These sort of lists are really silly and pointless. Spin recently came out with their list of the best 100 albums since 1985 and it sparked one of my Blogcritics colleagues to encourage the rest of us to come up with our own lists.
This list is not meant to be definitive or represent anything other than some recordings in my collection from the last twenty years that left a strong impression on me. I've left off lots of excellent albums.
1985
001 Marillion - Misplaced Childhood (Marillion's pinnacle. Songs blend into one another. The music flows with brilliant flashes of artsy progression.)
002 INXS - Listen Like Thieves (Their breakthrough album before becoming an arena act...it was mostly downhill after this...The Swing is an amazing pop album.)
003 China Crisis - Flaunt The Imperfection (Their second solid pop album. That they were largely unknown outside of the UK was a shame. Exquisite pop songs without an overrliance on synths.)
004 Scorpions - World Wide Live (Their best live album and better than most live metal albums.)
005 A-Ha - Hunting High and Low (Synth-pop perfection that they never equalled.)
006 The Cult - Love
007 The Waterboys - This Is The Sea (Expansive sounding, well-crafted songs. Few "pop" songwriters put this much effort into their art.)
008 Metal Church – Metal Church (A stunning album with a dark atmosphere and brilliant songs. They never topped it. Better than most 99.99% of the metal albums released.)
009 Accept - Metal Heart (Well-crafted songs from a band described as Germany's Judas Priest. With their backing vocals, no one sounded quite like Accept.)
010 Gary Moore – Run For Cover (Highly respected rock and now blues guitarist, this contains the final recording with former Thin Lizzy leader Phil Lynott.)
1986
011 Keith Jarrett Trio - Still Live (The best trio in the world? Quite possibly.)
012 XTC - Skylarking (A very difficult album to make with Todd Rundgren, but also a pop and sonic masterpiece.)
013 Queensryche - Rage For Order (At the time, a state of the art metal album by a uniquely talented band.)
014 Iron Maiden – Somewhere In Time (Maiden's most advanced recording, full of great songs.)
015 Metallica – Master of Puppets (Arguably their finest moment..its mostly been downhill since the Black album.)
1987
016 Marillion - Clutching At Straws (The final album with Fish, loaded with memorable,introspective songs.)
017 The Pogues - If I Should Fall From Grace With God (On just about everyone's list for a reason!)
018 Def Leppard - Hysteria (When metal and pop united. Polished but strong.)
019 Prince - Sign 'O' the Times (Imaginative, hear this if you think he's one-dimensional.)
020 Ozzy Osbourne - Tribute (Killer live album with Ozzy's young virtuoso, Randy Rhoads. The best live Ozzy album.)
021 Zakir Hussain – Making Music (Tabla master and musical innovator...saw him live last year and it was an amazing, jamming show. One of the world's best players.)
Article comments
1 - Aaman
Great selection Triniman, nicely arranged too - impressive selection of world music.
2 - Tan The Man
I'm digging that A-Ha.
3 - Sterfish
This is one very interesting and varied list. I'd love to hear some of these albums.
4 - Tan The Man
And cheers cheers for Loreena McKennitt.
5 - Shark
Nice touch including Zakir Hussain and Pat Methany. I shoulda had both of 'em on my list! And, of course, Methany would have had like forty or so albums to choose from.
Also: L. Shankar
note: I saw Shankar and Hussain play together a few years ago; astonishing stuff! The concert was about four hours long -- maybe 3 or 4 pieces total -- but I loved every minute of it.
6 - Shark
re: Enya --
Does anybody else hear Enya and immediately wanna hang yerself?
...or is it just me?
7 - Marty Thau
I'm in the music business and it's expected of me to keep abreast of the best and newest but I must admit I don't even come close to the depth and knowledge of some of the individuals here on blogcritics. I am impressed.
8 - Phillip Winn
Marty Thau! Uno of the original Tres Producers that preceded this very site! Nice to see you poking around the site, man.
9 - Marty Thau
Thank you Phillip. I enjoy reading blogcritics. Its diversity keeps me informed and constantly surprised. Glad to be a small part of it.
10 - Eric Olsen
fascinating and wide-ranging T-man! especially digging the art-ambience of Dead Can Dance, Neal Halstead (love Mojave 3!), dub Laswell (genius but asshole - it must be stated every time), Air, and the great worldbeat!
Sunny Ade's Juju Music was early-'80s by the way, but is one of the greats!!
11 - Triniman
Right you are, Eric. Juju Music came out in 1982.
I didn't know that Laswell was an asshole. Have you met him personally? See all the cool things someone can learn by reading Blogcritics?!
12 - Marty Thau
I usually don't like to put people down in public -- oh well, maybe once in awhile -- but I know Laswell and he ain't exactly the sweetest guy around.
Personally I think he's over-rated.
13 - Eric Olsen
yes, I have talked to him a few times and he was ruder each time around
14 - Triniman
It would be interesting for people to come up with lists of underrated albums, without duplicating their "top" lists.
Hopefully, more follks will come up with their lists. Eric, I can't wait to see yours. Duke, Chris B, MuzikMan, etc., ditto.
15 - Steve
Always good to see Marillion in context; being a fan I haven't got a clue what they sound like to other people, nice mention. Have you heard their 2004 opus, 'Marbles'?
16 - Scott Butki
You reminded me I need to pick up another copy of the Passion, since I lent it out and never got it back.
I don't know if I've ever actually heard how Marillon sounds.
I might have to check out that Future Sounds of London Isness album. I like their older stuff but didn't realize they had reinvented themselves.
What, no Ani DiFranco or My Bloody Valentine - Loveless?
17 - Triniman
I have heard Marbles but it didn't leave a strong impression on me and I honestly didn't listen to it a lot.
I actually usually dislike such lists because they can change from day to day. No Ani DiFranco or My Bloody Valentine, but on another day, who knows?
Did you make a similar list, Scott?