Listed below are the overall rankings for the best albums in history as determined by their aggregate positions in over 59,000 different greatest album charts on BestEverAlbums.com! (Chart last updated: 7 hours ago).
"It's overdramatic, just as it should be, and for the better. All of the songs have perfect lyrics and can be argued as a highlight but my personal favorite is probably Cross My Heart followed by Celebrity Status. The end is also one of the greatest ends to any album ever."Reply
"This is one of a handful of cases where their album was just as good, and highly similar stylistically, as their last album; and yet, i liked the album a bit less because i've become a bit tired of the "formula". This is simply a "ho hum / show me something new" reaction to an otherwise solid boo...""This is one of a handful of cases where their album was just as good, and highly similar stylistically, as their last album; and yet, i liked the album a bit less because i've become a bit tired of the "formula". This is simply a "ho hum / show me something new" reaction to an otherwise solid bookend to "The Stage Names". They continue writing songs in the perspective of "people in the limelight". Pop Lie is the best track. Now if they could give me the uncompromising darkness of "Black Sheep Boy" with the matured song-craft of "The Stage Names"/"The Stand-Ins", then i'd be SET."[+]Reply
"I won’t always admit how much I like this record, but it’s a surprisingly good effort from not yet Disco-tainted Stewart. The rockers (“Hot Legs,” “You're Insane,” “Born Loose”) really rip, and the ballads, while at times cheesy, are mostly strong. The best song may be “You Keep Me Hangin' On,” t...""I won’t always admit how much I like this record, but it’s a surprisingly good effort from not yet Disco-tainted Stewart. The rockers (“Hot Legs,” “You're Insane,” “Born Loose”) really rip, and the ballads, while at times cheesy, are mostly strong. The best song may be “You Keep Me Hangin' On,” the extended arrangement of which Rod was accused of ripping off from Vanilla Fudge. But who cares? He and his band perform the song so well. "[+]Reply
"I think Word Of Mouth is The Kinks' best album of the 80's. That doesn't make it one of the best albums of the band because we are still miles away from their great output of the late 60's and early 70's, but nonetheless, this album is enjoyable. I'm usually not particularly a fan of Dave's songs...""I think Word Of Mouth is The Kinks' best album of the 80's. That doesn't make it one of the best albums of the band because we are still miles away from their great output of the late 60's and early 70's, but nonetheless, this album is enjoyable. I'm usually not particularly a fan of Dave's songs, but his 2 contributions (Living On a Thin Line and Guilty) are probably 2 of the 3 best tracks of the album, along with Do It Again. Theses 3 tracks are really good!
The rest of the album is either ok or good, which makes for an average album. It's not Arthur or VIllage Green, but for a 1984 album, it's enjoyable."[+]Reply
"When your band is the offspring of Gang of Four and XTC people are going to expect that artistically you can bring the pain so to speak. Without a doubt, Shriekback could bring it. One could argue that Shriekback didn't have the consistency over its lifespan of its parent bands, but for at least ...""When your band is the offspring of Gang of Four and XTC people are going to expect that artistically you can bring the pain so to speak. Without a doubt, Shriekback could bring it. One could argue that Shriekback didn't have the consistency over its lifespan of its parent bands, but for at least 2 moments (this album and 'Big Night Music') it clearly outshined them both. Folks may wonder who Shriekback really was: the sweaty funk of "My Spine (Is the Bassline)", the disposable party-pop of 'Go Bang!' or the lurid alien soundscapes traversed in their more introspective moments? Perhaps I can't answer that question, but I think they will be best remembered for the latter. 'Oil and Gold' contains flashes of the funk but is full of the dark introspection. It stands as their crowning achievement.
The disc kicks off with the fat bass and beats kicking in "Malaria" and "Everything That Rises Must Converge". "Fish Below the Ice" then segues into a slower, moodier section highlighted by "This Big Hush" and the poignant, sensual & brilliantly minimalist "Faded Flowers". The entire section of the album bristles with a quiet, smoldering intensity that the listener senses just has to be released otherwise self-destruction is imminent. Luckily the pressure is all released on the potent dance masterpiece "Nemesis"... a.k.a. the song that you know even if you've never heard of Shriekback. This is as ominous as a dance song can get outside of eletronic industrial. The shrieking chorus of high-pitched female vocals coming over the top of Barry Andrews' baritone makes the vibe almost an orgy of sound and fury. The underrated song here, even by fans, is the Middle Eastern tinged "Hammerheads". The melody is ensnaring to the ear and slithers to and fro like a snake charmer's tune. The album exits with the ambient, chill-out wonder of "Coelocanth", a mysterious slab of subtle shifting tones that make you feel as though you are watching this ancient rare creature navigate the currents in the ocean's deepest, darkest recesses."[+]Reply
"Dec20. I just love the sound of these guys. The bridge between Nirvana and 2000s emo, with a good bit of punk thrown in. Not sure how such bleak lyrics and sounds can make me feel so good. They just express things so directly. If wallowing in mysery over 2020 or suffering from some anxiety, then ...""Dec20. I just love the sound of these guys. The bridge between Nirvana and 2000s emo, with a good bit of punk thrown in. Not sure how such bleak lyrics and sounds can make me feel so good. They just express things so directly. If wallowing in mysery over 2020 or suffering from some anxiety, then these guys have you covered.
'Routine Pain' serves as a good summary of what you are going to get here. Endearingly heart-crushing. 'Self-Destruction (As a Sensible Career Choice)', despite its (literally) bleak lyrics has a bounce to it that reminds me of someone like Spraynard. 'The Generation Loss' is the kind of great song The Menzingers are noted for, but also finishes much like a Spraynard song. 'Losers' was an instant favourite. The desperate cries of 'Optimism (As a Radical Life Choice)' wormed its way into my head. I don't feel that down, but I can recall times when I would have loved to have this song playing. Holy shit - the lyrics to 'Losers 2'. Another that just hits all the bad feels in a good way
This is beautiful in its own dark way, but perhaps a little too depressing over the whole album. It certainly is an album for 2020. Still, I dug it. 4/5"[+]Reply