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Random: Top 10 Guyville Albums - Volume I
Posted October 11, 2006 1:46 PM
Here are the rules: No best of albums here. We’re looking for bands that came, saw, kicked ass and created sheer brilliance in one album. Everything is subjective too, so clearly this could be a top 100 list and anyone could make an argument for or against any of these choices.
Also, we want albums that have that certain something for guys that just come straight out of the speakers and wrap us up in a chokehold. For reasons unknown to us, we just play it over and over again as it never seems to get old. You won’t find any Beatles (largely a number one pick on most lists) albums listed here or anything from the King for that matter. As you’ll see running down the list, they somehow just don’t represent that “guy†flavor. The following, we believe, do…
Van Halen – “Van Halen†– Forget the brilliance of V.H. II and Jump and everything else they did. Remember wearing out the needle on your 100-watt system when you were a kid listening to “Eruption†over and over again. True not every song was a hit, but “Runnin with the Devil,†“ You Really Got Me,†“Ain’t Talkin’ Bout Love†and Jamie’s Cryin’†would be all that most other bands could hope for in a career.
Nirvana – “Nevermind†– Spawned an entire generation of poseurs and wannabes across the globe. Cobain’s haunting screaming/groaning reached beyond typical fourteen year-olds and literally kicked asses of all ages and still continues to do so. Nirvana’s Unplugged in NY deserves honorable mention here too.
Pearl Jam – “10†– I once stood, completely obliterated, in front of three equally inebriated friends and sang every word to every song on the album. I never hit the pause button and I never missed a single word. Not one.
Guns N’ Roses – “Appetite for Destruction†– The killer hit, “Welcome to the Jungle†was so head and shoulders above anything we had heard in so long it rocked us out of our shoes, but the truth is, it wasn’t even the best song on the album!
The Clash – “London Calling†– The alternative rock movement started here, ten years earlier than most novices give credit. These guys were the original godfathers of the genre and this album belongs firmly planted in the top ten of any and all lists.
The Ramones – “The Ramones†–Six thousand dollars was all it took to bring about punk rock as we know it today. That was all it cost to bring to life the Ramones’ debut album. Punk rock became what it is thanks to the Ramones. Their impact felt equally in both the U.K and the U.S.
Bruce Springsteen – “Born to Run†– Good luck finding a guy who is more “GUY†than The Boss. This is what we’re talking about. This is apple pie, the American Flag, a muscle car with a four-barrel carb and a beautiful girl in one kick ass album.
AC/DC – “Back in Black†– Forget Back in Black the single, this album shook us all night long at our proms and continues to do it decades later. We can talk about albums of significant historic importance and all of that mumbo jumbo, but track after track of this unforgettable masterpiece proves that rock and roll really isn’t noise pollution.
The Cars – “The Cars†– True this doesn’t have the in-your-face, blow your head off songs that precede this choice, but these guys were all men, singing about hot chicks and every single track on this album had a sound that was unique. Besides Ocasek married the hottest woman in the world at that time, Paulina Porizkova, giving dorks all over the globe hope.
The Who – “Who’s Next†– Forget about Tommy (which is hard to do as it is genius in its own right). My good friend, Howard, puts it best when he says, "When all four were alive and well, so was Rock and Roll."
So here are the top ten ‘Guy’ albums ever made. We’re putting them into volumes because there were so many that should be up here that couldn’t make the final cut. Look for a second volume in the coming months. If you ever find yourself looking for great gifts for guys, then look no further and pick one or all from the above and you’ll be in business.
