5. Primus- Frizzle Fry
Primus is without question my favorite band of all time. I remember getting into them my freshman year of high school, and I have not stopped loving their music since. This album, to me, is the pinnacle of what Primus is capable of and that’s why it’s so wonderful. Any smart music fan knows the band is an outlet for bass virtuoso Les Claypool to basically bother people with how good he is, and on much of his material he shows off nonstop. But on Frizzle Fry, I love the fact that Larry LaLonde’s awesome guitar licks and Tim “Herb” Alexander’s incredible drums are prominently featured. Tracks like “Spaghetti Western” and the titular “Frizzle Fry” would not pack the same punch without Herb’s drumming and Ler’s guitar writhes in and out of Claypool’s eccentric basslines with ease. I think that any band driven by one person ends up losing credibility because the secondary musicians seem to fall behind the one mans incredible playing (i.e. Van Halen, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Police) but Primus is definitely a full band ordeal that would not be the same without this prime lineup. Their later albums The Brown Album and Antipop are certainly proof of that.
4. Wu-Tang Clan- Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
The greatest hip-hop album ever put together by the greatest hip-hop entity ever put together. The Wu-Tang Clan changed not only the way I looked at hip-hop, but how I looked at music as a whole. This album is a work of art, put together by nine individuals. And not only is it one of those albums that launched careers of its group members (most notably Method Man, Ol’ Dirty Bastard, the RZA and Ghostface Killah) but it’s one of those albums that can stand alone and be enjoyed front to back. It constantly switches from a metaphoric world to one that really exists, the Kung-Fu world of the Wu-Tang representing the urban Staten Island, and then with the snap of a finger we are amidst the Clan in Staten rapping about cash ruling everything around them (cream get the money, dollar dollar bills ya’all). I can rap through this entire album and talk along to the skits between songs. This album laid the groundwork for the greatest hip-hop movement of all time, and in it’s incredibly perfect musical arrangement, it made me come to a whole new appreciation of music.
3. Weezer- Pinkerton
I wrestled with the idea of putting the Blue Album on this list instead of Pinkerton. The thought crossed my mind that I have put Blue Album into my CD player more times than Pinkerton, and that I can sing along to 100% of Blue, while I can only sing about 90% of Pinkerton. But then I thought about something. Rivers Cuomo at one time said he’d never play songs off of this album live because it was so personal to him. Then I thought about the few unfortunate breakups I’ve had to deal with in my life. I didn’t turn to Blue Album at those times, I turned to Pinkerton (and Let it Be, of course). And while it is good that Pinkerton helped me cope with my pubescent loss of girls, it also just rocks. And what makes it rock so hard isn’t distortion or solos, it’s the grit. It’s the emotional attachment to the songs being played. When you listen to Pinkerton you can understand exactly why Rivers was against playing the songs on this album live for so long. I’m one of those people that continues to support Weezer through thick and thin, and this album is one of the reasons why. I know they’ll never make any music on the same level as this, but after giving me Pinkerton and the few other great Weezer albums, I have to respect and support them through high and low. And how many pop rock bands can manage to reference ECW in their tracks, and not only get away with it, but have the song featuring said reference become a CLASSIC. Grunge and New Jack are household names!
2. Mr. Bungle- California
Strange music and I get along very well. But a lot of strange music bothers me. I enjoy listening to it, but there are always qualities that irk me. This album is certainly strange, but absolutely nothing about it irks me. Mike Patton and the Bungle crew have put together the most musically diverse album of undeniably catchy tunes that I have ever heard. There are some albums that never stop getting spun in your car, living room, headphones, and to me this is one of those few albums. Many of the albums on this list get tucked back in the shelf for a few months at a go, but California is one of those albums that constantly perplexes and satisfies me. The music is incredibly performed and written, and the mix is phenomenal. While no one stands out more than Mike Patton, the wide variety of instruments featured covers up any traces of ego that he may have. His vocals mesh perfectly with the music, as he can change his vocal stylings at the drop of a dime, and do it perfectly. What I love about him in Tomahawk is the fact that he can be such a great METAL singer. What I love about Patton in Mr. Bungle, and more specifically this album in general, is that he can be a great singer OVERALL. This is the album that I recommend to any human being. Literally. Anyone. Have you not listened to it? Try it out.
1.Rage Against the Machine- Rage Against the Machine
Is this a surprise number one album? I see no reason as to why that may be the case. This album shaped the way I play both the bass and guitar, and not to mention it acted as a great transition from being a fan of strictly rock and roll, to liking hip-hop as well. It’s perfect in every way. The guitar lines are godly, and the solos are beyond impressive, and the bass is groovy yet still packs a punch harder than many metal bands. And Zack de la Rocha is just incredible on the microphone. While I don’t agree with the politics of the band entirely, I believe that they present their message in a take-no-prisoners method, which has been missing from music since their initial demise. Every song on this album is great in every front. I love this album. I would not be the person that I am had it not been for these 10 songs. And that’s the bottom line.
That's that. What's next? End of the year awards. Hopefully that Hurley/Death To False Metal/Pinkerton Deluxe review I have up my sleeve. Who knows? Me.
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