Top 100 Greatest Albums (According to this guy)

“It's two in the morning, I'm tired as hell;  What am I doing behind the wheel?   The lights have all blurred into a row;  How long I'll be up, I just don't know;  I'm falling asleep, asleep at the wheel; This  feels like a dream but this is real…” A shout out to one of the old forgotten CD compilations that helped me discover many ska and punk bands before online streaming. Whichever one it was, the Hippos were the stand out band and ‘Forget the World’ has remained one of my favourite ska punk albums.  Their sound is not unlike Reel Big Fish, but this album smashes them out the ball park.  It may not have the production values of the bigger bands, but the Hippos have a great sound.  The most notable unique feature comes from the percussionist. It creates a wonderful party atmosphere and helps form interesting rhythms throughout. The songs are very upbeat, super catchy and incredibly infectious. The horn section plays neat and simple pieces that c...

“ High tide,  summer in the city;  The kids are looking pretty, but  isn't it a pity that the sunshine  is followed by thunder;  With thoughts of going under, a nd is it any wonder why the sea is  calling out to me …” The date was 20th August 1995, and I was in my living room eagerly listening to the radio. Never can I remember a radio countdown as well as this one. Who would take the No.2 slot? ‘Roll with it’ came on and I gave a woop; Blur’s ‘Country House’ took the title. Growing up, Blur were the band for me, but I was a big fan of ‘Whats The Story Morning Glory’. Over time, Liam’s vocals ended up grating me more than a chunk of cheddar on a sanding machine; the lyrics didn’t really make sense and I was always drawn to songs like ‘Little by Little’ and ‘Half the World Away’. With the news of the end of Oasis, it was just another day, but on hearing Noel’s recent material, it was everything I wanted them to be, and more! Every song I was hearing on ...

“ Fighting for peace with no identity, I know  I speak for those around me;  Calling you out, all  of your plans will be washed away, washed  away;  Life is a sin, living  to win, and  we're all sinners after all…” I first came across the Living End from colleagues in my short lived career as a theatre technician. The thought of a punk rock band with upright bass player certainly did tickle the fancy parts of my ears. Roll On was the first album i owned by the band and has remained my pick of a good bunch. The Living End are punk rockabilly band . Think Green Day, The Stray Cats and The Clash placed in a beautiful blender of goodness; Welcome to Strut Paradise Calling. In fact the vocals are incredibly Billy Joe-esque in tone and melody, but the energy and bounce to these songs mark a notable difference between the bands, especially the wide use of rockabilly rhythms.  Each talented musician shines and the songwriting is most excellent.  The ...

“ Everybody talkin' bout the power of the gospel;  Getting the cool with the happy, they went fire;  Seems to feel that beat you can't stop bouncing;  Why don't we keep the rhythm just how it sounds…” Growing up, there are defining songs and bands your ears here that form positive paths to musical enjoyment.  For me, Madness, ELO, Oasis, Linkin Park and Thousand Foot Krutch, were my bridges into ska, 70s rock, brit pop, heavy metal and alternative Christian rock.  There are also some that   open up whole new genres one never knew existed. My good friend Phil introduced me to Caravan Palace and electro swing was firmly placed in my listening library. Where to start?! Django style gypsy jazz infused with Daft Punk style electronica, samples of old swing and jazz tracks, excellent vocals, uptempo beats, huge bass, some downtempo songs, waltzes… Caravan Palace have an incredible sound that, in my opinion, sets them above any other electro swing band. They’ve te...

“ Who shot that arrow in your throat, who  missed the crimson apple?  It hung heavy on the tree above your head;  This chaos, this calamity, this garden once was perfect;  Give your immortality to me …” The Hush Sound are one of my favourite discoveries from Spotify in the last few years. Although they are sometimes described as “Indie Pop”, they are more alternative with a swing influence and folky feel. This album would certainly cater for a varied audience! Take a dialled down Panic At The Disco, mix in Ben Folds with some early No Doubt and we’re getting close to the sound. They are very  piano driven, supported well with guitar  and even a healthy bit of brass. Melodies are excellent and the songs would sit very well in an old musical, such is their unique sound for a rock band.  These traits appear to come from the background of Greta Salpeter and Bob Morris; the former a classical pianist, and latter a rock guitarist.  It’s very refreshing ...

“  Why do I feel so black and blue;  When all I did was loving you;  Why on earth, can't stand the pain;  Why did you do that thing again …” I originally discovered the downtempo/triphop sounds of Klaus Waldeck when listening to an electro-swing playlist on Spotify, which included his song ‘Memories’. But it was a few years later that my other half bought the full album and since then, it has been a regular go-to album in the car. I should mention that Downtempo is a laid back electro style of music, and triphop is an experimental fusion of hiphop and electronica which can be joined with almost any genre of music, with notable emphasis on the bass drum…mix these to swing, jazz, dub and a strong 1920s influence and we have something quite wonderful in ‘Ballroom Stories’. Any Jazz and swing fan should enjoy this album, especially if you are looking for something more relaxed but varied in energy. ‘Why Did You Fire That Gun’ contains a piano riff throughout not unlike t...

“Understand I`m a man who  believes in the glory of love;  True love is the light shining bright from  the Heavens above;  I believe it is better to trust even when I`m wrong;  Than to let my fear drive me from  the home where I have belonged…” Back to the Lockup - the early morning punk rock show on Radio 1 as mentioned before, where I discovered the legends that are Fishbone! A live session on the show, playing with an energy and sound I’d never heard before, their 80s classic ‘Ma & Pa’ and the excellent ‘Where Did You Get Those Pants’; this was a unique mix of eclectic ska, soul, funk and punk.  I admit a struggle to fully enjoy their albums. Such is the wide range of styles, sometimes all smashed together in an incredibly manic fashion, from heavy metal, to reggae, rock and those mentioned previously. But a slight departure from others, this album is far more approachable. More of a pop feel, without losing their ska, funk and soul edge, ‘...

“Empty man lonely man,  I call myself depressed;  I'm finding ways to avoid you, at  the expense of sanity;  I'm hanging on your words, and I'd like to share a thought; I know that I can't be you now, but I'd like to stay a while…” The  first Goldfinger album i bought was ‘Stomping Ground’ , released in 2000, and it was great, but slightly disappointing due to the fact it was pure punk rock and devoid of any of the ska that I was expecting. Shortly after, I was introduced to the first Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game, which featured their song ‘Superman’. I researched for the album and promptly bought it. To this day it remains as one of my favourite ska punk albums. I would describe Hang-Ups as one of the “sunnier” albums on this list and of Goldfinger’s repertoire;  Ironic as the lyrics seem to be mostly based on disappointment. But these are the  kind of vibes that would go down well on a Californian beach in Summer. Although there is a good mix of punk...

“I don't know if you saw it coming or not; All I know is that I saw the end result; It can’t have been a pretty thing; You looked like your world caved in…” Have you ever had a geek moment that helped you discover new music? For example: I quite like airshows and military aircraft, so when I see a CD called 'Chocs Away', with a cover featuring members of a band wearing vintage pilot gear, fake handlebar moustaches and the band name coloured in army camouflage, its an obvious must buy!  Snuff were already on my radar; having heard of this UK punk band with trombone, they were an inquisitive notion for this ska fan.  After enjoying the Chocs Away single, I bought the accompanying album, ‘Disposable Income’. As a music lover more into his modern punk rock, this is the closest to raw UK punk that we will see in this list. But not all of the album is straight punk and the variety one reason I rate it so highly. Although it's sometimes hard to understand Duncan’s vocals easil...

“ As the pendulum is swinging, from side to side i often wonder; Why that the things that mean the most to me, can never be; I cut my losses and move forward … ”   I came into possession of ‘Mail Order Is Still Fun’, a CD compilation of bands on the Asian Man Records label. The first track was ‘Myself’ and the description read “10 piece ska punk band”.  Those words alone got me very interested in Big D And The Kids Table. This album reminds me of the early days of writing ska punk songs for my old band Blunt Skulls. We were ridiculing our old neighbour, a particular bus route that ran from Lewisham to Orpington and the pop music of the early 2000s. We were young and having fun.  And a lot of these songs have that same feel. A good load of hectic ska, mixed with punk and hardcore. Almost every song crams all 3 genres into one, which leaves a rather enjoyable experience. The vocals take a unique turn in being more spoken word than singing, which really sets them apart from ...

“I’ve got a lot of bad things I wish that I had never done, because they’re coming back, coming back to me now … ” What do ex-England footballer Sol Campbell, the Millenium, and ska music have in common? Whatever that might be, it is a fact that this particular combo introduced me to ska punk favourites, Reel Big Fish. Although lyrical content seems to be full of adolescent comic immaturity, girlfriends and being total jackasses (and this being the case on every Reel Big Fish album) you cant overlook how catchy these songs are, and how very good the band are as musicians. Overall ‘Cheer Up’ is less ska than their previous albums, and more rock with strong brass, whilst mixing in a load of classic rock style electric guitar solos (mostly taking the p**s), not to mention the excellent a Capella version of Frank Sinatra’s ‘New York New York.’ And there are some good ska numbers on the album too. I tend to feel skapunk bands don't quite get the neat punk rock songs quite right, yet sma...

“ If you want my reasons for just why I joined the war; Well I’ll tell you, I had to; ‘Cause when they tell you, “Son stand straight and take this gun”; Well they also point one at you… ” Brixton Academy, 2004 - Deconstruction Fest. Arrived looking forward to seeing MxPx, discovered Yellowcard (with their backflipping vilolinist) and left having thoroughly enjoyed a little known but highly regarded ska band; The Slackers. With a boat load of albums in their repertoire, The Slackers are, in my opinion, the world’s best modern era, traditional ska band. Whereas their previous albums include around 20 songs, ‘Peculiar’ actually feels like a fuller, stronger album, with just the thirteen strong. Long punk albums can tend to lose my attention (The Slackers being signed to Tim Armstrong’s punk Hellcat Records), and they’ve got the length just right with ‘Peculiar’ Very political songs, covering different styles, but mostly brilliant traditional ska and reggae. ‘International War Criminal’ hi...

“The City’s on fire; will burn to the ground; Man’s evil desire; Has brought himself down… ” Heading to the clear-out section at my local Wesley Owen and I’m drawn straight to this fauvist hyper colourful cityscape. For the album artwork alone, I purchased it. Later on in the day, I was very pleasantly surprised to be listening to a newly discovered ska punk band, and what a great album it is! It’s a mature sound. Not a hint of fromage, as you can so easily get with some ska albums. Really catchy songs with very complimentary horn arrangements. A good variety of ska, punk rock and reggae, in both the major and minor keys. And a mention for the superb clavinet on ‘Trial and Tribulation’. Lyrical content covers a little politics (as most punk bands do) but generally stick up for the little man, the outsider, the unfairly treated and against the greed of this world. Wholesome values run throughout the album. A couple of the more punky songs are not the greatest, but most of the album is s...