That promises something good for OK Computer. Or not, depending on if you're a fan or not.

Great comments on Kid A, Honorio. Especially about finding a more alienated world - after OK Computer, who would've thought that was possible?

Nope, John, what is it?

Well, in Killing Yourself To Live Klosterman shows how for him Kid A predicted the events of 9/11. He's not saying they actually did but that for him it was the soundtrack to the day even though it was released before it happened. I highly recommend the book, but at least read those few pages and then listen to Kid A again.

Thanks, Anthony. I love your comments too.

This makes me think there's a chance that we might still have another 2007 release in the top 100...

This is a little late, but - six top 10 (actually all top 7) appearances for Soft Bulletin, but no comments!?
Is that album unusually hard to write about?

The book is about Klosterman going across America to visit places where musicians died.

I'd be surprised if "OK Computer" didn't win this thing. Although I've been wrong before ... many times. The problem for the Beatles and Dylan is that the vote will be split for their best albums.
Looks like my highest entry that won't be making the list is "Stand!" at number 13.

I can't believe I'm the only one who had Rubber Soul in the top 10.

Rubber Soul was my top Beatles record, but I didn't have any in the top 10.

#13



Pink Floyd – DARK SIDE OF THE MOON (1973)

Total Points = 1184.01

Appeared on 22 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Anthony (#1), Juan (#2), Giuseppe (#3), Georgie (#3), Jacek (#5), rendle (#5), twister (#7)

Anthony:
Like a good film, a great album should be an experience; it should flow, captivate, provoke, inspire, and entertain. For my money, no other album achieves all of this to the extent that Dark Side of the Moon does – and that’s why I consider it my favorite album of all time. From the iconic cover art to the musique concrète soundscapes to the thematic lyrics concerning the pressures of daily life (“Time”, “Money”, “Us and Them”,) everything about DSotM works. It’s the concept album of concept albums – a landmark recording that plays like a movie and in doing so, rewards focused listening (which is why it’s often described as the greatest “headphone album”, and why it’s sometimes - and unfortunately - branded as “stoner rock.” Its status, like any truly great album, is mythic (Dark Side of the Rainbow, anyone?), and while it teeters on pretension, its focus remains consistent throughout the 43 minutes of aural headtrip splendor.

nicolas:
When I buy myself a high-tech strereo, I'll use this record to test the sound. A big classic.

Sounds like an interesting read, John.

I'm sure the only album in my top 10 to make the list is Blood on the Tracks. Doesn't matter, it's a great list. Kid A I'm shamefully unfamiliar with, though, have to catch up.

Great album but it doesn't even compare to Piper at the Gates of Dawn (the most underrated album in the history of rock).

John, come on - PIPER is ranked #100 on AM right now! How can any album in the AM top 100 possibly be considered underrated? I'd say, based on the results of this poll, that IN THE AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA is the most underrated album, given its current AM position.

Now I guess I could say Radiohead = Dallas/Arsenal, but I like Radiohead too much, lol.

I didn't realize it was that high! Still, I would say 3/4ths of everyone who has listened to Dark Side of the Moon have never heard Piper.

John, I'm putting Piper on right now. Suitable soundtrack for the grand final.

Great idea!

Harold - agreed.

Oh, and I just remembered this and thought you'd appreciate it. From some reviewer on Amazon on "In the Aeroplane"....

"I had to buy a second copy of this CD.

One day, as I was leaving work, my original copy of the CD broke open its jewel case and leapt forth in a daring and quixotic bid for freedom which was cut tragically short when it skidded to a stop, butter-side down, on the rough pavement of the parking lot.

In retrospect, given the nature of this CD, I was not surprised that it had made the attempt; indeed, the only surprise is that it did not succeed, and rise up into the distance to sail the endless skies forever."

No e-mail. Maybe my spamcatcher snagged it. Would you mine resending?

#12



Pixies – DOOLITTLE (1989)

Total Points = 1204.94

Appeared on 25 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Juan (#3), Michel (#4), schleuse (#7), EdAmes (# , Rendle (#10), Stammer (#10)

Honorio:
The heroes of indie-pop. The Boston band improved the findings of “Surfer Rosa” (and that’s saying a lot) focusing in good pop melodies (with delicious backing vocals by Kim Deal) without losing its trademark weirdness, its adventurous guitar work from Joey Santiago and the strange lyrical themes of Black Francis (mutilation, bleeding, “Un chien andalou” . Simultaneously catchy and bizarre.

schleuse:
The 80s end and the 90s begin.

jonmarck:
The Pixies followed up Surfer Rosa with more of the same nowhere themes and gibberish chants. "La La Love You" may rank as one of their most cheerfully pointless compositions. Since it was their second time through the process (not counting debut EP Come on Pilgrim) they were more efficient and achieved stronger results. This is best witnessed on "Debaserr", "Wave of Mutilation", "Monkey Gone to Heaven" and "Here Comes Your Man", which the group had actually been playing since their first gig. Tensions were mounting between Kim Deal and Black Francis as the band was reluctant to perform her not-so-stellar songs. While opening for U2 on the ZooTV tour this rift would widen to the point where Deal wasn't even conversing with her bandmates.

How can a lot of you like "Kind of Blue", but virtually never talk about any other Bill Evans albums? The first time I heard "Kind of Blue", I was impressed with the guy on the piano, and from there became a huge fan of his. I would've thought that others who liked this record would check out some more Bill Evans, especially since it was made because Miles Davis wanted to make a Bill Evans album.

I like Sunday at the Village Vanguard much better than Kind of Blue.

I like the Beatles a lot, but 4 albums in the top 10... (or top 11 in the worst case), that's too much for me !

That's hilarious, Anthony (the Amazon review), and so to-the-point. Aeroplane was one other thing I picked up from the '05 poll. Yippie.

Kind of Blue has a mythology - the performers, the improvisation, the mood, the magic.

I love Bill Evans, but none of his albums come close to achieving that.

Shhh, LonesomePanda. Don't piss off Anthony again.

Sunday at the Village Vanguard might make the top 200 of a collective list.

I slanted my list a little more to the rock side of things because I figured only the truly giant jazz albums would register in this format.

And I don't think there is any Evans LP that's really on par with Kind of Blue. (Just my opinion). For a similar sound, I would strongly recommend "Something Else" by Cannonball Adderly. Similar style and major contributions from Miles.

I think we can all guess what the top 11 are. The fun is now in the order.

I'm really digging the last four (all in my top ten). All of them are deserving of their high placing. I'm alos glad to see Funeral so high on the list.

Oh, Schwah, you little rascal. I'm not really that mean, am I?

Heh, heh ,heh. No you're not, Anthony. I just like for everyone to get along.

#11



David Bowie – THE RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST AND THE SPIDERS FROM MARS (1972)

Total Points = 1415.51

Appeared on 27 ballots (out of 47).

Fans: Honorio (#1), schleuse (#4), Chris (#5), Jacek (#6), otisredding (#7), BillAdama (#9), Stammer (#10)

Honorio:
I can’t think of a better example of a beautifully and cleverly constructed album that my all-time favourite one, “Ziggy Stardust”. It opens with a fade-in of the drums in “Five Years” immediately setting an apocalyptic background, followed by three consecutive hymns, the 50s-flavoured “Soul Love”, the space-rock anthem “Moonage Daydream” and the delicious “Star Man”. The B-side songs focus on rock stardom, with peaks as high as “Star” (“I could play the wild mutation as a rock & roll star” or the mythical “Ziggy Stardust” (“He was the nazz / with God given ass, / he took it all too far / but boy could he play guitar” . And then the grand finale with the melodramatic “Rock ’n’ Roll Suicide”. This theatrical approach to pop music was his best weapon and is what made this piece of art so unbeatable. Unbeatable? Of course, in my opinion. But it could have been even better changing the Ron Davies cover “It Ain’t Easy” for the superb “Velvet Goldmine” from the same sessions.

Moonbeam:
The behemoth in his catalogue, Ziggy looms large as the first album in which Bowie submerged himself in a fully-formed character, all the while synthesizing traditional music structure with such subversive content. Its brilliant sequencing gives the album the feeling of an epic story, and its grandeur holds up on repeated listens.

schleuse:
As my list probably shows, I don’t give a lot of points for thematic unity. But no other album has ever pulled off the narrative sense that this one has without seeming forced.

Snusmumrik:
Bring on the glam Messiah!

jonmarck:
Ziggy played guitar and Bowie played Ziggy. Funny how he had to pretend to be a rockstar in order to write his best rock tunes. Singles "Ziggy Stardust" and "Starman" are melodramatic affairs. Stick to the hard-rock R&B of "Suffragette City", "Hang Onto Yourself" and "Moonage Daydream".

Schwah:
Come for the theater, stay for the rock! Bowie's alien delivery is ear-catching, and the song-writing is top drawer. But the re-listenability (is that a word?) that is missing from too many Bowie albums comes from Marc Ronson's licks.

I just read LonesomePanda's post. Arrrggh.

The top 10 has been posted in its entirety in a new thread.

Enjoy!

Anthony, just to clarify above my #10 album was for the Pixies and not Ziggy. I'm sure the ponits were not counted that way though.

Kid A isn't surprising, but I'm shocked to see Arcade Fire that high.

I'd probably put them #2 that year, but they fell short of my top 100.

Someone commented on my reflection on Kind of Blue as "the only jazz I need".

I definitely have delved more deeply into jazz that maybe someone might assume if I only put KOB in my top 100. My Dad subscribed to a Legends of Jazz subscription series that sent 3 classics every other month.

Appreciating jazz is very different for me, because I think it's more of a technically oriented, improvisational music. Liking jazz doesn't necessarily move me in the same way as rock, although when the context of both genres perfectly merge (such as in my #4 album of all time Zappa's Burnt Weeny Sandwich) the results can be astounding.

Time limits just keep from exploring all corners of the jazz world. But Kind of Blue was on the first order of jazz CDs that my Dad got in the early nineties... it's the first jazz CD I ever heard. And it soothes me like a warm blanket whenever I hear even a few seconds of one of the tracks.

As someone that likes experimentation and pushing boundaries, I find Bitches Brew, On the Corner, and Live-evil very interesting too, just not as moving.