Post by Thorngrub on Apr 3, 2006 16:41:56 GMT -5
"Subject to a lot of change" - ya, ain't that the truth. There's no way I could be happy w/a limited "Top 15" --- but mayhaps I'll attempt to justify my abovepictured list, a tad:
1. Equatorial Stars This stays in the #1 Slot For All Eternity. 'nuff said
2.Another Day On Earth Truly remarkable . . . not remarkable that Eno released material so solid and so transcendent .. . just remarkable that we got another album from the man. Definitely stays in the Top 10
3.Real Gone -- Enought cannot be said about the man - the artist - Tom Waits. And enough cannot be said about his latest recording. IMO, it truly ties up a lot of loose ends from his recording career, and presents it in a devastating and cohesive light. This is Tom at his rawest - and most polished. Somehow, he's pulled off a miracle in that respect, and REAL GONE is a mandatory candidate for Best Of The Century, so its place on this list is secured.
4.Lateralus, by TOOL. It stays.
5.The Power To Believe - This overlooked gem by the legendary King Crimson deserves to be on the list. Its musicianship is unparalleled, and its thematic elements make it an important contribution to 21st century recordings.
6.Frances The Mute - I was going to scratch either this one or TMV's auspicious debut, figuring the same artist shouldn't be on the list twice (unless you're Brian freakin Eno or something). Then I decided fuckit. Both of their albums stay. Unbelievable musicianship, unmatched lyrical themes, if anything The Mars Volta are the band of the 21st century. Don't give up on em . . . ever.
7.Mer De Noms - - Here comes the first unsure choice. I was going to include THIRTEENTH STEP, on account of what a paragon of studio wizardry it is. Then I remembered this puppy, released in the nick of time in May of 2000. Part of me believes Mer De Noms is the better album. The other part of me is astounded at what they managed to create in a studio w/Thirteenth Step. But I couldn't put both on this list, for some reason. Finally, not knowing really which to choose - I went with their stellar debut. I could change my mind (or even bump APC off the Top 15).
8. When The Kite String Pops. Ok, some album collectors and purists are of the notion that if it doesn't exist on vinyl - then it doesn't exist at all. I won't comment one way or the other about that - - but I will duly note that Rotten Records actually did the world a tremendous service by releasing this legendary recording (originally unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 1994) just last year, remastered into pristine sonic explosiveness on a beautiful gatefold vinyl edition. Since it was explicitly stated that there are "no rules" per se, I decided this was the perfect excuse to allow this amazing work of hard rock music into the Finals. And believe me, I wouldn't dream of knocking it out of the Top 10. It stays.
9.Lift yr Skinny Fists... Godspeed is mandatory for this list. This is their best album.
10. See You On The Other Side - I'm sure many will be rolling their eyes at this one. Well I can't help it if you all can't recognize a legendary rock act in the making when it bites you in the face - - (not that any of you have allowed yourselves to get close enough for that, I'll admit) -- I figured I'd be laughed at for daring to include this, so laff it up fuzzballs. Korn is here to stay and so is this album on this list. It is extraordinary.
11. Blackwater Park - I see I'm not the only one to include this one. Opeth is one of the more important heavy progressive bands to emerge in rock's turbulent history, and this is their definitive recording, IMO. A beautiful piece of music all around.
12. Catch Without Arms - I really think dredg is poised to take over the world, and this latest album of theirs showcases their amazing energy, tight musicianship, catchy songwriting abilities, and meaningful lyrics and artwork. Dredg is up there in my Top 3 Best New Bands of the 21st century - and a "Best Of" list without dredg in it is a contradiction in terms.
13. Toxicity - I wanted to include the recent Mezmerize/Hypnotize, but after thinking about it, I had to scrap em in favor of this immense 2001 blockbuster. The definitive SOAD, right here. Stellar in every way. *go Serj, go Serj* ...
14. Deloused... Here it is. If I had to choose only 1 TMV album, I'm afraid I'd have to set down FTM in favor of their incendiary debut here. This album is a miracle. Totally mandatory.
15. mono Where's Hail To The Thief -? Where's any radiohead, for that matter. I will confess: it pains me to exclude radiohead. . . but I just had to put this one on here, and I figured, hell, plenty of others will be voting in HTTF or radiohead, so why not give these Japanese post-rockers the chance they so well deserve -? MONO can be listed along w/dredg as my new favorite recording artists for the 21st century, and this album, to me, is so far their best. The new MONO is due out in a couple weeks - maybe next week (!) -- and I can't wait to get it. Truly beautiful music to become enraptured with.
So there you have it. This list obviously leaves out plenty of very important - and quite possibly, superior - albums that I either
a) Haven't heard yet, or
b) Just couldn't think of before I thought of these!
Hopefully these explanations have gone a teensy ways towards justifying my choices. It is not a perfect list - - far from it. I wanted to include the amazing "I See A Darkness" by bPb, but alas, that must qualify as one of the greatest recordings from the 20th Century (as it was released originally in 1999, just like The Fragile was).
I also wished I could've included such obvious choices as one of Johnny CASH's recent recordings - - most of them amazing, but unfortunately, I haven't listened to them all enough to formulate a coherent choice of which to select. And there are plenty of other more "worthy" artists (Such as Warren Zevon, to name but one), but I couldn't get it together enough to include those awesome guys.
So there you have it.
1. Equatorial Stars This stays in the #1 Slot For All Eternity. 'nuff said
2.Another Day On Earth Truly remarkable . . . not remarkable that Eno released material so solid and so transcendent .. . just remarkable that we got another album from the man. Definitely stays in the Top 10
3.Real Gone -- Enought cannot be said about the man - the artist - Tom Waits. And enough cannot be said about his latest recording. IMO, it truly ties up a lot of loose ends from his recording career, and presents it in a devastating and cohesive light. This is Tom at his rawest - and most polished. Somehow, he's pulled off a miracle in that respect, and REAL GONE is a mandatory candidate for Best Of The Century, so its place on this list is secured.
4.Lateralus, by TOOL. It stays.
5.The Power To Believe - This overlooked gem by the legendary King Crimson deserves to be on the list. Its musicianship is unparalleled, and its thematic elements make it an important contribution to 21st century recordings.
6.Frances The Mute - I was going to scratch either this one or TMV's auspicious debut, figuring the same artist shouldn't be on the list twice (unless you're Brian freakin Eno or something). Then I decided fuckit. Both of their albums stay. Unbelievable musicianship, unmatched lyrical themes, if anything The Mars Volta are the band of the 21st century. Don't give up on em . . . ever.
7.Mer De Noms - - Here comes the first unsure choice. I was going to include THIRTEENTH STEP, on account of what a paragon of studio wizardry it is. Then I remembered this puppy, released in the nick of time in May of 2000. Part of me believes Mer De Noms is the better album. The other part of me is astounded at what they managed to create in a studio w/Thirteenth Step. But I couldn't put both on this list, for some reason. Finally, not knowing really which to choose - I went with their stellar debut. I could change my mind (or even bump APC off the Top 15).
8. When The Kite String Pops. Ok, some album collectors and purists are of the notion that if it doesn't exist on vinyl - then it doesn't exist at all. I won't comment one way or the other about that - - but I will duly note that Rotten Records actually did the world a tremendous service by releasing this legendary recording (originally unleashed on an unsuspecting world in 1994) just last year, remastered into pristine sonic explosiveness on a beautiful gatefold vinyl edition. Since it was explicitly stated that there are "no rules" per se, I decided this was the perfect excuse to allow this amazing work of hard rock music into the Finals. And believe me, I wouldn't dream of knocking it out of the Top 10. It stays.
9.Lift yr Skinny Fists... Godspeed is mandatory for this list. This is their best album.
10. See You On The Other Side - I'm sure many will be rolling their eyes at this one. Well I can't help it if you all can't recognize a legendary rock act in the making when it bites you in the face - - (not that any of you have allowed yourselves to get close enough for that, I'll admit) -- I figured I'd be laughed at for daring to include this, so laff it up fuzzballs. Korn is here to stay and so is this album on this list. It is extraordinary.
11. Blackwater Park - I see I'm not the only one to include this one. Opeth is one of the more important heavy progressive bands to emerge in rock's turbulent history, and this is their definitive recording, IMO. A beautiful piece of music all around.
12. Catch Without Arms - I really think dredg is poised to take over the world, and this latest album of theirs showcases their amazing energy, tight musicianship, catchy songwriting abilities, and meaningful lyrics and artwork. Dredg is up there in my Top 3 Best New Bands of the 21st century - and a "Best Of" list without dredg in it is a contradiction in terms.
13. Toxicity - I wanted to include the recent Mezmerize/Hypnotize, but after thinking about it, I had to scrap em in favor of this immense 2001 blockbuster. The definitive SOAD, right here. Stellar in every way. *go Serj, go Serj* ...
14. Deloused... Here it is. If I had to choose only 1 TMV album, I'm afraid I'd have to set down FTM in favor of their incendiary debut here. This album is a miracle. Totally mandatory.
15. mono Where's Hail To The Thief -? Where's any radiohead, for that matter. I will confess: it pains me to exclude radiohead. . . but I just had to put this one on here, and I figured, hell, plenty of others will be voting in HTTF or radiohead, so why not give these Japanese post-rockers the chance they so well deserve -? MONO can be listed along w/dredg as my new favorite recording artists for the 21st century, and this album, to me, is so far their best. The new MONO is due out in a couple weeks - maybe next week (!) -- and I can't wait to get it. Truly beautiful music to become enraptured with.
So there you have it. This list obviously leaves out plenty of very important - and quite possibly, superior - albums that I either
a) Haven't heard yet, or
b) Just couldn't think of before I thought of these!
Hopefully these explanations have gone a teensy ways towards justifying my choices. It is not a perfect list - - far from it. I wanted to include the amazing "I See A Darkness" by bPb, but alas, that must qualify as one of the greatest recordings from the 20th Century (as it was released originally in 1999, just like The Fragile was).
I also wished I could've included such obvious choices as one of Johnny CASH's recent recordings - - most of them amazing, but unfortunately, I haven't listened to them all enough to formulate a coherent choice of which to select. And there are plenty of other more "worthy" artists (Such as Warren Zevon, to name but one), but I couldn't get it together enough to include those awesome guys.
So there you have it.
