Terrys Top Ten (Top 10 Albums)

Member Name: Terry Mcintyre

Product:	Top 10 Albums
Date:	03/09/05 (152 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: my favourites

Disadvantages: not to all tastes obviously

I’m not really a music person. Rarely have I been to concerts or spent hours in record stores looking for new and interesting sounds. Actual albums also seem to escape my collection because more often than not I wait for the eventual ‘Best of’ compilation to arrive when the career of an artist/band takes a nosedive. I’m really not the sort of person who should be doing a Top Ten of albums but hey hopefully its interesting. This is perhaps more personal than some of the other reviews in this slot as I’m not trying to judge the best slabs of music ever to grace Gods earth but just offer up my own favourites.

I enjoy bands and singers such as Queen, The Beatles, Genesis, Madonna, Green Day, Beautiful South, Blur and many more so it’s not that I don’t like them just I don’t own the individual albums and don’t want to include ‘Best Of’s” although there is one in here which is more of a compilation. I suppose when I thought about including such albums I thought of that well know quote of Alan Partridge’s when he notes that the greatest album ‘The Beatles’ ever put out was ‘The Best of The Beatles’.

Albums that didn’t make it include ‘Ray of Light’ (Madonna), ‘Unwritten’ (Natasha Bedingfield), ‘Def, Dumb and Blonde’ (Debbie Harry), ‘Eat to the Beat’ (Blondie) and ‘Let Go’ (Avril Lavigne). These ten albums are my most listened to and, as with all of my top tens, I haven’t the heart to rate them so here they are in chronological order. Enjoy:


1. Album: ‘Parallel Lines’
Artist: Blondie
Year: 1978
Fave Song: ‘One Way or Another’

I’ve been a big Blondie fan ever since I was in college and was lucky enough to see a reunion concert in 1999 (one of the only I’ve been to). In their time they’ve produced songs of all genres: rap, jazz, reggae, pop etc and all belted out by the gorgeous pop icon Debbie Harry. My favourite song is ‘Atomic’ which is (ironically) not on this album that’s packed with many hits including their most famous ‘Heart of Glass’. This is a marvellous fusion of Blondie’s earlier more punky sound and more crowd pleasing tunes. Classic!

2. Album: ‘Rockbird’
Artist: Debbie Harry
Year: 1986
Fave Song: ‘Free to Fall’

This is my favourite of Debbie’s solo albums released once she split from Blondie in 1983 (although they have since got back together). It’s a little quirky, especially the title track, but its packed full of excellent songs. Debbie’s best selling solo single ‘French Kissing in the USA’ is on here but it’s a pity that some of the other songs didn’t get a fair crack at the charts.

3. Album: ‘Tragic Kingdom’
Artist: ‘No Doubt’
Year: 1995
Fave Song: ‘Just a Girl’

Following the blonde theme is perhaps Debbie’s later day successor Gwen Stefani of ‘No Doubt’. I bought this album off the back of their monster hit ‘Don’t Speak’ and, although the sound was quite different, I enjoyed the mix of pop and punk as I had done with Blondie. I have continued to enjoy their music ever since.

4. Album: ‘Jagged Little Pill’
Artist: Alanis Morrisette
Year: 1996
Fave Song: ‘You Learn’

A massive album in the mid-Nineties that I suspect many will recall. Alanis had such an original and raw sound when she started out and one that I don’t think she’s quite captured again on later albums. This is still a classic though and one that I will never tire of, one of those ‘soundtrack to your life’ type albums.

5. Album: ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ – The Soundtrack
Artist: Various
Year: 1999
Fave Song: ‘Nothing but you’ by Kim Ferron

I’m a big fan of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’ but when this album was initially released I could barely remember what songs it had contained but, after renting it, I fell in love with every one. Best described as ‘pop-goth’ it contains several downbeat, but still enjoyable, tunes from series 1-4 of the show. Other picks include ‘Pain (Slayer Mix), ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Lucky’. A follow up album of the later series ‘Radio Sunnydale’ was released but never enthralled me as well as this. Suitable for spinning at night time or when you’re depressed and you want to wallow but somehow cheer yourself up and get back into the groove.

6. Album: ‘Music’
Artist: Madonna
Year: 2000
Fave Song: ‘Don’t Tell Me’

It’s so hard to pick just one solitary album from the whole of the Queen of Pop’s glorious 20 year reign although I didn’t really have much choice since I don’t own that many actual albums of hers. In short though this could’ve been the 1997 slice of life that was ‘Ray of Light’ but this one has more songs on it that I personally found more enjoyable. William Orbit helped Madge make more funky, clubland style tracks such as ‘Impressive Instant’ but still combined with her usual pop brilliance on songs such as ‘Music’ or the much hated cover of ‘American Pie’ (I actually like it). As for my favourite song I’ll never forget when I first heard it because I, and I dare say a few others if any admit to it, thought my CD was skipping as it began but then soon came to realise what a top tune it was. All hail Queen Madonna!

7. Album: ‘The Spirit Room’
Artist: Michelle Branch
Year: 2001
Fave Song: ‘Everywhere’

I fell in love with the title song and ended up buying the whole album. Michelle has such a wonderful voice and is gorgeous too. ‘Goodbye to You’ is another favourite, which I first noticed playing at the end of a ‘Buffy’ episode, a very touching song. Although some of the songs sounded a little samey the whole album is good listening. For some reason I found her 2003 follow-up ‘The Hotel Paper’ lacking the same spark as ‘Spirit’ but I’ll still continue to keep an eye on her hopefully successful career.

8. Album: ‘Missundaztood’
Artist: Pink
Year: 2002
Fave Song: ‘Don’t Let Me Get Me’

I have never connected so well with an album as I have with ‘Missundaztood’. Pink has made one of the most personal albums of all time drawing on all sorts of topics from her life including family, self-image and relationships. Of course there’s also the odd feel-good pop song like ‘Get the Party Started’. Lyrics have a tendency to go over my head sometimes but once I actually listened to the likes of ‘Just like a Pill’ ‘Don’t Let Me Get Me’ and ‘Family Portrait’ I couldn’t help but feel emotionally tied to them. I have tired of this album yet and hop that I never will. It describes eras and feelings in my life that I doubt will ever be translated in the same way again.

9. Album: ‘Once More With Feeling’
Artist: The Cast of ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’
Year: 2002
Fave Song: ‘Rest in Peace’ by Spike (James Marsters)

Creator Joss Whedon finally achieved his dream of making a musical episode of the TV series during its 6th season. The episode ‘Once More With Feeling’ aired in November 2001 and was an instant hit the plot involving a musical demon making every citizen of Sunnydale sing and dance until they exploded. This is genuinely one of my favourite albums and not just one I’ve picked because I’m a fan of the TV series. The songs reveal genuine feelings and help to move characters on in some way once the episode is over. Many genres are dealt with such as punk (Rest in Peace), retro (I’ll Never Tell), romance (Under Your Spell) and several group ditties (I’ve Got a Theory, Walk Through the Fire). I’ll end this with one of my favourite lyrics of any song, from ‘I’ve Got a Theory’ Anya sings about her bunny hatred “What’s with all the carrots, what do they need such good eyesight for anywaaaaaay!”

10. Album: ‘Try This’
Artist: Pink
Year: 2003
Fave Song: ‘Save My Life’

This album was a little less heavy on the personal stuff than ‘Missundaztood’ and leans towards more of a pop rock vibe but that doesn’t make it any less brilliant than its predecessor. Pink still knows how to belt out a great song in style but still with a depth that sets her above many of her competitors. Her songs as usual deal with her own self-image and relationships most of all. Very much looking forward to Album #4.

Summary: Simply my my listened to albums