Top 25 Albums of all Time (revisited)

Was talking to my hetero-lifemate Shane Logan (a regular on my idiothead.com podcast and a part of the MAYHEM book we're doing the KICKSTARTER FUND for!), and we discussed our evolving top favorite albums list. Shane and I are big into personal lists. At the end of each year we give each other our best and worsts of the year and have for almost decades. (Wow, typing that makes me feel old!) So anyway, today I got to thinking that I might want to switch some of my top 25 albums around a bit and see where I stand. What has left? What has entered? All of this is because of my recent obsession with the Brian Wilson album, SMiLE, and my recent RUSH kick. But it needed an update anyway. So here we go.

My own personal Top 25 albums of all time (and this is albums, not including songs or soundtracks, but full length, this is the BEST ALBUMS by my favorite band in my order of preference. And yes some bands have two entries. Cause they are that good. So deal with it.)

25- Nine Inch Nails - The Downward Spiral: Still great. Still gets me going to the places I need to go when I listen to that type of music. Hauntingly sad and wonderfully angry at times.

24- John Coltrane - Blue Train: My favorite Coltrane album and I listen to it a lot lately.

23- Miles Davis - Bitches Brew: the album that got me into Jazz in the first place! Another great one is Tribute to Jack Johnson. I love that one about equal with BB.

22- Scott Weiland - 12 Bar Blues: I don't know why I love this album so much. Its just not like anything else out there. Its a "kitchen sink" album and has all sorts of styles and influences in the music. It was made when he was in the height of his heroin addiction and recovery period. There's great stuff in there.

21- Rush - Power Windows: I love 80's sounds and this album is very 80s. Its not what people would normally put in their favorite Rush album list, but I quite like this album. Its sounds like Rocky 4. and its the best of the Rocky movies, yes?

20- Radiohead - Kid A: This one always is a great listen. I listened to this album almost daily for two years in a row while in college. So its a bit of nostalgia too, but mostly its how genius this album sounds. Complete experimentation and stretching. I love it.

19- Tom Waits - Mule Variations: The album that made me fall in love with Waits. Its got great tunes like "House where nobody lives" and "Cold water." Probably his best album in the last 14 years.

18- White Zombie - Astro Creep 2000: I always forget this album on a favorites list, but this album is indeed one of my favorites. It was the first concert I saw. It showed me what rock shows really are. And its a mix of horror elements with rock! I love this!!!

17- Dream Theater - Scenes from a Memory: Whoa! Shane will get mad at me for this one. Its slid all the way from my top 3 to #17? Well, admittedly its cause of the bad blood between the band right now and the fact that its got stale in my ears. Its still great though, and my favorite of the DT albums.

16- Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon: C'mon. You know this.

15- U2 - The Unforgettable Fire: Indeed, in a fight as my favorite U2 album of all time. Its just awesome and has one of my favorite songs of all time on it, "Bad."

14- Bob Dylan - Time out of Mind: Every track is gold. No wonder it won Grammies.

13- Brian Wilson - SMiLE: A recent discovery and its excellent! I only wish it were released back in the 60's like it was originally supposed to. Perhaps its the history that gets me, but its the great harmonies and the fact that you never know where its going the next minute you hear a part. Its unusual and lovely.

12- Spocks Beard - Snow: Another one that slid down from my top 5 to here. Its still a great double album and great songs on it.

11- Transatlantic - The Whirlwind: While there are other Transatlantic songs I love more than these, this is the best ALBUM by them I say. Perhaps also its cause I saw this tour live. I'm byist then!

Okay, my personal TOP TEN ALBUMS!!!

10- XTC - Skylarking: By far the best and most ignored album of the 80s. I love everything about every note and harmony on this record.

9- 2112 - Rush: If only for the first track alone. If thats not enough they do a song after that about drugs and then a tribute to the Twilight Zone! This is when Rush was the best at what they did in the 70's prog era! And the title track is about something I can relate to. The bands reaction of a fight for their creative freedom. Love it.

8- Stone Temple Pilots - Core: Saw them twice live. Listened to this album about 200 times. It never gets old.

7- Tom Waits - Small Change: Every track is just absolutely the best of Waits. Hon. Mention is "Nighthawks at the Diner." I love them both equally.

6- Type O Negative - Bloody Kisses: I love all the Type O albums but this is the one that started it all for me. Perfection.

5- Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies: An album that has been in my top 10 forever and will never leave.

4- Nirvana - In Utero: This is the album that made me want to play music. I absolutely love the drum mix on this album. So boxy and loud all at once. Its angry and harmonious and weird all at once. Love it.

3- The Beatles - Abbey Road: Nuff said.

2- U2 - The Joshua Tree: Every track is pure heaven. A loving tribute to American music with soul.

(drum roll)

1-Pink Floyd - The Wall: Will NEVER be defeated as my #1 all time favorite album. Its perfect. Flawless.

thanks for reading. HIT ME UP with your own personal choices of favorite albums. Maybe I'll go check them out too!

Cheers, T