Number 4 might be my all time favourite album (it’s one of 4 or 5 that I couldn’t be without) but its kind of refreshing to see it not be at number 1 on such a clearly very self consciously cool list from this kinda era.
Magnet Magazine's Top 60 Albums, 1993-2003
- Thread starter dropsonde
- Start date
Number 4 might be my all time favourite album (it’s one of 4 or 5 that I couldn’t be without) but its kind of refreshing to see it not be at number 1 on such a clearly very self consciously cool list from this kinda era.
Thackeraye
Well-Known Member
Didn't think about Belle & Sebastian - sacrilege for a Glaswegian! If you like them you love them (I do), so I don't have a problem with it being that high. In Utero was a given, and I absolutely love it. Same with Radiohead. Will be interesting to see what #1 is.
wmeugene
Well-Known Member
I can't complain about these 4 picks on this list at all. OK Computer is the only one that would have made my top 5, but everything is justifiable in its place.
It has got to be Neutral Milk Hotel - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea for #1, right?
whatwhatsaywhat
Well-Known Member
the way nmh have been deified is utterly perplexing to me - they're a good band (well, sort of) with one great album, but it's only just inside my top 20 albums for 1998 in what was an extraordinarily strong year; 97 is justifiably regarded as one of the canon years in the history of rock n roll, but 98 was so strong too
my top 5 of 98:
massive attack - mezzanine
mansun - six
lucinda williams - car wheels on a gravel road
beck - mutations
air - moon safari
wmeugene
Well-Known Member
Agreed that they are deified for that album. It's in my top 5 for 98, but wouldn't sniff the top 10 for this era for me. Put me in the its great, but still overrated camp.
*throws all paper near me into the air*
I give up. Lol
I agree with @Joe Mac - I do not understand the B&S love. The twee doesn't work with me. I don't dislike them. But I certainly don't agree that they put out a top 4 album of the decade. No effing way.
GBV and Nirvana - sure. Definitely.
#1 - based on its not showing up previously and my deep hope that it is a woman at the top: Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
#1 - based on Magnet's world in which woman make up 3 out of the top 50: Neutral Milk Hotel
I give up. Lol
I agree with @Joe Mac - I do not understand the B&S love. The twee doesn't work with me. I don't dislike them. But I certainly don't agree that they put out a top 4 album of the decade. No effing way.
GBV and Nirvana - sure. Definitely.
#1 - based on its not showing up previously and my deep hope that it is a woman at the top: Liz Phair - Exile in Guyville
#1 - based on Magnet's world in which woman make up 3 out of the top 50: Neutral Milk Hotel
Skeletonframes
Active Member
I think everyone is dead on with the Neutral Milk Hotel pick. I mean, it hasn't shown up on the list, yet, so that has to be it. Because, it's definitely not my personal #1, but it's also definitely in the top 50.
Belle & Sebastian is too high. This is their best album, but it's still not top 20 of the era. And this is coming from a Belle & Sebastian fan who devoured absolutely everything they did up until Boy with the Arab Strap.
All of my friends were Guided By Voices kids and I just never got into them. It's one of those things where something gets shoved down your throat so much you just automatically start to reject it. I'm having a great time as an adult going back and "discovering" those bands without the stubbornness of youth clouding my judgment. I think GbV will be next on my list to look at.
Radiohead is right there for me. In fact, that might be my #1 for the time period. And Nirvana is Nirvana. Can't argue with that.
Yeah, Aeroplane Over the Sea has got to be their Number 1, hasn't it?
Belle & Sebastian is too high. This is their best album, but it's still not top 20 of the era. And this is coming from a Belle & Sebastian fan who devoured absolutely everything they did up until Boy with the Arab Strap.
All of my friends were Guided By Voices kids and I just never got into them. It's one of those things where something gets shoved down your throat so much you just automatically start to reject it. I'm having a great time as an adult going back and "discovering" those bands without the stubbornness of youth clouding my judgment. I think GbV will be next on my list to look at.
Radiohead is right there for me. In fact, that might be my #1 for the time period. And Nirvana is Nirvana. Can't argue with that.
Yeah, Aeroplane Over the Sea has got to be their Number 1, hasn't it?
jamieanderson1968
Well-Known Member
I have enjoyed this, reminded me of a few artists that I forgot about. Also reminded me how much Indie Rock is a bros club.
Funny, I get the dislike of B&S as being twee flag bearer (hard to lift that flag with those skinny little wrists). But I also find a lot of indie rock/pop of the last 10-15 years to be too twee and fey for my liking.
Funny, I get the dislike of B&S as being twee flag bearer (hard to lift that flag with those skinny little wrists). But I also find a lot of indie rock/pop of the last 10-15 years to be too twee and fey for my liking.
jamieanderson1968
Well-Known Member
Never like NMH. Had the cd back in '98 and sold it in the early '00s. Never really got the whole Elephant 6 collective, though I do like Olivia Tremor Control.Confession, Id never heard of Neutral Milk Hotel or this album before forums. Further confession, what I’ve heard so far makes me think I’ll really dislike it so I’ve still never heard anything by them
I’ll confess that I’ve not heard of either of those later 2 either. I’ve generally not enjoyed US indie as much as UK/Irish indie. I tend to prefer rock or singer/songwriter artists more from the western side of the Atlantic for whatever reason
jamieanderson1968
Well-Known Member
Olivia Tremor Control is very obsessed with Brian Wilson's Smile. I enjoy them but in small doses, maybe only once or twice a year at most.
Thackeraye
Well-Known Member
Same with NMH. It's fine, but definitely not the best album of that period. I don't know if you had to be into them at the time to get the whole cultural impact of it.
Overall, it's a pretty good list of albums of the time. There's loads of gaps (I'd add Spiritualized into there, Teenage Fanclub, and that's just off the top of my head. Was Sleater-Kinney in the list?), but it'll be a good playlist to jump into every now and then.
Really enjoyed doing this actually, it's been great fun. Anyone got any more we can do?
Overall, it's a pretty good list of albums of the time. There's loads of gaps (I'd add Spiritualized into there, Teenage Fanclub, and that's just off the top of my head. Was Sleater-Kinney in the list?), but it'll be a good playlist to jump into every now and then.
Really enjoyed doing this actually, it's been great fun. Anyone got any more we can do?
I do not recall seeing them! THE HORROR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thackeraye
Well-Known Member
Huge miss in my book.
I used to eat up these lists back in the day, I’m sure I have read piles by NME and Q down the years. That said I have absolutely no doubt that either my dad, or my brother when he took over the family home, have binned the ones I saved
Matt M
Santa Extraordinaire
I just went through and looked at the list a couple time, I could have sworn I saw them
I do find they were underappreciated during their heyday, but they have a few classics that should be included in this list. And fairly high up the list too!I dig the Neutral Milk Hotel and a good chunk of that Elephant 6 Collective work. Looking back and judging now, it wouldn't be number one. But at the time this list came out, it was big and getting a resurgence/building of love for it. I know a few years back I saw him in Portland, and I was shocked it was sold out at one of the bigger venues.