Greatest albums (Part 4 5-1)

5. Foo Fighters - The Colour And The Shape (1998)

How amazing is Dave Grohl? Really is there anything he can't do? After stepping out of the shadows drumming for the breakthrough grunge group, he went solo more or less and rose to even greater heights. Some of the Foo's albums are a little bit uneven, but this one hits the nail on the head.

The Pixies influenced the start of grunge. Kurt Cobain brought it mainstream and Dave Grohl fused it with modern rock and absolutely nailed it. I am generally not a proponent of screaming in songs which is why I hate most new metal, but the raw emotion of the screaming verse of Monkey Wrench is absolutely perfect.

Key Tracks: Monkey Wrench, Everlong, February Stars, Hey Johnny Park

4. Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon (1973)

I think this one gets extra credit because while every other album on here is a great piece of music, this is the only one that is set to go along with a classic movie. I've watched "Dark Side Of Oz" multiple times and despite no actual verification from the band, come on, that is cool. Especially doing so with only the technology that existed in the 70's.

Probably Pink Floyd's most well known album and one of the most well known album covers in rock history, this is another ALBUM, not just a collection of songs. Everything flows together and fits perfectly ending with a grand crescendo and fade. Simply amazing.

3. Bruce Springsteen - Born to Run (1975)

Now we come to the Boss. While I really wanted to put this album number one there are just a few less than stellar songs that knock it down a peg.

This album contains some of the very best songs ever, including my personal #1. Every song on here just screams epic and listening to it as a whole is like a Broadway musical in LP form. All of the band gets into this one with blistering sax solos from Clarence Clemons and gorgeous piano work by Roy Bittan throughout.

This was a real transition time for Bruce as his first two albums, although critically acclaimed did not reach mainstream success. He poured everything he had into making this record which was really his last shot at stardom and it showed. Even some of the tracks which individually did not stand out, worked in the concept of the whole album.

Key Tracks: Thunder Road, Jungleland, Born To Run

2. The Beatles - Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) and Abbey Road (1969)

Ok I cheated. If I didn't this list would've had almost all Beatles albums and been kind of boring after I ran out of random things to talk about around the 3rd album. As it is, these are my two favorites and I couldn't decide between so you get a bonus album.

The thing that makes the Beatles the most respected and influential band in rock history is their evolution. They were a simple bubblegum pop band in 1962 that along the way dabbled in blues and r&b a smidge of country and wrote the first heavy metal song. Bands today don't get the luxury. They have one hit and then are pushed to make every single from there to eternity be a close relative of that hit. Could you imagine if the Beatles came out today and were told, "You can't make this music. It's too hard and there are Indian instruments. Stick to pop". Yet another reason why Top 40 radio has gone to hell in the past 15 years.

Key tracks: All of the above, just lock yourself in the supply closet and listen to the Beatles all day

1. Guns 'N Roses - Appetite For Destruction (1987)

And taking the cake for kick-ass debut albums...

Really this is by far the greatest album that has been released in my lifetime. I've spilled thousands of words extolling GNR. I own this album on cd, vinyl and somewhere in my parent's attic, cassette tape. I went dressed as Slash for multiple Halloween parties.

Luckily my parents were cool with censorship and let me listen to this album when I was little. It's not like I actually understood the context of the songs and I'd heard the word "fuck" enough that it wasn't that much of a shock. Looking back on it now it doesn't really seem to be the type of thing a grade schooler should rock out to.

To borrow from Klosterman again, GNR was cool because they didn't just sing about the lifestyle, they lived it. Drinking, drugs and sex were standard subject matter for almost all 80's songs, especially hair metal, but GNR lived it. Axl was arrested for battery (which kind of puts "It's So Easy" in a different light). David Geffen pushed for Use Your Illusion to be a double album because he was afraid one of the band members would OD before they got finished. Guns N Roses weren't just a rock and roll band, they were rock and roll.

Key tracks: Sweet Child O Mine, Paradise City, Mr. Brownstone, Night Train