Collaborative playlist for the AMF top 1000 albums

[Honorio]

725. Brian Wilson – SMiLE
- Wonderful
- Heroes and Villains

713. Lou Reed & John Cale – Songs for Drella
- Hello It's Me
- Work

710. Destroyer – Kaputt
- Suicide Demo for Kara Walker
- Kaputt

[Krurze]

My picks for Welcome To Sky Valley: Gardenia & Whitewater

I just realized that the "hidden" bonus track Lick Doo appears two times on the Spotify version of the album: It appears at the end of Whitewater and then again as a standalone track after that. I'd prefer if it didn't appear on Whitewater as it isn't really all that funny and might draw new listeners away from the band

[FrankLotion]

Brian Wilson - Smile: His voice can't quite hit the notes that he wrote for these songs decades earlier (see Good Vibrations), but you can really feel the "smile" coming through his performance. After four rough decades, I can't think of a more triumphant statement than this, Brian brings his hard-won experience and he sounds even more sincere and excited in these recordings than I think he was capable of at age 24. With the context of Brian Wilson's tumultuous life informing his new recordings of Heroes and Villains and Surf's Up, they really do hit harder coming from a man coming out on the other side and still infusing so much passion in his work.

Richard & Linda Thompson - Shoot Out the Lights: Both bleak and life-affirming, this album always leaves an impact on me when I listen to it. Shoot Out the Lights and Wall of Death are the best of the bunch.

Buzzcocks - Another Music in a Different Kitchen: The energy here is just so infectious! Songs like Fast Cars and Love Battery never let up and also do a good job showing off John Maher's fantastic drumming.

The National - Alligator: I'm not quite on the level of appreciation that others have for Alligator but some of the best songs of their career show up here. Secret Meeting is a showcase for The National's talent for intricate arrangements with few instruments as well as the anxiety that permeates so many of the relationship dramas throughout their discography. My other vote goes to Abel if for nothing else than to hear a rare case of Berninger going loud and a little unhinged.

Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine: It's amazing that music this self-serious doesn't sound contrived, Head Like a Hole and Terrible Lie sound legitimately angry and dangerous but also very catchy.

Janet Jackson - Rhythm Nation 1814: Dance music of the highest order, and Jackson's focus on social commentary only enhances the urgency and excitement. Rhythm Nation is absolutely essential but I'll also vouch for Someday is Tonight which serves as a good introduction to the styles of her next album as well.

Dirty Projectors - Bitte Orca: I came to this album a few years after everyone was raving about it, which is a shame because this holds up better than it reasonably should with all the twee indie eccentricities. It's a lean nine songs and there are memorable melodies and lyrics in all of them, I could pick a large chunk of this album that could fit well on the playlist but Cannibal Resource and Stillness is the Move are legitimately unique and also very easy to enjoy.

Randy Newman - Sail Away: Randy Newman's songs are already wordy enough so I'll keep this brief, this is his best in a long career of great records. Sail Away and Political Science are the cream of that crop.

Roxy Music - Avalon: I won't diverge from the critics on this one, More Than This is one of my favorite songs period and Avalon could be the smooth theme music for paradise.

Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds - Tender Prey: The Mercy Seat and Mercy are both intense even by Nick Cave standards and are unsurprisingly exciting as a result.

Gene Clark - No Other: This was another album that I only learned about from our MAA tournament! It's a bit messy at times but also often meticulous and gorgeous, I see no reason not to put this in the same rarified air as his discography with the Byrds. The songs I listen to most are Life's Greatest Fool and the title track, No Other.

[votingbloc]

703. The Decemberists – Picaresque
Eli, the Barrow Boy
16 Military Wives

701. Blink-182 - Enema of the State
What's My Age Again?
Adam's Song

[Rob]

The daily updates are updated!

I just realized that the "hidden" bonus track Lick Doo appears two times on the Spotify version of the album: It appears at the end of Whitewater and then again as a standalone track after that. I'd prefer if it didn't appear on Whitewater as it isn't really all that funny and might draw new listeners away from the band

The song doesn't qualify for the playlist yet, but to be sure, but this isn't directed at me is it? I can't do anything about how a song is presented on Spotify at least. I guess you mean this as a warning for those who try the song out?

[Rob]

For today I present to you the playlist for your Christmas holidays! At least, there are two Christmas albums on here. Whether Van Halen' self-titled is one of those two I leave up to you to find out. Merry Christmas everyone!

700. David Bowie – Young Americans
Young Americans (2)
Fame (2)
Win (1)
Somebody Up There Likes Me (1)

699. Magazine – Real Life
Definitive Gaze (2)
Shot by Both Sides (1)
The Light Pours Out of Me (1)

698. Paul McCartney – Ram
Ram On (1)
Back Seat of My Car (1)

697. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
Daddy Fat Sax (2)
Shutterbug (1)
Turns Me On (1)
The Train Pt. 2 (1)
Back-Up Plan (1)

696. Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Let Love In
Red Right Hand (1)
Do You Love Me? (1)

695. Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session
Sweet Jane (2)
Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis) (2)
Misguided Angel (2)
Dreaming My Dreams With You (1)

694. Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle
Devil’s Resting Place (2)
I Was an Eagle (2)
Master Hunter (1)
Breathe (1)

693. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
bad guy (2)
bury a friend (1)
when the party’s over (1)
wish you were gay (1)
all the good girls go to hell (1)

692. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication
Sabotage (2)
Sure Shot (1)
Get It Together (1)

691. Aerosmith – Rocks
Back in the Saddle (1)
Get the Lead Out (1)

690. Haim – Days Are Gone
The Wire (2)
Falling (1)
Forever (1)
If I Could Change Your Mind (1)
Don’t Save Me (1)

689. Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
Tower of Song (1)
Take This Waltz (1)

688. Run-D.M.C. – Raising Hell
It’s Tricky (1)
My Adidas (1)

687. Van Halen – Van Halen
Runnin’ with the Devil (1)
Eruption (1)

686. The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go
Where Did Our Love Go (2)
Baby Love (2)

685. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas
Christmas Time Is Here (2)
My Little Drum (1)
Skating (1)

684. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
When Love Breaks Down (3)
Goodbye Lucille #1 (Johnny Johnny) (3)
Faron Young (1)
Appetite (1)

683. Bob Dylan – “Love and Theft”
Mississippi (3)
Po’ Boy (1)
High Water (For Charley Patton) (1)
Lonesome Day Blues (1)

682. Various Artists - A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) (2)
White Christmas (1)
Frosty the Snowman (1)

681. The La’s – The La’s
There She Goes (1)
Way Out (1)

680. Annie – Anniemal
Heartbeat (3)
Chewing Gum (1)
Greatest Hit (1)
Come Together (1)

679. Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill
Pretty (Ugly Before) (2)
Twilight (2)
King’s Crossing (2)
A Fond Farewell (1)
Coast to Coast (1)

678. Philip Glass – Glassworks
Glassworks: I. Opening (1)
Glassworks: VI. Closing (1)
Glassworks: II. Floe (1)
Glassworks: IV. Rubric (1)

677. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Heads Will Roll (2)
Zero (1)
Dull Life (1)

676. The Allman Brothers Band – At Fillmore East
Whipping Post (2)
In Memory of Elizabeth Reed (2)

[Honorio]

686. The Supremes – Where Did Our Love Go
- Baby Love
- Where Did Our Love Go

684. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
- Goodbye Lucille #1 (Johnny Johnny)
- Faron Young

[Rob]

695. Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session
Blue Moon Revisited (Song for Elvis)
Misguided Angel

Luckily I added the rule yesterday that international versions count, because Blue Moon Revisited is always part of this album, expect in the original release in it's home country of Canada. To me it is the best piece here. Like the title says it revisits Blue Moon as done by Elvis, both turning it into something new, while also finding room to cover the original. Considering that the whole sound of this album seems to be in the style of Elvis' take on Blue Moon it is only fitting. Odd fact: I never liked Elvis' Blue Moon, but I love this album and that song. Misguided Angel to me is the best of the original compositions.

694. Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle
Breathe
Devil’s Resting Place

The best thing about Once I Was an Eagle in my opinion is the opening suite of four songs, culminating in Breathe, on which Marling showcases her best vocals every, showing her subtlety, versatility and sense of melody in just her voice. It is way too small and subtle to ever become a hit (there is a reason Master Hunter is usually picked as the album highlight), but pardon my pun if I say this song leaves me breathless. Devil's Resting Place is the best for me outside of that four-song suite.

685. Vince Guaraldi Trio – A Charlie Brown Christmas
My Little Drum
Christmas Time Is Here - Vocals

I suspect most people will flock to the more openly jazzy tracks, including of course Linus & Lucy, but for me the magic of this album lies in the vocal tracks, especially the ones that reinvent classic Christmas songs. The children's voices should be an annoying cliché, but somehow they transform these songs into something else, something ethereal. It makes you wonder why more Christmas songs don't aim for the transcendental. It takes a Peanuts' soundtrack of all things to realize this idea.

683. Bob Dylan – “Love and Theft”
Mississippi
High Water (For Charley Patton)

This album is all hits, but still the choice is easy. Mississippi is a collection of memorable lines, while High Water is blues rock at it's most creaky and fun.

[Rob]

I guess this will be a returning feature on Sunday, all the albums that didn't get any fan votes yet. Last week at least a couple of people added a few votes. I hope at least one vote per album at the end of the project. Today we do the first 200. Any takers?

999. Phil Collins – No Jacket Required
992. Daryl Hall & Johnny Oats – Private Eyes
985. X – Wild Gift
974. American Football – American Football
956. Cat Power – Moon Pix
949. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Ragged Glory
937. The Sonics – Here Are the Sonics!!
927. The Weeknd – Beauty Behind the Madness
921. The Velvet Underground – VU
917. George Michael – Listen Without Prejudice, Vol. 1
913. Aaliyah – Aaliyah
904. Alvvays – Antisocialites
888. Spiritualized – Lazer-Guided Melodies
878. Snoop Dogg – Doggystyle
872. Fountains of Wayne – Welcome Interstate Managers
867. Whitney Houston – Whitney Houston
865. Al Green – I’m Still in Love With You
861. Tina Turner – Private Dancer
851. Kylie Minogue – Fever
837. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
830. Sinéad O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
828. Steely Dan – Countdown to Ecstasy
823. dEUS – In a Bar, Under the Sea
811. Drake – Take Care

Looking at the above list I feel that especially the poptimists are missing!

[Krurze]

The song doesn't qualify for the playlist yet, but to be sure, but this isn't directed at me is it? I can't do anything about how a song is presented on Spotify at least. I guess you mean this as a warning for those who try the song out?

Sorry Rob, it's all good just a little rambling that wasn't really directed at anyone. I know the probability of the song appearing on the playlist isn't even that high, but if it were it would just be a bit irritating that there was a little profane sing-along at the end of this stoner monolith.

My picks for Young Americans: Win & Somebody up There Likes Me

Hard to argue against Young Americans, but I guess most people are already familiar with it

[Schüttelbirne]

676. The Allman Brothers Band | At Fillmore East: "Whipping Post" and "In Memory of Elizabeth Reed". Together those two are longer than some albums, but the length is part of the appeal.

[Bang Jan]

699. Magazine – Real Life

Definitive Gaze
The Light Pours Out of Me

684. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen

Goodbye Lucille #1
When Love Breaks Down

[Nassim]

Going further down my album list for 2 that didn't get any vote yet :

837. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time
Confession time : I don't like Inspector Norse that much, Delorean Dynamite and Strandbar are just much better variation of the same style. I have to pick Johnny and Mary even if it doesn't reflect who the rest of the album sounds like.

830. Sinéad O’Connor – I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got
Nothing Compares 2 U (obviously) - I Am Stretched On Your Grave (could have easily gone with Feel So Different, but I Am Stretched is more different to Nothing Compares)

697. Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot: The Son of Chico Dusty
That is packed with hits, but as much as I love the 2 singles (Shine Blockas especially is fantastic), I'll go with Turns Me On and the most Big Boiest song of all Back-Up Plan

692. Beastie Boys – Ill Communication : Flute Loop and Alright Hear This are 2 of my favorite Beastie "deep tracks", but you don't mess with the classics : Sure Shot gets my vote and the AM League would not forgive me for not voting for Sabotage too

679. Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill
I only rank it 6th out of 7 Elliott Smith albums, but it still holds some gems, especially 2 of my favorite Elliott songs at the opposite side of the feelings spectrum : Pretty (Ugly Before) is one of his most hopeful while Twilight holds some deep sadness.

677. Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!
Dull Life - Heads Will Roll

[DaveC]

Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds – Let Love In: Red Right Hand; Do You Love Me? Not going to argue with these two.
Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Session: Misguided Angel.
Philip Glass – Glassworks: Glassworks: I. Opening; Glassworks: II. Floe. Opening and Closing taken together don't really represent the work.
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – It’s Blitz!: Zero; Heads Will Roll.

[prosecutorgodot]

693. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
Wish you were gay
All the good girls go to hell

690. Haim – Days Are Gone
If I Could Change Your Mind
Don't Save Me

[votingbloc]

690. Haim – Days Are Gone
The Wire
Forever

[andyd1010]

700. David Bowie – Young Americans
Young Americans
Fame

693. Billie Eilish - When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?
bad guy
bury a friend

689. Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man
Take This Waltz
Tower of Song

684. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQueen
Goodbye Lucille #1
When Love Breaks Down (O)

682. Various Artists - A Christmas Gift for You from Philles Records
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
White Christmas

679. Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill
Pretty (Ugly Before)
King's Crossing

[Jackson]

699. Magazine – Real Life
Definitive Gaze
Shot by Both Sides

694. Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle
Master Hunter
I Was an Eagle

680. Annie – Anniemal
Heartbeat
Chewing Gum

679. Elliott Smith – From a Basement on the Hill
King's Crossing
A Fond Farewell

678. Philip Glass – Glassworks
Closing
Rubric

[mileswide]

Modern Life Is Rubbish: Advert & Colin Zeal

Another Music in a Different Kitchen: Love Battery & What Do I Get? if the expanded version's allowed, I Don't Mind if not.

Songs for Drella: Hello It's Me & It Wasn't Me

No Other: No Other & Some Misunderstanding

Portishead: Cowboys & Over

Steve McQueen: no argument with the critics' choices, the immaculately wounded Appetite edges it over When Love Breaks Down for me though.

[Rob]

The daily updates are done and the Sun shines brightly again (although it night here).

Going further down my album list for 2 that didn't get any vote yet :

837. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time

To be honest, I was surprised you didn't take this one immediately. For some reason I have you pegged as our resident Todd Terje fan.

Another Music in a Different Kitchen: Love Battery & What Do I Get? if the expanded version's allowed, I Don't Mind if not.

The rules established two days ago state that alternate versions are only allowed if they come out within five year of the first release and songs marked as bonus tracks are always out. This leaves your pick with two strikes out. What Do I Get? A big restraining order, that's what!

Hello It's Me & It Wasn't Me

Are you or aren't you?

[Rob]

675. Pearl Jam – Vitalogy
Better Man (1)
Last Exit (1)

674. Death Grips – The Money Store
Hacker (2)
I’ve Seen Footage (1)
Get Got (1)

673. Pearl Jam – Vs.
Daughter (2)
Elderly Woman Behind the Counter (1)
Dissident (1)

672. Justin Timberlake – FutereSex/LoveSounds
LoveStoned/I Think She Knows (1)
What Goes Around.../...Comes Around (1)

671. The The – Soul Mining
This is the Day (4)
Uncertain Smile (2)
I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (For All of My Life) (2)

670. The xx – I See You
On Hold (3)
I Dare You (2)
Say Something Loving (1)
Dangerous (1)
Replica (1)
A Violent Noise (1)
Test You (1)

669. FKA Twigs – LP1
Two Weeks (3)
Pendulum (3)
Lights On (1)
Video Girl (1)

668. R.E.M. – New Adventures in Hi-Fi
E-Bow the Letter (1)
Electrolite (1)

667. Yes – The Yes Album
Yours Is No Disgrace (1)
I’ve Seen All Good People/ Your Move (O)

666. The Beatles – Please Please Me
I Saw Her Standing There (3)
Twist and Shout (3)

665. Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1)
Right in Time (1)
I Lost It (1)
Jackson (1)
2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten (1)

664. Idles – Joy As an Act of Resistance
Danny Nedelko (1)
Colossus (1)
Great (1)
Television (1)

663. David Bowie – Diamond Dogs
Rebel Rebel (3)
Sweet Thing (2)
Rock ‘n Roll with Me (1)

662. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me
Real Death (2)
Ravens (1)
Toothbrush (1)

661. Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works Volume II
#20 (1)
#17 (1)
#12 (1)

660. Lou Reed – New York
Dirty Blvd. (4)
Romeo Had Juliette (2)
The Last Great American Whale (1)
Strawman (1)

659. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Ghosteen
Spinning Song (1)
Waiting for You (1)
Ghosteen Speaks (1)
Leviathan (1)

658. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Midnight City (1)
Raconte-moi une histoire (1)
Outro (1)

657. System of a Down – Toxicity
Aerials (1)
Toxicity (1)
Forest (1)
Psycho (1)

656. Jamie xx – In Colour
Loud Places (2)
Obvs (2)
I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times) (1)
Gosh (1)
Strangers in a Room (1)
SeeSaw (1)

655. Guided by Voices – Bee Thousand
I am a Scientist (1)
Echos Myron (1)

654. Dexys Midnight Runners – Searching for the Young Soul Rebels
Geno (2)
There, There, My Dear (2)

653. Belle and Sebastian – Tigermilk
Expectations (2)
The State I Am In (1)
Electronic Renaissance (1)

652. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
Destroyed by Hippie Powers (2)
Fill in the Blank (1)
Vincent (1)

651. Nina Simone – Little Girl Blue
My Baby Just Cares for Me (2)
Love Me or Leave Me (1)
Plain Gold Ring (1)

[Rob]

My daily picks:

669. FKA Twigs – LP1
Two Weeks
Pendulum

A strangely sexy song and a great experiment in electronics that has grown on me since I wrote about it back when I did the 10,000 Song series.

662. Mount Eerie – A Crow Looked at Me
Real Death
Ravens

Two of the most heart-breaking songs in their most unfiltered forms.

For those who care (nobody probably), I have also already added Acroamor's votes in the scores above. This means I'm finally done with his votes that he posted on the very first page.

[Bang Jan]

655. Guided by Voices – Bee Thousand
I am a Scientist
Echos Myron (Although many tracks could go in this spot)

[Schüttelbirne]

659. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds | Ghosteen: Waiting for You and Ghosteen Speaks

[Nassim]

Going further down my album list for 2 that didn't get any vote yet :

837. Todd Terje – It’s Album Time

To be honest, I was surprised you didn't take this one immediately. For some reason I have you pegged as our resident Todd Terje fan.

I wouldn't call myself that, it sits pretty low on my list and I'm pretty sure Delorean Dynamite is his only song in my top 1000 !
I am, however, the resident Car Seat Headrest fan :

652. Car Seat Headrest – Teens of Denial
Twin Fantasy would have been an easy one as it has possibly his 2 best songs, head and shoulders above the rest of the album. Teens of Denial, my favorite album to appear so far in this playlist and pretty much a tie for my favorite albums of the 2010s, has 7 songs I'd give a 9 or 10 so that's a much harder pick. Vincent is musically and lyrically still the best of the album though. Fill in the Blank and Unforgiving Girl, while possibly the catchiest ones at first glance, are possibly the weakeast of the 7 ; Not What I Needed is out for not having its best version on Spotify (damn you Ric Ocasek !!!). I'll give Drugs With Friends
the 4th place which leaves us with the very hard choice of Destroyed by Hippie Powers vs Drunks Drivers/Killers Whales and it could go either way... but tell my father I'm going home, I have been Destroyed by Hippie Powers.

657. System of a Down – Toxicity
Fingers crossed, we won't end up with Chop Suey! in the playlist (not the worst song on the album but went too far in the meme territory by now). 20 year old me probably would not forgive me for not going for Needles or Deer Dance and I remember the very short period of time when Bounce was a staple during parties, but there is no way I would leave out the rhythm changes of Forest and I'm convinced that the most enduring and anthemic System of a Down is still Toxicity.

656. Jamie xx – In Colour
I never got the acclaim of I Know There's Gonna Be (Good TImes) which is for me the low point of the album. The high point is without hesitation Loud Places, the slow club spin on the XX. An instrumental should be the other pick, I'll take Obvs over Girl and Gosh but any of those 3 would be a great pick.

672. Justin Timberlake – FutereSex/LoveSounds
Tracks 4, 5 and 6 make possibly the best 20 minutes of pop of the 2000s and as awesome as My Love is, the 2 tracks that follow it are even better : both LoveStoned/I Think She Knows and What Goes Around.../...Comes Around have peak Timbaland moments and somehow succeed in morphing to a cool interlude that manage to enhance the first part of the song.

[Honorio]

671. The The – Soul Mining
- Uncertain Smile
- This Is the Day

660. Lou Reed – New York
- Dirty Blvd.
- Romeo Had Juliette

651. Nina Simone – Little Girl Blue
- My Baby Just Cares for Me
- Love Me or Leave Me

and the AM League would not forgive me for not voting for Sabotage too

Of course! "Sabotage" is not a Beastie Boys song anymore, now it's a Nassim song!

[votingbloc]

670. The xx – I See You
On Hold
Dangerous

653. Belle and Sebastian – Tigermilk
Expectations
Electronic Renaissance

[DaveC]

Yes – The Yes Album: Your's is no Disgrace
Nina Simone – Little Girl Blue: My Baby Just Cares for Me; Plain Gold Ring.

[prosecutorgodot]

674. Death Grip – The Money Store
I’ve Seen Footage
Hacker

[FrankLotion]

Paul and Linda McCartney – Ram: Of all the albums on my list, this was the newest addition. I heard it for the first time a few months ago but I was very impressed by how much this stood out from The Beatles and most of his own solo catalog. Ram On and The Back Seat of My Car in particular sound like indie-pop gold.

Big Boi – Sir Lucious Left Foot...The Son of Chico Dusty: Big Boi is unfortunately destined to be overshadowed by (the admittedly virtuosic) Andre, which is a real tragedy because he repeatedly proved that he was equally as capable in flexing some eclectic songwriting muscles of his own. I remember back in 2010 when Sir Lucious Left Foot came out, it truly sounded like nothing else. This was best exemplified in the accordion/synth-laden mission statement that is Daddy Fat Sax, which primarily samples his own work! The Train Pt. 2 gets my other vote for having the most layered wordplay.

Cowboy Junkies – The Trinity Sessions: I love the laid back and, well, dreamy Dreaming My Dreams With You. While my second vote doesn’t compare to the original song, Sweet Jane is still a worthy cover.

Laura Marling – Once I Was an Eagle: This has always been my favorite of hers, the entire five-song suite that opens the album is impressive but I feel that crux of it is I Was an Eagle, which puts the recurring guitar motif front and center. If I have to pick a second favorite, it would most likely be Devil’s Resting Place.

Beastie Boys – Ill Communication: Sabotage hasn’t aged a day for me, which I can’t say the same for the following track Get it Together that seamlessly melds Q-Tip’s jazzy backdrops with the Beasties’ classic “pass the mic” approach.

Run-DMC – Raising Hell: I’ll use this opportunity to bemoan that the excellent self-titled debut didn’t make it on the list, so Rock Box will not be on the playlist . However, Raising Hell has one of the best run of opening tracks that’s filled with nothing but hits, culminating in Walk This Way. My personal favorites go to It’s Tricky and My Adidas.

[andyd1010]

673. Pearl Jam – Vs.
Daughter
Dissident

670. The xx – I See You
Say Something Loving
Replica

666. The Beatles – Please Please Me
I Saw Her Standing There
Twist and Shout

665. Lucinda Williams – Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
I Lost It
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road

663. David Bowie – Diamond Dogs
Rebel Rebel
Rock 'n' Roll with Me

658. M83 – Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming
Midnight City
Outro

656. Jamie xx – In Colour
I Know There’s Gonna Be (Good Times)
Obvs

[FrankLotion]

Lol well I had a great write up for all these but then my internet crashed and I lost all of it, I'll just keep it simple.

Van Halen - Van Halen: Runnin' With the Devil, Eruption.

The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go: Where Did Our Love Go, Baby Love.

Vince Guaraldi Trio - A Charlie Brown Christmas: Christmas Time is Here, Skating.

Bob Dylan - Love and Theft: Mississippi, Po' Boy.

Phil Spector - A Christmas Gift for You: Frosty the Snowman, Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).

Elliott Smith - From a Basement on the Hill: Coast to Coast, Twilight.

[rumpdoll]

Some backtracking:

750. Low – I Could Live in Hope
Lullaby
Down

738. Disco Inferno – D. I. Go Pop
Footprints in the Snow
A Whole World Ahead

730. Swans – Children of God
Children of God
Trust me

728. Neu! – Neu!
Hallogallo
Negativland

720. Yo La Tengo – And Then Nothing Turned Itself Inside-Out
You Can Have It All
Last days of disco

718. Nine Inch Nails – Pretty Hate Machine
Head Like a Hole
Terrible Lie

709. Boards of Canada – Geogaddi
Dawn Chorus
Music is Math

705. Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – Tender Prey
The Mercy Seat
Slowly goes the night

680. Annie – Anniemal
Come together
Heartbeat

[Krurze]

My picks for Selected Ambient Works Volume II: #17 & #20

[Rob]

All updates are done!

I don't have anything to react to today, but I guess I have some sort of announcement. The next few days my posting here may be erratic or completely absent. The film festival I organize yearly runs from tomorrow until Sunday, except with Covid-19 being what it is, it is not a cinema but an online event (for those in The Netherlands, InScience Film Festival is the virtual place to be the next days!). Usually you wouldn't see me on here at all during those days, but well, I'm still behind my laptop for most of the day, but my focus may not at all be on this playlist. On the other hand, most of my job is done, so I might have some procrastination time I could put into this project. We'll see, but no promises (the daily updates take quite a bit of time). Sorry in advance if there are any delays. In the meantime, catch up and keep voting where you can! Normal updates will continue for certain on Monday.

[Rob]

Today's update are still on at least:

650. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
Cruel (2)
Cheerleader (2)
Surgeon (1)
Strange Mercy (1)

649. The Sound – Jeopardy
Missiles (3)
Heartland (2)

648. Pet Shop Boys – Behaviour
Being Boring (1)
This Must Be the Place I Waited Years to Leave (1)

647. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Viva La Vida (3)
Lovers in Japan (1)
Yes (1)
Violet Hill (1)

646. Wire – 154
The 15th (3)
On Returning (1)
Indirect Inquiries (1)

645. Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
Everlong (2)
Monkey Wrench (2)
Hey, Johnny Park (1)
Up in Arms (1)

644. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World
All the Madmen (3)
The Man Who Sold the World (2)
The Supermen (1)

643. Tindersticks – Tindersticks
Marbles (1)
Tyed (1)

642. The Crickets – The “Chirpin” Crickets
That’ll be the Day (2)
Not Fade Away (2)

641. My Morning Jacket – Z
Off the Record (1)
Dondante (1)
Lay Low (1)
Wordless Chorus (1)
It Beats for You (1)

640. Low – Things We Lost in the Fire
In Metal (3)
Sunflower (2)
Embrace (1)
Dinosaur Act (1)
Whore (1)

639. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
I Love You, Honeybear (1)
The Night Josh Tillman Came to Our Apt. (1)
Holy Shit (1)
Strange Encounter (1)

638. Joni Mitchell – The Hissing of Summer Lawns
The Jungle Line (1)
The Boho Dance (1)

637. Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Ocean Breathes Salty (2)
Float On (1)
Bukowski (1)
Bury Me With It (1)
The Good Times Are Killing Me (1)

636. Jacques Brel – Olympia 64
Amsterdam (3)
Les toros (1)
Les Vieux (1)

635. Pixies – Trompe le Monde
Planet of Sound (1)
Alec Eiffel (1)

634. Hüsker Dü – New Day Rising
I Apologize (1)
Books About UFOs (1)

633. Erykah Badu – Baduizm
On & On (3)
Appletree (2)
Other Side of the Game (1)

632. The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace
I Am Damo Suzuki (2)
Paintwork (2)
L.A. (1)
Barmy (1)

631. The Human League – Dare!
Don’t You Want Me (2)
Open Your Heart (2)
Love Action (I Believe in Love) (1)
Seconds (1)

630. Frank Zappa – Hot Rats
Peaches en Regalia (1)
Willie the Pimp (1)
Note: This album is not on Spotify in it’s regular form. There is something called The Hot Rats Sessions, but as far as I can tell it does not contain the recordings that were actually used on the album. Some of the original tracks are on Spotify, scattered over compilations.

629. PJ Harvey – Rid of Me
50ft Queenie (2)
Rid of Me (2)
Rub Til’ It Bleeds (1)

628. Wipers - Youth of America
Youth of America (3)
When It’s Over (3)

627. Bob Dylan & the Band – The Basement Tapes
This Wheel’s On Fire (2)
Bessie Smith (1)
Clothes Line Saga (1)

626. Pulp – This Is Hardcore
This Is Hardcore (1)
A Little Soul (1)

[Bang Jan]

649. The Sound – Jeopardy
Missiles
Heartland

632. The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace
I Am Damo Suzuki
Barmy

628. Wipers - Youth of America
Youth of America
When It's Over

[Rob]

My votes for today:

638. Joni Mitchell – The Hissing of Summer Lawns
The Jungle Line
The Boho Dance

Not a song album per se, but these two stick in the mind the most.

629. PJ Harvey – Rid of Me
Rid of Me
50ft Queenie

It's hard to imagine anyone not having some kind of reaction to the title track, be it positive or negative. 50ft Queenie might be Harvey's hardest rocking song and it is a real foot stomper.

627. Bob Dylan & the Band – The Basement Tapes
This Wheel’s On Fire
Clothes Line Saga

With 24 songs there is a wealth to pick from and I think this is one of the hardest for me in general, as so many of these are memorable. This Wheel's On Fire is still a clear favorite, with it's odd foreboding lyrics and pseudo-chorus of "this wheel shall explooooooooooode". The second pick is tougher, but I'm fascinated just by how weird Clothes Line Saga is, both in it's music as in the way the lyrics tell of a dramatic non-event.

[Honorio]

642. The Crickets – The "Chirping" Crickets
- That'll Be the Day
- Not Fade Away

636. Jacques Brel – Olympia 64
- Amsterdam
- Les toros

633. Erykah Badu – Baduizm
- On & On
- Otherside of the Game

[Romain]

773. Iggy Pop – The Idiot Extremely difficult, like the Berlin by Lou Reed, this album don't have any bad second of music. Sisitermidnight and Baby are my choice.
771. David Bowie – Let’s Dance Let's Dance and Modern Love
762. Super Furry Animals – Rings Around the World Alternate Route to Vulcan Street and (Drawing) Rings Around the World
761. Etta James – At Last! At LAst of course and A Sunday Kind Of Love
756. Belle and Sebastian – The Boy with the Arab Strap The Boy With the Arab Strap and Sleep the Clock Around

[Romain]

747. Sparks – Kimono My House This Town Ain’t Big Enough for the Both of Us and Amateur Hour
729. Gorillaz – Gorillaz Clint Eastwood of course and Tomorrow Comes Today but this album is so much full of hits.

[Romain]

723. Blur – Modern Life is Rubbish For Tomorrow and CHemical World
702. Portishead – Portishead Very Hard choice. Only You and Over

[Romain]

700. David Bowie – Young Americans Fame and Young Americans
699. Magazine – Real Life Definitive Gaze and Shot By Both Sides

[Nassim]

645. Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
Hey, Johnny Park has been in my top 100 songs of all time for as long as I have made this kind of list, so that's an easy pick. Everlong is the critical consensus, for good reasons, but I could have as well gone with My Hero.

640. Low – Things We Lost in the Fire
Pretty much every Low album have at least a couple gorgeous songs, and none is as packed with those as Things We Lost in the Fire, but Sunflower remains my favorite. The album is often somber and pretty down, so it's great that its final songs lets the light in, with a sweet ode to the 2 main band members' child, In Metal.

637. Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News
It's really an appraisal of how outstanding their 2 previous albums are when I consider that this album I ranked as my 95th favorite of all time is by very very far only their 3rd best. Isaac Brock is possibly the greatest purveyor of agnostic songs not titled "Dear God" (I'm sure styrofoamboots would concur), and while it's not only about that, Bukowski delivers on that aspect, it's also one of their songs with the best arrangements, the trombone and accordion perfectly complementing the banjo lines. It's both the songs of the album that would have fit the best on The Moon and Antarctica and something brand new, I love it to death.
Being a bit too much like The Moon and Antarctica is The World at Large, but that's a top 20 of all time album for me so it could still have got the nod. However I'll go with the angry Bury Me With It, it's not the best instance of angry Modest Mouse (that'd be 2 songs in the middle of The Lonesome Crowded West, we'll come back to that in due time) but it still kicks all kinds of asses.

[votingbloc]

647. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Viva La Vida
Lovers in Japan

637. Modest Mouse – Good News for People Who Love Bad News
Float On
Ocean Breathes Salty

[mileswide]

What Do I Get? A big restraining order, that's what!

I Don't Mind, I got a light sentence considering I committed Love Battery!

Hello It's Me & It Wasn't Me

Are you or aren't you?

I'm a walking contradiction - no I'm not. Before anyone asks what that's got to do with Songs for Drella, here be my selections...

The Money Store: Get Got acquaints us with a different side to MC Ride as if he's catatonic from the song's mind-altering synths and is speaking out of his head. Hacker finds him on more typical terrain, spilling out reprehensible lines with such absurdity and wordplay, you won't know whether to laugh or drop your monocle in shock.

Soul Mining: ever had any regrets? This Is the Day and I've Been Waitin' for Tomorrow (For All of My Life) feel your pain but remind you there's usually time to fix your mistakes.

I See You: I Dare You is a love song as a taunt, leaving it tantalisingly open as to whether either of them acts upon their emotions. On Hold bears no such doubts about Oliver Sim's arrogance in the lyrics, revealing more than his character would like to admit and mirroring the detached frostiness of its music.

New York: Dirty Blvd proved that over 2 decades of songwriting hadn't diluted the no-bullshit street reportage of Laughing Lou on one of his more accessible screeds of cynicism. The Last Great American Whale is similarly balanced between the profane and the poetic with a melody that stops short of taking off, a testament to Reed's success when he refuses to give his audience easy pay-offs.

Young Soul Rebels: The critics have it with Geno and There, There My Dear, paeans to Kevin Rowland's perceived superiority over his heroes and his peers respectively but who cares when his hiccup of a voice is so weirdly addictive and the brass section cook up such a tuneful storm?

154: Indirect Enquiries sounds like it's plotting against the listener with all the icy impersonality suggested by its title. That may not sound like a ringing endorsement but it is! The 15th is the kind of alternate-universe pop song that Wire had a flair for; its mix of driving post-punk and floating synths probably would've helped it place high in the charts a few years later, even without its magnetic chorus.

Dare: The objective view again looks right from where I'm standing, Love Action and Don't You Want Me stand as peaks of the 80s Motown-meets-Roland keyboards movement.

[DaveC]

The Sound – Jeopardy: Missiles.
Wire – 154: The 15th.
My Morning Jacket – Z: Dondante. This is a real standout for me.
Low – Things We Lost in the Fire: (Very difficult to choose only 2.) In Metal; Embrace.
Jacques Brel – Olympia 64: Amsterdam.
Pixies – Trompe le Monde: Planet of Sound; Alec Eiffel.
The Fall – This Nation’s Saving Grace: Paintwork; L.A.
Wipers - Youth of America: Youth of America; When It’s Over.

[prosecutorgodot]

650. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
Surgeon
Cruel

647. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Viva La Vida
Yes

[andyd1010]

650. St. Vincent – Strange Mercy
Cruel
Cheerleader

647. Coldplay – Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends
Viva La Vida
Violet Hill

645. Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape
Everlong
Monkey Wrench

644. David Bowie – The Man Who Sold the World
The Man Who Sold the World
All the Madmen

639. Father John Misty – I Love You, Honeybear
Holy Shit
Strange Encounter

627. Bob Dylan & the Band – The Basement Tapes
This Wheel’s On Fire
Bessie Smith

[Romain]

663. David Bowie – Diamond Dogs Rebel Rebel and Sweet Things
660. Lou Reed – New York Dirty Blvd. and Strawman
654. Dexys Midnight Runners – Searching for the Young Soul Rebels Geno and There, There My Dear