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Welcome to 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL

Vinyl record sales have continued to soar consecutively for the past 11 years, with them hitting a 25-year high this year in the UK. Even in this digital age, we haven’t moved so far from our past that there’s no room for the traditional musical format that is vinyl. In 100 Greatest Albums You Should Own On Vinyl, we collate the greatest albums to have ever been pressed and then sold on vinyl since the ’50s. From the bands and solo artists that made the music possible, to the sleeve art and limited edition extras of the record itself, we will take you on the ultimate journey of musical discovery.

GREATEST ALBUMS you should own on

Future Publishing Ltd Richmond House 33 Richmond Hill Bournemouth Dorset BH2 6EZ  +44 (0) 1202 586200 Editorial Editor Amy Best Senior Designer Adam Markiewicz Editor In Chief Jon White Senior Art Editor Greg Whitaker Cover images Thinkstock

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26 52 74 RUN-DMC ’50s-60s III Never Mind The Bollocks, Raising Hell 28 Here’s The Sex Pistols 75 DEF LEPPARD Paranoid 53 Hysteria 29 SIMON & Aja 76 GARFUNKEL 54 THIN LIZZY Bad Bridge Over Troubled Water Live And Dangerous 78 GUNS N’ ROSES 30 55 Appetite For Destruction Moondance Armed Forces 79 TULAVIOK Dèche à la Chtouille 31 56 JOY DIVISION Blue Unknown Pleasures 80 PIXIES 32 57 What’s Going On 10 81 PUBLIC ENEMY In The Wee Small Hours 33 THE ROLLING It Takes A Nation Of 58 STONES Millions To Hold Us Back 11 ELLA FITZGERALD The Specials Like Someone In Love Sticky Fingers 82 BEASTIE BOYS Paul’s Boutique 12 34 ’80s Kind Of Blue The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy 84 13 BB KING Stardust And The Spiders From Mars Live At The Regal 85 The Stone Roses 14 JOHN COLTRANE 36 A Love Supreme Transformer ’90s 15 BEACH BOYS 37 Harvest 16 38 BILL WITHERS Blonde On Blonde Live At Carnegie Hall 18 THE 39 EXPERIENCE Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 40 62 AC/DC 20 THE VELVET The Dark Side Of Back In Black UNDERGROUND The Moon 64 THE JAM The Velvet Underground & Nico 42 Sound Affects 21 65 43 QUEEN Nebraska 88 PEARL JAM A Night At The Opera 22 66 CHUCK BERRY Ten Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts 44 EAGLES The Great Twenty Eight 90 Club Band Hotel 67 DIRE STRAITS 45 Love Over Gold 91 MASSIVE ATTACK ’70s Ramones Blue Lines 68 46 ...Off The Bone 92 DR DRE In The Key Of Life The Chronic 69 48 BOB MARLEY 93 PAVEMENT Purple Rain & THE WAILERS Exodus 70 KATE BUSH 94 RAGE AGAINST Hounds Of Love 49 ELECTRIC LIGHT THE MACHINE 71 IRON MAIDEN Rage Against The Machine Out Of The Blue Somewhere In Time 95 A TRIBE 50 72 THE SMITHS CALLED QUEST Rumours The Queen Is Dead Midnight Marauders

6 96 NIRVANA 119 Sea Change 98 MANIC STREET 120 BLUR PREACHERS Think Tank Holy Bible 122 WHITE STRIPES 99 NAS Elephant Illmatic 123 100 OASIS  'H¿QLWHO\0D\EH 124 SUFJAN STEVENS 101 PORTISHEAD Illinois Dummy 125 102 VARIOUS ARTISTS Fleet Foxes Pulp Fiction 126 103 SOUNDGARDEN Superunknown 2010 onwards... 104 UNDERWORLD 105 GOLDIE Timeless 106 OK Computer 108 The Fragile 109 FLAMING LIPS

’00s 130 KANYE WEST My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 132 JOANNA NEWSOM Have One On Me 133 BON IVER Bon Iver 134 THE BLACK KEYS El Camino 136 good kid, m.A.A.d city 137 112 JAY-Z AM The Blueprint 138 114 140 VARIOUS ARTISTS 115 Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 116 TOOL 142 JACK WHITE Lateralus Lazaretto 118 QUEENS OF THE 143 KAMASI STONE AGE WASHINGTON The Epic

7 ’50s-60s

10 Frank Sinatra In The Wee Small Hours 11 Ella Fitzgerald Like Someone In Love 12 Miles Davis Kind Of Blue 13 BB King Live At The Regal 14 John Coltrane A Love Supreme 15 Beach Boys Pet Sounds 16 Bob Dylan Blonde On Blonde 18 The Jimi Hendrix Experience Are You Experienced 20 The Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground & Nico 21 Johnny Cash At Folsom Prison 22 The Beatles Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band

8 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

9 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

In The Wee Small Hours Frank Sinatra

Release Date: 1955 | : Capitol

ushing 40 years old in April something of a commercial gamble in the popular 1955 and already nine albums music market of the mid-’50s. into an uneven career, Frank A large part of the ’s success (it went P Sinatra needed his third all the way to #2 on the American chart) is record for the Capitol label to be a attributable to its fantastic cover, which alone major hit – and so it was, but almost makes it worth your while acquiring it on vinyl. uniquely for Sinatra, not solely Lit with blue light and resolutely lonesome, because of his vocal prowess or the Sinatra is pictured in a desolate cityscape with quality of the songs. In The Wee Small nothing but a cigarette for company. Nowadays, Hours is a resolutely downbeat collection of ¿OPQRLUDQGEOHDNWHOHYLVXDOKLWVVXFKDVMad songs which focus on solitude, abandonment Men have made us accustomed to the image of 7UDFN/LVW DQGLQQHUUHÀHFWLRQ±DORQJZD\IURPWKH the so-lonely-he’s-cool suited man, but back in SIDE A cheerful, optimistic pop-swing in which Sinatra ’55, this kind of understated chic was new to most Track 1: In The Wee Small Hours Of The Morning KDGSUHYLRXVO\VSHFLDOLVHG±DQGDVVXFKZDV of the mass . Hats off to Sinatra, then, Track 2: Mood Indigo who had been pondering the concept for at least a Track 3: Glad To Be Unhappy This was Sinarta’s decade before the album was recorded. Track 4: I Get Along Without You Very Well ninth album and his Of course, it helped that many of the songs third with Capitol RQWKH/3±6LQDWUD¶V¿UVW´YLQ\OUHOHDVHDQG Track 5: Deep In A Dream WKH¿UVWRILWVNLQGRXWVLGHWKHFODVVLFDODQGMD]] Track 6: I See Your Face Before Me ¿HOGV±ZHUH¿UVWUDWH7KHWLWOHFXWDQGµGlad Track 7: Can’t We Be Friends? To Be Unhappy’ presented the as a man Track 8: When Your Lover Has Gone bowed but unbroken by his solitude, while I SIDE B µGet Along Without You Very Well¶±ZLWKLWV Track 1: What Is This Thing Called Love? luscious orchestration, arranged by the masterful Track 2: Last Night When We Were Young 1HOVRQ5LGGOH±LVTXLWHSRVVLEO\RQHRIWKHPRVW Track 3: I’ll Be Around accomplished post-breakup songs ever written. Track 4: Ill Wind 7KHVHLPPRUWDOFRPSRVLWLRQVPDQ\RIWKHP Track 5: It Never Entered My Mind now part and parcel of the Great American Track 6: Dancing On The Ceiling Songbook, paved the way for what was perhaps Track 7: I’ll Never Be The Same 6LQDWUD¶V¿QHVWDOEXP±Songs For Swingin’ Track 8: This Love Of Mine Lovers!, released the following year.

10 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Like Someone In Love Ella Fitzgerald

Release Date: 1957 | Record Label: Verve

ne of no fewer than four vibe of the . Meanwhile, ‘I Thought About albums released by Ella You’ showcases ability to navigate tricky chord Fitzgerald in 1957, Like changes with consummate ease. O Someone In Love is an Fitzgerald followed up Like Someone In Love album of standards – and although with the widely-acclaimed Porgy And Bess, the songs may be lesser known than recorded with Louis Armstrong, and continued the many other compositions she this purple patch of creativity for another decade covered throughout her ‘Song book’ or so. Disciples of her work might nominate period, they’re no less evocative for WKLVFROOHFWLRQRIVRQJVDVRQHRIKHUYHU\¿QHVW that. Soulful, emotional and sweet, the songs thanks to the exquisite , the purity are evoked neatly by Phil Stern’s cover photo of of her vibrato and the commitment with which Fitzgerald, then 50 years old and peaking as a she made other ’ words sound like her Track List singer. Caught with an expression of rapture, the own. Producer Norman Granz, a titan among mid- SIDE A singer never seemed more inspired than she does century studio masters, brought out the very Track 1: There’s A Lull here, especially if you’ve been wise enough to best in Fitzgerald with this exquisite album. Track 2: More Than You Know invest in the full-sized LP artwork. Track 3: What Will I Tell My Heart? Fans of this world-class period in Fitzgerald’s Ella Fitzgerald Track 4: I Never Had A Chance career will relish the song choices on the album. released four albums in 1957 Track 5: Close Your Eyes The title track, composed by veteran tunesmiths We’ll Be Again in 1944 by and Johnny Burke, Track 6: had been a hit back in 1945 for ; Track 7: Then I’ll Be Tired Of You Fitzgerald’s reading of the song is both emotional Track 8: Like Someone In Love and joyful. Bernice Petkere’s ‘Close Your Eyes’, 24 SIDE B years old at this point, is another high point, with Track 1: Midnight Sun subtle walking bass and a full range of emotive Track 2: I Thought About You vocals from the singer. Track 3: You’re Blasé Lionel Hampton’s ‘Midnight Sun’ features Track 4: Night Wind the great on tenor saxophone and Track 5: What’s New? has one of Fitzgerald’s most considered vocal Track 6: Hurry Home performances, ranging all the way down to a Track 7: How Long Has This Been Going On? sultry low that perfectly expresses the late-night

11 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Kind Of Blue 0LOHV'DYLV

Release Date: 1959 | Record Label: Columbia

ne of the things that we GLI¿FXOW\EHKLQGJURXSLPSURYLVDWLRQDQGKRZ love about listening to vinyl 'DYLVZRXOGW\SLFDOO\FRQFHLYHWKHVHWWLQJVWKDW 7UDFN/LVW is the warmth it offers in KHUHTXLUHGIRUKLVSLHFHVPHUHKRXUVEHIRUHWKH terms of its tone and overall DFWXDOUHFRUGLQJGDWHV SIDE A O Track 1: So What sound.7KDWULFKQHVVLVDPSOL¿HGWHQIROG -D]]PLJKWQRWEHIRU\RXEXW\RXRZHLWWR ZKHQOLVWHQLQJWRDVXLWDEOHJHQUHOLNHMD]]DQG \RXUVHOIWRH[SHULHQFHDPDVWHUDWWKHKHLJKWRI Track 2: Freddie Freeloader LWEHFRPHVHYHQPRUHHVVHQWLDOWRWKHRYHUDOO KLVSRZHUVDQGHYHQLI\RX¶YHQHYHUDSSUHFLDWHG Track 3: Blue In Green H[SHULHQFHZKHQIHHOLQJWKHVZHHWGXOFHWWRQHVRI MD]]EHIRUHKind Of BlueZLOOPDNH\RXUHFRQVLGHU SIDE B 0LOHV'DYLV¶WUXPSHWVRORVLQKind Of Blue. It will \RXUVWDQFHRQLW,W¶VWKDWNLQGRIODQGPDUN Track 1: All Blues DOVRPDNH\RXXQGHUVWDQGZK\LWLVWKDWVRPDQ\ DFKLHYHPHQWWKDWGHVHUYHVWR¿QGLWVZD\LQWRDQ\ Track 2: Flamenco Sketches SHRSOHVD\WKDW\RXfeelMD]]LQVWHDGRIVLPSO\ YLQ\OORYHU¶VFROOHFWLRQ OLVWHQWRLW 7KHUH¶VDUHDVRQZK\Kind Of Blue is the Davis performing live EHVWVHOOLQJMD]]DOEXPRIDOOWLPHLW¶VVLPSO\ on stage in 1970 XQPDWFKHGLQERWKLWVFRPSRVLWLRQVDQGLWVWRQH GHOLYHULQJDVPRRWKWDQWDOLVLQJVRXQGWKDWIHHOV SHUIHFWIRUDOPRVWDQ\RFFDVLRQ7KHRULJLQDO UHOHDVHPLJKWRQO\IHDWXUH¿YHWUDFNVLQWRWDOEXW DOVRUHTXLUHGMXVWVL[WDNHVWRUHFRUG±RQO\WKH +LVSDQLFLQÀXHQFHGµFlamenco Sketches¶QHHGHG DVHFRQGWDNH±VXFKZDVWKHWLJKWQHVVRIWKH VHYHQSLHFHEDQGWKDW'DYLVKDGIRUPHGIRUKLV VL[WKDOEXPXQGHU&ROXPELD5HFRUGV 7KHFRYHURIKind Of BlueLVVLPSOHDQG XQGHUVWDWHGFKRRVLQJWRIRFXVRQ0LOHVDVKH SHUIRUPVRQKLVLFRQLFWUXPSHW$QG\HWWKHOLQHU QRWHVRIWKH/3JLYHDJUHDWLQVLJKWLQWRKRZKH FRQVWUXFWHGKLVPHWLFXORXVVRXQGLQJPDVWHUSLHFH WKDQNVWRDVHULHVRIIDVFLQDWLQJQRWHVIURPSLDQLVW %LOO(YDQVOLQNLQJWKHLPSURYLVDWLRQRI'DYLV ZLWKD-DSDQHVHYLVXDODUWVW\OHZKHUHWKHDUWLVW

LVIRUFHGWREHVSRQWDQHRXV,WDOVRH[SODLQVWKH David Redfern/Redferns / Getty Images

12 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Live At The Regal BB King

Release Date: 1965 | Record Label: ABC

here’s no wonder that the blues, and has been cited as an inspiration by late BB King’s 1965 in- King disciples such as . concert album Live At The Around half of the songs on the LP are King’s T Regal was selected a few own compositions or co-writes: of these, ‘Woke years back for permanent inclusion in Up This Mornin’ is a particularly dexterous the National Recording Registry at the example of King’s incredible stage presence. Library of Congress in Washington, with all of his rich vocal range and DC. It depicts a bluesman at the peak of his delivering plangent solos on his beloved Gibson considerable skills, recorded in what was pristine ES-355, or ‘Lucille’ as it was known, the great sound quality by the standards of the mid-’60s, man entranced the audience throughout a series playing a set of emotional blues compositions of key and time changes. Elsewhere, King proved and accompanied by a world-class band. All these his musicianship to a bewildering degree on years later, it remains an object lesson in electric standards such as Memphis Slim’s ‘Every Day I Have The Blues’, powering his way through the BB King with song at breakneck speed. Conversely, you coulld his famous settle into the slow grooves of Plumber and Taub’s Lucille classic ‘Worry, Worry’, on which King supplies an Track List emotive, throat-shredding vocal. SIDE A The last of the ‘Three Kings’ of the blues, Track 1: Every Day I Have the Blues predeceased by Freddie King and Albert King, BB Track 2: Sweet Little Angel was a legend unto himself by the time he died in 2015 at the ripe old age of 89. Live At The Regal Track 3: It’s My Own Fault wasn’t his most polished album, because he also Track 4: How Blue Can You Get released a stunning 40-plus studio LPs, but it Track 5: Please Love Me was one of his most creative. Audiences loved it SIDE B and continue to do so, judging by the plethora Track 1: You Upset Me Baby RIUHLVVXHVZKLFKLWKDVHQMR\HGVLQFHLW¿UVW Track 2: Worry, Worry DSSHDUHG¿YHGHFDGHVDJR

13 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

A Love Supreme John Coltrane

Release Date: 1965 | Record Label: Impulse!

n December 1964 John Coltrane tracked named ‘Acknowledgement’, ‘Resolution’, LQÀXHQFHGWKRVHLQLWVRZQJHQUHEXWA Love and his Classic Quartet ‘Pursuance’ and ‘Psalm’. But the record in no Supreme has been credited with inspiring recorded A Love Supreme in way preaches spirituality. It goes from jazz bob musicians outside of jazz such as the rock band I one session. How many great albums to freeform jazz and there is a hint of gospel in and guitarist . were recorded in a day? A second session was there such as when Coltrane repeats the words On the album’s 50th anniversary a reissue used to record the album with a sextet as this ‘a love supreme’ during ‘Acknowledgement’. titled the Complete Masters was released on vinyl. was how Coltrane originally imaged it sounding When the record was released in January 1965 This version comes with three LPs, in addition to but he chose to use the quartet version. At 33 it exceeded all expectations, selling around the original album the set includes the only live minutes, A Love Supreme is a four-part suite 500,000 copies. Coltrane’s other records would recording of A Love Supreme in its entirety and on Coltrane’s spiritual awakening and rebirth typically sell in the area of 30,000. One of the the third LP has alternative takes, such as the from a life of alcohol and drug addiction, with PRVWLQÀXHQWLDOMD]]DOEXPVQRWRQO\KDVKH versions recorded in the second session. In the Complete Masters, the gatefold opens to a poem Coltrane performing in also titled A Love Supreme written by Coltrane Copenhagen, Denmark along with a letter thanking God and those in 1961 listening. He was kicked from the Miles Davis quartet for his heroin use and after his spiritual reawakening, he kicked his drug and alcohol habits, as a love letter to spirituality he composed this album. He would carry on experimenting with his composing but the success of the album didn’t carry over into Coltrane’s follow up records.

Track List SIDE A Part 1: Acknowledgement Part 2: Resolution SIDE B Part 1: Pursuance Part 2 Psalm JP Jazz Archive /Redferns/Getty Images

14 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Pet Sounds Beach Boys

Release Date: 1966 | Record Label: Capitol

roduced, composed and work and the singles could promote the album. Sounds should be categorised as psychedelic arranged by Brian Wilson, it Some would say it was Sgt Pepper that did this rock. The album cost $70,000 to produce, over is often consider to be a Brian but Beatles’ producer George Martin has said that $500,000 in today’s equivalent, which was P Wilson solo album with the without Pet Sounds there would be no Sgt Pepper. unheard of in 1966. Beach Boys name attached. In 1965 had moved away from the On it’s release in American the album received Wilson withdrew from live performances after beach theme in the previous album The Beach a tepid reaction while across the pond in Britain suffering form panic attacks, instead he would Boys Today and wanted to expand on the sound it was praised, remaining in the top ten for focus more on composing and recording. After introduced in that album. The songs in Pet Sounds six months. A two-disc coloured vinyl set was hearing The Beatles’ album Rubber Soul, Wilson would use instruments not normally associated released in 2006 that includes two mixes of the decided to expand on the music he created, with the genre such as electro-theremin, bongos same album, one stereo mix on a green LP and coincidentally the music he was inspired to write and accordions There are psychedelic elements one mono on translucent yellow. would then inspire McCartney. Pet Sounds is throughout such as the echo, reverb and choice of said to have brought on the age of albums, LPs instruments evoking a dream-like or otherworldly no longer had to be a reason to promote singles, sound, this experimentation with sound and Track List but they could be conceived as a whole piece of recording has caused debate as to whether Pet SIDE A Track 1: Wouldn’t It Be Nice Track 2: You Still Believe In Me Track 3: That’s Not Me Track 4: Don’t Talk (Put Your Head On My Shoulder) Track 5: I’m Waiting For The Day Track 6: Let’s Go Away For Awhile Track 7: Sloop John B SIDE B Track 1: God Only Knows Track 2: I Know There’s An Answer Track 3: Here Today Track 4: I Just Wasn’t Made For These Times Track 5: Pet Sounds The Beach Boys, 1981 Track 6: Caroline, No ABC Photo Archives/ABC /Getty Images

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Blonde On Blonde Bob Dylan

Release Date: 1966 | Record Label:

very small number of shouted “Judas!” in annoyance at his apparently albums change the face of outrageous use of an electric guitar. Thus was Track List popular music, although the ’60s born, goes the received rock wisdom, SIDE A A critics like to opine that the birth of the decade in cultural terms being Track 1: Rainy Day Women #12 & 35 many do so. Wherever you stand, there’s no synonymous with musicians breaking free of their Track 2: Pledging My Time denying that Bob Dylan’s seventh studio LP did assigned categories and doing what the hell they Track 3: Visions Of Johanna exactly that. Blonde On Blonde ZDVRQHRIWKH¿UVW ZDQWHGWRIRUWKH¿UVWWLPH Track 4: One Of Us Must Know (Sooner or Later) double albums in popular music; it was Dylan’s &XOWXUDOVLJQL¿FDQFHDVLGHKRZGRHVBlonde ¿UVWWREHUHFRUGHGLQ1DVKYLOOHXVLQJWKHFUHDP On Blonde stand up after more than 50 years as a SIDE B of that city’s talents as well as his own band; and it body of work? Well, the usual Dylan tropes are all Track 1: I Want You completed a trilogy of LPs that he present and correct. His voice may Track 2: Stuck Inside Of Mobile With The Memphis Blues Again had initiated with Bringing It All have been raw by the standards “Blonde on Track 3: Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat Back Home (1965) and Highway of the day, but it was a thing of 61 Revisited (1965). Blonde was honeyed beauty compared to the Track 4: Just Like A Woman Blonde On Blonde (it seems the album that shredded rasp it later became due SIDE C insulting to abbreviate it to to the rigours of decades on the Track 1: Most Likely You Go Your Way BOB – appropriate though that consolidated road. Then there’s Dylan’s endless and I’ll Go Mine would be) was also the album harmonica, which – depending on Track 2: Temporary Like Achilles that consolidated Dylan’s recent Dylan’s your point of view – is either an Track 3: Absolutely Sweet Marie switch to largely – but not recent switch eloquent evocation of roots music Track 4: 4th Time Around entirely – electric music. It has and Americana, or a terrible Track 5: Obviously 5 Believers been widely documented that this to largely squealing racket that should stop SIDE D move was not universally loved by electric music” forthwith. Then again, anyone Track 1: Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands his fanbase, but let’s recap. who tends towards the slightly Highway 61 Revisited, which contained many uncharitable latter view probably isn’t listening electric elements, was released in August 1965; to this music, or even still reading this entry, for Dylan recorded Blonde On Blonde between that matter. October the same year and March 1966; in Right from the off, the album earns its place in May 1966, around the time of the new album’s the classic ’60s canon. Dylan was courageous to release, he played a show at the Free Trade Hall kick it off with ‘Rainy Day Women #12 & 35’, a in Manchester where some wag in the crowd song that not only had a near-unpronounceable

16 cross-referencing the “stoned” part of his lyric with ‘stoning’ in the Biblical sense, wise man OTHER ALBUMS that he was. What’s more, setting the song to a Salvation Army-style marching beat and revival- church wails was subversively brilliant. Then there’s ‘Visions of Johanna’, ‘I Want You’, ‘Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat’… the list of classic song titles rolls on through the album, these cuts in particular revealing Dylan’s expertise at evoking emotions through lyrics. For anyone who has found themselves wondering exactly why it is that Bob Dylan’s ’60s’ albums are so revered, WKHVHFUHWLVPRVWGH¿QLWHO\LQWKHVHVRQJVWKH\ express with perfect economy the struggles of the human condition. To listen to these songs is to recognise oneself in them. The album winds to a halt after the 11-minute ‘Sad Eyed Lady Of The Lowlands’, written for Dylan’s wife, Sara, and occupying the whole of Side Four. It’s an epic ending to a huge body (1964) of work, and epitomises the whole album in The Times They Are a-Changin’ that it’s musically ambitious but thematically We associate protest music with the late ‘60s, and forget that before 1965, anti-establishment songs uncomplicated – a love song. As a single element were relatively rare. Back in 1964, Bob was laying of its creator’s skills, it’s unparalleled, as is Blonde down the angry grooves before it became cool – On Blonde as a whole. Bob Dylan recorded albums see the title cut of this incendiary album. title but also rested on the line “Everybody must that were more socially critical than this one, get stoned”. Remember, this was at a point in and certainly more digestible, but perhaps not as American judicial history when even mentioning demonstrative of his world view. cannabis could earn you a spell in San Quentin and an appointment in the showers with Mr Big. Dylan cleverly avoided such an encounter by

Highway 61 Revisited (1965) Going electric in 1965 with this stunning album, Dylan is said by many to have kickstarted the ‘60s in doing so. Although not all of his fans appreciated the switch from acoustic music, who can argue with ‘Like A ’?

Blood on the Tracks (1975) In this astounding, unpredictable suite of songs, the music is emotive and compelling. Just as he had defined the ‘60s with his first few albums, so Dylan soundtracked the rise of the confessional ’70s singer- with this classic.

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Are You Experienced The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Release Date: 1967 | Record Label: Track Records

ften considered one of The original UK release of the LP in May 1967 the greatest albums of featured a mono mix, but a stereo mix was also Track List all time, and cementing produced when the record made its way to the O Jimi Hendrix’s status as US in August of the same year. There are several SIDE A the original guitar hero, Are You differences between the two mixes, including a Track 1: Foxy Lady ExperiencedUHPDLQVDVLJQL¿FDQW drumroll on ‘May This Be Love’ and the sound Track 2: Manic Depression milestone in the history of of Hendrix turning pages of lyrics which are not Track 3: Red House over 50 years since its release. Born in audible on the mono mix. Track 4: Can You See Me Seattle and trying to make a name for himself As well as wrangling the absolute best from his Track 5: Love Or Confusion in New York, Hendrix moved to England under guitar, Hendrix also introduced the Octavia pedal Track 6: Don’t Live Today the management of former on the group’s debut record – an SIDE B Animals bassist effects pedal created exclusively Track 1: May This Be Love in 1966. Within months he had “The shot for Hendrix by sound technician Track 2: Fire formed a band with bassist Noel Roger Mayer to duplicate the saw the Track 3: Third Stone From The Sun Redding and drummer Mitch guitar sound an octave up or Track 4: Remember Mitchell. The newly-christened debut of the down and add some fuzz. The Track 5: Are You Experienced? The Jimi Hendrix Experience ‘Experience distinct sound is most iconically had been assembled by Chandler used during ‘Purple Haze’. While to showcase Hendrix’s unique afro’, a key not solely responsible for the songwriting and guitar wizardry. ‘wah-wah’ sound now in Are You Experienced was part of their guitar, it was Hendrix’s slide UHFRUGHGLQVHVVLRQVRYHU¿YH signature technique on ‘I Don’t Live Today’ months at three London Studios which effects pedal manufacturer – De Lane Lea Studios, CBS and look” Vox tried to replicate with the very Olympic Studios. Recording for ¿UVWµZDKZDK¶SHGDO the album was done in between a busy schedule The original UK pressings of Are You of live performances, though the trio notoriously Experienced are fronted by an image of Hendrix laid down entire tracks with minimal fuss. Most ÀDQNHGE\0LWFKHOODQG5HGGLQJSKRWRJUDSKHG notably, ‘The Wind Cries Mary’ was reportedly by Bruce Fleming who had previously worked recorded in a single take having only been written with The Hollies and The Animals. Inexplicably the night before by Hendrix. Chandler estimated these initial copies featured no mention of the the album cost no more than £1,500 to produce. EDQG¶VQDPHRQWKHFRYHUDQRYHUVLJKWUHFWL¿HG

18 Appearing on the US release three months later, Ferris opted for a yellow cover with pink lettering and an infrared photograph of OTHER ALBUMS WDNHQWKURXJKD¿VKH\HOHQV7KHVKRWZDVWDNHQ at London’s Kew Gardens and saw the debut of the ‘Experience afro’, a key part of the trio’s signature look. Ferris described the Experience’s music as “so far out that it seemed to have come from outer space,” inspiring him to create a backstory for the image of a “group travelling through space in a Biosphere on their way to bring their unworldly space music to earth.” Hendrix’s jacket in the photo was actually a gift from a fan. Are You Experienced has featured various distinct track listings since its initial release, most notably originally omitting UK chart hits ‘Purple Haze’, ‘Hey Joe’ and ‘The Wind Cries Mary’. The original 11-track listing was altered for the US version, including the three aforementioned UK singles whilst dropping ‘Red House’, ‘Can You on further European Polydor-released versions See Me’ and ‘Remember’. Further releases began Axis: Bold as Love (1967) with the addition of ‘Jimi Hendrix’ above to include 17 tracks, although the album’s order The Experience’s second album, released the the album title. Hendrix wasn’t keen on the varies across versions and some tracks’ titles same year as their first to fulfill their record record’s cover so graphic designer and fashion differ subtly - such as ‘Foxy Lady’/’Foxey Lady’ contract. Hendrix begins to explore a more photographer Karl Ferris was approached to and ‘3rd Stone From The Sun’/‘Third Stone From mellow sound, such as that on ‘’. create a new, more psychedelic cover. The Sun’.

Jimi Hendrix and Noel Redding performing on the Happening For Lulu TV show

Electric Ladyland (1968) Hendrix’s songwriting peaked on this final album with the original Experience. Featuring ‘Voodoo Chile’ and ‘All Along The Watchtower’, this boundary-pushing double LP sees the limits of guitar experimentation stretched.

Live at Monterey (2007) This performance at Monterey Pop Festival in 1967 announced the Experience to America. If Hendrix’s supreme stage presence doesn’t convince you, otherworldly renditions of ‘Wild Thing’ and ‘Like A Rolling Stone’ will. Ron Howard/Redferns/Getty Images

19 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Velvet Underground & Nico The Velvet Underground

Release Date: 1967 | Record Label: Verve

here’s typical Warholian saw the light of day, it was met with a mixture humour in the fact that of critical disdain and commercial indifference. Track List an album as daring, as Its classic status would gradually be revised and multifaceted, and as then enshrined over time, but there’s a reason SIDE A T Track 1: Sunday Morning frequently bleak as The Velvet this seminal record left all but a small, dedicated Underground & Nico is forever audience dumbfounded in 1967. Track 2: I’m Waiting For The Man denoted by the garish yellow form Or, rather, there are several reasons. Lou Track 3: Femme Fatale of a screen-printed banana. It’s 5HHG¶VXQÀLQFKLQJSRUWUD\DOVRIWKHVHHGLHVW Track 4: Venus In Furs testament, also, to the genius of band and artist elements of New York nightlife; John Cale’s Track 5: Run Run Run that both music and art continue to resonate after obsession with creating new soundscapes through Track 6: All Tomorrow’s Parties more than half a century. Even if you haven’t his and viola; the aural assault of Sterling SIDE B heard the former, then you’ve almost certainly Morrison and Moe Tucker on guitar and drums Track 1: Heroin seen the latter. respectively. And then there’s Nico. Though the Track 2: There She Goes Again Maybe it’s this disconnect that helps fuel German singer was only included at Warhol’s Track 3: I’ll Be Your Mirror TVU&N’s somewhat notorious reputation. EHKHVWVKHPRUHWKDQMXVWL¿HVKHUIXOOFUHGLWKHU Track 4: The Black Angel’s Death Song :KHQ7KH9HOYHW8QGHUJURXQG¶VGHEXW¿QDOO\ deep vocals offering a seductive counterpoint to Track 5: European Son

5HHG¶VDOPRVWVSRNHQFKDQWV1LFR¶VDI¿OLDWLRQ itchie/Redferns/GettyAdam Images with the band would end soon after the record’s release, but not before she’d made her mark on rock history. The Velvet Underground would oscillate between dissonance and a more conventional sound on their subsequent records, but it’s TVU&N that stands as their crowning achievement, its dense, penetrative collage of noise and the two voices of Reed and Nico still able to confound and entrance after all this time. No record collection is complete without it – depending on the pressing, you might even be able to peel your banana – and if nothing else, who doesn’t want to have an authentic Warhol to Velvet Underground, 1966 display in their home?

20 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

At Folsom Prison Johnny Cash

Release Date: 1968 | Record Label: Columbia

erhaps more than any other popular musician, Johnny Track List Cash felt a kinship with the SIDE A P incarcerated. The Man in Black’s Track 1: life and music were always laced with pain and Track 2: Dark As The Dungeon tragedy, and while he’d spend much of his career Track 3: playing shows to venues around the world, it was Track 4: ZLWKLQWKHPRUHVRPEUHFRQ¿QHVRIVWDWHSULVRQV Track 5: that his performances often felt most at home. Orange Blossom Special Though Cash had been performing prison Track 6: concerts since the late ’50s, it wasn’t until Track 7: The Long Black Veil 1968, and a fortuitous pairing with renowned SIDE B SURGXFHU%RE-RKQVWRQWKDW&DVK¿QDOO\JRWWKH Track 1: Send a Picture Of Mother opportunity to record one for release. A couple of Track 2: The Wall venues were mooted, but one in particular stood Track 3: Dirty Old Egg-Suckin’ Dog out – the inspiration for Cash’s signature ‘Folsom Track 4: Flushed From The Bathroom Of Prison Blues’. Your Heart At Folsom Prison marked the beginning of a Johnny Cash, 1965 Track 5: Jackson series of live albums performed and recorded Track 6: behind penitentiary walls – , På Picture Of Mother’, a song written by a Folsom Track 7: Österåker and A Concert Behind Prison Walls inmate. His voice, as ever, is immaculate, and that Track 8: Green, Green Grass Of Home would follow – but it remains the most vital. And distinctive baritone with its delicious Southern Track 9: Greystone Chapel despite the setting, it’s anything but downbeat. drawl captures the longing, rebelliousness, and Images Archive/Getty Hulton The Folsom crowd is raucous but audibly jubilant, sometimes resignation of these songs perfectly. and Cash’s legendary charisma oozes between You could stack the shelves of a hefty record songs. He reminds them that the show is being collection purely with Cash’s oeuvre. But even recorded, “so you can’t say hell or shit or anything with almost half a century’s worth of recordings to like that,” before giving a shout out to Johnston. choose from, there’s still something particularly Musically, this is Cash at the peak of his thrilling about hearing that customary powers, his set mixing classic folk and country introduction to ‘Folsom Prison Blues’ played for a numbers with a few ballads and even, in ‘Send A crowd to which they’re all-too familiar.

21 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles

Release Date: 1967 | Record Label: Parlophone/Capitol

efore Sgt Pepper was Field Forever’ it only reached #2 in the charts, and technology to expand the sound and create released in 1967 things ending the Beatle’s run of 11 consecutive #1 an album no one had ever heard. Paul McCartney were looking bleak for The singles. This led many to think that the Beatle’s became the driving force of the album, he didn’t B Beatles. The band announced time at the top had ended. want to make songs that The Beatles would in 1966 that they would be retiring from live But the fab four would embark on their most record, instead he wanted to write the music that performances and there were rumours of the ambitious project that would go on to break sales Sgt Pepper’s would. As well as evolving their band’s breakup. All four members taking a three records, despite not having any singles released to month hiatus didn’t help calm the rumours. promote it. The Beatles, without having to worry When they did get back to the studio and about performing the songs live once the album Track List released the single ‘Penny Lane’/’Strawberry was out, decided to use new recording techniques SIDE A Track 1: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band Track 2: With A Little Help From My Friends Track 3: Lucy In The Sky With Diamons Track 4: Getting Better Track 5: Fixing A Hole Track 6: She’s Leaving Home Track 7: Being For The Benefit Of Mr Kite SIDE B Track 1: Within You Without You Track 2: When I’m Sixty-Four Track 3: Lovely Rita Track 4: Good Morning Good Morning Track 5: Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Gone were the days of black suits Band (Reprise) and moptops, replaced with bright colours and droopy moustaches Track 6:

22 VRXQGWKHEDQGZRXOGDOWHUWKHLUDSSHDUDQFHWR¿W time in the UK with over 5 million copies sold the tone of the songs. The black suits and moptops and its album art is one of the most recognisable OTHER ALBUMS were replaced with brightly coloured military covers. We wouldn’t blame you for thinking that uniforms, long hair and drooping moustaches. a picture of the Beatles was pasted over a collage Because the band was no longer going to be of famous people, but in fact life-size cutouts of performing live, they recorded Sgt Pepper to each individual was made and the band members soundOLNHLWZDV3HUKDSVWKLVLVZK\WKH¿UVW took a photo among them. They even borrowed sound you hear in the album is an audience and WKHZD[¿JXUHVRIWKHPVHOYHVIURP0DGDP orchestra tuning and why songs fade into each Tussauds. The cover cost at the time £3,000 other, to give the impression that what you are when the average cost of an at the hearing is right there in front of you. time was £50. Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band The Beatles included a couple of things with was the first Beatles album to be released the vinyl release to make the fan’s listening simultaneously around the world and with experience at home more interactive. Sgt Pepper the same song list. The BBC was quick to ban ZDVWKH¿UVWURFN/3WRKDYHWKHO\ULFVWRWKHLU the song ‘A Day In The Life’ due to the lyrics songs printed on the cover, before magazines being interpreted as encouraging drug use. The would usually print them. Original pressings lyric “4,000 holes in Blackburn” was thought of the Vinyl also came with a piece of card to reference holes in the arm of a drug user. with numerous cut-outs including a dropping While these innuendos were never confirmed or moustache, sergeant stripes and a stand of the Abbey Road (1969) denied by the group, Paul McCartney’s response four Beatles. There are a number of coloured LPs The last album to be recorded with all four was blunt when he said, “We don’t care if they released over the years including a red version, members, although not the last released. The ban our songs. It might help the LP.” yellow, orange, a Canada-only pink and grey Beatles went back to a more traditional rock sound, but the highlight of the record is the Today, Sgt Pepper’s Lovely Hearts Club Band marbled edition as well as a picture disc of the 17-minute long medley of tracks on side. is the best selling (non-compilation) album of all album artwork.

Filming a sequence for ‘I Am the Walrus’

Rubber Soul (1965) The impact of Rubber Soul can’t be understated, influencing countless musicians and credited with starting the prog-rock and genres. They shifted away from their roots and into incorporating offbeat instruments.

Magical Mystery Tour (1967) Paul McCartney enjoyed the Sgt Pepper concept so decided to make a movie based on their music. The LP features the film’s soundtrack on one side and a collection of singles on the other. Adding to what they had started with Sgt Pepper. Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Ochs Michael Images

23 ’70s

26 Led Zeppelin III 28 Black Sabbath Paranoid 29 Simon & Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water 30 Van Morrison Moondance 31 Joni Mitchell Blue 32 Marvin Gaye What’s Going On 33 Sticky Fingers 34 David Bowie The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars 36 Lou Reed Transformer 37 Neil Young Harvest 38 Bill Withers Live At Carnegie Hall 39 Elton John Goodbye Yellow Brick Road 40 Pink Floyd The Dark Side Of The Moon 42 The Who Quadrophenia 43 Queen A Night At The Opera 44 Eagles Hotel California 45 Ramones Ramones 46 Stevie Wonder 48 Bob Marley & The Wailers Exodus 49 Out Of The Blue 50 Fleetwood Mac Rumours 52 Sex Pistols Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols 53 Steely Dan Aja 54 Thin Lizzy Live And Dangerous 55 Elvis Costello Armed Forces 56 Joy Division Unknown Pleasures 57 The Clash London Calling 58 The Specials The Specials

24 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

25 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

III Led Zeppelin

Release Date: 1970 | Record Label: Atlantic

ed Zeppelin weren’t quite the Sit back in your beanbag, slap some biggest band in the world by headphones on and immerse yourself in the Track List the time they released their opening cut, ‘Immigrant Song’ – the heaviest third album, but they were song on the album. Page’s classic octave-based SIDE A L Track 1: Immigrant Song well on their way. Thanks to extended guitar riff chimes in, while Plant delivers the wail concert tours in America, they had a huge fanbase for which he had already become famous. Singing Track 2: Friends who loved the massive riffs of guitarist Jimmy of the “land of ice and snow”, his outlandish Track 3: Celebration Day Page and the unearthly vocal squeals of Robert sentiments and shrieks seem plausible in this Track 4: Since I’ve Been Loving You Plant. The rhythm section of bassist John Paul setting. Friends is a deeper song, despite being Track 5: Out On The Tiles Jones and drummer were no largely acoustic: where it excels is with its SIDE B slouches, of course, but Zep unusual orchestration of Indian- Track 1: Gallows Pole were all about Page and Plant in sounding strings. Track 2: Tangerine the wider public’s eyes – and in “In doing so ‘Celebration Day’ is rock ’n’ Track 3: That’s The Way reality Zep were guided by Page roll, but a strange variant of that Track 4: Bron-Y-Aur Stomp and no-one else. genre: Plant’s vocals are initially established Track 5: Hats Off To (Roy) Harper This explains the direction low and intoned – a welcome which Led Zeppelin III took. the great rock change from his standard While Zep’s debut album and tradition of shredded-throat performance – the follow-up, both released in and Page seems to be entering 1969, had essentially been LPs ‘getting it cowboy country territory of hard rock songs with a few together in the at times. It’s an interesting acoustic parts here and there, diversion, though, followed by III was mostly unplugged. A country’” a breathtaking left turn into calmer, sweeter, more relaxed stripped-down blues territory. vibe permeated the record as ‘Since I’ve Been Loving a result, itself aided by the fact that Page and You’ is basically a slow blues jam lasting seven Plant composed the songs in a remote Welsh minutes, focusing almost entirely on a workout cottage called Bron-Yr-Aur. With no running for Plant’s belt-vocal technique and practically water or electricity, the twosome pulled out unaccompanied soloing from Page. Sure, you acoustic , began writing – and in doing so might dismiss the song as a mere technique-fest, established the great rock tradition of ‘getting it but you’d be missing the very real feel that the two together in the country’. master musicians injected into the performance.

26 OTHER ALBUMS

Led Zeppelin (1969) ‘Good Times Bad Times’, ‘Dazed And Confused’ and ‘Communication Breakdown’ contributed to Led Zeppelin’s opening clarion call, although the album wasn’t particularly well-received on its initial release.

The lack of electricity where they wrote most of the album lent itself to the more acoustic sounds

Led Zeppelin were nothing if not emotional in years – but there are certainly songs which build their music, after all – hence the connection they from wispy acoustic chords to a bigger sound enjoyed with their audiences. by their end. ‘Gallows Pole¶LVWKH¿UVWRIWKHVH If you were to write a parody of a Led Zep song followed by ‘Tangerine’, which ends with a sweet WKDWPLUURUHGWKHLUWUDGHPDUNVWRSVWDUWULI¿QJ country vibe. ‘That’s The Way’ and ‘Bron-Y-Aur you might well come up with ‘Out On The Tiles’. Stomp’ reinforce the message too, and the LP Blustering, breathless and not radically better ends with ‘Hats Off To (Roy) Harper’, a slightly than or different to any of the other heavy songs anticlimactic bit of experimenting. Plant’s vocals LQ=HS¶VFDWDORJXHLWHQGVWKHULIIIRFXVHG¿UVW are unusually treated , and Page’s side of III with a bang. Flip the vinyl and the slide guitar dominates, but the real gold is to be acoustic fun really begins. had earlier on in the record. ‘Gallows Pole’ is just beautiful. When Page We all agree that III is a splendid album Led Zeppelin II (1969) picked up an acoustic guitar, which he did in six- nowadays, but critics just didn’t get it at the II blends folk-rock, classic hard rock and all-round and 12-string variants on this LP for maximum time. Neither heavy enough for headbangers nor stadium-friendly riffage and became one of the expression, he gave the heavy rock world the progressive enough for Jethro Tull fans, it fell ’70s most acclaimed releases. Sure, ‘The Lemon gift of subtlety. There’s not a power ballad on between two stools, it was thought. How wrong Song’ was an outrageous rip-off of old blues, but Zep did it so well... here – they weren’t invented for another few they were, and how wonderful hindsight is.

Led Zeppelin IV (1971) Barack Obama talks with the “And she’s buying a stairway to hea-vunnnn...” Yes, surviving members of Led Zeppelin you couldn’t escape Led Zep in 1971 thanks to John Paul Jones, and their best-known song, a sprawling epic that was during intermission at just one amazing track on this album. The classic the Kennedy Center Honors songs just kept coming. Pete Souza/The White House/Getty Images

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Paranoid %ODFN6DEEDWK

Release Date: 1970 | Record Label: Vertigo

s anyone who likes 7KHRQHWZRRSHQLQJVKRWRIµWar Pigs’ and unsociably loud music will µParanoid¶LWVHOIVLPSO\FDQQRWEHEHWWHUHGLQWKH 7UDFN/LVW tell you, heavy metal is PHWDOZRUOG7KHIRUPHUDFULWLTXHRIZDUIDUH SIDE A popularly thought to have DQGLQSDUWLFXODURIWKH$PHULFDQJRYHUQPHQW¶V A Track 1: War Pigs been born in 1970 when Brummie SROLFLHVUHJDUGLQJ9LHWQDPVHHVO\ULFLVWDQG headbangers Black Sabbath released EDVVLVW*HH]HU%XWOHURQSHDNIRUP±HYHQLIKH Track 2: Paranoid their self-titled debut album. Let’s go FDQ¶W¿QGDEHWWHUZD\WRUK\PHµPDVVHV¶WKDQ Track 3: Planet Caravan one further and suggest that heavy metal really hit ZLWKLWVHOILQWKHFRXSOHW³Generals gathered in Track 4: Iron Man LWVVWULGHIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHZLWK6DEEDWK¶VVHFRQG their masses/Just like witches at black masses´ SIDE B DOEXPParanoidDKHDYLHUPRUHWKUHDWHQLQJDQG 7KHODWWHUD]LSS\SDHDQWRPHQWDOLQVWDELOLW\LV Track 1: Electric Funeral PRUHQXDQFHGFROOHFWLRQRIVRQJV SUREDEO\6DEEDWK¶VEHVWNQRZQVRQJH[HFXWHG Track 2: Hand Of Doom &RPPLWWHGPHWDOIDQVRIDFHUWDLQDJH±VKDOO DWDUDUHQRQGRRP\WHPSR7KHDOEXPWKHQ ZHVD\EHWZHHQDQGDV\RXUHDGWKLV± PRYHVRQWRWKHVHQVXRXVLQVWUXPHQWDOµPlanet Track 3: Rat Salad NQRZWKHHLJKWVRQJWUDFNOLVWLQJRIIE\KHDUW Caravan¶DEHDXWLIXOODQGVFDSHGVRQJEHIRUHWKH Track 4: Fairies Wear Boots SXOYHULVLQJKDPPHUEORZRIµIron Man¶ Toni Iommi in 1978 6DEEDWK¶VSV\FKHGHOLFDQGEOXHVLQÀXHQFHV Black Sabbath, 1970 UHYHDOWKHPVHOYHVLQµElectric Funeral¶DQGµHand Of Doom¶WKHODWWHUVLPXOWDQHRXVO\WHUULI\LQJDQG HQWKUDOOLQJOLVWHQHUVZLWKLWVVLQLVWHUEDVVRQO\ LQWURGXFWLRQ7KHDOEXPZLQGVXSZLWKµRat Salad¶±DQHQHUJHWLFLQVWUXPHQWDO±DQGµFairies Wear Boots¶VDLGWREHLQVSLUHGE\WKUHDWVIURP DVNLQKHDGJDQJ,W¶VQRWVKHHUSRZHUWKDWPDNHV ParanoidDXQLTXHDOEXPDOWKRXJKLWKDVWKDW WRVSDUHLW¶VWKHNHHQDZDUHQHVVRIVRQJZULWLQJ G\QDPLFVGLVSOD\HGE\%XWOHUSOXVVLQJHU2]]\ 2VERXUQHJXLWDULVW7RQ\,RPPLDQG%LOO:DUG DOOVWLOOLQWKHLUYHU\HDUO\VDWWKHWLPHRI UHFRUGLQJ7KDWDUHFRUGVXFKDVWKLVZDVZULWWHQ DQGGHOLYHUHGE\VXFK\RXQJPXVLFLDQVLVQRWKLQJ VKRUWRIPLUDFXORXVDOEHLWLQWKHLQIHUQDOUDWKHU WKDQKHDYHQO\VHQVH

28 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Bridge Over Troubled Water Simon & Garfunkel

Release Date: 1970 | Record Label: Columbia

aul Simon and Art Garfunkel Bridge Over Troubled Water was the duo’s were a folk duo in the same ¿IWKDQG¿QDODOEXPEXWLVLQQRZD\DQHJDWLYH Track List way that The Beatles were a RUFRQÀLFWHGFROOHFWLRQRIVRQJV7KLVFRXOGZHOO P rock band. The couple could do be, of course, because Simon wrote all the songs; SIDE A folk, for sure, but there was so much more to their Garfunkel contributed his usual expert vocals, Track 1: Bridge Over Troubled Water talents than a simple genre tag. but his attention was reportedly on his then- Track 2: La Condor Pasa (If I Could) Masters of close vocal and EXUJHRQLQJ¿OPFDUHHU,IWKLVLVWKHFDVHKLVODFN Track 3: Cecilia harmony, the twosome covered huge amounts of focus was to everyone else’s gain, because the Track 4: Keep The Customer Satisfied of musical ground, always bewitchingly album contains the duo’s two best-known songs – Track 5: So Long, Frank Lloyd Wright accomplished and rarely equalled. Also like The the title track and ‘The Boxer’, as well as the still- Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel’s career together was astounding ‘La Condor Pasa (If I Could)’, which SIDE B cut short by personality clashes that were the foretold Simon’s immense success a decade later Track 1: The Boxer result of a surfeit of talent. ZLWKWKH$IUREHDWLQÀXHQFHGµGraceland’. Track 2: Baby Driver The song ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ has Track 3: The Only Living Boy In New York been besmirched a little in recent years thanks Track 4: Why Don’t You Write Me to far too many earnest charity renditions, and Track 5: Bye Bye Love worse, reality-TV singing contests’. Still, forget Track 6: Song For The Asking all that: the still-unsurpassed original is a thing of orchestrated, dynamic beauty, from its simple opening statement to the huge, Phil Spector-esque ZDOORIVRXQGZKLFK¿QLVKHVLW Then there’s ‘The Boxer’, a splendid showcase for Simon & Garfunkel’s greatest asset – their close harmonies, sung in a meaningless but compelling “Lie-la-lie... lie-la-lie-lie, lie-la-lie” that sounds perfect at high volume. Another standout cut is ‘Cecilia’, the most energetic love song ever recorded, and, like ‘La Condor Pasa’, ‘Cecilia’ and ‘Bridge Over UHFRUGHGZLWKDQXQRUWKRGR[/DWLQÀDYRXUHG Trouble Water’ feel like feel. The album sounds fresh and innovative, even two of the most- to this day: if you listen to any modern acoustic covered songs ever IRONDUWLVW\RX¶OOKHDULWVRQJRLQJLQÀXHQFH

29 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Moondance Van Morrison

Release Date: 1970 | Record Label: Warner Bros.

t seemed, for a brief time it’s a sublime pop album, crammed with hooks following the release of Astral and melodies that Morrison and his band reel off Track List Weeks, that Van Morrison might with panache and an enviable ease. eschew mainstream success Opener ‘And It Stoned Me’ recounts a SIDE A I Track 1: And It Stoned Me altogether. ‘Brown Eyed Girl’ was, and still transformative experience where a young is, a phenomenal hit, but the singer-songwriter’s Morrison was overwhelmed by a bucolic scene Track 2: Moondance follow-up LP was an esoteric fusion of jazz, blues in his native Northern Ireland, the soulful Track 3: Crazy Love and soul that neither the public nor Warner Bros. vocals expressing a reverence for nature that Track 4: Caravan immediately took to. Then came Moondance. recurs throughout the record. On the title track, Track 5: Into The Mystic Morrison’s third album made his previous work Morrison’s blues stylings are infused with the SIDE B seem like a calibration test, taking the immediacy MD]]\VRXQGVRIÀXWHSLDQRDQGVD[RSKRQHEXW Track 1: Come Running and unshakeable catchiness of his early singles once again he sounds effortless among them. As Track 2: These Dreams Of You and combining it with the experimentalism and he demonstrates throughout Moondance, Van’s Track 3: Brand New Day sophistication of Astral Weeks. Moondance is inimitable vocal style transitions easily between Track 4: Everyone once again a blend of musical styles, but above all rugged and lyrical, hard and velvet-smooth, often Track 5: Glad Tidings within the space of a single song, as on ‘Brand New Day’. And while the harmonious tapestry of vocals, guitar and brass give Moondance its most stellar moments, Morrison’s lyrics are no less integral. Veering between the vivid and the abstract, they UHÀHFWLQÀXHQFHVVSDQQLQJHYHU\WKLQJIURP,ULVK folk songs to romantic poetry. Nowhere is this lyrical mastery better showcased than at the close of Side A. On the gorgeous ‘Into The Mystic’, 0RUULVRQ¶VPRUHVSLULWXDODQGIRONLQÀHFWHG songwriting comes to the fore: “Hark, now hear the sailors cry/Smell the sea and feel the sky/ /HW\RXUVRXODQGVSLULWÀ\,QWRWKHP\VWLF” Morrison performs in )HZUHFRUGVFDSWXUHWKDWÀHHWLQJIHHOLQJEHWZHHQ 1976 at The Band’s earthly and spiritual transcendence. final concert Moondance is one of them.

30 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Blue Joni Mitchell

Release Date: 1971 | Record Label: Reprise

uch is its brilliance that Mitchell performing at Mitchell’s later records would often lean calling Blue, Joni Mitchell’s the Universal towards the experimental and unconventional, IRXUWK/3DQGKHU¿UVW Amphitheatre in 1974 but Blue remains the purest example of her S true masterpiece, “the JHQLXV,W¶VSRVLWLYHO\RYHUÀRZLQJZLWKKHDUWDFKH greatest break-up album of all time” hurt and angst, but Mitchell’s unparalleled ability would still be selling it short. It’s to take these feelings and distil them into perfectly a heartrending collection of songs formed tunes sets it apart. And while there are about love and loss, sure, but it’s many artists and albums whose soul-searching, also so much more than that. Taking melancholy sounds are worthy of your collection, inspiration from several love affairs, but none of them can match Blue for its articulations particularly the end of her relationship with on the intoxicating, bittersweet nature of love. , the record arrived at a time when both fame and more personal matters were proving too much for the Canadian singer- Track List songwriter to take. Following her separation from Nash, Mitchell escaped the touring bubble SIDE A of North America to spend time in, among other Track 1: All I Want remote locales, some inhabited caves above Track 2: My Old Man Matala in Crete. These modest surroundings Track 3: Little Green provided the backdrop for a series of remarkably Track 4: Carey FDQGLGIRONVRQJVHDFKDQXQ¿OWHUHGZLQGRZLQWR Track 5: Blue the heart of their author. SIDE B But despite all this baggage, Blue is anything Track 1: California but overwrought. It’s pared down, intimate – its Track 2: This Flight Tonight ten songs lasting a little over 35 minutes. Stripped Track 3: River of any embellishment or intrusive production, Track 4: A Case Of You DOOWKDW\RX¶UHOHIWZLWKDUHDIHZÀHHWLQJSLDQR Track 5: The Last Time I Saw Richard melodies, the strumming of a guitar or dulcimer, and Mitchell’s utterly bewitching vocals. The arrangements on the record are delicate, and deceptively intricate, but the emotions are painfully raw.

31 M the environment,politicalcorruptionand time –poverty,racialdiscrimination,drugabuse, exploring severalkeyissuesplaguingsocietyatthe EURXJKW*D\H¶VFORVHO\KHOGEHOLHIVWRWKHIRUH VLJQL¿FDQFH7KHVHOISURGXFHGPDVWHUSLHFH its astutesocialcommentaryandcultural appearing inGreatestAlbumlistsowingto record releasedbythesoullegend,regularly music. which wouldrevolutioniseblack and musicalstyle,anawakening Marvin Gaye c.1982

What’s GoingOn change inlyricalcontent represented adramatic landmark album arvin Gaye’s1971 wastheeleventh What’s Going On What’s GoingOn s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST WRWKHIXOOUHFRUG¶VUHOHDVH,QDFRQWLQXHGEUHDN VHOOLQJVLQJOHIRUWKHODEHODQGXOWLPDWHO\OHDG knowledge, ‘ UHOHDVHGDWWKHEHJLQQLQJRIZLWKRXW*RUG\¶V ERVV%HUU\*RUG\$IWHUWKHDOEXP¶VWLWOHWUDFNZDV ZDVLQLWLDOO\PHWZLWKUHVLVWDQFHIURP0RWRZQ DVVWDWHPHQW E\KDWUHG UHWXUQLQJWRWKH86RQO\WR¿QGDFRXQWU\GLYLGHG IUDPHGWKURXJKWKHH\HVRID9LHWQDPZDUYHWHUDQ WKHZDUIDUH¿UVWKDQG,QIDFWWKHHQWLUHDOEXPLV KH¶GEHHQUHFHLYLQJIURPKLVEURWKHUH[SHULHQFLQJ to Gaye’sheart,emotionallyscarredbyletters FRQÀLFWLQ9LHWQDP7KHODWWHUSDUWLFXODUO\FORVH 5HOHDVHGRQ7DPOD5HFRUGV Release Date: What’s GoingOn What’s GoingOn Marvin Gaye Marvin 1971| 32 Record Label: , isentirelyintended ¶EHFDPHWKHIDVWHVW What’s GoingOn Tamla

LQWKH¶V than regularplattersthatwasdiscontinuedlater sleeve shares photo montageprintedinside, 3UHVHQWHGDVDJDWHIROGWRVKRZRIIWKHIDPLO\ WRGRWKHVDPHPRVWQRWDEO\6WHYLH:RQGHU KLVZRUNDQGRSHQHGWKHGRRUIRUKLVODEHOPDWHV VXFFHVVJXDUDQWHHGIXWXUHFUHDWLYHFRQWURORYHU WKH)XQN%URWKHUV±WKHODEHO¶VKRXVHEDQG 0RWRZQ¶VUHOHDVHVWRIXOO\DQGLQGLYLGXDOO\FUHGLW IURPWKHQRUP*D\H¶VVHPLQDO/3ZDVWKH¿UVWRI IRUPDW /3ZHUHSUHVVHGRQ'\QDÀH[YLQ\ODVKRUWOLYHG RI7KH%HDWOHV¶ 7UDFN/LVW Track 3: 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track B SIDE 6: Track Track 5: 5: Track Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track A SIDE 7KHDOEXP¶VLPPHGLDWHFULWLFDODQGFRPPHUFLDO

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Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Sticky Fingers The Rolling Stones

Release Date: 1971 | Record Label: Rolling Stones Records

o record collector wants record’s release, though is now known not to be VWLFN\¿QJHUVRQYLQ\O the case. In fact the identity of the crotch’s owner Track List Sticky FingersRQYLQ\O remains a mystery. And though only small on the KRZHYHULVDGLIIHUHQW reverse of the record, Sticky FingersZDVWKH¿UVW SIDE A N Track 1: Brown Sugar VWRU\Recorded over two years in three time The Rolling Stones’ now iconic tongue and locations (Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in lips logo had been used. Track 2: Sway Alabama, frontman Mick Jagger’s own country , who were responsible for the Track 3: Wild Horses home and Olympic Studios in London), Sticky album’s Spanish release, insisted the cover art Track 4: Can’t You Hear Me Knocking Fingers was the first LP by The Rolling Stones be replaced with a less ‘offensive’ alternative in Track 5: You Gotta Move to be released on their own Rolling Stones that country. It duly was – the LP instead being SIDE B Records. The album is also the first to feature fronted by a woman’s hand emerging from a Track 1: I Got The Blues , who replaced guitarist Brian tin of treacle. In 2015, Sticky Fingers received Track 2: Sister Morphine Jones in 1969. Amongst the handful of guest a remastered, fully-unzippable deluxe reissue Track 3: Dead Flowers musicians to appear on the record, The Who’s on 180g heavyweight wax featuring alternative Track 4: Moonlight Mile Pete Townsend is perhaps the most notable, recordings and live tracks. believed to have contributed backing vocals to Sway. The band’s ninth record experienced tremendous success, achieving triple platinum certification in the US and topping the charts both sides of the Atlantic. As well as being revered as one of The Rolling Stones’ best, Sticky Fingers boasts one of the most classic album covers in rock. The artwork – concepted by renowned artist Andy Warhol – was photographed by Billy Name and features a fully- working zip on most original pressings. Due to the LP’s unique construction, hidden underneath the cover art is a second print of presumably the same model stripped down underpants embellished with Warhol’s name and the curious line: “This The Rolling Stones at photograph may not be – etc.” The model was Summerfest in widely believed to be Jagger himself upon the Milwaukee 2015

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The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars David Bowie

Release Date: 1972 | Record Label: RCA Records

owie was always open to The album, often shortened to Ziggy Stardust, switching genres album tells the story of the titular Ziggy, who is used by to album, from his early extraterrestrial creatures to spread the word of Track List B in his debut love and hope before the world is wiped out. The SIDE A record to Zeppelin-inspired rock in album starts with the song ‘Five Years’ in which Track 1: Five Years The Man Who Sold The World. This Ziggy warns humanity of the planet’s impeding Track 2: Soul Love free approach to genre allowed him, to capitalise death. Not all is doom and gloom as the track Track 3: Moonage Daydream on what was hot, but Bowie would always take ‘Starman’ tells of a messenger who bring hope to Track 4: Starman a genre and make it his own. With The Rise the people of Earth. And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders The songs don’t play as your typical rock Track 5: It Ain’t Easy From Mars, Bowie wasn’t following a trend, album, they sound like they could have been the SIDE B he was establishing himself as soundtrack to a musical stage Track 1: Lady Stardust WKH¿JXUHKHDGRIDQHZRQH “You weren’t show rather than a rock concert. Track 2: Star Glam rock. Taking inspiration Bowie, a man who could sing in Track 3: Hang On To Yourself from Japanese Kabuki theatre seeing a different ways due to switching Track 4: Ziggy Stardust and New York fringe music, David Bowie music styles in each album he had Track 5: Suffragette City Bowie would reinvent himself recorded, changed his vocal style Track 6: Rock ’N’ Roll Suicide again as the iconic character concert, it again for Ziggy, most notably in Ziggy Stardust, a rock star who was a Ziggy ‘Soul Love’, making it sound like it becomes a messenger for alien isn’t Bowie singing. beings. The idea of the Ziggy Stardust A fan of acting, Bowie dyed Stardust character was conceived his hair bright reddish-brown while Bowie was in New York performance” and dressed in abstract costume. touring for his previous album, When he would perform as Ziggy Hunky Dory. According to Bowie in a 1990 radio Stardust, he became the character. When you interview he had recorded a number of tracks saw the show you weren’t seeing a David Bowie from the Ziggy album before Hunky Dory was concert, it was a Ziggy Stardust performance. The even released in 1971. album, in a similar vein, isn’t David Bowie record,

34 it’s a Ziggy Stardust record, he just happens to be played by Bowie. His backing band, which he had OTHER ALBUMS recorded his previous albums with, were given the name ‘the Spiders From Mars’. The music starts with an acoustic rock sound before moving onto Glam rock when the album reaches ‘Hang On To Yourself’. Then there is a hint of classic ’60s rock sprinkled in throughout, such as in ‘It Ain’t Easy’, before going back to the acoustic ballad sound the album started with. On the back of the vinyl’s cover in the bottom- left corner it says, “To be played at maximum volume”, which was omitted from later releases. David Bowie played concerts as Ziggy for 18 months, touring Britain and the States before deciding to put an end the character. He would release a follow-up album, Aladdin Sane, before Ziggy announced unexpectedly at a show in Hammersmith in 1973 that the gig would be their last performance ever before playing ‘Rock ’N’ Hunky Dory (1971) Roll Suicide’. Footage from the Hammersmith The success of Ziggy Stardust brought fans VKRZZDVXVHGLQDGRFXPHQWDU\DQGFRQFHUW¿OP attention to what Bowie considered his most important album. Bowie experimented with folk, also titled Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Bowie would perform Mars. Bowie would then break away from the as Ziggy Stardust for rock and even a bit of Glam before he would go Spiders from Mars. Despite being a small part of over a year until full-out the following year with Ziggy Stardust. retiring the character his career, it is still the most iconic.

Aladdin Sane (1973) Expanding on the story of Glam icon, the album was dubbed by Bowie as “Ziggy Goes to America”, as the songs focus on his experiences as he toured the country. The US influence is also shown in the song’s emphasis on rock and blues.

Let’s Dance (1983) Bowie would reinvent himself again, this time working with Chic’s on a dance-pop album. Mixing funk and dance Bowie would reach mega stardom again with Let’s Dance, a regular in for years after its release.

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Transformer Lou Reed

Release Date: 1972 | Record Label: RCA

ost of the life of the album – a glam-rock icon who positively glowed unique Lou Reed was with deviant beauty. Transformer’s themes are Track List so far removed from sexual, forceful and challenging. The big hit was M most ordinary people’s ‘Walk On The Wild Side¶ZLWKLWV¿YHYHUVHVHDFK SIDE A experience that it begs belief. dedicated to a member of Warhol’s coterie. With Track 1: Vicious The path which the late songwriter followed its acoustic whimsy, soulful backing vocals and Track 2: Andy’s Chest towards his second solo album, Transformer, DQLPPHGLDWHO\LGHQWL¿DEOHVOLGLQJEDVVPRWLI Track 3: Perfect Day included a troubled youth in which he was given by English Herbie Flowers, the Track 4: Hangin’ ’Round electroshock therapy to ‘treat’ his homosexuality; song was nothing like Reed’s usual songwriting Track 5: Walk On The Wild Side a classic Lower East Side, New York period in style – but it announced his presence to the world SIDE B which he formed the Velvet Underground and in no uncertain terms. Track 1: Make Up became close to Andy Warhol; and friendships Then there’s ‘Perfect Day’, a love song to with David Bowie and his guitarist in the Spiders the most pernicious drug in the world, heroin. Track 2: Satellite Of Love From Mars, Mick Ronson. Add all this up and With its ethereal tales of visiting the zoo and Track 3: Wagon Wheel you’re presented with the guy on the cover of the transcending the self, the song made taking Track 4: New York Telephone Conversation smack sound like a wonderful thing to do. Little Track 5: I’m So Free wonder the establishment recoiled – at least until Track 6: Goodnight Ladies 25 years later, when the BBC recorded a huge- selling charity version. The song was so deeply rehabilitated (pun intended) that Reed regularly performed it live in concert, dropping ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ in its place. Three years and four more albums later, Reed had largely dropped his gender-challenging approach and moved into experimental and rock music, rather like his mentor Bowie, who did exactly the same thing. Commercial success greeted both men in abundance, but for both sets of fans, there Lou Reed remained an understandable nostalgia for the old was a glam days. Any discussion of sexual politics in icon rock music owes Reed a favour.

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Harvest Neil Young

Release Date: 1972 | Record Label: Reprise

n 1972 Neil Young, then 26, gloomy in tone and production because it was was already a star in American recorded live, and also better. As is so often the Track List country, folk and rock circles, case, Harvest was not supposed to launch Young thanks to a major hit with his into the stratosphere. It later emerged that he SIDE A I Track 1: Out On The Weekend 1970 album After The Gold Rush, plus had recorded the songs spontaneously, on being earlier recordings with Crosy, Stills & invited to visit Quadrafonic Studios in Nashville. Track 2: Harvest 1DVK%XIIDOR6SULQJ¿HOGDQG&UD]\ The songs had been written already, but Young Track 3: A Man Needs A Maid Horse. However, when he released Harvest in had no band and no rehearsal time: he simply Track 4: Heart Of Gold ’72, he was elevated to the status of household picked whoever was available that night, it being a Track 5: Are You Ready For The Country? name, largely because of the hugely-acclaimed weekend when most musicians are busy. SIDE B songs ‘Heart Of Gold’ and ‘The Needle And The results spoke for themselves. ‘Are You Track 1: Old Man The Damage Done’. The former is more easily Ready For The Country?’ became a signature Track 2: There’s A World digestible and catchier; the latter is darker, more song for Young, while ‘Old Man’ – written for Track 3: Alabama the caretaker at Young’s ranch – was a simple, Track 4: The Needle And The Damage Done inspiring acoustic singalong that has enticed Track 5: Words (Between The Lines Of Age) many a Neil Young novice into his catalogue. ‘The Needle And The Damage Done’, recorded in concert at UCLA the previous year, was a paean to those of Young’s friends who had succumbed to heroin overdoses, in particular his previous bassist Danny Whitten. It ends suddenly, halfway through a chord sequence, lending this otherwise slick album a threatening edge. Critics didn’t give Harvest particularly good reviews at the time of its release: some felt that he was repeating the After The Gold Rush formula a little too readily. However, in years to come the Neil young album was recognised as an all-time classic – even became a household by the members of , whose song name after the ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ was written in response release of to some anti-Southern sentiments expressed by Harvest in 1972 Young in the song ‘Alabama’.

37 and spectatorsareone,thankstothewarm, gigs –anoccasionwhenalloftheperformers song ‘ on 6October1972,heprefaceshis laughter. line, theyapplaudwithgenuine grandmother; attheendofeach long andfunnystoryabouthislate Y and ’80s throughout the ‘70s Withers performed Grandma’s Hands’ Thiswasoneofthoseveryrarelive Withers when,atagig love forsoulsingerBill Carnegie Hallaudience’s ou areabletosensethe Live AtCarnegieHall witha s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST time oftherecording precision andclarity. to improviseoveritsgroovewithenormous a simpledrumbeat;thebandallowsWithers based onaslickguitar,organandbassriffatop musicians. Checkoutthesong‘ up andwhentolaybackagain,likeallthebest ZHUHEDFNLQNQHZH[DFWO\ZKHQWRSOD\ Band. Theseguys,youngandhungrythoughthey VSHFL¿FDOO\IURPWKH:DWWVUG6WUHHW5K\WKP formed ofthecreamearly-’70s’soulscene, is theirstripped-downnature.Withers’bandwas the top;indeed,songs’mostnotablefeature immortal linesgreatvigourwithoutgoingover setting. Withersemotesthroughout,lendingthe ‘ perhaps heknew that itcouldn’tbebettered. although itremainedhisonlyin-concert release– a longandproductivecareerafter this album, peak oftheirpowers.Witherswent ontoenjoy have theirsparkle,deliveredbymusicians atthe album: itbringsthelistenerclassic songsthatstill in subsequentdecades.Thatisthe geniusofthis have becomedulledthroughendless repetition as dothesongsheperforms,someofwhichmay However, hesoundsyoung,freshandenergetic, with hisaudience,wereassuredanddeveloped. his performanceoftheset,andconnection they captureditallontape. emotional musiconthebill.Fortunatelyforus, Lean OnMe’ :LWKHUVKLPVHOIZDVRQO\LQKLVHDUO\¶VDWWKH The bighitsare‘ Release Date: , andbothsoundfantasticinthis Bill Withers Bill 1973| Ain’t NoSunshine’ 38 Live AtCarnegieHall Record Label: For MyFriend’ and Sussex ; , Track List Track 2: 2: Track 1: Track D SIDE 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track C SIDE 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track Track 1: 1: Track B SIDE Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track A SIDE Ain’t No Sunshine Ain’t No Grandma’s Hands s

Harlem/Cold Baloney UsLet Love Happier Be She’ll Hope Street Town Lonely Lonely Me On Lean Handed Left Write I Can’t Friend My For Dead Off Better InYour Me Let Life World Keeps Going Around Friend Of Mine Of Friend Me Use

Everett Collection Inc / Alamy Stock Photo s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (OWRQ-RKQ

Release Date: 1973 | Record Label: DJM

ven the most devoted fan Goodbye Yellow would probably admit that Sir Brick Road was a Elton John has spent the last landmark release 7UDFN/LVW for Elton John E 40 years failing to match up to SIDE A the albums he released between 1970 Track 1: Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding and 1975.6SHFL¿FDOO\KLVDOEXPGoodbye Track 2: Candle In The Wind Yellow Brick Road (GYBR DQG¶VCaptain Track 3: Bennie And The Jets Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy were SIDE B ODQGPDUNUHOHDVHVIURPWKLVSHULRGRIDPELWLRXV Track 1: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road FUHDWLYLW\ZKLFKKHKDVQHYHUHTXDOOHG:HFDQ Track 2: This Song Has No Title IRUJLYHKLPWKLVRIFRXUVHSDUWO\EHFDXVHKHLVD Track 3: Grey Seal QDWLRQDOWUHDVXUHEXWPRVWO\EHFDXVHWKHPXVLFLV Track 4: Jamaica Jerk-Off VRJUHDW2QGYBRWKHEHWWHUNQRZQRIWKHWZR PDVWHUSLHFHVKHGHSOR\HGKLVVSOHQGLGSLDQR LWDW3ULQFHVV'LDQD¶VIXQHUDOLQ,W¶VDVRQJ Track 5: I’ve Seen That Movie Too VNLOOVDQGYRFDOV±\HWWRVLQNLQWRWKHEDULWRQH IRUWKHDJHVDOOULJKWHYHQLQLWVRULJLQDOIRUPDVD SIDE C UDQJHWKH\RFFXSLHGRQODWHUKLWVVXFKDVVD\ HXORJ\WRWKHODWH0DULO\Q0RQURHEXWVXUSDVVHG Track 1: Sweet Painted Lady ‘Nikita’±LQSHUIHFWV\QFKZLWKO\ULFLVW%HUQLH RQWKHDOEXPE\LWVWLWOHWUDFNDQGWKHWHUUL¿F Track 2: The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34) 7DXSLQ¶VLPPRUWDOZRUGV ‘Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting’$GRSWHG Track 3: Dirty Little Girl /HW¶VJHWSDVWWKHELJKLWµCandle In The Wind’ E\KHDY\PHWDOEDQGVVXFKDV:$63SHUKDSV Track 4: All The Girls Love Alice QRZWKHELJJHVWVHOOLQJVRQJLQWKHNQRZQ EHFDXVHRILWVDJJUHVVLYHWLWOHDQGVSHHG\WHPSR SIDE D XQLYHUVHVLQFH(OWRQVDQJDPRGL¿HGYHUVLRQRI WKHODWWHUVRQJHSLWRPLVHVDFHUWDLQQLJKWRXWRQ Track 1: Your Sister Can’t Twist (But She Can Rock WKHWLOHVYLEHWKDW'XUDQ'XUDQPDWFKHGDGHFDGH ’N’ Roll) ODWHUDQG2DVLVDIHZ\HDUVODWHUVWLOO Track 2: Saturday Night’s Alright For Fighting GYBRLVDGRXEOHDOEXPVR(OWRQIDQVZLOO Track 3: Roy Rogers KDYHWKHLURZQIDYRXULWHVDPRQJWKHGHHSHUFXWV Track 4: Social Disease EXWZH¶GGH¿QLWHO\SRLQWWRWKHYHU\¿UVWVRQJ Track 5: Harmony ‘Funeral For A Friend/Love Lies Bleeding’DV RQHWRFRQMXUHZLWK7KHQWKHUH¶VµBennie and the Jets’ DOWHUQDWHO\VSHOOHGµBenny & The Jets’RQWKH ODEHO µSocial Disease’µGrey Seal’«(OWRQZDV XQVWRSSDEOHEDFNWKHQULGLQJDZDYHRIFUHDWLYLW\ PDWFKHGRQO\E\KLVFRQWHPSRUDU\6WHYLH:RQGHU

39 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Dark Side Of The Moon Pink Floyd

Release Date: 1973 | Record Label: Abbey Road Studios/Harvest

ven if you’ve never listened to (allegedly) synchs to The Wizard Of Oz if you play The Dark Side Of The Moon it backwards as well… Track List you’ll instantly recognise its Pink Floyd had always been experimental in its E incredibly distinctive cover approach to music, but the group really wanted to SIDE A art. The striking piece by Hipgnosis and push the envelope further with its new project and Track 1: Speak To Me George Hardie has adorned countless pieces of suitably enhance the psychedelic-driven sounds Track 2: Breathe In The Air merchandise over the years and has been a source that had featured so heavily on its earlier albums. Track 3: On The Run of inspiration for numerous parodies, ranging The group toured The Dark Side Of The Moon Track 4: Time from The Simpsons’ achingly clever ‘Dark Side Of LQWZRSDUWVRQHEHIRUHWKHUHOHDVHRIWKH¿QDO Track 5: The Great Gig In The Sky The Moon Pie’ to Richard Cheese’s hilarious ‘The album, and then a second leg, which took place SIDE B Sunny Side Of The Moon’, which after the album was released. It Track 1: Money swaps out the iconic glass prism seems an incredibly bold move Track 2: Us And Them for a martini glass. “You’ll and it’s hard to imagine a big Track 3: Any Colour You Like The prism of light continues artist doing it today, but then hear them Track 4: Brain Damage through the album’s gatefold, Pink Floyd wasn’t your typical which also features a visual discussing band and it continued to push Track 5: Eclipse representation of the heartbeat how it synchs away from the group it had been that was used by the band under the guidance of ex founding throughout the album’s runtime. to The Wizard member, Syd Barrett. Although he The distinctive design was one of RI¿FLDOO\OHIW3LQN)OR\GRQ$SULO seven that Hipgnosis created and Of Oz if WKHLPSDFWRI%DUUHWWFDQ represents the band’s legendary you play it still be felt on The Dark Side Of use of stage lights, Richard The Moon, most notably in its Wright’s request for a ‘simple backwards…” themes surrounding mental and bold’ design, as well as the illness (it’s thought that Barrett DOEXP¶VO\ULFV ZKLFKIRUWKH¿UVWWLPHZHUH suffered from schizophrenia). actually printed in the album). It’s an exceptional Pink Floyd’s album wasn’t just content to tackle piece of art and one of the most recognisable mental illness though, it also tackles the topics album covers in modern rock and you’re just RIJUHHGWKHSDVVDJHRIWLPHDQGFRQÀLFWDOORI as likely to see it framed on some hipster’s wall which feature heavily in songs such as ‘Money’, DV\RXDUHWR¿QGLWLQWKHLUUHFRUGFROOHFWLRQ ‘Us And Them’ and ‘Brain Damage’ (which was You’ll probably hear them discussing how it originally known as ‘Lunatic’ during the album’s

40 Pink Floyd performing at Live 8 London in 2005 OTHER ALBUMS

Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967) Pink Floyd’s debut album was overseen by Syd MJ Kim/Getty Images Barrett and is seen by many as one of the best psychedelic rock albums. The title comes from recording sessions and live performances). It’s becoming the UK’s seventh best-selling album of chapter seven of The Wind In The Willows, Barrett’s arguably one of the most accessible pieces of all time, selling over 50 million copies. favourite children’s book. work that the band has made and has become So when it comes to The Dark Side Of The the perfect starting point for anyone new to the Moon, the main decision is which version JURXS,WKDVLQÀXHQFHGDKXJHQXPEHURIEDQGV should you go for? An original Harvest pressing as diverse as Radiohead, My Morning Jacket and from 1973 can sell for as much as £250, , who re-imagined the album while the US version will see change from in 2009. £20. A remaster released in 2009 by Mobile It was a gigantic success for Pink Floyd in the Fidelity Sound Lab is similarly priced to the where it stayed in the charts for US original, while the version released to a phenomenal 741 weeks (interestingly, it only celebrate the album’s 30th anniversary in 2003 spent a single week at #1). Amazingly, it never is a little pricier, selling for as much as £100. even reached #1 in the UK (it was held off the top Alternatively, you can just pop down your local spot by 20 Flash Back Greats From The Sixties) UHFRUGHPSRULXPDQGSLFNXSWKHUHLVVXH but that small omission never stopped it from which is highly recommended.

The Wall (1982) Water’s epic rock opera marked the end of an 11-year run that he shared with the other band members. It also featured ‘Another Brick In The Wall’, the band’s only UK #1.

The Division Bell (1994) Pink Floyd’s 14th album divided critics on release, with many feeling the loss of co-founded Roger Despite having one of the Waters. It’s a real group effort however, with best selling albums of all time, Pink Floyd only significant contributions from each band member. reached #1 once in the UK It’s cover looks amazing as well. Andrew Whittuck/Redferns/GettyAndrew Images

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Quadrophenia The Who

Release Date: 1973 | Record Label: MCA

he Who were not strangers to Daltrey vetoed the idea. On the vinyl release, the idea of concept albums or The Who, late ’60s inside the gatefold is a summary of the plot of rock operas, experimenting Quadrophenia as well as a booklet of photographs T with these formats on their showing Brighton and London during the previous records The Who Sell Out and scene, when then album was set. Tommy. Entirely written by Pete Townsend, Quadrophenia is an album with a narrative throughout following a teenager called Jimmy, he Track List doesn’t know where he belongs in the world but then discovers the mod movement and The Who. SIDE A Jimmy suffers from schizophrenia and has four Track 1: I Am The Sea personalities, hence the album title. Each of the Track 2: The Real Me SHUVRQDOLWLHVUHÀHFWVDPHPEHURIWKHEDQGDQG Track 3: Quadrophenia explores a theme which reoccurs in the album. Track 4: Cut My Hair Fed up of his life at home, his dead-end job and Track 5: The Punk Meets The Godfather relationships with friends and family, he moves SIDE B from London to Brighton. Quadrophenia spoke to Track 1: I’m One teens of the time and they could relate to the it. Track 2: The Dirty Jobs Just like The Who’s other rock opera Tommy, Track 3: Helpless Dancer QuahropheniaZDVDGDSWHGLQWRD¿OPLQ 1973, with the same name. The adaptation of Track 4: Is It In My Head Quadrophenia wasn’t a musical and didn’t star Track 5: I’ve Had Enough the band. The Who play their typical grand rock SIDE C that made them famous, but Townsend would add Track 1: 5:15 multi-tracked synthesisers as well as strings and Track 2: Sea And Sand horn parts to add to the overall sound. This would Track 3: Drowned later be a hindrence to their live performance as Track 4: Bell Boy they would need the new instruments on backing SIDE D tape, which would often malfunction and some Track 1: Doctor Jimmy members didn’t want to be restricted by sticking Track 2: The Rock to the tape. It was suggested that the band hire Track 3: Love, Reign O’er Me

D¿IWKPHPEHUWRSOD\NH\ERDUGEXW5RJHU Images Collection/Photoshot/Getty King

42 R weren’t thebiggestbandaround made andbackthenthequartet was themostexpensivealbumever by theMarxBrothersofsamenamewhich PXVLFUR\DOW\7KHDOEXPWLWOHFDPHIURPD¿OP Queen asahouseholdnameand,pardonthepun, gamble paidoff. the recordlabeltookthisriskisunknownbut Queen, 3 September 1984 At thetimeofitsreleaseit with unusual gambleonQueen ecord labelEMItookan A NightAtTheOpera A NightAtTheOpera A Night At The Opera A NightAtTheOpera cemented s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST . Why . example ‘ themselves tooseriouslyintheirmusic.Takefor all-out rockbutthebanddoesn’tseemtotake recording techniques.Therearetracksthat genres aswellexperimentationofsoundsand The albumfeaturesQueen’snormalvarietyof the bandwatchedwhilerecordinginstudio. moment suchasintheopeningtrack‘ voice. However,theyhavetheoccasionalserious imitates woodwindinstrumentsusingjusthis without bringingup‘ him whenplayingitlive. the songandafterMercury’sdeath,dedicateitto band’s guitaristBrianMaywouldlaterrearrange any ofthelyrics,allowingfanstosingit.The that atliveperformancesMercurywouldn’tsing then-girlfriend MaryAustinandwassopopular Life’ towards Queen’soriginalmanager. Two Legs’ drunk karaokesingers everywhere. world andremainstobeapopular choicewith songs ofalltime;ithastoppedcharts aroundthe it. Nowitisoneofthemostwell-known rock only mixedreviewsatthetime,ifyou canbelieve was twicethelengthofmostsingles andreceived studios andtakingoverthreeweeks tomake.It the timeofitsrelease,beingrecording inmultiple It wasalsothemostexpensivesingletoproduceat UK andoneoftheband’smostwell-knownsongs. best-selling commercialsingleofalltimeinthe You can’tmentiona Release Date: was writtenbyFreddieMercuryabouthis Seaside Rendezvous whichissaidtobeahatesongdirected 1975| Queen Bohemian Rhapsody Night AtTheOpera Record Label: 43 ’ whereMercury ‘Love OfMy EMI/Elektra Death On ’, the

Track List Track 6: Track 5: Track Track 5: 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track Track 2: 1: Track B SIDE 7: Track Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track A SIDE Seaside Seaside Rendezvous ‘39 I’m In Love With My Car My I’m InLoveWith Sweet Sweet Lady You’re Friends Best My s

Love Of My Life My Love Of God Save The Queen The Save God Rhapsody Bohemian Good Company Prophet’sThe Song Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon ASunday On Lazing To…) Two On (Dedicated Death Legs

Rogers/Express/Getty Images s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Hotel California Eagles

Release Date: 1976 | Record Label: Asylum Records

elcome to the Hotel Hotel CaliforniaPDUNHGJXLWDULVW-RH:DOVK¶V DFKLHYHVXFKIHHOLQJV7KHRSXOHQW%HYHUO\+LOOV California.” On the Eagles’ EDQGGHEXWZKLOVWDOVRWKH¿QDO/3ZLWKEDVVLVW +RWHORQ6XQVHW%RXOHYDUGZDVFKRVHQDVWKH ¿IWKVWXGLRDOEXPWKH\FRQMXUHG 5DQG\0HLVQHU7KHDOEXPZDVUHFRUGHGDW FRYHU¶VPDLQVXEMHFWVKRWZLWKWKHKHOSRI'DYLG W XSWKHDOOHJRULFDOKRWHODVD &ULWHULD6WXGLRV)ORULGDDQG5HFRUG3ODQW $OH[DQGHUDWGXVNIURPDIRRWKLJKFKHUU\ “PHDQVWRFRQYH\WKHLUGLVLOOXVLRQPHQWZLWKWKH 6WXGLRV&DOLIRUQLDZLWKSURGXFHU%LOO6]\PF]\N SLFNHUSODWIRUP VXSSRVHGµ$PHULFDQGUHDP¶±MXVWWKHEHJLQQLQJ ZKRKDGDOVRZRUNHGRQWKH(DJOHV¶SUHYLRXV 7KH¿UVWSUHVVLQJVRIHotel California RIDZLGHUFRPPHQWDU\RQWKHVHOIGHVWUXFWLYH UHFRUGOne Of These Nights5HFRUGLQJVHVVLRQV FRQWLQXHVDWUDGLWLRQVWDUWHGRQWKHJURXS¶VWKLUG QDWXUHRIWKHURFNPXVLFLQGXVWU\DWWKHWLPHWKH DW&ULWHULD6WXGLRVZHUHRIWHQGLVUXSWHGE\WKH DOEXPOn The BorderRIKDYLQJPHVVDJHVHWFKHG 8QLWHG6WDWHVDQGWKHZLGHUZRUOG ,QGLVSXWDEO\ QRLVHIURP%ODFN6DEEDWKZRUNLQJRQTechnical LQWRWKHUXQRXWJURRYHV6LGH$UHDGV³,V,W RQHRI thePRVWLFRQLFURFNDOEXPVRIDOOWLPH EcstasyLQWKHVWXGLRQH[WGRRU 2¶FORFN

History of the Eagles tour, 2014 7UDFN/LVW SIDE A Track 1: Hotel California Track 2: New Kid In Town Track 3: Life In The Fast Lane Track 4: Wasted Time SIDE B Track 1: Wasted Time (Reprise) Track 2: Victim Of Love Track 3: Pretty Maids All In A Row Track 4: Try And Love Again Track 5: The Last Resort

44 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Ramones Ramones

Release Date: 1976 | Record Label: Plaza Sound Studios

Ramones in 1976 but ultimately the idea was scrapped after the EDQGDQGUHFRUGODEHOZHUHGLVVDWLV¿HGZLWKWKH results. Instead a black-and-white photograph of Roberta Bayley’s taken for Punk magazine was used for Ramones’ cover, featuring () Johnny, Tommy, Joey and Dee Dee against a brick wall. The iconic photograph has since been widely imitated – Lou Reed’s New York and Ultravox’s eponymous debut to name a few.

Track List SIDE A liminate the unnecessary, FHUWL¿HGJROGZLWKKDOIDPLOOLRQVDOHVEXWRQO\ Track 1: Blitzkrieg Bop and focus on the substance.” years later. Track 2: Beat On The Brat Drummer Tommy Ramone’s succinctly Having made a name for themselves regularly Track 3: Judy Is A Punk sums up no fuss attitude of the playing shows for two years before their debut, the E Track 4: I Wanna Be Your Boyfriend “Ramones’ self-titled debut, which was recorded in 5DPRQHVKDGRYHUVRQJVUHDG\WRUHFRUGZKHQ Track 5: Chain Saw a single week for only $6,400. The record runs for the entered Plaza Sound Studios with producer Track 6: Now I Wanna Sniff Some Glue a meager 29 minutes and each of the tracks clock Craig Leon. The band felt it was essential capture Track 7: I Don’t Wanna Go Down To in at just over two and a half minutes each. the excitement and energy of their live shows, to The Basement The four-piece band are largely considered to which end they recorded the tracks in the order SIDE B have established the entire genre of , they’d play them live. With its insanely catchy Track 1: Loudmouth despite their less than stellar sales upon their refrain and frantic pace, ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ is one the Track 2: Havana Affair album’s release. The record only peaked at #111 best album-openers of all time and alone reason in the US charts and the two singles subsequently enough to give Ramones a spin. Track 3: Listen To My Heart released from the album (‘Blitzkreig Bop’ and ‘I Initially the album’s cover was to be in the Track 4: 53rd & 3rd Wanna Be Your Boyfriend’) failed to chart at all. style of 1964’s Meet The Beatles!, a striking, high Track 5: Let’s Dance In fact the album only sold a total of 6,000 copies contrast photograph of John, Paul, George and Track 6: I Don’t Wanna Walk Around With You LQWKHHQWLUHW\LWV¿UVW\HDUHYHQWXDOO\EHLQJ Ringo. $2,000 was spent by Sire on a photoshoot, Track 7: Today Your Love, Tomorrow The World

45 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Songs In The Key Of Life Stevie Wonder

Release Date: 1976 | Record Label: Tamla

ew albums have contained scope, he was able to embark on a songwriting ([WUD. Instrumental passages of great complexity with their grooves as huge an and recording spree that took up two years of his abounded (see ‘&RQWXVLRQ’), interspersed with amount of energy, creativity life and an enormous amount of creative energy. perfect pop singles (‘’, ‘,VQ¶W6KH/RYHO\’) F and sheer songwriting It was reported that Wonder would work for and smooth funk suites (‘As’) that have been exuberance as Songs In The Key Of days on end without sleep or food, consumed by endlessly sampled in the following decades. Life, a vast, four-sided explosion of WKHHQRUPRXVZDYHRILQVSLUDWLRQWKDWÀRRGHG Viewed from four decades’ distance, the music released by the then 26-year- over him. sheer magnitude of 6RQJV,Q7KH.H\2I/LIH is old Stevie Wonder. The songwriter’s The results, released after a long taken perhaps its most lasting impression. A total of best-selling and best-known album, at least from up by extra remixing, were astounding. The 130 musicians and studio personnel worked his classic ’70s period, Songs wasn’t merely a album contained no fewer than 17 songs, plus on it, with Wonder steering the ship with great collection of compositions – it was a critique of four more which were shoehorned onto an charisma: among these were , America as it was in 1976 and a turning-point in accompanying EP, curiously titled $6RPHWKLQJ¶V who played Fender Rhodes; ace bassist Nate the history of . The album’s background was fairly chaotic, Joy Inside My Tears which perhaps goes some way to explaining Track 2: the feeling of expressive energy which it gives Track List Track 3: Black Man off. Wonder had been seriously considering SIDE A SIDE D retirement from the music industry, although he Track 1: Love’s In Need Of Love Today Track 1: Ngiculela – Es Una Historia – I Am Singing was riding a wave of huge commercial and critical Track 2: Have A Talk With God Track 2: If It’s Magic approval after three hit albums – , Track 3: Village Ghetto Land Track 3: As and )XO¿OOLQJQHVV¶)LUVW)LQDOH, Track 4: Contusion Track 4: released between 1972 and ’74. Angered by the Track 5: Sir Duke American government and contemplating a move SIDE B to Ghana, he was persuaded to continue with his A Something’s Extra (bonus EP included with special edition of album) career as a musician when a new, record-breaking Track 1: I Wish SIDE A contract with Motown was presented to him. Track 2: Knocks Me Off My Feet The new deal, a seven-year agreement worth $37 Track 3: Track 1: Saturn million and the largest ever signed at the time, Track 4: Summer Soft Track 2: Ebony Eyes guaranteed Wonder full artistic control. Track 5: Ordinary Pain SIDE B In this context, it’s no surprise that Wonder SIDE C Track 1: All Day Sucker decided to forge ahead with his grand vision. Track 1: Isn’t She Lovely Track 2: Easy Goin’ Evening (My Mama’s Call) Presented with an artistic platform of such

46 “Wonder would ZRUNIRUGD\VRQ OTHER ALBUMS HQGZLWKRXWVOHHSRU IRRGFRQVXPHGE\ WKHHQRUPRXVZDYH RILQVSLUDWLRQ´

Songs went on to sell over 10 million copies in the USA alone, making it that rarest of records: a diamond-rated album. Clearly Wonder had touched a nerve among the record-buying public, not just among soul and R&B audiences but in the popular consciousness. Alongside Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, Pink Floyd’s 'DUN6LGH2I7KH0RRQ and Mike Watts, whose incredibly dexterous playing 2OG¿HOG¶V7XEXODU%HOOV, all released a few Signed, Sealed & Delivered (1970) through ‘Sir Duke’ and elsewhere gave the album years before or after 6RQJV,Q7KH.H\2I/LIH, 20-years-old and with a newly mature voice, huge presence; guitar legend George Benson; and this record became a must-buy throughout the Wonder delivered this infectiously compelling set singer . Western world. Its immediately recognisable of originals and covers at a time when classically The songs’ subject matter was also cause for RUDQJHVOHHYHZDVVHHQRQFRIIHHWDEOHVDFURVV¿YH optimistic Motown songwriting was about to be celebration. In ‘%ODFN0DQ’ and ‘1JLFXOHOD±(V continents, and like the aforementioned albums, replaced by more socially-aware music. 8QD+LVWRULD±,$P6LQJLQJ’, Wonder discussed LWLVGLI¿FXOWWRLPDJLQHDUHFRUGLQJRIVLPLODU race, a touchy subject in America then as now. ambition being created today, let alone reaching At the same time, he wrote love songs and peace as huge an audience. anthems reminiscent of the hippie period of Has the music aged well? Some of the more a decade before, rather than the more cynical naive love songs are showing their age a little mid-’70s. Remember, punk rock was just around these days, but as a demonstration of what can the corner in ’76, and supporters of that sound happen when a genius is allowed untrammelled would argue that expansive albums such as expression, the triumph of both Stevie Wonder this one were the reason for its arrival – and yet and 6RQJV,Q7KH.H\2I/LIH really is undeniable.

Talking Book (1972) Opening his best-known period of creativity with this album, Wonder explored new areas of thought with the lyrics of funky tunes such as ‘Superstition’ and ‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’. It was time for the boy to become a man.

Innervisions (1973) Wonder’s most acclaimed record after Songs… itself, Innervisions takes a giant leap forward in songwriting and musicality. The great man shines Wonder nearly moved from the US brightest on ‘Too High ‘and ‘Living In The City’, both to Ghana until he signed his creatively-free contract critiques of life in ’70s America.

47 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Exodus Bob Marley & The Wailers

Release Date: 1977 | Record Label: Island

ore than 35 years on SURSRQHQWRI5DVWDIDULDQLVPKHZDVDQGLV¿UVW from his untimely death, and foremost, the man who brought to the Bob Marley remains as world. Of the string of seminal records that he Track List M inescapable a presence as released as Bob Marley and the Wailers across a SIDE A he ever was. His face and words have become SUROL¿FFDUHHUExodus stands out. And not only Track 1: Natural Mystic culturally ubiquitous, memetic and recognisable for its success or longevity – its initial UK chart Track 2: So Much Things to Say everywhere from Kingston to Tokyo, and for run lasted over a year. Had it never cracked a Track 3: Guiltiness PDQ\KHVWLOOUHSUHVHQWVWKHSHUVRQL¿FDWLRQRI chart anywhere, Exodus could still lay claim to Track 4: The Heathen Jamaica. The idea of Bob Marley resonates so being the smoothest reggae record ever laid down. Track 5: Exodus profoundly around the world that occasionally his It’s both sensual and spiritual (and frequently SIDE B VWDWXVDVRQHRIWKHODVWFHQWXU\¶VPRVWLQÀXHQWLDO both), and Marley’s indelible force of personality musicians can feel secondary. exudes wisdom, empathy and straight-up passion Track 1: Jamming It shouldn’t. For all Marley’s status as an icon on every track. Track 2: Waiting In Vain of the 20th century, a symbol of Jamaica and Exodus is also the most hit-heavy studio record Track 3: Turn Your Lights Down Low that Marley and the Wailers ever released. Side Track 4: Three Little Birds two alone is a string of seminal reggae anthems, Track 5: One Love/People Get Ready from ‘Jamming’ through to ‘One Love’ via Kirk West, Michael Putland/Getty Images ‘Waiting In Vain’ and ‘Three Little Birds’. Just one or two of these songs would be enough to elevate almost any album to classic status – that Marley nonchalantly reels them off one after the other here is near-divine. Legend is often seen as the quintessential 0DUOH\UHFRUGEXWZKLOHLW¶VGLI¿FXOWWRDUJXH with its dazzling, greatest-hits track list, it is still ultimately a compilation, released three years DIWHUKLVSDVVLQJ,QSDUWWKDW¶VZK\\RX¿QG Exodus on this list instead. Despite, or perhaps even because of a few minor imperfections, it’s Bob Marley and the Wailers perform WKHUHDOGH¿QLWLYH0DUOH\DOEXPWKHIXOO\UHDOLVHG at the Uptown Theater, , work of a genius at the peak of his musical talent Illinois, November 1979 and powers.

48 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Out Of The Blue Electric Light Orchestra

Release Date: 1977 | Record Label: Jet/United Artists/CBS

as there ever been a more Woman’ to the sweeping string arrangements of GD]]OLQJLOOXVWUDWLRQZRUNLVIURQWDQGFHQWUHEXW unabashedly joyful song µStandin’ In The Rain’HDFKWUDFNLVLPEXHGZLWK RSHQWKHSDFNDJHDQG\RX¶OO¿QGD',<FDUGERDUG committed to vinyl than DV\PSKRQLFTXDOLW\/\QQH¶VVRQJZULWLQJDQG UHQGLWLRQRIWKHJRRGVKLS(/2WRDVVHPEOH7U\ H ‘Mr. Blue Sky’? The euphoric instrumental experimentation are given free reign, glancing up at your miniature rainbow bagel as high point of Electric Light Orchestra’s (ELO’s) and the result is an album that’s both sonically µTurn To Stone’EHJLQVWRSOD\ZLWKRXWVPLOLQJ seventh studio album, Out Of The Blue, has DPELWLRXVDQGIDEXORXVO\LPPHGLDWH become synonymous with carefree exuberance Never content with merely elevating its brand ±WKHRI¿FLDOVRXQGWUDFNWRZRUNHUVVNLSSLQJ RIURFNWRRUFKHVWUDO(/2GRXEOHGGRZQRQLWV 7UDFN/LVW RXWRIWKHRI¿FHRQDVXQQ\)ULGD\DIWHUQRRQ H[WUDWHUUHVWULDODHVWKHWLF$QGWKLVLVSDUWO\ZK\ That it arrives, in all its jaunty piano, squiggly Out Of The Blue, more than most records, seems SIDE A guitar and vocoded glory, at the conclusion of an especially suited to vinyl, its glowing spaceship- Track 1: Turn To Stone internal four-song suite named Concerto for a adorned cover too expansive and ostentatious to Track 2: It’s Over Rainy DayLVLQGLFDWLYHRIWKHÀDPER\DQWH[FHVV EHVTXHH]HGLQWRWKHFRQ¿QHVRID&'MHZHOFDVH Track 3: Sweet Talkin’ Woman RI(/2PDVWHUPLQG-HII/\QQH¶VHVVHQWLDOZRUN The multi-coloured doughnut was, by 1977, Track 4: Across The Border Across four sides and more than 70 minutes, an integral part of the band’s iconography, with SIDE B Out Of The BlueWDNHVLQIHFWLRXVSRSQXPEHUVDQG Lynne and company performing their live shows Track 1: Night In The City embellishes them with every tool and instrument IURPXQGHUWKHÀDVKLQJKXOORIDQLPSUHVVLYH Track 2: Starlight DYDLODEOHLQ/\QQH¶VYDVWSURGXFWLRQDUVHQDO UHSOLFDDQGWKH/3¶VVWULNLQJSDFNDJLQJPDWFKHV Track 3: Jungle )URPWKHOD\HUHGFKRUDOJURRYHVRIµSweet Talkin’ WKHJUDQGVFDOHRILWVPXVLF6KXVHL1DJDRND¶V Track 4: Believe Me Now Track 5: Steppin’ Out SIDE C (Concerto For A Rainy Day) Track 1: Standin’ In The Rain Track 2: Big Wheels Track 3: Summer And Lightning Track 4: Mr. Blue Sky SIDE D Track 1: Sweet Is The Night Track 2: The Whale Track 3: Birmingham Blues Electric Light Orchestra 1977 Lineup Track 4: Wild West Hero Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Ochs Michael Images

49 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Rumours Fleetwood Mac

Release Date: 1977 | Record Label: Warner Bros

n its 11th record, Fleetwood going through a breakup, ending their on/off Mac crafted a bittersweet relationship; Fleetwood had discovered that his Track List masterpiece fuelled by wife was having an affair with his best friend; and SIDE A perhaps one of rock’s most to deal with their respective personal dramas, O Track 1: infamous melodramas. Released in 1977, Nicks and Fleetwood had their own affair. All of the intensely personal Rumours has become this was compounded further by inaccurate press Track 2: Dreams the seventh highest-selling studio album of all reports and circling, ahem, rumours. The saga Track 3: time with over 45 million copies sold worldwide. surrounding the recording of the album lead to Track 4: Don’t Stop $OVRZLQQLQJWKH¿YHSLHFHD*UDPP\DZDUGIRU the brutally honest and excruciatingly emotional Track 5: Album Of The Year in 1978, the iconic record not love songs, which dominate the track listing. Track 6: Songbird only features Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours’ working title during SIDE B best work but some of the best early recording sessions was Track 1: songwriting of all time. “The romantic ‘Yesterday’s Gone’, taken from Track 2: The seminal LP featured the turmoil the chorus of ‘Don’t Stop’. The Track 3: I Don’t Want to Know ¿IWKLQFDUQDWLRQRIWKHEDQG majority of the recording was Track 4: Oh Daddy - the duo of guitarist Lindsey plaguing the done at Studios Track 5: Buckingham and vocalist Stevie band during in Sausalito, California, with Nicks joining , producers Ken Caillat and Richard Christine McVie and John McVie [Rumours’] Dashut, though Fleetwood and two years previous following John McVie retained ultimate the departure of Bob Welch. A creation has creative control. Later recording transition triggered on 1975’s been well was moved to various studios eponymous release, Rumours around , including completes Fleetwood Mac’s documented” Studios. Stories progression from a band of of Fleetwood Mac’s pursuit of blues cliches to one of bright pop singles and sonic perfection in the studio are infamous – immaculate songwriting. Buckingham’s acoustic guitar was restrung every Inescapably intrinsic to Rumours, the romantic 20 minutes while recording ‘Never Going Back turmoil plaguing the band during its creation Again’ to achieve the same bright sound of a fresh has been well documented. Christine and John set of strings on every take. And during sessions McVie were going through a divorce after eight for ‘The Chain’¿YHGD\VZHUHVSHQWSURGXFLQJ years of marriage; Buckingham and Nicks were the perfect drum sound for Fleetwood.

50 Songwriting duties were mainly shared from Fleetwood’s crotch actually continue a long- between the vocal trio of Nicks (‘Dreams’, ‘I running gag. After ripping them off the toilets Don’t Wanna Know’, ‘Gold Dust Woman’), in a club after a gig, the drummer began to wear OTHER ALBUMS Buckingham (‘Second Hand News’, ‘Never the lavatory chains dangling between his legs Going Back Again’, ‘Go Your Own Way’) and during the band’s performances and eventually Christine McVie (‘Don’t Stop’, ‘Songbird’, ‘You they became a good-luck charm of sorts. The LP Make Loving Fun’, ‘Oh Daddy’). While at its was accompanied by a printed gatefold insert FRUHLVDQXQ¿QLVKHGWUDFNE\&KULVWLQH0F9LH featuring lyrics and a collage of band photos. written a year earlier, ‘The Chain’ is the only Some original pressings of the record also feature WUDFNRQWKHUHFRUGFUHGLWHGWRDOO¿YHPHPEHUV a textured sleeve. of Fleetwood Mac. After using McVie’s ‘Keep Me Unfortunately not making the cut on the There’ as a starting point, Buckingham borrowed original track listing due to the constraints of a guitar section from a track he recorded with ‘70s vinyl pressing, Nicks’ ‘Silver Springs’ (which Nicks in 1973 called ‘Lola (My Love)’. Nicks was unsurprisingly written about Buckingham) contributed lyrics to the track later in the featured on later reissues and became somewhat album’s production. of a cult favourite with fans. Among the plethora Rumours’ cover, featuring Fleetwood and Nicks RIRI¿FLDODQGXQRI¿FLDOUHUHOHDVHVRYHUWKHSDVW (as her on stage persona, Rhiannon) was the 40 years, audiophiles will revel in the 2011 version result of a joint effort by photographer Herbert that was released for US Record Store Day, which Worthington, and designers Desmond Strobel was cut at 45rpm on heavyweight 180g vinyl and and Larry Vigon. A curious detail of the cover, remastered from the original analogue tapes to the wooden balls (actually, toilet chains) hanging achieve maximum audio quality. Fleetwood Mac (1977) Recorded at the beginning of the Buckingham/ Nicks era. Featuring Nicks’ classic Rhiannon, the self-titled record took almost a year to climb to the top of the charts.

Tusk (1979) The most expensive rock record to date when it was released in 1979. The double LO heralds the start of an experimental streak following Rumours’ overwhelming success.

The Dance (1997) Reuniting the Rumours-era lineup for the first time in a decade, this live album plays as a greatest-hits album. Rumours offcut Silver Springs receives a notable outing.

51 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Never Mind The Bollocks, Here’s The Sex Pistols Sex Pistols

Release Date: 1977 | Record Label: Virgin

ooking back, it’s remarkable Never Mind The Bollocks did exactly that. how little actual music the $UULYLQJRQWKHFUHVWRIDZDYHRISXEOLFLW\DQG Track List Sex Pistols made in their VFDQGDOLWVDQDUFKLFDQGXQUH¿QHGVRXQGZDV SIDE A ÀHHWLQJ¿UVWUXQIURP DUHMHFWLRQRIWKHPDLQVWUHDPPXVLFSHGGOHG L Track 1: Holidays In The Sun WR The band that catapulted the UK punk and consumed by the loathsome establishment. Track 2: Bodies scene from bubbling counter-culture sideshow to /LVWHQLQJQRZ-RKQQ\5RWWHQ¶VOHHULQJYRFDOV Track 3: No Feelings ERQD¿GHPXVLFDOUHYROXWLRQKDGMXVWDKDQGIXORI VWLOOVHHWKHZLWKGLVGDLQLUUHYHUHQFHDQGDEDUHO\ Track 4: Liar singles and a sole studio album to their name by FRQWDLQHGYLROHQFHZKLOHWKHUDJJHGJXLWDUDQG WKHWLPHWKH\ZDONHGRIIVWDJHIRUWKH¿QDOWLPHDW SURSXOVLYHSHUFXVVLRQHVFKHZDQ\VRUWRIQXDQFH Track 5: Problems the in . The RUVXEWOHW\LQIDYRXURIVWLFNLQJWZRPLGGOH¿QJHUV Track 6: God Save The Queen EDQG¶VDQWLFVWKHLULQIDP\DQGWKHLULQÀXHQFHRQ XSDWFRQYHQWLRQDOPDQQHUHGURFNDQGUROO SIDE B a generation of punk bands that would follow are The production is rough, and bassist Sid Track 1: Seventeen GLVSURSRUWLRQDWHO\YDVWZKHQFRPSDUHGZLWKWKHLU Vicious’ musical talent was famously lacking Track 2: Anarchy In The UK output. But then, if you’re only going to make (indeed, aside from ‘Bodies’, Never Mind…’s Track 3: Sub-Mission one record, it might as well be one that changes EDVVOLQHVZHUHDOOUHFRUGHGE\JXLWDULVW6WHYH Track 4: Pretty Vacant the world. Jones). But these streaks do nothing to dull the Track 5: New York DOEXP¶VFDXVWLFDSSHDO,WVHGJHVMXVWPHDQWKDW Track 6: EMI

WKH6H[3LVWROV¶YLWULROFXWVHYHQGHHSHU Walter/WireImage Chris Angel/Redferns, Jorgen 7KHUHKDYHEHHQUHLVVXHVUHPDVWHUVGHPR FROOHFWLRQVDQGWKHRFFDVLRQDOOLYHUHFRUGLQJ UHSDFNDJHGDQGÀRJJHGRYHUWKHODVWIHZGHFDGHV And the band has performed – in its original, pre-Vicious form – on a number of occasions since their Filthy Lucre reunion tour in 1996. But QRQHRIWKLVPXVLFKDVWKHVDPHSRZHURUYLWDOLW\ as Never Mind The Bollocks in its original form. Sex Pistols, Copenhagen, ,W¶VOLJKWQLQJLQDERWWOHVWXIIWKULOOLQJDVHYHUDQG July 1977 impossible to replicate.

52 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Aja Steely Dan

Release Date: 1977 | Record Label: ABC

lsewhere in this book Still, Aja deserves every bit of its acclaim. you’ll read about The Epic, Steely Dan were and remain a duo comprising two Track List an album recorded by PXOWLLQVWUXPHQWDOLVWV'RQDOG)DJHQDQG:DOWHU E jazz saxophonist Kamasi Becker, and between these two prodigious talents SIDE A Washington in 2015. Beloved by critics but all of the rock, jazz and soul worlds were covered. Track 1: Black Cow only bought by a few thousand fans of jazz-rock, It helped that the backing musicians were the very Track 2: Aja a niche musical genre these days, we bring it up cream of the Los Angeles session world, including Track 3: Deacon Blues here because its fate – to be respected but barely guitarist Lee Ritenour, bassist Chuck Rainey, SIDE B heard – is exactly what would have befallen Aja, GUXPPHU6WHYH*DGGDQGVD[RSKRQLVW:D\QH Track 1: Peg Steely Dan’s sixth album, had that now 40-year- Shorter, but the album wouldn’t have reached Track 2: Home At Last old LP been released today. And yet Aja has sold such a wide audience without excellent songs at Track 3: I Got The News ¿YHPLOOLRQFRSLHVLVLQWKH*UDPP\+DOORI)DPH its core. Track 4: Josie and regularly appears in Top 100 Albums lists. This makes it all the more fascinating that +RZWLPHVKDYHFKDQJHGHK" Aja isn’t a double album, as you’d expect with this much talent stuffed into it, or indeed a particularly long single LP. Aja only has seven songs, in fact, but each is a gem, from ‘Peg’ – one of Steely Dan’s best-known songs – through to the title cut, Josie and Deacon Blues (whose title inspired the name of a certain Scottish band from the ’80s). This many decades later, Aja has aged both well and less well. The glistening production job, a precision-engineered treatment which bagged its RZQ*UDPP\DZDUGDQGZKLFKLVDQREMHFWOHVVRQ to this day in how to make music sound good, still feels fantastic. The songs, however, may be a little smooth for anyone looking for adrenalised WKULOOV)DJHQDQG%HFNHUVSHFLDOLVHGLQFDWFK\ slick textures that soothed rather than stimulated, so don’t expect too many sudden of Steely Dan

left turns. Steely Dan, 1977 Walter/WireImage, Chris

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Live And Dangerous Thin Lizzy

Release Date: 1978 | Record Label: Vertigo

hin Lizzy, the hard rock Back In Town’. The textures of their live material titans fronted by the iconic were improved no end by a sax player, John Irish singer Phil Lynott, Earle, and none other than Huey Lewis – yes, that Track List T had already released LQIDPRXV+XH\/HZLVKLPVHOIVWLOO¿YH\HDUVDZD\ SIDE A seven albums in six years by the from global success. Track 1: Jailbreak time they got around to releasing a Like Motorhead’s No Sleep ’Til Hammersmith, Track 2: Emerald live collection – but when it came, it was a released three years later, Live And Dangerous Track 3: Southbound monster. A double album of live tunes recorded in remains one of the quintessential live albums Track 4: Rosalie/Cowgirl’s Song various locations, Live And Dangerous was one of the golden age of hard rock. Lynott may have of the earliest in-concert collection to match, or succumbed to his lifestyle seven years later, but SIDE B even surpass, the studio skills of the band which his legacy as a live performer is secure. Track 1: Dancing In The Moonlight (It’s Caught Me In Its Spotlight) created it. Some of this, it has long been known, Track 2: Massacre was the result of some judicious overdubbing in Thin Lizzy’s live Track 3: Still In Love With You the studio after the live recordings – although to performances were legendary Johnny The Fox Meets Jimmy The Weed what extent this took place, and by whom, has Track 4: been the subject of varying accounts. SIDE C Masterminded by producer Tony Visconti, Track 1: Cowboy Song whose track record with David Bowie, T-Rex Track 2: The Boys Are Back In Town and other artists had made him something of Track 3: Don’t Believe A Word a king among his profession, the album pulls Track 4: Warriors off the trick of sounding both live and polished. Track 5: Are You Ready Lynott’s laddish stage presence is made evident in SIDE D between-song statements such as “Is there anyone Track 1: Suicide here with any Irish in them... and would any of the Track 2: Sha La La gals like any more Irish in them?” and guitar fans Track 3: Baby Drives Me Crazy gasped at the famous harmony solos delivered by Track 4: The Rocker Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson. ‘Rosalie’ was the single released from the LP, but frankly any number of songs represent its sheer energy equally well – not least the opening cut, ‘Jailbreak’, and a furious take on what is arguably Lizzy’s most famous song, ‘The Boys Are

54 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Armed Forces Elvis Costello

Release Date: 1979 | Record Label: Radar Records

he timing of Irish songwriter It helped, of course, that Armed Forces was Elvis Costello’s third album, packed full of killer songs. The obvious hit, and Track List Armed Forces, could not indeed the song for which Costello remains best T have been better when it known to this day, was ‘Oliver’s Army’. Although SIDE A appeared in 1979. Punk rock was waning, the singer has never explained with much clarity Track 1: Accidents Will Happen but its fans liked Costello’s snappy guitar riffs what the song is about – whether it’s Oliver Track 2: Senior Service and lyrical edge; mod was in the middle of a Cromwell or Winston Churchill – its barbed Track 3: Oliver’s Army resurgence, and with his glasses, skinny tie and references to South Africa (then languishing in Track 4: Big Boys SUHSS\ORRNKH¿WWHGWKDWLPDJHSHUIHFWO\DQG apartheid stasis) and even “a white n****” Track 5: Green Shirt an appreciation of politically astute, melodic seemed to be politically critical at a time when Track 6: Party Girl songs that came and went quickly was in the air. such criticism was sorely needed. Musically, SIDE B Somehow, Costello suited the times perfectly. the song was joyous: its intro, composed of Track 1: Goon Squad multiple chiming in perfect unison, is Track 2: Busy Bodies instantly thrilling, and credit should go both to Track 3: Moods For Moderns Costello’s backing band The Attractions and the album’s producer , himself a somewhat Track 4: Chemistry Class legendary songwriter. Track 5: Two Little Hitlers The other big hit from Armed Forces was Track 6: (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love And Understanding ‘Accidents Will Happen’, a showcase for the more downbeat side of Costello’s songwriting as well as his unique singing voice, a kind of adenoidal croon. Elsewhere on the album, the singer pulls no punches on songs such as ‘Two Little Hitlers’, and revealed the character of a bitter lover spurned on ‘Moods For Moderns’. As he sang the line “Soon you’ll belong to someone else/ And I will be your stranger just pretending”, you felt his emotion, even though it wasn’t quite clear what that emotion might be. Whatever the Armed Forces struck a message of this obscure album, it struck home cord with many with a huge demographic of rock listeners, who rock listeners promptly sent it to #2 on the UK albums chart.

55 W poignancy ofhislyrics. suicide attheageof23,furthercompounding year aftertherecord’sreleaseCurtiscommitted by leadsingerIanCurtis’anguish.Lessthana 39-minute debutLP–propulsivepunkdriven the unmistakableJoyDivisionsoundontheir Martin Hannett,thefour-pieceestablished punk genreisirrefutableandunderproducer The album’sstatusasacornerstoneofthepost- an albumofregularcriticalacclaim. Unknown Pleasures Bowdon Vale Youth Club Vale Bowdon at onstage live performing Hook Peter Curtis, Ian Morris, Stephen Sumner, -Bernard Division Joy initial releasein1979, response followingits decidedly mixed hilst metwitha hassincebecome Unknown Pleasures s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST

Saville’s understateddesign,whichdepicts is reasonenoughtoownthisrecord–Peter most iconicofalbumcoversandperhapsalone catalyst forfuturesuccessesFactoryRecords. Stockport’s StrawberryStudios,andbecamea produce overthecourseofthreeweekendsat of theLP’sidentityisowed.Itcost£18,000to Transcendent 2000synthesiserofwhichsomuch of thesoundeffectsused,aswellPowertran crisps andabasementtoiletwereamongstsome telephone line.Bottlessmashing,someoneeating as recordingCurtis’vocalsfor‘ techniques duringthealbum’sproduction,such Release Date: Unknown Pleasures Hannett employedanarrayofunorthodox 1979| Joy Division Joy Record Label: isfrontedbyoneofthe 56 Insight Factory Records ’ througha notations ‘ pressing of10,000copiesalsofeaturesthegroove from T-shirtstocondomwrappers.Theoriginal since beenre-createdorparodiedoneverything has sincetranscendedtherecord’sartand in TheCambridgeEncyclopaediaofAstronomy, sleeve. Theenigmaticdiagram,originallyfound pulsar, printedinthecentreofablack,textured VXFFHVVLYHSXOVHVIURPWKH¿UVWGLVFRYHUHG lyrics withtherecord. and, againstthenorm,JoyDivisiondidn’tinclude Closer opening trackoftheband’sfollow-upalbum, lyrics takenfrom‘ and ‘ Track List Track 5: 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track B SIDE 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track A SIDE Step . Nosingleswerereleasedfromthealbum ’ onSideB(‘ s This istheway

I Remember Nothing I Remember Interzone Wilderness Shadowplay Control Lost She’s Fades Dawn New Insight Candidate Lords The Day Of Disorder Atrocity Exhibition Inside ’ onSideA(‘ ’) –bothprominent ’, the Outside ’)

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Train In Vain Revolution Rock Down I’m Not Four Horsemen Rock Lover’s The Card Cheat Kola Koka Death Or Glory Boyo ‘Em Wrong Brixton Of Guns The Clampdown Supermarket InThe Lost Profile Right The Spanish Bombs Spanish Can’tRudie Fail Hateful Jimmy Jazz Brand New Cadillac London Calling

Michael Putland/Getty Images s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Specials The Specials

Release Date: 1979 | Record Label: 2 Tone Records

ow do you capture lightning the concerns of its audience, listing the IRA, UDA in a bottle, musically and other newsworthy organisations of the day in Track List speaking? Well, in the case ‘Do The Dog’, while the sentiments of ‘Concrete of the Specials’ immortal Jungle’ spoke volumes to the urban youth of the SIDE A H Track 1: ¿UVWDOEXPDOOWKHQHFHVVDU\ late ’70s. ingredients happened to be in place. Most of all, the almost insanely funky bass-lines Track 2: Do The Dog There was a cool producer at the top of his of songs such as ‘Little Bitch’ made an entire Track 3: It’s Up To You game, in this case Elvis Costello; a killer record generation of kids want to pogo up and down in Track 4: Nite Klub label run more on enthusiasm than expertise, 2 moshpits, as no-one called them back then: little Track 5: Doesn’t Make It Alright Tone; an iconic monochrome checkerboard art wonder that punks and mods alike loved the Track 6: Concrete Jungle direction; and a multiracial cast Specials. The genius ran through Track 7: Too Hot of musicians which simply could “This album this album like writing in a stick SIDE B not be bettered. of rock: ‘Doesn’t Make It Alright’ Track 1: Monkey Man fans will know the line-up had come to was another groove-heavy song, Track 2: (Dawning Of A) New Era by heart: vocalist Terry Hall, one this time one which called for Track 3: Blank Expression of British music’s most enduring occupy such awareness of street violence. Nite Track 4: Stupid Marriage personalities; his fellow singer Klub – featuring vocals from an embedded Track 5: Too Much Too Young ; guitarists Lynval star-in-waiting Pretenders singer Golding and Roderick ‘Roddy place in Chrissie Hynde – featured the Track 6: Little Bitch Radiation’ Byers; legendary maddeningly infectious off-beat Track 7: You’re Wondering Now bassist Horace Staples, aka Sir British guitar and organ chords which Horace Gentleman; drummer musical PRVWUHDGLO\LGHQWL¿HGWKHVND ; and keyboardist sound. A cover of Toots Hibbert’s , also the owner of culture” ‘Monkey Man’ proved that the 2 Tone. Specials could nail the original Full of vitriol and musical skill, this unique roots style when they wanted to, injecting the OLQHXSKLWJROGRQWKHLU¿UVWDOEXPUHOHDVHGLQ original classic with a ton of energy. 8QXVXDOO\IRUVXFKDUHJJDHLQÀXHQFHG By the time of its reissue in 2002, this album band, the were often medium to upbeat – had come to occupy such an embedded place see the phenomenal ‘Too Much Too Young’, later in British musical culture that its subversive the title of a Specials compilation – which helped nature was less obvious. Considered in more pull in a rock crowd to the gigs. The band shared GHSWKWKRXJKLWVVLJQL¿FDQFHEHFDPHFOHDU,Q

58 with pop choruses and sold millions of albums The Specials on stage in Chicago, – somehow outdid The Specials, at least Illinois, 2013 commercially. The two bands shared a fanbase, OTHER ALBUMS and continued to do so while the Specials later morphed into the Special AKA and then fell into only sporadic activity. Between the two acts, an awareness of black music was engendered in the consciousness of white British kids that a decade of roots Jamaican music had not instilled. That speaks volumes about the power of the songs here. It’s also interesting to note that the trajectory of the original Specials was brief but bright. After this album and a follow-up called in 1980, the band began to fragment after their biggest hit, a single in ’81 called ‘Ghost Town’. the era of race riots in London and Liverpool, Haunting and funky in equal measure, the song a multiracial band hitting the top of the charts summed up the group’s critical approach to really meant something. Then there was the British life at the time. Specials’ amping-up of traditionally mellow black $IRRWQRWHDERXWWKH6SHFLDOV¶LQÀXHQFHLQ music into an amalgam of rock and ska that – America. If you recall any of the ska-punk bands More Specials (1980) crucially – appropriated nothing: no-one saw that of the ’90s and ’00s – No Doubt and The Mighty More Specials is the second-best album by this achievement coming in 1979. Mighty Bosstones among them – you’ll hear how fiery band, loaded with killer cuts from ‘Rat Race’ – In the same context, it should be noted that much of a chord they struck on that continent. its biggest hit – on down. This time around, there Madness – fellow Londoners who infused a Ska’s rebellious nature appealed to American kids were lounge sounds aplenty as well as the usual similar, but not identical, musical formula just as it did over here. razor-sharp dub and reggae influences.

The group were critical to British life

Today’s Specials (1996) Sure, the reformed Specials may not have found their ‘80s niche too readily when they got back together in the mid-’90s, but that doesn’t mean this album should be discounted. This version of the band had plenty to going for it.

Guilty ’Til Proved Innocent! (1998) A relief from the diet of cover versions in which the recent version of The Specials specialised, this album of original material proved that the old boys of ska still had what it took. Neville Staple and were the driving force. Samir Hussein/Redferns/GettySamir Images

59 ’80s 62 AC/DC Back In Black 64 The Jam Sound Affects 65 Bruce Springsteen Nebraska 66 Chuck Berry The Great Twenty Eight 67 Dire Straits Love Over Gold 68 The Cramps ...Off The Bone 69 Prince Purple Rain 70 Kate Bush Hounds Of Love ’ 71 Iron Maiden Somewhere In Time 72 The Smiths The Queen Is Dead 74 Run-DMC Raising Hell 75 Def Leppard Hysteria 76 Michael Jackson Bad 78 Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction 79 Tulaviok Dèche à la Chtouille 80 Pixies Surfer Rosa 81 Public Enemy It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back 82 Beastie Boys Paul’s Boutique 84 De La Soul 3 Feet High And Rising 85 The Stone Roses The Stone Roses

60 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

61 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Back In Black AC/DC

Release Date: 1980 | Record Label: Albert/Atlantic

n 1980 AC/DC looked to be on %XWWKLVGLGLQÀXHQFHWKHRSHQLQJO\ULFVWRWKH their way up, they had released album: “I’m rolling thunder pouring rain, I’m Track List a series of successful records, coming on like a hurricane, my lightning’s ¿QDOO\EURNHLQWKH86ZLWKWKHLU ÀDVKLQJDFURVVWKHVN\\RX¶UHRQO\\RXQJEXW SIDE A I Track 1: Hells Bells album Highway To Hell and the band you’re gonna die.” The band pay tribute to their was set to record what would become former singer with the album’s black cover, it was Track 2: Shoot To Thrill Back In Black. However in February 1980 meant to be entirely black with embossed lettering Track 3: What Do You Do For Money Honey the band’s original singer Bon Scott was found but the record label insisted on including grey Track 4: Given The Dog A Bone dead in his friend’s car after binge drinking for the band’s logo. The album also starts with Track 5: Let Me Put My Love Into You at a club in London. After Scott’s funeral, and bells ringing for Bon Scott. Apart from that brief SIDE B some encouragement from his parents, the band RSHQLQJWKHUHDUHQRUHÀHFWLYHPRXUQLQJRUVDG Track 1: Back In Black ZHQWVWUDLJKWWR¿QGLQJDQHZ songs. In general, the band stuck Track 2: You Shook Me All Night Long frontman. They auditioned a with what they knew: simple, Track 3: Have A Drink On Me number of vocalists including ³7KHEDQG hard-hitting . Track 4: Shake A Leg then- singer Noddy Holder. Back In Black is full of riffs that Track 5: Rock And Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution Brian Johnson was announced SD\WULEXWH every novice guitar player will as the new singer for AC/DC in to their attempt to learn at least once, and April 1980, the group looked has solos that experienced players for a vocalist who wouldn’t copy former singer wish they could emulate. Songs Scott’s style, and out of respect with the like ‘You Shook Me All Night to the deceased singer they didn’t Long’ have infection choruses use any of the lyrics he wrote for DOEXP¶VEODFN that suit the massive arenas they Back In Black as they felt it would cover” ZRXOGHYHQWXDOO\¿OODQGµShoot be like they were cashing in on to Thrill¶LVDQDGUHQDOLQH¿OOHG his death. Much of the music was rock anthem that would be used written during studio sessions while Scott was RQ¿OPVRXQGWUDFNV\HDUVDIWHULWVUHOHDVH:KDW alive, fans can only imagine how it would have fans would be critiquing more than anything was turned out if the he had not passed away. how well Brian Johnson performed on the album. Shortly after announcing the new singer to the Producer Robert Lange knew this so he demanded public, the band set off to record in the Bahamas, SHUIHFWLRQGXULQJWKHUHFRUGLQJ:KHWKHUKH but they were met with rough weather, regular was superior to Bon Scott is up for debate, but tropical storms caused power cuts at the studio. Johnson’s voice suited the band, his screams were

62 passionate and he could write memorable lyrics. Back In Black’s catchy riffs and quotable lyrics OTHER ALBUMS are so synonymous with rock music that they are known by even the casual listener and are still staples in AC/DC’s live performances to this day. Released in July 1980, the album is still the second best-selling album of all time. Despite selling so many records, Back In Black didn’t reach #1 in the US. On its initial release it would only reach #4 in the charts across the pond, but did reach #1 in the UK, their home country, Australia, and France. Each time the album has been reissued, and reached the Billboards charts again, it has only managed to reach #1 on the Brian Johnson Billboard Top Pop Catalogue. replaced Bon Scott as Fans may disagree on who is the better singer, frontman after Bon Scott or Brian Johnson, but they can agree his death that Back In Black is the best AC/DC album. Highway to Hell (1979) The band’s breakthrough album and the last to feature Bon Scott. They seemed to have figured out the formula that would serve them well in future released such as the titular track with its foot-stomping riff and belting chorus.

Black Ice (2008) The last album to feature the lineup from Back in Black, AC/DC proved they could still write and play better than the younger rock bands. Half the tracks could be mistaken to being written in the ’80s, and there’s 15 tracks to enjoy.

The Razors Edge (1990) Angus and Malcolm Young took on writing duties while Brian Johnson had to temporarily step away. Guitarist Angus The guitarists focused on riffs first, lyrics second, Young is the only announcing their comeback with one of the best original member left in the band’s line up opening riffs in rock, ‘Thunderstruck’.

63 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Sound Affects The Jam

Release Date: 1980 | Record Label: Polydor

he Jam released six studio 7KDW¶VD\RXWKZHOOVSHQWLI\RXDVNXV$V give is what you get´PDQLIHVWR7KH%HDWOHVPXVW albums between 1977 and DUHVXOWWKHUH¶VSOHQW\RI\RXWKIXOELOHRQWKLV KDYHOLNHGWKHODWWHUE\WKHZD\HYHQWKRXJKWKH 1982; of these, Sound Affects DOEXPRIFRXUVH:HOOHUDQGKLVFRPSDGUHV JXLWDUDQGEDVVULIIVDUHH[DFWFRSLHVRIWKHRQHVLQ T ZDVWKH¿IWKDQGVLQJHU %UXFH)R[WRQ EDVV DQG5LFN%XFNOHU GUXPV  7D[PDQIURPWKH)DEV¶DOEXPRevolver, the Paul Weller’s favourite. The reasons for ¿WWHGLQSHUIHFWO\ZLWKWKHSXQNURFNPRYHPHQW -DPZHUHQHYHUVXHG this seem obvious to any fan of this pioneering critical as they were of the establishment and /LNHWKHLUFRQWHPSRUDULHVWKH3ROLFHDOVRD London trio: the album is razor-sharp but well- FRQIURQWDWLRQDOLQLPDJH&ODGLQWKHODWHVW SRSURFNWULROHGE\DVLQJHUZKRODWHUKHDGHGRII produced; ambitious while never straying too far UHYLYDOLVWPRGWKUHDGVWKH-DPDQGWKHSXQNNLGV to a much more successful solo band, the Jam had from pop/mod focus; and without the intra-band JRWRQIDPRXVO\±DIWHUDOOZKDWLVDSXQNEXWD DVKRUWOLYHGEXWSUROL¿FFDUHHU8QOLNHWKH3ROLFH tensions that made its follow-up, The Gift, the mod with safety pins? WKH-DPKDYHQHYHUUHIRUPHGIRUDFRPHEDFNWRXU VRXQGRIDEDQGLQÀX[:KDW¶VPRVWDVWRXQGLQJ $QGLI\RX¶UHVWLOOQRWVXUHZKRERXJKWDOOWKRVH although offers to do so have presumably been QRZWKDW:HOOHULVQRIHZHUWKDQDOEXPVLQWRD copies of Sound Affects, listen to the sardonic FRPLQJWKHLUZD\)RUWKHIRUHVHHDEOHIXWXUHLW successful post-Jam career, is that he made those ‘That’s Entertainment¶ DEOHDNHYRFDWLRQRI DSSHDUVWKDWIDQVZLOOKDYHWREHVDWLV¿HGZLWKWKH VL[-DPDOEXPVEHWZHHQWKHDJHVRIDQG HDUO\¶V%ULWDLQ DQGµStart!¶ZLWKLWV³What you VRQJVRQWKLVDQGWKHRWKHU-DPUHOHDVHV

The Jam playing in Newcastle upon Tyne during their Trans- 7UDFN/LVW Global Unity tour SIDE A Track 1: Pretty Green Track 2: Monday Track 3: But I’m Different Now Track 4: Set The House Ablaze Track 5: Start! Track 6: That’s Entertainment SIDE B Track 1: Dream Time Track 2: Man In The Corner Shop Track 3: Music For The Last Couple Track 4: Boy About Town Track 5: Scrape Away

64 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Nebraska Bruce Springsteen

Release Date: 1982 | Record Label: Columbia Records

etween The River, a 1980 7KHFUHDWLRQRIWKHDOEXPPDNHVIRUD double album which was IDVFLQDWLQJVWRU\6SULQJVWHHQUHFRUGHGWKHZKROH Track List immense in its scope WKLQJVRORRQDIRXUWUDFNWDSHUHFRUGHULQWKH and vision, and 1984’s EHGURRPRIKLVKRPHLQ-DQXDU\8VLQJ SIDE A B Track 1: Nebraska Born In The USA, a giant hit, Bruce PRVWO\DFRXVWLFJXLWDUDGUXPPDFKLQHDQGDIHZ Springsteen recorded an album that extra instruments such as mandolin and organ, he Track 2: Atlantic City was subtler in all possible ways – FUHDWHGDVXLWHRIGDUNIRONLQÀXHQFHGVRQJVWKDW Track 3: Mansion On The Hill 1982’s Nebraska. Plain in instrumentation WRRNDVRPEUHYLHZRIOLIHLQ$PHULFD Track 4: Johnny 99 and presented with stark artwork, this atypical 7KHWLWOHWUDFNZDVEDVHGRQWKHWDOHRI&KDUOHV Track 5: record may not be Springsteen’s loudest, brashest 6WDUNZHDWKHUDVHULDONLOOHUIURPWKH¶VZKLOH Track 6: State Trooper RUPRVWYLYLGZRUNEXWLW¶VGH¿QLWHO\RQHRIKLV ‘Atlantic City¶FRQVLGHUHGWKHWDOHRIDPDQIRUFHG SIDE B most emotional. to take a job in the criminal underworld. ‘Johnny Track 1: Used Cars 99¶ZDVDERXWDIDFWRU\ZRUNHUZKRLVODLGRII Track 2: Open All Night Springsteen and kills a man in his desperation, and ‘Highway Track 3: My Father’s House recorded Patrolman Reason To Believe Nebraska on ¶FRQFHUQVDSROLFHRI¿FHUZKROHWV Track 4: his own his brother escape justice even though he has FRPPLWWHGDPXUGHU,W¶VSRZHUIXOVWXIIDQGD ORQJZD\IURPWKHS\URWHFKQLFVRIWKHDOEXPV ZKLFKSUHFHGHGDQGIROORZHGLW Once Springsteen had demoed the songs, he attempted to record them with his group, the IDPRXV(6WUHHW%DQGEXWKHZDVXQKDSS\ZLWK WKHUHVXOWVIHHOLQJWKDWWKHQDWXUDOVRXQGRIWKH demos had been lost in translation. In the end the GHPRWUDFNVZHUHXVHGIRUWKH¿QDODOEXPTXLWHD IHDWDV6SULQJVWHHQKDGEHHQFDUU\LQJWKHFDVVHWWH DURXQGLQKLVSRFNHWIRUZHHNVQRWHYHQVWRULQJ LWLQDFDVH1RLVHRQWKHWDSHKDGWREH¿OWHUHG out with studio technology, but this was achieved – perhaps miraculously – and the resulting DOEXPZHQWRQWREHFRPHVRPHWKLQJRIDJHPLQ Springsteen’s catalogue.

65 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Great Twenty Eight Chuck Berry

Release Date: 1982 | Record Label: Various/Chess

ompilations rarely feature weaker links in an otherwise impressive chain of Chuck Berry in in best album lists, but not work, but there’s no denying Berry’s sheer reach every compilation is like The DQGLQÀXHQFHZKHQ\RXOLVWHQWRWKLVH[WHQVLYH C Great Twenty Eight. First body of work. released in 1982 on Chess Records, it arguably 7KH¿QDOFRYHUDUWLVHYHU\ELWDVH\HFDWFKLQJ highlights not only the greatest songs of Chuck as the music found within, featuring a classic pose Berry’s illustrious career, but also the ones that of Chuck with his trademark swagger against a helped create the concept of rock and roll. It’s an bright yellow background. It’s cheap too, and incredibly important album as its carefully picked it’s possible to pick up copies from car boots and songs inspired everyone from and charity shops for very little. Or you can pick up the Ted Nugent, to Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen. recent rerelease which features the original liner The Great Twenty Eight features all the notes by rock historian, Michael Lydon. elements that made Berry’s song capture the attention of the world’s youth when they were ¿UVWUHOHDVHGLQWKHPLG¶VDQGHDUO\¶V Track 7: Around And Around ‘Maybellene’, the compilation’s opener starts Track List SIDE C with a brilliant guitar intro, ‘Sweet Little Sixteen’s SIDE A Track 1: Seven Nation Army distinctive riffs were used wholesale by The Beach Track 1: Maybellene Track 2: Beautiful Delilah Boys who added new lyrics and created ‘6XU¿Q Track 2: Thirty Days Track 3: Memphis USA’, ‘Johnny B. Goode’ features one of the most Track 3: You Can’t Catch Me Track 4: Sweet Little Rock And Roller iconic guitars riffs of all time and formed a centre Track 4: Too Much Monkey Business Track 5: Little Queenie SRLQWRIWKHKLW¶V¿OPBack To The Future. ‘No Track 5: Brown Eyed Handsome Man Track 6: Almost Grown Particular Place To Go’ features playful lyrics of Track 6: Roll Over Beethoven Track 7: Back In The U.S.A. the kind that could be found throughout Berry’s Track 7: Havana Moon SIDE D music, while ‘Carol’ is such a brilliant piece of SIDE B Track 1: Let It Rock work that it’s been covered by everyone from The Track 1: School Days Track 2: Bye Bye Johnny Rolling Stones and The Beatles to Status Quo, The Track 2: Rock And Roll Music Track 3: I’m Talking About You Doors, And The Heartbreakers and Track 3: Oh Baby Doll Track 4: Come On even AC/DC. The end result is an epic history that Track 4: Reelin’ And Rockin’ Track 5: Nadine (Is It You?) fully encapsulates one of music’s greatest genres, Track 5: Sweet Little Sixteen Track 6: No Particular Place To Go the fact that it comes from one person’s body of Track 6: Johnny B. Goode Track 7: I Want To Be Your Driver work is simply staggering. There’s inevitably a few Archive/Redferns/GettyGAB Images

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Love Over Gold Dire Straits

Release Date: 1982 | Record Label: Warner Bros

the Love Over Gold recording sessions are notable for producing a number of songs that never PDGHLWWRWKH¿QDODOEXPLQFOXGLQJµThe Way It Always Starts¶µBadges¶µPosters¶µStickers And T-Shirts¶DQGWKHH[FHOOHQWµPrivate Dancer’, which ended up on Tina Turner’s comeback album. In addition to be a stunning showcase IRU.QRSÀHU¶VFRPSRVLWLRQVDQGGHOLFDWHJXLWDU work, the recording sessions also allowed for him to use a huge number of his beloved guitars that were in his collection, including an Ovation classic guitar, his 1937 National Steel guitar and his four Schecter Stratocasters. The huge success of Love Over Gold and the VKHHUDFFHVVLELOLW\RIYLQ\OGXULQJWKHµVPHDQV LW¶VSRVVLEOHWRSLFNLWXSIRUXQGHUD¿YHU,W¶VD paltry price to pay for such an interesting album The Dire Straits and allows you to judge for yourself if opening performing live on ZLWKWKHPLQXWHµTelegraph Road’ was such a stage in 1982 bad idea (it wasn’t).

ou’ve probably immediately Releasing an album that starts with a 14-minute ÀLFNHGWKURXJKWKHFRQWHQWV song might sound like commercial suicide, RIWKLVERRNDQGZRQGHUHG EXWZULWHU0DUN.QRSÀHUKDGQRLQWHQWLRQRI Track List Y ZKHUHWKHKHOOBrothers In following cash, he just wanted to craft a collection SIDE A ArmsLV While we’d agree that Dire Straits’ of epic tunes. As it turned out the cash would Track 1: Telegraph Road follow-up album is an excellent piece of work follow anyway, with Love Over Gold reaching #1 Track 2: Private Investigations that’s worthy of coverage, we’d argue that it’s in the UK album charts and staying in the top 100 SIDE B more associated with the rise of the CD and that for a total of 200 weeks (Brothers In Arms would Track 1: Industrial Disease this gem from 1982 is a far more interesting eventually top it with 228 weeks). Track 2: Love Over Gold record, with an equally eye-catching piece of Recorded at New York’s Power Station in just Track 3: It Never Rains

cover art. RYHUQLQHZHHNVDQGSURGXFHGVROHO\E\.QRSÀHU Phil Dent/Redferns/Getty Images

67 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Off The Bone The Cramps

Release Date: 1983 | Record Label: Illegal

QHRIWKH¿UVWSXQNURFN The vinyl release of Off The Bone has an The Cramps in 1982 EDQGVLQWKHPLG¶V Anaglyphic 3D image on the sleeve (the red and HPHUJLQJZLWKRWKHU&%*% cyan picture) with a pair of anaglyphic glasses O EDQGVOLNHWKH5DPRQHV inside to get the full effect. All of the other WKH&UDPSVZHUHDOVRIRXQGHUVRI versions of the album such as the CD release only SV\FKRELOO\DIRUPDURFNDELOO\WKDW have the artwork in plain black and white, loosing PL[HGLWVORRNVZLWKSXQNDQGKRUURU some of the quirkiness that the band always put LPDJHU\ The band was founded in 1973 by into their work. husband and wife group of and and have gone through countless line-up changes. As with a lot of the Cramps’ albums, Off The Track List Bone has a number of covers from ‘The Way I Walk’ to ‘Surfin’ Bird’ that the band SIDE A tweak to make their own. Due to the minimalist Track 1: Human Fly drums and lack of bass guitar, the focus lies on Track 2: The Way I Walk the dual guitars and the singing style of Lux Track 3: Domino Interior who adds a menacing tone with his Track 4: Surfin’ Bird haunting vocals. Track 5: Lonesome Town It’s hard to know where the cover songs end Track 6: Garbageman and the originals begin, as the Cramps were Track 7: Fever LQÀXHQFHGE\WKH¶VVRXQGDQGWKHLURZQ SIDE B material sounds like it was taken form that place in time and then fused with their camp humour Track 1: Drug Train and B-movie atmosphere. Track 2: Love Me The record is a UK-only compilation album Track 3: I Can’t Hardly Stand it WKDWFROOHFWVWKHHQWLUHW\RIWKHLU¿UVW(3Gravest Track 4: Goo Goo Muck Hits DQGLQFOXGHVRWKHUVRQJVIURPWKHLU¿UVW Track 5: She Said two studio albums. A year later the album was Track 6: The Crusher released in the US as Bad Music For Bad People, Track 7: Save it but it had fewer tracks and seen as a weaker Track 8: New Kind of Kick release compared to Off The Bone.

68 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Purple Rain 3ULQFH

Release Date: 1984 | Record Label: Warner Bros.

he late Prince was a musical 2ULJLQDO6RQJ6FRUH¶WKHODVWWLPHWKDWWKHDZDUG WLWXODUµPurple Rain¶µLet’s Go Crazy¶DQGµWhen phenomenon, experienced ZDVJLYHQ Doves Cry¶ in playing numerous :LWKPurple Rain3ULQFHEHFDPHWKH¿UVWDUWLVW 7KHUHFRUGKDG¿YHWRSWHQVLQJOHVEXW T instruments, on his debut WRKDYHWKHQXPEHURQHVLQJOHDOEXPDQG¿OPLQ SHUKDSVWKHVRQJWKDWPDGHWKHELJJHVWLPSDFW album For You he played all 27 that WKH86DWWKHVDPHWLPH7KHVXFFHVVRIERWKWKH RQWKHPXVLFLQGXVWU\ZDVQ¶WHYHQDVLQJOH were used on the record. Purple Rain was Purple RainDOEXPDQG¿OPZRXOGPDNH3ULQFH µDarling Nikki¶OHGWRWKHLQWURGXFWLRQRIWKH WKH¿UVWDOEXPWRIHDWXUH3ULQFH¶VEDFNLQJJURXS RQHRIWKHELJJHVWPDOHSRSVWDUVDWWKHWLPH 3DUHQW$GYLVRU\VWLFNHUVRQDOEXPFRYHUVGXH WKH5HYROXWLRQ7KH\PDGHWKHDOEXPVRXQG VHFRQGRQO\WRWKH.LQJRI3RS0LFKDHO-DFNVRQ WRWKHVRQJ¶VO\ULFVDERXWVH[DQGPDVWXUEDWLRQ JUDQGHUH[FHSWIRUµWhen Doves Cry¶ZKLFK 7KHDOEXPVKRZVKLVWUDGHPDUNEOHQGRIIXQN :KHQORRNLQJWRSLFNXSWKLVYLQ\OFKHFNZKLFK QRWLFHDEO\RPLWVWKHEDVVJXLWDU SRSGDQFHDQGURFN,W¶VHDV\WRIRUJHWWKDWDV YHUVLRQ\RXDUHJHWWLQJ7KHUH¶VDUHJXODUYHUVLRQ 7KHDOEXPZDVXVHGDVWKHVRXQGWUDFNIRUWKH ZHOODVEHLQJDJUHDWVRQJZULWHU3ULQFHZDVDOVR RIPurple RainDVZHOODVD3DLVOH\3DUN ¿OPRIWKHVDPHQDPHDOVRVWDULQJ3ULQFH7KDW DQLQFUHGLEOHJXLWDULVWDQGKHVKRZFDVHVKLVVNLOOV UHPDVWHUUHOHDVHWKDWZDVRYHUVHHQE\3ULQFH7KH \HDUWKH¿OPZRQWKHDFDGHP\DZDUGIRUµ%HVW DFRXSOHRIWLPHVLQWKHDOEXPLQWUDFNVOLNHWKH UHPDVWHUHGYHUVLRQFDQEHGLVWLQJXLVKHGE\LWV VLOYHUERUGHUZKLOHWKHRULJLQDOKDVDZKLWHRQH$V Prince performs live at IRUZKLFKRQHVRXQGVEHWWHUWKHUHPDVWHUVRXQGV the Fabulous Forum on FOHDUHUEXWLWDOOFRPHVGRZQWRSUHIHUHQFH 19 February 1985 in Inglewood, California 7UDFN/LVW SIDE A Track 1: Let’s Go Crazy Track 2: Take Me With U Track 3: The Beautiful Ones Track 4: Comuter Blue Track 5: Darling Nikki SIDE B Track 1: When Doves Cry Track 2: I Would Die 4 U Track 3: Baby I’m A Star Track: 4 Purple Rain Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Ochs Michael Images

69 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Hounds Of Love Kate Bush

Release Date: 1985 | Record Label: EMI

he ‘80s have been by far Bush, then as now one of the most WKHPRVWSUROL¿FGHFDGHRI accomplished composers and artistic visionaries the British songwriter Kate of her generation, secured our attention this Track List %XVK¶VFDUHHUVRIDUVKH WLPHZLWKWKHDOEXP¶V¿UVWVLQJOHµRunning Up SIDE A T Running Up That Hill (A Deal With God) UHOHDVHGIRXUDOEXPVLQWKDWSHULRG That Hill (A Deal With God)’. With a synth hook Track 1: WKHPRVWH[SHULPHQWDORIZKLFKZDV that wouldn’t go away once you heard it, and a Track 2: Hounds Of Love The Dreaming  DQGWKHPRVW virtuoso vocal performance from Bush which Track 3: The Big Sky FRPPHUFLDOO\VXFFHVVIXOHounds Of makes today’s giant-lunged X-Factor singers seem Track 4: Mother Stands For Comfort Love (’85). Loaded with hit singles and sharp, utterly outclassed, the song remains one of her Track 5: Cloudbusting precise songs that cut deep to the bone of the best known, even more so than the songs from her SIDE B human condition, Hounds was a reaction to the Wuthering Heights era. Track 1: And Dream Of Sheep obscure themes of its predecessor – and widely µCloudbusting’, accompanied by a video Track 2: Under Ice admired for exactly that reason. boasting the best special effects the mid-’80s Track 3: Waking The Witch could muster, continued Bush’s presence in the Track 4: Watching You Without Me People fell in love with FKDUWVDQGUDGLRDVGLGµThe Big Sky’ and the Track 5: Jig Of Life the amazing music and title track itself. Note that the singer rarely took mysterious vibes Track 6: Hello Earth the time to explain her lyrical themes with much Track 7: The Morning Fog clarity, leaving it to the listener to decipher what a big sky and so on actually were – but the public didn’t mind, lining up to buy Bush’s records and tickets for her gigs. There’s something very British about that: it wasn’t the videos or the words that sold Hounds Of Love to us, it was the amazing music and the mysterious vibe of Bush herself. Although Bush has released albums of similar quality in the three decades since Hounds Of Love, none has been quite as commercially successful. She touched a nerve in 1985 that resounded long and loud, leaving us with a suite of songs to which, like all her work, many singer-songwriters since then owe a greater or lesser debt.

70 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Somewhere In Time Iron Maiden

Release Date: 1986 | Record Label: EMI

he veteran British heavy – and the football score readout of West Ham - 7, Dave Murray and metallers Iron Maiden, now Arsenal - 3, a nod to bandleader Steve Harris’s Janick Gers close to 40 years into their favourite team. T career, already felt like Musically, SIT is a blend of expert metal seasoned warhorses of heavy metal as noodling from the familiar Maiden school of far back as 1986, when they released YLUWXRVLW\HSLFIDQWDV\¿FWLRQWKHPHVDQG Somewhere In Time, the sixth album yodelling choruses from singer Bruce Dickinson. of their classic initial seven-album Primary songwriter Harris didn’t compose run. The reason to acquire this excellent LP on a as such, despite the many vinyl is simply because of its incredible artwork, references to time – but he did have a keen eye which stretches across both front and back on the charts, penning enduring singalong hits and which is a mass of intricate detail. Artist such as ‘Wasted Years’, ‘Heaven Can Wait’ and Derek Riggs squeezed in dozens of references the title track. Perhaps the most memorable tune to Maiden’s previous albums and their personal is ‘Stranger In A Strange Land’, inspired by the foibles, from the digital clock reading 23:58 – classic Robert Heinlein novel of the same name. referring to their song ‘2 Minutes To Midnight’ Somewhere In Time represents a jumping- off point for Iron Maiden. After this album, Smith, Harris, Murray they moved into synthesiser-led, progressive and Gers performing territory, an approach which peaked with their in 2017 next LP, Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son. Within Track List a couple of years of that particular landmark SIDE A album, Dickinson and Smith jumped ship, heavy Track 1: Caught Somewhere In Time metal was subsumed for a decade by and Track 2: Wasted Years , and Maiden entered their own Track 3: Sea Of Madness ‘wasted years’. Track 4: Heaven Can Wait Although Dickinson’s replacement Blaze SIDE B Bayley, of the band Wolfsbane, did his best over a Track 1: The Loneliness Of The Long couple of substandard albums, we all breathed a Distance Runner sigh of relief when Dickinson and Smith rejoined Track 2: Stranger In A Strange Land at the end of the ’90s. Since then, Maiden have Track 3: Deja-Vu ruled the heavy metal roost once again, with Track 4: Alexander The Great Metallica the planet’s only bigger metal band.

71 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Queen Is Dead The Smiths

Release Date: 1986 | Record Label: Rough Trade

he Smiths were the ultimate his instrument, and while drummer Mike Joyce Marmite band of British was adequate rather than scintillating at his craft, guitar rock. You either he and Rourke made up one of the ‘80s’ great Track List T admired singer Stephen rhythm sections. SIDE A ’s vocals for their emotive, On The Queen Is Dead, all four musicians Track 1: The Queen Is Dead vibrato-heavy, occasionally slightly combined their skills to breathtaking effect. The Track 2: Frankly, Mr Shankly ÀDWYLJRXURU\RXWKRXJKWKHVRXQGHG sheer volume of territory they cover between them Track 3: I Know It’s Over like a miserable git who couldn’t sing. is one of the album’s most enduring assets, from Track 4: Never Had No One Ever The same went for his lyrics – often sarcastic, the big singles on down to the lesser cuts. The Track 5: Cemetry Gates morbid and self-pitying – and his image, a record’s best-known songs are ‘Bigmouth Strikes SIDE B bequiffed studenty look with Again’, ‘The Boy With The Thorn gladioli falling out of his back In His Side’ and ‘There Is A Light Track 1: Bigmouth Strikes Again pocket, plus an NHS hearing aid “The sheer That Never Goes Out’ – all more Track 2: The Boy With The Thorn In His Side and glasses. volume of or less introspective compositions Track 3: Vicar In A Tutu But you can’t fault the music, that sealed the Smiths’ reputation Track 4: There Is A Light That Never Goes Out peaking here on The Smiths’ territory they as songs for sad people. Track 5: Some Girls Are Bigger Than Ours third album of four, thanks to a cover between This over-simple analysis wide-ranging production from does the songs and the band a Morrissey and the band’s guitarist them is one of disservice, though. ‘Bigmouth...’ The Smiths, 1985 and songwriter Johnny Marr. begins with a sweet acoustic intro In almost all ways the creative the album’s and a restless bass-line that owes powerhouse of the band – while most enduring a debt to classic funk: in fact, it’s Morrissey added his unique musically hyperactive throughout, worldview – Marr was the most assets” with only Morrissey’s sideways accomplished guitarist and lyric about Joan of Arc burning composer of his genre and demographic. His at the stake (“as her Walkman started to melt”). understanding of how to evoke emotion in music $UWL¿FLDOO\IDOVHWWRHGYRFDOVZDLOLQJJXLWDUOLQHV was far-reaching, while his core approach – a rich, in the background, punchy licks picked at great chiming guitar sound with arpeggiated chords, speed: all of studio life was here. RIWHQOD\HUHGIRUPD[LPXPLPSDFW±GH¿QHGWKH As for ‘The Boy With The Thorn In His Side’ jangly sound of British indie for a decade and and ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’, these more. Bassist Andy Rourke, too, was a master of did deserve their reputation as bedroom anthems

72 People either loved Morrissey or hated him OTHER ALBUMS

The Smiths (1982) Few debut albums have ever rocked the British indie scene more profoundly than this self-titled album... The secret was in the songs – ‘What Difference Does It Make?’, ‘Hand In Glove’ and ‘Suffer Little Children’ among them.

Meat is Murder (1985) “That Joke Isn’t Funny Anymore”, sang Morrissey in 1985, but that didn’t matter because the album which that song came from was just too good for words. Add ‘How Soon Is Now?’, and you’ve got an album that is pretty perfect.

for sociopathic teenagers to an extent. The former Cemetry Gates and ‘loud loutish lovers’ on ‘I was musically joyous, while its lyrics appeared to Know It’s Over’, he did just that. You might not be sung from the perspective of a kid suffering have enjoyed his evident desire to provoke, or how from crippling shyness. ‘There Is A Light...’ deeply he plumbed the depths of psychic misery encapsulates the fears of the ’80s teenager with in his lyrics, but one thing was for sure, he never perfect naivety: it’s impossible to hear the lines bored you. “Oh, please don’t drop me home, because I There’s outright fun to be had here, too. Go haven’t got one” and “If a double-decker bus to ‘Vicar In A Tutu’ for the sound of a band crashes into us / To die by your side / What a delivering a tongue-in-cheek rockabilly sound heavenly way to die” without instantly visualising with perfect accuracy. Then there’s the crystal the mockery of all the Smiths-haters in the world. clarity and icy tones of the guitars in ‘Some Girls (1987) Morrissey meant those words, though, and sang Are Bigger Than Others¶DO\ULFDOO\ÀLSSDQWEXW Strangeways, Here We Come them unashamedly. musically divine song that leads you to wonder Four words: ‘Girlfriend In A Coma’. Lyrically punishing and musically sweeter than sugar, this The Queen Is Dead wasn’t all introspection, what the hell they were actually on about, on this song summed up the bleak charm of the last of course. Morrissey was, above all, an educated and the other three Smiths albums. We still don’t studio album that the Smiths will ever make. Look writer with an urge to communicate his really know the answer, all these years later, and out for endless reissues and repackages. vocabulary – and invoking Keats and Yeats on the Smiths’ catalogue is all the richer for it.

73 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Raising Hell Run-DMC

Release Date: 1986 | Record Label: Profile Records

un-DMC certainly didn’t PLOOLRQFRSLHVLQLWV¿UVWPRQWKDQGJRLQJRQWR conceive hip hop. In fact achieve triple platinum status. Track List The Sugarhill Gang’s It’s impossible to discuss the album without Rapper’s Delight – widely giving a nod to the groundbreaking collaboration SIDE A R Track 1: Peter Piper UHJDUGHGDVWKH¿UVWVXFFHVVIXOVLQJOH with Aerosmith on ‘Walk This Way’. It wasn’t of the genre – had been released WKH¿UVWWLPH5XQ'0&KDGH[SHULPHQWHGZLWK Track 2: It’s Tricky six years prior to Run-DMC’s third a fusion of rock and hip hop, having done so Track 3: My Adidas album, Raising Hell. However the 12-track RQHDUOLHUWUDFNV5RFN%R[DQG.LQJRI5RFN Track 4: Walk This Way LP kickstarted a golden age of hip hop, dismissing Producer Rick Rubin suggested the cover during Track 5: Is It Live the notion that the genre was a fad as it grabbed a UHFRUGLQJVHVVLRQVIRUWKHDOEXPPHWDW¿UVWZLWK Track 6: Perfection top 10 spot in the US charts. Raising Hell remains trepidation from Run and DMC who had no idea SIDE B the trio’s most successful album, selling over a who Aerosmith were at the time. The pioneering Track 1: Hit It Run collaboration catapulted Run-DMC to stardom, Track 2: Raising Hell as well as leading to a revival for Aerosmith. Track 3: You Be Illin’ Achieving substantial worldwide success, ‘Walk Track 4: Dumb Girl This Way’ did more to popularise hip hop to the Track 5: Son Of Byford masses than any other previous song. Track 6: Proud To Be Black

Raising Hell offers more than just the one Archives/Getty Ochs Michael Images iconic track. Lead single ‘My Adidas’, the hilarious ‘You Be Illin’ and sample-driven classic ‘It’s Tricky’ are all further proof of the energy and charisma propping up Run-DMC’s unique sound. 2IWHQIDYRXULQJWKHVXSHU¿FLDORYHUVXEWH[WRYHU the course of the album, Raising Hell conversely concludes with ‘Proud To Be Black’’s rant on society’s racial tensions. Featuring a photograph of Run and DMC, the record’s jacket was available in two distinct colour schemes – either purple with red reverse or a green cover with blue reverse. Both versions of the Run DMC, LP have identical track listings, though some early New York 1986 copies mislabelled both sides as Side B.

74 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Hysteria Def Leppard

Release Date: 1987 | Record Label: Mercury Records

f 1983’s Pyromania had Def Instinct) with Mutt Lange, who had produced Leppard dipping their toe into their previous two LPs. Lange quickly dropped Track List pop’s waters, Hysteria was a out due to a full schedule and was replaced by cannonball at the deep end. From Jim Steinman, best known for working with Meat SIDE A I Track 1: Women the beginning, the album’s concept had remained Loaf on Bat Out Of Hell. But ultimately after the same – to be a hard rock version of Michael creative differences with Steinman and a short Track 2: Rocket Jackson’s Thriller, on which every track could be a hiatus after drummer Rick Allen lost his left arm Track 3: Animal hit single (and indeed seven of the 12 tracks were, in a car accident, Lange returned for Hysteria’s Track 4: Love Bites one more single than Thriller). At just over 25 ¿QDOUHFRUGLQJVHVVLRQV'HI/HSSDUGDSRORJLVHG Track 5: Pour Some Sugar On Me million copies sold worldwide, Hysteria remains for the delay in LP’s , also compounded Track 6: Armageddon It the band’s best-selling record. by Lange’s own car accident and frontman Joe SIDE B Def Leppard’s turbocharged fourth record Elliot’s bout of the mumps, Track 1: Gods Of War infamously took almost four years to produce and 5HQRZQHGGHVLJQHU$QGLH$LU¿[ZDV Track 2: Don’t Shoot Shotgun at a cost just shy of $5 million. The band initially responsible for Hysteria’s artwork, known for Track 3: Run Riot wrote songs for Hysteria (then called Animal his work with Led Zeppelin, Judas Priest and Track 4: Hysteria Metallica. Initially working to the title of Animal Track 5: Excitable Joe Elliott lead singer of Instinct, he created a cover featuring an eagle, a Track 6: Love And Affection

Def Leppard shark and a lion blending into each other before Hutson/RedfernsMick reworking it into the distorted face of the ¿QDOUHOHDVH At a run time of around 63 minutes, Hysteria really stretched the limits of how long a standard album at the time could be – unfortunately for audiophiles, to the detriment of the vinyl pressings. Over an hour’s worth of music is way too much to squeeze onto a single platter and retain a high standard of audio quality. More recent vinyl releases of the album remedy this by running over two LPs, most notably the 30th Anniversary gatefold vinyl re-issue, featuring fully remastered tracks on a strikingly translucent RUDQJHJZD[

75 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Bad Michael Jackson

Release Date: 1987 | Record Label: Epic/CBS

ive years had passed since Whether the record label didn’t want people the release of Thriller, the recording the songs onto tape, or they just didn’t Track List album that had become the ZDQWWKHSXEOLFWRKHDULWZLWKRXWEX\LQJLW¿UVWLV F best selling record in the still unknown, but the album was still a massive SIDE A world, so naturally there were great hit upon it’s release. In the United States, Bad was Track 1: Bad expectations for the follow-up. In the given a lot of publicity. American Broadcaster CBS Track 2: The Way You Make Me Feel years after Thriller’s release Michael Jackson aired a TV special on Jackson’s life and career, Track 3: Speed Demon had begun to make a reputation for himself in titled Michael Jackson: The Magic Returns. At Track 4: Liberian Girl the newspapers, he reportedly had a number of the end of the documentary, they debuted the Track 5: Just Good Friends different plastic surgery operations to change video for the titular track ‘Bad’, the 18-minute- SIDE B his face, he was sleeping in a ORQJVKRUW¿OPGLUHFWHGE\0DUWLQ Track 1: Another Part Of Me hyperbaric chamber to slow down Scorsese. While Bad didn’t go on Track 2: Man In The Mirror the ageing process and he had a to beat Thriller, it would set its Track 3: I Just Can’t Stop Loving You chimpanzee called Bubbles who own record for sales in terms of its “It became Track 4: Dirty Diana would go with Jackson on his VLQJOHV,WEHFDPHWKH¿UVWDOEXP Track 5: Smooth Criminal tours. This led fans and the public WKH¿UVW LQKLVWRU\WRKDYH¿YHRILWVVLQJOHV to wonder if Jackson was going album to have peak at #1 consecutively on the to loose his touch when it came Billboard Hot 100. This record is to making his music, but there ¿YHVLQJOHV yet to be beaten, although Katy was no doubt that Bad would sell Perry came close in 2011. in the millions regardless. There peak at #1 Jackson reportedly wrote 60 were reportedly eight times the consecutively” songs for Bad, 30 of them were normal advance orders of a major recorded as he was hoping to LP release for Bad compared to release Bad as a three-disc album. other albums of the time. He was eventually talked into To add to the public’s worry of the album’s releasing it as a ten track LP, with eight of the quality, radio stations were not allowed to play tracks being composed by Jackson himself. The any if it on air before it’s release. It wasn’t until album takes a more serious and adult tone in it’s the record went on sale that radio stations were songs, with less -inspired tracks and more allowed to play it, which at the time seemed darker or moodier tracks such as ‘Dirty Diana’ counterproductive. Normally a record would and ‘Liberian Girl’. The vocal eccentricities like receive a week of air-time before its initial release. the ‘shamone’, hiccups and high-pitched ‘hee

76 hees’ that everyone has come to expect of Michael Jackson was the most successful pop star of the ’80s Jackson all came to prominence in this album. All but two tracks on the album were released OTHER ALBUMS as singles, ‘Speed Demon’ was only released as a promotional single for the radio and ‘Just Good Friends’ was never actually released as a single in any form. Bad saw Jackson reach new heights in the PXVLFLQGXVWU\RQFHDJDLQ,WZDVWKH¿UVWDOEXP to top the charts in 25 countries and was the best- selling album worldwide between 1987 and 1988. The Bad tour broke a Guinness World Record when 504,000 people attended seven sold-out Wembley Arena shows. It was also in 1988 Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker was released. The direct-to-video PRYLHIHDWXUHGDVHULHVRIVKRUW¿OPVZKLFKZHUH long music videos for songs from the Bad album and staring Jackson himself. It topped the charts for 22 weeks until another Michael Jackson video Michael Jackson: The Legend Thriller (1982) Continues took its place. With the success of The best selling of all time and for good reason. Bad, Moonwalker and his autobiography all in Sticking with the mix of pop, R&B and disco and the space of a few years, Jackson was the most adding new genres such as hard rock with ‘Beat It’ successful pop star of the ’80s, which rightfully that featured one of the greatest guitar solos of all earned him the title King of Pop. time from Van Halen.

After the success of Thriller it wasn’t known if Bad would do as well

Dangerous (1991) The extravagant cover is worth the purchase alone. Jackson would again write the majority of the songs but the subjects he wrote about would be more varied, focusing on problems in the world he wanted to help change.

History: Past, Present and Future (1995) 30 tracks over three LPs, the first three sides feature his a compilation of his greatest hits while the second is entirely new material feature some of Michael Jackson’s most personal lyrics on topics such as suicide and paranoia.

77 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Appetite For Destruction Guns N’ Roses

Release Date: 1987 | Record Label: Geffen

fter the original line up ten in the US charts. The opening of ‘Welcome The original vinyl release had a different cover split Guns N’ Roses lost a To The Jungle’ perfectly captures you by teasing to the iconic Celtic cross with the skull of each lot of their lustre, it’s easy with light echoing guitar before building and EDQGPHPEHU7KH¿UVWUHOHDVHRIWKHUHFRUG A to forget just how big the then exploding into the blues-grooving main featured artwork by Robert Williams of a woman band’s debut album was. To this day riff. Some songs featured in Guns N’ Roses’ later being sexually assaulted by a robot and a monster Appetite For Destruction is the best selling debut albums such as ‘November Rain’ and ‘You Could about to attack the robot. Stores refused to stock album to this day and is one of the best selling Be Mine’ were written, and originally intended, to the album and the record label replaced the albums of all time. Guns N’ Roses brought an edge be recorded for Appetite but these were not used artwork with the one we all know. to rock music inside and outside the studio that for different reasons. Rather then having a Side A The version with the banned artwork isn’t hadn’t been seen since the Rolling Stones days. and Side B, Appetite For Destruction has a G and KDUGWR¿QGLI\RXORRNWKURXJKRQOLQHDXFWLRQ Appetite For Destruction features the singles R Side, with the Guns side featuring the songs on sites, but you should expect to pay at least double ‘Welcome To The Jungle’, ‘Sweet Child O’ Mine’ drugs and life in Hollywood and the Roses side what you would for the same album with the and ‘Paradise City’, which all made it to the top comprised of songs on love and sex. reissued artwork.

Guns N’ Roses perform in concert at the Ritz on 2 February 1988 in New Track List York City SIDE A Track 1: Welcome To The Jungle Track 2: It’s So Easy Track 3: Nightrain Track 4: Out Ta Get Me Track 5: Mr. Brownstone Track 6: Paradise City SIDE B Track 1: My Michelle Track 2: Think About You Track 3: Sweet Child O’ Mine Track 4: You’re Crazy Track 5: Anything Goes Track 6: Rocket Queen Larry Busacca/WireImage/Getty Images

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Dèche à la Ch’touille Tulaviok

Release Date: 1987 | Record Label: Dirty Punk Records

ormed in 1984, the French day. The tracklist can be found on the testicles of punk band Tulaviok were only this pop-out, and the rest of the vinyl gatefold is Track List DURXQGIRUDYHU\VKRUW¿YH ¿OOHGSKRWRJUDSKVPDNLQJXSDFROODJHRIUDQGRP SIDE A F years, but over the time that photos taken by the band, some that are certainly Track 1: Les Filles De Camaret they shared together, they earned a more NSFW than others... Track 2: Cathy reputation for their eccentric nature, Due to its cult status, the vinyl is highly sought Track 3: Caroline La Postipute merchandise and even the design of after by collectors and it rarely comes on online Track 4: Adieu Fais-Toi Putain their record, CD and auction sites. But on the rare Track 5: Nina Ma Poupée LP sleeves. On their tours occasion that one has surfaced Track 6: Gros Dégueulasse they would sell underwear on the pages of the web, the “What really Track 7: Vive La Merde with silly images on them, album typically goes for between but their most infamous makes it an £60-85. Dèche à la Ch’touille SIDE B piece was the 1987 vinyl (and album worth was rereleased on CD in 2009 Track 1: Zob–Zob-Zob album in question) Dèche à la and the infamous pop-up penis Track 2: Pére Du Panloup Ch’touille. The band were no owning on were replaced with a foldout Track 3: Sac A Gnôle strangers to phallic humour, book, penis included. However, Track 4: De Profondis with their mascot being a vinyl is the 15” WKLVLVDOVRYHU\KDUGWR¿QGEXW Track 5: Faits Comme Des Rats penis, their own record label pop-out erect isn’t as sought after or rare as the Track 6: Tulaviok called Bollocks Produktion, original vinyl release. As for the and the title of this very album penis, making it album itself, it’s a loud, typically roughly translated to mean an album that fast and gritty hard-core punk ‘dick with gonorrhoea’ (with album that was popularised in a penis motif also included, really is like no the late ’70s/early ’80s with if you didn’t think there were the help of bands like Dead quite enough penis’ already). other out there” Kennedys and Black Flag. The The run of this unique vinyl track list is made up of 13 ‘banter was limited to only 5,000 copies, which is enough songs’, which violated taboos and were arguably to make most vinyl collectors want it. What really the band’s speciality. The LP’s sleeve looks like makes it an album worth owning in pressed form someone has scribbled all of the songs’ lyrics on is the 15” pop-out erect penis, making it an album it, along with some doodles including yes, you that really is like out there – even to this guessed right, even more penises.

79 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Surfer Rosa Pixies

Release Date: 1988 | Record Label: 4AD

he Boston band Pixies prominent, but the songs – whether sung by (note: not ‘The’ Pixies, guitarist Frank ‘’ Black or bassist Track List there is no article here) – were still catchy as hell. The overall were responsible for a vibe was anarchic and a little chaotic, with SIDE A T Track 1: Bone Machine lot, not least the sound of more Albini’s sympathetic production making you or less scratchy, jangly indie band feel as though you were in the group’s rehearsal Track 2: Break My Body you listened to in the ’90s. Nirvana in room with them. For example, you can hear the Track 3: Something Against You particular owed the group a serious debt, as their untrained singers actually gasping for breath Track 4: Broken Face singer Kurt Cobain stated: he even used Pixies during the song ‘River Euphrates’: that’s how real Track 5: Gigantic producer for his own third album. this album was. Track 6: River Euphrates The secret behind Pixies’ music, at least on This all allowed the songs to through with SIDE B their Surfer Rosa, the 1988 debut album we’re real emotion. ‘Gigantic’, the cut for which Deal – Track 1: Where Is My Mind? discussing here, was that the songs’ abrasive and possibly the band in general – is best known, Track 2: Cactus textures rested on real pop melodies that you is at heart a sweet love song, while ‘Where Is Track 3: Tony’s Theme could hum in the bath while still rocking out. My Mind?’ lies somewhere between an acoustic Track 4: Oh My Golly! The guitars were often heavyweight and the bass whimsy (Radiohead’s ‘Nice Dream’ comes to Track 5: Vamos mind) and an arena anthem made up of layers Track 6: I’m Amazed The Pixies in 2016 of drone guitar. Then there’s ‘Break My Body’, a classic album-opener of its era: in this single song, Track 7: Brick Is Red much of the band’s ethos appears, from guitar tracks that don’t quite match up – and are proud of it – to a super-live sound. It’s all here. Throughout the iconic LP, the band don’t neglect their songwriting dynamics, building the songs and allowing them to fall again. In doing so, Pixies amassed a fanbase that is enduring to this day, even though the group currently tours and records with a revised line-up (Deal left the band LQUHSODFHGEULHÀ\E\.LP6KDWWXFNLQ and then with from 2014). Few bands can match their legacy.

80 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back Public Enemy

Release Date: 1988 | Record Label: Def Jam

efore 1988 the best hip-hop Squad production team were uncompromising, was powerful, convincing while Chuck’s fellow rappers William ‘Flavor protest music: the Flav’ Drayton and Norman ‘Terminator X’ Rogers Track List B GLI¿FXOW\ZDVJHWWLQJLWWR added their own vitriolic barbs to the mix. The SIDE A a widespread audience, saturated as big songs – ‘Bring The Noise’, ‘Don’t Believe The Track 1: Countdown To Armageddon IDQVZHUHE\OLJKWZHLJKWµSDUW\¶KLS Hype’ and ‘She Watch Channel Zero?!’ – have lost Track 2: Bring The Noise KRSWKDWPHDQWSUDFWLFDOO\QRWKLQJ not an iota of their power over the ensuing years. Track 3: Don’t Believe The Hype After Public Enemy’s second album It Takes A Politically, this album stood alone. Sure, the Track 4: Cold Lampin’ With Flavor Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back, that all aforementioned Ice-T and NWA were making Track 5: Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic changed: along with Ice-T and NWA, PE made serious music by ’88, but the former focused on Track 6: Mind Terrorist the music a vehicle for their expressions of lamenting the violence of gang culture, while the Track 7: Louder Than A Bomb black awareness – and appropriately, nations of ODWWHUJORUL¿HGLW$OOWKUHHDFWVVHUYHGWRUDLVH Track 8: Caught, Can We Get A Witness? millions were listening. awareness of the plight of the young black male at SIDE B The rhymes delivered by bandleader Carlton the hands of racist organisations, but only Public Track 1: Show ’Em Whatcha Got ‘Chuck D’ Ridenour atop the layered mountains of Enemy offered any form of positive solution. Track 2: She Watch Channel Zero?! samples collated by Hank Shocklee and his Bomb In some ways, It Takes A Nation Of Millions... Track 3: Night Of The Living Baseheads could never be recorded these days. As the music Track 4: Black Steel In The Hour Of Chaos Flavor Flav, 1991 industry has come to recognise the value of Track 5: Security Of The First World sampling – thanks to new, innovative music being Track 6: Rebel Without A Pause thinner on the ground than it used to be, perhaps Track 7: Prophets Of Rage – the costs of using the samples found on this Track 8: Party For Your Right To Fight record would render it too expensive to create. Any modern hip-hop producer would baulk at the idea of using the introduction of Queen’s iconic ‘Flash’s Theme’, as the Bomb Squad do on ‘Terminator X To The Edge Of Panic’. We’re lucky that albums of this magnitude were created before the opportunity to do so faded away.

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Paul’s Boutique Beastie Boys

Release Date:]Record Label: Capitol

n theory, the Beastie Boys’ DQGWKHFUHDWLYHJROGZKLFKWKDWKDGEURXJKW second album shouldn’t have WRWKHJURXS1RZVWHHULQJWKHLUVKLSDORQHWKH Track List been a hit – and in fact it both WULR±VWLOORQO\LQWKHLUHDUO\WRPLGWZHQWLHVDW I wasn’t and was, at the same WKHWLPH±VRXJKWDVVLVWDQFHIURPWKHSURGXFWLRQ SIDE A time. Confused? You will be. GXRWKH'XVW%URWKHUV 0LNH6LPSVRQDQG-RKQ Track 1: To All The Girls Adam ‘MCA’ Yauch, Michael ‘Mike D’ Diamond .LQJ IRUWKHQHZDOEXP6HHNLQJDGHHSHUPRUH Track 2: Shake Your Rump and Adam ‘Ad-Rock’ Horowitz had struck gold OD\HUHGSDOHWWHRIVRXQGVWKLVWLPHWKHEDQGWRRN Track 3: Johnny Ryall in 1986 with their debut album, Licensed To Ill. DGYDQWDJHRIDVHWRILQVWUXPHQWDOWXQHVZKLFKWKH Track 4: Egg Man 7KH¿UVWKLSKRSDOEXPWRFRPHIURPDZKLWH SURGXFHUVKDGUHFRUGHGSUHYLRXVO\LQWHQGLQJWR Track 5: High Plains Drifter JURXSDQGPDNHDPDMRULPSDFW LTI was a wholly release them to clubs. Adding their rhymes and Track 6: The Sounds Of Science MXYHQLOHDQGHQWLUHO\DSSHDOLQJ WXUQLQJWKHWUDFNVLQWRIXOOVRQJV Track 7: 3-Minute Rule VHWRIWXQHV

82 JUHDWVWDUWLQJSRLQWQRWOHDVWEHFDXVHWKHEDQG This second album shouldn’t have been a hit, but it was DQGSURGXFHUVHOHFWHGWRVDPSOHWKH%HDWOHV RQWKHVRQJQRZDGD\VVXFKDWKLQJZRXOG OTHER ALBUMS EHLPSRVVLEOHRUDWWKHYHU\OHDVWSXQLWLYHO\ H[SHQVLYH±EXWPaul’s Boutique was recorded EHIRUHPRGHUQVDPSOLQJODZVKDGEHHQPDGHOHW alone tested in court, and the Beastie Boys got FOHDQDZD\ZLWKLW7KHQWKHUH¶VIXQNIHVWVVXFKDV ‘Hey Ladies¶ORDGHGZLWKQRIHZHUWKDQFODVVLF URFNDQGVRXOVDPSOHVDQGµLooking Down The Barrel Of A Gun¶EDVHGRQDKHDY\URFNULIIIURP Mountain’s ‘Mississippi Queen’. 7KHDOEXPHQGVZLWKDQLQHSDUWVXLWHRI rhymes called ‘B-Boy Bouillabaisse¶UHYHDOLQJ WKHGHSWKRIVRQJZULWLQJDELOLW\ZKLFKWKH EDQGKDGEHJXQWRH[SORUHDVZHOODVWKHLU SURJUHVVLYHDSSURDFKWRZDUGVDOEXPVWUXFWXUH ,QKLSKRSKDGQRW\HWUHDFKHGWKLVOHYHO RIVRSKLVWLFDWLRQJHQHUDOO\VSHDNLQJDOWKRXJK 3XEOLF(QHP\DQG1:$ZHUHEHJLQQLQJWR ZDVWKHµGLUW\VHFUHW¶RIWKHKLSKRSFRPPXQLW\ H[SORUHWKHDUWRIFUDIWLQJGHHSPXVLFWKURXJK Licensed To Ill (1986) ZKRDGPLWWHGSULYDWHO\WKDWEHWWHUEHDWVZHUH VDPSOHV,W¶VWUXO\UHPDUNDEOHWKDWWKHPRYH Listening to the sophisticated music that the LPSRVVLEOHWR¿QG LQWKDWGLUHFWLRQZKLFKW\SL¿HVKLSKRSWRWKLV Beastie Boys made in their later career, it’s hard to 6HHQLQWKDWOLJKWDUXQWKURXJKRIWKH GD\FDPHIURPWKUHHZKLWHJHHNVIURP%URRNO\Q believe that they started out with an album as VRQJVRQWKHDOEXPEHJLQVWRUHYHDODWRQRI obsessed with girls and booze. All these years reductively simple as Licensed To Ill. Snotty to the hidden treasures. ‘The Sounds Of Science’ is a ODWHURXUUHVSHFWLVGXH max, it’s best treated as a party record.

Were the Beastie Boys a dirty secret of the hip-hop community?

Ill Communication (1994) Discovering irony and becoming one of the first ‘90s bands to commemorate cheesy ‘70s culture, with Ill Communication the Beastie Boys made a truly funky album to treasure third time out. ‘Sabotage’ was one of their coolest ever singles.

Hello Nasty (1998) After a decade and more in business, the Beastie Boys finally arrived at a sort of maturity with Hello Nasty, titled after the phone greeting used by the receptionist at their PR firm Nasty Little Man. Intergalactic was the superb lead-off single.

83 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

3 Feet High And Rising De La Soul

Release Date: 1989 | Record Label: Tommy Boy/Warner Bros

n a time when gangsta rap was while these are almost commonplace now at the on the rise, most MCs were using beginning of albums or as interludes between rap to boast or describe bleak tracks, 3 Feet High And Rising is credited with Track List I situations they grew up in and popularising the concept. It’s a quirky album SIDE A around, De La Soul went a different with surreal comedy, but that’s what you get Track 1: Intro direction with playful and fun tunes when one of the member’s name is his favourite Track 2: The Magic Number including anti-drug songs. It also helps food spelled backwards. Track 3: Change In Speak that the three members of De La Soul were more Like the topics the group rap about, De La Track 4: Cool Breeze On The Rocks than capable at spitting rhymes. Soul’s artwork wasn’t like a typical rap cover of Track 5: Can U Keep A Secret The whole of 3 Feet High And Rising was its time. While the majority of popular ’80s’ rap Track 6: Jenifa Taught Me (Derwin’s Revenge) recorded for $13,000 using only a Casio drum artists, such as Public Enemy and N.W.A, had Track 7: Ghetto Thang machine/sampler and a harmoniser. Like dark, gritty covers while De La Soul was bright. SIDE B most hip hop/rap artists, De La Soul used The inner sleeve of the vinyl had a comic strip Track 1: Transmitting Live From Mars plenty of samples, but the trio would take them printed onto it featuring the group travelling Track 2: from genres that other rappers of the time from Mars and talking with a cartoon duck. The Track 3: Take It Off wouldn’t dare touch. Sampling artists such as members of the group are placed in a circle and Track 4: A Little Bit Of Soap the Monkees, Hall & Oats and Led Zeppelin to the text on the cover is also circular, this is so it Track 5: Tread Water name just a few. The album opens with a skit needs to be rotated to be read, like how a record Track 6: . of the members of De La Soul on a gameshow, needs to be spun to be heard. SIDE C Track 1: Say No Go Track 2: Do As De La Does Track 3: Plug Tunin’ (Last Chance To Comprehead) Track 4: De La Orgee Track 5: Buddy SIDE D Track 1: Description Track 2: Me Myself And I Track 3: This Is A Recording 4 Living In A Full Time Era (L.I.F.E.) Track 4: I Can Do Anything (Delacratic) De La Soul, Holland,1989 Track 5: D.A.I.S.Y. Age Gie Knaeps/GettyGie Images

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The Stone Roses The Stone Roses

Release Date: 1989 | Record Label: Silvertone

he Stone Roses’ album was punk-driven sound; ‘’ was lighter ¿UVWDOEXP1RWLQDUXVKWRSXWRXWDQDOEXP the seed from which Britpop in tone, almost pop-rock. Eventually the band the band created a record which would later would grow, before Oasis and ZRXOGVWLFNZLWKWKHVRXQGVWKDWGH¿QHGWKHPDQG be released as ‘Garage Flower’ but at the time T Blur there four guys from the whole Madchester scene. they were not please with how it came out, so it Manchester who would host their 7KH6WRQH5RVHVEOHQGHGGDQFHLQÀXHQFHG wasn’t released after it was originally completed. own gigs and not promote it, just let drum beats with psychedelic pop guitar tones The Stone Roses’ album cover was designed WKHIDQVWU\WR¿QGWKHP Before Britpop to create an album that some would describe as by the band’s guitarist, , who took there was the baggy scene The Stone Roses led the ¶VLQVSLUHGEXWVLQJHU,DQ%URZQZLOOEHWKH¿UVW inspiration from Jackson Pollock and the 1968 Madchester scene, thanks to the attention brought person to shoot down that assumption. Paris riots. Squire spoke to a Frenchman who said to them by the magazines and They would sell out shows in Manchester they would carry lemons with them as they were NME who covered the scene intensely. and around the Northwest but failed to make an antidote to the tear gas that police would use. Though the band formed in 1983, their debut a broader impact. After their debut album was album came six years later. In that time they had released the singles got airtime on BBC Radio 1 released singles and switched genre a couple of and they started to sell out across the country. times, the single ‘So Young’ features a fast, more The self-titled record technically wasn’t their Track List SIDE A Track 1: Track 2: SIDE B Track 1: Waterfall Track 2: Don’t Stop Track 3: Bye Bye Badman SIDE C Track 1: Elizabeth My Dear Track 2: (Song For My) Sugar Spun Sister Track 3: Track 4: Shoot You Down

The Stone Roses (Ian SIDE D Brown, John Squire, Track 1: This Is The One and ) Track 2: I Am The Resurrection Manchester, 1989 Joe Dilworth/Photoshot/Getty Images Joe

85 ’90s

88 Pearl Jam Ten 90 Primal Scream Screamadelica 91 Massive Attack Blue Lines 92 Dr Dre The Chronic 93 Pavement Slanted And Enchanted 94 Rage Against The Machine Rage Against The Machine 95 A Tribe Called Quest Midnight Marauders 96 Nirvana In Utero 98 Holy Bible 99 Nas Illmatic 100 Oasis 'H¿QLWHO\0D\EH 101 Portishead Dummy 102 Various Artists Pulp Fiction 103 Soundgarden Superunknown 104 Underworld dubnobasswithmyheadman 105 Goldie Timeless 106 Radiohead OK Computer 108 Nine Inch Nails The Fragile 109 Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin

86 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

87 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Ten Pearl Jam

Release Date: 1991 | Record Label: Epic

en, while highly regarded as the demo and auditioned, then Pearl Jam went RQHRIWKHPRVWLQÀXHQWLDO into a studio to record the album three months Track List DOEXPVRIWKH¶VQRZ DIWHUWKHEDQGKDGRI¿FLDOO\IRUPHGZULWLQJQHZ SIDE A ZDVDVORZEXUQHUIRU tracks during the studio time. The sound Gossard T Track 1: Once DXGLHQFHVIt didn’t reach the top ten of the had written fused classic rock with some funk- Track 2: Even Flow Billboard charts until a year after it was released, inspired and reverb-fuelled riffs with sweeping Track 3: Alive but it became one of the key albums in the Seattle choruses that Vedder could accompany with grunge scene. Although bands like Soundgarden memorable lyrics. There were also the darker, Track 4: Why Go and Alice In Chains had achieved some success, it angsty slow songs associated with grunge, such as Track 5: Black was Pearl Jam’s Ten that cemented the genre in ‘Jeremy’, written about a high-school student who Track 6: Jeremy the mainstream. Released around shot himself in front of his class. SIDE B the same time as Nirvana’s During the recording of the Track 1: Oceans , grunge fans in 1991 “Ten remains album, the band was known Track 2: Porch were torn between the punk- Pearl as Mookie Blaylock, after the Track 3: Garden infused harshness of Nirvana professional basketball player. It Track 4: Deep or the stadium-rock anthem Jam’s most changed its name after signing to Track 5: Release sound that Pearl Jam mixed into successful , but kept the nod Track 6: Master/Slave Ten. Eddie Vedder’s vocal style to Blaylock by naming the album would be emulated by many of album… in after the player’s jersey number. the singers who followed in the As for the name Pearl Jam, there mid to late ’90s, for better or the charts for are multiple stories as to how worse. His yells were passionate more than the band members chose it, but and deep while the lyrics were which one is true is up for debate. introspective, focusing mainly on 260 weeks” Ten remains Pearl Jam’s most isolation, but his vocals offered a successful album despite being glimmer of hope. slow to sell. It was thanks to the success of the Just one year prior to recording Ten, guitarist singles ‘Even Flow’, ‘Alive’ and especially ‘Jeremy’ Stone Gossard and bassist Jeff Ament decided to that pushed Ten to eventually sell well, staying in part ways after their previous band, Mother Love the Billboard charts for more than 260 weeks. Bone, disbanded. They reunited when Gossard Pearl Jam was never really happy with how the had written some new tracks with a different album came out, and would be vocal about how sound. They hired Eddie Vedder after he heard WKH\GLGQ¶WOLNHWKH¿QDOPL[DQGHYHQWXDOO\WKH

88 OTHER ALBUMS

The rock band from Seattle album was remastered in 2009. The remastered versions of the album, so you can listen to both edition comes with both versions of Ten: the and decide which one you prefer. You could original mix and Brendan O’Brien’s . Those search the web for an original pressing of Ten but who grew up loving the sound of the album may you would be spending around the same amount Vs. (1993) be taken back because much of the reverb was of money as you would for a new copy. The After releasing one of the biggest debut albums removed to give a clearer overall sound, like an rerelease can be distinguished by its white/cream of its time, Pearl Jam would follow up with a rawer album made in the ’00s, but this version feels cover with the band in black and white, and much album in terms of production, and tracks like ‘Go’ emptier. The 2009 rerelease is the most common like the sound of the album, it is closer to how the and ‘Animal’ showed that the band hadn’t peaked version of the album on vinyl, but you get both band originally wanted it to turn out. early. There is also a remaster of this album.

Pearl Jam refused to adhere to traditional music industry practices, refusing to make proper music videos or give interviews

Vitalogy (1994) After two successful albums, Pearl Jam started to experiment with its sound, as Eddie Vedder joined in writing the songs. Behind the scenes, the album’s production was troubled, leading to fights, but this also led to a passionate album.

Yield (1998) With Yield, the band was focusing on more hard rock, using cleaner tones with an effect thrown in for solos. Eddie Vedder even adopted a cleaner vocal style, breaking on the odd occasion, such as on ‘Do The Evolution’.

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Screamadelica Primal Scream

Release Date: 1991 | Record Label: Creation

t’s somewhat amazing to think that not only helped the band move away from its that Screamadelica’s iconic original image, but proved that and album image very nearly didn’t rock could coexist together and sound amazing I happen at all. With the album due to doing so. launch in the September of 1991, the band was While Screamadelica was recently rereleased still without a cover just two months before this in 2015, original pressings are still plentiful and date in July, and its band mates were desperate available at very reasonable prices, meaning that to use something that would make as much of you are able to catch a band at the height of its a statement as the new direction its music was powers and drink in that glorious cover for very heading in. In an interview with Daily Record, little outlay. Alan McGee, who was Creation’s boss at the time, mentioned that he rejected Bobby Gillespie’s original request to feature the band alongside an attractive model, and suggested that they Track List went with the sunburst that had featured on the SIDE A DOEXP¶V¿UVWVLQJOHµHigher Than The Sun’. The Track 1: Movin’ On Up late Paul Cannell, who was Creation’s in-house Track 2: Slip Inside This House artist, was asked to expand on the work that he Track 3: Don’t Fight It, Feel It GLGIRUµHigher Than The Sun’, altering the sun’s SIDE B colours and creating a piece of psychedelic work Track 1: Higher Than The Sun WKDWZDVHYHU\ELWDVÀDPER\DQWDVWKHUHOHDVHG Track 2: Inner Flight album. Created from house paints and car body Track 3: Come Together ¿OOHU&DQQHOO¶VZRUNUHFHLYHGWKHXOWLPDWH accolade in 2010 when it was chosen alongside Bobby Gillespie of Primal SIDE C Scream performs on stage at Track 1: Loaded nine other album covers, including Park Life and Barrowlands, , London Calling, for a set of stamps by Royal Mail October 1991 Track 2: Damaged that celebrated classic albums. Track 3: I’m Comin’ Down And Screamadelica really is a classic vinyl the rising club scene rather than ignore it. With SIDE D that’s worth celebrating. Created when acid that in mind, they enlisted the likes of Andrew Track 1: Higher Than The Sun (A Dub Symphony house was just beginning to take off in the UK, Weatherall, The Orb, Hypnotone and The Rolling In Two Parts) Bobby Gillespie and the rest of the band were Stones’ producer, Jimmy Miller, to produce Track 2: Shine Like Stars

canny enough to know that it should embrace numerous tracks, creating a distinctive sound Martyn Goodacre/Getty Images

90 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Blue Lines Massive Attack

Release Date: 1991 | Record Label: Coach House Studios, Bristol And Eastcote Studio/Wildbunch

lue Lines’ distinctive cover might well hint at the power of the music found within it, B but it’s also a subtle nod to a far older album, Stiff Little Fingers’ ,QÀDPPDEOH0DWHULDO. As it turns out, Massive Attack’s startling debut would draw inspiration from a number of unlikely sources, including concept albums by Pink Floyd, as well as artists as diverse as , Herbie Hancock and Public Image Ltd. The eclectic LQÀXHQFHVUHVXOWHGLQDIXVLRQRIUHJJDHKLSKRS , dub and ’70s soul that not only sounded like nothing else that was around at the time, but also led to the genesis of and helped make the world become aware of the Massive Attack in 2003 Bristol sound, which included acts as diverse as Roni Size, Monk & Canatella and Portishead. vocalists, including Horace Andy, Tony Bryan, Released via Virgin on the group’s own Wild Tricky, and Shara Nelson, whose rich, powerful Bunch label, work on Blue Lines lasted for roughly voice features on several tracks, including the Track List eight months, but several of its songs had been VPDVKKLWµ8Q¿QLVKHG6\PSDWK\¶. The large range SIDE A based on concepts that were up to seven years of contributors ensured that you never knew Track 1: Safe From Harm old. Neneh Cherry (who would score a writing what to expect from Blue Lines’ nine tracks, while Track 2: One Love FUHGLWRQWKHDOEXP¶V¿QDOVLQJOHµHymn Of The the inclusion of live instruments ensured that it Track 3: Blue Lines Big Wheel’, and sing backing vocals for it) also sounded notably different from the American hip Track 4: Be Thankful For What You’ve Got played a prominent role in the album’s creation, hop that was popular at the time. Track 5: Five Man Army allowing the trio to record parts of Blue Lines While Blue Lines was recently rereleased on SIDE B in her child’s bedroom. While Massive Attack vinyl in 2016, original pressings are still easily Track 1: Unfinished Sympathy available and at decent prices, meaning that if you FRQVLVWHGRIYRFDOLVW*UDQWOH\µ'DGG\*¶0DUVKDOO Track 2: Daydreaming DQGNH\ERDUGLVWV5REHUWµ'¶'HO1DMDDQG DUHDSXULVWZKRSUHIHUVWROLVWHQWR¿UVWSULQWV Track 3: Lately $QGUHZµ0XVKURRP¶9RZOHVWKHWULRZDVFDQQ\ you’ll be able to revisit Massive Attack’s stunning Track 4: Hymn Of The Big Wheel

enough to surround itself with a number of key debut without breaking the bank. Images ALAIN JOCARD/AFP/Getty

91 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Chronic Dr Dre

Release Date: 1992 | Record Label: Death Row Records

RXQGHUVWDQGWKHVLJQL¿FDQFH NWA attracted many listeners’ attention, thanks paved the way for its creator towards major ±DQGZLGHVSUHDGVXFFHVV to its shocking depictions of inter-gang violence stardom. In the end, Dre’s dubious personal ±RIKLSKRSSURGXFHU and the racism embedded in America’s police history seemed to deter his fan base not a jot; T $QGUHµ'U'UH¶

92 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Slanted And Enchanted Pavement

Release Date: 1992 | Record Label: Matador Records

outinely hailed as one of Formed in Stockton, California, in 1989, the Nineties’ best rock Pavement was the work of singer/guitarist/ Track List albums, Pavement’s songwriter , guitarist Scott debut record Slanted And Kannberg, bassist Mark Ibold, and a variety of SIDE A R Track 1: (Winter Version) Enchanted isn’t an easy listen – but it drummers. Together they made a sound made is a compelling one. Comparisons to The up of scratchy guitars, intoned or yelled vocals, Track 2: Trigger Cut / Wounded-Kite At :17 Fall are often made, and with good reason as the and more or less ‘indie’ production values. Their Track 3: No Life Singed Her music is gritty, with trebly bass and drums that albums became a little smoother as the years Track 4: In The Mouth A Desert are hit rather than played. Pavement’s similarity passed: Slanted And Enchanted was raw, exciting Track 5: Conduit For Sale! to the pioneering Mancunian post-punks doesn’t and fairly primitive in comparison. Songs such as Track 6: Zürich Is Stained stop there, either: both bands had a tendency to ‘No Life Singed Her’ had plenty of energy though, Track 7: Chesley’s Little Wrists perform chaotic gigs that didn’t make sense to and made for memorable live performances once SIDE B any but the most devoted fans; their mercurial word had spread that Pavement was certainly a Track 1: Loretta’s Scars frontman eventually split and reformed the band; band worth seeing. Track 2: Here and they never did what anyone expected or Elsewhere on this album, highlights include Track 3: Two States wanted them to do. ‘Conduit For Sale!’, an alternately quiet-loud- Track 4: Perfume-V quiet affair with a nod to the slower end of Track 5: Fame Throwa Energetic songs made live American hardcore; ‘Chelsey’s Little Wrists’, performances memorable a bathroom-quality wailathon with gibberish Track 6: Jackals, False Grails: The Lonesome Era vocals and what sounded like a tapped jam jar Track 7: Our Singer keeping time; and the majestic ‘Loretta’s Scars’, a full-frequency guitar anthem that sounded as if it came close to making commercial sense. The rest of the songs oozed perverse energy; LW¶VREYLRXVZK\FROOHJHURFNIDQVÀRFNHGWRVHH Pavement play life, and also why the band never made it anywhere near the big time. It was just too unorthodox – although that didn’t mean the songs weren’t good. A split in 1999 was followed 11 years later by a successful (if brief) reunion, and it’s no surprise that the gigs were packed to the rafters.

93 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Rage Against The Machine Rage Against The Machine

Release Date: 1992 | Record Label: Epic

unk-metal begat rap-metal, to middle-class white kids, but those outside that which begat nu-metal, and demographic are missing out on a truly excellent somewhere embedded album. You may or may not enjoy frontman Zack Track List F in that process was Rage de la Rocha’s splenetic rhymes, but there’s no SIDE A Against The Machine, a band that denying the sincerity behind his anti-corporate, Track 1: Bombtrack combined rapped and/or shouted anti-racist lyrics – and as for the band, there has Track 2: Killing In The Name rarely been a tighter, more musically competent vocals with the catchiest of guitar Track 3: Take The Power Back riffs, and reaped immense rewards. guitar, bass and drums trio in the entire rock Track 4: Settle For Nothing The foursome’s confrontational attitude towards canon. Guitarist is a master of his Track 5: Bullet In The Head authority helped it gain a mostly teenage audience instrument, coaxing such unorthodox sounds SIDE B when its self-titled debut album appeared in 1992, from it that the band felt it appropriate to place a while its alliance with a major record label – sticker on the LP sleeve that stated ‘no samples, Track 1: Know Your Enemy despite its socialist politics – led to criticism from keyboards or synthesisers were used in the Track 2: Wake Up older, more cynical rock fans. making of this record’. It’s little wonder he went Track 3: Fistful Of Steel For both of these reasons, Rage Against The on to play with Bruce Springsteen when Rage Track 4: Township 0DFKLQH¶VIDQEDVHKDVJHQHUDOO\EHHQFRQ¿QHG Against the Machine went on hiatus from 2000 Track 5: Freedom to 2007. $QGWKHVRQJV"$EODVWIURPVWDUWWR¿QLVK without a weak one among them. Rage’s best- RATM at Finsbury Park known song to this day is still ‘Killing In The Name’ZKLFK±ZLWKLWVLQIDPRXV¿QDOVKULHNVRI “Fuck you, I won’t do what you tell me!” – is a stadium-igniting tune like no other. ‘Bullet In The Head’, with its anti-capitalist venom, and ‘Wake Up’, a vehement call to arms that soundtracked WKHVFL¿WKULOOHUThe Matrix, are two other high points. The sum of these ten songs is far more than its parts, leaving us with an album that is simultaneously intelligent and aggressive. Rapper and Subsequent Rage Against The Machine albums vocalist Zack de didn’t quite match up to this sterling debut effort, la Rocha but there’s no shame in that.

94 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Midnight Marauders $7ULEH&DOOHG4XHVW

Release Date: 1993 | Record Label: Jive

he Queens, New York, trio %ULWLVKFKLOGUHQ¶V79VHULHVSuperTed%\ A Tribe Called Quest was, DQGLWVWKLUGDOEXPMidnight Marauders, the along with its fellow New 7ULEHKDGUH¿QHGLWVPXVLFVWLOOIXUWKHULQFOXGLQJ 7UDFN/LVW T York musicians De La Soul, H[SOLFLWVRFLDOFRPPHQWDU\VXFKDVµSteve Biko SIDE A part of a hip-hop collective known as (Stir It Up)’, recorded in honour of the murdered Track 1: Midnight Marauders Tour Guide the In the late ’80s, and for 6RXWK$IULFDQDFWLYLVWDQGµSucka N****’ZKLFK Track 2: Steve Biko (Stir It Up) most of the ’90s, these groups stood out from the GLVFXVVHGWKHXVDJHRIUDFLDOHSLWKHWV Track 3: Award Tour PLDVPDRIFRQÀLFWLQJVW\OHVZLWKLQ$PHULFDQKLS 7KHVHH[DPSOHVDVLGHRQWKLVUHFRUG$7ULEH Track 4: 8 Million Stories KRSWKDQNVWRWKHLUPHOORZEXWSHUVXDVLYHEHDWV &DOOHG4XHVWSURXGO\H[SORUHGDO\ULFDOO\REVFXUH SIDE B UK\PHVWKDWZHUHREVHUYDWLRQDODQGSRVLWLYH ZRUOGRILWVRZQ7KHGUHDP\ÀRZRIZRUGVRQ Track 1: Sucka N**** UDWKHUWKDQYLROHQWRUIHXGUHODWHGDQGVDPSOHV WKHDOEXP¶VELJJHVWVLQJOH±DQGLQGHHGE\IDU Track 2: Midnight WKDWVRRWKHGUDWKHUWKDQLQÀDPHGWKHOLVWHQHU WKHEDQG¶VEHVWNQRZQVRQJWRWKLVGD\±µAward $7ULEH&DOOHG4XHVWKDGPDGHDQLPSDFW Tour’ZDVFRPSOHPHQWHGE\WKHVOLFNEXWDOZD\V Track 3: We Can Get Down DVHDUO\DVZLWKLWVVLQJOHµCan I Kick It?’, VXEWOHPXVLFDOWH[WXUHVWKDWZHUHODLGGRZQE\ SIDE C ZKLFKVDPSOHGDGLYHUVHUDQJHRIVRXUFHVVXFK WKHJURXSµElectric Relaxation’, too, sounded as Track 1: Electric Relaxation DV/RX5HHG¶VµWalk On The Wild Side’ and the LWVWLWOHZRXOGOHDG\RXWRH[SHFWVDWXUDWHGZLWK Track 2: Clap Your Hands VPRRWKJURRYHVIURPWKHFDWDORJXHVRIMD]]DQG Track 3: Oh My God Phife Dawg VRXOPXVLFLDQV5DPVH\/HZLVDQG5RQQLH)RVWHU Track 4: Keep It Rollin’ formed the µOh My God’ featured a slick guest rap from Busta SIDE D band in 1985 5K\PHVZKRZDVDFRXSOHRI\HDUVDZD\IURP Track 1: The Chase, Part II VXFFHVVKLPVHOIDVDVRORDUWLVWDWWKHWLPHZKLOH Track 2: Lyrics to Go 5DSKDHO6DDGLTRIWKH5 %JURXS7RQ\7RQL Track 3: God Lives Through 7RQpVXSSOLHGDQDSSURSULDWHO\KRQH\HGYRFDORQ Track 4: Hot Sex (Europe-only bonus track) WKHWUDFNµMidnight’ 0XFKRIWKHKLSKRSDQGXUEDQPXVLFUHOHDVHG DVORQJDJRDVKDVIDLOHGWRVWDQGWKHWHVWRI WLPHZKHWKHUWKURXJKWKHQDLYHW\RIWKHUK\PHV RUWKHWLQQ\QDWXUHRIWKHLQVWUXPHQWDWLRQ +RZHYHUMidnight MaraudersDYRLGVERWKRI WKHVHSLWIDOOVWKDQNVWRLWVEDVVKHDY\SURGXFWLRQ and the fact that there’s not a gun or gang UHIHUHQFHLQVLJKW

95 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

In Utero Nirvana

Release Date: 1993 | Record Label: DGC

eenage angst has paid off IX]]ER[´DQG³«DQXQUHPDUNDEOHYHUVLRQRIWKH well, but now I’m tired and 6HDWWOHVRXQG´ 7UDFN/LVW old.” The opening line of Nirvana’s 6KRUWO\DIWHUUHFRUGLQJZUDSSHGXSUXPRXUV SIDE A T WKLUG DQG¿QDO VWXGLRDOEXPIn VWDUWHGWRVXUIDFHWKDW1LUYDQD¶VUHFRUGODEHO Track 1: Serve the Servants “ UteroLPPHGLDWHO\H[SUHVVHVDGHVLUHWRGHSDUW '*&GLVOLNHGWKHDOEXPDQGZDVDSSUHKHQVLYH Track 2: Scentless Apprentice IURPWKHSROLVKHGVRXQGRILWVSUHGHFHVVRU WRZDUGVUHOHDVLQJLWLQLWVVWDWHµHeart-Shaped Track 3: Heart-Shaped Box Nevermind)ROORZLQJWKHDVWRXQGLQJVXFFHVV Box’µPennyroyal Tea’DQGµAll Apologies’ were Track 4: Rape Me RILWVEUHDNWKURXJKDQWKHPµSmells Like Teen ODWHUUHPL[HGE\5(0SURGXFHU6FRWW/LWW Track 5: Frances Farmer Will Have Her Revenge Spirit’LQSDUWLFXODU.XUW&REDLQIRXQGKLPVHOI DORQJVLGHPLQRUWZHDNVEHLQJPDGHWRWKHRULJLQDO on Seattle RYHUZKHOPHGZLWKDQGGHVSLVLQJRIWKHEDQG¶V PL[HOVHZKHUHRQWKHUHFRUGFUHDWLQJIULFWLRQ Track 6: Dumb VXGGHQVWDUGRP±DUHFXUULQJ EHWZHHQ$OELQLDQGWKHEDQG SIDE B WKHPHRIWKHDOEXP)HDUIXORI 2IWKHWUDFNVWKHEDQGWRRN “Nirvana’s Track 1: Very Ape DOLHQDWLQJLWVFRUHIDQEDVHWKH LQWRWKHUHFRUGLQJVHVVLRQV Track 2: Milk It EDQGLQWHQGHGWRSURGXFHD record label, PDGHLWRQWRWKH¿QDODOEXP Track 3: PXFKPRUHDEUDVLYHUHFRUG DGC, disliked DOEHLWVRPHZLWKUHZRUNHG FORVHUUHVHPEOLQJWKHVRXQGRI WLWOHVµPunky New Wave Track 4: Radio Friendly Unit Shifter GHEXWDOEXPBleach6DGO\WKLV the album Number’ µVery Ape’ µNew Track 5: Tourette’s ZDVWKHODVWUHFRUGUHOHDVHGE\ and was Poopie’ µTourette’s’ µNine Track 6: WKHEDQGEHIRUH&REDLQ¶VVXLFLGH Month Media Blackout’ µRadio OHVVWKDQD\HDUODWHUDOWKRXJK apprehensive Friendly Unit Shifter’ DQGµLa FRPSLODWLRQDQGOLYHDOEXPVZHUH La La: Alternateen Anthem’ µAll LVVXHGSRVWKXPRXVO\ towards Apologies’ ZHUHMXVWVRPHRIWKH $IWHUOD\LQJGRZQHDUO\GHPRV releasing it” DOWHUQDWHWLWOHVXQXVHG$PRQJ ZLWK-DFN(QGLQRBleach’s WKHWUDFNVWKDWGLGQ¶WPDNHWKHFXW SURGXFHUIn UteroZDVUHFRUGHGRYHUWKHFRXUVH ZDVµMarigold’WKHRQO\1LUYDQDVRQJZULWWHQE\ RIWZRZHHNVDW3DFK\GHUP6WXGLRLQ0LQQHVRWD GUXPPHU'DYH*URKO 86$WRZDUGVWKHEHJLQQLQJRI5HVSRQVLEOH 7KHDOEXP¶VWLWOHIn UteroZDVWDNHQIURPD IRUUHFRUGLQJWZRRI&REDLQ¶VIDYRXULWHDOEXPV OLQHRISRHWU\ZULWWHQE\&REDLQ¶VZLIH&RXUWQH\ (Surfer RosaE\3L[LHVDQG7KH%UHHGHUV¶Pod  /RYHDIWHUFRQVLGHULQJVHYHUDODOWHUQDWLYHVGXULQJ 6WHYH$OELQLZDVKLUHGWRSURGXFHWKHDOEXP WKHUHFRUG¶VSURGXFWLRQVerse Chorus Verse IRUDÀDWUDWHRIGHVSLWHSUHYLRXVO\ and SappyZHUHWZRVXFKVXJJHVWLRQVWKRXJK GLVPLVVLQJWKHEDQGDVPHUHO\³5(0ZLWKD &REDLQRULJLQDOO\ZDQWHGWRZU\O\GXEWKH/3µI

96 Cobain and RIÀRZHUVFUHDWHGE\&REDLQRQKLVOLYLQJURRP Novoselic at the ÀRRUPDLQWDLQLQJWKHVOHHYH¶VPHGLFDOWKHPHWKDW 1992 MTV Video 27+(5$/%806 Music Awards UHÀHFWVVRPHRIWKHUHFRUG¶VO\ULFDOFRQWHQW$OVR LQFOXGHGZDVDQLQQHUVOHHYHSULQWHGZLWKO\ULFV DQGEODFNDQGZKLWHEDQGSKRWRJUDSK\ 'HVSLWHDOLPLWHGSURPRWLRQDOFDPSDLJQ DQGTXLHWGLVPD\IURP'*&In UteroDFFUXHG VDOHVLQLWV¿UVWZHHNZHQWRQWREH FHUWL¿HG[SODWLQXPDQGKDVQRZVROG PLOOLRQFRSLHVZRUOGZLGH2ULJLQDOSUHVVLQJV of In UteroZHUHFXWLQFOHDUYLQ\ODQGOLPLWHG WRFRSLHVLQWKH86DQGVHOHFWRWKHU YHUVLRQVRIWKHDOEXPIHDWXUHKLGGHQWUDFN µGallons of Rubbing Alcohol Flow Through the Strip’7KHUHFRUGKDVUHFHLYHGDQXPEHU RIVXEVHTXHQWUHLVVXHVDFURVVSLFWXUHGLVFV XQRI¿FLDOFRORXUHGYLQ\OVGRXEOH/3JDWHIROGV DQGDVSDUWRIFROOHFWRU¶VER[VHWV1RWDEO\LQ '*&¶VSDUHQWODEHO*HIIHQ5HFRUGV UHOHDVHGDYLQ\OUHLVVXHFXWIURPGLIIHUHQWPDVWHU (1989) Hate Myself And I Want To Die’±KLVFXVWRPDU\ WDSHVZLGHO\DFFHSWHGWREH$OELQL¶VRULJLQDO Bleach VDUFDVWLFUHVSRQVHWRµ+RZDUH\RXGRLQJ"¶ XQDOWHUHGPL[,QFHOHEUDWLRQRIWKHDOEXP¶V Recorded for only $606 (and it certainly shows) in 1989, Nirvana’s pre-Grohl, rough-around-the- 7KHDQDWRPLFDODQJHOWKDWDGRUQVIn Utero’s WKDQQLYHUVDU\D/3WULSOHJDWHIROGGHOX[H edges debut, Bleach, features standout tracks FRYHUZDVWKHZRUNRI5REHUW)LVKHUZKRKDG HGLWLRQZDVUHOHDVHGIHDWXULQJWKHHQWLUHDOEXP ‘Blew’, ‘About a Girl’ and a cover of Shocking Blue’s GHVLJQHGDOORI1LUYDQD¶VUHOHDVHVRQ'*&WR UHPDVWHUHGRYHUWZRGLVFVDWUSPDQGD ‘Love Buzz’. WKLVSRLQW7KHUHYHUVHIHDWXUHVDFROODJHRI USPGLVFRI%VLGHVDQGUDULWLHVDOOSUHVVHGRQ SODVWLFERG\SDUWVDQGPRGHOIRHWXVHVRQDEHG JKHDY\ZHLJKWYLQ\O

Nevermind (1991) One of the most pivotal records of the ‘90s, Nevermind, and in particular ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, ushered in rock music’s ascent. It was certified diamond in the United States, with 30 million copies sold worldwide.

MTV Unplugged In New York (1994) Recorded just five months before Cobain’s suicide, and released posthumously, this live LP captures Nirvana’s genius underneath the fuzz and racket. It’s a fascinating listen spanning its short-lived career.

97 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Holy Bible Manic Street Preachers

Release Date: 1994 | Record Label: Epic

Street Preachers’ third album, The Holy Bible, Manic Street Preachers, was the last to feature lyricist and guitarist Richey Track List London 1994 Edwards, who was suffering from anorexia and depression, and would disappear months after SIDE A the album was released. Much of what he was Track 1: Yes feeling and experiencing was put into the album’s Track 2: Ifwhiteamericatoldthetruthforonedayit’s lyrics, leading to a darker tone than other Manics worldwouldfallapart albums. For the fans it’s either a love or hate Track 3: Of Walking Abortion album, but one thing cannot be argued: it remains Track 4: She Is Suffering a well-crafted album. The band moved away from Track 5: Archives Of Pain its punk/hard-rock roots, and adopted more of Track 6: Revol a post-punk sound, although the single Faster Track 7: 4st 7lb displays a pure punk sound. The band was offered SIDE B the chance to record The Holy Bible in Barbados, Track 1: Mausoleum but decided to record in a small studio in Cardiff. Track 2: Faster The Manics is sometimes linked to the Britpop Track 3: This Is Yesterday scene due to the success of its later singles, but it was far away from the scene when taking off, Track 4: Die In The Summertime dressed in military clothing and playing a dark, Track 5: The Intense Humming Of Evil grungier-sounding album. To promote the album, Track 6: P.C.P. the Manics went on Top of the Pops and played Dickson/RedfernsIan the single ‘Faster’ while dressed in military clothing and balaclavas. The BBC reportedly he Manic Street Preachers is received a record number of complaints – around a band that should be more 25,000. On its release, The Holy Bible was seen famous than it is. Not only did as a disappointment commercially, but praised by T it have number-one singles in the FULWLFVDQGLWKDVRQO\JURZQLQVLJQL¿FDQFHGXH charts, but the band also took part in a concert in to the events surrounding Richey Edwards. On the Millennium Stadium, , where it played the album’s 20th anniversary, a special boxset was the last song broadcasted around the world that released that includes a remix of the whole album, century as part of the TV special 2000 Today. which some fans consider to be superior to the Yet it still remains almost a cult band. The Manic original mix.

98 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Illmatic Nas

Release Date: 1994 | Record Label: Columbia

n the early ’90s, West Coast rap about the poverty and crime around him, never was on the rise, with Death Row glorifying anything, leaving it to the listener to Records making Los Angeles the interpret what he was saying. Nas delivered his 7UDFN/LVW I new place for hip hop. However, O\ULFVZLWKÀRZLQWHQVLW\DQGSDVVLRQ7KLVDORQJ SIDE A in 1994, Nas reestablished New York as the rap with the realness of his perspective, gave him Track 1: The Genesis capital with Illmatic. Songs like ‘N.Y. State Of DVHQVHRIFUHGLELOLW\7KHO\ULFVDVZHOODVWKH Track 2: N.Y. State Of Mind Mind’ and ‘The World Is Yours’ are staples in simple album cover of seven-year-old Nas with Track 3: Life’s A Bitch early ’90s rap now, but Illmatic and its singles Queensbridge imposed behind him, transports Track 4: The World Is Yours weren’t commercial successes at the time. At you to the time and place. In terms of the music, Track 5: Halftime only 20 years old when he released the debut the instruments are kept simple and stay in the SIDE B album, Nas poetically described situations in background, enabling the focus to stay on Nas’s Track 1: Memory Lane (Sittin’ In Da Park) ways that most rappers couldn’t in their entire gritty lyrics. Track 2: One Love career. He grew up in the Queensbridge housing At a time when each rapper had their own Track 3: One Time 4 Your Mind projects during the ’80s and ’90s, when there was producer, Nas decided to use a number of well- Track 4: Represent a growing trend of crack use, and an increase in renowned ones for Illmatic, with each adding to Track 5: It Ain’t Hard To Tell crime and violence that came with it. He rapped WKHPXVLF7KHDOEXPGRHVQ¶WVXIIHUIURPKDYLQJ too many people’s input, as the sound remains Nas in 1998 consistent. Nas is so natural with the microphone WKDWRQWKH¿UVWWUDFNµN.Y State Of Mind’, when he says the line “I don’t know how to start this shit,´LWPDNHV\RXEHOLHYHWKDWWKHO\ULFVWKDWÀRZ from Nas are genuinely coming from his mind then and there. On vinyl, the Side A and Side B are renamed to the 40th Side North and 41st Side South respectively, which are the streets that form the boundary that divide the Queensbridge KRXVLQJSURMHFWV7RPDUN\HDUVVLQFHWKH release of the album, a two-LP special edition was released titled Illmatic XX7KLVHGLWLRQRQ vinyl comes with the original ten songs as well as a download code for ten bonus tracks including unreleased demos and freestyles.

99 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Definitely Maybe Oasis

Release Date: 1994 | Record Label: Clear Studios, Manchester, The Pink Museum, Liverpool/Creation

H¿QLWHO\0D\EH’s iconic Alcohol. It’s a glorious piece of photography that DOEXPFRYHULV¿OOHGZLWK HIIRUWOHVVO\VXPVXSERWK2DVLVDQGWKHµV Track List DOOPDQQHURIIDVFLQDWLQJ While 'H¿QLWHO\0D\EH shot to the top of the SIDE A LQVLJKWVLQWRLWVSHUIRUPHUV 8.FKDUWVDQGEHFDPHWKHIDVWHVWVHOOLQJ8. D Track 1: Rock ‘N’ Roll Star The shot of The Good, the Bad and the Ugly is GHEXWRIDOOWLPH±LWZRXOGHYHQWXDOO\VHOORYHU Track 2: Shakermaker DQRGWRRQHRI1RHO*DOODJKHU¶VIDYRXULWH¿OPV PLOOLRQFRSLHV±LWVFRQFHSWLRQZDVIDUIURP likewise, the photo of is a tribute straightforward. Initial recordings with Dave Track 3: Live Forever WRRQHRI1RHO¶VPXVLFDOKHURHVDQGLVDOVRWKRXJKW Batchelor proved unsuccessful, while recordings SIDE B to be a sly nod to Pink Floyd’s Ummagumma. DW&RUQZDOO¶V6DZPLOOV6WXGLRWKLVWLPHZLWK Track 1: Up In The Sky There are also photos of George Best and Rodney Noel producing alongside Mark Coyle, also failed Track 2: Columbia 0DUVKWZRRIWKHPRVWSURPLQHQWIRRWEDOO to produce the desired effect. Owen Morris was Track 3: Sad Song eventually called in to salvage the recordings, SOD\HUVWRSHUIRUPIRU0DQFKHVWHU8QLWHGDQG SIDE C Manchester City, respectively. And then of course PDVWHULQJWKHDOEXPDW-RKQQ\0DUU¶VSHUVRQDO Track 1: Supersonic WKHUHDUHWKHFRSLRXVDPRXQWVRIZLQHDQG VWXGLR7KHHQGUHVXOWUHPDLQV2DVLV¶PRVW Track 2: Bring It On Down cigarettes on display, an obvious nod to one of the H[FLWLQJVRXQGLQJUHFRUGIXOORIVZDJJHUDQG Track 3: Cigarettes & Alcohol PRVWSRSXODUWUDFNVRQWKHDOEXPCigarettes & attitude, as if the very essence of the Gallaghers WKHPVHOYHVZDVVRPHKRZFDSWXUHGZLWKLQWKH SIDE D double LP’s grooves. Track 1: Digsy’s Dinner 'H¿QLWHO\0D\EH didn’t just herald the arrival Track 2: Slide Away Track 3: Married With Children RIWKH*DOODJKHUVLWDOVRKHOSHGWRFHPHQW Dave Hogan/GettyDave Images the arrival of Britpop that had been arguably NLFNVWDUWHGE\PLV¿WV6XHGHEXWZDVDJJUHVVLYHO\ pursued by the likes of Blur, Elastica and 6XSHUJUDVV7KHPHPEHUVRI2DVLVEHFDPHDV SRSXODUDVWKHLUDOEXPZLWKWKHWZREURWKHUV SUHGLFWDEO\DEVRUELQJPRVWRIWKHOLPHOLJKW The popularity and success of 'H¿QLWHO\0D\EH probably helps to explain why original pressings FDQFRQWLQXDOO\IHWFKRYHU RQWKHVHFRQG KDQGPDUNHW/XFNLO\WKRVHZLWKIHZHUSHQQLHV in their pocket can enjoy the rerelease that costs a Oasis, London 2008 fraction of the price.

100 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Dummy Portishead

Release Date: 1994 | Record Label: State of Art and Coach House Studios, Bristol/Go! Beat

ummy’s cover is stark and but unconventional is what sums up Portishead unsettling. The sombre image absolutely perfectly. Track List features a distraught-looking Beth Dummy’s sound is as desolate and sombre as SIDE A Gibbons (Portishead’s lead singer) LWVLFRQLFFRYHUGHOLYHULQJDWHQVHDQGRIWHQ¿OP D Track 1: Mysterons sitting in solitude with an intravenous drip in like score, which sounded like nothing else around Track 2: her arm and makeup visibly running down her at the time of its release. Just like Massive Attack, IDFH,W¶VDKDUURZLQJSRUWUDLWIXUWKHUDPSOL¿HG 3RUWLVKHDGZDVKXJHO\LQÀXHQFHGE\$PHULFDQ Track 3: Strangers by its grubby image quality that looks like it hip hop, but whereas White Lines veered towards Track 4: It Could Be Sweet has been shot with a low-resolution camera. soul and rap, Gibbons’ distinctive vocals gave Track 5: Wandering Star 7KHDFWXDOVQDSVKRWLVWDNHQIURPDVKRUW¿OP Portishead’s debut a more folk-like feel. Of course SIDE B called To Kill a Dead Man, which was written it certainly helped that Barrow was extremely Track 1: Numb and scored by Gibbons, along with remaining liberal with the album’s sampling, freely Track 2: Roads Portishead members and Adrian ERUURZLQJVQDWFKHVIURP¿OPVFRUHVDQGWKHOLNHV Track 3: Pedestal Utley, and additional shots of the 11-minute spy of Isaac Hayes in order to create an utterly unique Track 4: Biscuit caper can also be found on the vinyl’s sleeve. It’s wall of sound that is as diverse in its structure as it Track 5: an unconventional image to launch a new record, is haunting to listen to. Felix Kunze/Redferns Barrow even went so far as to use vinyl Portishead, scratching, which gave Dummy’s CD release Denmark 2011 an incredibly distinctive sound, however, it is ironically lost on its vinyl outing, where you could be forgiven for thinking that you had a particularly noisy copy if you had never heard the album before. Dummy’s uniqueness not only earned it the 1995 Mercury Music Prize, but also saw it achieve sales of over 2 million in Europe, with the vast majority coming from the UK. Surprisingly, original pressings of Dummy can often be picked up for as little as £30, although purists may want to seek out the rarer Greek pressing that includes the excellent It’s A Fire, which was never released on the original LP.

101 P FRYHUWKDQNVWRDPDVWHUIXOEOHQGLQJRIFDUHIXOO\ URVHWRSURPLQHQFHGXULQJWKH¶VDQG¶V DJDLQKDUNLQJEDFNWRWKHSRSXODUSXOSQRYHOVWKDW DWHQFHQWVVWLFNHUDGRUQVWKHWRSULJKWFRUQHU KDVDZULQNOHGZHDWKHUEHDWHQORRNWRLWZKLOH DWRSDSXOS¿FWLRQQRYHO7KHZKROHDOEXPFRYHU Wallace, acigaretteinonehand,herotherresting Uma ThurmanisincharacterasthevampishMia WKDWWKH¿OPUHIHUVWR old noirnovelsandpulpmagazines 7KHVRXQGWUDFNLVHYHU\ELWDVG\QDPLFDVLWV capturing thespiritof James Verdesoto,effortlessly phenomenal pieceofworkby ulp Fiction Urge Overkill performs at the the at performs Overkill Urge Catalyst on 23 April 1994 in in 1994 April 23 on Catalyst ’s frontcoverisa Asultrylooking Santa Cruz California s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST Pulp Fiction ‘ acclaim thankstoitscoverofNeilDiamond’s PLOOLRQVDQGEULQJLQJ8UJH2YHUNLOOZRUOGZLGH HYHU\ELWDVVXFFHVVIXODVWKH¿OPVHOOLQJLQLWV DQGOHGWRDVSDZQRILPLWDWRUV7KHDOEXPZDV VWUXFWXUHG±EXWLW¶VDUJXDEO\PRUHDFFRPSOLVKHG accompanying 7DUDQWLQRKDGSXOOHGRIIWKLVWULFN±WKHDOEXP Pulp Fiction FDSWXUHWKHNH\PRPHQWVRI7DUDQWLQR¶VPRYLH chosen linesofdialogueandsongsthatperfectly RWKHUZLVHHDVLO\DYDLODEOHIURPPRVWUHWDLOHUV DOEXP¶VFRYHUWKDWDUHZRUWKWUDFNLQJGRZQ,W¶V DQXPEHURIH[FOXVLYHSLFWXUHGLVFVIHDWXULQJWKH never receivedavinylrelease,although thereare DGGLWLRQDOWUDFNVDQGDQLQWHUYLHZZLWK7DUDQWLQR XVHVLWSHUIHFWO\ 7DUDQWLQRXQGHUVWDQGVWKHSRZHURIPXVLFDQG RQVFUHHQ/LNH0DUWLQ6FRUVHVHEHIRUHKLP WXQHVHDVLO\FDSWXUHGZKDWZDVEHLQJSRUWUD\HG VFRUHEXWLWGLGQ¶WQHHGLWDVLWVFDUHIXOO\SLFNHG Tarantino’s moviedidn’thaveatraditional FDSWXUHGWKHVSLULWRILWVVRXUFHPDWHULDO UHFHQWH[DPSOHVRIDVRXQGWUDFNWKDWDUJXDEO\ Guardians OfTheGalaxy PDQDJHGWRUHSOLFDWHZLWKWKHUHOHDVHRI VRXQGWUDFNWKDWIHZRWKHU¿OPVRXQGWUDFNV GRZQORDGFKDUWVLIWKH¿OPZHUHUHOHDVHGWRGD\ KRZPDQ\RIWKHWUDFNVZRXOGEHOLWWHULQJWKH IRU.RRO WKH*DQJ:HFDQRQO\LPDJLQH Girl, You’llBeAWomanSoon 6DGO\WKHODWHUHGLWLRQWKDWIHDWXUHGIRXU There’s apersonalityto Release Date: Various Artists Various FHUWDLQO\ZDVQ¶WWKH¿UVWWLPHWKDW Reservoir Dogs 1994| 102 EHLQJRQHRIWKHPRVW Record Label: Pulp Fiction issimilarly ’, andaresurgence ’s MCA 7UDFN/LVW rc : 8: Track 7: Track 6: Track 5: Track 4b: Track 4a: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1b: Track 1a: Track B SIDE 7: Track 6: Track 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1b: Track 1a: Track A SIDE s

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Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Superunknown Soundgarden

Release Date: 1994 | Record Label: A&M

he late singer Chris Nirvana, Pearl Jam and to a certain extent Alice In Cornell was a man of many Chains, Cornell and his bandmates transcended Track List talents, quite apart from their niche in a way that, for example, Tad, SIDE A his unearthly vocal range. Mudhoney and the Melvins never managed to T Track 1: Let Me Drown Prominent among them was his ability to write achieve. At least part of this was undoubtedly VRQJVWKDWIXVHGKDUGURFNZLWKDSRSLQÀXHQFHG due to a single song, ‘Black Hole Sun’, a metallic Track 2: My Wave melodic sensibility and present them to the bit of Beatles whimsy that was based on an Track 3: Fell On Black Days masses with total conviction. It certainly helped impossibly catchy chord sequence in the chorus. Track 4: Mailman that grunge, the Seattle sound in which his band Heavy-metal fans absolutely loved the song’s SIDE B – Soundgarden – emerged, was based on a blend downtuned grind; grungers totally admired Track 1: Superunknown of singable choruses, metal riffs and a sense of its depressive lyrics; and MTV and rock radio Track 2: Head Down nihilistic doom, all of which suited the band’s were all over the song like a rash. “It turned into Track 3: Black Hole Sun ethos perfectly. our ‘Dream On’,” sighed guitarist Kim Thayil, SIDE C Superunknown was Soundgarden’s fourth referencing the huge, millstone-like power ballad Track 1: Spoonman album, and the one that brought it to the wider, from 1973 by Aerosmith. Track 2: Limo Wreck non-grunge-worshipping world. Alongside Four more singles were released from Track 3: The Day I Tried To Live Superunknown in 1994 and 1995, helping to push Track 4: Kickstand LWWRQLQHPLOOLRQXQLWVDOHVDQG¿YHSODWLQXP SIDE D awards from the RIAA. Of these, ‘Spoonman’ was the most easily digestible – a loose-limbed Track 1: Fresh Tendrils riff workout; and ‘Fell On Black Days’ the most Track 2: 4th Of July contemplative. Soundgarden covered a lot of Track 3: Half songwriting ground on this album, and all of it Track 4: Like Suicide with great skill. Track 5: She Likes Surprises (Bonus Track On Clear Vinyl LP) The album turned out to be its swansong, at OHDVWLQWKHJURXS¶V¿UVWSHULRGRIDFWLYLW\DIWHU its next album, 1996’s Down On The Upside, Soundgarden went on hiatus. A reunion in 2010 was progressing nicely until Cornell’s suicide The late Chris in May 2017 at the age of only 52, tragically Cornell performing depriving his bandmates, fans and the rest of us of in December 2015 his phenomenal talent.

103 A brought withitarenewedfocusonproduction, during therecordingprocess. misreading Hyde’shandwritingonacassettetape unorthodox albumtitlewasaresultofSmith core membersKarlHydeandRickSmith.The 6KHSDUGDPRQJDIHZLQÀXHQFHVRIWHQFLWHGE\ autobiography ofAmericanplaywrightSam – LouReed’s1989album pool ofmusicalgenres,popcultureandliterature the nine-trackrecordborrowsfromadiverse Often consideredthedebutofUnderworldMk2, in thereincarnationofUnderworld. dubnobasswithmyheadman 2016 Bluedot Festival at Underworld The introductionofEmersontothegroup dubnobasswithmyheadman DJ DarrenEmerson, the additionofemerging the turnofdecade,and fter abriefhiatus-of-sortsat New York , andthe ushered s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST

1995 single,‘ DVO\ULFH[FHUSWVWKDWEHFDPHSDUWRILWVGH¿QLQJ type aresomeoftherecord’stracktitles,aswell Featured amongthemonochromemiscellanyof differs slightlybetweenthevinylandCDreleases. dubnobasswithmyheadman +\GHDQG6PLWKDUHDI¿OLDWHGFUHDWHG two decadessince itsinitialouting. RIKRZIDUWKHDOEXP¶VLQÀXHQFHKDVVSUHDGRYHU of Underworld’sseminalLPserves asareminder infamous AbbeyRoadStudios,the freshrelease Meticulously remasteredbySmith atLondon’s received areissueon180gvinylover twodiscs. anniversary, on Hyde’sNewYorktravels. conversations andear-catchingphrasescollected style: beatpoetrymadeupofshortsnatches approach toitperfectlyechoesHyde’slyrical though theartworkmayseem,cut-and-paste tinged rhythmsof‘ during ‘ DQGH[SORUHLQÀXHQFHVLVDSSDUHQWPRVWQRWDEO\ newfound freedomtoblurgenreboundaries Through thecourseofrecord,band’s rise toprominenceoverthecourseof’90s. which provedacatalystforelectronicmusic’s replaced insteadbyapioneeringtakeontechno, propped upUnderworld’spreviousalbums, wax. Goneweretheplayed-outpopclichésthat the subtletiesofwhicharebestappreciatedon Release Date: Tomato, adesigncollectiveofwhich In 2014,tocelebratetherecord’s20th Tongue’ Born Slippy.NUXX) dubnobasswithmyheadman 1994| Underworld ’s dreamyguitarsandthereggae- M.E’. Record Label: 104 ’s strikingart,which JuniorBoy’s Own ’. Haphazard

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Timeless Goldie

Release Date: 1995 | Record Label: FFRR Records

couple of decades after the which only extends to a handful of albums in 20 British songwriter Clifford years and counting. Of these, Timeless is the only Track List ‘Goldie’ Price released his classic; 1998’s Saturnz Return had its moments, ¿UVWIXOOOHQJWKDOEXP not least an hour-long opening track, but it lacked SIDE A A Track 1: Saint Angel KHGLGVRPXFK±UHPL[LQJRWKHU the focus and sheer courage of its predecessor. PXVLFLDQV¶PXVLFDFWLQJLQ¿OPV The title track, plus the big hit ‘Inner City Life’, Track 2: This Is A Bad SDUWLFLSDWLQJLQGLJQLW\IUHHUHDOLW\ were available on the CD version and the single SIDE B 79VKRZVVXFKDVStrictly Come LP, but not on the double LP, so those particular Track 1: Kemistry (V.I.P Mix) Dancing and The JumpEHLQJD vinyl owners will have missed out. Still, the Track 2: You & Me WDONLQJKHDGRQ79±WKDWLW¶VKDUGWR essential elements of those songs – sweet female SIDE C UHFDOODWLPHZKHQKHZDVRQO\NQRZQ vocals courtesy of the late Diane Charlemagne, Track 1: Still Life IRUPDNLQJMXQJOH DVOD\PHQFDOOHG frantic , and trippy layers of backing Track 2: Still Life (V.I.P Mix) (The Latino Dego LW RUGUXPDQGEDVV WKHWHUPWKDW synth – appeared on many of the other cuts. In Me) The songs ‘Kemistry’ – named after the DJ professionals used). SIDE D In fact, all the other stuff that Goldie has done with whom Goldie had been in a previous Track 1: Jah the Seventh Seal has rather got in the way of his solo discography, relationship – and ‘Angel’ bear a refreshingly Track 2: A Sense Of Rage (Sensual V.I.P Mix) light touch for a genre of music so focused on ear- Timeless was Goldie’s bleeding tempos and battering-ram percussion, first studio album, and although serious intensity is available via entered the UK charts pavement-cracking bass. It’s this ability to switch at #7 from heavy to mellow at just a moment’s notice that makes Timeless so entertaining. Although drum and bass is now music for clubbers rather than for the mainstream audience, as it was until it peaked around 2001, Timeless has aged well. The sheer weight of the rhythms prevents them from sounding tinny (compare them with any mid-’90s and you’ll see what we mean), while the elastic vocals are ageless. The entire drum-and-bass movement never got better than this album, in whichever format you choose to buy it.

105 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

OK Computer Radiohead

Release Date: 1997 | Record Label: Parlophone/Capitol

hom Yorke certainly isn’t a anecdotes about the cover’s creation came about man to mince his words. In in early 2017, when a fan on Reddit noticed that Track List an interview with Vox he expressed the featured motorway appears identical to an T his disdain for OK Computer’s cover, intersection found in Hartford, Connecticut, SIDE A which had been created by long-time Radiohead with the photo possibly taken while the band was Track 1: Airbag collaborator Stanley Donwood. “It’s pretty staying at the nearby Hilton Hotel. Track 2: Paranoid Android dreadful, but it’s the best we could come up with Named after a line from The Hitchhiker’s Track 3: Subterranean Homesick Alien at the time. But it’s awful, I hate it, it’s fucking Guide To The Galaxy, and part-recorded in the SIDE B rubbish.” To us, it’s not really a fair assessment, supposedly haunted St Catherine’s Court, Yorke Track 1: Music (For A Film) as OK Computer’s cover design proved to be claimed ghosts spoke to him in his sleep in a Track 2: Let Down every bit as experimental as recent Rolling Stone interview. Track 3: Karma Police Radiohead’s third album. “There were OK Computer’s inspiration Donwood began working on the came from a number of different SIDE C startling cover early on in the concerns that sources, including Pet Sounds Track 1: Fitter Happier production of OK Computer, there was by The Beach Boys, Miles Track 2: Electioneering slowly adjusting it over time. Davis’ Bitches Brew, and the Track 3: Climbing Up The Walls Wanting to create a bleached- nothing on the dislocation Yorke felt from the Track 4: No Surprises bone look, Donwood created his non-stop touring the band was SIDE D piece of work using a tablet and album that doing in America. The end result Track 1: Lucky a light pen. The only proviso? He would match is an album that is rife with Track 2: The Tourist wasn’t allowed to erase anything. dour, miserable lyrics or songs It sounds like madness, but radio-friendly based around uncomfortable the end result is a wonderfully hit ‘Creep’” themes. Final single ‘Airbag’ abstract piece of work that was inspired by a car crash that proved to be just as eye-catching as his previous Yorke was involved with in 1987, while ‘No work on The Bends (he would go on to design Surprises’ discusses “A job that slowly kills you” all of Radiohead’s later covers, including the and “Bruises that won’t heal.” The distinctive latest album, A Moon Shaped Pool). Donwood’s sound of OK Computer sent alarm bells ringing PDJQL¿FHQWZRUNFRQWLQXHVWRWKHEDFNFRYHU at Capitol, with sales projections changed from and the two sleeves, with the gatefold being used two million units to half a million, and there to house the album’s progressive and sometimes were concerns that there was nothing on the depressing lyrics. One of the most interesting album that would match the radio-friendly hit

106 album continues to pull accolades, and constantly appears in many ‘greatest albums’ lists. It is seen OTHER ALBUMS by many as not only heralding the end of Britpop, but also inspiring a new generation of musicians, including Travis, Secret Machines and Bloc Party. It also marked a slight change in direction of Radiohead itself, with the band continuing to write experimental music that would further distance itself from its peers and help turn it into a worldwide phenomenon. Released in the late ’90s, original pressings of OK Computer can often reach high prices online, but it typically sells for around the £80 mark. Fortunately, there are numerous other alternatives for those with a little less cash. Emi released a reissue in 2008, while XL Recordings Radiohead at Madison released its own pressing in 2016. Perhaps the Square Garden most desirable version of the album, however, Kevin Mazur/GettyKevin Images was released earlier this year in the form of OK Computer OKNOTOK 1997 – 2017. Spread (1995) ‘Creep’, which had helped catapult Radiohead across three LPs, it not only features remastered The Bends to fame in 1992. Ultimately, Capitol’s fears were tracks, but also eight remastered B-sides, three Radiohead’s second album received far more critical acclaim than its debut, Pablo Honey, did, unfounded, with OK Computer not only going on previously unreleased tracks, a hardcover art and was bolstered by five hit singles, including to sell over six million copies, but also drastically book, and numerous other goodies. It’s arguably ‘Fake Plastic Trees’ and the epic ‘Street Spirit expanding the band’s international audience. WKHGH¿QLWLYHYHUVLRQRIDSUHWW\GH¿QLWLYHDOEXP (Fade Out)’. No stranger to critical acclaim on its release, the and should be in any serious collector’s library.

Kid A (2000) Radiohead moved in new musical directions for its fourth album, and embraced synthesisers, string and drum machines. Radiohead would continue to push creatively with varying degrees of success.

In Rainbows (2007) Radiohead’s seventh studio album sent shockwaves through the industry when the band announced its pay-what-you-want scheme for the self-released album, which was absolutely unheard of at the time.

107 I Floyd’s didn’t help. opening track,‘ rock ofNineInchNails’previousworks.The towards moreartrockasopposedtothealternate layers ofambientnoises,pushingthegenre Spiral from previousalbumssuchas isolation anddepressionhasaprog-rockvibe. the Zenith at Nails Inch Nine While therewasahintoftheindustrialsound , Trentevolvedtheoverallsoundtoinclude what toexpect. The Fragile n thebuilduptoreleaseof Trent Reznorsayingitsoundedridiculous The Wall

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David Wolff - Patrick/Redferns / Getty Images s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Soft Bulletin Flaming Lips

Release Date: 1999 | Record Label: Warner Bros.

The Flaming Lips and they chose to do this by not getting a new at VEGA in guitarist. This change led to the album , Track List Copenhagen an album of four CDs that were intended to be played all at the same time to create a stereo SIDE A sound. The Soft Bulletin was written and recorded Track 1: around the same time as Zaireeka. It might sound Track 2: A Weighs A Ton like a cliché, but you’ll never hear an album like Track 3: The Spark That Bled The Soft Bulletin: symphonic with a lot of Track 4: The Spiderbite Song melancholy and layering of sound. The Flaming SIDE B Lips wrote it with the impression that if it failed Track 1: Buggin’ then the record label would drop them, so as a last Track 2: What Is The Light? hurrah they went all out. Track 3: The Observer The Soft Bulletin is often compared to Beach Boys’ Pet Sounds. Both bands had distanced SIDE C themselves from what they had done before Track 1: Waitin’ For A Superman to make a more orchestral album with a lot of Track 2: Suddenly Everything Has Changed layering of sounds and a more serious tone in Track 3: The Gash lyrics. The album was impossible to re-create live SIDE D as a band, and it would be incredibly expensive Track 1: Slow Motion to play as it would need to hire musicians, Track 2: Feeling Yourself Disintegrate so the band decided that it would have pre- Track 3: Sleeping On The Roof

recorded parts in place of instruments. However, PYMCA/Avalon/UIG / Getty Images to enhance the live performances, audience members could pick up receivers with headphones he Flaming Lips received at the venues, and a transmitter would broadcast some radio playtime when the performance to them, so they could hear its single ‘She Don’t Use everything perfectly while still feeling the music T Jelly’ charted in 1993, but the through the live in the building. success went as quickly as it came. The image on the album’s sleeve came from The band’s guitarist, Ronald, left a few years a photo shoot used in a Life magazine article on later, which led the band members to think about LSD in 1966. Singer chose it, as he changing things up, starting with their sound, IHOWWKDWWKHPXVLF¿WWHGWKHLPDJH

109 ’00s 112 Jay-Z The Blueprint 114 Deftones White Pony 115 The Strokes Is This It 116 Tool Lateralus 118 Songs For The Deaf 119 Beck Sea Change 120 Blur Think Tank 122 White Stripes Elephant 123 Madvillain Madvillainy 124 Sufjan Stevens Illinois 125 Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes 126 Arcade Fire Neon Bible

110 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

111 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Blueprint -D\=

Release Date: 2001 | Record Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

n the half decade between it’s less a boast, and more a statement of fact Reasonable Doubt and The Behind the glass there’s a wealth of talent, with a Track List Blueprint, Shawn Carter the handful of producers putting their stamp on The I rapper became Jay-Z the mogul. %OXHSULQW¶VVRXOVDPSOLQJVW\OH%LQNDQG-XVW SIDE A But after years of hustling and laying the Blaze lend their tracks a cinematic grandeur and Track 1: The Ruler’s Back groundwork for a musical empire, what happens soulful sensuality respectively, while Timbaland Track 2: Takeover ZKHQ\RX¿QDOO\HPHUJHRQWRS":KHQDOOWKHVHOI PDNHVKLVVROHDSSHDUDQFHFRXQWZLWKWKH&XEDQ Track 3: Izzo (H.O.V.A.) mythologising has actually come to pass, what’s ÀDYRXUHGIXQNRIµHola’ Hovito’. But it’s a young Track 4: Girls, Girls, Girls left to do, besides weep, for there are no more 5RF$)HOODSURGXFHUE\WKHQDPHRI.DQ\H:HVW Track 5: Jigga That N**** ZRUOGVWRFRQTXHU"$VLWKDSSHQVLW¶VSUHFLVHO\ who makes the most telling contributions. Just Track 6: U Don’t Know ZKHQRQWRSWKDW-D\=LVPRVWDW try getting that ‘I Want You Back’ Track 7: Hola’ Hovito home. The Blueprint suggests an sample on ‘Izzo (H.O.V.A.)’ out of Track 8: Heart Of The City (Ain’t No Love) outline, a sketch – it’s anything your head. “The Blueprint Track 9: Never Change but. Opening track, ‘The Ruler’s The Blueprint is also a reminder Track 10: Song Cry Back’, is the ribbon cutting and is also a RIWKHKH\GD\RIKLSKRSEHHI everything that follows is a tour reminder of when egos clashed over bars and Track 11: All I Need through Jay’s grand design. EHDWVUDWKHUWKDQVKDGHWKURZLQJ Track 12: Renegade The tone throughout is the heyday of posts and Track 13: Blueprint (Momma Loves Me) celebratory, valedictory. Gone feeds. ‘Takeover’ is the album’s DUHWKHVWUHHWOHYHOVNHWFKHVRI hip-hop beef, monumental dis track, where over albums past, replaced entirely when egos four verses of merciless barbs, ZLWKWUDFNVEH¿WWLQJWKHJUHDWHVW snipes and outright dismissals, rapper living. Jay laughs off clashed Jay picks apart Mobb Deep’s haters on the imperious ‘Heart over bars and, most infamously, of the City’, preaches his own 1DVZLWKEUXWDOHI¿FLHQF\ enduring realness on ‘Never and beats” ‘Takeover’ might not have Change’, and spells out his ended Nas’ career – it arguably fabulous wealth in black and boosted it given the reception to white on ‘U Don’t Know’, just in case it wasn’t his infamous response, ‘Ether’ – but it remains already abundantly clear. ‘Put me anywhere on a classic of the genre, and it’s closing lines are God’s green earth, I’ll triple my worth’ sounds still painfully withering: “And all you other cats like typical rap braggadocio until you realise that throwin’ shots at Jigga/You only get half a bar –

112 Few could argue against he plays the sensitive thug to perfection over his raw and pure talent -XVW%OD]H¶VOX[XULRXVEHDW$QGRQµAll I Need’ he’s the materialistic CEO, reeling off assets and 27+(5$/%806 achievements like the world’s most ostentatious statement of account. Only once does Jay deign to let another rapper WDNHWKHPLFEXWWKHQLW¶VGLI¿FXOWIRUDQ\RQH WRGHQ\0DUVKDOO0DWKHUVHUD(PLQHP7KH world’s two biggest MCs circa 2001 trade bars on ‘Renegade¶RYHUDKDXQWLQJ6KDG\SURGXFWLRQWKDW gets the best out of both of them. Both Jay and Em were arguably never better than at this particular moment in time, and to hear them railing against their detractors across the industry and the media on the same track is breathtaking stuff. :LWKWKHEHQH¿WRIKLQGVLJKWLW¶VHDV\WR see The Blueprint as a peak, even though Hov continues to put out hit records pushing 50. It’s

Theo Wargo/WireImage/Getty Images the unmistakable sound a man at the top of his game, one with nothing left to prove – not a bid (1996) fuck y’all n****s.” Rivals vanquished, humiliated, to claim the throne, but a coronation. Maybe the Reasonable Doubt cast aside, Jay takes the time to inhabit the most telling assessment comes from Jay himself: Reasonable Doubt is one of the most astonishing debuts in hip-hop history. It was also supposed to various aspects of his kingpin persona. He’s the “If I ain’t better than Big, I’m the closest one,” be a one-off. As it happened, Jay-Z’s meticulous player supreme on ‘Girls, Girls, Girls’ (we’re still KHVD\VLQYRNLQJKLVLGROLQDPRPHQWRIVHOI chronicle of more than a decade in the drug- a couple of years removed from ‘03 Bonnie & UHÀHFWLRQ)HZFRXOGDUJXHDJDLQVWKLP$OOKDLO dealing game was just the beginning. Clyde’ and ‘Crazy In Love’ here). On ‘Song Cry’ the king.

The Blueprint is a reminder of the hip-hop heydays

Vol. 3… Life And Times Of S. Carter (1999) The culmination of Jay’s triptych of myth-building and hugely successful Volumes, Life And Times is Shawn Carter in imperial form. And in Timbaland’s bumping ‘Big Pimpin’, it features arguably his biggest party anthem.

The Black Album (2003) It was almost the perfect goodbye; the final curtain call on one of rap’s greatest careers. The Black Album wasn’t Jay-Z’s last – far from it – but if he really had retired in 2003 then it’s hard to think of a sweeter farewell than this. KMazur/WireImage/Getty Images

113 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

White Pony Deftones

Release Date: 2000 | Record Label: Maverick

t the time of White Pony’s example of this change, with haunting vocals and Drugs and violence are the key themes, with release Nu-metal was in full dark ambient sounds played in the background. the name of the album being a reference to ÀRZZLWKEDQGVOLNH3DSD 'HIWRQHVDGGHGD¿IWKPHPEHUWRWKHLUOLQHXS methamphetamine use or cocaine. Moreno chose A 5RDFK/LPS%L]NLWDQG Frank Delgado, who had contributed parts on not to sing about anything personal on the record, /LQNLQ3DUNLQWKHFKDUWVDQGZKLOH the previous two albums, but on White Pony he he chose instead to write stories and then lyrics to RWKHUPHWDODQGKDUGURFNEDQGV became a full-time member playing turntables tell it. ‘Digital Bath’, for example, is about a man DWWKHWLPHMXPSHGRQWKHWUHQG and synths, adding to the electronic aspect of the killing a woman by electrocuting her while she is 'HIWRQHVZHQWLQDGLIIHUHQWGLUHFWLRQ sound. Singer picked up the guitar in a bath. A limited edition version of the album Though the band had a heavy sound, due to the when writing the album, this caused friction was released in a red plastic sleeve which includes low-tuned guitars of the genre, they opted for between him and the guitarist an extra track and comes on two clear red LPs, but a more mellow and ambient sound. The track but eventually led to a better album as the two this was limited to 1,000 copies. This version goes ‘Change (In The House Of Flies)’ is a perfect tried to outdo each other when writing songs. for between £200-300 when auctioned online.

Big Day Out, Gold Coast, 2014 Track List

SIDE A Track 1: Feiticeira Track 2: Digital Bath Track 3: Elite SIDE B Track 1: RX Queen Track 2: Street Carp Track 3: Teenager SIDE C Track 1: Knife Prty Track 2: Korea Track 3: Passenger SIDE D Track 1: Change Track 2: Pink Maggit Matt Roberts/Getty Images

114 I EDFNRQWKHUDGLR ZDQWHGVRPHWUDGLWLRQDOURFNEDQGV Petty Fest 2016 Fest Petty at Strokes The 6OLSNQRWPDLQVWUHDPDXGLHQFHV as LinkinPark,PapaRoachand DQLQÀX[RIQXPHWDOEDQGVVXFK n 2001,therockchartsreceived TheStrokestook s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL YOU ON VINYL SHOULD OWN ALBUMS 100 GREATEST OLIHZLWKWKHDOEXP LQÀXHQFHIURP¶VURFNVRXQGVDQGJDYHLWQHZ ‘ 10(JDYHDZD\IUHHPSGRZQORDGVRIWKHVRQJ VHSDUDWHO\DQGRQO\SOD\LWWKURXJKWKHRQFH ZRXOGUHFRUGDVDEDQGUDWKHUWKDQUHFRUGSDUWV WRVRXQGOLNHDEDQGIURP\HDUVSDVWVRWKH\ LWIURPGLQJ\EDVHPHQW7KH\ZDQWHGWKHDOEXP WRUHFRUGLQDPRGHUQVWXGLRDQGGHFLGHGWRGR HYHU\WKLQJEXWVRXQG7KH6WURNHVGLGQ¶WZDQW RQO\FRSLHV %OXHDQG*ROGYLQ\OZDVUHOHDVHGZLWKDUXQRI FKRVHQDVDUHSODFHPHQW,QDOLPLWHGHGLWLRQ DXGLHQFHDQGDQLPDJHRISDUWLFOHWUDFNVZDV ZDVGHHPHGWRFRQWURYHUVLDOIRUWKH$PHULFDQ ZRPDQ¶VKLSZLWKDOHDWKHUJORYHUHVWLQJRQLW DQGLQWHUQDWLRQDOUHOHDVHWKHSLFWXUHRIDQXGH Started ZDVUHSODFHGLQWKH86YHUVLRQZLWKµ DWWDFNVWKHVRQJµ LQWHUQDWLRQDOYHUVLRQVRIWKHDOEXP'XHWRWKH /HRQDQG7KH%ODFN.H\V EDQGVLQWKH6WDWHVVXFKDV7KH.LOOHUV.LQJVRI UHFRUGODEHO¶VDWWHQWLRQWRZDUGVRWKHUJDUDJHURFN 0RQNH\V,WLVDOVRFUHGLWHGWRZDUGVWXUQLQJ EDQGVLQWKH8.VXFKDV7KH/LEHUWLQHVDQG$UFWLF WKHDOEXPLQÀXHQFHGDQXPEHURIJDUDJHURFN OLYHV$QGWKH\ZHUHQ¶WIDURII$IWHULWVUHOHDVH FODLPLQJWKHLUPXVLFZRXOGFKDQJHWKHUHDGHUV WKHEDQGRQWKHFRYHURIWKHLU-XQHLVVXH Last Nite Release Date: Is ThisIt %HIRUHWKHDOEXPZDVUHOHDVHGPXVLFPDJD]LQH 7KHUHDUHGLIIHUHQFHVEHWZHHQWKH86DQG ¶7KHFRYHUDOVRGLIIHUVEHWZHHQWKH86 ¶DQGVKRUWO\DIWHUZDUGVWKH\ZRXOGSXW 2001| The Strokes Is ThisIt Record Label: New YorkCityCops 115 ,WZDVSXQNURFNLQ RCA/Rough RCA/Rough Trade When It ¶ 7UDFN/LVW Track 6: 6: Track 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track Track 1: 1: Track B SIDE 5: Track 4: Track 3: Track 2: Track 1: Track A SIDE s

Take LeaveIt Or It Luck Your Trying Cops YorkNew City Last Nite Alone, Together Someday Legal Barely Soma Age Modern The It Is This

Scott Dudelson/Getty Images s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Lateralus Tool

Release Date: 2001 | Record Label: Volcano Entertainment

here is no band like Tool, RIIVSULQJELWLQJLQWRWKHIDFHVRIWKHRWKHUKXPDQV and there is no album like DQGKDQJLQJIURPWKHP7KHFOLSVHQGVZLWKFORVH 7UDFN/LVW the American alternative XSVRIDURWDWLQJEDOORIÀDPHV metallers’ third LP, 1RZWUDQVODWHWKLVWRPXVLFDQG\RXKDYHWKH SIDE A T Track 1: The Grudge LateralusUHOHDVHGDIWHUD¿YH HVVHQFHRIWKLVPLQGEORZLQJDOEXP year hiatus in which the group had 2WKHUKLJKOLJKWVLQFOXGHWKHRSHQLQJWUDFN Track 2: Eon Blue Apocalypse progressed in their weird, often occult ‘The Grudge¶ZKLFKLVPDGHXSRIVHYHUDOPHUJHG Track 3: The Patient philosophy to the point where they VHFWLRQVLQFOXGLQJDQHWKHUHDOO\EHDXWLIXOEDVV Track 4: Mantra were operating on a different plane to DUSHJJLRIURP&KDQFHOORU6LQJHU0D\QDUG-DPHV SIDE B most other musicians. Read on and learn... .HHQDQDGYLVHVWKHOLVWHQHUWROHWJRDQGEH Track 1: Schism ‘Schism¶WKH¿UVWVLQJOHLVGULYHQ WUDQVIRUPHGLQWKHO\ULFVZKLFK Track 2: Parabol E\DVXSHUEO\GH[WHURXVEDVV “Maynard DUHVXQJLQWRQHVYDU\LQJIURP Track 3: Parabola OLQHIURP-XVWLQ&KDQFHOORUDQG VXEWOHDQGVWDFFDWRWRDIXOOEORZQ Track 4: Disposition ZDVDFFRPSDQLHGE\DVHULRXVO\ James Keenan VFUHDPZKLFKHQGXUHVIRUD SIDE C GLVWXUELQJYLGHRFOLS8VLQJ advises the PLQXWHRUVRDWWKHVRQJ¶VHQG Track 1: Ticks And Leeches DPL[WXUHRIOLYHDFWLRQDQG ‘Mantra¶LVDPLQXWH¶VZRUWK Track 2: Lateralus FOD\PDWLRQWKHFOLSIHDWXUHV listener to RIVORZHFKRHGGROSKLQRUZKDOH SIDE D EDOGQDNHGSHRSOHLQERG\ let go and be QRLVHV±RUVRLWVHHPV.HHQDQ Track 1: Reflection SDLQWSHUIRUPLQJEL]DUUHVORZ LVVDLGWRKDYHWROGD-DSDQHVH Track 2: Triad PRWLRQDFUREDWLFVOHYLWDWLQJDQG transformed PDJD]LQHLQWKDWKHZDV Track 3: Faaip De Oiad VLQNLQJWKURXJKWKHÀRRURID VTXHH]LQJRQHRIKLV6LDPHVHFDWV PRQRFKURPHVSRUDGLFDOO\OLWVHW in the lyrics of ZKHQWKHDQLPDOVWDUWHGPDNLQJ $UHGWHQWDFOHOLNHSODQWVORZO\ the song” DPRDQLQJQRLVHSUHVXPDEO\LQ HPHUJHVIURPWKHQHFNRIRQHRI SOHDVXUH+HIHWFKHGDUHFRUGHU WKHVH¿JXUHVWKH\ZDONRQDOOIRXUVQRGGLQJWKHLU FDSWXUHGWKHIHOLQH¶VXQXVXDOXWWHUDQFHVIRU KHDGVOLNHVRPHVWUDQJHQLJKWPDUHFUHDWXUH$ SRVWHULW\DQGVORZHGWKHVRXQGULJKWGRZQLQWKH FXELFVHFWRURIEUDLQLVSXOOHGVORZO\RXWRIRQH VWXGLR,W¶VDJRRGVWRU\WUXHRURWKHUZLVH FKDUDFWHU¶VKHDGDQGWKHFDPHUD]RRPVLQVLGH ‘Parabola¶LVDEHHIHGXSURFNDQWKHPZLWK LWUHYHDOLQJWKDWDVSLGHU\SUHGDWRU\ELSHGOXUNV DFKRLUOLNHHIIHFWRQVRPHRI.HHQDQ¶VYRFDOV ZLWKLQ2QFHUHOHDVHGWKLVFOD\PDWLRQDQLPDO± 7KHVLQJHUGHOLYHUVDSDHDQWRSK\VLFDOFRQWDFW DQH\HOHVVKXPDQRLGZLWKWHHWKDQGVSLQGO\OLPEV WHOOLQJDWDOHRIWZRLQWHUWZLQHGERGLHVZKRVHSDLQ ±UXQVDFURVVWKHÀRRUDQGPXOWLSOLHVZLWKLWV LVPHUHO\DQLOOXVLRQWKHJXLWDUVDQGEDVVUDJH

116 Their songs were intelligent collections of sequences and mathematical genius 27+(5$/%806

Undertow (1993) Tool debuted with an album that was compelling in parts, although it lacked the massive themes of their later albums and was aimed squarely at the DURXQGKLPEHIRUHEUHDNLQJGRZQLQWRDKXJH )LERQDFFLVHTXHQFHDVHULHVZKLFKHTXDWHVWR crowd. The big hits ‘Sober’ and GRRP\ULIIWKDWLVDSRFDO\SWLFFRPSDUHGWRWKHUHVW WKHSURSRUWLRQVRIDVSLUDODQGZKLFKLVIRXQG ‘Prison Sex’ were astounding. RIWKHVRQJ RQLQQXPHUDEOHRFFDVLRQVLQQDWXUHIURPWKH %XWZH¶UHMXVWJHWWLQJVWDUWHG7KHDOEXP¶VWLWOH VKDSHRIJDOD[LHVWRWKHVWUXFWXUHRIIHUQOHDYHV WUDFNLVRQHRILWVPRVWDPELWLRXV$VWKH\HDUV )XUWKHUPRUH.HHQDQVWDUWVVLQJLQJDWRQH KDYHSDVVHGLQIRUPDWLRQDERXWLWVVWUXFWXUHKDYH PLQXWHDQGVHFRQGVLQWRWKHVRQJZKLFK EHHQUHYHDOHGZKLFKRQO\DUHDVRQDEO\DGYDQFHG HTXDWHVWRPLQXWHVLVWKHIDPHG DQGREVHUYDQWOLVWHQHUZRXOGKDYHSLFNHGXSRQ µJROGHQUDWLR¶DPDWKHPDWLFDOFRQVWDQWEDVHGRQ ¿UVWVSLQ)RUVWDUWHUVDODUJHSDUWRILWLVEDVHG WKHUHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWZRTXDQWLWLHVZKLFK RQDUHSHDWLQJVHTXHQFHRIWLPHVLJQDWXUHV± KDVEHHQWKHVXEMHFWRIPXFKVWXG\VLQFHWKH DQG±ZKLFKIRUPWKHVRQJ¶V DQFLHQW*UHHNV RULJLQDOWLWOH /LNHZHVDLGWKHUHLVQRRWKHUEDQGOLNH7RRO$ 7KHQH[DPLQH0D\QDUG¶VO\ULFV

Aenima (1996) The other truly essential Tool album is Aenima, where the band began to explore the wiring behind the existential motherboards on a deeper, more questioning level. ‘Stinkfist’ outraged MTV, who assumed it referred to sexual practices.

10,000 Days (2006) The pressure of following up the immense Lateralus might have been a little much for the band. That being said, ‘Vicarious’ and ‘The Pot’ are as enjoyably weird as anything that they’ve The is certainly no other band quite like Tool ever recorded. Gie Knaeps/GettyGie Images

117 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Songs For The Deaf Queens Of The Stone Age

Release Date: 2002 | Record Label: Interscope

he album helped Queens Of I Feel Like A Millionaire’. The album features a The US version of the vinyl has its own album The Stone Age break away number of guest musicians, but the most notable artwork and comes on two red LPs and has an from the niche of stoner- is member and former drummer of H[FOXVLYHWUDFNDFRYHURI5RN\(ULFNVRQ¶VµBloody T rock and into the wider Nirvana on drums. Hammer’. The UK vinyl has the CD artwork but world of chart-topping hard rock. Songs Their third album mixed elements from with the colours reversed. There was also a limited for the Deaf is a concept album, taking the listener the previous two, with hard, pounding rock edition EU version, which had two glow-in-the- on a drive along a desert in California through and melodic, trance-inspired grunge, but dark LPs. The prices vary, but you will be looking all the radio stations across the state. In between they tightened everything up to make a more to spend in the hundreds for them. some tracks are skits as radio DJs talk introducing FRQVLVWHQWUHFRUG7KHVLQJOHµNo One Knows’ WKHQH[WVRQJVRPHPD\¿QGWKHVHLQWUXVLYHEXW earned them a lot of radio time, but they they’re scarce and don’t last longer than a minute. UHPHPEHUWKHLUURRWVZLWKVRQJVOLNHµ$Song For Track List The album opens with an engine starting up and The Dead’, which showcase a more desert rock tuning through the stations before going into the feel with its fuzzy guitars and raspy vocals with SIDE A You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But melodic backing. Track 1: You Think I Ain’t Worth A Dollar, But I Feel ¿UVWVRQJµ Like A Millionaire Track 2: Track 3: First It Giveth Track 4: A Song For The Dead SIDE B Track 1: The Sky Is Fallin’ Track 2: Six Shooter Track 3: Hangin’ Tree Track 4: Track 5: Gonna Leave You SIDE C Track 1: Do It Again Track 2: God Is In The Radio Track 3: Another Love Song SIDE D Queens of the Track 1: A Song For The Deaf Stoneage at Track 2: Mosquito Song Reading Festival C Brandon/Redferns / Getty

118 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Sea Change Beck

Release Date: 2002 | Record Label: Geffen

lot had changed for Beck DFRXVWLFEDOODGV7KHXQXVXDODQGH[SHULPHQWDO recording by arranging the string sections in the between 1999’s Midnite VRQJVZHUHQRZKHUHWREHKHDUGDQGZKDWIDQVJRW DOEXP$GLYLVLYHDOEXPIRU%HFNIDQVWKRVHZKR Vultures and 2002’s Sea ZDVDPRUHVRPEUHHPRWLRQUHFRUG4XLUNLQHVV understand that story behind the album, and A Change. After ending a nine-year UHSODFHGZLWKVLQFHULW\V\QWKHVLVHUVWDNHDEDFN ZKDWKHZDVJRLQJWKURXJKFDQHQMR\WKHDOEXP relationship just before his 30th birthday, Beck VHDWWRDQDFRXVWLFJXLWDUDQGKLSKRSUDSSLQJZDV RQDSHUVRQDOOHYHOZKLOHRWKHUVVLPSO\VHHSea WRRNDPRUHUHÀHFWLYHDSSURDFKWRZULWLQJVRQJV JRQHLQIDYRXURITXLHWPHODQFKRO\ ChangeDVQRWZKDWWKH\ZDQWHGIURP%HFN DQGGHFLGHGWRZULWHDERXWKLVH[SHULHQFHZLWK %HFNZRXOGXVXDOO\ZULWHDVRQJDQGSXWLW On Record Store Day 2012 a limited edition of most of the songs themes being loneliness and DVLGHIRUDZKLOHEHIRUHFRPLQJEDFNWRLWEXWZLWK Sea Change ZDVUHOHDVHGRQDSLQNYLQ\OLI\RX heartbreak. The eclectic styles of sounds like folk/ Sea Change WKHPDMRULW\RIVRQJVZHUHZULWWHQ ZDQWWREX\WKLVUHFRUGH[SHFWWRSD\PRUHWKDQ funk/hip-hop/alternate rock that fans had come LQDZHHNDQGWKHQZLWKLQD\HDUWKH\ZHUHWDNHQ £250. Sadly, no Beck album has felt as personal WRH[SHFWIURPD%HFNDOEXPZDVFKDQJHGIRU to a studio. Beck’s father, helped out during and complete as Sea Change.

Beck performs at the O2 Academy in Brixton, London Track List SIDE A Track 1: The Golden Age Track 2: Paper Tiger Track 3: Guess I’m Doing Fine SIDE B Track 1: Lonesome Tears Track 2: Lost Cause Track 3: End Of The Day SIDE C Track 1: It’s All In Your Mind Track 2: Round The Bend Track 3: Already Dead SIDE D Track 1: Sunday Sun Track 2: Little One Track 3: Side Of The Road Phil Bourne/Redferns/Getty Images

119 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Think Tank Blur

Release Date: 2003 | Record Label: Parlophone

t’s not every band that could DOPRVWKDXQWLQJDVLWFRXOGEHKHDUGDVDIDUHZHOO drastically move away from their ‘Sweet Song’ was reportedly written and recorded 7UDFN/LVW established sound and still be as Coxon and the band were in negotiations on SIDE A I successful. But Blur’s album 13 could &R[RQ¶VVSOLWIURP%OXU'DPRQ$OEDUQO\ULFV Track 1: Ambulance not have gone further away form the band’s Britpop “And now it seems that we’re falling apart, But I Track 2: Out Of Time sound, the bright and poppy sound of Parklife and hope I see the good in you come back again, I just Track 3: Crazy Beat The Great Escape was replaced with a darker sound believed in you” tells of how he felt at the time of LQÀXHQFHGE\SV\FKHGHOLFDQGHOHFWURQLFPXVLF WKHVSOLW SIDE B Think Tank took the sound form 13 and added 7KRVHZKRPD\NQRZWKHEDQGIURPVLQJOHV Track 1: Good Song :RUOGPXVLFWRWKHLULQÀXHQFHVPDNLQJLWLQWRPRUH ‘Song 2’ or ‘Parklife’ may be thrown off by what Track 2: On The Way To The Club RIDQDUWURFNDOEXP WKH\KHDU7KHDOEXP¶VVRXQG Track 3: Brothers And Sisters Each member of Blur started “Those who would feature more electronic SIDE C to work on their own projects, sounds in the forefront due to Track 1: Caravan the band’s guitarist Graham know the their lead guitarists departure Track 2: We’ve Got A File On You Coxon released a number of band from but they also experimented with Track 3: Moroccan Peoples Revolutionary solo albums, Bassist Alex James RWKHULQVWUXPHQWV:KRZRXOG Bowls Club worked with the band Fat Les ‘Song 2’ or have thought we would hear a SIDE D and singer Damon Albarn saxophone solo in a Blur song Track 1: Jets created the animated band ‘Parklife’ may but ‘Jets’ features one that comes Track 2: Gene By Gene Gorillaz and their debut album be thrown off IURPRXWRIQRZKHUH7KHDOEXP Track 3: Battery In Your Leg ZDVLQFUHGLEO\VXFFHVVIXO$IWHU takes a turn on ‘We’ve Got A File coming back together to work by what on You’, going completely punk for on a new album, Coxon left they hear” a minute before going back to the the band after failing to make OD\HUHGDUWURFN7KHEDQGZRXOG it to recording sessions and it was reported that use a lot of odd noises throughout the album KHZDVGHDOLQJZLWKDOFRKROLVPDQGGHSUHVVLRQ such as jumping on a caravan at a farm to His absence is felt in the songs as the album is UHFRUGVDPSOHVRILWVTXHDNLQJ7KDW¶VWKHNLQG not guitar driven like the other records, instead RIDOEXP\RX¶UHJHWWLQJ atmospheric world music and electronic sounds 7KHEDQGUHFRUGHGGHPRVIRUThink Tank in WDNHWKHSODFHRIWKHPXVLFLDQ7KHRQO\WLPH 2001 at Damon Albarn’s 13 studio in London Coxon’s playing can be heard is on the closing but the Iraq war was on the horizon and Albarn, track ‘Battery In Your Leg’ and his guitar sounds EHLQJDQDFWLYHSDFL¿VWFKRVHDORQJZLWKWKH

120 For Think Tank the band explored new culture and new recording methods 27+(5$/%806

Parklife (1994) The album goes through a number of musical genres defined in Britain from punk to new-wave and somehow Blur would define a new one in Britpop with this album along with its singles ‘Boys & Girls’ and ‘Parklife’.

EDQGWRJHWDZD\IURPWKHSROLWLFV7KLVOHGWKH and ‘Gene By Gene¶+LVLQÀXHQFHDVZHOODV band along with their producer Ben Hillier to Albarn’s work from Gorillaz can clearly be heard PRYHWR0DUUDNHFKLQ0RURFFR:KLOHLQDQHZ on the prior with the electronic and dance rock country exploring a foreign culture, they decided IHHO7KHDOEXPVOHHYHIHDWXUHVRQHRIWKHIHZ to explore different recording methods so and commercially released pieces of artwork by instead of recording in a big studio, they decided JUDI¿WLDUWLVW%DQNV\KLVSLHFHVDUHIHDWXUHGRQ to put set up the equipment in a barn and they WKHEDFNIURQWDQGLQVLGHRQWKHJDWHIROG$Q ZRXOGUHFRUGZKLOHRXWVLGH original pressing of Think Tank goes can sell for Norman Cook, or as he’s better known as, a lot, although here are newer pressing that sell )DWER\6OLPSURGXFHGWKHWUDFNVµCrazy Beat’ IRUVLJQL¿FDQWO\OHVV

Coxon left the band, but can be 13 (1999) heard on ’Battery In Your Leg’ Britpop was on its way out and Blur decided to move on rather than try to milk what was left. 13 experimented with electronic sounds, darker themes and would lay the groundwork that they would expand on with Think Tank.

The Magic Whip (2015) Blur are still experimenting by taking inspiration from different countries and expanding their sound, this time their muse was Asia. For their sound they mixed with dreamy textures, synth drums and other effects.

121 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Elephant :KLWH6WULSHV

Release Date: 2003 | Record Label: XL Recordings

ny rock band performs :H¶UHWDONLQJRIFRXUVHDERXWµSeven best when it remembers to Nation Army¶HVVHQWLDOO\DUHSHDWHGJXLWDU 7UDFN/LVW take care of two important ULII±DOWHUQDWHO\SOD\HGLQWKHJXLWDU¶VQDWXUDO SIDE A A things.7KH¿UVWLVWRKDYHD IUHTXHQF\UDQJHDQGWKHQGRZQWXQHGLQRUGHU Track 1: Seven Nation Army WKRXJKWRXWDUWGLUHFWLRQWKHVHFRQGLVWRZULWH WRVRXQGOLNHDEDVV±DQGWKHLQIHFWLRXVFKRUXV Track 2: Black Math VRQJVWKDWDUHVLPSOHVXSHUKRRN\DQGWKDWWKH WKDWDFFRPSDQLHVLW,W¶VWUXHWKDWWKH:KLWH Track 3: There’s No Home For You Here SRVWPDQFDQZKLVWOHDVKHZDONVXS\RXUSDWK 6WULSHVKDGEXLOWDIDQEDVHEHIRUHWKHUHOHDVH SIDE B 7KH'HWURLWJXLWDUGUXPVGXR:KLWH6WULSHV RIElephantWKDQNVWRLWVDJJUHVVLYHO\IRFXVHG Track 1: I Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself KDGERWKRIWKHVHHVVHQWLDOIHDWXUHVRIDVXFFHVVIXO WDNHRQROG1DVKYLOOHVW\OHEOXHVUHFRUGHG URFNFDUHHUWRWDOO\LQWKHEDJZKHQLWVIRXUWK ZLWKYLQWDJHHTXLSPHQWEXWLWZDVQ¶WXQWLOWKH Track 2: In The Cold, Cold Night DOEXPElephantZDVUHOHDVHGLQ6XUH VXFFHVVRIµSeven Nation Army¶WKDWWKHGXR Track 3: I Want To Be The Boy To Warm Your Mother’s Heart WKHUHGDQGZKLWHFRORXUVFKHPHSURPRWHGE\ WUXO\WUDQVFHQGHGLWVEOXHVURRWVDQGEHFDPHD -DFN:KLWHDQGKLVH[ZLIH0HJ:KLWHVHHPV FKDUWURFNEDQG SIDE C DOLWWOHFKHHV\\HDUVODWHUEHFDXVHZHKDYHDOO $GGLWLRQDOLQWHUHVWZDVVWLUUHGXSE\WKHIDFW Track 1: You’ve Got Her In Your Pocket VHHQLWVRPDQ\WLPHVQRZEXWWKHVRQJVUHPDLQ WKDWWKHJURXSPDGHDIXOOEDQGVRXQGHYHQ Track 2: Ball And Biscuit LQFUHGLEO\SRWHQW WKRXJKWKHUHZHUHRQO\WZRRIWKHPHVWDEOLVKLQJ Track 3: The Hardest Button To Button DWHPSODWHGLUHFWO\UHVSRQVLEOHIRUWKHFXUUHQW Track 4: Little Acorns Married couple Jack and VXFFHVVRIGXRVVXFKDV5R\DO%ORRGZKRVHVLQJHU SIDE D Meg White formed the White Stripes duo in 1997 0LNH.HUUUHFHQWO\VDLG³µSeven Nation Army¶ Track 1: Hypnotize E\WKH:KLWH6WULSHVFRXOGOLWHUDOO\EHWKH¿UVW Track 2: The Air Near My Fingers WKLQJ\RXPLJKWWHDFKVRPHRQHWRSOD\\HWLW¶V Track 3: Girl, You Have No Faith In Medicine RQHRIWKHPRVWLFRQLFULIIVRIRXUJHQHUDWLRQ,W¶V Track 4: Well It’s True That We Love One Another LQWHUQDWLRQDODQGLW¶VVXQJLQVWDGLXPVDOOURXQG Track 5: Who’s To Say (Japan Only) WKHZRUOG´ Track 6: Good To Me (Japan Only) µSeven Nation Army¶ZDVIROORZHGE\µI Just Don’t Know What To Do With Myself¶µThe Hardest Button To Button¶DQGµThere’s No Home For You Here¶PDNLQJElephantDQLQHVFDSDEOH IRUFHIURPWR7KH:KLWH6WULSHV¶ VXFFHVVDVVXUHGLWFRQWLQXHGDVDUHFRUGLQJDQG WRXULQJEDQGXQWLOTXLWWLQJZLWKLWVOHJDF\ ZHOOLQWDFW

122 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Madvillainy Madvillain

Release Date: 2004 | Record Label: Stones Throw

Madvillainy was Dumile across the album – a sprawling double praised for its LP of multilayered samples and grooves from the Track List unique approach old Public Enemy school – is forceful without SIDE A ever being forced. Jackson’s sound manipulation Track 1: The Illest Villains and focus on mellow textures makes the record a Track 2: Accordion sonic pleasure: lush, widescreen and ambitious. Track 3: Meat Grinder Although there are plenty of observations from Track 4: Bistro Dumile on the staple topics of hip hop – see ‘America’s Most Blunted’ for a thesis on the Track 5: Raid immortal herb, for example – the album doesn’t SIDE B generally venture into clichéd territory. Track 1: America’s Most Blunted Most double albums suffer somewhat from a Track 2: Sickfit lack of variation across their four sides, making Track 3: Rainbows LWUDWKHUGLI¿FXOWIRUWKHOLVWHQHUWRNHHSSD\LQJ Track 4: Curls attention after a certain number of songs. Track 5: Do Not Fire! However, Madvillainy circumvents this issue Track 6: Money Folder he brainchild of rapper by covering a phenomenal amount of ground, SIDE C Daniel Dumile (aka MF retaining certain essential tropes, such as tarmac- Track 1: Scene Two Doom) and producer/DJ weakening bass frequencies. The duo brings in Track 2: Shadows of Tomorrow T Otis Jackson Jr (whose stage Indian orchestras, classic funk and soul samples Track 3: Operation Lifesaver a.k.a. Mint Test name is ), Madvillain has been from the Dr Dre-approved gene pool, and a whole Track 4: Figaro sporadically active since this excellent raft of crazy extra layers, such as mad laughter Track 5: Hardcore Hustle debut album was released in 2004. and female choirs. Track 6: Strange Ways This is at least partly responsible for the enigmatic The overall feel is one of stoned benevolence: SIDE D image of both the duo and the album itself, which there’s very little of the guns-and-gangs feel Track 1: Intro was so full of brilliant songs that a cult fanbase WKDWW\SL¿HG$PHULFDQKLSKRSRIWKHSUHYLRXV Track 2: Fancy Clown has grown up around it. Occasional hints that decade, particularly from the West Coast. There’s Track 3: Eye a full-blown sequel will be released have been too much inventive sample-mining for that, Track 4: Supervillain Theme dropped here and there, and only boost the and a sense of intelligence in the rhymes and Track 5: All Caps legendary status of the music. accompaniment that is still a rarity in mainstream Track 6: Great Day And believe us, the reputation of Madvillainy KLSKRS±EXWZKLFKKDVDOZD\VÀRXULVKHGLQ Track 7: Rhinestone Cowboy is wholly deserved. The rapping delivered by alternative urban music such as this.

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Illinois Sufjan Stevens

Release Date: 2005 | Record Label: Asthmatic Kitty/Secretly Canadian/Rough Trade

ome excitement was One of the sweeter songs deals with the mass achievement for music that was this obscure at inevitably felt among murderer John Wayne Gacy Jr, while ‘Chicago’ is WKHWLPH6WHYHQVKDVUHPDLQHGDKLJKO\SUROL¿F followers of indie songwriter a full-leaded rock anthem. On the second cut, the recording artist since then, issuing a sequence S Sufjan Stevens when he 53-word title beginning ‘The Black Hawk War...’ of releases that continue to explore his personal, announced in 2003 that his third takes almost as long to read as its running time, in religious and political beliefs. The cynics among album, MichiganZRXOGEHWKH¿UVW which a huge plethora of instruments announces us who maintain the belief that the best pop, rock of a sequence of 50 that were devoted a solemn chord sequence. It is often highly and even folk music is long in the past would do to all of the individual states of the ambitious music that hits its target expertly. well to investigate this unusual musician’s even United States of America. The album Illinois topped the Billboard Heatseekers more unusual work before simply passing it off as certainly sold well, but two albums later, Illinois chart on its release, which really was quite an another attempt to leave their mark on music. – sometimes referred to as Illinoise or even Sufjan Stevens Invites You To: Come On Feel The Illinoise, because of its cover design – did even better than expected. It remains to be his Track List bestselling work, which made his later admission that the 50-albums idea was merely a ‘gimmick’ SIDE A SIDE C Track 1: Concerning The UFO Sighting Near Track 1: The Man Of Metropolis Steals Our Hearts RQO\DOLWWOHGHÀDWLQJ Highland, Illinois Still, the album stands up perfectly well, Track 2: Prairie Fire That Wanders About (Peoria) Track 2: The Black Hawk War unsupported by a concept other than its own, Track 3: A Conjunction Of Drones Simulating Track 3: Come On! Feel The Illinoise! which was that the songs are inspired by the Track 4: The Predatory Wasp Of The Palisades Is Out Track 4: John Wayne Gacy, Jr To Get Us! Midwestern state by which the album is titled. The Track 5: Jacksonville Track 5: They Are Night Zombies!! ¿UVWVRQJWKDWPRVWSHRSOHKHDUGIURPWKHDOEXP Track 6: A Short Reprise For Mary Todd, Who Went Track 6: Let’s Hear That String Part Again ‘Casimir Pulaski Day’, was a heartbreaking Insane, But For Very Good Reasons Track 7: In This Temple As In The Hearts Of Man For acoustic ballad in which Stevens told the tale of SIDE B Whom He Saved The Earth a personal bereavement – but good as it was, it Track 1: Decatur, Or, Round Of Applause For SIDE D didn’t bear much resemblance to the rest of the Your Stepmother! Track 1: The Seer’s Tower album. Instead, Stevens was keener on piano Track 2: One Last ‘Whoo-Hoo!’ For The Pullman!! Track 2: The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders textures, overblown strings and other exaggerated Track 3: Go! Chicago! Go! Yeah! Track 3: Riffs And Variations RUFKHVWUDOÀRXULVKHV Track 4: Casimir Pulaski Day Track 4: Out Of Egypt, Into The Great Laugh Of Stevens’ interest in a wide range of subjects Track 5: To The Workers Of The Rock River Mankind certainly matches the variety his musical scope. Valley Region Track 5: The Avalanche

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Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes

Release Date: 2008 | Record Label: Bella Union/

rock acts, such as Neil Young and Crosby, Stills Many critics ranked & Nash. Those artists’ expert vocal arrangements Fleet Foxes as one Track List of the best albums and large-scale instrumentation permeate Fleet of 2008 )R[HV¶¿UVWDOEXPDORQJZLWKDGH¿QLWHQRG SIDE A towards the eclecticism of British folk institutions, Track 1: Sun It Rises such as Fairport Convention. ‘Ragged Wood’ is a Track 2: great example of the former – there’s an audible Track 3: Ragged Wood echo of CSN in the opening chant of “Whoo- Track 4: Tiger Mountain Peasant Song aah” – while ‘White Winter Hymnal’ has that old Track 5: Quiet Houses English sound expertly down. Track 6: He Doesn’t Know Why It’s not all nostalgic ’60s worship around SIDE B Fleet Foxes’ house, though. Chiming electric guitars straight from the rock canon can be Track 1: Heard Them Stirring heard in songs such as ‘He Doesn’t Know Why’, Track 2: Your Protector where the band reveals its understanding of Track 3: Meadowlarks stadium-sized songwriting. Little wonder it was Track 4: Blue Ridge Mountains discovered at super-hip festivals such as South Track 5: Oliver Jamesver a.k.a Mint Test by Southwest and Sasquatch! before making an uy the Seattle band Fleet impact overseas, notably in the UK. On this side )R[HV¶¿UVWVHOIWLWOHGDOEXP of the pond, we’ve always been partial to a bit of DVWKHGRXEOH/3UHLVVXHLI American roots music (see also: Kings Of Leon) B \RXFDQDVLWDOVRLQFOXGHV and close-harmony bands liberally equipped with LWVVHFRQG(3Sun Giant. Furthermore, facial hair, and so it proved with Fleet Foxes. the famous warmth inherent in vinyl albums’ In the decade since the release of Fleet Foxes, sound lends itself perfectly to the band’s style – the band has released a series of popular albums a layered, rich blend of close-harmony vocals, LQWKHYHLQRIWKH¿UVWRQHLWVUHFLSHKDVEHHQ echoed soundscapes and subtle guitar tones. enduringly popular, combining enough riff Not bad for a debut album made by relatively swagger to motivate arena audiences, while inexperienced musicians. Fleet Foxes – initially retaining the mellow folkie touches. How many singer and guitarist Skyler RWKHUEDQGVFRXOGLQFRUSRUDWHOD\HUVRIÀXWHLQWR Skjelset – made no secret from the outset of its DURFNVRQJDQG¿QGLWVHOIZHOFRPHGE\YHQXHV career of its admiration for classic American folk- full of fans?

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Neon Bible Arcade Fire

Release Date: 2007 | Record Label:

KHUH¶VGH¿QLWHO\VRPHWKLQJ – or at least, a convincingly synthesised version PHVVLDQLFRUDWOHDVW of one – introduced and underpinned one of the UHOLJLRXVLQWKHIHHODQG album’s best songs, ‘Intervention’. The same Track List WKHPHVRINeon BibleWKH T sense of presence and weight infuses ‘No Cars SIDE A VHFRQGDOEXPIURP0RQWUHDO¶V$UFDGH Go’, a studio-crafted thing of beauty featuring Canadians tend to have an individual take Black Mirror )LUH strata of brass and guitars which features a Track 1: on rock music anyway, blending the bombast memorable harmony vocal. Track 2: of American guitar music with the quirks and All this chin-stroking seriousness aside, there Track 3: Neon Bible humour of British pop, and that’s exactly how was still a sense of fun on Neon Bible. ‘The Well Track 4: Intervention Neon Bible sounds, with its mixture of sideways And The Lighthouse’ was an uptempo guitar SIDE B philosophy and classic wall-of- anthem with the patented Joy Track 1: Black Wave/Bad Vibrations sound songwriting dynamics. No Division-style bass-line that is Track 2: Ocean Of Noise wonder it bagged its creators over the hallmark of so much indie Track 3: The Well And The Lighthouse 400,000 sales, rave reviews and “Appropriately, rock, and while Butler’s strained Track 4: (Antichrist Television Blues) enviably high chart positions. the album was vocals occasionally become SIDE C Appropriately, the album wearing, there’s no denying the Track 1: Windowsill was recorded in an old church recorded in passion with which he delivers Track 2: in rural Québec, purchased and the song. See also (‘Antichrist Track 3: My Body Is A Cage converted into a studio by the an old church Television Blues’), a knowingly band. Perhaps the recording in rural Bruce Springsteen-esque protest environment lent itself to an tune that builds and builds for the introspective vibe, but the Québec… ” perfect stadium vibe. songs certainly dig deep into As with many new – or at least the psyche; singer new-ish – bands, Arcade Fire explored themes that seemed both abstract and have lots to say and the means to say it in many relevant (“Who here among us still believes in different ways. Alongside the big dynamics of choice?”) and the music often ventured into the more upfront songs, the band also take the atmospheric Americana. intensity levels right back for moments of subtle Piano, often treated with sinister echoes, charm. ‘My Body Is A Cage’ is one of these, a ethereal backing vocals, a droned bass and spaced-out song featuring that amazing church layers of synth and strings also gave the music a organ again and an angelic choir straight from the cinematic feel. Splendidly, a massive church organ classic movie-soundtrack genre. It doesn’t stay in

126 downbeat territory for long, though. Listen out vocals keep the atmospherics intact, and the song for the moment at 2:20 when that organ and what fades away not long after it has begun – leaving a OTHER ALBUMS sounds like hundreds of singers burst into action, question mark answered by the more epic songs. underpinned by drums from hell. On completing the album the listener is left with Where Arcade Fire excel as composers is in a satisfying feeling that Arcade Fire raise more their awareness of songwriting economy. Why questions than answers. What is spirituality? change a key or chord gratuitously when a simple What is America? And where do the two meet? drone is more effective? Like U2, who the band Despite the sheer weightiness of the album’s supported after the album’s release, Butler and his themes, Neon Bible found a huge and loyal team are masters of allowing a bass-line to evolve audience, continuing Arcade Fire’s ascent. The beneath long, drawn-out keyboard and guitar group had been on the way up since their debut notes. See ‘Keep The Car Running’, where these album, Funeral, released three years earlier, features are prominent, as well as the neat trick but Neon Bible accelerated that progress. Today of letting a vocal whoop carry the chorus melody they’re one of the biggest bands to emerge in the without needing to amend the instrumentation. twilight years of the music industry, having sold The title track itself is a persuasive song, without enough albums to make a comfortable living ever expanding beyond the paramaters of a EHIRUHVWUHDPLQJDQG¿OHVKDULQJUHPRYHGWKDW slightly sinister ballad. Intoned rather than sung career option.

Funeral (2014) Debuting with this collection of songs inspired by the deaths of several loved ones during its recording, Arcade Fire were walking a path of their very own. A flurry of industry awards greeted the album, and the band were on their way...

The Suburbs (2010) Released in the wake of Neon Bible, debuted at the top of the charts in the UK, the US, Canada and Ireland. That’s pretty fast progress for a band on its third album. David Byrne, sometime of Talking Heads, was a notable guest.

Reflektor (2013) For album number four, they went large – recording a double LP, investigating the Haitian roots of the band in both its music and marketing, and exploring a wide range of cultural influences through its songwriting.

127 2010 ONWARDS... 130 Kanye West My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy 132 Joanna Newsom Have One On Me 133 Bon Iver Bon Iver 134 The Black Keys El Camino 136 Kendrick Lamar good kid, m.A.A.d city 137 Arctic Monkeys AM 138 Daft Punk Random Access Memories 140 Various Artists Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 142 Jack White Lazaretto 143 Kamasi Washington The Epic

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My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy Kanye West

Release Date: 2010 | Record Label: Roc-A-Fella/Def Jam

hat do you do when you slept, taking infrequent naps at the studio, but hit rock bottom? When a among all this organised chaos an album started stress and ego-fuelled outburst to come together. For a while it was known simply W makes you a target for every as ‘Good Ass Job’ but, ever the showman, he tabloid in the western hemisphere? When the eventually settled on something with a touch more biggest tour of your career to date falls apart pizzazz: My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy. in the aftermath? When the Kanye has always been an MC president is on record calling LQWKHWUXHVWVHQVH+HDVVHPEOHV you an asshole? If you’re Kanye FXUDWHVDQGFROODERUDWHV+LV :HVW\RXÀ\WR+DZDLL\RXWDNH “Among all of albums are events, and Twisted Track List some time off, and then you get Fantasy is the grandest of them SIDE A to work. the organised all; a musical Met Gala whose Track 1: Dark Fantasy What happened over the course guest list is a who’s who of chaos an Track 2: Gorgeous RIWKDW+DZDLLDQH[LOHLQ industry glitterati (and Cyhi Da Track 3: Power was akin to a hip-hop version album started Prynce). But while the feature- of the Avengers assembling. fest album has become a risible Track 4: All Of The Lights (Interlude) Word was put out and, over the to come staple of mainstream hip-hop Track 5: All Of The Lights following weeks and months, a together” (our regards to DJ Khaled), the Track 6: Monster steady stream of artists jetted out contributions here are essential, SIDE B DVSUDZOLQJUHFRUGLQJFRPSOH[ FKHUU\SLFNHGDQGUH¿QHGE\ Track 1: So Appalled on Oahu. The anecdotes from West and his team. Speaking to Track 2: Devil In A New Dress those sessions paint a vivid picture: Kanye eagerly &RPSOH[SURGXFHU47LSGHVFULEHGWKHSURFHVV Track 3: Runaway ÀLFNLQJWKURXJKSKRWRVRIQXGHPRGHOVZLWK1LFNL “You see how he integrates and transforms Track 4: Hell Of A Life Minaj; Kid Cudi and RZA working out in the gym everyone’s contributions… What he does is Track 5: Blame Game while Ye and co shoot hoops with the locals; Bon alchemy, really.” Track 6: Lost In The World Iver’s Justin Vernon rolling joints with Rick Ross With so many ingredients in play, it’s easy to Track 7: Who Will Survive In America during a break from recording. Kanye barely imagine an album that groans under the weight of

130 On ‘Devil In A New Dress’, layers of decadent In what might be one of his most guitar samples set the stage for Rick Ross’ impressive feats to delectable cameo, a series of booming boasts 27+(5$/%806 date, he headlined that culminates in him “making love to the Glastonbury in 2015 DQJHORIGHDWK´(YHQE\5R]D\¶VVWDQGDUGV LW¶VVSHFWDFXODUO\RYHUWKHWRS(OVHZKHUHD sneering Pusha T helps toast to the douchebags on ‘Runaway’, (and an outrageous Chris Rock) talk love/hate relationships on ‘Blame Game’, and on ‘Monster¶1LFNL0LQDMJRHV from Young Money crew member to burgeoning rap icon in the space of one blistering, persona- switching verse. As a package, Twisted Fantasy is suitably H[WUDYDJDQWWKHVOHHYHDOOFULPVRQDQG gold with a striking border framing one of *HRUJH&RQGR¶V¿YHVXUUHDOSLHFHVRIDUWZRUN – which range from nightmarish portraits to WRDVWLQJEDOOHULQDV$QGQH[WWRWKHMHZHOFDVH minimalism of Yeezus and the multimedia melange that is The Life Of Pablo, MBDTF Late Registration (2005) its credits list. The reality is anything but. For one feels especially lavish. It’s still Kanye’s most Still the album with the greatest collection of thing, Kanye’s rapping is as good as it’s ever been unabashedly opulent album, and as the years go Kanye singles – ‘Gold Digger’, ‘Touch The Sky’ and – early highlights ‘Gorgeous’ and ‘Power’ both by it seems increasingly unlikely that he’ll make ‘Gone’ make this the highlight of West’s College IHDWXUHFDUHHUKLJKEDUVEHIRUH(OWRQ-RKQ¶VEULHI another record like it. trilogy. And that’s before you factor in Late piano interlude leads into the cacophonous, star- And if he doesn’t, then that’s okay. The album Registration’s more underappreciated gems. studded banger, ‘All Of The Lights’. Around those speaks for itself, albeit through many voices. verses, that aforementioned alchemy is evident. .DQ\HKDVQHLWKHUWKH¿UVWQRUWKHODVWZRUG± Kanye gets the best out of his collaborators, both WKRVHIDOOWR0LQDMDQGWKHODWH*LO6FRWW+HURQ on the mic and behind the glass, letting each of respectively – but he doesn’t need to. This is them steal the limelight momentarily while never his show, his magnum opus, his beautiful, dark, receding into the background himself. twisted fantasy.

808s & Heartbreak (2008) A downbeat, introspective and heavily auto-tuned hip-hop album seemed completely out of place in 2008. A few months later, Drake’s So Far Gone arrived, and with each passing year 808s & Heartbreak feels more and more prescient.

Watch The Throne (2011) The rare superstar rap collaboration that actually works, Watch The Throne is brash, bombastic and After returning from unabashedly luxurious. The beats are huge, the recording Twisted Fantasy, cover dazzling, but with Jay and Ye’s chemistry Kanye entered into a kind of resurgence shining through, it never stops being fun. Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images Dimitrios

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Have One On Me Joanna Newsom

Release Date: 2010 | Record Label: Drag City

t’s a miracle that Joanna jazz trumpet to the vibe, with a witch-like vocal Newsom is so successful that atop a plucked ukulele, and the dynamics stripped Track List only three albums in to her right back for maximum impact. In fact, fully I career, her label allowed her to over-the-top arrangements are less prevalent on SIDE A issue a triple album. It’s also a miracle that this album than they are on the albums Newsom Track 1: Easy people bought it in large numbers, and that those has released before and since this one, with a Track 2: Have One On Me same people had the time and the patience to sparse feel generally at the top of the mix. Track 3: ’81 absorb it. So much for the ADHD generation, and So how did Joanna Newsom become so SIDE B so much for the often-stated ‘death of ’. popular? It’s a mystery, albeit a welcome one. She Track 1: Good Intentions Paving Company Newsom’s music, a wilfully unusual has found a willing audience of listeners in the Track 2: No Provenance combination of harp and vocal songs with UK and elsewhere, perhaps because music fans unusual instrumentation, is often beautiful, outside her native California are a little bit more Track 3: Baby Birch but it isn’t remotely commercial, while her open to unorthodox moods than elsewhere. Either SIDE C voice – a breathy, affected lisp from the Kate way, the fact that a triple LP such as this could Track 1: On A Good Day Bush school – should by rights have no place ¿QGVXFKDSSUHFLDWLRQFDQRQO\EHDJRRGVLJQ Track 2: You And Me, Bess in the age of walrus-lunged R&B divas. And yet Track 3: In California here the album is: six widely acclaimed sides of SIDE D vinyl that attracted many a positive nod from Track 1: Jackrabbits critics. They didn’t all like it, of course – that Track 2: Go Long would be impossible – but if Have One on Me Track 3: Occident had been released in 1990 or 2000 instead of SIDE E 2010, it would have been widely dismissed as Track 1: Soft As Chalk pretentious, overblown nonsense, and given a Track 2: Esme critical kicking on its way to the bargain bin. Track 3: Autumn Times have indeed changed. SIDE F Highlight choices from the 18 songs here are Track 1: Ribbon Bows obviously arbitrary, but you could do worse than starting with ‘Good Intentions Paving Company’, Track 2: Kingfisher a soulful piano ballad that channelled all of Track 3: Does Not Suffice JStefan M. Prager/Redferns/Getty Images Prager/Redferns/Getty M. JStefan 1HZVRP¶V%XVKDQG7RUL$PRVLQÀXHQFHVLQWRD Newsom on stage solid, melodic chunk. ‘You And Me, Bess’ adds a in 2005

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Bon Iver Bon Iver

Release Date: 2011 | Record Label: Jagjaguwar/4AD

he Bon Iver origin story is Bon Iver’s layered, vibrant sound is mirrored the stuff of indie-folk legend. in its cover artwork. Gregory Euclide’s piece Depressed, , creatively is a surreal tapestry of tranquil lakes, remote Track List T and emotionally exhausted, Justin homesteads and woodland clearings. The SIDE A Vernon left his band and his relationship, and vignettes blur and overlap, creating a dreamlike Track 1: Perth drove to rural Wisconsin. There, he holed himself landscape that perfectly captures the album’s Track 2: Minnesota, WI up in a hunting cabin for months and made a sonic sense of place. It’s one of the most beautiful Track 3: Holocene haunting, deeply personal record that, against all VOHHYHV\RX¶OO¿QGDQ\ZKHUH Track 4: Towers odds, became a huge hit. The same can certainly be said for Bon Iver as For Emma, Forever Ago remains a singularly a whole. Vernon’s second album is a triumph; Track 5: Michicant beautiful album, but Bon Iver’s eponymous warm and lush and full of moments of SIDE B follow-up takes its predecessor’s introverted unadulterated joy, just like the jangly guitars of Track 1: Hinnom, TX perspective and turns it outward. It’s grander ‘Towers’, and the kitschy keyboard riff of ’80s Track 2: Wash. in scope, variety and ambition; no longer is this soft-rock closer ‘Beth/Rest’. After the winter blues Track 3: Calgary the sound of one man and his guitar alone in of For Emma, it’s somewhat of a thawing; spring, Track 4: Lisbon, OH the woods. pressed to vinyl. Track 5: Beth/Rest In terms of sheer range of instrumentation, Bon IverPDUNVDVLJQL¿FDQWGHSDUWXUHIURPWKH Bon Iver live in band’s debut. Synths meld with horns, violins Sydney, Australia and electric guitars across the ten tracks, with Vernon’s distinctive falsetto the thread that weaves through the record’s musical road trip. The percussion also really stands out in the album. From the military drumroll on opening track ‘Perth’ to the rock stomp that propels ‘Calgary’, there’s a rhythm, a sort of pulse that was absent from For Emma’s quiet, gossamer songs. ‘Holocene’ captures the very best of both these styles; a simple guitar melody is joined by Vernon’s soaring vocals, which slowly build to a cathartic climax: “And at once I knew, I was QRWPDJQL¿FHQW.” Mark Metcalfe/GettyMark Images

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El Camino The Black Keys

Release Date: 2011 | Record Label: Nonesuch

he success of the White ‘Gray Ghost’, as it was nicknamed) with almost Stripes in the ’00s no money to support the tour. A few months of Track List occasionally obscured the that lifestyle is enough to drive most bands to a T almost equally prestigious premature split; eight years and counting of the SIDE A trajectory of the Black Keys in the classically brutal no-sleep, no-food slog requires Track 1: Lonely Boy same decade. The reasons for this were superhuman endurance. But singer Dan Auerbach Track 2: Dead And Gone obvious: although the Stripes came from Detroit, and drummer Pat Carney did it, and made it work. Track 3: Gold On The Ceiling Michigan and the Keys from Akron, Ohio, both The point at which we join the Black Keys’ Track 4: Little Black Submarines bands were guitar-and-drums duos; both were story is in 2011, on the release of their seventh Track 5: Money Maker REVHVVHGZLWKSOD\LQJYLQWDJHVRXQGLQJOR¿ album El Camino, which translates as ‘the way’ SIDE B blues rock with old gear and in or ‘the path’ from Spanish. Track 1: Run Right Back veteran recording studios; both Thanks to the success of the Track 2: 7 Sister of the frontmen used effects “A few duo’s 2010 album Brothers, to create both guitar and bass months of some long-awaited income was Track 3: Hell Of A Season sounds with a single instrument; coming their way at last, and Track 4: Stop Stop both were prone to sing in a that lifestyle rather than sit back and enjoy a Track 5: Nova Baby falsetto as well as a blues wail; is enough to well-earned break, Auerbach and Track 6: Mind Eraser and (perhaps trivially) both Carney plunged straight into a bands had colours in their drive most new record. names. The two groups even Between the album itself and clashed, later in their career, with bands to a the opening cut, ‘Lonely Boy’, the threats exchanged on Twitter, premature Black Keys won three Grammy although a reconciliation was awards, and it’s easy to see why. apparently reached. split” Blessed with a decent recording Those admittedly convincing budget and a skilled producer in similarities aside, the Black Keys have a catalogue Brian ‘ Mouse’ Burton, the album contains of their own which is just as appealing as that a suite of appealing, catchy songs that are blues- of Jack and Meg White. They also deserve indebted rather than being straight blues. Indie widespread respect for the many years they spent LQÀXHQFHVFDQEHKHDUGLQWKHFKRSS\JXLWDUOLQHV – from their formation in 2002 until they broke and a billowy bass sound keeps the groove locked big around eight years later – on the road, driving in tightly on songs such as Sister, a subtle but themselves from gig to gig in their own van (the compelling guitar workout.

134 The success of The Black Keys often seemed over shadowed OTHER ALBUMS by The White Stripes

The Big Come Up (2002) Their debut album may be raw, inconsistent and over-reliant on a cover of the Beatles’ ‘She Said She Said’, but damn, those boys can sure play the blues. Greater things were on their way – it just took a few years for the band to get there.

El Camino was acclaimed for its inclusion of A Season’ is stripped-down to the bone for a feel GLIIHUHQWPXVLFDOLQÀXHQFHVWRWKRVHZKLFKKDG that is quirky and danceable, while staying close permeated the Black Keys’ previous work. Most to the Keys’ vintage roots. As for the album-closer, notably, a glam-rock feel straight from the T-Rex ‘Mind Eraser’, it’s a slick piece of radio-rock with and Sweet school was all over songs such as a persistent guitar motif that offers an ending to ‘Run Right Back’, a stomping moshpit anthem the record that is neither up- or downbeat. There with simplicity its main focus. Later, the album was so much on this album to enjoy that it’s little peaked with ‘Hell Of A Season’, based on a driving wonder it was a widespread success. bass-line that was two parts Clash and another The overall impression is one of a band which part Kings Of Leon. Fans of the headbanging is entirely at ease with its method after many persuasion, meanwhile, were treated to ‘Money years of experience – and which, unusually, Maker’, a riff-storm straight out of the heavy-rock still has something to say. This also goes for the canon of the ’70s. accompanying videos, one of which, ‘Gold On The Another high point is ‘Little Black Submarines’, Ceiling’, features the two men carried in baby an acoustic ballad which builds to the full carriers by giant versions of themselves. That’s Brothers (2010) Zeppelin-style Sturm und Drang, while ‘Hell Of thinking outside the box for you. ‘Tighten Up’ and ‘Howlin’ For You’ helped steer album number six to huge success. Brothers itself pulled off the difficult trick of containing The Black Keys spent accessible rock tunes with vintage blues sounds, years driving themselves and audiences appreciated this achievement. around from gig to gig

Turn Blue (2014) Their most recent album continued the run of catchy but authentic blues-rock songwriting, and featured effortless chart singles with ‘Fever’ and the title track. Grammy nominations finally signalled the industry’s acceptance of the band.

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good kid, m.A.A.d city .HQGULFN/DPDU

Release Date: 2012 | Record Label: Top Dawg/Aftermath/Interscope

EHDWIUDPLQJUHÀHFWLRQVRQPRUDOLW\DQG t wasn’t without warning. There PRUWDOLW\LQWKHKRRG³Everybody gon’ respect had been half a dozen mixtapes, numerous the shooter/But the one in front of the gun 7UDFN/LVW IHDWXUHVDQGVHYHUDOKLJKSUR¿OHFRVLJQV lives forever.” SIDE A LQWKHOHDGXSWR.HQGULFN/DPDU¶VPDMRU 7KHVHDUHWKHPHVDQGLGHDVWKDWUHFXU I Track 1: Sherane a.k.a. Master Splinter’s Daughter ODEHOGHEXW7KHUHKDGDOVREHHQDQH[FHOOHQW WKURXJKRXW.HQGULFN¶VZRUNEXWRQgood kid, Track 2: Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe independently released album in Section.80. But m.A.A.d cityWKH\¶UHUHDOLVHGZLWKVWULNLQJ Backseat Freestyle though these harbingers hinted at a prodigious FODULW\±WKDWLW¶VELOOHGRQWKHVOHHYHDVµ$VKRUW Track 3: WDOHQWIURPKLSKRS¶VPRVWIHUWLOH:HVW&RDVW ¿OP¶VSHDNVWRWKDW,W¶VE\QRPHDQVDSDUW\ Track 4: The Art Of Peer Pressure KRWEHGWKH\GLGQ¶WIXOO\SUHSDUHXVIRUgood kid, UHFRUG±WKRXJKWKURZRQµBackseat Freestyle¶RU Track 5: Money Trees m.A.A.d city (GKMC). µSwimming Pools¶DQG\RXFRXOGPLVWDNHLWIRU Track 6: Poetic Justice $FURVVPRUHWKDQDQKRXURIULYHWLQJUK\PHV RQH±EXWQHLWKHULVLWRYHUZKHOPLQJ$QGZLWK SIDE B VZHHSLQJSURGXFWLRQDQGEUXWDOO\FRPSHOOLQJ HDFKOLVWHQQHZLQVLJKWVDQGPRPHQWVRIJHQLXV Track 1: good kid VWRU\WHOOLQJ.HQGULFNWDNHVDPHOWLQJSRWRI UHYHDOWKHPVHOYHVLQ.HQGULFN¶VVZLUOLQJQDUUDWLYH Track 2: m.A.A.d city LQÀXHQFHVDQGUROOVWKHPLQWRRQHPHVPHULVLQJ Track 3: Swimming Pools (Drank) FKURQLFOHRI&RPSWRQOLIH,QGRLQJVRKHDVVXPHV Kendrick Lamar Track 4: Sing About Me, I’m Dying Of Thirst WKHPDQWOHRIWKHFLW\¶VJUHDWKRSHDSRLQWPDGH performs on the Track 5: Real Coachella Stage H[SOLFLWRQWKH'U'UHIHDWXULQJFORVHUµCompton¶ Track 6: Compton

%XWWKRXJKLWDFNQRZOHGJHVLWVKHULWDJHGKMC Kevin Winter/Getty Images is a long way from the furious gangsta rap of 1:$RUThe Chronic¶VV\QWKIXHOOHG*IXQN 7KHVFHQHVIURP.HQGULFN¶VOLIH±DQGWKHOLYHVRI FRXQWOHVVRWKHU\RXWKV±DUHGHVFULEHGLQYLYLG PHWLFXORXVGHWDLOIUHH]LQJDWWKHVLJKWRI³Two n****s, two black hoodies´ µSherane¶ VZHUYLQJ WRHYDGHSROLFHDIWHUDUREEHU\ µThe Art Of Peer Pressure¶ IRDPLQJDWWKHPRXWKDIWHUVPRNLQJD EOXQWODFHGZLWKFRFDLQH µm.A.A.d city¶ 

136 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

AM $UFWLF0RQNH\V

Release Date: 2013 | Record Label: Domino

Arctic Monkeys performs at the :LWKWKDWLQPLQGAMLVDSHUIHFW Golden Gate Park on 8 August GHPRQVWUDWLRQRIWKHH[WHQWRIWKHEDQG¶V 2014 in San Francisco, California UHSHUWRLUHµDo I Wanna Know?¶DQGµR U Mine?’ DUHVWUDLJKWXSVWDGLXPVL]HGKLWVDQGLW¶VQR VXUSULVHWKDWAMFRLQFLGHGZLWK$UFWLF0RQNH\V¶ VHFRQGKHDGOLQHVHWDW*ODVWRQEXU\%XWDVRQ DOEXPVSDVWWKLQJVSHDNZKHQWKH\VORZGRZQD OLWWOH:KHWKHULQWKHZLVWIXOVOHD]LQHVVRIµNo. 1 Party Anthem¶RUWKHVXOWU\VZD\RIµI Wanna Be Yours¶LW¶VEHWZHHQWKHVWUXWWLQJDQGSUHHQLQJ that AMLVDWLWVPRVWDOOXULQJDQGWKDWWKHEDQG VRXQGVUHDOO\WUXO\DWKRPH

rop the needle on AM and AMIHHOMXVWDVWDXWWKHPXVLFPRUHFRQ¿GHQWDQG 7UDFN/LVW FRKHVLYHWKDQLW¶VVRXQGHGEHIRUH WKH¿UVWWKLQJ\RX¶OOKHDULV SIDE A WKHK\SQRWLFWKXPSRI0DWW ,QWKLVZD\AMPDUNVDVRUWRIFRQFOXVLRQ Track 1: Do I Wanna Know? +HOGHUV¶GUXPV A wake-up call WRWKHVHFRQGDFWRIWKH$UFWLF0RQNH\V¶FDUHHU D Track 2: R U Mine? WKDWJLYHV\RX¿YHVHFRQGVWREUDFHIRU-DPLH 7KHK\SHUDFWLYHLQGLHSRVWSXQNRIWKHEDQG¶V Track 3: One For The Road &RRN¶VWLWDQLFVZDJJHULQJJXLWDUWRPDNHLWV ¿UVWSDLURIDOEXPVVHHPVDORQJZD\RIIDQGWKH HQWUDQFHRQµDo I Wanna Know?¶7KLVLVWKH¿UVW KHDYLHUPRUHH[SHULPHQWDOVRXQGWKDWEHJDQ Track 4: Arabella KXJHULIIWRUHDULWVKHDGRQ$UFWLF0RQNH\V¶¿IWK ZLWKWKHUHOHDVHRI¶VHumbugLVKRQHG Track 5: I Want It All DQGPRVWHOHFWULFDOEXPEXWLW¶VIDUIURPWKHODVW DQGH[SORUHGPXFKIXUWKHUKHUH7XUQHULQ Track 6: No. 1 Party Anthem $FURVVOHDQWUDFNVWKHIRXUSLHFHUHHORIID SDUWLFXODUHPEUDFHVKLVWUDQVIRUPDWLRQIURP SIDE B VHOHFWLRQRIIRRWVWRPSLQJDQWKHPVIXQNLQIXVHG VKDUS6KHI¿HOGERUQVPDUWDUVHWRWKHVZDJJHULQJ Track 1: Mad Sounds HDUZRUPVDQGDFRXSOHRIVLPPHULQJEDOODGVIRU IXOOEORZQURFNVWDUZHVHHRQVWDJHWRGD\$ORQJ Track 2: Fireside JRRGPHDVXUH)URQWPDQ$OH[7XUQHU¶VGLVWLQFWLYH WKHZD\VRPHRIWKHHGJHVKDYHEHHQ¿OHGIURP Track 3: Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High? YRFDOVVWUDGGOHWKHVHVW\OHVZLWKHDVHVZLWFKLQJ KLVVLJQDWXUH6RXWK

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137 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Random Access Memories Daft Punk

Release Date: 2013 | Record Label: Various/Columbia

some might suggest that it One other noticeable thing about Random was arrogant of Daft Punk to Access Memories font and styling is that it’s release its fourth album and incredibly similar to Michael Jackson’s Thriller. Track List not bother putting their name We’d argue that this is intentional on the pair’s S SIDE A to it. The truth of the matter is though, is that EHKDOIDVWKH\PHQWLRQWKHLQÀXHQFH-DFNVRQ¶V they simply didn’t need to. music had on the creation of the album. The king Track 1: and Manuel de Homem-Christo have been active of pop wasn’t the only person the duo looked Track 2: The Game Of Love as Daft Punk since 1993 and their distinctive to for inspiration. The likes of The Eagles, The Track 3: robotic headgear is arguably as recognisable Doobie Brothers and Fleetwood Mac enabled the SIDE B as their music. Indeed, many casual fans of the pair to create the ‘west coast vibe’ they desired. Track 1: Within French duo will have never seen Hotel California, Rumours and Track 2: them outside of character, so it Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side Of Track 3: Lost Yourself To Dance could be argued that ’s “The striking The Moon would help mould the SIDE C VWULNLQJFRYHULVWKH¿UVWDOEXP albums sound, but the pair also Track 1: Touch cover is the wanted the album to feel like a in the band’s 24-year history to Track 2: Beyond actually show their faces (from a journey, citing examples such as ¿UVWDOEXPLQ SIDE D certain point of view). Dig a little The Beatles’ The White Album Track 1: Motherboard deeper though and you begin to the band’s 24- and The Who’s Quadrophenia. Track 2: realise that there’s a lot of clever year history The ambition of Random Access stuff being bandied about on that Memories is best summed up Track 3: Doin’ It Right seemingly simple design. The to show by the exceptional ‘Giorgio Track 4: Contact jet black background, distinctive By Moroder’, which features font and copious amounts of their faces” a monologue by the Italian chrome mimic albums from the musician which late ’70s and early ’80s, which perfectly matches effortlessly captures not only the musical themes that the duo have looked his own musical style, but also the eras of music to across the album’s 13 tracks. It could also be he discusses. argued that Random Access Memories’ cover is Moroder wasn’t the only musician Daft Punk a nod to the band’s earlier 2001 single, ‘Harder collaborated with. Nile Rodgers appears on Better Faster Stronger’, which featured a three of Random Access Memories’ key songs, number of characters comprised of both human including the lead single ‘Get Lucky’ and ‘Lose and android parts. Yourself To Dance’, which both also feature

138 OTHER ALBUMS

Daft Punk attends the WSJ Magazine’s ‘Innovator Of The Year’ Awards 2013 at The Museum of Modern Art on November 6, 2013 in Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images Homework (1997) . Other contributors include WKLQJLVFOHDUZKHQWKHLU¿IWKDOEXPGRHVWXUQXS Daft Punk’s first album was a huge success, bringing French house music to the worldwide , , it’s going to have its work cut out. stage. It’s fuelled by two huge singles, ‘’ DJ Falcon, and Paul Williams, Random Access Memories was released as vinyl and ‘Around The World’ and has sold over 2 making Random Access Memories the most was becoming fashionable again, so it’s incredibly million copies. collaborative piece of work that Daft Punk has easy to get a brand new copy at a very reasonable published. This collaboration with artists young price. If you do want to spend a small fortune on and old creates an incredibly diverse sound that’s the album then go for the Limited Edition set, quite like anything Daft Punk has done previously. released in 2014 and restricted to 2,500 units. Insanely ambitious – it was originally planned In addition to being presented in a cloth-bound as a four-disc box set due to the sheer amount of box, the LP features exclusive gold and silver foil content amassed – Random Memory Access is labels, there’s an accompanying 56-page book of the perfect starting point for anyone wishing to images from the album’s recording sessions, as discover a band at the height of its powers. It’s well as a 10’ vinyl containing an interview with unclear when Daft Punk’s next album will arrive Giorgio Moroder. The lavish boxset contains (the pair have been relatively quiet aside from numerous other goodies and sells for as much as some collaborations with ) but one £600, but it’s an essential piece of Daft Punk lore.

Daft Punk performs at the Coachella Music Festival on 29 April 2006 in Indio, California

Discovery (2001) Discovery was another huge hit for Daft Punk and saw the duo adopt their robotic personas. The pair continued to invigorate the music scene and had their first collaboration with Todd Edwards.

Tron OST (2010) A futuristic film needs a suitably futuristic soundtrack and Daft Punk’s stunning score perfectly sets the tone of the movie. It’s a beautifully crafted piece of work that’s far better than the film it accompanies. Karl Walter/Getty Images Walter/Getty Karl

139 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Guardians Of The Galaxy: Awesome Mix Vol. 1 Various Artists

Release Date: 2014 | Record Label: Hollywood Records

ompilation records are costume-sporting superheroes here. Instead, everywhere – see your local WKH¿OP¶VPRWOH\FUHZRIFKDUDFWHUVIHDWXUHG Track List supermarket album chart smugglers, assassins, an anthropomorphic SIDE A C IRUFRQ¿UPDWLRQ±DQGWKH\ raccoon, and a tree…creature. But here’s the Track 1: Blue Swede – Hooked On A Feeling are, more often than not, pretty thing: Guardians Of The Galaxy might well be the Track 2: Raspberries – Go All The Way uninspiring. Though the odd collection strikes EHVW¿OP0DUYHO¶VHYHUPDGH Track 3: Norman Greenbaum – Spirit In The Sky gold, these albums are usually either too cheap – While much of the credit for this goes to Track 4: David Bowie – Moonage Daydream featuring a selection of songs that were available director James Gunn and the excellent ensemble Track 5: Elvin Bishop – Fooled Around And Fell In to license easily and inexpensively – or too safe FDVWDKXJHSDUWRIZKDWPDGHWKH¿OPVR Love – recycling the same few hits that you’ve heard a unexpectedly great was its soundtrack. Try Track 6: 10cc – I’m Not In Love thousand times before. naming a single musical moment from another SIDE B 7KHKLJKSUR¿OHPRYLHVRXQGWUDFNKDVDOVR 0DUYHO¿OP$Q\OXFN"8QOHVV\RX¶UHDELJIDQ Track 1: The Jackson 5 – I Want You Back made something of a resurgence in recent years, of dull, generic blockbuster dirges then we’re Track 2: Redbone – Come And Get Your Love though not necessarily a welcome one. Frequently guessing not. This is partly by design; the studio Track 3: The Runaways – Cherry Bomb attached to blockbusters adapted from young has a style guide that its movies are encouraged to Track 4: Rupert Holmes – Escape (The Piña DGXOW¿FWLRQWKHVHDOEXPVERDVWVWDUVWXGGHG adhere to, for better or worse. But in Guardians, Colada Song) line-ups of artists and collaborators who conspire the soundtrack shackles came off. Standout Track 5: Five Stairsteps – O-o-h Child to make something that’s generally little more musical moments are everywhere, thanks to its Track 6: Marvin Gaye And Tammi Terrell – Ain’t than a collection of B-sides. So, when we tell you embrace of an eclectic mix of ’70s and ’80s pop. No Mountain High Enough that a movie soundtrack that also happens to be a There’s the moody opening sequence that’s compilation album is one of the 100 vinyl records brilliantly upended when Chris Pratt dons you should own, we’ll forgive you for harbouring a headphones and begins strutting to Redbone’s little scepticism. ‘Come And Get Your Love’. ‘Cherry Bomb’ by The When Guardians Of The Galaxy arrived, Runaways blares over a smirk-inducing montage however, it was different. A comic book oddity DVWKHFUHZJHDUXSIRUDFOLPDFWLFGRJ¿JKW that was somewhat bizarrely given the big-budget Guardians even makes the tired post-credits Marvel movie treatment, there were no iconic scene worth waiting for by including a delightful

140 dance sequence set to The Jackson 5’s ‘I Want Battle sequences are You Back’. And then there’s ‘Hooked On A better when they are to the sound of ’70s and Feeling¶WKH¿OP¶VXQRI¿FLDOWKHPHVRQJ:LWKLWV 27+(5$/%806 ’80s bangers ‘ooga-chaka’ intro and jaunty horns, it’s the sort of goofy, bombastic tune that captures Guardians Of The Galaxy’s tone to a tee. If you want to get meta, there’s also a parallel between Awesome Mix Vol. 1 the motion picture soundtrack, and Awesome Mix Vol. 1 as it appears LQWKH¿OP)RU&KULV3UDWW¶V3HWHU4XLOOWKLVWDSH these songs, are a link to the past, but they’re also a jumping off point for a whole universe of incredible music. It shouldn’t be forgotten that many of the folks watching Guardians would have PLVVHGRXWRQWKHVHVRQJVWKH¿UVWWLPHDURXQG For those who want to revisit this golden era, there can be few better introductions. Admittedly, there’s something a little off about owning a self-styled mixtape on vinyl (the sleeve even sports a giant tape deck, just to hammer home the aesthetic). But there’s also something Trainspotting (1996) particularly rewarding about listening to a Choose ’s ‘Lust For Life’. Choose Blur. perfectly curated record like this. In the age of Choose Pulp. Choose New Order and Primal iTunes and , making a playlist is a matter Scream. Choose Brian Eno, Sleeper, Leftfield and of a couple of clicks and a handful of drags, but it’s Elastica. Choose Underworld’s ‘Born Slippy’. rarer to have that sort of authorship represented Choose one of the greatest soundtracks ever. on vinyl. More dedicated collectors will most likely own some, or all, of the tracks here in one form “In the age of iTunes or another, but Awesome Mix Vol. 1 has already ÀLSSHGWKURXJKGR]HQVRIWKH¶V¶JUHDWHVWKLWV and Spotify… it’s and its choices are impeccable. That’s not to say it’s an exhaustive ‘best of the decade’ record rarer to have that – not even close – but there’s no chaff here, sort of authorship no B-sides or deep cuts, just a dozen brilliant, complementary hits, pure and simple. In a word, represented on vinyl” it’s awesome.

Drive (2011) Some films are inseparable from their soundtracks – Drive is one. Between the grimy synths of ’s ‘Nightcall’ and the daydream pop of College’s ‘A Real Hero’, Cliff Martinez’s neon-tinted score ties purrs with a singular menace.

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt. 1 (2014) -helmed soundtrack to the third Hunger Games film is an unconventional collection of Guardians might as well not be a original material from artists including Chvrches, part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it’s just that good , Bat for Lashes and .

141 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

Lazaretto Jack White

Release Date: 2014 | Record Label: Third Man/XL/Columbia

n his second solo record Jack White, since The White Stripes Orlando disbanded in 2011, self- Calling Music Track List Festival, Oproclaimed vinyl junkie Jack November SIDE A 2011 White dug deep into his bag of tricks Track 1: Three Women and created an all-singing, all-dancing Track 2: Lazaretto marvel in wax. Released on White’s own Track 3: Temporary Ground label, Third Man Records, Lazaretto is one of Track 4: Would You Fight For My Love? a rare breed – an album produced for the sole purpose of being enjoyed under a needle. White’s Track 5: High Ball Stepper songwriting and musicianship (though both SIDE B H[HPSODU\DVHYHU SOD\VHFRQG¿GGOHWRWKH Track 1: Just One Drink plethora of innovative techniques that have been Track 2: Alone In My Home used in the record’s production. Track 3: That Black Bat Licorice 3UHVVHGLQVHOGRPXVHGÀDWHGJHGJYLQ\O Track 4: Entitlement audiophiles will be pleased to learn that absolutely Track 5: I Think I Found The Culprit zero compression was used during recording, Side B’s opening track, ‘Just One Drink,’ Track 6: Want And Able

mixing or of the LP. Not only does the utilises dual-groove technology, which sees two Scott Legato/WireImage/Getty Images aptly dubbed ‘Ultra LP’ follow a different running grooves cut side-by-side, playing either the full order to the CD/digital release, but some alternate intro to a song or an acoustic intro to the song, mixes were also exclusively used on the vinyl. depending on where the needle is dropped. The The album is presented in a soft-touch, aqueous- grooves ultimately join for the body song. Each coated jacket, while a die-cut poly-lined inner side of the record ends with locked grooves too, of sleeve protects the disc. ZKLFK6LGH$¶VLVEHOLHYHGWREHWKH¿UVWRQDQ/3¶V The array of special features begin on Side A, outside edge. ZKLFKSOD\VIURPWKHLQVLGHRXWDQGKROGVD¿UVW A US-only, limited-edition pressing on blue of-its-kind hand-etched hologram of spinning and white split-coloured vinyl was also released, angels in the dead wax at the centre of the disc. which includes a bonus 7” (featuring two demo Each side conceals an untitled hidden track under tracks from the album) and alternate cover art. WKHFHQWUHODEHOVRQHRIZKLFKSOD\VDWUSPDQG All aforementioned innovations, such as the the other at 45rpm, making Lazaretto a three- dual-groove technology, are also present on speed record to boot. this version.

142 s 100 GREATEST ALBUMS YOU SHOULD OWN ON VINYL s

The Epic Kamasi Washington

Release Date: 2015 | Record Label: Brainfeeder

,IµHSLF¶ZDVWKHÀDYRXUWKDW:DVKLQJWRQ ZDVDLPLQJIRUZLWKWKLVH[SDQVLYHDPELWLRXV 7UDFN/LVW recording, he achieved it alright. Lush orchestration, a huge variety of sound sources, SIDE A DQGDEDQGODUJHO\PDGHXSRI\RXQJKXQJU\ Track 1: Change Of The Guard DYDQWJDUGHPXVLFLDQVFRPELQHRQVRQJVWKDW Track 2: Isabelle cover a wide range of emotions. Vocal tracks, instrumentals, sparse arrangements with only one Track 3: Final Thought RUWZRLQVWUXPHQWVIXOO\ZRUNHGXSEDUUDJHVRI SIDE B VRXQG«WKH\¶UHDOOKHUHDQGQHYHUSUHGLFWDEO\ Track 1: The Next Step High points are many, depending on the Track 2: Askim listener’s preference. For example, ‘Henrietta SIDE C Our Hero¶LVDELJEDQGEHKHPRWKWKDWZRXOGQ¶W Track 1: The Rhythm Changes sound out of place on the soundtrack of a ’50s’ Track 2: Leroy And Lanisha Hollywood weepie. Washington’s spiralling Track 3: Re Run saxophone is at the heart of the music, of course, SIDE D EXWKH¶VQRPLFURPDQDJLQJEDQGOHDGHUDOORZLQJ The Epic successfully Track 1: Miss Understanding takes us back to the his cast of musicians to explore their frequency Track 2: Henrietta Our Hero space at leisure. Listen to ‘Askim’, a workout for 1950s’ jazz movement Track 3: Seven Prayers WKH¿QJHUVRIHOHFWULFEDVVLVW6WHSKHQµ7KXQGHUFDW¶ Track 4: Cherokee ny musician who releases Bruner; or ‘Cherokee’, a drums and choir anthem SIDE E a debut album called The that is equally a soul or R&B composition as much Track 1: The Magnificent 7 Epic – and spreads it over six as a jazz tune. sides of vinyl – had better be 7KHUHDVRQZK\The EpicPDWWHUVLVEHFDXVH Track 2: Re Run Home A SIDE F prepared for a critical shoeing if said DWWKHWLPHRILWVUHOHDVHLQDVWRGD\MD]] album falls short of perfection. It says is a dying art form, much as its fans prefer to Track 1: Malcolm’s Theme much for jazz saxophonist Kamasi Washington, GHQ\LW7KHPXVLFKDVQ¶WEHHQDWUXO\SRZHUIXO Track 2: Clair De Lune WKHUHIRUHWKDWQRWRQO\GLGKLV¿UVWDOEXPDWWUDFW FRPPHUFLDOIRUFHVLQFHDQGVLQFHWKHQLW Track 3: The Message unanimously positive scores, it transcended the KDVRQO\EHHQVHULRXVO\VLJQL¿FDQWLQWKHIRUP MD]]DXGLHQFHDQGEHFDPHDPXVWEX\IRUWKH RIMD]]URFN7RKHDUDQDOEXPWKDWVXFFHVVIXOO\ PDLQVWUHDP1DPHDQRWKHUWULSOHDOEXPWKDWKDV nods to the ’50s’ cool jazz movement, and to see it done the same? No, us neither. perform well, is refreshing indeed.

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GREATEST ALBUMS you should own on

9001 Take a trip back in time to discover the ultimate artists and their best records for the definitive list of vinyls that should be part of any collection! Van Morrison The Rolling Stones Def Leppard Dr Dre Kate Bush Bob Dylan Sex Pistols Nirvana The Beatles The White Stripes The Jimi Hendrix Experience 9000