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somecleric · 12-19-2002, 12:31 PM

Best Ever: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless

If there's any justice, Kevin Shields will go down with Brian Eno and Brian Wilson as one of the finest composers of the 20th century. Just like Eno and Wilson, at his best, like on Loveless, Shields did things no one had ever done before, and he did it better than anyone who would attempt to follow could ever hope to do. Loveless, from the moment it first assaults you with it's multi layered guitar distortion to the moment it fades out with it's still layered and distorted guitars over Shield and Butcher's subdued harmonies, is perfect, in every way. No other album has ever sounded like this, and it's unlikely anyone will ever come close.

Worse Ever: The Velvet Underground - Squeeze

It's easy to make a bad album. To truly be worst ever, you have to commit a crime against humanity. Like releasing an album as The Velvet Underground with none of the original members, and in fact, just one member who even shared a stage with Lou Reed and Maureen Tucker (but never John Cale or Sterling Morrison). Doug Yule, John Cale's replacement, released this horrible, unredeemable album 2 years after the band had broken up, inexplicably under the Velvet Underground moniker. Creed always sucked and will always suck, you don't expect anything from them, but for a replacement bass player to stain the legacy of one of the greatest band's ever, that's truly awful.

Ground Breaker: The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground

No album broke as much ground as this. It set the stage for punk, garage, goth, glam, noise, shoegazer, industrial, new wave, twee and virtually every other defining style of the last quarter century. There's virtually no modern band who doesn't owe something to John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker and Lou Reed.

Best Debut: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures

Joy Division always had an urgency, a desperation, a need for something surrounding them, even from the start. Martin Hannett's production was simply revolutionary, you almost feel like you're standing in the middle of the band as they work through Disorder, you can feel Ian Curtis begging you, pleading with you to help him. Unknown Pleasures is almost the greatest album ever, the only reason Loveless surpasses it is because Closer and especially Love Will Tear Us Apart show that Joy Division, despite their incredible recorded output, never quite reached their peak.

Worst Debut: No pick.

It's hard to commit a crime against music when no one knows who you are, so pass.

Overrated: Nirvana - Nevermind

One of the best albums ever, but it wasn't even the best of 1991. That honour belongs to Loveless. It wasn't even Nirvana's best, as Incesticide surpasses it in nearly every way. Don't get me wrong, it's incredible, but it's not the defining album everyone holds it up as.

Underrated: Microphones - It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water

You know, I had trouble deciding between this, the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds (which is another contender for greatest album of all time, but not really underrated anymore) and Tiger Trap's debut. It think this one wins just because no one's heard it, which is depressing. Phil Elvrum not only is a studio genius, coaxing sound from virtually anything, he's also written some of the most incredible songs ever, especially Ice, Sand and The Glow, off this album. You haven't experienced music until you listen to a song built from tape clicks, static and multiple vocal tracks.

12-19-2002, 12:31 PM	#9 (permalink)
somecleric Registered User Join Date: Mar 2002 Posts: 121 -1 Internets	Best Ever: My Bloody Valentine - Loveless If there's any justice, Kevin Shields will go down with Brian Eno and Brian Wilson as one of the finest composers of the 20th century. Just like Eno and Wilson, at his best, like on Loveless, Shields did things no one had ever done before, and he did it better than anyone who would attempt to follow could ever hope to do. Loveless, from the moment it first assaults you with it's multi layered guitar distortion to the moment it fades out with it's still layered and distorted guitars over Shield and Butcher's subdued harmonies, is perfect, in every way. No other album has ever sounded like this, and it's unlikely anyone will ever come close. Worse Ever: The Velvet Underground - Squeeze It's easy to make a bad album. To truly be worst ever, you have to commit a crime against humanity. Like releasing an album as The Velvet Underground with none of the original members, and in fact, just one member who even shared a stage with Lou Reed and Maureen Tucker (but never John Cale or Sterling Morrison). Doug Yule, John Cale's replacement, released this horrible, unredeemable album 2 years after the band had broken up, inexplicably under the Velvet Underground moniker. Creed always sucked and will always suck, you don't expect anything from them, but for a replacement bass player to stain the legacy of one of the greatest band's ever, that's truly awful. Ground Breaker: The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground No album broke as much ground as this. It set the stage for punk, garage, goth, glam, noise, shoegazer, industrial, new wave, twee and virtually every other defining style of the last quarter century. There's virtually no modern band who doesn't owe something to John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker and Lou Reed. Best Debut: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures Joy Division always had an urgency, a desperation, a need for something surrounding them, even from the start. Martin Hannett's production was simply revolutionary, you almost feel like you're standing in the middle of the band as they work through Disorder, you can feel Ian Curtis begging you, pleading with you to help him. Unknown Pleasures is almost the greatest album ever, the only reason Loveless surpasses it is because Closer and especially Love Will Tear Us Apart show that Joy Division, despite their incredible recorded output, never quite reached their peak. Worst Debut: No pick. It's hard to commit a crime against music when no one knows who you are, so pass. Overrated: Nirvana - Nevermind One of the best albums ever, but it wasn't even the best of 1991. That honour belongs to Loveless. It wasn't even Nirvana's best, as Incesticide surpasses it in nearly every way. Don't get me wrong, it's incredible, but it's not the defining album everyone holds it up as. Underrated: Microphones - It Was Hot, We Stayed In The Water You know, I had trouble deciding between this, the Beach Boy's Pet Sounds (which is another contender for greatest album of all time, but not really underrated anymore) and Tiger Trap's debut. It think this one wins just because no one's heard it, which is depressing. Phil Elvrum not only is a studio genius, coaxing sound from virtually anything, he's also written some of the most incredible songs ever, especially Ice, Sand and The Glow, off this album. You haven't experienced music until you listen to a song built from tape clicks, static and multiple vocal tracks.