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The Sundays |
Reading, Writing And Arithmetics |
1990 |
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Nearly everyone bought this one back then but nowadays
hardly anyone still cares about it. Which is a shame because this impressionistic sound painting is
still a joy to listen to.
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Spiritualized |
Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space |
1997 Review |
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Taking in influences from genres as diverse as psychadelica, gospel, jazz and soul this is rock
music at its most ambitious. "Play once, twice daily" the instruction said. Of course we overdosed.
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Dinosaur Jr |
You're Living All Over Me |
1987 |
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This can be seen as the missing link between the hardcore music of the early 80s and the grunge
explosion of the 90s. Slackers they might have been but more of the noisier variety.
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The dreariness of the musical landscape in
the early seventies made one wonder why they bothered inventing
Rock'n'Roll in the first place. But just listen to the opening
chords of "September Gurls" and be reassured that there was still
hope. |
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Morrissey |
Vauxhall And I |
1994 Review |
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If this would have had a "last great Morrissey album until 2004" sticker on
it we surely would have appreciated it more. For some Elvis is the greatest. For some it's
Dylan. But they're all wrong. |
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The Breeders |
Last Splash |
1993 |
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This was a bit overshadowed by the preceding Pixies split and the almighty "Cannonball"
single. But if you give this a try it can be a joy from start to finish.
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Orange Juice |
You Can't Hide Your Love Forever |
1982 |
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Descriptions of this band usually contain adjectives like influential,
ground-reaking or seminal. And if they don't, they certainly are incomplete.
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Simon & Garfunkel |
Sounds Of Silence |
1966 |
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Their later releases had better singular songs (Mrs. Robinson, The Boxer) but this one works
better as a whole. And it sees Paul Simon peaking as a songwriter on the forever magnificent
"Katy's Song".
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Phillip Boa & The Voodoclub |
Philister |
1985 |
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Germany's best indie guitar band. Not that there is much of a competition. This
album was maligned by the band because they allegedly were "still in training"
back then but in fact they never bettered it. Includes excessive tribal drumming.
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The best of his electronic based Berlin trilogy. It's the instrumental half that astonishes. Brian Eno's
contribution probably being greater than Bowie would admit.
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Beirut |
Gulag Orkestar |
2006 |
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The trumpet as a lead instrument is hopelessly underappreciated in pop music. So thank God
for Zach Condon and his dreamed up European journey.
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Red House Painters |
Red House Painters |
1993 Review |
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While some of the long songs on this 70min long double album might be a bit exhausting to listen
to, the rest surely is as intense as possible. And all this wrapped up in one of the best artworks ever.
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The Shins |
Chutes Too Narrow |
2003 |
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The Shins started the C86 revival in the US that later brought us Pains Of Being ..., The Drums etc...
Kurt Cobain surely would have loved their mixture of oddness and song-writing expertise.
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British Sea Power |
Open Season |
2005 |
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Maybe a bit too polished and smooth in some parts but such sparkling and
melody-soaked guitar lines certainly have not been heard since the Roses mighty debut.
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The Human League |
Dare |
1981 |
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Electronic music in the 90s may have had the newest technology at hand but that couldn't
compensate the lack of inspiration. So this 80s artefact is still the unsurpassed king of synthetic pop.
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Aztec Camera |
High Land, Hard Rain |
1983 |
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It's a bit of tragedy if you reach your artistic peak as early as Roddy Frame who was only
19 when he put together this magical set of songs. Cause afterwards, of course,
the only way was down for him.
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Not as focused and intense as most of their other work, this was R.E.M. at their most lush,
dreamy and wordless. Of course the album was a bit overshadowed by "Losing My Religion",
one of the most significant songs of the 90s.
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Radiohead |
OK Computer |
1997 Review |
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Sandwiched between their grunge mediocrity and their electronic indulgence phases they released
this, a historic moment for guitar music in the 90s and beyond.
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Echo & The Bunnymen |
Crocodiles |
1980 |
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A guitar centric album although the singer does his best to compete. Due to the short songs and
the spikey riffs it has an urgency that their subsequent albums lacked.
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As the title suggests a set of Christmas songs, some self-penned, some traditional.
Anyone who owns this record will long for the first cold and snowy days, so he has a reason to
listen to it again.
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