Honourable mention:
Robert Wyatt - Rock Bottom (1974)I actually just remembered this album exists not long ago. Back in my prog phase I used to love it. And it still holds up today. It's a solo album by former drummer of Soft Machine, Robert Wyatt. It really sticks out of the closely knit Canterbury Scene, as it's a lot less whimsical than most of it (albeit not without some whimsicality). The story behind the album is actually quite sad, as during the period the album was being prepared he fell out of a third storey window and was paralysed from the waist down. He continued to work on the album in the hospital in what he calls the beginning of his maturity. The album is emotional, very weird, and sounds like nothing else. Give it a shot maybe.
5. Death Grips - The Money Store (2012)I'm sure many people have heard about this album to some degree. Death Grips have escalated to one of the most controversial figures in today's music. Well they've just recently broken up (without warning, mid-tour, when an album is supposed to be released soon, written on a napkin; exactly how you'd expect them to go out) but their presence is still very much felt. They have armies of adoring fans. Equally large armies of scathing critics. They've sampled artists like Jane's Addiction, Pink Floyd, FUCKING MAGMA!!!, and Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti in their songs. They got kicked off their record label for releasing an album early and for free. They made an album where the cover was the title written on the drummer's penis in black marker. They randomly cancelled shows later on. While some may call their attitude questionable and annoying, it only contributed to the enigma that was Death Grips. And many fans, like myself, were fully invested in the experience and it all just made things even sweeter.
So now about the music. Death Grips makes something you could probably call punk rap. Whenever you mention hip hop to me or even ask what my favourite hip hop album is, this album never comes to mind because it is such an outcast of the genre, but if you want to be technical it IS my favourite hip hop album. The one member of the group some would know beforehand is drummer Zach Hill, who is known for his work with math rock group Hella. There is also MC Ride, known to spit incredibly cryptic and weird lines, and shout his raps in incomprehensible rage. Flatlander is behind the production, and boy does he ever give them a unique flavour. This album is angry, and can pump you up like no other album out there. But at the same time, it's not without its catchiness. I've Seen Footage and Hacker are the most notable in that department. The Fever (Aye Aye) contains probably the loudest, most manic verses on the album but even that contains a really memorable chorus, a lot of thanks going to Flatlander's awesome synth melody (could be a sample, who knows with these guys). And, as a mentioned before, the lyrics are really cryptic but effective. Seriously, how much hip-hop gives you lyrics like:
"Lycanthropic manic cycles
Fire water burnin bibles
Wake up ragin, call a taxi
Take me to the nearest city
Cell light up yeah get at me
Make it quick though, blood, I'm busy, get busy, get busy, get busy
Drilled a hole into my head
Pierced the bone and
Felt the breeze
Lift my thoughts out
Dem sick bed
Wit a pair of crow
Skeleton wings
Know nothin’ since then
It seems
Been floatin’ through
The nexus threadin’ dreams
But did you know?"Really odd stuff, but it works. But they also makes some of the most violent music I've heard, both in sound and sometimes in lyrics (Fuck That is about beating someone so hard that "Head wear your face like a yarmulka"
). It's music to smash up and set fire to your shitty apartment to. However, like I alluded to with the catchiness, under all this dissonance, fury, crazy whirlwind of drums, and weirdness is a pop album. Some may think that sounds crazy, but the songs are crafted simply and expertly, they lodge themselves in your head, and hell, there are even some you can dance to. Although you'd probably prefer to mosh.
It works on many levels. And many people will listen to this and probably be disgusted and think I'm crazy for ranking it this high and never listen to anything I say again. But that's fine. The fact they elicit such polarizing reaction means they're taking risks, and that's what they're all about.
Best tracks: All except maybe Fuck That but even that song is still pretty awesome so don't take that as a deterrent