Listed below are the overall rankings for the best albums in history as determined by their aggregate positions in over 58,000 different greatest album charts on BestEverAlbums.com! (Chart last updated: 5 hours ago).
"Often classified as an instrumental hip hop album, Deadringer feels to me like a fully realized artistic achievement compared, say, to something DJ Shadow might make. There's a surprising amount of emotional range here, and the fragments of samples that make up the album feel like they were alway...""Often classified as an instrumental hip hop album, Deadringer feels to me like a fully realized artistic achievement compared, say, to something DJ Shadow might make. There's a surprising amount of emotional range here, and the fragments of samples that make up the album feel like they were always meant to be together. "Ghostwriter," with its light, shimmering guitar work, alternating samples of 'mmms' and 'ahhs,' and chorus of triumphant horns, recalls the joyful loopiness that defined the best psychedelic pop of the mid-1960s. The song's final joyful burst is so sublime that it alone justifies owning this album and listening to it with regularity. Honestly, this album felt so familiar to me right away that I can barely remember hearing it for the first time."[+]Reply
"Most of us can agree that this album is not bad by any means. I really agree with the guy that stated that the album's cover art suggested a shameless "we don't give a shit what you think, we'll do what we want" attitude, which is something I always root for regarding all music. The singles sugge...""Most of us can agree that this album is not bad by any means. I really agree with the guy that stated that the album's cover art suggested a shameless "we don't give a shit what you think, we'll do what we want" attitude, which is something I always root for regarding all music.
The singles suggested the complete opposite. Dig Down is a recycled version of Madness, with a lazier chorus. Thought Contagion is the guys saying "Hey Imagine Dragons are topping charts all the time, let's copy them a little bit." The Dark Side is the radio-friendly, early-album part of the Muse formula (like Mercy, Uprising, Starlight, etc). I understand the point of the guy saying that they seem to be ripping themselves off. Also, way too many damn SYNTH ARPEGGIOS!
However, the album does have its experimental appeal from time to time. Break it to Me might be my favorite track. Propaganda also shows this risk, and even though the track is not brilliant, I can respect that risk. Algorithm is also one of my favorites, a very strong starting point for the album.
I will always look forward to what Muse have to offer, but I do wish that they would cut the crap and actually didn't try to make music appealable to the masses, but make something unique.
Even this late in their career I think they can achieve this. I sometimes see Muse as a version of Radiohead that sold out. They have the talent, they just have to make their music more personal, if that makes any sense.
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"A lovely album. Some fantastic songs here. The early part of the record is for the more bigger sounding tracks, such as, dealer and, big muff. Best song on the album is the utterly beautiful, a certain surprise, perfect for a summer's afternoon. Solid air, quite rightly gets all the plaudits, but...""A lovely album. Some fantastic songs here. The early part of the record is for the more bigger sounding tracks, such as, dealer and, big muff. Best song on the album is the utterly beautiful, a certain surprise, perfect for a summer's afternoon. Solid air, quite rightly gets all the plaudits, but this is up there with it. Great chill out music. "[+]Reply
"Stumpwork sees Dry Cleaning cleaning up their act – all the grit from their post-punk debut is pretty much gone. As much as I too wanna go see the otters and the water caterpillars, this subdued, instrumentally eclectic follow-up doesn't hold my attention. It lacks the visceral insistence on its ...""Stumpwork sees Dry Cleaning cleaning up their act – all the grit from their post-punk debut is pretty much gone. As much as I too wanna go see the otters and the water caterpillars, this subdued, instrumentally eclectic follow-up doesn't hold my attention. It lacks the visceral insistence on its being heard that New Long Leg had. Florence's grift of Sue Tompkins sounds even more obvious too. That having been said, there are plenty of redeeming qualities about Stumpwork: some of the songs are genuinely fun, albeit more in a conceptual than affective way. The single "Don't Press Me", while lacking development – the song structurally could built a bit better, and the mid-section guitar solo is just pathetic, truly – still sounds immediate and musically alive. Meanwhile, "Kwenchy Kups" is a lovely listen, but not a 2nd in the tracklisting fun, and begs the question of whether Shaw's deliberately flat timbre works (part of me imagines what Tompkins would do with the song), and "Icebergs" is actively weird in a good way; the only time that the disgusting chorus drenched guitars found across the album justify themselves sounding so meek."[+]Reply
"I only just finished it again for the third time, and it only gets more beguiling each time. It's every bit of its predecessor - the masterwork that is - Knock Knock's equal. Again managing to pull off new instrumental heights (a bit more experimental as it kicks off) and the lyrics and narrative...""I only just finished it again for the third time, and it only gets more beguiling each time. It's every bit of its predecessor - the masterwork that is - Knock Knock's equal. Again managing to pull off new instrumental heights (a bit more experimental as it kicks off) and the lyrics and narratives constructed are just as unrivaled. He has channeled his inner Dylan once more. "[+]Reply
"PSYCHODRAMA is the first album to completely deliver on the promise UK hip hop has shown in the past few years. There's been some good records in the grime scene, most prominently Skepta's 'Konnichiwa' and Wiley's 'Godfather', but for the most part even the best of these feel like a modern update...""PSYCHODRAMA is the first album to completely deliver on the promise UK hip hop has shown in the past few years. There's been some good records in the grime scene, most prominently Skepta's 'Konnichiwa' and Wiley's 'Godfather', but for the most part even the best of these feel like a modern update of a subgenre that was better 15 years ago. UK hip hop that doesn't fall under grime has provided some great singles but only Kojey Radical's 'In God's Body' really came together as an album. Dave has been one of those rappers who puts out hit and miss singles and there's been a pretty clear pattern of the serious tracks being great and the party tracks being forgettable.
Fortunately of the last two singles Dave released it's 'Black' that makes it onto PSYCHODRAMA, not 'Funky Friday'. 'Black' is an excellent political track that tackles institutional racism and is so necessary right now. There's no shortage of brilliant music from the US discussing race but it's staggering how little this conversation comes up in the UK where a post-racial myth has gone largely unchallenged by both sides of the political divide.
Other highlights on the album include 'Psycho' an uncomfortable but powerful expression of mental health and the circumstances surrounding it. J-Hus featuring 'Disaster' sees the two rappers go back and forth detailing the ways in which fame has changed their lives. Closing track 'Drama' is even more expressive and honest than 'Psycho' and is the perfect way to finish the project offering as much positivity and closure as you can get on an album this grim.
As good as these tracks are they pale in comparison to centrepiece 'Lesley'. It's one of the very best storytelling tracks I've heard in years and its success comes down to a combination of emotional connection and its necessary but overlooked subject matter. Changes in perspective also allow Dave to discuss the pain caused to several groups of people as a result of the track's subject. I won't go into the subject matter of the track here because the best way to get the full impact of the track is to just hear it instead of seeing it described first.
There are a couple of drawbacks. 'Purple Heart' is a pathetically corny track featuring some of the least sexy lines I've heard in a while. The star sign puns are also on another level of painful. 'Location' is nowhere near as bad but lags way behind the quality of surrounding tracks and becomes completely forgettable.
In spite of a few missteps PSYCHODRAMA is a fantastic album which shows Dave reaching new heights (worth keeping in mind that he's only 20). His gloomy delivery and subject matters are so reflecting of modern Britain and its multitudes of problems and injustices. The personal core of this record is particularly strong and really sets Dave apart from his peers, he's got a real talent at building an emotional connection to his more serious tracks. 'Lesley' in particular shows a talent that very few in the music scene have. All 11 minutes of it are viscerally written and emotionally draining. As depressing as a lot of PSYCHODRAMA is there's still an overwhelming feeling that when these subjects are expressed so competently it can start the conversations in society to help us do better."[+]Reply
"Wow! Damn! A masterfully executed elevation of punk rock to daring new heights without sacrificing the core philosophy of the genre. I don’t know how they pulled it off. The first few times I heard it, I just thought “what a great punk record,” but then I started to realize as I listened more car...""Wow! Damn! A masterfully executed elevation of punk rock to daring new heights without sacrificing the core philosophy of the genre. I don’t know how they pulled it off. The first few times I heard it, I just thought “what a great punk record,” but then I started to realize as I listened more carefully that this was way more than just another punk record."[+]Reply
"Dope album. Ant's production continues to match with Slug's vocal delivery to make for another solid album from start to finish. If you haven't heard the 'Headshots' volumes 1 through 7 go check those out, or at least Vol. 7, 'Se7en' (1999)."Reply