Top 100 Greatest Albums (According to this guy)

“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...

“  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...

“ Easy easy money baby, red wine from the well. He’s inspired , taste acquired, watch out mademoiselle” I honestly can’t remember where I heard of The Fat Cats, and why I bought this album, but my gosh was it one of my best discoveries! So much was my excitement for these songs that ‘Deadbeat’ went on to inspire a large variety of my writing with the band Little Blue Light. Take a pinch of Madness, a swig of the Stray Cats, even a small measure of Barenaked Ladies and some overdriven guitar and we are only part-way to describing the unique sound of this album. A mash up of boogie woogie, ska, swing, punk and rock; there is nothing quite like this out there. Very piano driven, with a strong sax throughout, and excellent vocals. The songs are super catchy and not one is alike, as they flow through various genres.  The piano right at the forefront of the compositions really set it apart from other punk albums. It gives the music a crispness, a swing, and an overall fantastic sound. Ha...

“I'm tired of having to look good, pretend  that we feel good;  Never let it show that we could be  anything less than completely obsessed;  With the contents of our wallets and the way that we're dressed…” A band i always wanted to see live, but never had the opportunity, Capdown were probably the headliners of the UK ska punk scene in the early noughties. The genre generally stayed underground in the UK, and I was surprised to find their ‘New Revolutionaries’ CD single in HMV, back in 2003. Perhaps they broke out of the underground? I didn’t enjoy that single as much as their previous two albums, but the album that followed three years later, “Wind Up Toys” was excellent. The aptly named track ‘Surviving the Death of a Genre’ shows that ska punk in the UK had pretty much died out by that point and was to remain underground. Capdown have an ability that seems to escape other ska punk bands. The likes of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones or Less Than Jake, for example, hav...