Top 100 Greatest Albums (According to this guy)

“A broken record plays the same old song ;  It's getting old, dirty needle getting worn ;  Now you're ready, take the demons head on ;  Look em in the eye and say they gotta go ;  Get on behind me …” As a punk CD collector in my late teens, I would buy CDs by bands I never even heard of. In my later years as a vinyl enthusiast, with a family (and overdraft), my purchases are far more strategic, and have to be albums that I absolutely adore. But ‘Fight The Good Fight’ was the only album to date that I took the chance on and was so glad that I did! Some may say they are a copy of punk band Rancid and I partly agree. But in this case, it’s not a bad thing. I’ve owned nearly all Rancid albums, but it was their unique ska sound that really drew me to them. The likes of ‘Timebomb’, ‘I Wanna Riot’ etc… Unfortunately, it was the odd song here and there, and sometimes not even present on particular albums, hence none of them even make it into this list. The Interrupters have ...

“We go to practice almost every day;  And our conductor tells us how to play;  You blow the trumpet and I slap the bass;  We are a big ensemble called the human race…” Millencolin were one of those punk rock bands I had heard of, but never took the leap to buy an album. That was until I found a signed copy of ‘Kingwood’ in a charity shop in Petts Wood. It took me a while to really get into them, but safe to say, they are now one of my favourite Punk Rock bands. A far more hectic and angry style than the likes of the more commercial Punk bands, Millencolin tend to give us the gritty side of society and politics. Their sound is more toward the less cheesy side of the Offspring (eg.The Kids Aren’t Alright) yet a little more thrashy, and Nikola Sarcevic’s vocal tone fits so well. But they're not a shouty hardcore punk band. Songs tend to focus around the minor key and the melodies are excellent. There’s a lot of energy and heart in every song. They also use harmonies in a sub...

“I don't know what's worth fighting for, or  why I have to scream;  I don't know why I instigate  and say what I don't mean;  I don't know how I got this way,  I know it's not alright;  So I'm breaking the habit  tonight…” In my early teens, I would sneak into my oldest bro’s room and pull out Hybrid Theory to listen every now and then, specifically the song “Crawling”. Soon, he gave me the album saying “this is crap; it’s now yours…” or something along those lines. It was my first proper foray into heavy metal music and a very influential album for me, in more ways than just the music. Hybrid Theory almost took this spot, and not just because of the sentiment; it’s a fantastic album! But we look to their sophomore release, Meteora, which just pips it to my list. Whilst their debut gave us excellent songs and a new style in nu-metal, Meteora takes it to another level. There is more variety to the songs, the production is superb, and the vocals are far ...

“Sometimes I'm sure that I am crazy;  It's taking its toll, it 's making me old;  With half the winter still to go;  Maybe I'm afraid of love, maybe I'm afraid of pain; And maybe I'm afraid too much, maybe I'm afraid that I won't ever change…” It was August of 2006, and our first and only Reading Festival. Wanting to see the likes of Muse, Less Than Jake, Gogol Bordello, Flogging Molly, Bedouin Soundclash and others around the Lockup Stage, we left the festival having discovered a new band, and one of our favourite acts of the weekend, Zox. They don’t really fit into the bracket of other bands. A mix of Sublime, The Pixies and Maximo Park; There is a ska influence, but mixed with indie rock. The  defining feature being an electric violin player, taking the role of lead guitar, producing an interesting and unique overdriven sound. Although this setup felt a little sparse to me in the studio recordings at first, I appreciate hearing the string nuances and ...

“ 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...