No. 308: Primus - "Green Naugahyde" (2011)

Every now and again a record comes along that snaps you out of your depression and gets you excited again about the current state of music. And this is the one that's done it for me.
I had no idea a new Primus album was even on the cards before a mate of mine texted me the good news and suggested I check it out. I must admit that I had my reservations - but I'm glad to say the results are conclusive: this album rocks!
Bass-slapping legend Les Claypool has got the old band back together for their first album in 12 years and the results have been pumping out of my car stereo speakers on a continuous loop for the last week. It's funky, funny and has an energy that totally draws you in - all the characteristics that make Primus such a great band. Tracks such as "Last Salmon Man" and "Lee Van Cleef" (about Les's fondness for the actor who played the baddie in The Good, The Bad & The Ugly) are musically punchy and contain some amazingly catchy bass riffs that you'll have a hard time getting out of your head. These guys sound like they had fun making this album - and in a world full of bad news, it's actually quite refreshing.
One final thought: any record that can inspire some spontaneous "air-bass" from a listener has to be worth checking out immediately, right?

No. 309: Beatles - "Magical Mystery Tour" (1967)

Anyone who thinks Please Please Me was the cheesiest Beatles album cover ever obviously hasn't laid eyes on this train-wreck of an album sleeve...
More of a soundtrack E.P. to the TV special (with a few bonus singles added), this compilation came just after the cultural milestone and ultimate behemoth that was Sgt. Pepper - back in the year 1967, when the Beatles stalked the earth as one united and invincible juggernaut.
As it turned out, the TV special proved the Beatles were human after all: it was widely panned and has subsequently gone down in history as the "Beatles' biggest folly" - best enjoyed in hindsight under various degrees of chemical intoxication.
Nevertheless the music contained on this album is some of the finest the group ever put down. Lesser known gems like "The Fool On The Hill" and "Your Mother Should Know" sit comfortably next to brilliantly innovative classics such as "I Am The Walrus" and "Strawberry Fields Forever", demonstrating again, after Pepper, why this band was so far ahead of their peers in terms of song-writing and studio experimentation.
Check out the clarity of sound on the 2009 remastered edition: it is simply stunning. The bass runs, the layers of guitar and keys and the multiple phasing effects are all incredibly clear and head-shakingly unreal. It's hard to believe this thing is nearly 45 years old....
My advice to those who have never had the pleasure: pop on your headset and immerse yourself in this classic. The only issue you may have is trying to erase the image of Ringo in a furry animal suit out of your mind..
Goo-goo-ga-Joob!

No. 310: Pink Floyd - "Animals" (1977)

An underrated gem of an album about pigs, dogs & sheep...
When you mention Pink Floyd, most people name-check Dark Side of The Moon, Wish You Were Here and The Wall, but somewhere in the middle there was this record: Roger Waters' dark, scathing, study of an Orwellian world where humans are classified as either pigs, dogs or sheep - an allegorical concept straight out of the book Animal Farm. Musically, this is probably the last real triumph of the "classic MKII" line-up of Floyd, as Waters virtually took over everything on The Wall & The Final Cut after it (aside from the odd tasteful guitar solo from David Gilmour) - and there are many who would argue (myself included) that "Dogs" contains the finest guitar work Gilmour ever committed to tape - mostly played on a Telecaster too! "Sheep" also contains Rick Wright's last major contribution on keys to the band, and is reminiscent of "One Of These Days" off the Meddle album in 1971 - even employing a vocoder voice effect for a warped interpretation of "The Lord's Prayer" in the middle of the track. Sinister stuff indeed.
The big aggressive tunes are nicely bookended by two verses of "Pigs On The Wing" - a simple song of hope performed by Waters on acoustic guitar. Overall it was an album that suited the uncertainty and despondency of the times (ie: the socio-political climate in Britain in the late 70's), and proved that a big old dinosaur like Pink Floyd still had something to say after the Punk Rock meteorite hit the Earth....

No. 311: Paul Simon - "Paul Simon" (1972)

The 1970's was the age of the "singer-songwriter", and Paul Simon - arguably one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation - dropped his solo debut on us in 1972, two years after saying goodbye to his musical sparring partner Art Garfunkel.
Simon & Garfunkel's melodious folk ballads came to define the sound of the 1960's, but Simon was itching to experiment with other musical styles, as evident on this underrated pearler of a solo debut.
The reggae tinged "Mother & Child Reunion" and the Latin-influenced "Me And Julio Down By The Schoolyard" show him embracing the sounds of world music well before the mega-success of Graceland in the 80's - and there's even some cool, jazzy figures that wind themselves through "Everything Put Together Falls Apart" - a far cry from the early folk-ballad days indeed.
The most revealing thing about this album, however, is Simon's skills as a guitar player. There are some amazing acoustic guitar licks, and some unexpected phrasings in places, which are testimony to the immense talents of this man. Check out the bluesy "Peace Like A River" for a healthy dose of what I'm talking about. And as for the tunes: McCartney is possibly the only real peer of Paul Simon when it comes to the gift of melody & songwriting, which is about the highest compliment you could ever pay anyone.
Find the 2004 remastered CD version of this album with the three extra tracks and put some time aside to get into it. It won't take you very long.

No. 312: Grinderman - "Grinderman 2" (2010)

You either love Nick Cave or you don't  - and if you don't then this may be the one that changes your mind...
This is the second album from Grinderman - the side project of selected members from Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - and they've delivered a great, dark, moody, rock album that is more aggressive and adventurous than their 2007 debut.
Longtime Cave collaborators & Bad Seeds' Warren Ellis, Martyn P. Casey and Jim Sclavunos pull together with the great man himself to create a sinister-sounding set that bristles with tension and an otherworldly, haunted spookiness.
These guys are getting on in age a bit, but there's something Johnny Cash-like in Cave's powerful tenor which seems to mark it as ageless, and his performance on this record is the perfect blend of confidence and outright menace. Which is always a winning combination. The album bursts out of the blocks with three great tunes - but the best is the brilliant "Heathen Child", a shuffling voodoo blues that also has a great video clip (with just the right amount of humour added too).
A great release that's well-worth a listen.

No. 313: Talking Heads - "The Name Of This Band Is Talking Heads" (1982)

A superb double live set from one of the best bands to emerge from the New York "New Wave" scene in the late 1970's.
Originally released in 1982 (and also as an expanded reissue with extra material in 2004), this live album is divided into two distinct parts. The first disc shows the quartet in stunningly raw form on selected performances from 1977 to 1979, with David Byrne's intelligent observations on everyday life cutting through the tight, funky tones of Fender Duo-Sonic guitars like a knife. Really great stuff. There is plenty of evidence from these early performances that this band were on there way to stamping their identity on the 80's, albeit with much more radio-friendly fare than what can be found here.
The real treat however is the second disc, featuring the expanded 10-piece line up from the 1980-81 Remain In Light tour which showcased that album's experimentation with percussion and African polyrhythms. The results are glorious: from the percussive overload of "I Zimbra" to the electro-funk of "Crosseyed And Painless" this band deliveries in spades. And the version of "The Great Curve" contained here is definitely one of the best things I've ever heard on a live album. Seriously good.
At the risk of sounding like Molly, do yourself a favour, check this out. I would even go as far to say it is flawless. Or as close to it as you can get.

No. 314: Madvillain - "Madvillainy" (2004)

Superb beats. Lyrically inventive. Totally uncommercial.
One of the great hip hop albums from the last decade - a brilliant yet underrated collaboration between MF Doom and DJ/producer Madlib.
The songs are short and snappy and make use of some obscure samples - from artists like Sun Ra & Bill Evans - the outcome being a clever and often bizarre sonic tapestry weaved by master-producer Madlib. Doom's deadpan drawl is the real highlight though: his rhymes are inventive, funny and above all, super-cool - a totally refreshing presence in a genre dominated by chest-beaters & Jay-Z wannabe's.
This album demands repeated listens - and you'll need it to get accustomed to the endlessly clever lines dropped in by Doom. There are no noticeable hooks or conventional "verse-chorus-verse" structures on this record, and it's this unpredictable feel which adds to its appeal. And make sure you check out the cartoon music video for "All Caps" - a fine piece of work which avoids all the cliches found in modern day hip-hop music videos. There's even a Madvillain action figure out in the market too. How cool is that??
This record is best enjoyed in the half-light of dawn on a head-set after a big night out - a great listen indeed. And if the rumours are true (and I pray they are), a second Madvillain album may be unleashed on us in the near future.
All hail the Villain!

No. 315: Syd Barrett - "Barrett" (1970)

The sounds of a man hanging on in quiet desperation...
Syd Barrett was the vibrant & talented founder/ songwriter / guitarist for Pink Floyd, who broke out of the mid-6o's London Underground scene with their debut album Piper At The Gates Of Dawn in 1967. Filled with Barrett's songs of whimsy and English psychedelica, it put the band on the musical map - but then it all went pear-shaped for Syd.
Suffering mental illness and schizophrenic tendencies, possibly exacerbated by his prodigious drug intake, he eventually left Pink Floyd in 1968. He went on to make two obscure solo albums - aided by his replacement in Pink Floyd, David Gilmour - before disappearing totally from the music industry in 1972 to live a quiet life in London & Cambridge, until his death in 2006.
Barrett was Syd's second and final solo album - a bizarre, sad, lonely and baffling record that seems to document a life unraveling before the listeners ears. At times out of tune and time (Barrett was notoriously hard to play with as he changed key and time signatures at random points during songs), this record also contains some brilliant moments - from his fragile guitar lines in "Baby Lemonade", to the obscure poppy feel of "Gigolo Aunt". It's not always an easy listen: "Rats" and "Maisie" are obviously the product of a disturbed individual, and the brilliant silliness of "Effervescing Elephant" could only ever have been written by a guy they called the "Madcap". And "Dominoes" has to be one the most beautifully sad songs I have ever heard. A real highlight. 
This album is definitely not for everyone, but in my opinion it's a very interesting piece of work from one of rock's most talented yet tragic figures. Rest in peace, Syd.

No. 316: Neil Young with Crazy Horse - "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere " (1969)

There are few things in this world better than the sound of Neil Young jamming out, and for me this is the best album to experience Neil really jamming out...
Augmented by crack three-piece backing band Crazy Horse, this was Neil's second solo album and the first of many recorded with "The Horse" over the next 40 years. The epics "Down By The River" and "Cowgirl In The Sand" see Neil trading guitar licks with Danny Whitten (Crazy Horse guitarist) and laying down some of his finest, most enduring tracks in the process. This is great rambling country rock - before it went right off the rails and became drenched in MOR cheese...
Crazy Horse have never been fancy: they simply lay down the bedrock for Neil to build upon, and it's this reliability that makes them the perfect band for Neil. Their backing vocals on the title track wouldn't have caused Crosby, Stills & Nash any sleepless nights - yet they are perfect for the mood & feel of the song, and lend a bit of welcome rawness to the proceedings. A great listen indeed.
And finally - after a lifetime of listening to countless guitar solos, I can safely say that Neil's one-note guitar solo in "Cinnamon Girl" would rank in my all time "Top 5 Guitar Solos Ever". Seriously - who else but Neil could pull this off with such seriousness and feeling?
It still gives me chills every time I hear it...

No. 317: Beastie Boys - "Paul's Boutique" (1989)

This is the Beastie Boys' masterpiece: one of the most innovative albums of all time and one that had a massive impact on the future direction of hip-hop.
These three white boys from Brooklyn ran the risk of being one-hit juvenile-rap wonders after their first album Licensed To Ill, but they returned with this fine piece of work: a complex, layered and sample-heavy album laced with clever rhymes & puns delivered in that distinctive (sometimes nasally) high-pitched white boy style.
The production work by LA duo the Dust Brothers is simply groundbreaking. Samples from artists such as the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, James Brown & Johnny Cash were used liberally on this record - in the days before clearance was required for use of such samples - and the success of this method in the hip hop community eventually led to the introduction of sampling laws in the music industry. Representatives for the Beatles even attempted to launch legal proceedings against the Beastie's for use of their samples on this album, but later withdrew. As Mike D famously remarked, "What's cooler than being sued by the Beatles?". Good call, Mike.
A brilliant album that should be in every music lover's collection. And spending time trying to identify the samples is a rather entertaining added bonus.

No. 318: Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross - "The Social Network [OST]" (2010)

This is one hell of a soundtrack album.
Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross teamed up again (after the 2008 Nine Inch Nails Ghosts project) to create this moody, electro-industrial masterpiece as the companion music to the 2010 David Fincher film, The Social Network - a movie about how Facebook got started.
To my ears this is music more suited to a cult sci-fi, so I wondered why Reznor would lend his name to a movie about Facebook?
Well believe it or not, in the hands of director David Fincher (the guy who did Fight Club & Seven) it's not bad, and after flogging this album to death for the last few months, I finally succumbed and watched The Social Network last week. Although it's no Fight Club it was a decent flick, and the music added another dimension to it (at least I think it did - I may have been too preoccupied listening out for the music in the film). The simple piano motif that weaves its way through "Hand Covers Bruise" sets the stage nicely for over an hour of pulsing electronica, dark ambient movements, and even a dramatic cover of classical composer Edvard Grieg's "In The Hall Of The Mountain King". Sheer brilliance.
This soundtrack is everything a movie soundtrack should be: emotive, cohesive & well produced. It even gives the film a sinister vibe that I doubt would have been there to begin with without this music.
And for me, that sinister vibe makes all the difference.

No. 319: T.Rex - "Electric Warrior" (1971)

"Oh Girl I'm just a Jeepster for your luuuuuv"...
Ahh, Glam rock at it's finest - and the peak of Marc Bolan & T.Rex's recorded output.
Bolan's message was simple: he was all about putting music forward that the kids could boogie to, and just like "Beatlemania" before it, "T.Rextasy" took the world by storm.
"Get It On" is a certified rock classic - a catchy, swaggering 12-bar riff that helped to break the band in the US and pave the way for other English Glam rock acts - most notably David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" phase.
"Cosmic Dancer" and "Jeepster" groove along nicely and prove to be the other highlights of this cohesive and well-executed pop/rock album, guided by the safe hands (& ears) of producer extraordinaire Tony Visconti.
Marc Bolan & T.Rex's ultimate undoing was the fact that they never deviated from this formula and went on to deliver many similar sounding albums over the the next six years. But it wasn't the same: the kids grew up, the excitement wore off - and Bolan got fat.
He tragically died in a car accident in 1977, but this record will forever be etched in rock history as a reminder of that brief moment in time when it seemed that Boogie was destined to rule the Earth...

No. 320: Kraftwerk - "Computer World" (1981)

The sounds of the future, as it was imagined in 1981....
This was ahead of its time when it came out: Tron was just around the corner, home computers were beginning to become a reality, and the future looked (and sounded) very exciting indeed.
This is a certified retro classic and one of the highlights of Kraftwerk's career, managing to deliver perfect electronic pop within an overriding theme of "the rise of computers in society". "Pocket Calculator" is one of my all-time favourite tracks - so simple, yet only Kraftwerk could have come up with it.
This album always reminds me of my early years in pre-school, when the world seemed a much simpler place. The electronic bleeps are simultaneously futuristic - yet forever stuck in 1981 - which is what makes it so great.  I'm obviously not the only one who thinks so: English band Coldplay asked for written permission to use the melody from "Compuer Love" for their single "Talk" off their 2005 album X&Y, exposing a whole new generation of music fans to the influence of Kraftwerk - albeit subconsciously.
Definitely one to listen to on a warm sunny day: it takes the edge off the cold, detached concept of a world taken over by machines.
The future starts here!

No. 321: Jethro Tull - "Stand Up" (1969)

Does flute belong in rock music??
If you've heard this album then you'll know the answer.
This hard rocking classic has elements of folk, celtic and classical music mixed together under the direction of singer/guitarist/flutist Ian Anderson - the man with a recognizable silhouette: shaggy hair and shabby clothes, up on one leg belting out an insane flute solo. New guitarist Martin Barre adds some punchy riffing to tracks like "Nothing Is Easy" and "A New Day Yesterday", but the softer tracks are just as impressive, especially the cover version of classical composer J.S Bach's melodic "Bouree". A fine listen indeed.
Jethro Tull are often overlooked in the history of British hard rock, presumably because the world had Sabbath and Zeppelin at around the same time, but Tull brought a more "English" feel to the genre and proved that a flute is not necessarily out of place on a rock & roll stage.
They went on to bigger & better things with the Aqualung album in 1971, but this is probably my favourite Tull record - its rawness seems to give it a timeless feel. Check out their performance at the Isle of Wight 1970 on DVD if you're unfamiliar - a powerful set from a group near the height of their popularity.

No. 322: John Cale - "Guts" (1977)

You can't just jump into any old John Cale album - first you need a bit of background info to help get your bearings...
Cale - classically trained Welsh musician and composer - co-founded the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed in the mid-1960's, after moving to New York. His interest in avant-garde experimentation, drone and minimalism had a big influence on the Velvets sound until he departed in late 1968 after "creative differences" with Lou (that old chestnut).
His solo output has always been a mixture of classical, folk-pop & rock, however he made three of his most commercial albums under the Island Records label in the mid-70's - the best cuts from these ended up on this compilation, Guts, in 1977.
The lyrics are dark and aggressive, and his performances around this time were often confrontational: for instance he took to wearing an ice hockey mask onstage (before Jason from Friday The 13th had even come out) and also chopped the head off a dead chicken during a live performance, which prompted his band to leave the stage in disgust. Look out Ozzy!
He later stated his paranoid, erratic behaviour during this period was due to his heavy cocaine use - but hey, there's nothing new there, rock & roll has always thrived on this type of drama, regardless of how many bats or chickens need to die for the cause...

No. 323: Led Zeppelin - "Houses Of The Holy" (1973)

Not the best Led Zeppelin album - but definitely not the worst either.
This was the transitional album after the first four self-titled Led Zeppelin records - and sustaining the quality of those previous four would have been a daunting prospect for any band - but hey, this is Led Zeppelin, and they rose to the challenge admirably. Featuring slicker production, more complex musical arrangements and frequent use of synthesizer & mellotron, the band released this album in early 1973 - round about the time they became the hottest act on Earth.
The layers of guitar on "The Song Remains The Same", the spooky electronic treatment of Robert Plant's vocals of "No Quarter" and the grandiosity of "The Rain Song" all help to make this a great listen - along with some brief left-field excursions into reggae ("D'Yer Mak'er) and funk ("The Crunge").
As for the cover, I remember reading an interview somewhere with Jimmy Page where the interviewer remarked that he always thought of this album as a very "orange-sounding" album - to which Jimmy responded something like "yeah, I know what you mean".
And that's how I like to remember it too. Without being funny, it's the best orange-sounding album I own.

No. 324: Foo Fighters - "There Is Nothing Left To Lose" (1999)

Well, the Foo Fighters have just released their seventh studio album, Wasting Light (with ex guitarist Pat Smear back in the band), and although I've already heard a few tracks, I'll reserve judgement until I've listened to the whole thing.
I suspect, though, that I'm not alone in thinking that the last two Foo's albums have been a bit "ho-hum / let's roll out the barrel again". As much as I love "drummer Dave Grohl" (Nirvana / QOTSA), I've never been as excited about "front-man Dave Grohl".  The over-done, screaming vocals worked well on some of their earlier stuff, but over the last few albums this style has gotten a bit old. Yes, those albums still have some great songs and great melodies, but did he really need to sing the skin off "Best of You"?
Anyway, enough of that. I read in a recent interview that Dave thinks There Is Nothing Left To Lose is the best thing he and the band have ever done - and I wholeheartedly agree. 1997's The Colour And The Shape may have more tracks that are "fan favourites", but this album is a more mature offering which showcases the softer, more experimental side of the band. "Next Year", "Aurora" and "Ain't It The Life" have some great, melodic Dave singing, plus you can still get your fix of meatier stuff too, courtesy of "Stacker Actors", "Gimme Stitches" & "Breakout".
And the "Learn To Fly" video is a classic - there's not many bands around these days with a sense of humour, which is one thing eternally in the Foo's favour. God bless them.
I think the new album will be more Colour And The Shape than Nothing Left To lose, but either way I just hope it's a good one. The last thing we need is any "Wasting Space" gags.

No. 325: Massive Attack - "Mezzanine" (1998)

A strong contender for "Album of the 90's" in my book...
Bristol trip-hop outfit Massive Attack dropped this moody, atmospheric masterpiece on us nearly 13 years ago (damn!), and to prove it was ahead of its time you could actually download the album from the band's official website well before the album came out in stores. Remember this was rare way back in 1998: now it seems like standard practice for most band/artist releases.
Stylistically this was a bit of a dark departure from the band's previous two albums, but 3D, Mushroom and Daddy G outdid themselves on this one - augmented again with the smooth guest vocals of Reggae legend Horace Andy.
"Angel" has an awesome slow paranoid intro that builds before erupting into full-scale panic, and "Teardop" has that trippy feel which perfectly frames guest vocalist Elizabeth Fraser's melodic sweetness. And who could forget the accompanying music video of the foetus lip-synching the song in the womb? Brilliant!
"Mezzanine" & "Black Milk" keep up the quality, but it's "Risingson" which is the highlight for me. I saw them live in 2003 on the 100th Window tour and I've never heard a more attacking and powerful synth break than the part that kicks in at the 2:35 mark on the album. It was 100 times more powerful live, and the crowd stood still to listen in awe as light rain fell silently on us all.
A surreal moment I'll never forget.

No. 326: Empire Of The Sun - "Walking On a Dream" (2008)

"What is THIS??!"
That's exactly what I remember saying aloud back in 2008 when I first saw this album cover at my local music store. It looked so naff that at first I thought it was some rejected movie-poster prototype for "Star Wars XII: The Return of Jar Jar Binks" or something. I scoffed and I moved on.
Then over the next few months I kept hearing songs from this Aussie electronic duo on the radio, and as much as I hated to admit it, I thought they were really, really good.
Tracks like "We Are The People", "Standing On The Shore", "Half Mast" and "Swordfish Hotkiss Night" have great melodies, plus that classic 80's retro-pop feel which is very much in vogue at the moment.
And the title tack "Walking On A Dream" is possibly the only song I've heard in the last 5 years that I wished I had written myself. It's the perfect pop single: simple, catchy and has a great beat. A damn fine piece of work.
If you're keen you can check out the band's music videos on YouTube. I'll admit it though: I don't know what's going on there. My advice? Try and block the pretentious visual image of the band out of your mind and focus on the songs, because there is some truly great music on this album, courtesy of some extremely talented (and weird) Aussie dudes.

No. 327: Vangelis - "Blade Runner [OST]" (1994)

Ridley Scott's dark, brilliant futuristic film noir Blade Runner (1982) is without a doubt one of my top 3 favourite films of all time - and it's probably because of this reason that I hold this album in such high regard.
This is the music that Greek progressive electronic composer Vangelis recorded back in 1982 for the Blade Runner soundtrack, although most of it wasn't released in its entirely until this album appeared in 1994. The original 1982 soundtrack album featured an "orchestral adaptation of music composed for the motion picture by Vangelis", but this 1994 set is the version you need to hear.
Vangelis's synthesizers sound ethereal in places, and a tad dated in others, but throw in a few audio snippets from the movie and some moody ambient movements and it becomes a very cohesive listening experience from start to finish.
"Tales of the Future" has some Eastern-inspired vocals from fellow Grecian & former band-mate Demis Roussos, and album closer "Tears In Rain" features head Nexus-6 replicant Roy Batty's classic monologue before his death at the end of the film (courtesy of a superb performance from Rutger Hauer), over a moving synth backing.
A great album to nod off to on the headphones after a big night of watching 80's sci-fi movies.

No. 328: William Shatner - "Has Been" (2004)

The Shat!!
In 2004 William Shatner returned with his second album - his first since his controversial debut, The Transformed Man, in 1968 - and although it was a long time between drinks, it turned out to be well worth the wait!
Produced & arranged by Ben Folds and featuring special guests Henry Rollins, Joe Jackson & Lemon Jelly, this is a brilliant snapshot of Shatner: The man, The poet, The armchair philosopher. Although his version of Pulp's "Common People" was the album's lead track, believe it or not it's possibly the weakest cut amongst a 40 minute set of surprisingly deep musings.
It's hilarious in places and unexpectedly poignant in others, and Folds's sympathetic musical arrangements add a depth of feeling to this album that suits Shatner's style to a tee.
This project wisely steers clear of becoming too schmaltzy or self-indulgent, instead its a fresh piece of work which rewards the listener a lot more than enduring the Shat rambling through his own "unique" interpretations of classics such as "Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds" and "Mr Tambourine Man" (see The Transformed Man).
And listening to the Shat rant with Rollins about leaf blowers ("Is there anything more futile!?!) is worth the album price alone.
Denny Crane strikes gold!!

No. 329: Motorhead - "Ace Of Spades" (1980)

I watched Lemmy the other night: the new documentary on Ian "Lemmy" Kilmister, lead singer/bass player of British hard rock band Motorhead. Lemmy is one of those classic rock & roll survivors and all-round hellraisers: a man who lives by his own unique rules, has a passion for collecting war memorabilia, and today remains as a walking middle finger to musical mediocrity in all its various forms. He first rose to fame with space-rock outfit Hawkwind in the early 70's before being booted out and going on to form Motorhead, who are generally regarded as the band that had the biggest influence on the "Big Four" thrash acts of the early 80's: Metallica, Anthrax, Iron Maiden & Megadeth.
It was an entertaining doco, with a "behind the scenes" look at Lemmy's private life & penchant for slot machines, plus guest appearances from Lemmy's biggest fans in the biz (such as Lars Ulrich from Metallica and Foo Fighter Dave Grohl).
One of his crowning achievements however is this album, with the awesome speed riffing of the title track, "Ace Of Spades": not only the definitive Motorhead track, but one of the cornerstones of speed metal. And the rest of the album keeps up the same relentless pace, capped off by Lemmy's brilliant barking vocal prowess.
This album is a knockout and should be Lesson 1 for all speed metal freaks everywhere.

No. 330: Gil Scott-Heron - "I'm New Here" (2010)

This is the first album in 16 years from Gil Scott-Heron: the American musician / poet / author who broke through in the 70's and whose work had a big impact on the early formative years of rap & hip-hop. He is best known for his track "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", which became an anthem for black militant activists in the 1970's, and the album Winter In America - a commentary on the political, economic and social state of affairs in the USA during the Watergate / Vietnam era.
Fast forward 35 years and Scott-Heron's life has been marred by drug abuse and convictions for possession, and he brings some life experience, recollections and wisdom to the table with this bluesy/spoken work album, nicely presented with a dubstep/electro-ambient backing.
It only clocks in at just over 28 minutes, but you get a feel for where this guy's coming from as he croaks out some musings on life, love, death and the afterlife. Some pieces are half-sung, some are just brief audio snippets used as interludes between tracks, but as a whole this confessional offering is heartfelt and real, and at the end of the day that's all you can really ask for from a musician.
Check out "New York Is Killing Me" with its sampled hand-clap backing and mean acoustic guitar riff. A fine piece of work.

No. 331: Cypress Hill - "Black Sunday" (1993)

I normally like my hip-hop intelligent and with a social agenda, in the style of Chuck D and Public Enemy for example, however every now and again I just like to sit back and listen to some Cypress Hill.
You don't need a degree in English Lit to work out what songs like " I Wanna Get High", "Legalize It" & "Hits From The Bong" are about (or "Cock The Hammer" and "Hand on the Glock" for that matter) but be assured, it all just represents a "day in the life" for this successful 90's Latino West Coast rap crew.
DJ Muggs's tasty use of sampling is a highlight of this album, especially the use of Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man" on "Hits From The Bong". That hypnotic guitar loop behind the big beats make it the classic chillout stoner anthem it is. Well, that and the sound effects of the bong actually being "hit"...
"Insane In The Brain" was the big breakthrough single, with rapper B-Real's high nasally rhymes appealing to both the rock audience and the well-established rap/hip-hop fanbase. This hit helped to build some momentum for the band which culminated with them performing the track on an episode of The Simpsons, thereby cementing their place in pop culture forever.
I don't know if the album is deadly serious or not, but to me it's a fun one to listen to. Who doesn't enjoy cranking it up and belting out "I love you Mary Jannnne!" while imitating that distinctive B-Real whine??

No. 332: Radiohead - "Amnesiac" (2001)

It's my birthday today, so I thought I'd put in one of my very favourite selections. For me it doesn't get much better than Radiohead.
In my opinion they are, hands down, the most innovative band of the last 20 years, and with this album (in partnership with 2000's Kid A, which was recorded at the same time) they finally answered the question that people had been asking since 1997 - "Where do you go after OK Computer??"
Well this is where they went: boldly into the exciting world of experimental electronica, ambient & post-rock, and it seems they didn't care if anyone followed them on the journey or not. Fans of their 90's albums The Bends & OK Computer were divided about the merits of this change in artistic direction, but for me it was this change that got me the most interested, and I have followed their music rabidly ever since.
If you asked me to identify one piece of music which reigns supreme over almost any other piece of music, across any genre, released over the last 20 years, I would have one answer: "Pyramid Song", an incredibly moving, perfectly arranged & superbly executed piece that I am still in awe of - even though its already 10 years old.
I urge anyone not familiar to get this album and Kid A at the same time and listen to them back to back. There is no better introduction to 21st century music.
And no this is not an April Fool's joke....

No. 333: Them Crooked Vultures - "Them Crooked Vultures" (2009)

Finally, a supergroup worthy of the title...
Them Crooked Vultures are Josh Homme: Guitars & vocals (Queens of the Stone Age), Dave Grohl: Drums (Foo Fighters / Nirvana) and John Paul Jones: Bass & keys (Led Zeppelin). The line-up is almost too good to be true. Oh, the expectations!
Fortunately the line-up doesn't just look good on paper - this debut album delivers in spades: an instant hard rock classic with some of the heaviest riffs and powerhouse drumming ever committed to tape. And John Paul Jones's inventive bass-lines and signature keyboard embellishments give this album a touch of musical class that only a master musician can deliver.
I played this non-stop for 3 months when it came out in November 2009 - at a volume that my car speakers have never recovered from - and for me it's still the best example of what a modern day rock album should be. No pretending, no posing and no overindulgence. And no Pro Tooled synthetic production - just raw, straightforward rock.
The band rolled into Perth one balmy summer evening in early 2010 and I went along to the gig with a group of friends. I thought I was over the five-year "Zeppelin addiction" that overtook my life as a teenager in the early 90's  until I realized I was actually standing in the same room as a member of Led Zeppelin. And then the shakes started....
A great evening and a truly great album.

No. 334: Donovan - "Barabajagal" (1969)

"Love is hot. Truth is moltennnnn"

Yes. Yes it is.
Donovan was the UK's answer to Dylan in the 60's - a Scottish folk mystic who dropped cosmic folk-pop singles that were embraced by the LSD generation. He was also one of the rare few individuals who can boast about having hung out with the Beatles in India and teaching John Lennon to play fingerstyle guitar. Not a bad resume actually.
This is his seventh album, and aside from his underrated acoustic guitar work it also features the Jeff Beck Group as backing musicians on most of the album (which featured Ronnie Wood and a young Rod Stewart).
The funky title track "Barabajagal (Love Is Hot)", grooves along nicely before Donovan's classic spoken word interlude, while the soft acoustic  "To Susan On The West Coast Waiting" is sung from the point of view of a soldier in Vietnam and his message to his girl back home. Very nice indeed. But be warned: "I Love My Shirt" almost kills the album dead. I have no idea why it was included. It has the highest cringe-factor of almost any song I've ever heard. Thus endeth the warning.
Thankfully the rest of the album is superb. The standout by far though is the epic "Atlantis". Everyone needs to listen to the opening monologue, memorize it, then watch that Futurama episode called "The Deep South" where Donovan guest stars and narrates the same monologue - only this time about "Atlanta" in the USA and its attempt to move offshore to boost tourism before eventually sinking to the bottom of the ocean under the weight of its own development. Pure cartoon gold.
"Hail Atlantis!"

No. 335: Rage Against The Machine - "Evil Empire" (1996)

Everyone talks about Rage Against The Machine's first album (you know the one with the burning monk on the cover?) and admittedly it is a superb album - but this follow-up, 1996's Evil Empire is, for me at least, one of the top albums of the decade.
Everything on this album is powerful - both lyrically and musically. The power riffing of "Vietnow" reminds me of an old Zeppelin tune called "The Wanton Song" (check it out), and "Bulls On Parade" has that classic "wah-wah" break - a sample of which recently found its way to becoming my new mobile phone ring-tone.  Tom Morello appears to be in his element on this album, extracting noises from the guitar that sound like they were generated by a synthesizer ("People of the Sun", "Year of Tha Boomerang") - despite the band's seemingly anti-synth message on the album sleeve, which declares: "all sounds on this album made by guitar, bass, drums & vocals".
Other highlights are "Revolver", with its slow build-up prefacing an awesomely aggressive riff, and the relentless "Tire Me" - the desperation in Zack de la Rocha's voice all too evident as he belts out the line "We're already dead!".
When I eventually saw the band live in 2008 on the Big Day Out Tour, they played about five tracks from this album, which I took as my own personal reward for having waited 12 long years to get to one of their gigs. It ended up being probably the best live show I've ever seen.

No. 336: Lou Reed - "Rock N Roll Animal" (1974)

I love this album so much that I have 2 copies of it on vinyl plus the CD expanded version - a classic from Lou Reed and one of the best live recordings of the 70's.
Released at the height of Glam rock, and featuring backing musicians who went on to join Alice Cooper's band, Lou swaggers through some intense Velvet Underground tracks, plus one from his recently released Berlin album, all recorded live in concert at Howard Stein's Academy of Music, New York, in late 1973.
The original version only had five songs, but contained possibly the best recorded versions of "Sweet Jane" and "White Light/White Heat" available anywhere. There's some great guitar interplay on this album, as well as that signature deadpan vocal delivery. As Lou himself said years later, "Nobody does Lou Reed better than me". After copping a lot of criticism over his 1973 album Berlin - one of the most depressing albums ever made - Lou further tested fans and critics with Metal Machine Music in 1975, which was basically 60 minutes of unlistenable noise & feedback spread over two LP's. But in between he gave us this gem: a timely reminder to the masses about the power of the Velvet Underground's music, delivered with "Lou Reed attitude".

No. 337: Gorillaz - "Gorillaz" (2001)

I was never a huge fan of the whole Britpop explosion of the early to mid-90's - despite enjoying a few albums by Blur, Supergrass and the occasional Oasis single along the way - but for me, this debut album from Gorillaz is where Blur's Damon Albarn emerged as something more than just a former Britpop icon.
While Noel Gallagher entered the new decade seemingly content to re-write the same Oasis album over & over again, Albarn emerged with this brilliant concept: a "virtual band" of cartoon characters (complete with back story) in collaboration with artist Jamie Hewlett and producer Dan The Automator.
This self-titled debut is a finely crafted piece of work, covering many musical styles from hip hop to punk, via some dub and Latin American-infused detours.
When it came out - nearly 10 years ago to the day - I thought "Clint Eastwood" was the best thing I had heard in a long time: a catchy and innovative slice of alt. hip-hop which still sounds as fresh today as it did 10 years ago. In fact the whole album has a timeless feel to it, and I'm sure I'll still be giving it the occasional spin in another 10 years time.
Which is more than I can say about the last five Oasis albums.

No. 338: Kiss - "Creatures Of The Night" (1982)

This is it - the last solid Kiss album before it all turned to custard....
Kiss drifted away from their hard rock roots in the late 70's to dabble in disco (Dynasty, 1979), pop-rock (Unmasked, 1980) and concept albums (Music from "The Elder", 1981) before realizing that most of their original fans had bailed somewhere along the journey. So they did the sensible thing and returned with a balls-out rock album. But it was really too little, too late: original drummer Peter Criss left in 1980, and guitar-whiz Ace Frehley ceased working with the group in early 1982 - partly in protest against the late 70's musical direction of the band, but mainly because of his descent into alcoholism.
Despite appearing on the cover and in the "I Love It Loud" music video, the Space Ace didn't play a single note on this album, (much to my dismay when I found out years later). Session guitarist Vinnie Vincent replaced Frehley on this album, adding some heavy chops to "Rock & Roll Hell", "Danger" and "War Machine", while Paul & Gene carved up vocal duties.
It all effectively died (for me anyway) in 1983 when Kiss took the make-up off and became yet another cheesy 80's hair-metal band - but I'm glad they managed to get this full make-up, heavy rock album out with Ace's face on it before the magic disappeared....

No. 339: Air - "Pocket Symphony" (2007)

I was lucky enough to secure a few days on a small private island in the Maldives back in 2009, and I spent many hours alone on a crisp white strip of beach - laying back in a white plastic lounge chair at the water's edge - quietly gazing out over the calm Indian Ocean with this album coming through my headphones. So forgive me if sound like I'm on Air's payroll...
This is French duo Air's fifth album and overall it sort of has a Japanese feel to it. I learned later that there were some interesting Japanese stringed instruments used in the recording - the best example being on the track "One Hell Of A Party", featuring vocals from Jarvis Cocker from Pulp. Very nice indeed.
Air seem to be the masters of this style of "downtempo electronica", but don't expect any big variations in mood or feel from track to track on this album - it's a very consistent-sounding record: each piece seems to drift into the next, which makes it the perfect background album for those lazy chill-out afternoons with a few friends.
For me, though, it will forever be linked to memories of sipping from a fresh coconut, looking out over the various stunning shades of ocean blue, and wondering how I can procure myself a monkey butler.

No. 340: Roger Waters & Ron Geesin - "Music from The Body" (1970)

This is an interesting curio: a soundtrack to a 1970 human biology documentary featuring music by Pink Floyd's Roger Waters in collaboration with quirky Scottish composer & orchestrator Ron Geesin. This is a record full of creative string arrangements, avant-garde experiments and "biomusic": sounds made by a living body.
If it sounds weird, well it is, however if you like the sounds of burps, farts, clapping, breathing, whispering and screaming then this album is for you! And with song titles such as "Mrs. Throat Goes Walking" and "More Than Seven Dwarfs in Penis-land" you know it gonna be worth listening to...
Waters contributes the only vocal numbers - the delicate guitar pieces "Sea Shell And Stone" and "Breathe" (the opening line of which - "Breathe in the air" - would be used as the opening line to Dark Side Of The Moon over three years later), and even gets the remaining members of Pink Floyd in to back him for the album's closer, "Give Birth To A Smile".
Geesin went on to collaborate with Pink Floyd on 1970's Atom Heart Mother, with decidedly mixed results, but this joint-effort with Waters was far more interesting.
Did I mention it has farts??! Yeah!!!

No. 341: Dire Straits - "Dire Straits" (1978)

These days it is not cool to admit that you dig Dire Straits. The name alone conjures up images of fluoro headbands and sports jackets over T-shirts, courtesy of the titanic success of their Brothers In Arms album in the mid 80's. Sure, "Money For Nothing" was the ultimate MTV track and "Walk Of Life" was a great toe tapper, but it's mainly for these reasons that the band will forever be identified as a product of the 80's. Which is a shame.
This debut album from 1978 is superb. The quality of Mark Knopfler's guitar playing and songwriting is outstanding. "Sultans of Swing", "Down To The Waterline" and "Water Of Love" have some of the most tasteful guitar takes ever put down on record, and I can safely say that aside from Jimi Hendrix, Mark Knopfler is the only other guitarist I have ever heard that makes me specifically want to pick up a Fender Stratocaster every time I hear him.
It's nothing more than a simple case of bad luck that Knopfler's time came in the 80's, as opposed to the late 60's & early 70's when Eric Clapton came to the fore. To this day I still cannot understand how Clapton drifted through the 70's & 80's with all the respect and adulation as one of the "world's greatest guitarists" whilst Knopfler rarely cracks a mention. I've even watched video of them in concert together and Clapton was literally blown off the stage. Don't get me wrong: Clapton is a great interpreter of the blues, but Knopfler's fingerstyle guitar playing incorporates rock, blues, country & celtic influences and it's a real shame he doesn't get the kudos he deserves.
It was that damn headband, wasn't it?

No. 342: Michael Jackson - "Thriller" (1982)

It's 1982. You're Michael Jackson and you've just released what is destined to be the biggest selling pop album in history. You are king of the universe. Where do you go from here?
We all know the subsequent story: not even Stephen King could have made it up.
I choose to remember the good times. Thriller on vinyl has been in our house since I was 5 years old. We had to get written permission from our parents to watch the Thriller music video at our school, and it was awesome. "Billie Jean" was playing everywhere you went. Kids were trying to practice the moonwalk at recess. Good times.
As for the music - this is pop perfection. There's a ridiculous amount of hit singles on here. Seven out of the album's nine tracks hit the US top 10 singles chart. Insane.
To this day I never get tired of hearing what I consider to be THE absolute pinnacle of 80's pop/rock - THE quintessential 80's moment - which is the 5 note guitar crescendo at the end of Eddie Van Halen's solo on "Beat It". It sends a shiver up my spine every time.

No. 343: Miles Davis - "In A Silent Way" (1969)

When I was studying at university back in 1998 I went through a phase where I listened to nothing but this album for about a month. And it was a great month.
Miles Davis was a legendary trumpeter and band leader, and also one of the most influential musical figures of the 20th century, and this is generally regarded as the first album in the "electric" phase of his career. Electric keyboards and electric guitar has already been used on previous Miles Davis albums, but this was the first one where these electric instruments were used to create new experimental soundscapes - leading to the birth of jazz fusion.
Miles continued his relentless experimentation into the mid 1970's, even hooking a wah-wah pedal up to his trumpet, and the music got very dark and aggressive-sounding - but this album is a meandering, relaxation-inducing masterpiece. Plain and simple. Every note that Miles plays through his trumpet is perfect, measured and understated: exactly what you would expect from a genius of his calibre.
Everyone on Earth needs to hear this album at least once while they are still here.

No. 344: Iggy Pop - "The Idiot" (1977)

I've always been a huge David Bowie fan and somewhere along the way I read that he produced and co-wrote this album with Iggy Pop during his "Berlin period" in the late 1970's.
Iggy's days with The Stooges were over and he was recovering from drug addiction when Bowie took him under his wing and they both relocated to Berlin to dry out and experiment with electronic effects. This resulted in Iggy Pop's first post-Stooges solo album - a dark, introspective and sometimes funky set that seemed miles away from the Stooges unique brand of hard rock.
"Sister Midnight" and "China Girl" have Bowie's fingerprints all over them (Bowie re-recorded "China Girl" on his own in 1983 and had a monster hit) but it's Iggy's weary, deadpan vocal delivery which makes this album great. Tales of decadence and excess are found in "Nightclubbing" and "Funtime" - no doubt influenced by the seedy Berlin nightlife that Iggy and Bowie were immersed in - while "Mass Production" was an early blueprint for industrial rock.
Bonus fact #1: Trent Reznor from Nine Inch Nails used a bass drum sample from "Nightclubbing" as the drum track in his 1994 hit "Closer" off The Downward Spiral.
Bonus fact #2: When Joy Division front man Ian Curtis was found after hanging himself in 1980 this record was found still spinning on his turntable.

No. 345: Spinal Tap - "This Is Spinal Tap" (1984)

Forget Metallica and Jay-Z - this is the only "Black Album" that matters...
This is the soundtrack to the film of the same name released in 1984 which follows the stellar career of Spinal Tap: David St. Hubbins (lead vocal & guitar), Nigel Tufnel (lead guitar), Derek Smalls (lead bass) plus 9 different drummers who died a variety of accidental or mysterious deaths over the years. This album features their best stadium rock tunes such as "Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight", "Rock And Roll Creation" and the band's masterpiece, "Big Bottom" - with its awesome triple lead-bass riff.
There's also some tracks covering their humble beginnings as a Beatles-styled pop group ("Gimme Some Money") and later excursions into flower power ("(Listen To The) Flower People") which are even better when you watch the music clips from the film (or on YouTube). And "Cups & Cakes" has to be the best ever ode to afternoon tea ever recorded.
For my money though, you can't go past Nigel Tufnel's opening monologue on "Stonehenge" - a certified classic "heavy metal moment". Make sure you crank it up to 11.

No. 346: U2 - "Zooropa" (1993)

Well it's St. Patrick's Day as I'm writing this, so I guess it's appropriate to feature an album from an Irish band - and who's more Irish than U2?
This is probably an unpopular call with the majority of U2 fans out there, but in my opinion Zooropa is their finest effort.
The reasons? Well, after running The Joshua Tree into the ground through stadium shows and becoming the biggest and most serious band in the world they started to have some fun in the 90's with Achtung Baby and Zooropa, which incidentally was recorded between stops on the mammoth "Zoo TV" world tour in 1993. This lead to some experiments with European-styled electronica, dance music and other various loops & samples which ended up as this album: a bold new direction in the 90's from an 80's stadium rock band. And it was fresh and exciting at the time too - check out the chiming loops on "Babyface", the electronic fuzz in "Numb" and the club-feel of "Lemon". All good things. There's even a track sung by Johnny Cash! Not many of us saw that coming on this album the first time we heard it.
But all good things do come to an end: U2 tried too hard with the follow-up Pop and then went back to the safety of stadium-friendly, self-righteous rock in the 21st century - and today they're still more popular than ever.
You can keep their last three albums though, I'll just sip my Guinness and listen to Zooropa instead - a great record from a band who had the guts to try something different. Even if they don't like it in hindsight.

No. 347: Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti - "Before Today" (2010)

I came across a few reviews of this album around September last year and noted the big rap it was getting from some respected music publications, so out of curiosity I decided to track it down.
Ariel Pink, by all accounts, was a member of the outsider/freak-folk scene in LA who has been making lo-fi home recordings for years and playing them to anyone who will listen. A few years ago he formed a backing band called Haunted Graffiti and they eventually released this studio album last year: an eclectic collection of tunes covering genres such as garage rock, psychedelic pop and experimental new-wave.
Some parts just sound like The Cure too, which isn't a bad thing.
Another point in it's favour is it's not "over-produced". Despite being recorded in a proper studio it still mostly sounds like a home recording, which adds to the curiosity factor. Don't be put off by Ariel Pink's "freak" tag: this record is full of great songs and it's refreshing to hear a collection so musically diverse as this one is across its brief 45 minute duration.
I think its one of the best kept secrets of the last 12 months - if you're a music lover track it down ASAP. You freak.

No. 348: Captain Beefheart - "The Spotlight Kid" (1972)

After five years of releasing "far-out" music that not many people bought and fewer people understood, Captain Beefheart (AKA Don Van Vliet) and his Magic Band released The Spotlight Kid in 1972, which was his most accessible release to date.
Beefheart made no money from his first five albums, so this sixth was an attempt to move a bit closer to commercial territory. It's a seemingly straightforward swampy blues album which contains some of Beefheart's best singing and harp playing, however nothing is ever that straight-forward in the Beefheart universe, hence the appearance of interesting instruments such as marimba and jingle bells on this record. "I'm Gonna Booglarize You Baby" contains perhaps the deepest voice ever heard on a rock album, however tracks like "Click Clack" and "When It Blows Its Stacks" are the highlights with their driving rhythm and muddy guitar breaks. Purely and simply this is a great listen - and a great place to start with Beefheart if you're curious to find out what all the fuss was about.
This particular commercial attempt, however, was in vain. The Spotlight Kid failed to give Beefheart the breakthrough he was hoping for and he spent the next few years wandering around in the musical wilderness before eventually returning to his quirky best in the late 1970's with a stunning trilogy of albums. And, criminally, he didn't make any money from those either.

No. 349: Brian Eno - "Ambient 1: Music For Airports" (1978)

Brian Eno, ex-member of art rock band Roxy Music, and later electro/pop/glam solo artist, introduced the world to the concept of ambient music in the mid-70's: a word for his new minimalist approach to music. The idea was to produce an unobtrusive background soundtrack that would soothe the mind & soul of the listener in a variety of everyday situations, and this was the first of Eno's installments under the "ambient" banner: Music For Airports.
He supposedly got the idea while waiting at an airport terminal in Cologne, Germany, in the mid-1970's after being caught there for hours and getting annoyed at the "uninspired sound atmosphere" in the terminal. In a situation filled with often tense, weary and stressed out commuters, Eno believed there should be a sound installation that could play in the background with the specific aim to bring some peaceful respite to the listener - hence the creation of this album.
The album is divided into four movements - featuring differing atmospheric textures, synthesizer phasings and vocal loops - which intertwine to bring the listener into a relaxed, peaceful and meditative mood.
I once gave this a few spins through the headset on a solo flight to Hong Kong about 6 years ago and it remains one of my "in-flight essential" listening experiences. Just stock up on your free airline drinks first and then peacefully zone out. Whatever we need to do to take our minds off the horrors of flying economy class, right?

No. 350: Nirvana - "Bleach" (1989)

I was reading today that Krist Novoselic, former bass player with Nirvana, will be making a guest appearance on the new Foo Fighters record, Wasting Light, alongside his old band-mate Dave Grohl. Good for him, I thought.
We first heard from Krist and some guy called Kurt back in 1989 on Nirvana's debut album Bleach - recorded for approximately $600 and released on the independent Sub Pop label out of Seattle, Washington.
Everyone knows the rest of the story: the follow-up Nevermind went ballistic, became a global phenomena and launched a hundred copycat bands the world over. While Nevermind was an extremely polished, poppy and professional-sounding record, Bleach was the opposite - very rough, bleak and heavy.
Tracks like "About A Girl", "Blew" and "Negative Creep" all became live favourites over the next few years, but they are here on this album in their rawest form. Drummer Chad Channing was replaced by Grohl after this album as the quality of his drumming apparently wasn't good enough, but it's Cobain's voice and guitar that delivers that primal DIY feeling that characterizes the record.
This is Sub Pop's best selling album ever, and the starting point for grunge as we knew it.

No. 351: Moby Grape - "Moby Grape" (1967)

"What's big and purple and lives in the ocean?"

That's how they got the name Moby Grape, apparently - one of the best bands to emerge from the psychedelic era in the late 60's.
They were a fixture of the San Fransisco music scene along with the other local heavyweights, Jefferson Airplane and The Grateful Dead, and this - their debut album - is their best by far.
Moby Grape had five members, including three guitarists, and everyone sang and contributed to the songwriting on this album. The result is an awesome mixture of rock, blues, country and folk music delivered with an intensity so raw you can hear the guitar amps buzzing on the record. There's also a squeaky bass drum pedal that can be heard, and I swear it gets louder each time I hear it.
Moby Grape never really got off the ground though and the original line-up imploded after a few years. Guitarist Skip Spence (who incidentally used to be the drummer in the early Jefferson Airplane) was forced out of the band after this album due to mental health issues and was later diagnosed with schizophrenia, eventually living out the rest of his days in drug addiction and alcoholism until his death in 1999.
Check out drummer Don Stevenson on the front cover sneakily "flipping the bird" on the washboard. This was air-brushed out on some later pressings of the album - but of course this is the cover you need to track down. What a bad-ass.

No. 352: Danger Mouse - "The Grey Album" (2004)

This is one of the most innovative albums of the 21st century - and its never been officially released.
DJ Danger Mouse (real name Brian Burton) took an a capella version of rapper Jay-Z's The Black Album and mixed it with music samples from The Beatles White Album to create this masterpiece. Only about 3000 copies of the album were produced, however none of the Beatles samples were cleared for use, so when EMI heard about this effort they apparently sent nasty letters to try to stop its distribution altogether.
The Grey Album gained enough notoriety that it spread like wildfire as a free online download - and a debate about the nature of sampling laws in the industry ensued. Since its release, the concept of the mash-up (ie: mixing two or more songs together to create a new unique creation) has literally exploded, with music from artists as diverse as Prince and the Wu-Tang clan being used in remix projects.
I was never a big Jay-Z fan, but hearing his rhymes over loops of some of my favourite Beatles tunes is great. It all seems to fit so well, which is a testimony to Danger Mouse's determination to make this project work.
There was also a bonus "Grey Video" produced, which is possibly the only place you can catch a glimpse of John Lennon break dancing. Well worth checking out!

No. 353: Midnight Oil - "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1" (1982)

One of the best Aussie albums ever released, from one of the best Aussie bands ever. My mate Coulsey mentioned this one a few weeks ago and it made me get it out and have another listen, and I still think it's brilliant.
Midnight Oil rocked with so much power & conviction (or should that be power & passion??) that its hard not to admire the work they put out. Lead singer Peter Garrett never held back: manic singing and flailing limbs were his trademark before he traded it in for a career in Australian federal politics. Now its hard to believe he was the same guy...
I received this album as a present from an uncle on my 13th birthday at a Mexican restaurant in Fremantle way back in April 1990 - and since that day I firmly believe its one of the best albums of all time. "Read About it", "Power and the Passion", "US Forces" and "Short Memory" - they are all Aussie rock classics now. I even think it was ahead of its time sonically too. Check out the instrumental "Scream In Blue" - it sounds like U2's "Zoo Station" from Achtung Baby - 9 years before U2 released it!
One final note: Watching the band play "Only The Strong" live back in the late 90's on the 20,000 Watt R.S.L tour is one of the single greatest performances I've ever witnessed.
Garrett for PM! There I said it.

No. 354: Bob Dylan - "Nashville Skyline" (1969)

Was this a legitimate excursion into the field of modern country music or just a 27 minute piss-take?? It's been over 40 years since it was released and I still don't think anyone really knows for sure...
Dylan was at the cutting edge of the music scene in the mid-1960's, before retreating with his family to Woodstock in New York in the latter part of the decade. Next thing we know he's recording country songs in Nashville and singing in a totally different voice (his "moon-in-June" croon). Not only did he sound different, but the music was a big departure too. Jaunty tracks like "Peggy Day" and "Country Pie" were much more poppy than previous Dylan recordings, and the use of pedal-steel guitar infused the album with that cliched country sound that many Dylan fans were a bit dubious of. But the album sold extremely well and gave Dylan one of his most enduring hits in "Lay Lady Lay".
Evidently there was no time for second takes on this album - check out Dylan's duet with Johnny Cash on "Girl From The North Country" - at one point they are not even singing the same words as each other! Quite funny listening to it actually - how about a rehearsal first guys??
There was obviously a hurry in the studio to get this album done - all 27 minutes of it - and even though I love it, I can't shake the feeling that the joke was (and still is) on us.

No. 355: Various Artists - "Lost Highway [OST]" (1997)

Any David Lynch film is its own reward, however a David Lynch film accompanied by a soundtrack this good is just downright kick-ass.
The soundtrack to this surreal psychological thriller plays out like a sinister nightmare, with choice tracks from some of the heavyweights of the music business, including David Bowie, Nine Inch Nails, Smashing Pumpkins, Marilyn Manson, Rammstein and even some Lou Reed. Interspersed amongst cuts from these artists is original music written for the film by Trent Reznor, Angelo Badalamenti and Barry Adamson, plus a few audio snippets from the movie. In a word: brilliant.
David Bowie's haunting track "I'm Deranged" opens & closes proceedings, and in between is 70 minutes best enjoyed on a headset, drifting in and out of consciousness after 6 or 7 rum & cokes. I recommend you watch the movie first - it will get you in that paranoid mood you really need to be in to appreciate the journey. But if you're a David Lynch fan you probably already know what I'm talking about, right?
And finally, at the risk of committing heresy, Marilyn Manson's cover of "I Put a Spell On You" may even be better than the Creedence version.
Maybe.

No. 356: Tom Waits - "Rain Dogs" (1985)

"We sail tonight for Singapore, we're all as mad as hatters here ..." So begins Rain Dogs - Tom Waits's finest album of the 1980's.
Most albums from the mid-1980's sound exactly like that today - stuck in the 80's, usually due to an over-reliance on synthesizers & drum machines which tend to date a record before it's even released. But not this one. It's musically adventurous and features a wide range of instruments such as marimba, banjo, double bass and accordion to create a rough concept album about transients in New York City.
I like to listen to this one when I'm traveling (especially to Singapore) - songs like "Clap Hands" and "Jockey Full Of Bourbon" feature those melancholic characters that frequently pop up in Tom Waits' songs - restless travelers escaping their past, or battlers & bums looking for a place to call home.
Wait's reinvented his music in the 1980's after being semi-typecast as the boozy barfly balladeer at the piano in the 1970's, and we are all the richer for it. This album follows the unveiling of "the new Tom Waits" on 1983's Swordfishtrombones, and builds on that album's experimental base. And "Downtown Train" is on here in its original form too, before Rod Stewart got hold of it and strangled all the life and feeling out of it (cause that's what he does, see).
A great, timeless album.