997. Hot Fuss

Hot Fuss
The Killers
2004

Tracks
1. Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine
2. Mr Brightside
3. Smile Like You Mean It
4. Somebody Told Me
5. All These Things That I’ve Done
6. Andy You’re A Star
7. On Top
8. Glamorous Indie Rock & Roll
9. Believe Me Natalie
10. Midnight Show
11. Everything Will Be Alright

Is there a person on this planet who doesn't enjoy "Mr. Brightside"? That has to be one of the biggest crowd-pleaser songs, along with "Sweet Caroline."

I like the Killers because they are reminiscent of The Cure, and they don't have the pretensions that some of the other bands on this List possess. They just want to make fun and danceable music, and they manage it perfectly here.

"Mr. Brightside" isn't the only great single on this album. "Somebody Told Me" and "Jenny Was A Friend of Mine" are also really good, and the synth work here was a fun throwback. Hopefully not the last five star album on this List, but if it is, it's a worthy finale.

RATING: 5/5

984. Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus

Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus
Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds
2004

Tracks
Abattoir Blues:

1. Get Ready For Love
2. Cannibal's Hymn
3. Hiding All Away
4. Messiah Ward
5. There She Goes, My Beautiful World
6. Nature Boy
7. Abbatoir Blues
8. Let The Bells Ring
9. Fable Of The Brown Ape

The Lyre of Orpheus:

1. The Lyre Of Orpheus
2. Breathless
3. Babe, You Turn Me On
4. Easy Money
5. Supernaturally
6. Spell
7. Carry Me
8. O Children

Even if I was inclined to dislike Nick Cave, I would have to love this album for containing the Harry/Hermione anthem we are all familiar with. However....

We can extrapolate from the 500th anniversary of Nearly Headless Nick's death day (which took place in 1492) that the events of Harry Potter take place in the 90s...meaning this song shouldn't have been playing on the radio. I know, I'm as shocked as you are. This is only one of 64 issues I have with the Deathly Hallow movies.

Ahem, but I guess I'll save my Harry Potter movie angst for my therapy sessions.

In any case, Nick Cave is amazing, and this album is excellent. Every track was essential and contributed to the tone and mood. Often, double albums have many skippable tracks, but that was certainly not the case here.

So the last Nick Cave album on the List and this goodbye is hitting me hard. Thank you, Nick, for all the wonderful music. May I borrow your Time Turner?

RATING: 5/5

977. You Are The Quarry

You Are The Quarry
Morrissey
2004

Tracks
1. America Is Not The World
2. Irish Blood, English Heart
3. I Have Forgiven Jesus
4. Come Back To Camden
5. I'm Not Sorry
6. The World Is Full Of Crashing Bores
7. How Can Anybody Possibly Know How I Feel?
8. The First Of The Gang To Die
9. Let Me Kiss You
10. All The Lazy Dykes
11. I Like You
12. You Know I Couldn't Last

Morrissey is true to form in this album, as an unbearably self righteous whiner. According to "America Is Not The World" he will only deign to speak to Americans if we have a female, black, or gay president. Well, we've since checked one of the boxes, but you probably still don't want to talk to us yet.

He's not the worst lyricist, but the character he takes on his music is so obnoxious that you're tempted to disagree with whatever he says on principle. The music feels secondary to the irritating, holier than thou purpose behind it. 

I've relieved that we've finally reached the last Morrissey album.  He is criminally over represented on this List.

RATING: 2/5

960. Highly Evolved

Highly Evolved
The Vines
2002

Tracks
1. Highly Evolved
2. Autumn Shade
3. Outtathaway
4. Sunshinin
5. Homesick
6. Get Free
7. Country Yard
8. Factory
9. In The Jungle
10. Mary Jane
11. Ain't No Room
12. 1969

This was another good alternative rock album. We've had quite a few of these lately and I hope we can ride them all the way to 1001, without any more metal speed bumps along the way.

So this was pretty satisfying noise rock that was varied enough to stay interesting. There wasn't really a stand out track, but it was never boring. I didn't even mind the occasional screech because the hooks were so good.

I don't know if I could make the argument that this is a masterpiece, but it was still really fun.

RATING: 4/5

945. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
Wilco
2002

Tracks
1. I Am Trying to Break Your Heart
2. Kamera
3. Radio Cure
4. War on War
5. Jesus, Etc.
6. Ashes of American Flags
7. Heavy Metal Drummer
8. I'm the Man Who Loves You
9. Pot Kettle Black
10. Poor Places
11. Reservations

I thought it would be impossible to top Mermaid Avenue, but somehow Wilco manages to pull it off here. They have a good blend of experimental influences and pop driven sensibilities. 

Some might argue they are too poppy here, but I actually really enjoyed it. I particularly liked "Kamera" which had a great hook. "Jesus, Etc," was also very catchy. Wilco really excels with their lyrics, and for me they were the highlight of the album.

Wilco is always a good antidote to a bad day. And they might help me remember my radio codes.

RATING: 5/5

932. Gorillaz

Gorillaz
Gorillaz
2001

Tracks
1. Re-Hash
2. 5/4
3. Tomorrow Comes Today
4. New Genius (Brother)
5. Clint Eastwood
6. Man Research (Clapper)
7. Punk
8. Sound Check (Gravity)
9. Double Bass
10. Rock The House
11. 19-2000
12. Latin Simone (Que Pasa Contigo)
13. Starshine
14. Slow Country
15. M1 A1
16. Clint Eastwood (Ed Case/Sweetie Irie Refix) (Edit)
17. 19-2000 (Soulchild Remix)

This is the first we have heard from a virtual band, which is not a concept/term I was familiar with. For others who do not know, apparently a virtual band is a fictional group where the members are depicted as cartoon characters and any media related to their music features the animated line up. I'm not entirely sure what the point is, only that it reminds me of Alvin and the Chipmunks, which is never a good thing.

But I am still glad this was on the List, because the Powers That Be show us a little bit of everything. Forgetting the concept of the album for a moment, the music is actually really good. They move through a variety of styles and manage to keep you engaged the whole time. Maybe because you keep expecting something weirder to happen.

Perhaps there will be a spike in virtual bands with the panny d situation. If they were all like this, it wouldn't be a bad thing.

RATING: 4/5

923. Chore of Enchantment

Chore of Enchantment
Giant Sand
2000 

Tracks
1. Overture
2. Dusted (For The Millennium)
3. Punishing Sun
4. Extra Wide
5. 1972
6. Temptation Of Egg
7. Raw
8. Wolfy
9. Shiver
10. Dirty From The Rain
11. Astonished (In Memphis)
12. No Reply
13. Satellite
14. Bottom Line Man
15. Way To End The Day
16. Shrine

This is a fun album that mixes a lot of different influences with their own unique sound. It's difficult to put your finger on exactly what those exact influences are, but at times the album is reminiscent of Lou Reed, Nick Cave, Neil Young, and many others.

If I had to select a favorite track, it would probably be "Dirty From the Rain" or "Shiver." But really, the entire album is pretty great and doesn't bore.

I had never heard of Giant Sand before, but this was a great introduction.

RATING: 4/5

915. Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea

Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea
P.J. Harvey

2000

Tracks
1. Big Exit
2. Good Fortune
3. A Placed Called Home
4. One Line
5. Beautiful Feeling
6. The Whores Hustle And The Hustlers Whore
7. This Mess We're In
8. You Said Something
9. Kamikaze
10. This Is Love
11. Horses In My Dreams
12. We Float
13. This Wicked Tongue

This is actually the PJ Harvey I was familiar with, it was the older stuff that was new to me. So I enjoyed revisiting these songs. 

Her older songs were probably a bit rougher, which may lead some to argue that she's become too polished and lost her edge. But I really enjoyed this album. Also, I am so here for the tea on her breakup with Nick Cave. Ahem, but that's clearly irrelevant to the music...

She's just a really cool chick and every album she's created has been a delight.

RATING: 5/5

901. Californication

Californication
Red Hot Chili Peppers
1999

Tracks
1. Around The World
2. Parallel Universe
3. Scar Tissue
4. Otherside
5. Get On Top
6. Californication
7. Easily
8. Porcelain
9. Emitremmus
10. I Like Dirt
11. This Velvet Glove
12. Savior
13. Purple Stain
14. Right On Time
15. Road Trippin

Only 100 albums to go! We can actually celebrate with a pretty fun album.

This probably isn't the most innovative album on the List, but it's fun enough that it doesn't matter. I am sure the singles are recognizable to many people, who can appreciate this album for its nostalgic value. And "Road Trippin" is the perfect car song.

We only have one more 90s album to go. I hope we can bid the century a proper farewell, in a non metallic or electronic way. I know that's a big ask though.

RATING: 4/5

872. Deserter's Songs

Deserter's Song
Mercury Rev
1998

Tracks
1. Holes
2. Tonite It Shows
3. Endlessly
4. I Collect Coins
5. Opus 40
6. Hudson Line
7. The Happy End (The Drunk Room)
8. Goddess On A Hiway
9. The Funny Bird
10. Pick Up If You're There
11. Delta Sun Bottleneck Stomp

Another very likable album. Considering what it is coming up next, I won't venture to say we are on a streak of good albums. But it's a nice reprieve.

Unlike some of the other recent albums on the List, which are firmly stamped by the 90s, this album sounds like it could have come out five years ago, or fifty years ago. It just had a really unique and timeless sound. If I had to equate it to something we've had before, it would be Neil Young or Nick Cave.

I had never heard of this before, so I am grateful to the List for introducing us. Even if the ending sounded like it was the soundtrack to a weird silent film. 

RATING: 4/5

871. Celebrity Skin

Celebrity Skin
Hole
1998

Tracks
1. Celebrity Skin
2. Awful
3. Hit So Hard
4. Malibu
5. Reasons To Be Beautiful
6. Dying
7. Use Once & Destroy
8. Northern Star
9. Boys On The Radio
10. Heaven Tonight
11. Playing Your Song
12. Petals

I really enjoyed the previous Hole album on the List. Some people have noted that the previous Hole album had a lot of input from Kurt Cobain. Obviously, this one didn't. I thought there might be a significant dip in quality, but thankfully that didn't turn out to be the case.

I still love the vocals, which remind me of Liz Phair. Courtney Love wrote all the lyrics to this album, and they really show how talented she is. I think a lot of people dismiss her as Cobain's wife/killer. But she's a great musician in her own right, and probably didn't do it. Probably.

So another great Hole album with smart, punchy songs that are just a tad creepy.

RATING: 

860. ...The Dandy Warhols Come Down

...The Dandy Warhols Come Down
The Dandy Warhols
1997

Tracks
1. Be-In
2. Boys Better
3. Minnesoter
4. Orange
5. I Love You
6. Not If You Were The Last Junkie On Earth
7. Every Day Should Be A Holiday
8. Good Morning
9. Whipping Tree
10. Green
11. Cool As Kim Deal
12. Hard On For Jesus
13. Pete International Airport
14. The Creep Out

I was really excited about listening to this album. The Dandy Warhols perform the theme song to one of my favorite shows, Veronica Mars (Kristin Bell is America's sweetheart; don't @ me). But I wasn't really familiar with their other work.

Not every song is remarkable, but there are some really good tracks that make the entire album worth listening to. The standout is "Not If You Were The Last Junkie on Earth," which Courtney Taylor-Taylor wrote about his girlfriend who was a heroin addict. "I never thought you'd be a junkie, because heroin is so passe" is a great line.  It's an interesting stance for a rock band to take.

Actually, this entire album is surprisingly wholesome. There's even a song called "Hard On For Jesus."

RATING: 4/5

848. The Boatman's Call

The Boatman's Call
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
1997

Tracks
1. Into My Arms
2. Lime Tree Arbour
3. People Ain't No Good
4. Brompton Oratory
5. There Is A Kingdom
6. Are You The One That I've Been Waiting For?
7. Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere
8. West Country Girl
9. Black Hair
10. Idiot Prayer
11. Far From Me
12. Green Eyes

Goddamnit, Nick Caves makes me feel things. I was not ready for this on a Sunday morning. He wrote this after his break up with PJ Harvey, and the album's entire tone reflects it. 

This is completely different than Murder Ballads, but just as haunting. It's incredible how versatile Nick Cave is. Oh, and is there a more depressing song in the universe than "Where Do We Go Now But Nowhere?" If there is, I am not emotionally stable enough to hear it. 

Amazing vocals, arrangements, and lyrics. Heartbreakingly beautiful.

RATING: 5/5

819. Tidal

Tidal
Fiona Apple
1996

Tracks
1. Sleep To Dream
2. Sullen Girl
3. Shadowboxer
4. Criminal
5. Slow Like Honey
6. The First Taste
7. Never Is A Promise
8. The Child Is Gone
9. Pale September
10. Carrion

Is it a shock to anybody that I absolutely adored this? 

Lyrically and vocally, my girl was on point. It might sound a bit immature compared to her later work, but I like my other girl, Taylor Swift (I'm a bit of a womanizer), she captures those awkward growing pains well. This isn't as bratty as someone like Alanis Morissette or Tori Amos, but it's just as charming.

An impressive album, all the more so because it was her debut.

RATING: 5/5

817. Beautiful Freak

Beautiful Freak
Eels
1996

Tracks
1. Novocaine For The Soul
2. Susan's House
3. Rags To Rags
4. Beautiful Freak
5. Not Ready Yet
6. My Beloved Monster
7. Flower
8. Guest List
9. Mental
10. Spunky
11. Your Lucky Day In Hell
12. Manchild

I'm a bit ashamed to admit I recognized one of these songs from the Shrek soundtrack. I wish I could say that I knew Eels outside of that, but on this blog we drop all pretensions (for pretensions, please see my book blog). 

But I did enjoy getting to know this band with this album. The first half was definitely stronger, but the entire album was pretty good. My favorites were "Novocaine For The Soul" and "Susan's House," but "Beautiful Freak" was also catchy as hell. 

I loved the vocals, and just the entire vibe of this album. Including the cover art. 

RATING: 4/5

797. The Bends

The Bends
Radiohead
1995

Tracks
1. Planet Telex
2. The Bends
3. High And Dry
4. Fake Plastic Trees
5. Bones
6. (Nice Dream)
7. Just
8. My Iron Lung
9. Bullet Proof ... I Wish I Was
10. Black Star
11. Sulk
12. Street Spirit (Fade Out)

This is a hard album to classify. I think the most accurate comparison would be the Pixies, but the style is so distinct that you can't really equate it to anything that came before it.

My favorite part of this album was the amazing lyrical quality, but really the entire album is firing on all cylinders in terms of vocals, instrumentals, and just the raw feeling of the music. Radiohead wasn't afraid to be weird in moments, but they still remain wholly accessible. 

So far, I think it's safe to say this is the best album to come out of 1995.

RATING: 5/5

786. Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters
1995

Tracks
1. This Is A Call
2. I'll Stick Around
3. Big Me
4. Alone + Easy Target
5. Good Grief
6. Floaty
7. Weenie Beenie
8. Oh, George
9. For All The Cows
10. X-Static
11. Wattershed
12. Exhausted

Welcome to 1995! I expect every 1995 album to respect my birth year by being tolerable, but we will see how that goes. So far, we are off to a good start.

After Kurt Cobain decided to check out early, Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl recorded this entire album by himself, under the name the Foo Fighters. This would be an impressive feat even if the album was of a mediocre caliber, but this actually turned out to be pretty great. He could have easily just copied Nirvana's sound, but he managed to make something fairly original. At the very least, it's slightly more cheerful

I'm not too familiar with the quality of the Foo Fighters once the band is expanded beyond a solo act. But I don't think they are featured on the List anymore, which might be indicative of their future quality.

RATING: 4/5

766. Vauxhall and I

Vauxhall and I
Morrissey
1994

Tracks
1. Now My Heart Is Full
2. Spring Heeled Jim
3. Billy Budd
4. Hold On To Your Friends
5. The More You Ignore Me The Closer I Get
6. Why Don't You Find Out For Yourself
7. I Am Hated For Loving
8. Lifeguard Sleeping, Girl Drowning
9. Used To Be A Sweet Boy
10. The Lazy Sunbathers
11. Speedway

We've seen artists put on some obnoxious personas over the years, but this one really takes the cake. Actually, I guess he isn't really putting anything on. I get the sense this is his genuine personality.

That personality is a very sanctimonious one, wronged by everybody and understood by no one. You can even glean that from the track titles without listening to any of the songs. I actually just read Billy Budd recently, which lends its name to track three, and I can totally see why that story would appeal to him. 

He's a vegetarian who includes literary allusions in his songs. I should love him, but he just makes me roll my eyes. 

RATING: 2/5

765. Brutal Youth

Brutal Youth
Elvis Costello
1994

Tracks
1. Pony Street
2. Kinder Murder
3. 13 Steps Lead Down
4. This Is Hell
5. Clown Strike
6. You Tripped At Every Step
7. Still Too Soon To Know
8. 20% Amnesia
9. Sulky Girl
10. London's Brilliant Parade
11. My Science Fiction Twin
12. Rocking Horse Road
13. Just About Glad
14. All The Rage
15. Favourite Hour

I really love Elvis Costello and thought we were done with him on the List. I was delighted to see this one, but now I really think we are done. I hope I'm wrong again.

The best songs in this album were "This is Hell" and "Sulky Girl" which are both intensely relatable, at least for me (a sulky girl living in 2020). I love his vocals, he is an excellent lyricist, and there's not a bad track on the album.

Critics of Elvis Costello (can you believe such creatures exist?) complain that this is just more of the same, but when the same is this good, I don't think you don't need to change anything. 

RATING: 5/5

757. Teenager of the Year

Teenager of the Year
Frank Black
1993

Tracks
1. What Ever Happened To Pong?
2. Thalassocracy
3. (I Want To Live On An) Abstract Plain
4. Calistan
5. The Vanishing Spies
6. Speedy Marie
7. Headache
8. Sir Rockaby
9. Freedom Rock
10. Two Reelers
11. Fiddle Riddle
12. Ole Mulholland
13. Fazer Eyes
14. I Could Stay Here Forever
15. The Hostess With The Mostest
16. Superabound
17. Big Red
18. Space Is Gonna Do Me Good
19. White Noise Maker
20. Pure Denizen Of The Citizens Band
21. Bad, Wicked World
22. Pie In The Sky

Like the previous entry, this album features an artist from a well known band striking out on their own. It's very admirable and brave, so naturally I am going to reward their efforts by saying that the solo album is not as good as their previous band's discography.

Of course, the Pixies are a tough act to follow, so this is to be expected. My biggest complaint would be that it felt a little bit scattered. 22 tracks is a lot, and because most of them were so short I had a tough time getting a grip on this album.

But there are still some great tracks on here and Frank Black is amazingly talented.

RATING: 3/5