TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 25, 2024 22:33:17 GMT 1
67 Big Country - The Buffalo SkinnersAnother pleasant surprise, the 6th album from Big Country. Ok it was not a total surprise as 'Alone' is their best single since "Look Away" and it is also their best album since 'The Seer' as well. This was so much better than I expected after the previous album being a big misfire. This album only charted in the UK, reaching #25 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 25, 2024 22:38:18 GMT 1
66 Power of Dreams - PositivitySo many records here that are from bands I loved in the late 80s/very early 90s but fell of my radar by now. This was another that I really enjoyed having heard nothing from it, much more consistent than album #2 which was trying to be too many different things, this is PoD back to doing what they are great at U2 influenced post-punk. most obviously on the single 'Cathy's World'. It also failed to chart in the UK or their native Ireland. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 27, 2024 8:43:05 GMT 1
65 The Afghan Whigs - GentlemenThe fourth album from the US rock band. This is their most famous and successful album but even this one, I don't love as much as I should. I always struggled with Afghan Whigs especially when two of my friends were super into them and I just didn't see it. But no denying 'Debonair' is their best song and a total classic. So yeh miss a little for me but I still can get enjoyment out of this one. The record reached #58 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 27, 2024 8:48:32 GMT 1
64 Rush - CounterpartsTheir fifteenth album and yeh they are still very much a thing even if I probably never listened to any of their 90s stuff. This though was pretty great, I really need to play it more but I am so into Rush right now, I pretty much enjoy all their stuff. This also was a big record for them in the US reaching #2 there, their joint highest placing ever but of course the albums sales wouldn't get anyway close to their previous heights reaching half a million sales. It also reached #14 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 27, 2024 8:56:08 GMT 1
63 Eskimos & Egypt - Perfect DiseaseNow something completely different. Not sure many remember or know these guys. They are a dance metal collective think Utah Saints meets KLF by way of The Shamen. You couldn't get much more early 90s. They have so many huge bangers and if you like the more alternative side of 90s dance, you need to check these guys out. The band from Manchester were influenced by Kraftwerk, Human League, Gary Numan. The album did not chart but they did have two singles that just missed the top 40. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 27, 2024 9:11:14 GMT 1
62 Janet Jackson - JanetHer fifth album and one of the albums that is topping so many end of year lists for this year. It is probably the last Janet album I was really into but I expect 'The Velvet Rope' to make my top 100 as well, after that hmmm. This album has some brilliant songs but also a few duffers as well and the interludes are very cringe but overall it is still a superb listen. The record was number one all over the world and has sold 14 million worldwide. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 27, 2024 9:15:58 GMT 1
61 808 State - GorgeousBit of a dancey section here, we have the fourth album from the Manchester rave pioneers. Maybe not as many classics on this one but overall it is really good especially their remix of 'One in Ten'. The last few tracks are weak but no big deal. The record reached #17 in the UK 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 9:32:35 GMT 1
60 Orbital - Orbital [Brown Album]The dance continues with the British electronic group's second album. This is a bit of a different sound from their debut moving for into atmosphere and ambience than the more techno/rave first album but some great dance pop in there as well. The record reached #28 in the UK. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 10:01:35 GMT 1
59 Jamiroquai - Emergency on Planet EarthAnd we keep on dancing with the debut album from Jamiroquai. It might not be the case but I suspect this is will be best overall labum, he maybe has some better songs in the future but teh hit rate on this labum although with the musicianship and imagination, will never be matched. At this point they are so unique. Ok we do have those other Acid Jazz groups like Galliano or Young Disciples maybe but Jamiroquai songwriting beats nearly all those acts. This album was a number one in the UK and has sold over 1.2 million worldwide. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 10:09:32 GMT 1
58 Mega City Four - Magic BulletsTheir fifth studio album and it was a tricky one to rate. The problem is I love their sound, this has some great singles but at the same time, it is getting very tired. I was so close to making this a 3.5 as it is so one note. That one note is awesome, it is their defining sound but after 13 tracks, it did make me very weary. It reached #57 in the UK. 4/5 but maybe shouldn't have been
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 10:17:02 GMT 1
57 The Beloved - ConscienceFeels weird this coming next as it's such a step-up, think we will dock MC4, twenty places. This is their 2nd album and now they have gone way more pop. The Beloved are one of the best at this pre club Balearic pop dance but now they are releasing total classics as well, Hello "Sweet Harmony" . This album i so much fun and great to have on why playing a game or something. It reached #2 in the UK.
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 10:23:25 GMT 1
56 Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My WayHis 3rd album and although it does feature his best song, the title track, I think it is a small dip over his aecond album. I find it very enjoyable to listen to but the individual tracks are just not as memorable or good as 'Let Love Rule'. It is like a weaker copy a bit like MC4 earlier but no way near as pronounced. This is a very good album but not a great Lenny record just a very solid, enjoyable one. The record reached #1 in the UK and #12 in the US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 20:03:12 GMT 1
Let's do a bonus 5 to take us to the top 50. 55 Frank Black - Frank BlackThe debut solo album from Black Francis of The Pixies who changes to a new name that he has pretty much stuck with ever since. This record unlike much of his solo catalogue is no real departure from The Pixies especially the track "Hang On to Your Ego" which is a Beach Boys cover but it was pixified brilliantly. The album is actually very consistent and I liked it much more than I expected. I still think though his next album will be even better. This record reached #9 in the UK and #117 in the US 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 20:08:57 GMT 1
54 Pet Shop Boys - VeryTheir fifth album and they miss the top 50 for the first time but not by a lot. The singles from this era are better than I remembered although this has a weaker version of 'I Wouldn't Normally Do This Kind of Thing', the single version is 10x better. Nothing bad on this at all but the first half is much more memorable than the second. The album of course did really well reaching #1 in many countries including the UK and #20 in the US. It sold over 2 million worldwide. But as you have worked out it still gets 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 20:16:44 GMT 1
53 The Flaming Lips - Transmissions From the Satellite HeartSix albums into their career, they have their first mainstream breakthrough. Thanks to the MTV classic 'She Don't Use Jelly', one of my favourite indie rock songs of the 90s. It is ridiculous but so catchy and the riffs, they never do them better. But apart from that song they still remained a cult act. I was actually dreading this as I thought it would be another sucky 'one hit wonder' album but no it was damn good and if I play it again, it could well climb. The record reached #108 in the UK. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 20:23:16 GMT 1
52 Richard Marx - Paid VacationAlso falling out of my top 50 for the first time, with his fourth album. I did not buy the album but I had not left him totally behind, I picked up the single "Silent Scream". I thought he had gone way too heavy into the ballads but when I finally heard the whole album, it is still the Richard Marx I loved, some great AOR and rock'n'roll very much there along with drippy slop like 'Now and Forever'. So yes I am still onboard. Again weirdly he is doing better here than US with #11 in the UK and just #37 in the US. 4/5
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TheThorne
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 28, 2024 20:30:04 GMT 1
So who just misses the top 50 51 Stereolab - Transient Random-Noise Bursts With AnnouncementsThis is one of my biggest climbers from their provincial placing. This was their second album and features the first song I knew and bought by them 'Jenny Ondioline'. Stereolab have turned into one of those bands that I love just about everything they do and that is true for this record. Only reason it misses the top 50, is it is generally missing the pop sensibilities of the next two albums but their vibe is totally here. The record reached #62 in the UK and #98 in the US. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 29, 2024 8:26:01 GMT 1
50 Tool - UndertowThe debut album from the progressive metal band. A band that totally passed me by until the early 00s when I started loving their videos on MTv2 and then buying A Perfect Circle. Tool will get a lot better but even at this point, I am thinking they are pretty damn great already. A couple of tracks I already knew 'Prison Sex' and 'Sober'/ 'Sober' is awesome and the track 'Undertow' is pretty brilliant as well. Some of the other tracks are a bit average but overall, a great start to their discography. The record reached #50 initially and then #19 on re-issue in 2019. It has sold 3 million in the US alone. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 29, 2024 8:32:42 GMT 1
49 Dreadzone - 360°Another debut album this time the dub reggae/dance group from London let by the drummer from B.A.D. This was released on Creation Records and is very hard to find now. One of my favourite genres which I also know hardly anything about but I just love the sound and Dreadzone were one the biggest names in the 90s doing it. No hits on this one but really the hits are often not very dub leaning more into electronic pop. This is just a vibe. 4/5
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Post by TheThorne on Jan 29, 2024 8:38:04 GMT 1
48 One Dove - Morning Dove WhiteAnother debut and it is not the last in this batch. One Dove were a Scottish alternative dance group fronted by Dot Allison who is still releasing great music. Must admit I missed something by just getting the singles. 'Fallen' is one of the songs of the year but what I missed is how special this record was in total. How did I miss that is basically a sequel to 'Screamadelica'. Andy Weatherall is all over this. It will sadly never get the kudos that album got but it really deserved it. The record reached #30 in the UK. 4/5
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