Hibees bounce Top albums - The Countdown

[Two Headed Boy]

#223 - Sound Affects - The Jam

Sound Affects is the fifth studio album by English rock band the Jam.

Combinging 60's pop with more modern funk rhythms, Paul Weller has freely admitted that The Beatles and Michael Jackson were major influences on much of the material on Sound Affects, saying he considered the album a cross between Off the Wall and Revolver.

Critic Reviews:

"From beginning to end, the songs are pure, clever, infectious pop -- probably their catchiest -- with "That's Entertainment" and the should-have-been-a-single "Man in the Corner Shop" standing out."

"Sound Affects stands up superbly over many of its now-dated contemporaries."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#222 - Behaviour - Pet Shop Boys

Behaviour is the fourth studio album by English synth-pop duo Pet Shop Boys.

Pet Shop Boys wanted to use analogue synthesisers on this album and chose to record Behaviour at Red Deer studio in Munich, Germany with producer Harold Faltermeyer due to his expertise with analogue equipment resulting in an album that sounded quite different to both their previous album, Introspective, and the 1993 follow-up, Very.

Critic Reviews:

"This sad, strange album – almost always accompanied with obligatory description ‘autumnal’ - may lack the immediate, fizzy thrill of its three imperial predecessors, but make no mistake, Behaviour is every bit as accomplished and engaging. Perhaps more so."

"A record that'll seduce dance clubs for a few months, and haunt the stay-at-home crowd for long after."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#221 - Raising Hell - Run DMC

Raising Hell is the third studio album by American hip hop group Run-D.M.C.

Raising Hell became the first Platinum and multi-Platinum hip hop record thanks in part to the huge hit singles Walk This Way and It's Tricky.

Critic Reviews:

"By their third album, Run-D.M.C. were primed for a breakthrough into the mainstream, but nobody was prepared for a blockbuster on the level of Raising Hell."

"Musically, fashion-wise, culturally… the effect of Raising Hell was explosive. It was true to the band’s hardcore roots yet crossed over into a pop realm."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#220 - Live at the Troubador - Carol King & James Taylor

Carol King & James Taylor are grammy award winning singer/songwriters. This live album gave James Taylor a top 10 album in every decade since the 1970s and Carole King her first top 10 album since 1976.

Live at the Troubadour was recorded in November 2007 to celebrate the venue's 50th anniversary, but it was also a significant venue for the artists as it was the first venue that King and Taylor played together in November 1970.

Critic Reviews:

"King and Taylor embrace their classics, it seems that there’s not a hit missed between the two of them, and there’s genuine warmth to the whole show"

"There are no surprises in this reunion other than the realisation that, after 40 years, Carole King & James Taylor still sound fantastic."

 

[moathibby]

Yeah I dunno all the details, juat remember reading it at the time in NME or somesuch.

Rings a bell him dying no that long aftwr gettin sacked, no sure though, was more into dub reggae at the time 🇯🇲

Seems he was dropped for that album for his heavy drinking but returned.He died in a motorbike crash aged 27.He's got relatives in other bands including a brother in the Woodentops.

 

[Bofahibee]

Seems he was dropped for that album for his heavy drinking but returned.He died in a motorbike crash aged 27.He's got relatives in other bands including a brother in the Woodentops.

Pete’s sisters were in the Heart Throbs.

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#219 - London Calling - The Clash

London Calling is the third studio album by the Clash. A packed double album, London Calling exhibits a broader range of musical styles than the Clash's previous records.

London Calling has since been considered by many critics to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time. In 2007, it was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame and in 2009, the album was profiled in the BBC Radio 1 Masterpieces series, denoting it as one of the most influential albums of all time.

Critic Reviews:

"This epic double album, from its iconic sleeve to its wildly eclectic mash-up of styles, is surely the quintessential rock album"

"This is an album that captures all the Clash's primal energy, combines it with a brilliant production job by Guy Stevens and reveals depths of invention and creativity barely suggested by the band's previous work"

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#218 - S&M - Metallica

S&M is a live album by American heavy metal band Metallica, with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Kamen.

According to James Hetfield, the idea to combine heavy metal with an epic classical approach was late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton's idea. His love of classical music, especially of Johann Sebastian Bach, can be found in many instrumental parts and melodic characteristics in Metallica's songwriting, including songs from Ride The Lightning and Master of Puppets.

Critic Reviews:

"Overall, the symphony adds a macabre, ghoulish atmosphere -- it all sounds like a Broadway freak show or a revved-up Danny Elfman nightmare. Which is exactly what a Metallica album should sound like."

"This wonderful album takes metal in general, and specifically Metallica to an entire new level."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#217 - Garbage - Garbage

Garbage is the debut studio album by American rock band Garbage.

The band is fronted by Shirley Manson who had been performing with the Bathgate-based rock band Goodbye Mr Mackenzie since 1984 and side project Angelfish in 1993. It was an MTV video for the latter that inspired musician, songwriter, and record producer Butch Vig to track her down and collaborate on his new project.

Critic Reviews:

"Garbage bridged two very different worlds in an era that often felt separated, drawing different audiences together under their unique banner. Their self-titled debut feels just as instrumental for post-grunge as it does for dance rock and trip-hop."

"Marrying razor sharp guitars with electronic loops and effects, and polishing them up with pop smarts."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#216 - Disintegration - The Cure

Disintegration is the eighth studio album by The Cure. The record marks a return to the introspective gothic rock style the band had established in the early 1980s.

As he neared the age of 30, vocalist and guitarist Robert Smith had felt an increased pressure to follow up on the band's pop successes with a more enduring work. This, coupled with a distaste for the group's newfound popularity, caused Smith to lapse back into the use of hallucinogenic drugs, the effects of which had a strong influence on the production of the album.

Critic Reviews:

"The album has a reputation as some huge, dark, crushingly depressive experience. It’s not entirely unearned. If you want to be crushingly depressed with Disintegration, or frustrated, or self-loathing, it’ll embrace you right back. But it’ll embrace other things, too."

"Nothing captures their windswept, glacial magnificence more perfectly than this 1989 masterpiece. It’s pretty much the album dry ice was invented for."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#215 - Songs for Swinging Lovers - Frank Sinatra

Songs for Swingin' Lovers! is the tenth album by American singer Frank Sinatra. It was the first album ever to top the UK Albums Chart.

In 2000, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and ranked number 306 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.

Critic Reviews:

"Songs for Swingin’ Lovers is an absolutely breathtaking album, one that pairs a singer at the height of his powers with an arranger who can meet him where he is, spar with him and eventually spur him on to something even greater."

"Songs for Swingin' Lovers! never loses momentum. The great songs keep coming and the performances are all stellar, resulting in one of Sinatra's true classics."

 

[joethehibby]

#215 - Songs for Swinging Lovers - Frank Sinatra

Songs for Swingin' Lovers! is the tenth album by American singer Frank Sinatra. It was the first album ever to top the UK Albums Chart.

In 2000, the album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame, and ranked number 306 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003.

Critic Reviews:

"Songs for Swingin’ Lovers is an absolutely breathtaking album, one that pairs a singer at the height of his powers with an arranger who can meet him where he is, spar with him and eventually spur him on to something even greater."

"Songs for Swingin' Lovers! never loses momentum. The great songs keep coming and the performances are all stellar, resulting in one of Sinatra's true classics."

Dont get the sinatra thing and not wanting to upset people but . there was a young busker laddie on kirkcaldy high street yesterday who sang better than FS 🤷‍♂️
But like I’ve been told it’s all about opinions so fair play .

 

[Braehead Cabbage]

#218 - S&M - Metallica

S&M is a live album by American heavy metal band Metallica, with the San Francisco Symphony conducted by Michael Kamen.

According to James Hetfield, the idea to combine heavy metal with an epic classical approach was late Metallica bassist Cliff Burton's idea. His love of classical music, especially of Johann Sebastian Bach, can be found in many instrumental parts and melodic characteristics in Metallica's songwriting, including songs from Ride The Lightning and Master of Puppets.

Critic Reviews:

"Overall, the symphony adds a macabre, ghoulish atmosphere -- it all sounds like a Broadway freak show or a revved-up Danny Elfman nightmare. Which is exactly what a Metallica album should sound like."

"This wonderful album takes metal in general, and specifically Metallica to an entire new level."

S&M 2 is a better album and the symphony works in and around the band in a more cohesive way.
Again it shows heavy metal is classical music with guitars

 

[Two Headed Boy]

S&M 2 is a better album and the symphony works in and around the band in a more cohesive way.
Again it shows heavy metal is classical music with guitars

Spoiler alert: You might be seeing that one later.

 

[Two Headed Boy]

Dont get the sinatra thing and not wanting to upset people but . there was a young busker laddie on kirkcaldy high street yesterday who sang better than FS 🤷‍♂️
But like I’ve been told it’s all about opinions so fair play .

I get the Sinatra thing. He's a crooner. Its the personality in his voice more than the power, he suits the music.

Mariah Carey is some chanter - she'd sound shite in a punk band.

 

[Peevemor]

Dont get the sinatra thing and not wanting to upset people but . there was a young busker laddie on kirkcaldy high street yesterday who sang better than FS 🤷‍♂️
But like I’ve been told it’s all about opinions so fair play .

The thing about Sinatra was that he made it sound easy. You get the impression that he doesn't have much of a range, but if you try to warble along with a couple of his songs most people will find that they struggle to hit all the notes.

Years ago I listened to a series of radio programmes which documented his career and at one point they highlighted the beginning of a song (I can't remember which - it'll probably come back to me) where he sang for something like 20 seconds in one breath. They played it again and invited listeners to try to sing along. It was totally impossible (and I have very good lung capacity).

I admit that I'm a fan, but I do think that his technical prowess doesn't always get the acknowledgement it deserves.

It should also be remembered that he recorded 1300 - 1400 songs in his career with a huge number of different bands/leaders, producers, writers, etc. - that's just mental.

 

[joethehibby]

The thing about Sinatra was that he made it sound easy. You get the impression that he doesn't have much of a range, but if you try to warble along with a couple of his songs most people will find that they struggle to hit all the notes.

Years ago I listened to a series of radio programmes which documented his career and at one point they highlighted the beginning of a song (I can't remember which - it'll probably come back to me) where he sang for something like 20 seconds in one breath. They played it again and invited listeners to try to sing along. It was totally impossible (and I have very good lung capacity).

I admit that I'm a fan, but I do think that his technical prowess doesn't always get the acknowledgement it deserves.

It should also be remembered that he recorded 1300 - 1400 songs in his career with a huge number of different bands/leaders, producers, writers, etc. - that's just mental.

I get it, an acquired taste 🤷‍♂️

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#215 - Double fantasy - John Lennon

Double Fantasy is the fifth album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Released in late 1980 it would be Lennon's final album prior to his tragic murder three weeks later.

Despite some initially negative reviews from critics, it became a worldwide commercial success and went on to win the 1981 Grammy Award for Album of the Year. In subsequent decades, the album has been viewed favourably, with Lennon's songs in particular garnering praise as some of his finest.

Critic Reviews:

"It sounds like a great life, but it makes for a lousy record... I wish Lennon had kept his big happy trap shut until he had something to say that was even vaguely relevant to those of us not married to Yoko Ono." (NME 1980)

"What is [most] perplexing is the manner in which the initial critical onslaught largely failed to account for Lennon's exquisitely crafted melodies in such tunes as "(Just Like) Starting Over," "I'm Losing You," "Watching the Wheels," and "Woman." These are class compositions in any era and by nearly any measure."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#214 - Greatest Hits - Mott The Hoople

Greatest Hits is a compilation album by English rock band Mott the Hoople.

Greatest Hits focuses more on the albums "Mott" and "The Hoople" (from 1973 and 1974, respectively) than All the Young Dudes — besides the anthemic title track.

Critic Reviews:

"Each of the band's U.K. hits is here... A petty little package this is, and no mistake."

"If it’s a brief and inexpensive introduction to the band that’s being sought, then this is by all means the place to start; but anyone interested in truly getting a feel for what Mott the Hoople was all about should skip immediately to their trilogy of classic Columbia LPs."

 

[Two Headed Boy]

#213 - Left and Right - Roland Kirk

Left & Right is an album by the jazz multi-instrumentalist Roland Kirk, released on the Atlantic label in 1968. Kirk was renowned for his onstage vitality, during which virtuoso improvisation was accompanied by comic banter, political ranting, and the ability to play several instruments simultaneously.

The band performing on this record is huge, 17 players plus a 16-piece string section, all of it arranged and conducted by Kirk.

Critic Reviews:

"The title of this album, Left and Right, no doubt refers to the sides of Rahsaan Roland Kirk's brain, which were both heavily taxed in the composing, arranging, conducting, and playing of this recording... This is an extreme for Rahsaan — extremely brilliant and thoroughly accessible"