Group D

[PaulHaddock]

Beach Boys- Pet Sounds (1966)

Nominated by: Cheese and Biscuits

Pet Sounds is the Beach Boys' 11th album. Originally, it was only a hit album within the UK, receiving a less welcome reception in the US. Brian Wilson wrote most of the material and arranged many of the new yet strange recording techniques, such as the use of unorthodox instruments.

Another early concept album, it was seen as a masterpiece of psychedelic rock. It has been ranked No2 on Rolling Stones 500 Greatest Albums.

The album contains the huge hit 'God Only Knows'. The album and this song in particular are known to be very different from the earlier 'surfer dude' style the Beach Boys had. It became a lot more progressive and who knows? Maybe it made it better.

 

[PaulHaddock]

The Smiths- Meat is Murder (1985)

Nominated by: eightiesrobin

This is The Smiths second album. It was released after their first album did surprisingly poorly. Even more surprisingly, it was their only album to hit No1 in the UK; it didn't do so well in the US.

The album was self-produced by Morrissey and Marr. The songs were more politically driven, with lyrics ranging from Thatcherism to current music. When asked about Band Aid, Morrissey made some moronic comment as usual

The Headmaster Ritual (imo) is the albums most well known song. The song (according to its lyrics) shows the mental and physical violence within schools. The albums continues in this theme of violence.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Stereophonics- Performance and Cocktails (1999)

Nominated by: Look Out There Are Llamas

This album was once referred to as 'Oasis trying to sound like Radiohead'. Which is quite harsh. Kelly Jones raspy vocals add some texture to the soft rock/indie music that he also writes.

It contains the two big hits 'The Bartender and the Thief' and 'Just Looking'. I think that the Stereophonics are more than just an indie band; the pace and distortion in their songs give them a big enough scope to reach for different genres. And though they've been criticised in the past for writing simplistic songs, they must be doing something right to keep selling records.

This album has since gone on and sold 2.5 million copies, which is 5x Platinum.

 

[PaulHaddock]

David Bowie- Hunky Dory (1971)

Nominated by: StagsForLife

If ever there was a career defining album, it was this: it truly showed off the wonders of Bowie and how different but truly brilliant he could be (I'm not his biggest fan btw). A slight return for Ziggy with songs like 'Life on Mars' mixed with a new age of glam rock in 'Changes', it provided Bowie with a whole new audience.

As I said, this album pushed Bowie onto his new career path; gone were the days of his more experimental art rock of 'The Man Who Sold The World', ready for works like 'Heroes' and 'Rebel Rebel'.

For his song, I'll go with 'Life on Mars'. Even though I've never appreciated his music, I listened to this song endlessly before he did just because it's so weird yet fantastic. RIP.

 

[Cheese & Biscuits]

Tough group with 3 great albums and the Stereophonics. Has to be my album of Pet Sounds but losing to either of the other 2 wouldn't be too bad.

 

[eightiesrobin]

Meat Is Murder - I was 16 when this came out, and ripe for conversion to Smithdom.

The Headmaster Ritual has a couple of pop music's great lines - the opening "Belligerent ghouls run Manchester schools" being one, and "Please excuse me from gym, I've got this terrible cold coming on" another.

 

[Habbinalan]

Hunky Dory just pips Pet Sounds.

 

[PaulHaddock]

Alan, would you mind liking the post? Just to avoid confusion in case I miss your posts.

 

[Vanni]

Headmaster Ritual may be the most well-known song on the album, though I have my doubts on this as several fans say it's the title track, but for me the standout tracks are Nowhere Fast, This Joke, Well I wonder and obvs the title track, a song which saw thousands convert to vegetarianism.

 

[eightiesrobin]

Barbarism Begins At Home is another great song, in fact, not a duff one on the whole album

 

[PaulHaddock]

Winner: The Smiths- Meat is Murder
Runner up: David Bowie- Hunky Dory