Favorite Albums: 62 - 61

So... This entry took me 9 days to finish, and with school starting in a week and a half, it's not going to get much better. So, after this, I am going to be very quick about the entries, until the top 20 or so. Sorry, but my free time is about to get filled with medical terminology and algebra.

62. Zooropa by U2 (1993)

This album gets ripped on more than just about any other U2 album. It's a shame, because it really is a decent album. It was only intended as a quick EP before they went back on tour, but ended up becoming a full 10 song album. While some of it is bad, there are many really good spots. It starts off with "Zooropa", a pretty good opening track. Slowly gathers itself, builds to a nice solid finish, and lets you know right off the bat that this is a very keyboard driven album. Like it. "Babyface" is next, one of the prettiest U2 songs that nobody has heard. Pretty sure it was even a single, but not positive. Good tune. "Numb" is next, one of the few songs The Edge gets to sing lead vocals on. Love love love this song, even now. Then comes "Lemon", which I can't stand. Not really a fan of any of the songs Bono sings in that falsetto of his, but this one's probably the worst. Just annoying. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)" is one of the most beautiful U2 love songs ever. Just an outstanding song. "Daddy's Gonna Pay For Your Crashed Car" is one of those songs that I used to hate but now appreciate and enjoy. Groovy beat, somewhat menacing yet silly lyrics, good vocals. Good tune. "Some Days Are Better Than Others" is just kind of lazy. It is extremely repetitive, and gets pretty boring. Pass. "The First Time" is bad ass. Absolutely love this song, and have from the first time I ever heard it. Just a great song. "Dirty Day" is okay, but for me it's just filler between the two best songs on the album. "The Wanderer" closes the album with one of the most awesome pairings ever - U2 with Johnny Cash on vocals. Absolute awesomeness. I don't even care if it's not the best song in the world, it is still extremely cool. All in all, there is a lot of good music on this album. It really didn't deserve the bashing it took from both critics and fans, and I think if more people gave it a shot, they'd be surprised how good it really is.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Babyface"


4. "Numb"


3. "Stay (Faraway, So Close!)"


2. "The Wanderer"


1. "The First Time"


61. Sugar Tax by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1991)

So, OMD started off as a duo, then over the years they added other musicians. Then, the two founding members, Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, got into a bit of a spat, and the band split. McCluskey continued on under the OMD name, and this was the first release after the split. It's not that bad of an album, even though it pretty much got ripped to shreds. It starts off with "Sailing On the Seven Seas", a pretty thumping tune, and one of the best on the album. Instant hook. "Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way)" was the only single off this album that got any attention whatsoever, and it's a pretty decent song. "Then You Turn Away" and "Speed Of Light" are both pretty good, the former being an especially moody song. "Was It Something I Said" is one of the greatest break up songs ever. It's basically about the break up of the band, but it can be applied to relationships of damn near any kind pretty easily. Awesome tune. "Big Town" is okay, a nice fluff piece after the emotion of the preceding song. "Call My Name" sounds like it was written specifically for a dance club. Good stuff. "Apollo XI" is a funky little piece that uses broadcast clips from different moon landings for the "lyrics". Not much substance, but interesting. "Walking On Air" has a very odd feel to it compared to the rest of the album. Kind of a jazzy thing going, not quite sure how else to describe it. "Walk Tall" is another bad ass break up song, but it's more defiant, basically saying the other person isn't going to break his spirit. Great. "Neon Lights" is another filler type song. Not great, not terrible, just there. "All That Glitters" closes the album on a pretty down note. It's a good song, just very pessimistic. Overall, this is a pretty decent album, especially for what amounts to a solo work. Not just solo vocally, but he did all the music, too. Is it the best O.M.D. album? Probably not. My favorite, though.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Then You Turn Away"


4. "All That Glitters"


3. "Walk Tall"
(No versions available)

2. "Pandora's Box (It's a Long, Long Way)"


1. "Was It Something I Said"

Favorite Albums: 80 - 79

Alrighty then. Finally got the fussy little man to sleep, now back to work.
I was having some YouTube issues while getting the videos, so leave a comment below if they are messed up and I'll put different ones up.

80. The Best Of O.M.D. by O.M.D. (1988)

This is one of the greatest "Best Of" albums ever, hands down. While most people only know one, maybe two songs by OMD, they were one of the best synth pop bands of the '80s, and this is a perfect compilation of their career. Nothing here that shouldn't be and, more importantly, nothing missing. "Electricity" is the first song, a super catchy addictive tune. Very good for a debut single. Next is "Messages", a bit slower, but a bit better than "Electricity". It's the first song where they truly show off their vocal range. "Enola Gay" almost sounds like a mixture of the previous two songs, but not like a copy. Something that pretty much defines this album and their career, really. They never stray too wildly from their comfort zone, just hammering out great, consistent music. "Souvenir" is the first of several straight slower ballad-type songs, although none are actually ballads. It's a really pretty song, though. "Joan Of Arc" is bad ass, just a great song. "Maid Of Orleans" is almost a sequel, still singing about Joan Of Arc, and is also pretty kick ass. "Tesla Girls" gets back to the upbeat music, a pretty good tune as well. "Locomotion" is probably the weakest song here, I think, but it's at least tolerable. "Talking Loud and Clear" is another slower pretty song, great mix of soft vocals and somewhat subdued yet aggressive music. Hard to explain. "Secret" is an amazing song. I'd never heard it before I got this album, and I've loved it since the first time I listened to it. Just a great tune. "If You Leave" is next, and I know you all know how great that song is. Classic. "(Forever) Live and Die" follows, and this song should really have been a hit for these guys. Love this one, too. Next is the other song you've probably heard by them, "Dreaming". You'll remember it when you hear it in a minute or two. "We Love You (12" Version)" and the final song, "La Femme Accident (12"Version)" are remixes of earlier singles, both pretty popular in dance clubs at the time, and both of these versions reflect that dance club vibe. Overall, in case I haven't clarified, I love this album. I'll never get sick of it, and can't imagine a time when I won't own it. Love it.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Dreaming"


4. "Enola Gay"


3. "If You Leave"


2. "(Forever) Live and Die"


1. "Secret"


79. X by INXS (1990)

This one kicks off with the two big singles. "Suicide Blonde" is first, and includes one of the most awesome harmonica parts ever. "Disappear" is next, the far superior single. Excellent song. "The Stairs" should have been a single, plain and simple. This was one of the best INXS songs ever, and it's baffling why they didn't release it. "Faith In Each Other" on the other hand is pretty bland. Just sounds kind of generic. "By My Side" is awesome also. Take what I said for "The Stairs" and apply it here. From here on out, the album just gets kind of average, the only reason it's not higher. "Lately" sounds like they were trying to write another song around the guitar riff from "Devil Inside" on Kick. "Who Pays the Price" and "Know the Difference" are both decent, but too similar to really be notable. "Bitter Tears" is pretty good, saving the last half of the album from total mediocrity. "On My Way" sounds like "Faith In Each Other", almost like they're the same song with slightly altered words. The final song, "Hear That Sound", is better than most of the songs on the tail end of the album, but still not great. Basically, coming off the success of Kick, this album just feels a tad too rushed, like they wanted to keep their name out there while people were still talking about them. The thing is, though, there were three years between the two albums, the longest between any INXS albums to that point. They really should have tried to broaden their sound a bit more. Nothing too excessive that would drive away the new fans they'd earned, just enough to keep things interesting and keep X from sounding like a poor man's Kick.
5 Best Songs:
5. "Suicide Blonde"


4. "Bitter Tears"


3. "Disappear"


2. "By My Side"


1. "The Stairs"