1. Songs for the Deaf by Queens of the Stone Age.
I just had to talk about them first! After all they are my favourite band/artist of ALL TIME. This was the first Album that I heard by QOTSA. I was a mere young 13 year old when this came out. I really do love this album, I love the undertones of the desert radio station journey. I love the fact that the drums are so fucking epic. I love that there is an experimentation of songs from Go With The Flow to A Song For The Dead. I mean really this album is pure genuis. I think that it is often Under-rated in the mainstream (even though it won a Grammy) but it is still one of those albums that ‘changed my life’ - for the better of course. I dunno what it is about this record really…its one of those weird things where everything glued together…it all made sense. I love that you hear Mark Lanegan on the record, as well as Josh and Nick. I feel like if I didn’t have this album in my life I wouldn’t be who I am today…I would probably be sucked into that emo shite called ‘music’ these days…My favourite song from this album has got to be ‘First It Giveth’ I love this tune because of its simplicity…I love Josh’s vocals…I love the video and I love the fact that it all comes together in this song… If you haven’t heard of QOTSA and you are looking for something a little bit well known from their music than go for this album. If anything…it has Dave Grohl drumming on it. So that might sway you. I think by listening to this album…I came to the realisation that Queens of the Stone Age were a FUCKING AWESOME BAND FOR LIFE…yep. :D
2. There Is Nothing Left To Lose by Foo Fighters.
This was a really tough one. Mainly because I love EVERY album by the Foo Fighters…I would have chosen ‘The Colour And Shape’. But this album swayed me over…mainly because of the fact that it is the most played Foos album on my iPod and the fact that after watching the ‘Back and Forth’ documentary I felt that this was the most put-together album. So why do I love this album? Well first of all..I like EVERY SONG. I mean literally every song…I have played them over and over again and just cannot get enough. I feel like Dave wrote some amazing songs on this album…I mean just have a listen to ‘Gimme Stitches’ or ‘Learn To Fly’…they are just superb. I like that Taylor was in this album, he really bought the band to a next level in my opinion. I love how this album has the Raw songs like ‘Stacked Actors’ and then the more mellow songs like ‘Aurora’ (which apparently is Dave’s favourite song that he has recorded with the Foo Fighters). I really love Dave’s voice on this album, and from what I have uncovered from researching this album the band spent the whole time in Virginia in the laid back atmosphere and it totally shows. Let’s not forget Nate! I mean some of these songs have the most amazing bassline…I dunno how he does it really…Nate really doesn’t get enough credit for his bass-playing skills but I love him! My favourite song off the album is definitely ‘M.I.A’ it is so beautiful and meaningful to my life. Do check out this record if you haven’t already, it is purely fantastic. :)
3. Hybrid Theory by Linkin Park.
If it wasn’t for this album. I WOULDN’T EVEN BE LISTENING TO ROCK MUSIC. FUR REALZ. Seriously I was like 12 when I heard this Crawling for the first time. I went to HMV and bought this album. It was the only copy they had left and I was fucking glad. I played this album so much…that I scratched the CD so severely…I had to buy another copy. I had ‘heard’ of Rock music but not as much as some people I guess. I was just discovering myself, I had started Secondary School and I dunno everything was a blur before I started listening to Nu Metal. Linkin Park were the band before QOTSA that ‘changed my life’ ‘meant the most to me’ etc…etc..etc… I think for people around my age at the time…this album was just the one you know. It does mean a lot to me and always will. I loved every song on this album. I knew every line to ‘In The End’ even all the rap bits. I absolutely LOVED ‘Cure for the Itch’…I mean a DJ and a Rapper in a rock band? WHATTTT. But Nu Metal bought all of that awesomeness out. My favourite song is probably ‘Pushing Me Away’ Chester just sounds so amazing… Anyway, even though I don’t listen to Linkin Park as much anymore… I will treasure this album for everything really. It sounds so stupid but this was the one record that I listened to non stop for like a year..when I had a personal CD player. So yeah…it means a lot.
4. Shaping The Invisible by Thee Heavenly Music Association.
This is probably the most obscure band that I know of. Thee Heavenly Music Association are for most a Shoegaze band…with a bit of noise rock. I really really love this album. I came across it because I listen to a band named scarling. and THMA was on their page of influences. Anyway I gave them a listen…on MySpace haha but it was worth it seriously. I was just captivated by there sound…I mean I hadn’t heard anything like it. The distoration was the thing I think…I love how the guitars mush together and Helen’s vocals overpower them all. It’s weird but it took me a LONG time to find this album. No WHERE and I mean NOWHERE in the UK was selling it. Even though the band is supposedly from Manchester…In the end I found a copy on eBay I must have paid like £20 for it…but it was from a Library in the US and they were getting rid of their stock. I am so so glad that I bought this album…because without it I would not have been introduced to the wider world of Shoegaze. My favourite song has got to be ‘Trip Seat’….it is majestic seriously…I love the story behind it…I love the music…I love the layering. This album just HAD to be included.
5. So Long Scarecrow by Scarling.
Not only does this album have the best Album Cover in my collection but it is darn good too. I will be honest, after Jack Off Jill had disbanded I did not expect Jessicka to turn this leaf with music…but I am so glad that she did. Scarling are another one of those noise rock/pop artsy fartsy shoegaze like bands. I really love their music. This album is their second album and it is probably my favourite. I love the fact that this record took the more melodic route than the previous one. Jessicka’s songwriting has really been on top on this record. She talks about everything from Manorexic’s to a burning city. I love Jessicka’s vocals…it was a real shock to me that she could sing like that…mainly because Jack Off Jill were such a different band. My favourite track on this album has got to be ‘Like A Killer’..its just 2.50mins of pure awesome. I love the lyrics, voice and set up of this song. I even got my metal head friend to have a listen and he LOVES it. Seriously So Long Scarecrow is a fabulous album. It deserves to be in this list.
6. Clear Hearts Grey Flowers by Jack Off Jill.
Hello Mark Ryden Artwork Alert. I love love love Jack Off Jill. If you like angry girl screamo music then this is the band for you haha. In all honesty…I heard of JOJ when I was like 13 or so and I really don’t know what it was but I really loved them. Like I was an angry teen and JOJ where a bunch of girls making angry yet melodic and catchy music. So ta-dah! A match for me in my music collection. I could have chosen Sexless Demons And Scars..but I chose CHGF because I feel like it was the album that meant the most to me. Jack Off Jill really evolved in this album..it is just a shame that they had to break up… :( This album is a little less ‘angry girl’ and the concentration is more on the melody and lyrics in my opinion. Here I sensed that Jessicka’s vocals had more to offer than just screaming and cursing at the top of her lungs. My favourite song from this album is ‘Star No Star’ it is also the most depressing song..but I love it nonetheless. Anyway this album does mean a lot to me purely because it was one of those “self help” albums when I was going through a rough time. Thanks Jack Off Jill :)
7. Live Through This by Hole.
I am a really huge Courtney Love fan. There I said it.
I think she gets a lot of criticism and I find it slightly unfair… NO I do not think she ‘killed’ Kurt. NO I do not think that she is crazy…NO I do not think that Kurt wrote this album for her and she was just along there for the ride. It is MY opinion. But I don’t give a crap about her personal life. I love Hole as a collective band. This album is so important to me…it really was one of the first albums that I had heard of a female fronted band. For me this album is proof that Girls can do Grunge/alternative rock and mean it too. The lyrics behind all of the songs are so meaningful…for me they speak the truth and I can relate to them. Isn’t that what it is about? I mean being able to relate to an record is afterall the goal of the band yes? Look I think Courtney has been treated unfairly with regards to this album…Kurt dying, Kristen passing on after its release. Yet still she went on to write more music and tour the world. My favourite song on this album is ‘Credit In The Straight World’ I love how abrasive and angst-y this track is and the tempo of it gets me everytime. Anyway what is wrong with loving Nirvana, Hole and Foo Fighters? That is just who I am..and this album had to be in this list!
8. Start Something by Lostprophets.
I was around 14 when I heard this album. I had initially heard of Lostprophets back in 2001 when they released ‘The Fake Sound of Progress’ but this is my favourite album of theirs and the one that has had the most impact. This album means as much to me as Hybrid Theory does. It was a point in my life where it changed everything…I mean I was going through some real Teenage Angst crap and this album was the guide of mine to help me…not that the songs were depressing or anything..just because this album was so damn good. And it still is. Start Something really got Lostprophets into the public eye…every song on this album is fantastic. I love Ian’s vocals he has a really unique voice, I love how the DJ element is still there and how Lee’s Lead Guitar cannot be at fault. I love how with this record…we saw the revolution of Ian Watkin’s hairstyles…it made me fall in love with him and the album even more. The songs are so bloody catchy as well. Urgh I just Love this album. Even after all these years I love it…I feel like it will be apart of my life forever.. Favourite song was a tough choice…but you know I will pick ‘Sway’ just because it was the most different of them all and Ian’s vocals were just dreamy. Much love for this album..even more when I saw them Live last month. Where would I be without Lostprophets?? :P
9. † by JUSTICE.
† (or Cross) is the only non-rock album on this list. This was the album that I loved in my Indie Phase. To be honest now that I think of it..why did I ever stop listening to rock? OH YEAH BECAUSE OF SCENE KIDS AND EMO KIDS. ARGH the music was so crap around 2006 for me and I just thought blahhh. I went onto listening to other types…well Indie which was OK but I hated the scene there too. Then one day I heard of a track called ‘We Are Your Friends’ by Justice vs. Simian…and I was like WTF THIS IS AWESOME. Hence the addiction to Justice and electro music had begun. I got this album as a 18th birthday present from the one and only Chloé…bless her she was on holiday and she bought me this…I have no idea to how she found it but I am so glad that she did. Not only is the record freaking AWESOME it opens out like a cross and the CD is like…black…I mean woah but the album is just pure amazing. I mean this album made me love French Electro in all it’s glory. I loved Daft Punk before but not as much as I love Justice. Favourite song from this has got to be ‘New Jack’…it is so funky and really showcases the talent of Gaspard and Xavier. Much love for JUSTICE and I thank them for making me love Electro music…without it I wouldn’t be AshingtonRave!!
10. With Teeth by Nine Inch Nails.
I know this isn’t the conventional album by NIN that everyone would pick…however it is my favourite. I don’t think that NIN are given enough credit for this album…but anyway I love it because of the ‘industrial vibes’. As explained before I am a huge shoegaze fan…and this album has that essence with its slightly more industrial sounds. I like every song on this record and lyrically its fucking awesome. I love how Trent Reznor experiments with distortion and vocals on this album…that is probably why it had to be on this list. I forget how much I love With Teeth. For me this album is all about University…even though it was released in 2004 I didn’t listen to it properly until 2007 and I regret that actually…but maybe I wouldn’t have understood it as much aged 15? My favourite song from this album is ‘Sunspots’…no joke this is one of those songs that really does something to me…like to add the cliché it ‘touches my soul’ hahahahaa. I love it so much…I have listened to it hundreds of times and I still cannot get enough. So yeah With Teeth is an epic album. End of. =)
So that is my list of the albums that changed me life.
Others that nearly made it but didn’t are:
Friendly Fires - Pala
Amy Winehouse - Back to Black
Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke
Mystery Jets - Twenty One
Air - Moon Safari
Vampire Weekend - Contra
The Black Keys - Attack & Release
Eagles of Death Metal - Death By Sexy…
And a few others I cannot remember…lol
So what are you favourite albums of all time/ the ones that changed your life/ the albums that make up the soundtrack of your life?
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