Top 100 Greatest Albums (According to this guy)

“ It's me defending in suspense, it's me suspended in a defenceless test;  being tested by a ruthless examiner, that’s  represented best by my depressing thoughts; I  do not have writers block, my  writer just hates the clock…” Twenty One Pilots are one of the biggest breakthrough acts of the 2010s. My wonderful wife must take credit for getting this guy into them, with their album Blurryface; another CD wrecked in the car due to continuous usage. But the album that features here, at No.65, is their previous outing Vessel. Their main features would be a playful and lighthearted spoken word/rap poetry that features in nearly all their songs. But the vast array of genre in Vessel and their ability to cross multiple genres in songs is fantastic.  Take the opening track for example…starting with a heavy gangster rap style, switching instantaneously to a light hearted bouncy indie pop and then slowing down to an almost balladesque rock piano driven chorus…before hitt...

“ I've got stars in my great big sky;  I shall gaze upon without leaving small ones behind,  because they're harder to find;  Some were satellites, others planes;  Some were twinkling while others were fading away,  but they're all one of a kind …” I never latched onto the likes of Blink 182 or Sum 41. Surprising, as I spent most my teens listening to Punk Rock. The closest mainstream band of my desire, in the Pop Punk genre, would probably be Green Day. But another Spotify discovery brings us The Starting Line, at 66 in our 100 best albums countdown.  I don't tend to latch on to the popular bands, but to what my ears like (It’s what this list is all about). And ‘Direction’ takes a look at punk from the alternative rock angle; really good melodies, interesting rhythms and timings, and quite a range of dynamics. Its a far more mature sound than the likes of those bands previously mentioned. Although I’m not totally enamoured by Kenny Vasoli’s vocals, the mel...

“I might be wrong,  it could be crucial but I think  we need some time to mend;  You might be right, it might  be a cruel joke;  Something I'd regret 'til the end…” My mind escapes me of the ska punk compilation which introduced me to The Planet Smashers, with their song ‘Wish I Were American’. But I went out and bought their latest CD, which  became my favourite album that year…until ‘Mighty’ was released. This is the sunniest ska album by far with incredibly catchy songs. The Planet Smashers have their own recognisable sound. It’s clean  and majors on the brass arrangements. They are at the forefront of the songs, are clear, well played and brilliantly structured. In fact, the mix of the whole band is superb. The songs themselves would fit well with any pop-punk band. Stories of relationships, gig experiences, partying and day to day life. The album is consistent in its infectious ska sound; it rarely crosses genre  into light indie rock, but wi...

“Illuminate the shadow, and  try to keep the light within;  Avoid another battle, and  forget what might have been;  How do I keep it? How do I keep it here…” ‘Evolver’ was the first 311 album I owned, and, whilst thoroughly enjoying it, it was much more a showcase of their mix of rap funk punk metal. The more I dived into their back catalogue, it was certain songs that I latched onto; ‘Beyond the Grey Sky’, ‘Amber’ and ‘Beautiful Disaster’, ie, their ska/reggae influenced songs. ‘Mosaic’ is almost fully ska inspired with mixes of the classic 311 sound, which I would describe as a relaxed Rage Against The Machine on a beach. It is probably their most poppy album to date, but the songs are incredibly infectious. The quality of production on this album is excellent also, and that’s mostly down to Goldfinger singer and producer Jon Feldmann’s handywork. The rap funk metal is still prevalent, in songs like ‘Too Late’ and ‘Perfect Mistake’ which have the classic 311 feel ...

“ I try to phone a friend, my credit’s in the red; I try to skip the fare, ticket inspector’s there; No no this can’t be right, I live an honest life; It seems sometimes you don’t cross the line, you don’t get by …” A wrecked CD is generally a good sign in the Temple household. It means it has a period of repeated play, normally in the car, with the case getting opened, lost, found, drink spilt, ripped etc; Essentially, they are held in high regard.  Having heard the singles on XFM and really enjoying them, the kudos goes to my wife again, who purchased the album, which soon became subject to much listening… One of my favourite indie albums, and true working class heroes of the UK music scene, Hard-Fi’s debut album is full of energy and narrates every day life for every day people. Songs about being strapped for cash, family breakdowns, making mistakes, unhappy employments…things that most of us can relate to. The upbeat songs are excellent and catchy. The slower songs are beautifu...