you want, I bet you'd be disappointed, am I right?" in one of the closing songs, Lives. Brock's take on life is like that of no other. He may be the only person that I know that will mutilate his body during a song on stage and be able to rock unreal melodies and sing meaningful lyrics while doing it. In The Moon & Antarctica Modest Mouse creates layers and layers of treated and raw sounds that blend into a thick headtrip. Piano, chimes, sleigh bells, keyboards and cellos can be excavated from the mix. Brock constantly obsesses about the afterlife, and with help he finds it far out in space and inside his clouded, scatterbrained head. This album resembles some Pixie-like influence yet creates unique tracks that make this album my #3.
#2- OK Computer by Radiohead (1997)
If there was ever a band completely about the music its Radiohead. Album after album they create music that influences the masses of musical fanatics throughout the world. They may be the most influential band that I have ever listened to and maybe the greatest band ever. Every artist that is considered great has a masterpiece, De Vinci's Mona Lisa, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and Radiohead's OK Computer. The album is steaming with genuine emotion, beautiful imagery and complex music. Thom Yorke's fragile vocals fill the air while being backed by brilliant guitar duels. OK Computer's claim of humans slowly becoming robotic in nature is true and resounding throughout the record. Radiohead have created an album that is both thoughtful and pensive while maintaining their intent of music first. With songs like Paranoid Android, Karma Police, Electioneering, and Climbing Up The Walls, OK Computer is forever a classic and a masterpiece.
#1- Funeral by Arcade Fire (2004)
To me this is a no-brainer. Arcade Fire have done something no other band could probably do, and that is to take all of their musical influences and create something that is unique and unheard of. Funeral is perfection from start to finish and there is no way any person could convince me otherwise. This album's focus is on the inner struggles that humans face throughout life: death of a loved one, search for a purpose, and salvation from mistakes made. Arcade Fire do so with tangible melodies and harmonious guitar play with rough yet sweet vocals from Win Butler. This Canadian band's purposeful album opens with the theatrical Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) and closes with the glowing optimism of In The Backseat. In between lies the glorious Rebellion (Lies) and the shimmering anthem Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) that is constructed with musical fluidity. Not to mention this is Arcade Fire's debut album. Funeral is to me the greatest album of all time and I look forward to see what Arcade Fire has in store for us in the future.
Actually a few Honorable Mentions first:
The Bends by Radiohead (1995)
Doolittle by The Pixies (1989)
Nevermind by Nirvana (1991)
#10- The Soft Bulletin by The Flaming Lips (1999)
What do you get when you mix a bunch of 40 year-old musical geniuses and heroin together? The answer to that question is The Soft Bulletin. This album is a mixture of beautiful chaos and eloquently situated words jumbled into an end-of-the-millennium masterpiece. Right from the start with Race For The Prize, The Flaming Lips signal their ingenious intent to create an album the way they thought music should be with soft vocals and heartbreaking melodies. The best song to me on this album is the second one on the album called A Spoonful Weighs A Ton which is a heroin hallucination turned into a unique song that captures the pleasures of life. The Soft Bulletin is more then music, its almost a moving epic of emotion. This is an album that anyone can enjoy and everyone should appreciate.
#9- Blonde On Blonde by Bob Dylan (1966)
How could you have an all time greatest album list without the greatest songwriter of all time? Dylan's way with words is second to none and in Blonde On Blonde he shows why he changed the way music is made forever. The way Dylan changes moods and styles throughout the album is simply amazing. He is a master craftsman and this is his masterpiece. This is a 14-track album that was recorded in only a few days but 40 years later it still remains as one of the most astonishing musical achievements of all time and that is why it is #9 on my list.
#8- Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth (1988)
You would be hard pressed to find anybody who knows anything about music and has heard Daydream Nation that would argue with this pick. That's partly because this album is great - which is the boring reason - but it's also because this album is one of a handful that shaped what indie rock is. PitchforkMedia.com rates it as the #1 album of the 1980s and I almost agree with the exception of The Pixies' Surfer Rosa. Daydream Nation is a record that promotes intellectual thought and makes listeners ponder issues of life. This is what makes an album great. A great album has never been made where no thinking is required. Daydream Nation is almost as if it was architecturally designed by God to make people discover what is real in life and what isn't. This album is one of my favorites and definitely has the greatest name for an album ever.
#7- Led Zeppelin IV by Led Zeppelin (1971)
Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, and John Paul Jones got together to form this little band called Led Zeppelin back in the 60s. Little did we know that they would become arguably the greatest band of all time, but I am sure they knew that it would happen. Never ones to understate themselves, Led Zeppelin have created the greatest musical empire ever, (next to The Beatles of course) and just about all of their albums could have been on this list. IV begins with the energetic rock songs Black Dog and Rock & Roll, both of which are undeniably awesome. Then in the middle lies arguably the greatest rock ballad ever written in Stairway To Heaven. This song could have put the album on the list by itself. The long, drawn out sophistication of this epic is simply phenomenal and will never again be matched. This album is one for the ages and continues to amaze me every time I listen to it.
#6- Surfer Rosa by The Pixies (1988)
If I had to describe this album in one word it would be BADASS! From the second you press play on the stereo this album blazes to life with thunderous drums, disgusting guitar riffs and a tidal wave of bass that carries the listener through the scorching momentum that is The Pixies. The songs are unrelenting, Frank Black tries to scream lines like "I got no arms, I got no legs, " above the blaring music. Joey Santiago's guitar's are masterful but turn aggressive and delicate. Kim Deal, bass and back vocals, brings a perfect touch of femininity. Under the fiery guitars of Bone Machine and Something Against You lays a tuneful Gigantic and the song that made them legends of underground rock, Where Is My Mind?. Surfer Rosa is an amazing and original album that is captivating beyond belief.
#5- Piano Man by Billy Joel (1973)
Of all the albums on this list, this is the one I wouldn't expect to see on anybody else's list. However, I think it is completely underestimated in musical appreciation. I must first admit I grew up on this album and could sing any song completely perfect. However, it is not until a year or two ago I discovered how musical enticing it really is. Joel's incredible sense of piano rhythms and harmonies and hard to dislike. He matches it only with his rough and tumble lyrics that range from songs about the Wild West to songs about getting high on cocaine. Not to mention he has Piano Man in the second slot on the album. One of the great anthems of struggle, it detaches itself from happiness and clings to desperation. However, he involves multiple instruments throughout the album that start the feet a tapping and the mouth a singing. This on the other hand does not mean the album is just catchy, when in fact he is lyrically skilled and shows his talents in every track. Billy Joel is the type of rockstar I would want to be (and I don't mean a drunk that can't drive).
#4- Revolver by The Beatles (1966)
What can I say about The Beatles that hasn't been said already. Well the truth is I am personally not a Beatlemaniac and never will be, but I appreciate great music when I hear it. VH1 wrote a book of the hundred greatest albums a few years ago and this was the top dog. I certainly agree that this is the best of all The Beatles incredible albums. With songs that range from joyous, like Good Day Sunshine, to decimating songs of loneliness, like Eleanor Rigby, this record shows off the amazing talents of the four guys from Liverpool named Paul, John, George and Ringo. Revolver is a harmonious yet sophisticated album that may very well be a perfect album, and can definitely be called a masterpiece.
#3- The Moon & Antarctica by Modest Mouse (2000)
Every so often does an album come along that palpitates our hearts, ignites our passions, and justifies our existence. all in one attempt. The acrimonious Isaac Brock sings, "Everyone's afraid of their own lives, If you could be anything you want, I bet you'd be disappointed, am I right?" in one of the closing songs, Lives. Brock's take on life is like that of no other. He may be the only person that I know that will mutilate his body during a song on stage and be able to rock unreal melodies and sing meaningful lyrics while doing it. In The Moon & Antarctica Modest Mouse creates layers and layers of treated and raw sounds that blend into a thick headtrip. Piano, chimes, sleigh bells, keyboards and cellos can be excavated from the mix. Brock constantly obsesses about the afterlife, and with help he finds it far out in space and inside his clouded, scatterbrained head. This album resembles some Pixie-like influence yet creates unique tracks that make this album my #3.
#2- OK Computer by Radiohead (1997)
If there was ever a band completely about the music its Radiohead. Album after album they create music that influences the masses of musical fanatics throughout the world. They may be the most influential band that I have ever listened to and maybe the greatest band ever. Every artist that is considered great has a masterpiece, De Vinci's Mona Lisa, Beethoven's 9th Symphony, and Radiohead's OK Computer. The album is steaming with genuine emotion, beautiful imagery and complex music. Thom Yorke's fragile vocals fill the air while being backed by brilliant guitar duels. OK Computer's claim of humans slowly becoming robotic in nature is true and resounding throughout the record. Radiohead have created an album that is both thoughtful and pensive while maintaining their intent of music first. With songs like Paranoid Android, Karma Police, Electioneering, and Climbing Up The Walls, OK Computer is forever a classic and a masterpiece.
#1- Funeral by Arcade Fire (2004)
To me this is a no-brainer. Arcade Fire have done something no other band could probably do, and that is to take all of their musical influences and create something that is unique and unheard of. Funeral is perfection from start to finish and there is no way any person could convince me otherwise. This album's focus is on the inner struggles that humans face throughout life: death of a loved one, search for a purpose, and salvation from mistakes made. Arcade Fire do so with tangible melodies and harmonious guitar play with rough yet sweet vocals from Win Butler. This Canadian band's purposeful album opens with the theatrical Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels) and closes with the glowing optimism of In The Backseat. In between lies the glorious Rebellion (Lies) and the shimmering anthem Neighborhood #3 (Power Out) that is constructed with musical fluidity. Not to mention this is Arcade Fire's debut album. Funeral is to me the greatest album of all time and I look forward to see what Arcade Fire has in store for us in the future.
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