Love me some Synchronicity, my favourite album of theirs (I like other select songs by the Police, but for entire album? Synchronicity all the way) and Synchronicity II is my favourite Police tune.
Even though my preferred genre is 60s-70s Rock (with Nu Metal coming in 2nd), you will see below that my favourite albums is not exclusively that genre/time period. Also, like the Police above, these are my favourite complete ALBUMS: it doesn't mean that my 5 favourite songs or 10 favourite bands are in this list. But anyways, strap yourselves in for a LONG ride (If you're willing
):
HM:
Live Rust- Neil Young (1978):
When compliling this, I came up with 12 albums, so LR just misses the cut. Not a HUGE Neil Young fan (his more folky-soft stuff {outside of After the Gold Rush, which is a phenomenal song} I can't stand lol), but this live album delivers on EVERY song, with almost each one being better than the album versions (literally). Funnily-enough, the song that first got me into this album "(My My, Hey Hey, Into the Black," the really heavy version he plays) isn't even among my 5 favourites of this album. Just pure gold from top to bottom, with maybe 2 or 3 songs that are duds (out of 16, that's not bad)
3 favourites off the album:
After the Gold Rush
Like a Hurricane
Tonight's the Night
HM
The Moment You Realize You're Going to Fall- Black Light Burns (2012):
I'm not a massive fan of BLB and while Wes Borland is a great guitarist and superb all-around artist, I would never consider him one of my favourite musicians, but this album is fantastic to my ears and if I skip songs, I skip maybe 2 of them (out of 15). Not a fan of Industrial Rock either, however this is a great ride, with some great music, catchy lyrics and melodies and just some off-the-wall madness that Wes is known for. Dark stuff too (both in sound and lyrics).
3 favourites off the album:
We Light Up
Your Head Will be Rotting on a Spike
Torch From the Sky
10.
Spit and Yell- Rize (2005):
Rize is my 3rd favourite band ever and I got into them because of the Yakuza series (they did the theme song for Kurohyo Shinso: "Muppet)." When I saw the extensive history the lead singer, Jesse McFaddin, had with Zeebra and other Japanese artists I like(d), I started to listen to more of them and then the appreciation exploded: not as heavy as Nu Metal here in the West, but Rize is (IMO), the closest thing to Nu Metal from Japan, so it just made sense that I would take to them. This is an excellent album, with a few uncharacteristic songs thrown in (Konomama, done with Def Tech) and some excellent tunes throughout: Rize got a bit heavier from here on out and it can be seen throughout the album.
It's not a regret at all, but I really wish I didn't pack so much in my trip in Japan: I missed meeting Jesse at his shop (in Togoshi Ginza) by about an hour. Still got a wonderful shirt done though
3 favourites off the album:
Black Fly
Konomama Tensaibaka
Stand Up
9.
Satellite- P.O.D. (2001):
P.O.D. have a lot of fantastic tunes, but a lot on their albums can be considered largely filler: absolutely not the case with this album, that had 4 singles get a shit-ton of radio/music video play and with only 2 songs (MAYBE a 3rd) that are just, "there," in the background. While they are far from subtle about their religion, if one had 0 knowledge of religions of the world, they would be able to appreciate the album just as well. There's also a bit of everything here, save for a soft tune or two, with typical Nu Metal songs, more rap-esque songs, melodic tunes and songs with serious subject matter, it's a diverse mix of enjoyable listening: it's no wonder they sold multiple millions of this album.
3 favourites off the album:
Satellite
Set it Off
The Messenjah
8.
Brimstone Sluggers- Crazy Town (2015):
Well, this was a surprise! I've been shit on for over a decade because I like Crazy Town (7th favourite band ever) and after Darkhorse flopped (despite being a pretty good Nu Metal album), plus the death of two members of the band (AND it being 13 years after Darkhorse released; we 'mue fans know about that), I found about Brimstone Sluggers being released, 3 days before it released! Once I got it, I played it in my rental car when I was scouting for a place to live in Calgary and man, was it ever a fun time. This is definitely their best album, less Nu Metally and more Rap, but it still (as the kids say nowadays) absolutely slaps. Another album with 2, maybe 3 songs that I skip, the really good tunes are VERY good, with excellent production, lyrics and a great sound. Super stuff, all-around.
3 favourites off the album:
Backpack
Born to Raise Hell
Megatron
7.
Saishu Heiki- King Giddra (2002):
(translates to, "The Ultimate Weapon)"
Absolute monster of a Japanese Rap album, this is 100%, one of the finest rap albums ever made in the history of the genre, not just in Japan. Yeah, F.F.B. is a fun, throwaway song, but it's an awesome and hilarious throwaway song. Yeah, 911's remixed version is the more-famous and infinitely better version, but the original is still great. The only filler song on the album (out of 14) is the final track, which is an instrumental by DJ Oasis, but literally songs 1-13 are all bangers and the first is just an intro as well, so if your intro is a banger, then that usually means the album is awesome. Zeebra and K Dub Shine were at the top of their game on this album, you might even say they were Unstoppable... (pun, greatly intended).
I did mention the remix album: 911's remix is probably my favourite (or 2nd favourite) song of King Giddra's ever, as that album is similarly very good (but some of the remixes are not up to snuff). Even the b-side to a single on the album (which was cut due to subject matter) is a superb tune.
3 favourites off the album:
Kokai Shokei
Yujo
Heiseiishin
6.
A Public Disservice Announcement- Methods of Mayhem (2010)
Tommy Lee wrote all of M.O.M.'s songs for their first album, while in jail; for this album however, he took a different approach. He put out a decree on MySpace (yes) for anyone to contribute any submission for a new album, that Tommy would re-write/mix and create one whole albums' worth of these tunes, which he took off of some music database. AFAIK, about half of the tunes were collected in this manner, while the other half were penned by Tommy and his collaborators themselves (I may be wrong on that). It started with the previous album, but this is truly the first album where I skip one or no songs when listening to it (for this album, I skip none of them). Truly a wide range of genres, but everything is still rock/Nu Metal at its core (save for 3 of the 11 songs), a critic (who rated the album fairly) at the time said of a specific song, "there is an inherent warmth about this track, something that you wouldn't expect from this band," and I would actually say that for half of tunes: Tommy did something excellent here and it shows that he's not just a, "badboy rocker," but an actual, true musician.
Side note: he was, "involved with," Sofia Toufa at this time and her influence can be seen on some songs (she also guests on a couple of them).
I also stumbled upon this album, the morning of my Communications (TV-specific) exam and even though I was confident going into the exam, finding this album and then listening to it all the way to the exam, gave me that much more confidence and happiness.
I got a B+
3 favourites off the album:
All I Wanna Do
Time Bomb
Louder (the, "Warmth," song. It's borderline perfection)
5.
Gold Cobra- Limp Bizkit (2011):
What a super-exciting time it was, from 2009's reformation of the band until the eventual release of this wonderful album; ask
@Reprise about it!
(though I feel it's their best album BY FAR, he has a differing opinion
) Fred and crew started posting little snippets and recordings on Twitter (in Twitter's infancy) and elsewhere, of a handful of songs (all of which made the album, though they were all changed in some way) and listening to new material and being all hyped, the feeling was so awesome! And so is the story of how I listened to the album for the first time...
The album was due to come out when I was smack dab in the middle of my trip to Italy, but it was leaked about a week before or so and I HAD to have my hands on it: I spent 7 hours one night, on the hostel computer (Windows ME, 500 MHZ computer in 2011. Kill me), trying to get it onto my iPod. Downloading the album took a while, but there were no hiccups there. As it was ME though, I couldn't download iTunes and so I spent the final 5 1/2 hours, converting files, modifying folders, doing whatever I could to get the songs on my iPod to listen to... and I couldn't get it to work: as there was one key to the room and it automatically locked, this pissed my mother off greatly. Feeling defeated, we spent a very enjoyable next day, walking around Florence and seeing the sights, when upon returning to the hostel, I went for a little stroll... and found a Korean summer student, studying abroad, with a Macbook!!!! I said to her, "you have iTunes on there, right? Can I please borrow this for 5 minutes: I will not put anything on your laptop that is malicious or touch anything, I just need to transfer songs to my iPod." She allowed me to and after 3 minutes, I had everything I needed. I gave her 5 Euros in thanks and rushed to the room. My mom wanted to go for a walk and I apologised, but had to stick in the room and listen to the album: we can do the walk tomorrow (which we did). She left for the walks and because I couldn't leave (the whole key thing), I was sequestered for 3 hours or so, with nothing but a little snack, a Fanta and listening to GC for the first time. Easily one of the best nights of my life.
I skip a grand total of 1 song when listening to this album; maybe the band's sound wasn't as punchy and great as the earlier stuff, but in terms of musical quality and talent, the stuff on this album was definitely their best to date (Wes doing Solos!
), they collaborated with a few musicians (mainly rappers. Actually, I think it was ONLY rappers) on a couple of tracks, but each is great to listen to, even if a couple are a bit cringey lol (it can't be LB without some cringe!).
3 favourites off the album:
Gold Cobra (banger)
Loser (lovely vibe)
Walking Away (arguably their best song ever)
4.
Get Some- Snot (1997)
Someone on theArmpit.net mentioned this band and then I found the song, "I Jus' Lie," and listened to it. Wow, the energy, the power, the wild and hilarious lyrics, just who was Snot and why did this song make me want to hear more? Well hear more I did and I fell in love (not that kind of love lol) with Lynn Strait's vocals, energy and attitude: yeah the guy wasn't the greatest singer (did a lot of yelling), but no one then and no one since, sounded like he did. He had such an incredibly raw and powerful vocal in every song, I don't know how his vocal chords didn't rip out of his throat. Moreso than that though, he had a great flow, a great feeling of HOW to sing a song, as opposed to someone who has stellar vocal talent and can just belt through a tune. Lots of fun (and funny) lyrics, lots of serious and kinda political lyrics, incredibly-powerful Nu Metal sounds and great sense of funkiness on many tracks, the songs on this album are superb, each and every one of them, save for maybe Unplugged (the only song I skip, out of 15 songs). Lynn died in a car accident 1 year after the album was released, so this (and a couple of other tracks that were recorded, but part of compilations) is all we have of the original (and best) Snot, but it is truly fantastic stuff and I love it to pieces.
3 favourites off the album:
Stoopid
Snot
I Jus' Lie
3.
Lifehouse Chronicles- Pete Townshend (2000, recorded from 1970-1999):
The Who is my first true musical love and they are simply phenomenal musical talents, all 4 of them: while John Entwistle is a poor man's Pete Townshend, the other 3 look up at Pete in terms of talent and virtuosity. Lifehouse was his magnum opus, the thing he spent years of time on and really wanted to blow out of the park... well that didn't happen. The concept was way too high-level for people at the time (nowadays, it makes complete and utter sense) and subsequently, the album, film and everything else was scrapped. Pete then decided to release it in 2000, on his website and the rest is history.
This is an absolutely wonderful album, of well over 50 tracks (59) and the entire radio play, that was to be adapted into the film that Pete was hoping would be made. IMO, this is Pete's best writing and some of these tunes just hit me in the heart, they are so wonderfully-composed and performed: Pete performed each of the instruments himself at his home studio and then mixed it all himself as well. Some tunes are very specific to the overall subject, but some other songs have universal themes to them as well and it is this seamlessness in writing that shows just how incredible a musician Pete Townshend is. When I finally got this album in 2020, I listened to it for a good 5 months straight, with no interruptions. It is simply magical.
One day, I will sit down and listen to the Radio Play
3 favourites off the album:
Too Much of Anything
Time is Passing
Who Are You? (Live and Uncut at the Shepherd's Bush Empire 1998), my second-favourite version of my absolute favourite song ever
2.
Results May Vary- Limp Bizkit (2003)
The Black sheep of LB's albums! I geeve, I love it to absolute death. This was the first album where I felt an emotional attachment to the music (not all of the songs, lol) and this is why it has always been my second favourite album. Creamer (Radio is Dead) is my favourite LB song and its infectious beat and bassline didn't leave my ears for the first 3 months I ever heard the song. Eat You Alive is a completely awesome song and the video (while ridiculous) is superb as well and while BBEyes is definitely inferior to the Who's version, I actually prefer it (because it's different and not overplayed to death everywhere). Another reason it is my favourite, it because of the dozens of unreleased tracks for it that exist: if the original plan to make it a mega-album went through, it definitely would have stayed as my second-favourite ever, as I love most of those tracks, even if many are cringey. This is also the cousin duo of Sam Rivers and John Otto's best album from a musical quality standpoint: while JO is fantastic on every album, he's a cut above here and Sam's bass is so involved with every song, it's his best output quality-wise, from an album standpoint.
3 favourites off the album:
Underneath the Gun
Build a Bridge
Creamer (Radio is Dead)
At my HS, a different musical track (clean, of course) was played every morning over the PA, as people were going to their classes. For my 18th bday, as I was friends with the guy who did it, I requested he play Build a Bridge and it was super-satisfying, especially when the rest of the class rolled in and commented on how great of a song it was (nobody knew I requested it lol). Lovely HS days when stupid shit like that made us happy and fulfilled :)
1.
Who's Next- The Who (1971):
Naturally, if Lifehouse is my favourite by Pete, then Who's Next is undoubtedly my favourite album ever. An absolute masterpiece, it is (arguably, as I think some aren't) the 8 best songs in Lifehouse, re-done with the entire band and 1 John Entwistle tune (his best and most well-known composition, My Wife). This was the band at their absolute peak, before any of them fell off the rails with substance abuse, before any of them had marital problems, before the industry started to shift away from rock being the most-popular genre, it is the culmination of Pete's best efforts and the band feeling that vision, running with it and making it balls to the wall incredible. It's only 9 tracks (the least of any album on my list), but I certainly don't skip any song, even if BBEyes and Baba O'Riley are overplayed to death. When I first listened to this album, unmolested, in 2002, it didn't leave my CD player (yes, THAT old lol) for around 6 months and I played it so much, the CD developed holes/dents and now doesn't play lol
. The Who's masterclass, this album will never NOT be my favourite ever.
3 favourites off the album:
Song is Over
Won't Get Fooled Again (which I deem to be the greatest rock song ever made)
Bargain (my 2nd favourite song ever)
Sorry for the essay
