Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by AvalancheGrips
Top Songs (somewhat in order):
The Avalanches- Live At Dominoes
Songs: Ohia- Farewell Transmission
Swans- Bring The Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture
Grizzly Bear- Sleeping Ute
Low- Fly
Viet Cong- Death
Swans- Finally, Peace
Swans- A Piece Of The Sky
Against All Logic- Cityfade
Sudan Archives- Home Maker
Viagra Boys- Baby Criminal
Fleet Foxes- Third Of May
Sonic Youth- Daydream Nation
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Storm
Denzel Curry- Melt Session #1
Denzel Curry- Walkin
Talking Heads- Born Under Punches
Black Country, New Road- The Place Where He Inserted the Blade
Godspeed You! Black Emperor- Dead Flag Blues
Radiohead- How To Disappear Completely
Komm, Susser Todd- Arianne
Marty Robbins- Big Iron
Kendrick Lamar- These Walls
Kendrick Lamar- Sing About Me, I'm Dying Of Thirst
Radiohead- There, There
MGMT- Siberian Breaks
Black Midi- Slow
MGMT- Little Dark Age
Low- White Horses
Kendrick Lamar- Wesley's Theory
Grizzly Bear- Yet Again
Big Thief- Time Escaping
Injury Reserve- Outside
Nina Simone- Sinnerman
Black Country, New Road- Haldern
- Chart updated: 05/24/2023 02:45
- (Created: 01/13/2018 01:55).
- Chart size: 100 albums.
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This chart is currently filtered to only show albums from Swans. (Remove this filter)
Some words on the trilogy:
I have listened to each album of the trilogy separately many, many times. But one time, and hopefully again, I listened to them consecutively. Yeah all six hours. What I can say is that these albums were definitely meant to be listened consecutively. Each final track to each album flows seamlessly into the intro of the next. The thematic cohesion is on point. The brutality of "Apostate" flows right into the quiet, but building "Screen Shot" and its brutality is similar to that of the aggressive nature of To Be Kind as a whole. The sheer noise of the track "To Be Kind" flows into the somber and methodical "Cloud of Forgetting". And the trilogy ends perfectly with the triumphant and beautiful "Finally, Peace". This song feels like victory. There is a real sense of progression over the span of this trilogy. It goes from insanity and lunacy in the song "Lunacy" to transcendence and harmony in the song "Finally, Peace". Even the album covers show this. The Seer's album cover is an animal, this represents our animalistic origins. Then To Be Kind has a human baby, a primitive yet somewhat advanced being ready to develop further. Finally, The Glowing Man, an abstract shape representing the transcendence beyond physical existence. However, this shape looks like a human hand meaning it is humanity that has ascended. This is just my interpretation at least.
I'd also like to talk about what I call the Behemoths. These are songs 15 or more minutes in length. There are 8 of them in this 29 track trilogy. These are often the strongest and most groundbreaking tracks on each album. It takes a tremendous amount of skill and forethought to create such flawless tracks at such length. Only it seems that Gira and crew did not put so much forethought. It appears that many were entirely improvised and evolved over the span of their tours and studio performances. This probably takes even more skill to achieve. These men truly are music gods, or actual gods, who can tell?
The Seer: What a terrifying album. Upon my first listen, I was afraid to look out my dark windows, in fear of seeing some primordial man peering in and plotting to eat me. I rarely dream, but my dreams after this album would probably be intense nightmares if I did. Unlike many other albums, I didn't really preview any songs on this one, and I did the same with Soundtracks. I was taken aback by some of the moments of pure horror and pure beauty. I'm afraid to spoil some of the moments for new listeners. These points on the album are what made it so insanely amazing to me. But if you have listened to it, keep reading. For people who haven't, please do before I spoil it. The last 4 minutes of "The Seer" scared the shit out me. Not because they were particularly scary but because they came out of nowhere. It went from a solid droney track to a groovy, psychotic uproar. I mean these words in the best way possible. "Song for a Warrior" took me completely by surprise in how beautiful it is. This is probably the first time I almost cried on my first listening of a song. Then, what I consider the greatest moment on The Seer, "A Piece of the Sky". There are so many moments of pure beauty and bliss on this track. When the jangly zithers and dulcimers? come in after the dark drone, I feel a sense ascension. Then the groovy rock instrumental comes in and lifts me up even more, and then the final 5 minutes. Oh my God, the final 5 minutes of this track are orgasmic, I hate that word but it's true. Gira really shows himself as a lyrical genius here. Then, all of this ascension is brought down and obliterated by "Apostate". This song represents the most depraved and disgusting aspects of humanity. Of course, this song is amazing too. I believe each album in the trilogy represents a part of humanity's evolution. This album is the primordial period of desolation and brutality. It's not the same brutality as To Be Kind though. This is the world and the universe inflicting violence on humanity. This is insanity.
Favorite Songs: "Lunacy", "The Seer", Song for a Warrior, "A Piece of the Sky", "Apostate" [First added to this chart: 02/10/2019]
Most of the songs start with a simple beat, just drums and bass most times. Slowly and gradually these songs devolve into savage and inhuman beat downs. "Screen Shot" starts with a very methodical and minimal riff then becomes more intense with a piano riff and eerie sounds in the background. The last minute and a half grow even more intense with some harsh and grating synths and probably lapsteel guitar. "A Little God In My Hands" also starts with a minimal groove with the final moments being filled with insane synths and horns. The second section of "She Loves Us" starts with Michael Gira chanting "Hallelujah" and then degrades into him screaming horrible obscenities. "Oxygen" is probably the greatest example of this. It starts yet again with a minimal beat. Then, after a brief pause, the music comes back with super intense horns that remind me of elephant war cries. Michael Giras just becomes an animal on the second half of this track. These tracks really show the unwinding depravity of humanity in this point of existence.
"Bring The Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture" is quite possibly Swans's greatest achievement. The first minute is already the most intense moment so far on the album. The climax of "Bring The Sun" is probably my favorite eight minutes of music. Then there is the phase of horse noises, saws, bells, and whistles with a wall of noise added in the mixture. Then "Toussaint L'Ouverture" comes in. This song is like an extension of The End by the Doors. The bass groove mixed with the dynamic drum beat is what makes it so good for me. This track really is the pinnacle of all music to me.
The grooves on this album and the pounding atmosphere are really Swans at their peak, amazing that they peaked 30 years after starting by the way, shows how amazing their career has been. The songs are harsh but catchy in some way. There are beautiful moments like "Nathalie Neal" and I'd even say the climax of "Bring the Sun". The production is top notch as always. It's another perfect album by Swans.
Favorite Songs: "A Little God In My Hands", "Bring the Sun/Toussaint L'Ouverture", "She Loves Us", "Nathalie Neal" [First added to this chart: 02/10/2019]
It took me a while to like this album. I didn't see it as an equal to the others in the trilogy. Somehow, I came around to it. I'd say the density of outstanding tracks on this album is greater, maybe because it has less songs but is the same length. Swans really perfected the mix of droney parts with groovy and punchy parts. Two examples of this are "Frankie M" and "The Glowing Man". These two songs are basically perfect. "Frankie M" feels like such an iconic track for Swans. The intro drones are heavenly and the incoming groove is so classy. "The Glowing Man" has the best groove on any Swans album, right in the middle of the track. The final song on this album is also one of the greatest moments in Swans's discography. "Finally, Peace" is such a gorgeous and uplifting song and the perfect way to end the trilogy. I still feel that this is the weakest album in the trilogy, but it's so damn near perfect that I don't hold that much against it.
This trilogy has changed the way I will look at music forever. It is probably the greatest achievement in music history, better than the Beatles, by far. Come back in thirty years and Swans will be the most influential band in history, I'm telling you. These guys deserve so much more credit than they get. I hope in the future, more people will see their genius. Wow, I wrote way too much.
Favorite Songs: "Cloud of Unknowing", "The World Looks Red / The World Looks Black", "Frankie M", "The Glowing Man", "Finally, Peace" [First added to this chart: 02/22/2020]
Favorite Tracks: "I Was A Prisoner In Your Skull", "Helpless Child", "Volcano", "Animus", "The Sound" [First added to this chart: 01/13/2019]
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums composition
Decade | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
1930s | 0 | 0% | |
1940s | 0 | 0% | |
1950s | 0 | 0% | |
1960s | 3 | 3% | |
1970s | 15 | 15% | |
1980s | 4 | 4% | |
1990s | 20 | 20% | |
2000s | 22 | 22% | |
2010s | 23 | 23% | |
2020s | 13 | 13% |
Artist | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
Swans | 4 | 4% | |
Black Midi | 3 | 3% | |
Radiohead | 3 | 3% | |
Can | 3 | 3% | |
Godspeed You! Black Emperor | 3 | 3% | |
Gorillaz | 2 | 2% | |
Talk Talk | 2 | 2% | |
Show all |
Country | Albums | % | |
---|---|---|---|
|
|||
49 | 49% | ||
26 | 26% | ||
5 | 5% | ||
4 | 4% | ||
3 | 3% | ||
3 | 3% | ||
3 | 3% | ||
Show all |
Top 100 Greatest Music Albums chart changes
Biggest fallers |
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Down 1 from 82nd to 83rd For The First Time by Black Country, New Road |
Down 1 from 83rd to 84th Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You by Big Thief |
Down 1 from 84th to 85th Nymphs by Nicolas Jaar |
New entries |
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Mezzanine by Massive Attack |
Leavers |
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Heaven Or Las Vegas by Cocteau Twins |
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Top 100 Greatest Music Albums ratings
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Showing latest 5 ratings for this chart. | Show all 66 ratings for this chart.
Rating | Date updated | Member | Chart ratings | Avg. chart rating |
---|---|---|---|---|
08/28/2023 10:14 | Tamthebam | 550 | 85/100 | |
02/07/2023 20:32 | Moondance | 454 | 84/100 | |
02/07/2023 20:04 | Johnnyo | 2,013 | 80/100 | |
02/07/2023 17:33 | Keatownrodriguez | 78 | 94/100 | |
02/07/2023 15:47 | Weepingguitarman | 41 | 95/100 |
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This chart is rated in the top 1% of all charts on BestEverAlbums.com. This chart has a Bayesian average rating of 91.3/100, a mean average of 91.6/100, and a trimmed mean (excluding outliers) of 92.1/100. The standard deviation for this chart is 8.3.
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A young persons chart only 22 albums from the 60's, 70's & 80's but your descriptions are brilliant so that lifts the chart to 85/100
Great descriptions accompanying the entries. Good chart
That's a lot of depressing albums. Also, Komm Susser Tod is definitely one of the greatest songs ever!
I was right, this thing DOES increase in quality based on fascinating descriptions.
@leniad
I have heard all of those albums actually lol. Bitches Brew by Miles Davis is just outside of my top 100 and was on here for a little bit. Jazz on its own isn't my favorite, I love it when it's incorporated with other genres, à la progressive rock, post-rock, Hip-Hop
you really like swans jajaja, also you already consider ants from up there in top 10, interesting, good chart overall
want to know if you have heard jazz? if not here are 3 albums i recommend you
The black saint and the sinner lady- charles mingus
ins a silent way - miles davis
a love supreme - john coltrane
Fantastic chart!
Very modern chart!
Nice descriptions on your top picks.
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Best Artists of the 2000s | |
---|---|
1. Radiohead | |
2. Arcade Fire | |
3. The Strokes | |
4. Coldplay | |
5. Sufjan Stevens | |
6. Arctic Monkeys | |
7. Wilco | |
8. Muse | |
9. Animal Collective | |
10. The White Stripes | |
11. Kanye West | |
12. Phil Elverum | |
13. Interpol | |
14. Modest Mouse | |
15. Queens Of The Stone Age | |
16. Madvillain | |
17. Godspeed You! Black Emperor | |
18. LCD Soundsystem | |
19. The National | |
20. The Flaming Lips |