1. De La Soul – Buhloone Mindstate (1993) [rap/hip hop] – first listen – current rating: 9/10
Brief thoughts: Excellent – consistent quality lyrics and beats throughout. If I had to say their first four albums seem to be top quality.
2. Amebix – Arise! (1985) [crust punk, heavy metal] – first listen – current rating: 8/10
Brief thoughts: Interesting mix of styles of punk, metal, rock. Someone said this was the first true black metal record. I don’t think so – Bathory’s self titled was in October 1984, Celtic Frost’s Morbid Tales was in November 1984, and Venom’s very own Black Metal was in November 1982 (even though it’s moreso Speed/Thrash Metal, I count it). Regardless, that doesn’t make this record any less solid.
3. Brian Eno – Another Green World (1974) [art rock, ambient] – first listen – current rating: 9/10
Brief thoughts: Very beautiful and lush record. I’m seeing the transition where Eno phases out his glam and art rock and goes into his ambient work – this has a nice balance of instrumental and vocal tracks on this, some of his best work.
4. John Cale – Sabotage/Live (1979) [art rock] – current rating: 9.5/10
Brief thoughts: What a great live record. The band backing Cale on this are not subtle nor show off much finesse – however, they instead hit their notes and chords like sledgehammers onto metal gates and still come off melodic and effective. Cale’s noisy, raspy, energetic vocals perfectly complement this, as well as the wonderful backing vocalist Deerfrance. Fantastic and abrasive and catchy.
Beautiful Extremes, Etc. - b4bbl3.com 