Zantera's Top 50 Albums v.2.0 (Finished)

[Zantera]

With Dir En Grey I also highly recommend their album "Dum Spiro Spero". It's heavier than Uroboros, but also amazing. Anyhow, thought I would swing by with an update. Time for two double albums!


18. Nine Inch Nails - The Fragile (1999)

Genre: Industrial

While many fans consider "The Downward Spiral" to be the best NiN-album, I've always gravitated a bit more towards The Fragile. They are both incredible, so I totally see both sides of the spectrum, in fact, The Downward Spiral would be my second favorite NiN-album. I would say that the difference, is that The Downward Spiral is a very industrial album, and the album that followed Fragile, "With Teeth" was a more melodic album with focus on melodies and hooks. The Fragile is the middle album, and I feel like it has the best aspects of both those sounds, as it is both industrial but also has some more catchy songs. Trent Reznor is one of my favorite musicians, and what I love about him is his incredible attention to details. The songs normally has the typical components (guitars, drums, bass, synthesizers), but he finds ways of using them in a non-traditional way. In many songs, the guitar might work on something in the background instead of being in the front of the sound, and he always founds interesting ways of constructing his songs. Like "The Downward Spiral", this is a concept album, though it's not as structured conceptually. Basically the album deals with personal issues, and many of the songs feels very personal in that sense. This album has something for everyone, and you can compare a song like "Starfuckers" which focuses on a heavy groove and drive, with "Into the Void" which is this fantastic electronic song, with a beat you just can't avoid dancing along to. Like I mentioned before, one of Trent's biggest strengths is his ability to make a song interesting sound-wise, and how he forms a song is truly interesting. There's a lot of layers to most these songs, and even after many listens I can still hear a new little melody here or there, deep down in the song. Trent also has a great ear for making the music versatile, since many of the songs sound different to each other, yet feels like they belong together. This album like many other double albums is just such a journey, and it takes me places. It's about 1 hour 40 minutes long though, so might take some time getting into.

Favorite songs: Please, Into the Void, Even Deeper, We're In This Together, The Day the World Went Away, The Wretched, The Fragile.


17. Swans - Soundtracks For the Blind (1996)

Genre: Post-Rock/Ambient

Swans has without a doubt become one of my favorite bands since I first heard them in early 2012. It's a band I've been trying to save as much as possible with, so I've given each album a really long time and many listens to fully absorb it, before moving on with the next album. While their album last year, "The Seer" was a 5/5 album for me, right now I'm leaning just slightly towards another album of theirs, "Soundtracks for the Blind". It's a double album clocking in at 2 hours and 20 minutes, so very long, and it took me several listens because of that. Swans is a band that I have a huge admiration for, because of their ability to constantly evolve as musicians and push themselves forward. Over their career which is spanning roughly 30 years, they have explored many different genres, and have a couple of albums that sounds very different from each other as the result. This album features a calmer side of the band, being a very experimental post-rock/ambient album with hints of drone as well. Considering how much variety the album has, how long it is, and how experimental it is, it feels like one of those albums that just should not work, because the ambition is too high, and/or the execution is too difficult. But it just really works, and as a result it has become one of my favorite "headphones"-albums, because it has a lot of things going on. While it might not share a lot of traits with their last album "The Seer", you can still hear that this is Swans. Some of the longer songs like "Helpless Child" has that repetition-build up that feels very typical for the band. The band has an incredible way of creating atmosphere in their songs, and repetition is a big part of that, especially in the longer songs. The main riff/idea can get repeated for a few minutes, but with other things happening in the background. For example, the guitar-riff might be repeating, but the stuff going on behind it gets more intense for every time. This is really an album that needs time, and it's almost like a fancy dinner in the sense that you fully need to taste every little piece, and not just cram it in like if it was McDonalds. Poor analogy, I know. But fact remains that you might find this weird or hard to get into at first, but if you give it time, it has the potential to blow you away. This is one of the band's more calmer albums overall (apart from a few more rockier songs), but I also highly recommend "The Seer" which is more of a Post-Punk/Noise/Experimental/Drone album.

Favorite songs: Helpless Child, The Sound, The Final Sacrifice, Animus, YRP, The Beautiful Days, Empathy, I Love You This Much.

[adace]

The Fragile is also my favorite NIN record. It's an absolute masterpiece.

That Swans album is great, but my favorite of theirs is White Light from the Mouth of Infinity. Awesome choice nonetheless

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Soundtracks for the Blind is one of the hardest albums to digest out there I find. It's really something great though. And I think I like The Fragile more than The Downward Spiral too now.

[Heretic]

super MEH update for me on that one, don't like either of those bands unfortunately. the previous update was pretty sweet, though.

[Dark Castle]

super MEH update for me on that one, don't like either of those bands unfortunately. the previous update was pretty sweet, though.

Tsk Tsk 

[Zantera]

I expected a little bit of that, because I know both Swans and NiN are not for everyone. Here are the next two:

16. Steven Wilson - Grace For Drowning (2011)

Genre: Progressive Rock

The next album might surprise some, even though I have expressed my huge love for this album on the forum before. I remember the time when this album came out so well. I was a bit on the fence, because FOABP and Insurgentes were two albums I just loved, but The Incident was a bit of a disappointment for me, and while it was good, it was nowhere near the quality I knew SW was capable of. So with Grace coming out, and it being a double album, I was a bit on the fence, thinking that it could be another incident. (that pun) I remember getting the album on my birthday (September 27), and just listening to it and looking through the lyrics. It was such an enjoyable experience, and I just found myself really interested in the album right away. A few weeks went by and the album continued to grow, and I had to order the big limited/deluxe version of the album. The album continued getting regular spins, and quickly became one of my favorite albums released in 2011. As 2012 began, I found out that SW would be coming to Malmö, which is a city 3 hours by car from where I live. I asked my dad if we could go (because it's his car and everything), and we got tickets for the show. The drive down was really cool, and I got to play Grace in the car, and I later picked it up at the concert. The concert was one of the best shows I have seen, and hearing/seeing these songs live gave me another level of appreciation for the music and album. I would say this is where the album went from "a really good album" to "one of my favorite albums". I have continued spinning it since, and I still hold it as his best album, all projects included. The songwriting is incredible, and I think "Deform to Form a Star" is possibly the best song he has ever done. That melody/chorus and the outro is just amazing, and that's just one of many great songs. "Raider II" and "Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye" are two other favorites, with the first being the most epic 23 minute song, and when SW comes in with the: "IM RAIDER"-part, just gives me goosebumps. Like Dust is another favorite, the first half is just amazing, and the second half with the ambient-fadeout is just the perfect way to close the album off. I know the album has a polarizing effect among the SW-fans, some think it's his weakest solo effort, and call it "Grace For Fillers", others like me hold it really high. Both musically and lyrically I think this is his best effort so far. I also highly recommend the bonus disc which has "Home in Negative", which is just incredible as well.

Favorite songs: Deform to Form a Star, Raider II, Like Dust I Have Cleared From My Eye, Index, Postcard, Home in Negative (bonus disc).


15. Agalloch - Ashes Against the Grain (2006)

Genre: Black Metal/Neofolk/Post-Metal/Ambient/Noise/Drone

I remember the first time I heard Agalloch, I foolishly wrote them off as being a worse copy of Opeth. This was me being silly, and I had to eat everything up later on. While both bands share similarities like being metal bands with a big folk-influence, having both clean and harsh vocals, that's pretty much where the comparison ends. Opeth focuses more on traditional death metal and classic progressive rock, where Agalloch is more about atmospheric black metal, folk and a strong post-rock vibe. While some people consider "The Mantle" to be their best album, I have always leaned more towards Ashes Against the Grain. The main difference is that The Mantle is more post-rock/folk with a lot of instrumentals, where Ashes is darker, more bleak and has some drone/noise/ambient-vibes. Agalloch is also a band I've found myself getting into more and more in different stages, similar to how I mentioned getting into Grace For Drowning just above. I was a pretty big Agalloch-fan, and was lucky enough to see them here in Sweden back in 2012. Seeing them live gave me a whole new level of appreciation, and I was blown away by their performance. They came back this year, and I was lucky enough to see them again. Similar to the first time, they blew me away a second time, and it took their music to an even higher level. I can't really say enough positive things about Ashes Against the Grain, I've considered it one of my all time favorite metal-albums ever since I first heard it. It's such a fantastic listen, and few albums reach the level of greatness that this one does. It has some of the band's best songs like "Falling Snow", "Fire Above, Ice Below" and "Limbs", and I can't recommend it enough. Perfect for a cold winter day, just kick back and enjoy some metal. From the opening chords of Limbs that sounds like an alarm, to the guitar-feedback that becomes drone/noise in the last song "The Grain", the album just takes you on a crazy ride.

Favorite songs: Falling Snow, Fire Above Ice Below, Limbs, Our Fortress is Burning (all three parts). 

More to come!

[adace]

Two of my all-time favorite albums.

[Heretic]

yeehaw at that update!

[senecadawg2]

Two phenomenal albums. The latter I discovered on your first list. Now I think you've placed it about 12-14 spots too low

[Ravenheart]

Oodles of grade-A material here: The Fragile, Still Life, Choirgirl, Perdition City, Turn the Bright Lights On. I think I can predict a few that will be creeping up here soon that also have my utmost approval.

[ColdFireYYZ]

Grace for Drowning is either my favorite or second favorite SW-related album. I can't decide if I like it or The Raven more but regardless, it's a masterpiece to me.

I don't have Ashes Against the Grain but it's been under my radar for a while now as I love The Mantle.

[senecadawg2]

Grace for Drowning is either my favorite or second favorite SW-related album. I can't decide if I like it or The Raven more but regardless, it's a masterpiece to me.

I don't have Ashes Against the Grain but it's been under my radar for a while now as I love The Mantle.

AAtG>>The Mantle 

[Zantera]

Going to be a bit busy today, but I have time to update so no problems there. Hopefully can get that update later tonight when I get home, though I won't know until later! But let's move on with 14 and 13! 


14. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1979)

Genre: Progressive Rock

Another album that might surprise people, the final of the classic 4 PF-album, "The Wall". While WYWH and Dark Side are generally the two albums most people seem to love, I would hold The Wall and Animals slightly higher. The Wall especially has clicked big time with me over the last couple of months, and is just an amazing double album. The Wall is a perfect example for me where every song might not be 5/5, but there is a bigger picture, and the album has a whole is just incredible. The album as a whole is better than the individual songs, if that makes sense. If I made a list over my favorite PF-songs, there would probably be more songs from Animals, WYWH and Dark Side in the top10. Still, that doesn't change my love for The Wall as an album, and I think it's incredibly well crafted, and is the most enjoyable listening experience out of the four albums. Again, I'm a person who is very intrigued and interested by concepts and themes, but very bad at knowing all the details, so watching the movie of The Wall really helped for me, because I got visuals over what the album is about. I know there are people who think it has a lot of filler and is the weakest of the classic PF-albums, but I don't look at those short songs as filler, but rather room for transportation. Like, the shorter songs are what gets you forward in the album, and while some of them might be considered filler, I think they all have a purpose in the overall story. Surely you can point out songs like "Comfortably Numb", "Run Like Hell", "Another Brick in the Wall" and even "Hey You" as being some of PF's best songs, but again, to me the strengths of The Wall is how incredibly well crafted it is as an album. It has several highlights, but what I enjoy the most are the small recurring themes and sounds that you will hear, and how the whole concept is executed. My first listen of The Wall summed it up pretty well for me, because even though I wasn't blown away by everything in the music, I still felt very sure about the album being a 5 out of 5 album. With that said, the music does really grow on you, and that's one of the reasons why it still is my favorite PF-album, because the competition from the other three is pretty tough. On a sidenote: I'm seeing Roger Waters performing this album live tonight, and I couldn't be more excited. And I guess the timing for the list, and posting this today must be a sign. 

Favorite songs: Comfortably Numb, The Trial, Run Like Hell, Young Lust, Mother, Hey You, Run Like Hell, Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2).


13. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006)

Genre: Post-Hardcore/Alternative/Indie/Emo

The next album is a very emotional album, possibly the most emotional album on this entire list. I remember when I was recommended the album by a few other people who used to be here on DTF, and they said all kinds of positive things about it, so I had to check it out. This was at a time where I was feeling a bit depressed because of some family turbulence at home, and this album became sort of a vessel for me, because it made me feel better, and I would say that I found some sort of comfort in this album. Musically it's a combination of post-hardcore and indie/alternative rock, but with a huge focus on emotional lyrics. Jesse Lacey is an incredible lyricist, and is able to put certain things in words that really gets to you. Some of my favorite lyrics are on this album, and in some cases they might be a metaphor to something where you can relate to it, even if the idea behind it was not what you think it is, and in some cases it's just how the lyrics are phrased or worded, that really gets to you. The song "Handcuffs" is a song that really got to me, because even though I don't know what the lyrics are about, lines like: "It's hard to be the better man, when you forget you're trying. It's hard to be the better man, when you're still lying" just really gets to me. There are several songs like Handcuffs where I don't know the original meaning behind the lyrics, but they just hit me in a way, where I can relate them to something that's going on in my life, and get that emotional connection with the song. I think the lyrics being as open to interpretation as they are is a good thing, because that means you can find something to relate with. It's all about the phrasing and how you put it down in text, because many singers write about their own problems, which can be interesting, but maybe very unique problems for them, that is hard for the rest of us listeners to fully understand or sympathize with. Jesse Lacey on the other hand really puts down his thoughts and emotions in a way where we don't have to understand what his angle or experience is, the lyrics is just something we can apply on our own situations in life. It's an incredible album overall, packed with emotions, and just such a great listening experience. Without a doubt one of the best albums released in the last 10 years, and a modern day classic because of how incredible it is.

Favorite songs: Luca, Handcuffs, Welcome to Bangkok, Limousine (MS Rebridge), Sowing Season.

[?]

I agree with you on The Wall, although I like Animals and Wish You Were Here more

[Ultimetalhead]

Everybody sucks that Brand New album's dick. I should maybe listen to it.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

The Wall is pretty good, but Animals is definitely my favourite PF album.

Devil and God tho

[PuffyPat]

Devil and God is REALLY good, but it's like not even their best record in my opinion (not even second best, actually). Still love it, though.

[Tom Bombadil]

The Wall is pretty good, but Animals is definitely my favourite PF album.

Me too. The Wall has some great songs on it, but other sections are just plain weird. Still a good pick though.

[CrimsonSunrise]

It's always amazing to see the diversity of DT fans, that being said, I think I've heard 5 of the albums you have listed so far

[Zantera]

Okay! Back from my Roger Waters concert now, and ready with the next update. This will be 12 and 11, and for the top10 I will go 1 and 1 with the albums, since we're getting close to the top. 

12. Neutral Milk Hotel - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea (1998)

Genre: Indie Rock/Lo-fi

At number 12, we have the album that has been called "the mother of all indie albums" by some people. Those people are now so indie that they stopped existing so that they could remain underground and unknown. Anyhow, this is one of those albums that has gained a huge following since it came out, and while the band stopped after this album, it's considered this cult album by now. It's the Dark Side of the Moon of Indie albums, and while other bands might have done a similar things before Neutral Milk Hotel did it, it was their incredible effort with "ItAOtS" which became the big album that affected people. During the 00's and forward, the indie rock scene has been steadily growing, and you could probably find a connection with this album coming out and being influential, and then people making more indie rock music. But let's leave that topic for now. The music itself is fairly traditional indie rock with acoustic guitars, brass-instruments and a voice that is personal, though some who have never heard the band before might find them atrocious. The first time I heard the vocals it took some time for them to grow on me, but now it's one of those really unique voices, that I like because it is so unique. I guess some people would argue that the album was groundbreaking or a masterpiece for the time it was created, but the main reason why I love it is because it's a damn fantastic album. Superb music, and I consider it to be the best indie rock album ever made. The vocals and lyrics are personal, the songs and melodies themselves are really good and strong, and that's all there is to it really. Just an album I hold very close to my heart. It's pretty lo-fi and stripped down, some songs have drums, bass and so on, but a lot of it is very easy with guitar, vocals and maybe some brass-instruments as well. Some cool use of trumpets for example.

Favorite songs: King of Carrot Flowers Part 1, Oh Comely, In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Two-Headed Boy.


11. Deftones - White Pony (2000)

Genre: Alternative Metal

At number 11, just outside of the top 10, here's "White Pony" by Deftones. This one stung in my heart to leave out of my top10, because I consider it to be just as deserving to be up there as the following 10 albums. In the end it's at nr11 which is not bad at all, and no shame, but I just wanted to point out that I love this album a lot. Deftones is an experimental alternative metal-band that started in the 90's, and sadly has been lumped together with bands like Slipknot, Linkin Park and System of a Down as being "nu-metal". I feel like that generalization is wrong and pretty lame, because a) Deftones are much better than any of those three other bands, and b) Deftones have continued to evolve their sound, and nu-metal is just a demeaning term. While they fall under "alternative metal", White Pony is arguably their most experimental release. The previous album, "Around the Fur" was more straight-forward metal, but White Pony took the experimentation to a whole new level, with Chino trying new effects on vocals, the band trying new things in general. The album has a nice mix of heavy and soft tunes, and Chino is one of my favorite vocalists because he can both sing the mellow and melodic stuff like a champion, and scream his lungs out for the heavier songs. A good example of his range are the two back-to-back songs "Digital Bath" and "Elite". The first is a pretty melodic and beautiful song, that is pretty calm throughout, with the exception of Chino singing the chorus very passionately. "Elite" on the other hand is fierce, chaotic, heavy and extreme, and is one of the band's heaviest songs in my opinion. It has always been one of my favorites, and it has Chino singing through a vocoder, but also has some kickass guitar riffs. The song "Passenger" features a guest apperance by Maynard James Keenan from Tool, and feels like it could have been a Tool-song almost. The album opens up with fast-paced "Feiticeira", and ends with "Pink Maggit" which fades out slowly into oblivion. The ~50 minutes that make this album is just pure brilliance, and this is without a doubt one of my favorite metal albums. It is flawless, and hadn't it been for a little bit of bad luck and 10 other brilliant albums on the list, this could just as well have been top5. It's that good, and I love it that much.

Favorite songs: Elite, Change (In the House of Flies), Korea, Teenager, Pink Maggit, Digital Bath.

Top10 inc! 

[ColdFireYYZ]

I like The Wall but I don't really consider it one of their best. I'm sure I'd appreciate it much more if I saw the live show.

Heard of Deftones and NMH but never listened to either. I may be going to a record store tomorrow, so I'll look for both and get them if they're reasonably priced.

[orcus116]

13. Brand New - The Devil and God Are Raging Inside Me (2006)

Fuck yeah.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Both fantastic. ItAotS was in my top 5 somewhere in my list. Amazing album.

[Zantera]

Are you ready for top10? 

10. Kimbra - Vows (2011)

Genre: Indie Pop/Jazz/Soul

At number 10, we have the girl from my avatar, and also one of my biggest obsessions for the last year, Kimbra. She is from New Zealand, and released her first album "Vows" just 2 years ago, and it was later re-released last year in the US with a different tracklist. To be honest I don't really know which version I prefer, because both versions have songs that are just amazing, and I tend to just put on a playlist on my computer that has the songs from both versions. I would say my affection for Kimbra started out as a small guilty pleasure, but as time went by (and I matured), I realized there was nothing "guilty" about me loving it so much, it's just incredible well made music. While "Pop" is the general term to sum up how the music sounds, there's several songs that has very strong jazz and/or soul vibes going on. Kimbra likes to do things her way rather than follow a certain trend, and I think that is part of the reason why this album was so successful when it came out. She has a really great voice with a neat range, that she perfectly displays in the opening song, "Settle Down". However, it was the second song, "Cameo Lover" that really clicked big time for me. That song has one of the catchiest choruses ever, and it's just such a fun and upbeat song. Impossible not to sing along to it, and one of the big highlights for sure. The album changes between upbeat and slower songs, and there are a few ballads like "Plain Gold Ring" and "Old Flame", where the music is more subdued and Kimbra's voice takes the lead. I highly recommend both the original version and the US-rerelease, and both has incredible songs that are exclusive to their respective version. In a world where most pop-music you hear on the radio is flat, with no creativity or genuine interest from the artist in what they are doing, it's incredibly refreshing with someone who loves what she does, puts a lot of effort into it, and goes for something slightly different, even if the basics are still there. She is also working on her second album which will probably come out next year, and I could not be more excited for it. Hopefully she will continue trying new things and doing what she wants, and that can take her pretty far.

Favorite songs: Cameo Lover, Call Me, Posse, Warrior, The Build Up, Settle Down. (songs from both versions)

[adace]

White Pony is superb, probably my 2nd favorite Deftones album next to Diamond Eyes.

I've only listened to that NMH album a few times but it's quite good. I'll have to give it another listen at some point.

[Lolzeez]

NMH is so fucking good.

[Mladen]

Extremely late to the party, but so many fantastic albums on the list so far. 

[Ruba]

Have been a couple of days off and the list has moved with 9 picks. You're fast  .

The Fragile . Hard to say, if I prefer The Downward Spiral or it, but a majestic album.

The Wall is great too, although I prefer WYWH and Animals.

I recieved songs from Agalloch and Brand New in my roulette, and especially the latter struck me. I just need to find the time to check "The Devil and God..." out.

[Zantera]

Popping in a few hours earlier with the update for tonight, since I'm not sure how much time I will have to write it later. But anyhow, here it is! Also, cool to see some love for NMH. 

9. Faith No More - Angel Dust (1992)

Genre: Alternative Metal

Next up we have the classic Faith No More album "Angel Dust", which came out in 1992, and was the band's third album. While I am a huge fan of the band overall, and also have a huge love for "King For a Day..." and "The Real Thing", Angel Dust remains my favorite album by FNM, and even my favorite Mike Patton album overall. It might be a cliché or something that has been said before, but Mike Patton truly is one of the main reasons why I love Faith No More so much, and his voice, or should I say incredible range is perfectly suited for the band. They have a fun approach to making music, with a lot of influences and ideas, and while the general sound is mostly alternative metal, there are softer songs where he can fit his voice, and there are heavier songs where he can scream his lungs out. I would probably go as far as saying he is my favorite singer overall. He has an incredible range, and when he brings it, he brings it. I do feel like it's a shame that there aren't more FNM or Bungle albums, as those are his projects I love the most. Angel Dust is one of those examples where Patton brings it, and the vocals on the whole album are incredible. A great example of his incredible vocal talent is "Malpractice" which sounds almost border on death-metal at parts, but has this experimental and dark sound. It has a lot of variety in 4 minutes with Mike Patton both singing over a slow and calm melody towards the end, and screaming his lungs out during the heavy part. As far as range goes, there is nobody better. He can do different musical styles so well, and this album has a big variety on the vocals with him singing normally, rapping, screaming, crooning, and a lot of other vocal styles. But how is the album apart from the vocals? Just phenomenal really. Lots of variety, and while some songs have a "funk"-edge, some are heavier and has that metal-vibe, others are melodic and has lots of piano. The album does never feel repetitive or like old ideas are being rehashed, there's constantly new angles or sounds to keep the listener engaged in the music. There's often a lot of variety in the songs themselves, a song like "j-izzlobber" for example is mostly really heavy and has Patton screaming his lungs out, but the last minute or so of the song is a big organ-solo part, that is really epic and feels like it ends the song in a majestic way. "Malpractice" which I mentioned earlier also has some nice changes in the structure. I often consider the 90's to be my favorite decade of music, and this is easily a top3 album for me on that front. Such an amazing listen, and such a classic album. I also highly recommend the version that has "Easy" as a bonus-track, since it's a really good cover.

Favorite songs: Everything's Ruined, Malpractice, Midlife Crisis, Caffeine, Midnight Cowboy, J-izzlobber.

[Lolzeez]

I really can't get into this album. I've never heard any other album from FNM though. Should I listen to some other album first?

[Scorpion]

AMAZING album, easily my favourite from Faith No More. The first time I heard Land of Sunshine, I was hooked.

[LieLowTheWantedMan]

Vows and Angel Dust are both great. I actually haven't listened to Vows in quite a while though, hm.

[Zantera]

@Lolzeez, I can also recommend both King For a Day and The Real Thing, both are incredible albums. However, if you have trouble getting into Angel Dust, I'm not sure how much will change. Might be worth a try though. 

Time for number eight.

8. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless (1991)

Genre: Shoegaze

My Bloody Valentine is a band similar to Neutral Milk Hotel in the sense that they released only two albums, where the second became a huge classic and considered this pioneering album for it's respective genre. MBV had a pretty good debut-album, but it was this album, the follow-up, "Loveless" that really hit the head of the nail. I consider this album to be just one of the best albums ever made, and ranking it at just spot 8 might seem low after that statement, but to be honest I think it's mostly because I overplayed it slightly during a period, and have now given the album some rest. I listened to it a few days ago for the first time in several months and was again blown away by how incredible it is. Shoegaze is a genre that I love a lot, but I find it hard to find really good bands within that genre. There are a couple outside of MBV, but overall a lot of bands that feels like cheap clones. This can be frustrating since I love the genre so much, but apart from a few bands like Lush and Slowdive, My Bloody Valentine is my main fix when I need shoegaze. They returned this year after 22 years of silence, with their third album "MBV", which was just glorious. One of the best albums so far this year, and while it wasn't AS good as Loveless, it brings hope. Loveless feels like a combination of musical talent, creativity, experimentation and doing the 'right' thing at the right time, plus a lot of luck. The album is like a red mist of guitar sounds, and the cover feels very appropriate in that sense, because it really fits the sound of the album. The vocals are clean and almost childish, and Kevin Shields has a very unique voice that fits MBV's music perfectly. The guitar-sound is thick, layered and at times very experimental. In some songs it's hard to decide if you're hearing a vacuum cleaner, an airplane engine or guitars. The album overall is pretty melodic with a lot of 'simple' melody lines, and the effective use of the vocals and guitars makes the songs so much more interesting. It could have been a simple pop-song, but it becomes this really layered shoegaze-song with a lot of interesting things going on sound-wise. This album is just marvelous, and one of my all time favorites for sure, hence the 8th spot on the list.

Favorite songs: Only Shallow, Soon, I Only Said, When You Sleep, What You Want.

[Lolzeez]

I love the shit out of Loveless. It took me a year but I get it now.

PS:Found it on Vinyl just yesterday. 

[LieLowTheWantedMan]