Planet Skaro's favourite albums!

[Anthony Williams]

What are your favourite 5 albums of all time, and why?

Here are mine:


Marillion - Clutching at Straws

This album was their last with Fish, and perhaps the defining moment of that stage in their career. There's not one track that I don't love, and the finale The Last Straw: Happy Ending is just spectacular. Fish, as usual, puts so much emotion into his voice. The other band members are truly on form, particularly in the area of Pete Trewavas and Ian Mosley. A truly fantastic album, and a bastion of 80s prog.

Stand-out tracks: Warm Wet Circles/That Time of the Night, White Russian, Incommunicado, Slainte Mhath, The Last Straw: Happy Ending


Suede - Dog Man Star

Although the lyrics were crafted whilst Brett Anderson was in a drug-fuelled haze, this album has some of the finest lyrics I've ever heard. The tensions between Anderson and guitarist Bernard Butler are so obvious through the album, and that makes it truly great. No other Suede album has such a fantastic atmosphere to it. It's a real shame that the recently reunited Anderson and Butler haven't been able to recreate such a moment of greatness with their new project, The Tears.

Stand-out tracks: We Are The Pigs, Heroine, The Hollywood Life, The Asphalt World


Judas Priest - Painkiller

One of the finest heavy metal albums of all time, Painkiller is a yardstick of the genre. Fast and furious, this album is 10 tracks of double bass pedal drumming, screaming guitars and Halford's trademark vocals. This is the band's finest moment, and after they finished touring the album, Halford left the band for 10 years. In a way, it's a shame that he returned, as it spoilt a little bit of the magic of this album (although it is good to hear some songs live the way they should be sung)

Stand-out tracks: Painkiller, Leather Rebel, Night Crawler, A Touch of Evil, One Shot at Glory


Genesis - Selling England by the Pound

Genesis are undoubtedly one of my favourite bands, and this is my favourite album by them. One of the finest prog albums of all time, this features some fantastic tracks, played by virtuoso musicians. Few could better Tony Banks on Firth of Fifth, or Gabriel's vocals on Dancing with the Moonlit Knight. Totally sublime.

Stand-out tracks: Dancing with the Moonlit Knight, I Know What I Like (In Your Wardrobe), Firth of Fifth, The Battle of Epping Forest, The Cinema Show


Blaze - Blood and Belief

Contemporary heavy-metal at it's best. There's no screaming or growling on this album, just crunchy guitar riffs, some great soloing, a solid rhythm section and nice melodic vocals. Puts bands such as Trivium or Killswitch Engage to shame. Every track here is fantastic, and it showcases Blaze's wide range of styles (from the riff-tastic Alive, to the ballad Regret, to the anger-fuelled Hollow Head). Just brilliant!

stand-out track: all of them!

Ant x

[Trudi G]

The Darkness - Permission To Land

The album came out at a very transitional time of my life. It got me back into rock and they had a sense of humour! Sadly their 2nd album didn't live up to the first.




Madonna - Ray Of Light

For me, this is Madonna at her best and i adore this album. I think this album has her best vocal performance on it.




Jeff Wayne's War Of The Worlds

I grew up listening to this album and it's just a classic musical extravaganza, love it!




John Foxx - Metamatic

I've never grown tired of this album, it sounds very dated now because it's electronica without computers, but for me John Foxx is a true genius, and this was his first album after he left Ultravox!
He is still going strong and has just released an album, he's gone back to his roots and i will definitely be buying it.




Gorillaz - Demon Days

This is probably one of the best albums ever made - it's brilliant from beginning to end and i never tire of listening to it.

[Perry Vale]

Ok, to add mine....


Dexys Midnight Runners - Searching For The Young Soul Rebels
My favourite album, I think. Full of pure passion & emotion, in the words, the voice, and the music. I never tire of this album, from it's vitriolic opener "Burn It Down" (originally released as a single 'Dance Stance'), right through to it's closing track 'There There My Dear'. It includes what is probably the best, and most distinctive No.1 single of the last three decades in "Geno". Totally against the fashion of the time then, Kevin Rowland chose to pursue his own path.....


Kate Bush - The Dreaming
Some say her "kookiest" album, but not me, here best by some distance. A truly amazing collection of songs that nobody else could have produced. Each one different from each other, but still managing to sound as a whole. When I listen to this I really cannot believe anyone was born with such a voice, a thing of beauty. Sends shivers down my neck EVERY time.

Stand out tracks: Sat In Your Lap (the best 7" single cover ever!), Suspended In Gaffa & my personal fave 'Night Of The Swallow'.


Teardrop Explodes - Wilder
After becoming a bonafide Smash Hits pin-up with their debut album 'Kilmajaro' & the single 'Reward', Julian became even more immersed with mind-bending drugs (he was tripping on LSD on the xmas edition of TOTP!) & followed up with this masterpiece. Drawing heavily on the breakdown of his first marriage, the songs have a childlike fragility.

Stand out tracks: Tiny Children & The Great Dominions


Echo & The Bunnymen - Ocean Rain
Advertised in the NME & elsewhere as "The Greatest Album Ever Made", when you finally hear it, you find it very hard to disagree! A dour Northern band (to some) decamping to France & teaming up with a 40 piece orchestra, this is full of lush orchestrations & warm acoustic sounds. Gave them what is probably their most well known hit "The Killing Moon".

Stand out tracks: Silver, Thorn Of Crowns, Seven Seas & Ocean Rain.


Blondie - Parallel Lines
What more can you say? Hit single after hit single, this propelled them to major worldwide success.

Stand out tracks: All of them! But my personal favourite is probably "11:59".

Bubbling under:- Julian Cope 'World Shut Your Mouth', Lauryn Hill 'The Miseducation Of...', Joy Division 'Closer', The Smiths 'The Smiths'......

[MacNimon]

It was hard enough narrowing it down to twenty, but five?! It's almost impossible to choose!

Never mind, here goes...



See The Light The Jeff Healey Band

Highlights - Confidence Man, See The Light
Debut album from the acclaimed blind Canadian Blues rocker. Excellent stuff!



Ziggy Stardust And The Spiders From Mars David Bowie

Highlights - Ziggy Stardust, Starman

This is just one of those classic albums, not a single poor track from start to finish. Bowie couldn't do much wrong in his early 70's albums imo. This one's the strongest, though.





The Hard Way Steve Earle & The Dukes

Highlights - The Other Kind, Justice In Ontario

This guy's brilliant! Although he started out being labelled as 'alternative country' or 'country rock', he soon transcended these genres. Steve Earle is simply one of the greatest singer-songwriters ever to come out of the US, and this album, the follow-up to Copperhead Road, is one of his finest moments.




Bob Seger - Stranger In Town

Highlights - Hollywood Nights, Old Time Rock & Roll

Another cracker of an album here, from start to finish. The weakest track imo is ironically possibly his most famous here in the UK, We've Got Tonight (poorly covered by Kenny Rogers and Sheena Easton (I think!) in the 80s,and an even poorer version recently by Ronan Keating & Lulu (?)). Seger was here in the midst of a 10-year streak of form, stretching from 1976's Night Moves to 1986's Like A Rock...any album from this period could easily have made my list.




Led Zeppelin IV

Highlights - Black Dog, Rock & Roll

Perhaps not the greatest Zep album ever, as many say it is, it's still my most played one so it makes my list.

[Raston]

Marillion: Misplaced Childhood

Arguably the greatest prog album ever made. The epic story of leaving behind childhood and reflecting on the cruel heartless world that come after the innocence of those time. It's catch guitar hooks reflecting characters and moods, that mirros Prokofiev's style help to create a full rounded experiance that moves you along with each track. Fish is at his most witty and clever with the lyrics, and the wonderful emotive images he creates. The band are all on top form, with the soaring 'Lavender' hook and the funky drums of 'Waterhole' its an album that takes you on a journey that makes leaves you moved and also wishing for the simple times of childhood. This is how prog should be, all substance and full of real emotional depth rather than being pretentious for the sake of it.

Stand out tracks- Blind Curve, Childhoods End, Bitter Suite, Hear of Lothian


Duran Duran: Medazzaland

The most experimental and interesting the band have produced to date. Its Dark, and full of ideas and soings that you would not associate with a band at the forefront of the New Romantic 'pop' movement. They play with all manner of styles, from the grungy 'so long suicide' to the nu-metal of 'Be my Icon' it takes the band into new heavy dark directions, and its a place that they work. They still have catch chorus of their pop roots, but they also have a musical and lyrical maturity far beyond pop.

Stand out track- Medazzaland, Electric Brabarella, So Long Suicide



Cradle of Filth: Damnation and a Day

I am not usually a fan of 'Black Metal' with it vicious riffs and growling vocals, however this album is such a masterpiece that i can appreciate it for what it is despite it being a genre i would normaly avoid. Its epic blend of dark and brooding classical scores, with biblical story about the war between the angels and the beasts mixed with the agressive attack of the tracks that make up each chapter of the album is quite hypnotic. It works so well. The production is super, the writing all round is flawless and the brutalness of the riffing really carries the story. The classical interlude let you appreciate just how much classical depth goes into the 'metal' parts of the album, with the guitar riffs echoing the violin parts with a venemous furosity that is just sublime.

Stand out tracks
Part II Paradise lost:Better to Reign in Hell, Part III Sewer side up: The Mordent Liqur of Tears, Part III Sever Side up: Babalon A.D. (so glad for the madness), Part IV The Sented Garden: Thank God For the Suffering.

[Wayne]

It was hard enough narrowing it down to twenty, but five?! It's almost impossible to choose!

Agreed! My Top 5 from Carol'srecent Top 20 thread will have to do!

Hawkwind - Quark, Strangeness & Charm. 1977.




It's taken ages to decide between this & 1975's magnificent 'Warrior on the Edge of Time', but whilst the latter has probably my two fave Hawkwind tracks ever, i believe this is better, & more consistent overall album. Not only are Hawkwind's trademark sequencer loops present for the first time, but Bob Calvert's Sci-Fi inspired lyrics to the likes of 'Spirit of the Age', & 'Damnation Alley', fit perfectly with crunching, rhythmic style of Dave Brock's guitar. The band sound more crisp, clean, & self assured. Hawkwind at their hypnotic, space-rock best!


Bireli Lagrene - Gypsy Project. 2001.



After a few years focussing on the electric guitar, & mainstream, & Jazz-Rock Fusion, the child prodigy of the acoustic guitar, Bireli Lagrene, makes a triumphant return to his gypsy guitar roots at the mature age of 35! This guy is the best guitarist on the planet, in my book, :wayne & this album's got more energy than a Starship's Warp Core!


Led Zeppelin IV. 1970.



Even more difficult to choose a single Led Zeppelin album! Whilst i tend to lean towards their stunning debut album: 'Led Zeppelin', i chose the 4th album because it's more representitive Led Zep's versitility, containing hard rockers like 'Black Dog', & lovely acoustic brilliance like 'Battle of Evermore'.


Django Reinhardt - 'Peche a La Mouche': the 'Blue Star' Sessions. 1953.



Containing some of Django's final recordings, made just 2 months before his untimely death, the focus is away from his trademark acoustic guitar, & we hear the gypsy genius producing work of great passion & bittersweet melancholy on the electric guitar. The final re-working of his classic 'Nuages' is a masterpiece.


Motorhead - Ace of Spades. 1980.



The premier Motorhead album. I think they peaked here. Not a duff track on it. Crackling with scintilating energy, & Lemmy's tongue in cheek, 'Sweeny' style lyrics.


See the remaining 15, HERE.

[Carol Baynes]

I was going to look at Wayne's other 15 again, but I can't get in the old site.