Hall Of Fame: 1.Outside by David Bowie

Certain albums need help in order to work better. In theory, it’s simply a case of buying a record/downloading an album/sticking on a CD and listening to your music. And for most albums, that’s exactly how the transaction works. But not 1.Outside. Released in the 90s, years after last having any substantial hit songs in…

Hall Of Fame: Adore by Smashing Pumpkins

There are certain opinions enshrined in music journalism by music journalists. For the most part their thoughts remain unchallenged, unchanged. These edicts have been chipped into the rock of rock music itself. You know what I’m talking about, of course. Nevermind is the best Nirvana album. Blur won the battle, Oasis won the war. Sgt…

Hall Of Fame: Bed by Juliana Hatfield

The truth is I listened to 'college rock' before I ever went to college. I'd already decided what life was going to be like based on some CDs and movies, all of which were from America. Britain was going through a post-Britpop hangover and for the most part, I favoured alternative American bands. I had…

Hall Of Fame: Evol by Sonic Youth

There are certain albums within a band's canon when everything works. The formula is finally perfected. It may be the case that a band finally discover what makes them great, or it could be an addition to the group adds something that was previously mission. Whatever the reason, everything works and nothing can ever be…

Hall Of Fame: Viva La Woman by Cibo Matto

Hall Of Fame is the strand of this blog where I discuss my favourite things. It might be a book, an album, a movie or a video game. Can you imagine being the A&R man (or woman) responsible for signing Cibo Matto? Here's the concept: two Japanese artists, one rapper and a multi-instrumentalist, in a…

Hall Of Fame: Disgraceful by Dubstar

Hall Of Fame is the strand of this blog where I discuss my favourite things. It might be a book, an album, a movie or a video game. The Britpop boom saw nearly every band with a guitar get signed up by a major label. Sometimes these bands were very recognisably Britpop in their appearance…

Hall Of Fame: Anniemal by Annie

Hall Of Fame is the strand of this blog where I discuss my favourite things. It might be a book, an album, a movie or a video game. Pop music in 2005 was a foreign country and I'd lost my passport just like Nadine Coyle from Girls Aloud. The borders in pop were vast, the…