Lowdz' Top 50 albums- No time to rest yet, I will hold this one on high

[King Postwhore]

Man I haven't listened to We Want Moore in a long time.  Time to remedy that!

[Orthogonal]

So far I've only heard of one of the albums listed... just a completely different generation I guess.

[Lowdz]

35 Dokken- Back For The Attack (1987)



A close call between this album and Under Lock & Key but BFTA edges it. I bought this album the same day as Satch's Surfing With The Alien and I got two great albums that day. Great songs, great production, maybe a couple of songs too long, but a hair metal classic. George Lynch needs little introduction and this album contains his magnum opus, Mr Scary, an intense instrumental. This could be Lynch's best tone and the crunchy sound helps the riffs. Includes the Dream Warriors track from the Nightmare On Elm Street 3 film. This album was the end of great Dokken for me. They split, reformed, went grunge, Don's voice went, split again ad nauseam, got a new guitarist, but nothing has been any good since this album.

Best tracks- Prisoner, Heaven Sent, Mr Scary, So Many Tears, Burning Like A Flame, Dream Warriors

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9bSP8c3Apz4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3v4sO0Onoo&feature=relmfu
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Igybr8PW544&feature=related


34 Paganini- Accardo/Dutoit- The Six Violin Concerti (1992)



I wouldn't have become a huge Paganini fan if not for my worship of Yngwie, and would probably never have heard his music. I don't know enough about Classical Music to know if these concerti are underrated but they don't seem to get much praise especially compared with the Caprices. Personally I love them. Inspired melodies and excellent shredding from Maestro Accardo. Having heard several versions of the Concerti by different violinists I find Accardo's the best. I know it's a bit of a cheat to pick all 6 but I do have these in a boxset so it counts. If I have to pick one my favourite is Number 4 in Dm. If I ever stumble across a time machine i'm heading back to see Paganini in action at La Scala. And Paganini was Metal long before there was metal.


33 Extreme- pornograffitti (1991)



I bought and quite enjoyed Extreme's first album. It was poorly produced and a bit hit and miss but by the time album number 2 came round this sounded like a different band. They acquired a confidence and swagger from somewhere, and a stellar sounding production. This album made Nuno a bona fide Guitar Hero, which he’s spent several years trying to undo. Huge chunky, funky riffs, top drawer guitar solos and a rock steady rhythm section, and choruses that stuck in your head, and this was only half the story. Rap, horns, a folk song, a Sinatra style crooner, even a Simon & Garfunkel-esque acoustic ballad. This is a greatest hits album all on its own. It's apparently a concept album and is subtitled A Funked Up Fairytale.

Best tracks- Decadence Dance, Get The Funk Out, It('s A Monster), Suzi, Pornografitti, When I First Kissed You

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoKJpcROgJk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbPLSt3Lvc8

[TAC]

Back For The Attack is a great album. But Extreme does NOT do it for me.

[Lowdz]

Back For The Attack is a great album. But Extreme does NOT do it for me.

Don't sit on the fence TAC, tell us how you feel 

[TAC]

Back For The Attack is a great album. But Extreme does NOT do it for me.

Don't sit on the fence TAC, tell us how you feel 

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to depreciate in your thread.

They are from around here, and they had this great reputation for playing live. I remember when they got signed and I finally heard them and I was like, That's it? That's what all the fuss is about? It's a little funky, but wasn't the kind of rock that I was into.

[TAC]

But to be fair, I did see them open for David Lee Roth/Cinderella in 1991 and they were very good live. So to sum it up..they didn't suck, just their songs did!

[King Postwhore]

Love, love, love, Back For The Attack.  Pornograffitti is what got me into Extreme but III Side is what I'm gaga for.

[Big Hath]

I've stated my love for Pornograffitti in my own top 50.  That album just flat out rocks your face.

[BlobVanDam]

Back For The Attack is a great album. But Extreme does NOT do it for me.

Exactly this. I love Back For The Attack. It's a solid album from start to finish. I have never gotten into Extreme though. Didn't like Pornograffiti one bit.

[jjrock88]

Awesome Dokken album!  Never been much of an Extreme fan.

[Lowdz]

Surprised by the negatives about Extreme- I thought they were pretty much universally liked. Never mind. There was a whole funk-metal thing going on in the late 80s that I didn't like at all and Extreme were tagged in it. I always thought of Extreme as Queen mk2 in that they would put any style of song they liked on an album- certainly on Porno and III Sides.
Waiting For The Punchline stands up there with Hear In The Now Frontier by Queensryche as the biggest musical disappointments in my life.

No fans for the Paganini?

And Dokken love? On DTF? 

[wolfking]

That Dokken album is perfect.  Their first 4 or 5 albums are all classics.

Extreme are okay, but I never was a big fan.  Nuno is an incredible guitarist though.

[BlobVanDam]

That Dokken album is perfect.  Their first 4 or 5 albums are all classics.

The only song I don't like so much on Back For The Attack is Lost Behind The Wall, and I don't even hate it. I could listen to it. Aside from that, I wouldn't consider anything on that album filler at all. Very consistently high quality.
Not bad for 13 tracks!

[WebRaider]

Love, love, love, Back For The Attack.  Pornograffitti is what got me into Extreme but III Side is what I'm gaga for.

Same for me on both accounts! 

[Dream Team]

Back for the Attack is the last Dokken album I bought as well. Kiss of Death is a KILLER track.

[Cedar redaC]

My dad has a copy of the Extreme album, but I've never checked it out. I may have to.

[Scorpion]

Yes yes yes yes do it

[Lowdz]

My dad has a copy of the Extreme album, but I've never checked it out. I may have to.

look forward to hearing how it goes. Feel free to post your thoughts here. Looks like I'm on my own with that one 

[Lowdz]

32 Jason Becker- Perpetual Burn (1988)




Jason Becker is a huge talent and a great human being, and this album is a lesson in Heavy guitar playing, and it was recorded when Jason was 18. As I've said before I am a huge fan of shred guitar, and this album was made for me. It's a mish-mash of styles and  techniques and could be the guitar equivalent to Paganini's 24 Caprices. There's feeling and emotion in Jason's fingers too though, as evidenced in Altitudes. His great friend and fellow Cacophany member Marty Friedman guests, as Jason did on MF's album, but he's not overshadowed. The blues-y section of Eleven Blue Egyptians where they trade off is the stuff of legend. His story is both tragic and inspiring and he's a much better man than I'll ever be.

Best tracks- Altitudes, Eleven Blue Egyptians, Opus Pocus

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wFoSbjXB68
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XH9igerT86g

31 Phantom's Opera- Act IV- 2003



Not expecting many here to know this band but I loved this album when it came out, and still do. Writing this review I struggled  to really describe the music. It's classic hard rock (there's plenty of organ mixed in with the rhythm guitars), pomp (Styx/Kansas/early Queen come to mind), melodic rock (Terry Brock sings here- a great addition), some prog elements (check out 9 minute epic In The Morning and there's a sequel to an earlier song- that's prog!) and there's a bit of the Broadway of their namesake too. For fact fans, Micheal Romeo was in the band at one time, but not here. The guitar playing is adequate but nothing extraordinary, though instrumental passages feature heavily they are musical rather than show-off- it's the songs and the vocals that dominate proceedings. Unfortunately there was no chance for a follow up as mainman Jack Young passed away. Couldn't find anything on Youtube or Grooveshark, Spotify and iTunes has a couple of the earlier albums and a best of with some tracks from this album, so you'll just have to take my word for it- a great album. If you can find it it's well worth it.

Best tracks- Etched In Stone, By Reason Of Insanity, Laura II- Revisited, Shadows On The Wall,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2YDfcgTv5c this is a demo version and not the same singer as the album- the album track is heavier.


And for those interested in such things, a countdown from 50.

50 Vain- No Respect
49 Ten- Spellbound
48 Lillian Axe- Poetic Justice
47 Tony Macalpine – Maximum Security
46 Paul gilbert- Flying Dog
45 Michael Lee Firkins
44 WASP- Crimson Idol
43 Alcatrazz- No Parole For Rock 'n' Roll
42 Alice Cooper- Hey Stoopid
41  Winger- Pull

40 Kane Roberts- Saints & Sinners
39 Van Halen- fair Warning
38 Avantasia- The Scarecrow
37 Gary Moore- We Want Moore
36 Q5- Steel The Light
35 Dokken- Back For The Attack
34 Paganini- Accardo/Dutoit- The Six Violin Concerti
33 Extreme- pornograffitti
32 Jason Becker- Perpetual Burn
31 Phantom's Opera- Act IV


 

[Big Hath]

My dad has a copy of the Extreme album, but I've never checked it out. I may have to.

look forward to hearing how it goes. Feel free to post your thoughts here. Looks like I'm on my own with that one 

I've stated my love for Pornograffitti in my own top 50.  That album just flat out rocks your face.

[TAC]

God bless Jason Becker..

[Lowdz]

My dad has a copy of the Extreme album, but I've never checked it out. I may have to.

look forward to hearing how it goes. Feel free to post your thoughts here. Looks like I'm on my own with that one 

I've stated my love for Pornograffitti in my own top 50.  That album just flat out rocks your face.

Sorry Hath, there's 2 of us!

[Scorpion]

I knew that this would be Jason Becker. Incredible guitarist and album.

Not familiar with the other one.

[Lowdz]

I knew that this would be Jason Becker. Incredible guitarist and album.

Not familiar with the other one.

I used a song from this in lonestar's roulette and it did pretty well. Hard to find though.

[wolfking]

Pepetual Burn ranked around the same spot on my list, guitar perfection, I was blown away as a young guitar playing after hearing it.  Still need to check Phantom's Opera.

[Lowdz]

30 Flying In A Blue Dream (1989)



I bought Satch's Not Of This Earth on release mainly because he was Steve Vai's guitar teacher. How bad could he be, right? That album was a bit weird compared to the other shred albums I'd heard, and I loved it, and Surfing was a great album. This however is my favourite of the bunch. The guitar playing is great, which goes without saying, but the songs are his best. I even love the vocal tracks. Beautifully produced, and Satch's best tone for me. There's great variety here, and he doesn't take himself too seriously either. When I got the call that my granddad had died it was Into The Light that I played over and over.

Best tracks- Flying In A Blue Dream, Can't Slow Down, Back To Shalla-Bal, The Forgotten Part II

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SINl5JY7LhI&feature=results_main&playnext=1&list=PLDB7BBDFBEC4D4C90
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rsdZHcRM9c



29 Magnum- On A Storyteller's Night(1985)



Magnum in the early days were a particularly British band- Pomp is a word usually used to describe the sound. I wasn't a fan of their early work despite one of my mates trying to convert me, but this album changed that. Great lyrics by Tony Clarkin, especially on anti-war song Les Mort Dansant, a song about the British shooting deserters in WWI, and the opening track How Far Jerusalem where you would never know he's singing about “signing on" the unemployment register. Even the simple love songs are engaging. This was the start of a three album run that put them on the map. Seen them live numerous times and they never disappoint.

Best tracks- How Far Jerusalem, Just Like An Arrow, Les Mort Dansant, Storyteller's Night, All England's Eyes,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFbHyp4O0gY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4U-MfTNwL-Q&feature=related


28 David Lee Roth- Eat 'em And Smile (1986)



As I said earlier I wasn't the biggest VH fan so the split didn't break my world. And when Dave returned with Steve Vai (who I knew as Yngwie's replacement in Alcatrazz) and Billy Sheehan in his band I was happy. From the talking guitar intro through 30 short minutes of cool stunning guitar, this album wins. Especially when compared with VH's 5150. Steve Vai isn't from this planet. Steve, Billy and Dave go perfectly together. This album is fun and exuberant and it's got killer guitar. And I love the Sinatra cover. This album just sounds cool. The videos were funny and Dave redid all his vocals for a Spanish version too. And in the battle of EVH and Stevie? I'll take Stevie- no question.

Best tracks- Yankee Rose, Shyboy, Ladies Night In Buffalo, Tobacco Road

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-77j0Qw41s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzURlrvCieY

[Cedar redaC]

Flying in a Blue Dream is such a fantastic album. That, Surfing with The Alien, Passion and Warfare and both of the Where the Wild Things Are albums are what really got me into guitar playing as well as heavy metal.

I haven't listened to The other two, but if the David Lee Roth album has got Steve Vai, I'm sure that the playing is absolutely killer. Having Billy Sheenan isn't bad either.

[Big Hath]

the title track from FiaBD is magic.  First time I ever heard it was on the very first G3 live album.

[Lolzeez]

the title track from FiaBD is magic.  First time I ever heard it was on the very first G3 live album.

THIS THIS THIS!!!

That was the first time I had ever heard Satriani.

[Lowdz]

I don't know why but I just don't connect with Satch's new music the same these days. The last album was better than the few before it. Maybe I just don't have the time to devote to it these days.
FiaBD is a great track but Back To Shalla Bal is one of his best tracks for me. Air guitar all the way 

[wolfking]

The Forgotten Part 2 is probably my fav from that album, but really the whole album is awesome.  Alothough I'm glad Satch chose not to do much more sinigng after this one.  One hell of a guitar album.

That is Magnum's finest hour, absolutely incredible AOR right there.  Every song drips melody and just wonderful performances all round.

That DLR album is the tits too.

[Lowdz]

The Forgotten Part 2 is probably my fav from that album, but really the whole album is awesome.  Alothough I'm glad Satch chose not to do much more sinigng after this one.  One hell of a guitar album.

That is Magnum's finest hour, absolutely incredible AOR right there.  Every song drips melody and just wonderful performances all round.

That DLR album is the tits too.

3 from 3 from Wolfie- I'll take that 

[wolfking]

Yep, 3 absolute beauties too.

[BlobVanDam]

It's funny, Steve Vai has been in several bands I like, and his albums are always among my least favourite from each artist. Just not a fan of him. Give me 5150 any day. I'm not a big fan of Slip of the Tongue either.
A Little Ain't Enough and DLR Band are my favourite DLR albums, although Yankee Rose is an awesome song.