TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 18, 2023 7:39:11 GMT 1
24 Prefab Sprout - Jordan: The Comeback
For many this could be an album of the year contender but their fifth album is just a bit too long and ambitious for me. Even though we have 19 tracks, none of them are bad or weak though just it is a bit much. I could trim this to 12 tracks and make a top 5 album contender easily. Thing is it has always been one of those albums that you stick on and you go yeh "Looking for Atlantis", "We Let the Stars Go", "Carnival 2000", "All the World Loves Lovers" and then you notice track 16, my least favourite but it takes you back out. You just disappear into a world, I cannot split those prededing 5 songs up, it is just an experience while you are in it. So a weird album, the record reached #7 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 18, 2023 7:45:42 GMT 1
23 House Of Love - House Of Love
Haven't we had this already? No this is their second album which was released on Fontana. We bring up 'Shine On' of course but nearly all the other tracks are new. House Of Love were set to be the indie band until Madchester came along and through a spanner in the works. And really where do House Of Love fit in the Second Summer Of Love? Well we still have some classics, even if most of this album is weaker than their debut "I Don't Know Why I Love You" is maybe my favourite House Of Love song and "Beatles and the Stones" shows they can do something a bit different. Real shame they will drop off so much on their next record. The record reached #8 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 18, 2023 7:55:20 GMT 1
22 Jane's Addiction - Ritual de lo habitual
The second album from the US alternative rock band. I was relatively late getting into this and them. "Been Caught Stealing" was a catchy song but in many ways it kind of felt like a novelty record. Lynne had this album on LP, still have it in my collection, and I finally gave it a play. There are so many tracks better than it 'Stop' is brilliant as is 'Three Days; and the gorgeous 'Classic Girl'. Unlike many records in this era, they released less is more, just 9 tracks and it is all pretty much killer. The album reached #19 in the US and #37 in the UK. It sold over 2 million in the US. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 18, 2023 8:03:13 GMT 1
21 Midnight Oil - Blue Sky Mining
Falling just one place lower than 'Diesel And Dust', that is what you call a follow-up. This was their seventh album and although there is nothing quite as catchy as 'Beds Are Burning', the songs are just as good especially "Blue Sky Mine", "Forgotten Years" and "King of the Mountain". But similar to Jane's there are no weak tracks, 10 tracks, see what that does, you don't have to fill a CD. Although this album and the last were 4/5s, they are all high 4s. I seem to be every tight with the 4.5s in this year. We had them by 24 last year, Anyway great stuff, this record reached #20 in the US, #28 in the UK and of course #1 in Australia and New Zealand. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 6:43:28 GMT 1
Ok top 20 time and it is not that different from the albums that made my top 100 of the 90s and I expected nearly all these to be here, but there is one surprise to me, coming in this batch. 20 The Trash Can Sinatras - Cake
As the signing frenzy moved to different parts of the UK, we only have one new Scottish band in the top 20 and just two more to come, although one of those is appearing in the top 100 for the first time. They may have been late to the party but they are still going pretty strong today. This was the debut album and featured the Scottish radio hit "Obscurity Knocks", It is gorgeous think The Smiths meets Aztec Camera and you get the vibes, yes they are a bit late. The whole album is brilliant though the mix of harmonies and jangly guitars and all with a positive spring in their step. The record reached '74 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 6:48:30 GMT 1
19 An Emotional Fish - An Emotional Fish
Another debut album, this time from a band from Dublin. Most famous for the minor hit 'Celebrate' which had quite a lot of radio play, Radio 1 really tried to make it a hit. Like many Irish bands, the U2 comparisons are expected, and although they do already have that stadium rock sound, they are darker and moodier. A modern comparison would be White Lies, maybe. It is another really strong album but not a classic, it is special to me but some of the tracks are a bit generic. The album did pretty well though, reaching #40 in the Uk and they had great success in Ireland. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 6:55:50 GMT 1
These next two are practically a draw and basically 4.4s 18 Inspiral Carpets - Life
The much anticipated debut album from the indie rock band from Oldham. They had been releasing some strong singles in 1989 where they first came to my attention with the track "Joe" and I wish that and the even better "Find Out Why" were on this record. But even still it alraedy feels like a best of record so many classics, saying that "This Is How It Feels" was never one of my favourites, I always preferred their more bouncy, rockier tracks like "She Comes in the Fall". Saying that "Move" is fantastic as well. It has a little filler which is just enough to stop it getting that higher grade. The record reached #2 in the UK. 4/5 (4.4/5)
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 7:02:17 GMT 1
17 Glass Tiger - Simple Mission
The third album from my favourite Canadians and ex-Pat. This record was underated even by me at the time. I bought it out of loyalty even though it was not really what I was listening to much anymore but over the years and especially since seeing them live, I love this album now. Most famous song is the Rod Stewart duet "My Town" which finally gives them another UK hit. But there are so many better songs. "Animal Heart" is possibly their best full on rock song in their catalogue. And amazing power AOr ballads "Stand or Fall" and "Rescued (By the Arms of Love)" are excellent as well. It is a little too long, last two tracks could have been left off which again would have made this a 4.5. The record reached #11 in Canada but didn't chart in any other major territory, I suspect it did in Germany but don't have the stats. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 7:16:16 GMT 1
So the shock, well if you are a fan of alternative rcok music in 1990, you might have been wondering if this record made my list 16 Jellyfish - Bellybutton
I was aware of them in 1990, I did even buy "The King Is Half-Undressed" but I was a passing fan, thought they were fine. But listening to this album today, it is just so good. I didn't really know power pop that well at the time, and I got into that much later with bands like Fountains Of Wayne, Warm Jets and more recent bands such as Hockey and Free Energy. Maybe they were just a bit too quirky, anyway love the record, no filler."I Wanna Stay Home", "Now She Knows She's Wrong" and "Baby's Coming Back" and that is just the other singles. Sadly it didn't do as well as it deserved, reaching #124 in the US and not even charting here. I guess I was not the only one to not see it at the time. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:35:52 GMT 1
15 Cocteau Twins - Heaven or Las Vegas
Their sixth album and their highest placed finish so far. It is quite commonly viewed as their best album, certainly of the more accessible later albums anyway, it is a bit like comparing apples and oranges with the early stuff. I had been aware of them for ages but this was the first song I really loved, that is "Iceblink Luck" and now "Heaven or Las Vegas" the title track, is probably my 2nd favourite of all their songs. The whole album though is brilliant and it really is the best stepping on point for anyone who has not given them a proper listen. Yes I was very late to Cocteau Twins and this is the only record I own by them but its still pretty amazing. Total chills. Possibly the best female voice to come out of Scotland. Their biggest hit record, reaching #7 in the UK and selling quarter of million copies in the UK and #99 in the US. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:40:35 GMT 1
14 Heart - Brigade
Just realized that I am now recreating comments from my 90s lists, oops. Just saw my Glass Tiger summary and it was practically the same. So no point dragging these out, although the order is now a little different. Their previous two albums would probably both be in my top 20 albums of the 80s certainly top 40 but maybe due to the cheese fest of 'All I Wanna Do..' I didn't buy this album at the time. I have since listened to it a lot in the Spotify age and it's a very fine record but maybe we were all just moving on. It still made #3 in the US and UK. Their next album though I have still never listened to and neither did many others, lost in the new world of grunge, it may have some gems on it. Possible Haven Factor entry maybe. They would storm the sing offs. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:45:12 GMT 1
13 Sisters Of Mercy - Vision Thing
I really forgot how much I loved this record. His amazing voice, with those big gothic anthems which are underlaid with fantastic synths, so many layers to their music. If you have never listened to a Sisters Of Mercy and thought it was electronic, try again. Really its worth just ignore the driving guitars and listen to the production, its exquisite. Andrew Eldritch for a time was just the coolest person in rock music and there was nobody else who came close to them for just complete over the top brilliance. I will stop gushing now. To think they only made 3 albums and they went out with this so brave. It reached #11 in the UK in 1990. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:47:13 GMT 1
12 Power of Dreams - Immigrants, Emigrants and Me
In the late 80s there was so many bands coming out of Ireland that were influenced by U2, one of the best were Power Of Dreams. They weren't as Celtic or stadium sounding as many bands at the time and were much more post-punk similar to early U2 and Echo & The Bunnymen. This was their brilliant debut album. It's another one that's not available on Spotify but they do have a Best Of there. They were actually tipped to be stars of tomorrow along with The Charlatans and Carter by NME in 1989. Sadly they never managed to get that breakthrough hit. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:48:34 GMT 1
11 That Petrol Emotion - Chemicrazy
Now a band who made a bit of a comeback in the early 90s. After one brilliant single in 1987, they never really followed the potential until they made this album. Maybe a case of too little too late as these sometimes baggy and other times punk influenced pop were just not quite the sound of the time. 'Hey Venus' comes the closest to finally giving them a top 40 hit but it's nowhere near the best song on the record and has dated badly. The album only made a very disappointing #62 in 1990. 4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 19, 2023 18:55:07 GMT 1
So now we are recycling comments, the top 10 is not really much of a mystery. But we will do the summary anyway. 5 Debut albums in the top 10, 2 bands making the top 10 for the first time and 1 new to the top 100. So that just leaves one act who have made my top 10 before. Also in a real change, 9 acts from the UK including 1 from NI and the other Scotland. So only 1 act from the US. I owned all but three of these but my flatmates had the other 3 so we were covered I do need to buy them for myself one day. The top 10 will be very quickly posted tomorrow. 1991 is ready to go
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 7:44:58 GMT 1
10 Energy Orchard - Energy Orchard
Another band from Ireland who failed to crossover to mainstream success in the UK. With a slightly Celtic sound and very political songs they were one of the best new bands of 1990 and they came close with 'Belfast' which reached #52. So many great songs on this I never really tire of listening to it, it was missing from download sites for a long time. The album didn't do any better and reached #53 in the UK.
4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 7:53:07 GMT 1
9 The Shamen - En-Tact
This is actually their fourth album, their earlier stuff is very hard to find. I did consider 'In Gorbachev We Trust ' for 1987 and I didn't even know they had a mini LP in 1989, will look that out on YouTube. That all changed with this record though. The Shamen in our student flat at the time, led of course by 'Progen' but my personal love was for 'Hyperreal' which sampled Evil Dead which was a film series I discovered in the same year. Almost every night out had a Shamen song in there in my early student days, so much part of my life. As for the album itself a mixture of pop dance tunes and ambient chillout it was a quality dance record. The album reached #31 in 1990. This was my first Shamen record of many.
4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 7:57:28 GMT 1
8 Pixies -Bossanova
Their third album and the first one I bought, the wife had the two albums previous so that worked out. No way is this as good as 'Doolittle' but it is still a brilliant record and the best moments like 'Dig For Fire' are total classics. So many songs that I love on this such as "Allison" and "All Over the World". The album reached #70 in the US and #3 in the UK, yes that surprised me as well. That must be one of the highest charting 4AD records ever.
4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 8:01:08 GMT 1
7 Happy Mondays - Pills 'N' Thrills And Bellyaches
The third album from the Mancunian band and by far their biggest hit record yet. This album I know of by heart, played it so much I know which song comes next, I just don't get that with records anymore. The album tracks on this record except for 'Kinky Afro' were always better than the singles. I loved 'Gods Cop' and 'Bobs Yer Uncle' for example. Will add I love 'Loose Fit' again too, it crops up on the radio a lot even now. The album reached #4 in the UK in 1990.4.5/5
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Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 8:05:24 GMT 1
6 The La's - The La's
Really getting into the business end now, this album was my #30 of the 90s. This is their debut and only proper album from the Liverpool band. The La's legacy is probably not where it should have been, I think when we talk about late 80s indie, we really should include them with The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays, they were that important, it's just a shame we only got this album. The La's were the first modern Brit Pop band and that should be a badge that they get credit for. This album is just full of 60s tinged indie pop and some almost skiffle like 'Doledrum' and tracks like 'Timeless Melody' which would have been top 5 hits if they had been released 5 years later. There is no a bad song on this album, it truly is a timeless record. The album reached #30 in 1990 in the UK.
4.5/5
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