#15 The Rolling Stones, Blink 182, Kid Harpoon

Classic Album



The Rolling Stones - Sticky Fingers

Again the Rolling Stones have a lot of albums that could have been put forward as a classic but I have gone for 1971s Sticky Fingers as it is very solid throughout and has a few of their biggest songs on it such as the controversial Brown Sugar and Wild Horses. I am a bit of a fair-weather fan though and would again probably go for the Greatest Hits from these guys.

2016 Album


Blink-182 - California

I have only listened to this through once and to me it sounded very much like any other Blink-182 album but it has been given good reviews and if I get around to listening to it again I am sure I will get to know it a bit better. The lead single from the album was Born to Death

Ant's Random Recommendation



Kid Harpoon - Once

What a man Kid Harpoon is, it is only a shame that he has hung up his performing gloves and settled into a life of family and writing songs for other people. Luckily before he did that he released one album in 2009s Once. Now without trying to sound too controversial, I didn't love this recording. The songs in themselves are great but with his catalogue of songs I think it could have been better. I still have listened to it countless times but Late For The Devil really should have made the cut. Instead you can listen to Colours, Flowers by the Shore and Marianna.

#14 The Strokes, Spring King, Palma Violets

Classic Album



The Strokes - Is This It?

Now I said that a lot of albums and bands wouldn't have happened if it weren't for The Libertines, but The Libertines probably wouldn't have got the exposure if it wasn't for this albums release in 2001. The Strokes made fast paced guitar music sexy again with songs such as Last Nite, Hard to Explain and New York City Cops being some of the best.

2016 Album

Spring King - Tell Me If You Like To

Spring King have been a band that I have been listening to over the last few years and now they have released their debut album and it is good, not great but good. Spring King sound a bit like 80s punk, for me they have a definite Ramones influence. I think though a lot of their songs sound a bit samey so maybe in a playlist is better than the whole album in one go. The best tunes on this though are The City, Rectifier and The Summer.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Palma Violets - 180

This was my favourite album of 2013 by a band who have the potential to be one of my favourite ever bands. There is no doubting that they are better live than they are on the CD but that doesn't mean that the CD is bad. I listened to this non stop when it first came out and know every track like the back of my hand. Some of my favourites include Best of Friends, Tom the Drum and We Found Love.

#13 The Kinks, Iggy Pop, Kings of Leon

Classic Album



The Kinks - Singles Collection

OK so I am cheating on this one but unlike the others that I said had a lot of non album singles, The Kinks is almost all non-album singles so rather than going through 20+ albums that I don't know any of the songs I will recommend this. The Kinks are one of the best bands ever and their singles collection is breath taking. I saw the musical based on their career (Sunny Afternoon) and it was amazing. Personal favourites include Sunny Afternoon and Days.

2016 Album



As if Iggy Pop wasn't enough on his own on this album he is joined by Queens of the Stone Age front man Josh Homme and Arctic Monkeys drummer Matt Helders (plus a guy called Dean Fertita who I don't know). It is quite a slow paced, melancholic album that I enjoyed but I wouldn't want to listen to all the time. I particularly liked the track Sunday

Ant's Random Recommendation



Kings of Leon - Aha Shake Heartbreak

This was the Tennessee band's 2nd album and the one that really got me into them with songs such as The Bucket, Four Kicks and Soft amongst a whole tracklist of gems. This album is a lot more raw than their later more popular records such as Only by the Night. Released in 2004 it was very much a cult favourite for a band who at the time were fairly small.

#12 The Pogues, Bombino, Tinashe

Classic Album



The Pogues - Red Roses for Me

A mixture of traditional Irish songs and MacGowan's own melodies makes The Pogues one of my favourite bands. It wasn't until I saw them live in 2012 that I realised that they were more than Fairytale of New York and the Irish Rover. This their debut from 1984 shows how much more they have to offer with MacGowan composition of Streams of Whiskey and the reworked traditional Waxie's Dargle being particular favourites.

2016 Album

Bombino - Azel

I can't remember how I first came to hear of Bombino but his 2013 track Amidinine was amongst my top 10 that year despite it being in Arabic which isn't my first language. Despite the language barrier it is clear to see that he is an amazing guitarist and this album which is a follow up to 2013s Nomad is another great one. Nomad was produced by an American and although had a very different sound, hadn't a western twang whereas Azel sounds very traditional and I love it.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Tinashe - Saved

I have literally just this moment found out that Tinashe now goes by the moniker of Rationale so I will have to go and listen to that but while I am researching that you should listen to 2010s Saved. It would be a lie to say that every song on the album is great but more than half are and those that are good are REALLY good. From when we first saw him supporting Noisettes I knew he would be a star. I imagine the name change came due to the American female singer also called Tinashe.

#11 Daft Punk, The Tribe, Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Classic Album



Daft Punk - Discovery

Well this 2001 album needs no introduction as we used to regularly listen to this in our youth but I thought I would throw it in as you may not have listened to it in a while. What more could one want than some classic electronic dance music to get them through those long farm days. I am still a fan of the slower tracks, Digital Love and Something About Us most but the whole thing is a masterpiece.

2016 Album

The Tribe - Tribal Wave

Another complete unknown in my 2016 list. The Tribe were a band I saw live as part of the Sofar Sounds project (there may well be Australian branches of this, look it up). The Tribe are a Reggae Rap band from Swindon. Live they were fun and the leads rap flow was very smooth. The Rap ontop of some bouncy reggae bass means that this is the perfect summer album. Definitely a good listen to keep the spirits up towards the end of a long day.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Fever to Tell

This is the album that brought us Maps, a great song but not on the whole a good reflection of the album as it is much mellower than the short punkier numbers which make up the majority of the album. Date with the Night and Pin were other singles to come from this album and provided many a great dance back at University alternative nights. Whereas the Tribe would be a pick me up at the end of the day, this surely would be a motivator at the start

#10 Red Hot Chili Peppers Day

Classic Album



Red Hot Chili Peppers - Californication

For the Classic Album by the Red Hot Chili Peppers it was between 1999s Californication and 1991s Blood Sugar Sex Magic and in the end I went for Californication on the basis that it is the better as a whole in my opinion whereas BSSM has better singles. Californication boasts the title track as well as other singles Scar Tissue and Otherside. On the whole this is a very mellow Chilis album led by John Frusciante's guitar. It is an essential for any collection

2016 Album



Red Hot Chili Peppers - The Getaway

This new album from the Chilis is the best I have heard from them since the 2nd departure of John Frusciante. The first Single Dark Necessities was an instant classic that I have barely stopped listening to since it came out and the title track, The Getaway isn't half bad either. This is definitely up there with my favourite albums of the year to date, not quite to the standard of Californication but well worth a listen.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Red Hot Chili Peppers - By The Way

This was the first album I bought by the band back in 2002 and it made them at that time my favourite band and led me to trawling through their back catalogues and finding the other gems. By The Way is the stand out track from this album but a number of singles such as the Zephyr Song and Can't Stop make this a good listen. I am also very fond of album track On Mercury.

Other Red Hot Chili Peppers Recommendations would be Blood Sugar Sex Magic (1991) & Mother's Milk (1989). I haven't listened to much of their very early stuff but from what I hear it is funky

#9 The Cure, LUH, Johnny Flynn

Classic Album



The Cure - The Head on the Door

This was the first album by The Cure to really break into the popular market, reaching number 7 in the UK charts despite it being their 6th album. The big songs that came from this album were In Between Days and Close To Me. Like many other bands of this era it appears that many of their singles weren't released as part of an album so again a greatest hits might be a good choice.

2016 Album

LUH - Spiritual Songs for Lovers to Sing

Now at the time of writing this, LUH's album is my favourite of 2016 so far. It is very pretentious guitar led indie. LUH is the offspring of WU LYF, another equally pretentious band who collapsed after only releasing one album back in 2011 and so I don't hold out much hope for this band to be a long lasting project especially as the lead vocalists are boyfriend and girlfriend which is always dangerous. The lead male voice is very distinctive and has a Marmite quality so it may be that this isn't everyone's top pick.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Johnny Flynn - A Larum

Another acoustic wonder in my recommendations. Johnny Flynn  is a beautiful lyricist and a good guitarist and has produced a number of fine albums but this was his debut and to my mind his best. It has a slight country feel but is definitely very British. This is another album which I fins it hard to mention a few top picks as they are all so good but if I had to I would mention Tickle me Pink and The Box. Flynn is also an aspiring actor and was in a terrible E4 comedy called 'Scrotal Recall'

#8 N.W.A., The Avalanches, Patrick Wolf

Classic Album



N.W.A. - Straight Outta Compton

I have not seen the highly acclaimed film based around the making of this 1988 album but have only heard great things. This was the first great rap album. It saw the rap genre come out from its pirate radio routes and into the mainstream. Differing from modern American rap it is very deep and meaningful with Dre, Ice Cube and the others telling of life in the California ghetto. You may well remember Express Yourself from the Tony Hawks game.

2016 Album



The Avalanches - Wildflower

I didn't know this band were Australian until researching just now. Perfect for you then! This is not really my kind of music, kind of hip hop, electronic fusion stuff but I imagine this is right up your street. Its got the quirkiness of a Mr. Scruff. I listened a couple of times to the lead single Frankie Sinatra which was ok but yeah not my favourite.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Patrick Wolf - The Magic Position

Patrick Wolf is as camp as he is clearly talented, the multi-instrumentalist has been on the scene for many many years and 2007's The Magic Position was his third studio album. It is without doubt his most commercially successful with songs such as the Magic Position, Accident and Emergency and Bluebells full of camp pop wonder. Each album he has done though has offered something different with the earlier edgy numbers to the more recent full on cabaret. Patrick Wolf provided one of the best festival performances I have ever seen at 2007's Electric Gardens.

#7 Patti Smith, Mystery Jets, Pulp

Classic Album



Patti Smith - Horses

This 1975 album from the most important lady in the Punk scene is one of my Dad's favourites. The Punk scene despite being one of the more progressive movements in music as far a race relations it wasn't particularly inclusive with women until Ms. Smith came along. This album was her debut and she is still going today with an aggressive Punk sound. The big single from this album was Gloria which is a tune!

2016 Album

Mystery Jets - Curve of the Earth

Now don't get me wrong I love the Mystery Jets, they have produced some great albums over the last few years but this is not one of them. I really could not get at all excited by this, in interviews they said they were inspired by Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon (which should probably be in the Classic Albums section at some point) but that is not something that entices me. The first single Telomere was ok but not my favourite by a long shot. Maybe you will like though.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Pulp - Different Class

This 1995 Album from everyone's 3rd favourite Brit Pop band (after Blur & Oasis) is a bit of a banger. It has the obvious Common People and Disco 2000 but it has an overall fun vibe and is a good listen. Album opener Mis-Shapes may well be my favourite track

#6 The Libertines, KANO, Black Kids

Classic Album



The Libertines - Up The Bracket

A Modern Classic in my eyes at least, 2002s Up the Bracket is without doubt my favourite album of all time and I could recite any of the songs without the need of any help. This album brought with it the end of Brit Pop and ushered in the new wave of British Indie. Without this album there would be no Bloc Party, Razorlight, Franz Ferdinand etc. Obviously all the songs are essential but especially Time For Heroes and The Good Old Days.

2016 Album



KANO - Made in the Manor

Now this is some good 2016 Grime music right here. KANO was one of the breakthrough artists of the Grime scene and with 2005s Home Sweet Home he had a gritty album that had some mainstream success. In 2007 he got more success with a less hard hitting album and then he lost his way with a few poor albums but Made in the Manor is a return to form. I particularly like A Roadman's Hymn but there are quite a few good tunes on here.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Black Kids - Partie Traumatic

Do you know what I love this album, it is not deep at all but it has a great sound and is full of feel good tunes. I would have to call it Indie Pop with a 60s feel thrown in. You may well recognise the song that made this band, I'm Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You. Not much else to say apart from this will just make you feel good and want to sing along.

#5 The Beatles, Digitalism, Akala

Classic Album



The Beatles - Revolver

My favourite Beatles Album, I think it would be fair to put just about all Beatles albums into this Classic Album category so I chose this. I remember once you saying something along the lines of Beatles all being cheesy love songs. This album proves that this is not the case, Despite coming out in the Free Love 60s it is full of quirky and original tunes. Some of my favourites are Eleanor Rigby and And Your Bird Can Sing.

2016 Album



Digitalism - Mirage

I think you will really like this one, pure electronica. I think we might have seen this band at Wireless or Field Day one time. I can't pick out any individual tracks from this as I just let it run through. Its ok, not going to make my top albums but I think this one is for you.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Akala - DoubleThink

Not actually my favourite Akala, that accolade goes to 2007s Freedom Lasso but probably lyrically the best one that he does. As you may guess from the title, the album as a whole is very highly influenced by George Orwell's 1984. I remember on my first few listens I genuinely got goosebumps listening to the lyrics on tracks such as Your's and My Children and Find No Enemy, they are so on point. This album was definitely a turning point for Akala, before it he was making good tunes that were intelligent but not too hard hitting and since this his music has been more like hard hitting poetry. I think DoubleThink is the right mix of the two.

#4 David Bowie Day

Classic Album



David Bowie - Ziggy Stardust & The Spiders From Mars

This is another of those albums that is regularly voted one of the best of all time. Released in 1972 it is often classified as 'Art Rock' but that is because it just wasn't like anything else when it came out so they had to make up a new genre. Despite containing classics such as the eponymous Ziggy Stardust and Starman, my favourite from the album is Rock'n'Roll Suicide.

2016 Album



David Bowie - (or Blackstar)

When I first heard the title track, a ten minute long arty piece I wasn't overly impressed as his previous, 2013s The Next Day was so brilliant. But then when Bowie died that song and the rest of the album becomes so much more poignant as it becomes clear that it is a farewell message. The video for Lazarus ends with him being locked in a closet. He died about a week after filming this and this becomes a clear link to a coffin. Although musically this is not my favourite album as a statement I cannot fault its genius.

Ant's Random Recommendation



David Bowie - Hunky Dory

Probably my favourite Bowie Album, it was released in 1971 it has on it the famous classics such as Changes, Oh You Pretty Things and Life on Mars but I think equally as good are Quicksand and quite possibly my favourite Bowie song overall Bombers. This album sounds more 'Indie' than others which is probably why I like it so much.

Other Bowie albums I recommend are The Next Day (2013), Scary Monsters (1980), Aladdin Sane (1973). They are all to my taste but you may well be more keen on Young Americans (1975) and Lets Dance (1983).

#3 The Smiths, Xylaroo, Modest Mouse

Classic Album



The Smiths - The Smiths

This 1984 debut from the Manchester band was one of only 4 albums recorded by the band. This isn't a classic in the same way (in my opinion) as Exodus or London Calling but is very solid and laid way for what they were to do later. Singles such as This Charming Man and What Difference Does it Make? are stand outs. With The Smiths though I think you should probably listen to some of their greatest hits compilations as well as songs Ask and Panic which are my favourites don't feature on any albums.

2016 Album

Xylaroo - Sweetooth

This band are a complete unknown and I only found them through a related artists bit on Spotify. One of my favourite albums of the year so far, Xylaroo are two sisters who sing along with acoustic guitars to make a sweet and pretty summer sound. Some of my favourite tracks are Sunshine and Narwhal.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Modest Mouse - Good News for People who like Bad News

You will remember the song Float On from playing on Rock Band on the XBox. Modest Mouse have been around for years and are usually a bit on the over pretentious side of Indie for me but this album gets it just right. Don't get me wrong it is still very pretentious but it sounds good and songs such as Float On and The Good Times Are Killing Me are brilliant. The album as a whole has very few bad points.

#2 Bob Marley, King Charles, Bright Eyes

Classic Album



Bob Marley & The Wailers - Exodus

Another album that immediately breathes classic with tracks such as Jamming, Three Little Birds and One Love I can imagine nothing better to listen to in the scorching Australian sun. Originally released in 1977 it still holds strong today as probably the best reggae album ever written. Near Perfect.

2016 Album



King Charles - Gamble for a Rose

This is a decent album, I will be up front it is not amazing and will not make it onto any of my end of year lists but it is listenable and in this 2016 category there will be some misses. King Charles himself I think is great, he has a cool style of guitar driven indie and he sings in a fast almost rap style. The best song for me on this album is first single Loose Change for the Boatman. Although this is a plug for his 2016 album, if you get a chance also listen to his debut album which is called LoveBlood and is brilliant.

Ant's Random Recommendation




Bright Eyes - I'm Wide Awake It's Morning

Big Statement Alert! This is probably my favourite album ever (that wasn't written by the Libertines). It is an acoustic beauty that was released in 2005. Conor Oberst and his band take you through beautiful stories, some wonderful, some heart wrenching. Including my first dance song First Day of my Life, I genuinely love every song on this album. It is amazing

#1 The Clash, Bloc Party, Beaty Heart

Classic Album

The Clash - London Calling

Recorded in 1979, London Calling is the first thing I think of when someone says 'Classic Album'. Despite it being 19 tracks long it plays out like a Greatest Hits as you'll have probably heard them all. From the punkier numbers such as the title track to the reggae infused hits such as Rudie Can't Fail and Train in Vain. There is no better album to start this collection with.

2016 Album

Bloc Party - Hymns

This is not by any close margin Bloc Party's greatest album but it is pretty listenable. Coming out towards the end of January I really enjoyed the first single The Love Within although it was met with mixed feelings across the board. You can tell a lot of this album is lead singer Kele Okereke trying to get to terms with a religious side but that doesn't over take too much. A mix of all Bloc Party styles but probably closest in style to 2008's Intimacy.

Ant's Random Recommendation



Beaty Heart - Mixed Blessings

This was one of my favourite albums from 2014 and a surprise one at that as I hadn't heard of them before that year. I had heard single Lekka Freakout early in the year but didn't fall in love until I saw the band live as a support to a mediocre Catfish & The Bottlemen. They are a mix of Indie and Electro performed in a quirky style. Other standout tracks include Seafood and Banana Bread