bjd
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Albums To Define Your Generation
- Thread starter mad_mac
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g3.7
deluded elitist
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heh- well actually I don't like the offspring that much but if you are naming sum41 then it's like getting someone to quit smoking. they make a nice nicotine patch!
transplants... were good. haven't listened to them for ages admittedly, so maybe that was the supergroup novelty there..
oh and how could I forget rage against the machine?
mad_mac
Choose your Leaders, and place your trust!
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Some decent shouts in there G4...Others I really liked, but wouldn't really call them generation defining, would be Different Class, by Pulp. Homework by Daft Punk, and then there were a few others spotted in tehre like Catatonia's and The Stereophonics. Good albums, glad to have heard them, but just didn't hold as much social weight!
Scott
Scott
Maksimov
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Good call. The first album is definitely one of those generation defining albums. Evil Empire was alright, but then it went a bit stale. They did do a great cover of "Renegades of Funk" later on, though.
Maksimov
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In what order did you hear the albums? I'm just asking because I picked up the first album a few years after it was released, but I heard them in the order they were released and to me Battle of Los Angeles just felt like they were running out of ideas. The first one had clearly the best songs but I liked Evil Empire's production better as it sounded more raw than the first one. Battle of Los Angeles just sounded to me like leftovers from the Evil Empire sessions. I was hoping they'd take their thing further with the next album so I was disappointed with when it was just a bit more of the same old and the songs weren't as strong as on the previous two. There are a few good songs on "Battle of LA" but as a whole it felt a bit flat.
Eggy McMuffin
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Seeing as we're of the same generation, I thought I'd compare thoughts. These are the ones I agree on. Fugazi passed me by, so I'm leaving that out, and listening to it in a mo'. I'd probably think about Blue Lines instead of Mezzanine though. Unfinished Sympathy in my opinion changed music and pretty much defined trip hop on it's own.
The ones I think worth adding though, are as follows.
Smashing Pumpkins - Adore (Probably not all that influential on people that aren't me, but I adore this album [gerrit?])
Oasis - Definitely Maybe
Fatboy Slim - You've Come A Long Way Baby
Air - Moon Safari
Daft Punk - Discovery
Craig David - Born To Do It (Say what you like, this is a class album)
Beck - Midnite Vultures
Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Eminem - Slim Shady LP
Moby - Play
Primal Scream - Screamadelica
Beastie Boys - Hello Nasty
Prodigy - Experience (Charly is truly epic from this album)
Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - Murder Ballads (It's not as highly rated as some of his other stuff, but is my personal favourite)
Moby - Early Underground (I know I have another Moby Album here, but they are very much different genres and very influential).
Ok, a couple of these are a bit before my time really, but they're just some of my personal favourites. I think the far more interesting question though, is what out of the current crop of music is going to inspire future artists? I think that thanks to the internet, music is far more accessible. People can and do listen to wider ranges of music than ever before. I really hope artists get influenced by some of the brilliant stuff there is out there, rather than the music which comes on the radio these days. These albums are more what I hope influences future music, as much as anything, but yeah, I dunno what you guys think, but I'm in the mood for a typing session, so why not, right?
Girl Talk - Feed The Animals
This is possibly one of the best albums I have EVER listened to and I truly mean that. It's technically a mashup, but that doesn't really do it justice. No song gets more than a minute of play at a time. Every mainstream genre is referenced in it. How often can you hear Procol Harem mixed with Kanye West? Genesis and 50 Cent? Jackson 5, Rihanna and Vanilla Ice? The thought, the time, the effort and the unbelievable mixes that go on are actually scary. It's just brilliant. Nothing Compares with a rap song over the top? It doesn't sound like it would work, but it does, and it does so brilliant. The first time I listened to it, about a year ago, I actually spent the whole time standing up and just going 'Oh, no way... just no way'. If you haven't heard it, make sure you do. This is FAR more polished than Girl Talk's other work, it's so slick the whole way through, and yeah, as you might be able to tell, I'm listening again and I'm impressed all over again.
One thing you can do with this album, is spend the whole time trying to guess where each snippet comes from, but it really is impossible to get them all. I've probably listened to this album the whole way through 10-15 times and still hear new parts each time. I'm rambling, I know, but trust me, it's worth listening to.
Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip - Angels
Expect a similar rant of pure praise here. One of the few rap albums I listen to on a regular basis. I got people that don't even like rap to enjoy this... actually I got them to buy it, and search for tickets to see them live, but that's beside the point. What separates Mr Pip from the average rapper is the message. He actually has one, and I'm not talking about Eminem's message of drugs are bad and quitting is hard from his Relapse album, no, I mean a serious message. Pip actively seeks to influence rappers, and tries to do it in the best direction. Some of the lyrics are beyond comparison in rap as far as I'm concerned. Not because they're witty, or that they flow well, and they do that. It's that they are insightful, which is something rare... too rare. He shows how poetic rap is and how it can be. The album's intro, is just that, poetry. I would faun some more, but I'm just going to quote it.
"I ain't gonna take it no more. I ain't gonna take it no more. I ain't gonna stand idly by while the bridal reply of a marriage of styles is "yeah, what's their demographic?" I ain't gonna take it no more. I ain't gonna take it no more. I ain't gonna stand idly by with a tattenous sigh while inside we all cry OUT for something new. I ain't gonna take it no more. I ain't gonna take it no more. Soulless music. Artless lyrics. Goalless movements. Heartless gimmicks. Controlled and clueless. Careers lasting a minute. If this is the big life, well I ain't looking to live it. We ain't pushing the boundaries, we're blowing them up! We ain't trying to expand the scene; we want the scene to erupt. So make some room on the floor and somebody bolt the doors cos tonight we ain't seeking applause. Tonight..... well gee! we're just looking to have some good new-fashioned fun, y'all."
That sets up the album perfectly, really. The song Tommy C. Is actually just pure genius. He begins it by talking about how music is constantly about beauty and things and people being beautiful. So he goes on to explain what he thinks beauty is. He sees beauty as being Tommy Cooper.
Now please note that at the moment that this entertainer died
Even with a room full of people not one tear was cried
Much less, they rose to their feet as they laughed and clapped
Now tell me one f**king thing that's more beautiful than that...
Epic. I think it's on a par, if not better and more accessibly than Lupe Fiasco and Jay-Z. Which in rap circles is quite a compliment.
Neon Neon - Stainless Style
This probably won't be as long as the others, but I think it needs a mention. Seriously a great album to listen to, Has a lot of pop values, but that isn't all. The thing that makes this album great, and should (at least in my view) be influential, is that it's a concept album. Something which I love. I think there aren't enough of them. Not just that though, it's a concept album about the life and times of John DeLorean. It doesn't provide a lyrical narrative of his life, so much a musical one. It tries to sum him, and his women up through soundscapes more than the lyrics it uses. Which is probably why it's as poppy as it is. What also makes it cool is the fact that the band is led by Gruff Rhys from the Super Furry Animals and the songs feature, people like Harmar Superstar ( :lol: ), The Strokes and The Magic Numbers. I just like the whole hidden meanings to each song. Well worth a listen if you missed... oh and they were at glastonbury last year and were the coolest act there... Gruff didn't even stand up for half of it :lol:
Pendulum - In Silico
Now this I want to influence people... not as a way to do things. As a warning of what not to do. I can't listen to it without feeling bored. You can play almost every song over each other and it would just sound like one pendulum song, except for a few small nuances. Everything is done not just with the same synth, but with pretty much the same setting on the synth. They hardly change the melody either. That isn't just lazy, it's unacceptable in my view. I have lost ALL respect for this band from this album and I now pretty much disregard everything they do. I just flicked it on again to see if I was being too harsh, but no, it managed it again. I'm now bored.
Santogold - Santogold
This is not a warning. This is brilliant. I think it was possibly one of the best albums of 2008 and pretty much slipped under the radar as far as I'm aware. The only real mainstream coverage I've heard of it was a few of the tracks being used on adverts. There's no real hidden meaning in it, no great message, nothing like that. What it does have though, is great beats, great sound, you can dance to it, you can jog to it, hell, you can type on an internet forum to it. It definitely pumps you up though, and in my view that's a good thing. Also it doesn't have a single weak track on it as far as I'm concerned and that's very rare. Oh and if you struggle to find her work, that's because she's changed her name to Santigold now. Small difference, but they make all the difference.
Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago
The best way to describe this album is probably Haunting. It really depicts someone's pain, you can feel it, in the lyrics, in the voice, in the guitar strumming. It just screams without even raising it's voice. The back story for it is what interests me most though. The guy that wrote, and made this album secluded himself in a log cabin for 3 months to write it, after his last band broke up. The guy just pours his heart into the album and you can tell. He made it all by himself, in that log cabin, in 3 months. Listen to it and you won't be disappointed.
I'm going to leave it there, other than a few more notable mentions. I'm now getting a bit bored of typing, but it was fun, it kept my mind focused. I need that occasionally.
Notables
Vampire Weekend - Vampire Weekend
TV On The Radio - Dear Science
The Whip - X Marks Destination
The Young Knives - Voices Of Animals and Men
Animal Collective - Strawberry Jam
Justice - Cross
Lupe Fiasco - Food & Liquor
Tegan & Sara - The Con (I love this album)
Vive La Fete - Jour De Chance (Try this Moi, it's Belgian, so there's some dutch added in, and German which I don't understand, but it's very good)
The Horrors - Primary Colours
Be Your Own Pet - Get Awkward
Crystal Stilts - Alight Of Night
That'll do for now. I feel I've accomplished something now though
The Brit
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has to be the Verve - Urban Hymns...superior to anything oasis achieved, but unfortunately they split up soon after...
also U2 - Achtung Baby...the Joshua tree gets all the hype, but this was their finest and Zoo Tv was the best tour event ever
also U2 - Achtung Baby...the Joshua tree gets all the hype, but this was their finest and Zoo Tv was the best tour event ever
Maksimov
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Interesting...I've never heard anyone say Hello Nasty is Beastie Boys' finest. It's usually Check Your Head, Ill Communication or Paul's Boutique and I've heard some people say License to Ill is their best, but I've never seen anyone who prefers Hello Nasty over the earlier albums.
As for Fugazi...if I didn't have them, I think I'd probably get Repeater(maybe the "Repeater + 3 Songs" version") or Steady Diet of Nothing. I haven't listened to The Argument, mind you, so maybe I'll have to fix that one of these days.
Eggy McMuffin
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It's the only one they released in my generation. Body Movin' and Intergalactic are songs that really did shape my youth.
I didn't mean it to be their best, more that it's the one that applies to me and my age group the most.
Maksimov
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Oh, I see. It makes sense now. It's not my favorite, but listening to Nasty does bring back some good memories. The summer it was released I started my military service(over here it's compulsory to do some sort of military or some community service) and just a week before it started we went to see Beastie Boys at this festival. For the first few times we were allowed on a leave we used to listen to it in the car(amongst some other recent records) when we drove home for a weekend leave so there's some fine memories of that record even though I don't think it's anywhere near their best. Some of the songs still bring back memories of sitting in the car on the way to our hometown. The sun is shining and apart from the driver, everyone's got a cold beer or a cider in hand and we were just so happy to get out of the garrison. So even though it doesn't have the best songs, it's one of those "soundtrack to my life" kind of records that I connect strongly to a certain time in my life.
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jezza
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dkw
officer dibble of the shed end constabulary
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bloody hell, are you me? other than one or two you mentioned (Vampire Weekend, Lupe Fiasco, craig friggin david) and one or two you missed (elbow, doves, athlete) that list is basically my list
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I have just spent the last hour listening to The Stone Roses debut album again and it truly is a classic.
I hated the baggy clothes craze, I hated the stupid hooded tops, I hated the tongues sticking out of your trainers, I hated the fact that a band only had to come from somewhere near Manchester to be classifed as a great band but I adored this album. The Happy Mondays I never got excited about, Inspiral Carpets I liked a lot, the Charlatans just as much (Some Friendly was a fantastic album and the track 'Then; in particular is one of the finest songs to come out of that whole 'Madchester' scene) and then other bands like the Mock Turtles, Neds Atomic Dustbin, James and even very very early Blur (I hated the majority of Blur's stuff) all provided great moments but none of them produced an album as stunning as The Stone Roses.
I hated the baggy clothes craze, I hated the stupid hooded tops, I hated the tongues sticking out of your trainers, I hated the fact that a band only had to come from somewhere near Manchester to be classifed as a great band but I adored this album. The Happy Mondays I never got excited about, Inspiral Carpets I liked a lot, the Charlatans just as much (Some Friendly was a fantastic album and the track 'Then; in particular is one of the finest songs to come out of that whole 'Madchester' scene) and then other bands like the Mock Turtles, Neds Atomic Dustbin, James and even very very early Blur (I hated the majority of Blur's stuff) all provided great moments but none of them produced an album as stunning as The Stone Roses.
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Eggy McMuffin
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SorryCheers, feel really 'kin old now
Exactly how I feel about it. Although, I was a fair bit younger, so it doesn't bring back any memories of military service, it brings back a few of messing around with mates on an old Atari we got cheap at a car boot sale, listening to music. good times.
Craig David's album is brilliant though. Fill Me In, is a quality song, both parts, so is Rendezvous, 7 Days and Rewind too. It was one of the defining albums in the R&B genre. Really had a great influence on the whole R&B scene. It sold 8 million copies, was voted number 2 on the the MTV greatest albums of all time thing in April this year. Listen to it, it's really good.
Lupe Fiasco is a top rappist (I like saying that). He has some serious skill, his delivery, his lyrics are brilliant and he has songs that are actually brilliant. Kick Push, Sunshine, American Terrorist. Draws a lot of influence form Public Enemy (I'm a huge fan), but doesn't get quite as political. Still has a message though.
Vampire Weekend is pure pop. Nothing else. Some cracking pop songs really. Just is fun to listen to and puts me in a good mood. Sometimes you don't need a great message, you just need something to make you smile. This does it perfectly.
Cheers
I was in the mood for an extra long post and it just about managed to fit the bill.- Status