FEATURE:
Critic-Proof:
IMAGE CREDIT: Rosabelieve (Deviant Art)/IN THIS IMAGE: Kate Bush (Hounds of Love, 1985)
The Near-Perfect Albums Hard to Fault
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BECAUSE Arcade Fire are about to unleash to the world…
IN THIS PHOTO: Eminem (The Marshall Mathers LP, 2000)
their already-critically-acclaimed album, Everything Now, it appears that record will get unanimous praise. I find it hard believing many will give it anything less than a five-star review. That is rare in an age when there are so many media sites – could an album ever get THAT much praise?! That sort of universal acclaim, I thought, was normally reserved for albums long ago. It is not that our tastes have changed or music has got worse – the classic, titanic albums rock-up very rarely.
That said, there are a few that, if one looked at Metacritic, would be in the high-nineties. I select a host of albums – from the 1950s to now – that have gained those lofty scores and got the thumbs-up from all (or most, at least) critics.
I take a selection through the decades and, in addition to providing the album itself, select the finest track from it – a chance to discover why that record received such a fantastic reception.
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1950s:
Elvis Presley – Elvis Presley (March 23rd, 1956)
STANDOUT TRACK: Blue Suede Shoes
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue (17th August, 1959)
STANDOUT TRACK: Blue in Green
1960s:
Bob Dylan – Highway 61 Revisited (30th August, 1965)
STANDOUT TRACK: Like a Rolling Stone
The Beatles – Revolver (5th August 1966)
STANDOUT TRACK: Here, There and Everywhere
The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (6th December, 1968)
STANDOUT TRACK: Sympathy for the Devil
1970s:
Carole King – Tapestry (10th February, 1971)
STANDOUT TRACK: It's Too Late
Joni Mitchell – Blue (22nd June, 1971)
STANDOUT TRACK: Carey
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions (3rd August, 1973)
STANDOUT TRACK: Higher Ground
Led Zeppelin – Physical Graffiti (24th February, 1975)
STANDOUT TRACK: Kashmir
Fleetwood Mac - Rumours (4th February, 1977)
STANDOUT TRACK: Go Your Own Way
Blondie – Parallel Lines (23rd September, 1978)
STANDOUT TRACK: One Way or Another
Michael Jackson – Off the Wall (10th August, 1979)
STANDOUT TRACK: Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough
1980s
Talking Heads – Remain in Light (8th October, 1980)
STANDOUT TRACK: Once in a Lifetime
Kate Bush – Hounds of Love (16th September, 1985)
STANDOUT TRACK: Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God)
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead (16th June, 1986)
STANDOUT TRACK: Cemetry Gates
Paul Simon – Graceland (25th August, 1986)
STANDOUT TRACK: Under African Skies
Public Enemy – It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (28th June, 1988)
STANDOUT TRACK: She Watch Channel Zero?!
Soul II Soul – Club Classics Vol. One (10th April, 1989)
STANDOUT TRACK: Back to Life (However Do You Want Me) (ft. Caron Wheeler)
Beastie Boys – Paul's Boutique (25th July, 1989)
STANDOUT TRACK: Shake Your Rump
1990s:
Nirvana – Nevermind (24th September, 1991)
STANDOUT TRACK: Breed
Tricky – Maxinquaye (20th February, 1995)
STANDOUT TRACK: Black Steel
Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? (2nd October, 1995)
STANDOUT TRACK: Wonderwall
DJ Shadow – Endtroducing….. (19th November, 1996)
STANDOUT TRACK: Building Steam with a Grain of Sand
Björk – Homogenic (22nd September, 1997)
STANDOUT TRACK: Hunter
2000s:
Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP (23rd May, 2000)
STANDOUT TRACK: Stan
The Strokes – Is This It (30th July, 2001)
STANDOUT TRACK: Last Nite
The White Stripes – Elephant (19th March, 2003)
STANDOUT TRACK: Seven Nation Army
Dizzee Rascal – Boy in da Corner (21st July, 2003)
STANDOUT TRACK: Fix Up, Look Sharp
2010s:
Kanye West – My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (22nd November, 2010)
STANDOUT TRACK: Dark Fantasy
Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly (15th March, 2015)
STANDOUT TRACK: King Kunta
Nick Cave and the Bad Seed – Skeleton Tree (9th September, 2016)
STANDOUT TRACK: Jesus Alone
Lorde – Melodrama (16th June, 2017)
STANDOUT TRACK: Green Light