Favourite Five Of 2023

Memento Mori by Depeche Mode

Released in March, Memento Mori is Depeche Mode’s fifteenth studio album.

After the death of founding member and keyboardist, Andy Fletcher, remaining members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore decided to soldier on as a duo. I am really glad they did, as Memento Mori is an inspired work and in my opinion their best album since 2005’s Playing The Angel. Lyrically it appears to be themed around death and mortality but musically this is classic Depeche Mode. Has been on and off high rotation for me in the nine months since its release.

Favourite track: “Caroline’s Monkey”

72 Seasons by Metallica

After a seven year gap, Metallica released their eleventh studio album, 72 Seasons, in April

Although I enjoyed 2016’s Hardwired…To Self-Destruct I enjoy 72 Seasons so much more. I find it difficult to articulate why, but I believe it may be that as a collection of songs it holds together much better as an album. The album received three Grammy nominations and 5 singles were released.

Favourite track: Metallica’s longest song to date, the epic “Inamorata”

Road by Alice Cooper

Road is the 29th studio album from Alice Cooper and his 22nd since becoming a solo artist

The aptly-titled Road features and was written with, his live band and the album has a live feel having been recorded with no overdubs. Alice has described it as a concept album about things that happen while a band is on the road. Featuring his old partner in crime on the mixing desk and production duties, Bob Ezrin, Alice sounds great on the album. Big name guests include Roger Glover and Tom Morello too.

Favourite track: “Big Boots”

Hackney Diamonds by The Rolling Stones

Hackney Diamonds is the first Rolling Stones studio album of original material since 2005

How have they done it? I was very pleasantly surprised by how good this album is. I did not have high hopes when I took it home but I was blown away. They have not sounded this good in decades. Jagger is singing surprisingly well for an octogenarian and although Keith may have adjusted his playing style due to his arthritis, he still sounds rifftastic!

Favourite track: “Whole Wide World”

i/o by Peter Gabriel

More than two decades in the making, i/o arrived 21 years after its predecessor, Up

I was very excited when I heard Gabriel was releasing a new album called i/o (inside/outside) in 2023. I have been a fan for many years and waited with baited breath. Gabriel being Gabriel, he decides to release a new song every full moon and a new mix each new moon. Wait, multiple mixes of the same songs will be available. Yes, 3! The physical versions of the album would not be released until 1st December but it was worth the wait. I got myself a copy of the 2CD/BluRay version as it contains one disc of the Bright Side Mix, one disc of the Dark Side Mix and the BluRay features the Inside Mix. They are all good, if slightly different, and at the time of writing I prefer the Dark Side Mix of the tracks. Great stuff and my contender for album of the year.

Favourite track: “i/o”, the title track

Favourite Five Of 2011

Wasting Light by Foo Fighters

Wasting Light is the seventh studio album released by Foo Fighters

Foo Fighters recorded this album in frontman Dave Grohl’s garage in Encino, California using only analogue equipment. The band sought a heavier sound and wanted to recapture the sound of their earlier material. The process worked and the album was another successful one for the band. Six singles were released and the album debuted at number one in 12 countries. It was their first to top the US charts.

Favourite track: “Bridge Burning”

From Here To Anywhere by Sneaky Sound System

Sneaky Sound System released their third studio album in October 2011

This is actually the 5th studio album in my collection to feature Connie Mitchell as lead vocalist, as I also have the two albums she released with Primary. I have always loved her vocals and I think this is the most cohesive effort from Sneaky Sound System. Four singles were released and the album was nominated for Best Dance Release at the ARIA Music Awards.

Favourite Track: “Friends”

The Unforgiving by Within Temptation

The Unforgiving is the fifth studio album by Dutch symphonic metal band Within Temptation

The Unforgiving part of a multimedia storytelling project and involved a series of six comic books and three short films. The album featured more pop and 80s influences than previous efforts and three singles were released. The album reached the top 10 in several European countries, the top 30 in the UK and Australia and the top 50 in the US.

Favourite track: Third single, “Shot In The Dark”

To The Horses by Lanie Lane

Lanie Lane released her self-produced debut album, To The Horses, in 2011

Lanie Lane seemed to come out of nowhere to most listeners upon release of this, her debut album, in 2011. I had the advantage of being involved in community radio at the time so got to know her material from the start, before this was released. I was an instant fan and really enjoyed her music. The album was a success and reached number 12 in the Australian album charts. Six singles were released and Lanie was nominated for five ARIA Music Awards.

Favourite track: “Betty Baby”

Welcome 2 My Nightmare by Alice Cooper

Welcome 2 My Nightmare, was released as a sequel to 1975’s Welcome To My Nightmare

Producer Bob Ezrin convinced Alice Cooper to release a sequel album to the biggest album of Alice’s career. It was a wise decision as it made the top 30 around the world and was his most successful album in the US since Trash back in 1989. The album also featured some tracks recorded with the surviving members of the original Alice Cooper band, their first recordings together since 1973’s Muscle Of Love.

Favourite track: “I’ll Bite Your Face Off”

Favourite Five Of 2008

Death Magnetic by Metallica

Death Magnetic, Metallica’s 9th studio album, was released 5 years after St. Anger

Death Magnetic became Metallica’s fifth number one album in a row on the US charts upon its release. For many fans it was seen as a return to form after the much-maligned St. Anger. I didn’t mind St. Anger myself, but this album was way better in my opinion. I enjoy every track on it and six singles were released. It topped the album charts all around the world and even the tracks that didn’t make the cut, were released as an EP called Beyond Magnetic a couple of years later.

Favourite track: “The Day That Never Comes”

Black Ice by AC/DC

Black Ice is AC/DC’s 15th studio album and the 9th recorded with Brian Johnson

Producer Brendan O’Brien set out to push AC/DC to sound more like they did in the 1970s on this album. He felt that the previous two albums had been more blues-oriented and instead wanted them to focus more on the melodic side with strong choruses. Four singles were released and the album was a multi-platinum seller around the world.

Favourite track: “Big Jack”

The Long Now by Children Collide

The Long Now was the debut studio album from the Melbourne-based indie band

I first heard this thanks to my co-host on community radio at the time of the album’s release. He added one of the album’s singles to our playlist and I have been a fan of the band ever since and own all of their albums (four at the time of writing). Four singles were released from the album and they received airplay on Australian radio station Triple J.

Favourite track: “Social Currency”

Along Came A Spider by Alice Cooper

Cooper’s 18th studio album was his highest charting in the US since 1991’s Hey Stoopid

I really enjoyed this and Alice has never been afraid to make a concept album. The premise here is based on a serial killer called “Spider” collecting a leg from each of his victims to make his own arachnid. He is brought down by falling in love with the 8th victim. I was totally chuffed when it is revealed at the end that “Spider” is actually the character Steven from Cooper’s 1975 album, Welcome To My NIghtmare.

Favourite track: “The One That Got Away”

Indestructible by Disturbed

Indestructible was the fourth studio album released by the American heavy metal band

Debuting at number one on the US charts, Indestructible also topped the charts in Australia, Canada and New Zealand. Four singles were released from the album and “Inside The Fire” was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Hard Rock Performance. It was the first of their albums I purchased and ended up buying its predecessors as well as those released since.

Favourite track: “The Night”

Favourite Five Of 2000

Smoke & Mirrors by The Radiators

Smoke & Mirrors was the seventh and final studio album released by The Radiators

Australian pub rockers the Radiators, more commonly known as the Rads, have been around for what feels like forever. This is probably because they haven’t stopped their constant gigging since their inception in 1978. I have always been a big fan and have seen them live 11 times. I was pleasantly surprised when this album came out, as it had been seven years since their self-titled previous album (although a couple of EPs had been released in between). It has the sound of their classic material and I am sure it would be enjoyed by fans of the band even if it didn’t win them any new ones.

Favourite track: “Ocean Blue”, in some ways reminiscent of “Summer Holiday” from their 1980 debut

Riding With The King by B.B. King & Eric Clapton

What do you do when two of your favourite blues artists record an album? Buy it of course!

As soon as I heard this album was coming out I made a note in my desk calendar (they used to be a thing once upon a time), to remind me to go out and buy it on the day of release. I was not disappointed and I adore enjoy every track on it. Featuring predominantly revisited tracks from King’s earlier career and cover versions, B.B. shares the lead vocal duties with Clapton on most of the album. Unsurprisingly the album was a success achieving double platinum sales in the US, reaching the top 5 in the album charts around the world and winning a Grammy for Best Traditional Blues Album.

Favourite track: The cover of “Marry You” originally recorded by Doyle Bramhall II, who also plays on the album

Brutal Planet by Alice Cooper

Brutal Planet was the fourteenth solo studio album released by Alice Cooper in June 2000

Going for a much darker and heavier sound than his 90s material was an interesting change in direction for Alice. This was almost industrial metal and although it did not appeal to some listeners, it really worked for me. The album features regular contributor Ryan Roxie on guitar and KISS drummer Eric Singer.

Favourite track: “Pessi-Mystic” just for the lyric “I’m so pissed-off-istic“

Odyssey Number Five by Powderfinger

Odyssey Number Five was the most successful album of Powderfinger’s career

Powderfinger’s fourth studio album, Odyssey Number Five, won the band several ARIA Music Awards including Highest Selling Album, Best Group and Best Rock Album. Four singles were released, the second of which “My Happiness”, won the ARIA for Single Of The Year and peaked at #4 in the Australian music charts as well as topping radio station Triple J’s Hottest 100. I was already a fan of the band before the album so they just continued to grow in stature for me.

Favourite track: “Like A Dog”

Daisies Of The Galaxy by Eels

Daisies Of The Galaxy was the third studio album released by American rock band Eels

In my opinion this is a fine album of catchy pop music on the whole with some darker edges. Along with the usual suspects of Mark Oliver Everett aka E playing the majority of the instruments and Butch on drums, the album features guest musicians such as Grant-Lee Phillips and REM’s Peter Buck. The album achieved gold record sales in the UK, Belgium and Australia. It also made the top 40 in Ireland, France and Norway.

Favourite track: “Mr E’s Beautiful Blues”

Favourite Five Of 1975

T.N.T. by AC/DC

AC/DC’s second Australian studio album was released less than 10 months after their debut

T.N.T. was a significant improvement on High Voltage and it laid down the blueprint for all future AC/DC albums. The album features their own compositions along side one Chuck Berry cover. You could be forgiven for thinking they wrote them all as in their hands even “School Days” sounds like one of their own. Classic stuff.

Favourite track: “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)”

Wish You Were Here by Pink Floyd

The album’s themes include music business criticism, alienation and missing Syd Barrett

Wish You Were Here had big shoes to fill following up The Dark Side Of The Moon. Although not received well universally by critics at the time it has since stood up well. This was my favourite Pink Floyd album for many years, but I think I now prefer Animals.

Favourite track: All nine parts (although split in two on the album) of the composition created as a tribute to founding member Syd Barrett, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”

Welcome To My Nightmare by Alice Cooper

The debut solo album by Alice Cooper after the breakup of his band of the same name

A concept album based around a series of nightmares of a child named Steven, a character that would return in some of Cooper’s later work. This album features a talented group of musicians that were the core of Lou Reed’s band and their experience really adds to the album’s overall sound. Much is owed to the production work of Bob Ezrin, who had produced four albums with the original Alice Cooper band before this. He would go on to produce another six albums with Alice after this one. For me this is Cooper’s finest work and a pinnacle he has not come near since.

Favourite track: “Steven”

Dressed To Kill by KISS

The third studio album released by KISS in only 13 months

Due to the Casablanca label being in dire financial straits at the time, Dressed To Kill was produced by label owner Neil Bogart and the band themselves as they could not afford a producer. It may not be their best-sounding album accordingly, but the songwriting was still going strong. The studio version of “Rock And Roll All Nite” was released as a single from the album but it did not do well, only rising to #69 on the charts. The live version from Alive! released 6 months later was the one that made it to #12 and helped it to become the band’s signature song.

Favourite track: “Rock Bottom”

Born To Run by Bruce Springsteen

Born To Run was recorded with what would be the definitive line-up of the E Street Band

Springsteen was given an enormous recording budget and took 14 months to finish the album. Six months were spent on the title track alone! The album features some of his best known pre-Born In The USA songs. Described by some critics at the time as “magnificent”, who am I to disagree with that assessment?

Favourite track: “Thunder Road”

Favourite Five Of 1973

Quadrophenia by The Who

The epic double album rock opera by the Who, Quadrophenia

Although Tommy is their more well-known rock opera, for me this is their pinnacle and masterpiece. I find it more cohesive in its storyline than Tommy, as well as its musical superior. Moon’s drumming on this album is unsurpassed.

Favourite track: Hard to go past “The Real Me”

Billion Dollar Babies by Alice Cooper

Alice Cooper’s 1973 classic album Billion Dollar Babies

The last great album from the original Alice Cooper band. Filled to the brim with classic songs, at least half of this album’s tracks still feature in the live shows of the current Alice Cooper line-up. The album was Alice Cooper’s most successful commercial release at the time. The album featured four hit singles and reached number one on the album charts in both the US and the UK.

Favourite track: “I Love The Dead”

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath by Black Sabbath

Sabbath Bloody Sabbath was their fifth album released in less than four years

Although the first four albums released by Black Sabbath are all great, it is this one that is my favourite. Apparently the writing was initially hard-going in Los Angeles due to fatigue and substance abuse, but they regrouped in Clearwell Castle in Gloucestershire and got the job done.

Favourite track: “Sabbra Cadabra” just pipping the title track at the post

Tres Hombres by ZZ Top

ZZ Top’s finest album and commercial breakthrough, Tres Hombres

The little ol’ band from Texas really hit their straps on this one, making an album that was truly all killer, no filler. Filled with great songs and their trademark musicianship they were on a winner with Bill Ham remaining in the production seat, only now augmented by the engineering skills of Terry Manning. Manning would go on to engineer their next five albums as well, including the successful Eliminator.

The Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd

The Dark Side Of The Moon is one of the most critically acclaimed albums of all time

Featuring perhaps the most iconic album cover ever, this is the album that rocketed Pink Floyd to superstardom. According to Billboard, the album remained on its charts for a whopping 980 weeks (roughly over 18 years) as at the 50th anniversary of its release. This includes over 741 weeks in its initial chart run upon release, from 1973-1988. It is hard to imagine any album ever getting near that level of success again. The soundscapes and recording techniques on the album were ground-breaking and it once upon a time was THE album on which all stereo systems were put through their paces.

Favourite track: “The Great Gig In The Sky”

Favourite Five Of 1971

Yes my favourite five albums of a particular year again. This time it is 1971’s turn.

Sticky Fingers by the Rolling Stones

Produced by Jimmy Miller, Sticky Fingers was the first release on their own label

Another from the purple patch of albums released by the Rolling Stones and the first to feature Mick Taylor as a full time member of the band. There are many highlights on the album and its artwork was designed by Andy Warhol. This will always be my favourite album of theirs.

Favourite track: The Marianne Faithfull penned “Sister Morphine” featuring the sublime slide guitar work of Ry Cooder

Hunky Dory by David Bowie

1971’s Hunky Dory was Bowie’s fourth album and his first on the RCA label

Bowie really hit his straps with this album released a mere 6 months before the career-defining The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars. It is unsurprising that it features the core band members that would become the Spiders. It was Bowie’s first album to be composed on piano instead of guitar.

Favourite track: Hard to choose but had to go with “Kooks”

Killer by Alice Cooper

Killer is the fourth studio album released by the original Alice Cooper band

It has now been more than 50 years since this album was released and it still remains my favourite of both the original band and the solo albums released under the Alice Cooper moniker since. It contains many “killer” tracks including several that still remain in Alice’s live set to this day.

Favourite track: “Halo Of Flies” narrowly beating “Dead Babies” for favourite honours

Who’s Next by the Who

Who’s Next is considered by many to be the Who’s finest album

Developed from the ashes of the aborted Lifehouse rock opera, the album is renowned for its prominent use of synthesizers. The decision to shoot the album cover photo came from Entwistle and Moon discussing Stanley Kubrick and the film 2001: A Space Odyssey and the monoliths featured in the movie.

Favourite track: “Baba O’Riley”

untitled by Led Zeppelin

Officially untitled, Led Zeppelin’s fourth album is commonly referred to as Led Zeppelin IV

Recorded mostly in the country house Headley Grange, the album remains the band’s best-selling album and was considered a commercial and critical success. It also features their most well-known track in “Stairway To Heaven”.

Favourite track: “When The Levee Breaks”, a cover of the Memphis Minnie blues song