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121. | Beirut |
The Flying Club Cup |
2007 |
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A prodigy obviously able to play every instrument under the sun who makes
great use of this ability by recreating folk music of countries he probably only
knows from books. Without doubt one of the great hopes for the next decade. |
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122. | David Bowie |
Low |
1977 |
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The best of his electronic based Berlin trilogy. It's the instrumental half that astonishes. Brian Eno's
contribution probably being greater than Bowie would admit.
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123. | The Polyphonic Spree |
The Beginning Stages Of |
2002 |
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Maybe not the most restrained band of all times. Instead more of a 'think positive'
campaign transformed into music using the cast of a hippie musical and songs of
euphoric joy. |
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124. | British Sea Power |
Open Season |
2005 |
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Maybe a bit too polished and smooth in some parts but such sparkling and
melody-soaked guitar lines certainly have not been heard since the Roses mighty debut.
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A snow covered landscape under a cloudy grey sky. Although the cold wind's
blowing in your face you fell a warm glow inside. |
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126. | The Doors |
The Doors |
1967 |
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Charismatic lead singer, Sophisticated lyrics. All well and good,
but without that distinctive organ sound they wouldn't have got anywhere.
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127. | Anna Calvi |
Anna Calvi |
2011 |
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Where other contemporary female artists usually rely on state of the art equipment this young English lady
takes it back to basic with not much more than a guitar and a powerful voice. This decade is
hers for the taking.
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128. | Mazzy Star |
So Tonight That I Might See |
1993 Review |
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Even more in dept to the VU than heir first album it contains more guitar noise and feedback.
Yet it's the quiet songs which stand out. That's where all those 'moon on lake' comparisons started.
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129. | Throwing Muses |
The Real Ramona |
1991 |
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Although it may contain two or three rougher songs as well, at the core this a real pop album.
The band could have ended up as millionaires but sadly they split, thereby allowing
much lesser talented bands like L7 and Hole to make all the money.
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130. | Fuck Buttons |
Tarot Sport |
2009 |
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Comebacks often do not work out that well. Not so in this case where
Andrew Weatherall, nearly two decades after the seminal Loaded, again
utilised some desultory blokes to create a brilliantly composed piece of instrumental music.
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131. | Morrissey |
Viva Hate |
1988 |
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Released a mere six months after the last Smiths album this was much better
than anyone expected it to be. And even fewer anticipated him still being relevant
two decades later. |
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132. | Neil Young & Crazy Horse |
Rust Never Sleeps |
1979 |
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He could have put together a real classic if he had collected those songs on
one album that would later comprise the last third of his epic Decade
compilation. So instead this inferior but still valuable set of songs must
stand as his best work of the 70's .
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133. | Mercury Rev |
Yerself Is Steam |
1991 |
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Beauty and chaos balanced on a knife edge. Just look at how that flute on
the first track works itself through the guitar noise surrounding it to come out as
the winner in the end. Alt.country this certainly wasn't.
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134. | Pet Shop Boys |
Very |
1993 Review |
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This album sounded rather anachronistic back then but now we
know it is perfectly timeless. When they stopped releasing great singles in
the mid 90s a vital part of pop music died. |
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135. | The Breeders |
Last Splash |
1993 |
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This was a bit overshadowed by the preceding Pixies split and the almighty "Cannonball"
single. But if you give this a try it can be a joy from start to finish.
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136. | Soap & Skin |
Narrow |
2012 |
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Sadly this was not the long awaited proper sophomore album. But what we got
instead was still well worth the wait. A varied mix of material containing one
of the best German language songs ever and some hard hitting other stuff as well.
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137. | Coldplay |
Parachutes |
2000 |
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Before they got big, successful, bland and meaningless. Sparse, quiet songs which stand on their
own feet without overblown arrangements. Never marry a Hollywood star.
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138. | Morrissey |
Vauxhall And I |
1994 Review |
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If this would have had a 'last great Morrissey album until 2004' sticker on
it we surely would have appreciated it more. For some Elvis is the greatest. For some it's
Dylan. But they're all wrong. |
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139. | Pavement |
Slanted And Enchanted |
1992 Review |
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The quintessential Lo-fi band with their lofiest album. One wonders if it is
hard work for them to create songs that sound as half finished and fragmented as
those featured here. |
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Released in the year Britpop broke big this splendid collection of acoustic gothic lullabies was not very well
received. But as with impressionistic painting (as seen on the cover) time will finally prove them right.
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