TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 8:08:31 GMT 1
5 Depeche Mode - Violator Just one place higher, #29 of the 90s. I did replay the album this time after skipping it for my 90s list. It's maybe a surprise but I wasn't really into Depeche Mode at this time, I liked them in the early 80s but was not a huge fan, that didn't really happen until the 00s when I got into them big style thanks mostly to Napster (the legal one). I always loved 'Policy Of Truth' though, felt the other singles were overplayed. But anyway now I realise this is a total classic and is probably my 3rd favourite Depeche Mode album, it just captures the time. The album reached #2 in the UK and #7 in the US and sold over 4 million worldwide.
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 8:11:16 GMT 1
4 Charlatans - Some Friendly
The debut album from the indie rock band which made #26 for the 90s. Which album is the best by The Charlatans? It is hard to say but their debut just has that special magic which puts it on a different level to me. It really is a perfect record taking what The Stone Roses did and putting their own stamp on it. I think many including myself just that they were opportunist at the time and they had the perfect name, they even have a song called 'Opportunity' on the album. Well even if they were bandwagon chancers they have gone on to be one of the best indie rock bands of the last 30 years so it was all worth it. The record also did something Stone Roses never did and went to number one in the UK.
Still a 4.5/5 though
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 8:12:11 GMT 1
Ok got to start work so will come back for the top 3, I think they are pretty obvious to anyone that knows me.
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 13:24:16 GMT 1
3 James - Gold Mother
This was the #24 for the 90s and their third and probably my favourite album. I had the original release of this album, which was quite annoying when they added the singles on the re-issue. James were definitely my favourite band in 1991 and loved every song on this album, although I probably prefer 'Come Home' and 'How Was It For You?' to 'Sit Down'. The record reached #2 on re-issue in 1991.
4.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 13:41:26 GMT 1
2 Ride - Nowhere
My number six of the 90s. The debut album from the shoegaze rock band from Oxford. I was really not quite ready for it when I bought it. I did tend to make some big leaps of faith based on reviews when I was 17-18. Ride were my first shoegaze band and yes I did hear this music on The Chart Show and the indie club I went to on friday nights but Ride were somehow different. They were a proper rock band at the same time so not that dissimilar to The Stone Roses in that sense rather than just noise, yes I hadn't got into MBV at this point. As for this record it is pure brilliance and is it better than the 4 EPs probably not. But it does take two of their best songs and fan favourite 'Vapour Trail' must be one of the best last tracks on any record. Also the extended album which includes more EP tracks is even better and the one I listened to while compiling this list. The record reached #11 in 1990 in the UK.
5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 13:45:12 GMT 1
Well my number one album of 1990 is also my number one album of the 90s So let's just re-use the text The Sundays -Reading, Writing & Arithmetic
Another debut album and along with The Stone Roses and The Pixies they were the band that got me into indie music. The Sundays sounded like indie music that had been around before but I just found it more accessible. Although I could appreciate the sound of The Cocteau Twins, I could not relate to them. Also Harriet seemed about the same age as me and she was cute, that helped. The beautiful vocals and the shimmering guitars on this record, will always be the watermark that indie is has to match for me. It is quite a melancholic album though and I only play it when I am feeling particularly emotional or nostalgic. This cassette lived in my walkman and it was one of my select walk home at night albums. I still remember the first time I heard 'Cant Be Sure' and 'Here's Where The Story Ends'. I think it was on Saturday afternoon on Radio 1 with Richard Skinner, can you imagine having a moment like that now, he also introduced me to The Pixies. That whole Smashy & Nicey business was a bit harsh, many of the old guard still had great taste. Anyway the hype was massive and the album went straight in at #4 in the UK and even made the top 40 in the US reaching #39. 1991 coming soon
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 20, 2023 13:53:55 GMT 1
A bunch of acts just miss out in 1991, many of which have done very well in past years
Mudhoney, Runrig, Slow Bongo Floyd, River City People, The Cult, FM, Lita Ford, Hue and Cry, The Popguns, 38 Special, Van Halen, Gary Clail / On-U Sound System, American Music Club, The Smithereens, The Tragically Hip and Botany 5. These ae all 3.5 albums
110 The Psychedelic Furs - World Outside 109 Hole - Pretty on the Inside 108 Slint - Spiderland 107 Band of Susans - The Word and the Flesh 106 Screaming Trees - Uncle Anesthesia 105 Energy Orchard - Stop the Machine 104 Letters to Cleo - Sister 103 Honeymoon Suite - Monsters Under the Bed 102 The Hollow Men - Cresta 101 Intastella - And the Family of People
We will be back later in the week with the first batch which includes some huge records.
|
|
|
Post by Whitneyfan on Sept 20, 2023 18:33:58 GMT 1
'Gold Mother' really is a fantastic album. I have the re-issued version, but adore the song 'Crescendo', which is only on the original. Why they removed that one I will never know!
I didn't buy the La's album at the time and only heard it many years later. It really is excellent though - I don't know why they never followed it up!
|
|
|
Post by raliverpool on Sept 21, 2023 13:26:39 GMT 1
A great #1 album, I bought it the first week it came out on CD.
I got into them via hearing them on John Peel's Radio 1 evening show in 1989 (Can't Be Sure topped Peel's Festive 50 chart from his listenership - that was the one year I submitted a Top 10 to count towards it). By them I listened more to evening Radio 1 than daytime Radio 1, due to the poor state of the charts compared to the first half of the 1980s.
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 13:35:42 GMT 1
A great #1 album, I bought it the first week it came out on CD. I got into them via hearing them on John Peel's Radio 1 evening show in 1989 (Can't Be Sure topped Peel's Festive 50 chart from his listenership - that was the one year I submitted a Top 10 to count towards it). By them I listened more to evening Radio 1 than daytime Radio 1, due to the poor state of the charts compared to the first half of the 1980s. John Peel didn't really fit with my social life, I was nearly always out when it was on. I was listening to Mark Goodier in the evenings mostly. And as I said some weekend shows, although BBC Scotland played some great music as well. Also used to listen to Bryan Burnett at Radio Clyde, his shows were excellent, sad how commercial radio as fallen. But yes daytime Radio 1 not as much now especially as it was only in FM when I was Edinburgh.
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 20:36:46 GMT 1
Ok let's start 1991 proper, and bear in mind I have listened to around 160 albums not all in full but 94% of them. All these albums have done very well to make the top 100, I had to leave a lot of good stuff out. 100 Queen - InnuendoI did say we were going to have some big names in this first batch. This album is a very mixed bag. We have instant Queen stadium rockers like "Headlong", we have A Kind Of Magic style power ballads "The Show Must Go On", we have prog epics "Innuendo" and the plain ridiculous "I'm Going Slightly Mad". And of course the beautiful "These Are the Days of Our Lives". There are some naff album tracks and a couple of good ones. Under the circumstances it is a measure of the talent of Freddie and the band, that it turned out this good overall. I don't love much of it but I don't hate anything really either, ok maybe 'Delilah'. The album was a UK #1 and #30 in the US and has sold nearly 2 million worldwide, although it could be more as its sales are cannibalized by 'Greatest Hits II'. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 20:41:33 GMT 1
99 The Dylans - The Dylans
From one of the biggest bands ever to a debut album from a band from Sheffield. Early Brit Ppp or post-baggy, it can sit along either but falling between both scenes really. Nothing groundbreaking it is the kind of stuff you would expect and see a lot of soon, think cast, Ocean Colour Scene or The Charlatans and you pretty much have them. Only the single "Godlike" had a bit of an early in the night indie disco appeal. The record did not chart but I do recommend it to any serious Brit Pop fans. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 20:47:51 GMT 1
98 Genesis - We Can't Dance
Back to the rock veterans, and it is also a fourteenth album. By 1991 Genesis were so far away from my ballpark that I was playing a different game entirely. But 30 odd years later, I can find quite a lot to enjoy. "I Can't Dance" is complete cringe and maybe their worst song and certainly video ever, ok that is maybe 'Illegal Alien' on the video front...a whole different level of cringe. But they are still better than Phil solo which is the main thing. I really can't find much to say it's good but definitely their worst album so far, that I have listened to. It also went tp #1 in the UK and #3 in the US selling over 10 million worldwide. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 20:55:03 GMT 1
97 Michael Jackson - Dangerous
Yes, Oof at these juggernauts, no respite this time. This was Michael Jackson's eighth album and probably the last one, that I actually paid much attention to. It is another mixed bag, launching of course with "Black or White", with some great guitar work from Slash. And I am also a big fan of "Remember the Time". These are all good as well "Jam, "In the Closet", "Give In to Me" and "Who Is It". The rest goes from decent "Dangerous" to "Heal the World" actually "Keep the Faith" is even worse, only the second time I have heard it and I don't want to again. The album was of course #1 everywhere and has sold 32 million worldwide. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 21, 2023 21:02:04 GMT 1
96 Cher - Love Hurts
Yep another veteran and it is her twentieth album and the last of her run of rock records. It is all over the place, I really don't know where to start. I actually think I have been generous placing it this high."Love and Understanding" is by far the best song on the album. I only like "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)" with the video with no volume, as I was and still am a huge Winona Ryder fan. So many covers that we didn't ask for but a lot of decent AOR as well but nothing on the same level as her last two records bar 'L&U'. Nothing I really hate but I think Cher did the right thing reinventing herself again after this album. Again it is a UK #1, that is 4 out of 5 in this batch. It made #48 in the US. It has sold over 2 million worldwide. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 22, 2023 10:17:54 GMT 1
95 Thompson Twins - Queer
Still hanging on, but for me, they had a bit of a renaissance as they embraced 90s dance music. This was their eighth and last album. The two singles were both excellent as remixes but as an album it is still pretty good but it just kinda lacks something. I think if they had gone bigger with the modern dance producers, this could have been a top 75 album at least. 'The Saint' is probably my favourite but 'Flower Girl' was a very pleasant surprise and if it had come out 2 or 3 years ago, this could have been a hit. It only charted in Australia and even then just #193 so that is probably only about 100 copies 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 22, 2023 10:24:57 GMT 1
94 Dire Straits - On Every Street
The sixth and last album from them and yes it probably was the end of the road. It was better than I remembered but it was a tall order, the pressure to follow 'Brothers In Arms' must have been immense and this kinda dribbles out. There is nothing I don't like but nothing that I am raving about either, the only reason this is above some of the previous albums is it has no duffers but the title track is the only song that is close to a highlight. The record was #1 everywhere but the US where it reached #12 which I think is a fairer placing, this is not a number one record. The record sold 3 million worldwide, oddly France being its biggest territory. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 22, 2023 10:29:43 GMT 1
93 Bad English - Backlash
Oh dear. Their second album and the band had split before the record was released. It is not a bad record, it is nowhere close to their debut but it still has John Waite's brilliant vocals even if the whole record feels rushed and overproduced. Still so many songs I really like, especially "Straight to Your Heart" and "Time Stood Still". It is still a good listen. The record reached #72 in the US. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 22, 2023 10:36:10 GMT 1
92 Kitchens of Distinction - Strange Free World
The second album from the English alternative rock band. This was where I first discovered this band with the track '"Drive That Fast" but honestly I was shocked how much I loved this when I played it a few weeks ago. The reference points were not there for me in 1991 but after being into bands like Interpol and Editors and finally appreciating Joy Division, this record was really up my street. This is a pretty solid post-punk album and I am tempted to go back and listen to their debut now. There is also a bit of shoe gaze influence and early R.E.M so yeh I like it. The record reached #45 in the UK. 3.5/5
|
|
TheThorne
Member
*Hillside, slip and slide, feel the pain, it's no surprise!*
Posts: 27,550
ONLINE
|
Post by TheThorne on Sept 22, 2023 10:41:24 GMT 1
91 Spin Doctors - Pocket Full of Kryptonite
Stop come back!!! Yes I am as shocked as all of you that this made my top 100. This was the debut album from the American rock band. I did buy "Two Princes" and "Little Miss Can't Be Wrong" 99p 7" singles mind you but I had never heard the album and it actually still stands up. It is a fun record, the songs are actually superb and they can play. Yes they have a terrible image and "Two Princes" was overplayed but I really didn't mind this at all. The record reached #2 in the UK and #3 in the US selling over a million copies. 3.5/5
|
|