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Saint Etienne Tiger
Bay
Ever since its release in 1994, this has continued to remain my favourite
album of all time. Featuring a change of style from their two previous
studio albums, Tiger Bay has a cinematic sound quality to it that is unsurpassable from the beginning to
the end. There are songs containing lush orchestrations and dance grooves
which then give
way to songs sung by Sarah Cracknell's beautifully harmonic vocals. |
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2 |
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Idha Troublemaker
Whilst Idha's
Melody Inn album is personally a very emotionally important album to me, it
is her 1997 follow-up, Troublemaker which remains my most listened to
album of hers. Idha, in my view one of the most under-rated
singer/songwriters ever, sings with such purity and emotion that each song is
just a pleasure to listen to. |
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3 |
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Belinda Carlisle Live Your Life Be Free
A pop album in the
top 3? Belinda's 1991 masterpiece is here on pure merit - this is quite
honestly the most musically diverse album that she's ever recorded.
Belinda, personally one of my all time important female artists sings her heart out on here, with
love songs to drool over, rock songs to release inner tensions on and 60's &
70's influenced pop to really shake your ass out to.
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4 |
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The Breeders Last Splash
This is arguably
one of the most influential albums I have ever heard in my life. This
album (and also Lush - see #9) was instrumental in giving me the motivation
and will power to learn how to play the bass guitar. This album is
just the greatest. Listen to it from beginning to end, and just fall
in love with its unmitigated music power. This is an indie album at its very
very best. |
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5 |
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The Sundays Reading, Writing And Arithmetic
Of all the female
vocalists I have ever had the pleasure in listening to, The Sundays' Harriet
Wheeler has probably the most haunting and emotional sounding voices of anyone
imaginable.
The song writing partnership of Harriet and guitarist David Gavurin make one
of the most heart-wrenching albums that has ever been produced - whilst at
the same time this is unquestionably beautiful to listen to. |
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6 |
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Trembling Blue Stars Broken By Whispers
The Trembling Blue
Stars are one of the very few male vocal dominated bands that I avidly
admire and am in awe of. Begun by singer Bobby Wratten from the ashes
of The Field Mice (see #10), and gaining former members of the that great
band along the way, the Trembling Blue Stars write the most perfect
melancholic songs anyone could ever lay their ears on. |
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7 |
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Dubstar Disgraceful
Despite the
controversy about the album cover at the time of its release - this album
has a very special space in my heart to me. Produced with the unwavering vocals of
Sarah Blackwood, the album appears to sound so sweet and innocent to start
with, but underneath Disgraceful's exterior lie the most amazing songs
you'll ever hear of love and rejection. Sarah has since become one
half of the great electro band, Client. |
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8 |
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Mercury Rev Deserter's Songs
There's just
something I love about this album I can't really describe. Best heard
in its entirety, it's the mixture of haunting vocals and instrumentals with
the beauty of the up tempo commercial songs that ensure that Deserter's
Songs has remained a favourite of mine since this album's release. |
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9 |
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Lush Spooky
Absolutely adored
by me, thanks to the indie classic indie For Love, this early 1992 landmark
still haunts me every time I listen to this even now. Although their
latter albums (especially Split) were much better lyrically and musically,
it is this album I have to thank (along with The Breeders - see #4) for
getting me into playing the bass guitar, and for giving me so much pleasure every time I listen to
this. |
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10 |
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The Field Mice Coastal
Confession time:
this is the only album on this list that I don't actually own on CD, but
only because it's so damn hard to find! However, the old copy of it I
have is just one of the most sublime collection of songs about love gained
and lost that could be listened to. Whilst in a similar vein to the
Trembling Blue Stars (see #6), this has a more lo-fi sound to it which adds
to its charm. |
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11 |
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Liz Phair whitechocolatespaceegg
I am reasonably
new to the world of Liz Phair (although I knew of her back in the early
1990's), and of Liz's albums, this is my favourite of hers. These
songs, of which the lyrics sound as though they were written from a very
personal perspective, combine with some of the most amazing songwriting ever heard. |
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12 |
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Juliana Hatfield Beautiful Creature
Whilst Juliana
might appear to be superficially similar to Liz Phair in terms of the music territory they
occupy, Juliana has always remained much more reflective and controlled in
what she writes and sings. Beautiful Creature sounds as though this was a very personal album
to make by Juliana, and it shows up on repeated listens. |
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13 |
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Suzanne Vega 99.9F°
I got into Suzanne
Vega quite late on, in 1992 when this album was released. Although quite
noisy in comparison to Suzanne's other albums, it's the sheer lyrical and
industrialised sound of this CD that I find so enchanting. Most of my
favourite Suzanne Vega songs are from different albums, but 99.9F°
can be listened to from start to finish over and over again without me ever
getting tired of it. |
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14 |
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Emiliana Torrini Love In The Time Of Science
How much do I love this album? Loads! It's a total mixture of
chill out grooves, soft dance tracks, and songs featuring soaring vocals
that take over the sky. I guess it is kind of genre defying, but in
a really great way. I think it wins on me because it can be listened
to in any mood and at any time of the year, and you will always find
yourself listening to some of the inspired lyrics written to complement
this. |
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15 |
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Auf der Maur Auf der Maur
This is my favourite rock album ever, which considering it was only
released in 2004 is an impressive feat for me here. Maybe in time I
will re-evaluate this great album, but this slice of rock perfection still
excites me every time I listen to it. |
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16 |
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Voice Of The Beehive Honey Lingers
For sheer guitar driven pop, this album just can not be bettered.
This 1991 classic remains great for it's unremitting optimism towards the
pursuit of love whilst at the same time constantly remaining upbeat.
It's impossible to listen to Honey Lingers without a growing feeling of happiness.
This is an album to listen to in order to cheer yourself up on a cold
winters day. |
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17 |
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Garbage Garbage
Ever since I heard Vow being played on the radio way back in 1995, this
self titled masterpiece still sounds great now as it did then. Best
played at high volume, the varying song and vocal styles of Shirley Manson
throughout this album ensures that this will still sound fresh in years to
come. |
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18 |
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Loreena McKennitt The Book Of Secrets
I only bought this album on a whim, but it did turn out to be a
masterstroke. This is an inspired album where folk music gets
influenced and merged with sounds recorded from around the world. You can
imagine yourself in the places Loreena is singing about, almost from the
song titles alone. This is an album that really sounds great with the lights
dimmed right down. |
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19 |
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Fiona Apple When The Pawn
Like a vortex, When The Pawn, Fiona Apple's great music triumph sweeps you
round and round in circles of musical and lyrical wonder. This album
is always a pleasure to listen to whilst at the same time sounding
beautifully sad. |
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20 |
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Jo Dee Messina Burn
I'm not an avid follower of country music, but I have my vices. Jo
Dee's Burn album just so captured my spirit when this was released.
Combining a mixture of up tempo songs with ballads, this album sounds so
great because it's so good at what it does. |
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21 |
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Stereolab Space Age Batchelor Pad Music
This is my all time favourite chill out album! More of a mini album really (it
clocks up at just under half an hour), this is an album of pure bliss.
With Its classic Stereolab sound, Space Age Batchelor Pad Music is utterly
sublime for Laetitia Sadier's beautiful dream like vocals singing in
perfect harmony with the band's wonderful hypnotic guitar and analogue
keyboard work. |
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22 |
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Transvision Vamp Velveteen
Whilst I am kind of embarrassed to have this album in here, I love this
album now for the same reason I loved it when I first heard it.
Essentially a late 1980's rock & roll band fronted by the forthright Wendy
James, Transvision Vamp made this classic album which I will still turn up
very loudly whenever I play this today. |
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23 |
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Dot Allison Afterglow
Dot, a one time member of the very much underrated band, One Dove,
returned back to the music scene after a very serious accident to release
this totally unbeatable masterpiece, which is a sheer beauty from beginning
to end. With a music style that crosses subtle dance rhythms with
trance, and even with a hint of 70's soul thrown in, Dot's voice just adds
to this wonderful mixture. An all time classic. |
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24 |
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The KLF The White Room
This is a dance album with a difference. It's full of (sometimes
bizarre) samples and ideas, but it's all put together in such a way which
ensures that it's a timeless pop/dance crossover landmark. With
songs ranging from full on memorable dancefloor classics, to more laid
back steel guitar country acoustic sounds, The White Room was, and still is an
important album. |
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25 |
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Mulu Smiles Like A Shark
To give an accurate description of what this classic sounds like is
actually quite difficult, I think. Full of lush vocals and sounds,
this indie/dance crossover album is very 'visual'. You can sit back
and totally relax listening to this, while you can let your imagination
run wild. This album was an instant favourite of mine on its release
back in 1997, and it's still lost none of its charm. |