Blog

Albums of the year - 2009
Two ratings, one for the album, one for the album compared to average of artist's previous albums. Mostly just for me to come back to next year to have a look.

LPs

1) dredg - The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion, 10/10 - 8.5/10
Most poppy of their albums but it’s still fucking amazing.
2) Muse- The Resistance, 9/10 – 7.5/10
Exogenesis <3
3) Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way To Blue 8.5/10 - 8/10
Not quite up there with Dirt and EPs, but it’s growing on me.
4) Amorphis – Skyforger, 8/10 – 8/10
5) AFI - Crash Love, 7.5/10 - 8/10
One of my fav AFI albums. I thought they were full-on going emo after Decemberunderground, but luckily they decided to write a decent rock record
6) Placebo- Battle For The Sun 7/10 - 6/10
6) Porcupine Tree - The Incident, 7/10 - 6/10
7) The Prodigy - Invaders Must Die, 7/10 - 7/10
9) N.A.S.A. - The Spirit of Apollo, 7/10
Good bunch of collaborations with decent artists. It works.
10) K'naan – Troubadour, 7/10 - 6/10
Much shorter and not as good as The Dusty Foot Philosopher, but has some good songs (my favs – Wavin Flag, Fire In Firetown, I Come Prepared, Fatima)

EPs.

1) Puscifer- "C" Is for (Please Insert Sophomoric Genitalia Reference HERE), 10/10 - 10/10. (The new 3 tracks are pretty much the best Puscifer tracks)
2) Massive Attack - Splitting The Atom, 8/10 - 8/10 (3 really good songs and1 really boring one- Bulletproof Love)
3) RJD2 - Tin Foil Hat, 6.5/10 - 6/10 (fav track - Thine Planetarium)
4) Modest Mouse - No One's First, And You're Next, 6/10 – 4/10 (it is a collection of B-sdies hence why it’s not that good)

Pretty Decent LPs

Katatonia - Night Is The New Day (need to listen to this more)
Imogen Heap - Ellipse
k-os - Yes!
Norah Jones - The Fall
Weezer – Ratitude (usual weezer immaturity)
Owl City - Ocean Eyes
Billy Talent - Billy Talent III (solid catchy album as usual)
Chali 2na - Fish Outta Water
Dream Theater - Black Clouds & Silver Linings (need to listen to more)
Dub Pistols - Rum & Coke
Eminem – Relapse (never gonna match SS or MM Lps but not bad)
Mos Def - The Ecstatic
Yeah Yeah Yeahs - It's Blitz!
Zero 7 - Yeah Ghost
Ziggy Marley - Family Time
Jazz Liberatorz – Fruits of the Past (random good find, jazzy hip-hop)
Kid Cudi - Man On The Moon: The End Of Day (pretty good for mainstream hip-hop. Whole album is pretty good)
Metric– Fantasies
The Sounds - Crossing The Rubicon
Tech N9ne – Sickology 101 (pretty angry lyrics but he can rhyme pretty damn well)
Awol One & Factor – Owl Hours
The Crystal Method – Divided By Night

Ones that should have been much better

311 - Uplifter
Air - Love 2
Lacuna Coil – Shallow Life (really forgettable)
Them Crooked Vultures - Them Crooked Vultures (eh.. guys, it doesn’t work especially well. Let’s get back to Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and retirement)
Street Sweeper Social Club - Street Sweeper Social Club (a lot of it blends into one, maybe I’m just pissed it’s not RATM)
Elysian Fields –The Afterlife (maybe I need to listen to it more, but not especially liking this one)
Dizze Rascal - Tongue N' Cheek (only a few ok songs, the others are puke-inducing - Holiday, Leisure, etc)

The utter anal crap

Chris Cornell – Scream

Pretty good year for music. The top 10, especially top 3 made it a pretty excellent year.

IZIA, Wu-Tang Clan, Suprême NTM, Assassin, Nirvana, IAM, Bob Marley & The Wailers, La Spirale, Django Reinhardt, Squarepusher, The Prodigy, Necro, Ill Bill, Cypress Hill, Craig Armstrong, Heather Nova, La Coka Nostra, Scala & Kolacny Brothers, Keny Arkana, Bérurier Noir, Birdy Nam Nam, System of a Down, dead prez, Le Peuple de l'Herbe, Beastie Boys, Busta Rhymes, Alpha & Omega, House of Pain, Seth Gueko, Aphex Twin, Profecy, DJ Krush, Prefuse 73, R.A. the Rugged Man, Rage Against the Machine, Laurent Garnier, Dead Can Dance, Kool Keith, High Tone, Hildur Guðnadóttir, Erik Truffaz, Portishead, Wax Poetic, Johnny Cash, Foreign Beggars, Lady Sovereign, Sinéad O'Connor, Vitalic, Radikal Dub Kolektiv, Lee "Scratch" Perry, Jan Garbarek, Svinkels, Love Spirals Downwards, KRS-One, Dave Clarke, DJ Cam, The Doors, Clint Mansell, Lisa Gerrard, Fat Jon, Les Gourmets, The Beatles, Johannes Heil, KoЯn, Sleater-Kinney, Wax Tailor, B-Real, J Dilla, Filastine, Two Fingers, Asian Dub Foundation, Eminem, Jefferson Airplane, Autumn's Grey Solace, Gym Class Heroes, Shpongle, Herbie Hancock, Radiohead, Rockin' Squat, Mike Patton, Björk, Esbjörn Svensson Trio, Waldeck, Millencolin, Massive Attack, This Ascension, Lordz of Brooklyn, Ensemble Badila, Snoop Dogg, The Problemaddicts, Dub Syndicate, Groundation, Wolf Myer Orchestra, Beth Orton, Oh No, Edward "Kid" Ory, The Offspring, Venetian Snares, Alexander Kowalski, Rageous Gratoons, Noir Désir, Ben Harper, Nas, Ideal J, Verbose, Micropoint, The Black Seeds, Metallica, General Elektriks, Buraka Som Sistema, The Chemical Brothers, Thom Yorke, Lisa Gerrard & Pieter Bourke, Ayọ, EZ3kiel, Amon Tobin, Mano Negra, King of Conspiracy, Bob Marley, Moondog, 25G, Jimi Hendrix, Bauchklang, Moderat, Sigur Rós, DJ Muggs & Planet Asia, Louis Armstrong, Son Doobie, Tryo, Kronos Quartet, Iration Steppas, Looptroop, Mysa, Nine Inch Nails, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Olympic Gramofon, Leftfield, Fairy, Joy Division, 2Pac, Peace Orchestra, Eek-A-Mouse, Snowgoons, Heiko Laux, The Temptations, Le Trio Joubran, Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Guru, Flunk, Earl Hines, Erykah Badu, Burning Spear, Mary Lou Williams, Art Blakey & The Jazz Messengers, Oi Va Voi, 80kidz, Infected Mushroom, Animal Collective, The Quantic Soul Orchestra, NOMAK, Year of No Light, Horace Andy, The Cinematic Orchestra, Red Snapper, Nneka, Leila, NOFX, Lucky Thompson, Cal Tjader, Le Klub des 7, Jeff Buckley, Manu Chao, Wagon Christ, Drummers of the Societe Absolument Guinin, Barney Wilen, Ol' Dirty Bastard, UNKLE, Erik Truffaz & Sly Johnson, The Blue Stars, Underworld, Shurik'N, Arsonists, Madeleine Peyroux, The Kilimanjaro Darkjazz Ensemble, Nostalgia 77, Terry Callier, Medine, Fingathing, Big Daddy Kane, Macka B, Keith Jarrett Trio, Iration Steppas Meet D. Rootical, De La Soul, Chali 2na, Lee "Scratch" Perry & The Upsetters, John Coltrane, DJ Food, Sergent Garcia, Rockamovya, Antonio Vivaldi, Notorious B.I.G., Sidney Bechet et Claude Luter, Tracy Chapman, Angélique Kidjo, EPMD, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, St. Germain, Daft Punk, Fat Freddy's Drop, Fatboy Slim, Johnny Clarke, RJD2, René Thomas, Soul Assassins, Deftones, Kaophonic Tribu, Linkin Park, The Skatalites, Muse, Belleruche, Sunflower Caravan, Les Reines Prochaines, DJ Shadow, Mass Hysteria, múm, Кочани Оркестар, Israel Vibration, Jurassic 5, Gelka, Lionel Hampton, Lost in Hildurness, Hilight Tribe, Shadow Dancer, Elek Bacsik, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Tânia Ârab, Troublemakers, William Orbit, Plastikman, The Specials, CunninLynguists, dead prez & DJ Green Lantern, Mansfield.TYA, Thievery Corporation, Raphael Saadiq, Smooth, Kery James, DJ Muggs vs. GZA/Genius, Love Is Colder Than Death, Miss Kittin & The Hacker, YAS, Chet Baker, Pendulum, Claude Bolling, Hubert Rostaing, Georges Brassens, Refractory, Scarface, Bill Coleman, Funkdoobiest, Telefon Tel Aviv, Lightning Bolt, Morcheeba, DJ Mitsu The Beats, Tricky, Hafdís Huld, Sidsel Endresen & Christian Wallumrød & Helge Sten, Danger Mouse & Sparklehorse, Akhenaton, Alif Tree, Tiken Jah Fakoly, Maurice Meunier, TAT, Carl Craig & Moritz von Oswald, Stéphane Grappelli, Black Uhuru, Kid Loco, Common, Ellen Allien, Roots Manuva, Joris Voorn, Method Man, Jah'licious, Hux Flux, Toots Thielemans, Blockhead, Rokia Traoré, Max Romeo, Cœur de Pirate, Method Man & Redman, RND, Volta & FX909, Venetian Snares & Speedranch, The Rolling Stones, BHASS Project, Orchestre National de Jazz, Pink Floyd, The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Michel Legrand, Sayag Jazz Machine, Emilie Simon, Late Night Fruit, Buddy Banks, Pan•American, Booba, DJ Muggs vs. Planet Asia, The Kumba Mela Experiment, Jeff Mills, Ulytau, ZAMAN 8 & Hafez Modir, Ematom, Harmonic 313, Freestylers, The Gladiators, Control Machete, The Bush Chemists, Twista, Orange Street, The Roots, Michael Jackson, Los Hermanos, Dub Incorporation, RZA, The Ananda Shankar Experience and State of Bengal, Da Taz, Thelonious Monk, Limp Bizkit, Mr. Oizo, 雅-miyavi-, Ella Fitzgerald, Sex Pistols, AC/DC, Minty Fresh Beats, Gus Gus, Gideon, Themselves, Parabellum, K2R Riddim, Easy Star All-Stars, Rhythm & Sound, The Toraia Orchestra Of Algiers, Lee "Scratch" Perry & King Tubby, Keziah Jones, Ataraxia, TTC, Immortal Technique, Coldcut, A Tribe Called Quest, Lali Puna, Rhoda Scott & Kenny Clarke, Iron Maiden, Dizzy Gillespie, Pierre Michelot, Umek, Miles Davis, Gang Starr, DJ Muggs, Orbital, OutKast, Anthony Rother, Donald Byrd Quintet, Diego, Igorrr, Raekwon, Pharoahe Monch, Dream Theater, Anoushka Shankar, Sonny Criss, The Smashing Pumpkins, K's Choice, Massive Attack vs. Mad Professor, The Herbaliser, Blakroc, Lenny Kravitz, Cujo, Cosma, Killarmy, Big Punisher, Jamiroquai, Charles Mingus, Missak, Burial, Bernard Peiffer and his Saint-Germain-des-Prés Orchestra, Albert Nicholas, Édith Piaf, Mix Master Mike, Maceo Parker, Rae & Christian, Steel Pulse, Hocus Pocus, Opeth, Dee Nasty, Tom Waits, DJ Fresh, Manu le Malin, Khoiba, Animaltek, Peter Tosh, Steppenwolf, Alter Ego, DJ Jazzy Jeff, Boards of Canada, Red Hot Chili Peppers9, Bernard Zacharias et ses solistes, Ill Bill & Necro, Sublime, Crystal Distortion, The Dave Brubeck Quartet, GZA/Genius, Salmonella Dub, Harold Nicholas et son Orchestre, Grems, Missy Elliott, Sammy Price & Lucky Thompson, The Herbaliser Band, Ghostface Killah, Cranes, Slaine, Necro & Ill Bill, Lars Klein, Outlines, Saïan Supa Crew, John Dahlbäck, Junior Murvin, Delinquent Habits, Dubians, Arom & Gourmets Beatclub, Afu-Ra, Slide Hampton, Agoria, 2Pac & The Outlawz, Archive, The Alchemist, Somogo, Toots and The Maytals, Philip Glass, Ray Charles, Sia, Marcel et son Orchestre, Trust, Aretha Franklin, Sinsemilia, Public Enemy, Buck Clayton, James Brown, Zenzile & High Tone, The Streets, Adam F, Oscar Peterson, The Abyssinians, Improvisators Dub, Yuksek, Alanis Morissette, Alici, CAKE, Up, Bustle and Out, Art Blakey, Scan X, DMX, Etikal Lab, Lady B, Keith Jarrett, David Carretta, Cocteau Twins, Lhasa de Sela, Jacques Brel, Charlie Singleton, Dimitri from Paris, Bonobo, Emmanuel Top, CéU, Kosheen, Jungle Brothers, Del tha Funkee Homosapien, Nada Surf, Cercle Rouge, Monolake, Marilyn Manson, Rachid Taha, Alain Goraguer, Dub Pistols, Jimmy Archey, Pat Metheny, Ravi Shankar and Philip Glass, Jimmy Riley, Wailing Souls, Taigaz, Air, Triston Palmer, Donald Byrd, Promoe, Ice Cube, Gang Gang Dance, Barbara Morgenstern, Technasia, Dubmood, Josh Wink, Eddy Louiss, Africa Combo & Bugge Wesseltoft.

Been meaning to do this for years - here's an incomplete list of bands I've seen at least once. Good or absolutely shite, they all make the list. Bold type denotes artists that I've had the pleasure of seeing more than once.

A
Adem
The Airborne Toxic Event
Alabama 3
The Aliens
All About Eve
Lily Allen
Dot Allison
Alpha
Amusement Parks on Fire
Annuals
Arab Strap
Architecture in Helsinki
Arctic Monkeys
Arrested Development
Asian Dub Foundation
B
Badly Drawn Boy
Banco de Gaia
Basement Jaxx
Bat for Lashes
The Bays
The Beat
The Beastie Boys
The Beautiful South
Beck
Beep Beep
Belle and Sebastian
Ben Folds Five
Bent
The Besnard Lakes
Big Country
Black Kids
Blondie
Blur
The Bodines
Bonnie 'Prince' Billy
The Boy Least Likely To
Billy Bragg
Brainiac
Bright Eyes
The Brilliant Corners
Broken Spindles
Ian Brown
Tim Burgess
Bernard Butler
C
Terry Callier
Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Carrie
Carter USM
Martin Carthy
Casiotone for the Painfully Alone
Cast
Caterwaul
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
The Charlatans
The Charlottes
Chas N Dave
Cherry Ghost
The Cinematic Orchestra
Ross Clark & the Scarfs Go Missing
The Clerks
Clinic
The Close Lobsters
Coldcut
Coldplay
John Cooper Clarke
The Cooper Temple Clause
The Coral
Elvis Costello
Cousteau
Cranebuilders
Crazyhead
The Creatures
CUD
The Cure
D
The Darling Buds
The Datsuns
Death in Vegas
The Delgados
Delphic
Dodgy
Doves
Dreadzone
Dub Pistols
Dubtribe Sound System
Durutti Column
Bob Dylan
E
Steve Earle
Echo and the Bunnymen
Echoboy
The Eighteenth Day of May
Elbow
Electrafixion
Electric Soft Parade
Electric Sound Of Joy
Embrace
F
Fairport Convention
Th' Faith Healers
Faithless
Faith No More
The Fall
Fields of the Nephilim
Five Thirty
The Flaming Lips
Florence & The Machine
Foo Fighters
Four Tet
The Free Association
Friendly Fires
Frightened Rabbit
Fun Loving Criminals
The Futureheads
G
Ganger
Gaye Bykers on Acid
Ghost Dance
Glasvegas
Global Communication
Godflesh
Goldrush
Gomez
Jose Gonzalez
Gorkys Zygotic Mynci
The Go! Team
Grand Drive
Grass-Show
The Grave Architects
Gravenhurst
Al Green
Green on Red
Groove Armada
Guillemots
Guns N' Roses
H
Nick Harper
Rolf Harris
The Heart-throbs
Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid
The Matthew Herbert Big Band
Kristin Hersh
The Hidden Cameras
Micah P. Hinson
Hole
Jools Holland
Holy Fuck
House of Brothers
The House of Love
The Housemartins
Howlin' Rain
The Hunters Club
I
I Am Kloot
Idlewild
Interpol
Iron And Wine
It Bites
J
The Jack Rubies
Matthew Jay
The Jesus and Mary Chain
Jesus Jones
Johnny Domino
Joolz
K
Keane
The Killers
David Kitt
Kula Shaker
L
Lambchop
Leatherface
Leaves
The Levellers
The Libertines
Loop
Low
Lowgold
Lush
M
The Magic Numbers
Magnolia Electric Co.
The Majesticons
Manic Street Preachers
Mansun
Maps
Marillion
Marion
J Mascis
Massive Attack
Mega City Four
The Memory Band
The Men They Couldn't Hang
Mercury Rev
MGMT
Mia Doi Todd
The Mighty Lemon Drops
The Mission
Modest Mouse
Mono
The Montrose Avenue
John Moore And The Expressway
Morrissey
The Motorcycle Boy
Bob Mould
Mudhoney
My Bloody Valentine
Ralph Myerz and the Jack Herren Band
Mylo
N
The National
The Necks
Ned's Atomic Dustbin
The New Folk Implosion
New Model Army
New Order
Joanna Newsom
Scout Niblett
Nirvana
Now It's Overhead
O
Oasis
Okkervil River
Ooberman
Orbital
Beth Orton
P
The Pale Saints
The Parkinsons
Pavement
Penthouse
Pitman
The Pixies
The Pogues
Emma Pollock
Polytechnic
Pond
Pop Will Eat Itself
Primal Scream
The Primitives
The Prodigy
The Prudes
Public Enemy
Pulp
Q
Finlay Quaye
Queens of the Stone Age
R
Radiohead
Red Lorry Yellow Lorry
Red Snapper
REM
Reverend and The Makers
Ride
Rival Schools
RJD2
Roots Manuva
Tim Rose
Run DMC
S
Saint Etienne
Saint Joan
Salvation
Samamidon
Ulrich Schnauss
Scott 4
DJ Scotch Egg
Mr Scruff
The Sea and Cake
Seafood
Shack
DJ Shadow
The Shins
Michelle Shocked
The Shortwave Set
Silver Sun
Simian
Six.by Seven
The Sleepy Jackson
Elliott Smith
The Smiths
Snuff
Sonic Youth
Soul II Soul
The Soup Dragons
Space
Spacemen 3
Sparklehorse
Spear of Destiny
Spin Spin The Dogs
Spiritualized
Spring Heel Jack
Starsailor
St. Germain
The Stills
The Stone Roses
The Streets
Joe Strummer
Subkicks
Sugar
The Sugarcubes
Sun Kil Moon
Swans
T
Tapes N Tapes
Teenage Fanclub
The Telescopes
Texas
That Petrol Emotion
Them Crooked Vultures
Richard Thompson
Throwing Muses
Glenn Tilbrook
Tindersticks
The Ting-Tings
Travis
Tricky
Tunng
Turin Brakes
The Twilight Sad
U
Ultrasound
Under Neath What
Underworld
V
The Verve
Voice of the Beehive
W
Martha Wainwright
The Walking Seeds
The Walkmen
The Waterboys
The Wedding Present
We Show Up On Radar
Whistler
White Lies
The White Stripes
Wilco
Robbie Williams
The Wisdom of Harry
Witness
The Wonder Stuff
World Domination Enterprises
The Wurzels
X
X-Press 2
Y
Yam Who
James Yorkston and The Athletes
Z
Zero 7
The Zutons

Previously: My top 200 tracks 1990-99 Pt.01a: 200 to 181
Previously: My top 200 tracks 1990-99 Pt.01b: 180 to 161

Part two of my tracks of the 90s rundown: again split over two posts. The next forty will be posted on Tuesday.

160
Leonard Cohen
The Future
The Future
1992

Among the fair number of wildly inventive soundtracks released films released in the 90s was the Natural Born Killers soundtrack, put together by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails and featuring a vast range of styles and artists - and not a single one felt out of place. Two of Cohen's songs were used on the soundtrack album (a third was used in the film), and this track in particular was pretty special. A musing on the pessimism of the world, and what is to come in light of what has already has happened, it's slightly cheesy synth lines and the big gospel chorus are brought together to make a song ostensibly about everything going to shit actually sound quite positive...

159
Converter
Conqueror
Shock Front
1999

The monstrous opening track from Converter's debut album, it's seething, near white noise intro gives way to massive, hulking beats, before another set presumably stomped out by AT-ATs obliterates all before it. This is dancefloor noise at it's finest.

158
Pop Will Eat Itself
Urban Futuristic
The Looks or the Lifestyle
1992

The first inkling that the Poppies were angling for a heavier sound came from this industrial metal monster, and maybe the repeated refrain "no more Mr Nice Guy" just rammed home the point all the more. Everything about this song rules, and it also hasn't dated as badly as certain other Poppies tracks...

157
Covenant
Stalker
Sequencer:Beta
1998

A while before they became bona-fide futurepop stars, earlier Covenant material was a whole lot darker. Brooding synths, less danceable beats, and an almost gothic delivery in the vocals. It's still recognisably Covenant, though, and if you got into later-period Covenant without ever going back, this whole album is worth a look.

156
Incubus
New Skin
S.C.I.E.N.C.E.
1997

Ah yes, back when Incubus weren't acoustic bores. Back when they were still a band full of their native california sunshine and funk metal…and were awesome fun. Particularly this track, a song about reinvention, and it simply teems with life.

155
Paradise Lost
Enchantment
Draconian Times
1995

Interesting here in that I could have picked any number of PL songs from the mid-90s from this list, but hearing it live recently sealed the deal for it to be this. The epic, doomy power of this track for me makes it one of PL's very best songs, but it's not all growling and hate - it's beating melodic heart is what seals the deal.

154
Queen Adreena
Cold Fish
Taxidermy
1999

The first QA song I ever heard, as I recall. It's still nuts, too. I've no idea what Katie-Jane Garside is on about during it, but it's bruising rock is a hell of a thrill, even if it is something of a tease with out only lasting two minutes or so.

153
Radiohead
Subterranean Homesick Alien
OK Computer
1997

OK Computer has been analysed to death, befitting it's status as many critics view that it is the best album of the 90s. It's certainly an extraordinary album, vast in scope and frankly fearless in it's endless experimentation with their basic rock sound. My favourite track on the album, though, is this gorgeous track, sometimes forgotten in it's position in the shadow of Paranoid Android. As guitars shoot across the sky like shooting stars, Thom Yorke muses on the idea of being abducted, how great it would be, and how no-one would ever believe him anyway. One of Radiohead's prettiest songs, and still somewhat underappreciated, in my view.

152
Sneaker Pimps
6 Underground
Becoming X
1996

Part of the coffee-table craze for anything "trip-hop" related, in reality Sneaker Pimps were always a little more interesting than that (and perhaps were even more so once Chris Corner stepped out on his own as IAMX). This is the track that started it all, though, and it's slinky, after-dark feel (and Kelli's frankly heavenly vocal) is still great. There was no need for it and the rest of the album to be re-recorded, re-mixed and re-issued, though, and if anyone can help me with a copy of the original version (i.e. the one with the motherboard-style green and silver cover), please let me know...

151
Leftfield
Inspection (Check One)
Leftism
1995

There is certainly a case for the album as a whole in a best of the 90s list, and certainly other tracks from this album could have made this list - however I had such a long list of possibles for this, that I decided to restrict it to one song per album (and two songs for certain artists at most). So the one from Leftism? This titanic, slower-paced track, that when played loud probably has more bass contained within than I've ever heard. The spacey, dubby vocal intro on the album version rules, too.

150
My Dying Bride
The Cry of Mankind
The Angel and the Dark River
1995

We'll be here all day debating which MDB album is the best, but The Angel… puts in a convincing case. Not least for it's epic, twelve minute opener. It's yearning, bleak seesawing riff that opens it, the stately piano, the occasional vocals that break through, and that foghorn blaring out through the mist as the song descends into it's ambient second half...the whole thing is a glorious wallow in bleak misery (in other words, exactly what this band should be). I am astonished it has a video, though, even if it is only a third of the song.

149
Red Snapper
Wesley Don't Surf
Reeled and Skinned
1995

I was never entirely sure where this lot were meant to fit in. Broadly a jazz band that used live instruments but filled in the gaps with electronic textures, their early singles were a fascinating mix of styles. Many of their earlier tracks were a rather more mellow, so the uptempo attack of this track was something of a change - and was by far the best of them.

148
The Verve
Brainstorm Interlude
A Northern Soul
1995

While The Verve may be better known for their later albums and greater success, their earlier material remains intriguing. One track I've adored for years now has been this one - a reverb and feedback drenched jam that is one of the centrepieces of A Northern Soul. Rather than the naked emotion that much of the rest of the album gives away, this near-instrumental track (just try and work out the lyrics in the dense sound) gives nothing away and is perhaps all the better for it.

147
PJ Harvey
Long Snake Moan
To Bring You My Love
1995

No two PJ Harvey albums are alike, which always results in some odd surprises each time around. To Bring You My Love, though, was still a bit of a shock. Much wider in sound than the previous albums, it's was still bluesy, but less raw (Flood being producer saw to that, I think). The swampy, blues-rock of this track, though, was possibly the most eye-catching on the album, and her almost screamed vocals as the song climaxes still sends chills through me.

146
Soundgarden
Let Me Drown
Superunknown
1994

Never mind grunge, this was metal. The snarling opener to Soundgarden's most successful (and on balance, best) album, it's heavier, and thanks to the big-budget production, much…bigger than anything they had recorded to this point. Lyrically as dark in tone as the rest of the album, listening to it again for the first time in a while has reminded me that if I ever get asked the High Fidelity question of "five side one, track ones" again, this gets included.

145
Nitzer Ebb
Getting Closer
Showtime
1990

Nitzer Ebb's third album was the first time that they really even moved beyond their EBM core, and the results were pretty impressive - not least in the awesome, steady build-up of opener Getting Closer, as the beat winds up from a standing start into a full-on industrial attack with what I see as their best vocal performance (as a live opener, this is incredible, too), before the sweeping, stabbing chords herald the mid-section, a breakdown, and then back to the chorus where it steps up again. Sod newer industrial, I'll take this every time.

144
Dub Pistols
There's Gonna Be a Riot
Point Blank
1998

What much of Barry Ashworth's material has concentrated on a more ska-based sound, this track was a roof-raising, dancefloor-slaying track that was something of an underground hit back in the days of "Big Beat" - I vividly recall this being played at The Heavenly Jukebox at Turnmills in '97 and sounding utterly immense.

143
Cold
Go Away
Cold
1997

Originally "discovered" by Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit, but honestly, don't let that put you off. Their first album was impressively dark, emotional metal, and the opening track's ominous rumble (everything is downtuned, resulting in a marvellously deep, fuzzy sound that the bright production only helps to accentuate) coupled with Scooter Ward's wracked, gritted teeth vocal delivery is a spectacular start that the rest of the album never quite lives up to.

142
Slint
Good Morning, Captain
Spiderland
1991

Pretty much year zero for Post-rock as we know it, this band, and the album Spiderland has been feted to an incredible degree as a result. It fully deserves the praise, mind, but it's this stupendous closing track that takes the honours. Lyrically based around The Rime of the Ancient Mariner - if you can make out the muttered words - it's the use of quiet-LOUD dynamics that catches the ear, and as the track reaches it's climax, you realise that more than just post-rock owes this a debt.

141
Die Krupps
Iron Man
II - The Final Option
1993

They may be EBM pioneers, but their later industrial-metal hybrid phase produced some outstanding material, too. Including this, one of the ultimate tracks on the classic industrial music cliché of shedding human form for robotics. A monstrous, mechanised beat couples with equally mechanised guitars, and that whole cyborg idea gets better with every passing minute of this song.

Shortly: My top 200 tracks 1990-99 Pt.02b: 140 to 121
Tuesday: My top 200 tracks 1990-99 Pt.03: 120 to 81

01 - Rootwater - Visionism
02 - Let The Boy Decide - Ghost On Your Road
03 - Brown - W kłębach
04 - Hetane - machines
05 - osada vida - Heart (Back And Forth)
06 - The Kolt - Obcy Głos
07 - Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
08 - Komety - Dla Ciebie nie istnieję
09 - Hunter - Labirynt Fauna
10 - Depeche Mode - Wrong
11 - Martin Solo - Kwiaty zła
12 - Skyscream - Tańcz Przez Całą Noc
13 - Riverside - Egoist Hedonist
14 - Hymie Weiss - 17 Ofiar
15 - Voo Voo i Haydamaky - Wyszła młoda
16 - Billy Talent - Rusted From The Rain
17 - Camero Cat - Rainy
18 - Wolfgang in a Truck - Tellyfusion
19 - Siódma w Nocy - Hangover Blues
20 - Rockaway - Co o mnie i o tobie
21 - Clin't Eastwood - Gorilazz
22 - Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot
23 - The Mars Volta - Cotopaxi
24 - Clutch - 50,000 Unstoppable Watts
25 - Chickenfoot - Oh Yeah
26 - Dub Pistols feat. Ashley Slater - Back To Daylight
27 - L-Dópa - moherowy Ninja
28 - Super Furry Animals - Inconvenience
29 - Moby - Pale Horses
30 - Pan Profeska - Lato

PROPOZYCJE DO LISTY (proposed tracks):

31 - British Sea Power - Come Wander With Me
32 - Yo La Tengo - periodically double or triple
33 - Sean Bones - Dancehall
34 - Old Time Radio - just because we were wrong
35 - Ms. No One - Just Like D
36 - The Big Pink - Velvet
37 - Iluzjon - Boundless Ignorance
38 - Big Fat Mama - Boom that basement
39 - a-ha - Foot Of The Mountain
40 - Manchester - Tajemnica
41 - Monopol - Zodiak (Na melanżu)
42 - Birds Of Avalon - Your Downtime Is Up


Kolejne (228) notowanie: 10 lipca, 20:00; zapraszam! / #227 will be presented on July 10th at 7 P.M. GMT

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Zestaw do głosowania Listy Przebojów (where to vote)

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01 - Hymie Weiss - 17 Ofiar
02 - Skyscream - Tańcz Przez Całą Noc
03 - Komety - Dla Ciebie nie istnieję
04 - Martin Solo - Kwiaty zła
05 - Brown - W kłębach
06 - Hunter - Labirynt Fauna
07 - The Kolt - Obcy Głos
08 - osada vida - Heart (Back And Forth)
09 - Let The Boy Decide - Ghost On Your Road
10 - Depeche Mode - Wrong
11 - Voo Voo i Haydamaky - Wyszła młoda
12 - Wolfgang in a Truck - Tellyfusion
13 - Siódma w Nocy - Hangover Blues
14 - Rootwater - Visionism
15 - Billy Talent - Rusted From The Rain
16 - Riverside - Egoist Hedonist
17 - Clin't Eastwood - Gorilazz
18 - Chickenfoot - Oh Yeah
19 - Coma - Transfuzja
20 - Spiral - Avalanche
21 - Renton - Lubię w klubie
22 - Luna Negra - Tornado
23 - Dream Theater - A Rite of Passage
24 - The Mars Volta - Cotopaxi
25 - Moby - Pale Horses
26 - DevilDriver - Pray For Villains
27 - L-Dópa - moherowy Ninja
28 - Green Day - Know Your Enemy
29 - Dave Matthews Band - Funny the Way It Is
30 - Hardcore Superstar - Beg For It

PROPOZYCJE DO LISTY (proposed tracks):

31 - Instytut - Niewidzialny
32 - Road Trip's Over - Kilka szczerych słów
33 - Rockaway - Co o mnie i o tobie
34 - Plug Doctors - Modern Dog
35 - Röyksopp - The Girl And The Robot
36 - Michael Jackson - Smooth Criminal
37 - Super Furry Animals - Inconvenience
38 - Dub Pistols feat. Ashley Slater - Back To Daylight
39 - Pan Profeska - Lato
40 - The Secret Handshake - All for You
41 - Clutch - 50,000 Unstoppable Watts
42 - The Calog - Bomby kolorowe
43 - Camero Cat - Rainy
44 - Hetane - machines
45 - The Bottle of Bourbon - Burbon


Nowa pora emisji-piątki o 19:00! / New airing time-Fridays at 6 P.M. GMT

Kolejne (227) notowanie: 3 lipca, 19:00; zapraszam! / #227 will be presented on July 3rd at 6 P.M. GMT

Bezpośrednie połączenie ze strumieniem RadioSAR.pl (direct streaming link)

Zestaw do głosowania Listy Przebojów (where to vote)

Strona domowa RadioSAR.pl (Radio SAR's homepage)

Oficjalne Forum RadioSAR.pl (Radio SAR's message board)

The Skydrive (Hybrid compilation)




Tracklist:
Part_1 (electro):

01. Laurent Garnier - No Musik No Life
02. Dub Pistols -Peaches (Dogtown Clash Mix)
03. Freestylers - Push Up Word Up (Stanton Warriors remix)
04. The Young Punx - Mashitup (Shirkhan Mix)
05. The Young Punx - Youve Got To (Dopeheadz Mix)
06. Dub Pistols - Back To Daylight (Access Denied Remix)
07. The Crystal Method - Slipstream (Featuring Jason Lytle)

Download
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Part_2 (drum and bass):

01. Stunna and Release - a life like this +
The Young Punx - You've Got to (Norman Cook Mix)
02. Screamheads - Under the Sun (feat. Camila Andrade) (Bungle remix) +
Lenzman - Bright Lights
03. L.A.O.S. - Rise
04. L.A.O.S. - So Much To Tell You
05. Sigma - Paint It Black
06. Snitchbros - In Further Blackness
07. Mr. SKYLINE - The Angel (Drum & Bass Remix) +
08. Chase And Status - Ten Tonne
09. Bloc Party - Trojan Horse (John B Remix)
10. John B - The Journey (skydrive cut)
11. Logistics - Cosmonaut
12. Logistics - Intervention
13. Metrik - Moving On
14. Friction and Nu Balance - Slipstream (Logistics Remix)
15. Greeley & Camo - All 4 Me (Feat Tenchu)
16. Dimension of Soundz - Herbalist
17. Logistics - Spotlight
18. Dj Salamandra - Madness (you've got to (norman cook mix) reprise)
19. Salamandra feat MC Akmula - Height Of Movement
20. outro:Dub Pistols - Peaches (Ortzroka Death To Disco Mix)

Download

mixed by: Mr. Skyline
(skydrive 2009)

links:
myspace