GNMD Poll: Top Ten Albums of 1989

Honourable Mentions




10) Bringin' It Down by Judge
There will be quiet... after the storm...

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commanding NYHC, hardly reinventing the wheel but pounding out riffs for weeks. probably too metallic to be eligible but fuck it, at least i'm not listing cro-mags.

9) Understand? by Naked Raygun
Have they lost their minds? Have I lost mine?


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for anyone who missed it in the songs kicking one's behind thread, 'treason' is my favourite song from this year and as good as the very best wipers song. given that the wipers are the bar against which i judge any punk music, that's high praise indeed. unfortunately, only 'which side you're on' even begins to approach the same level of quality, the rest being merely solid, leaving this a difficult album to rate. this placement feels about right.

8) On Your Knees by Cheater Slicks
All the girls think he's insane!

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lurching, clattering, swampy garage rock for burnt out drooling malcontents. features the brother of GG allin.

7) Last Scream of the Missing Neighbors by Jello Biafra & D. O. A.

But if someone came for you one night and dragged you away, do you really think your neighbors would even care?

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a typically sarcastic, disdainful slice of political punk rock with probably the most authoritative jello performance ever. the B-side linked above is a monster of an epic.


6) Bleach by Nirvana
I see others just like me, why do they not try to escape?

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before nirvana got big they were one of the least pretentious bands in the world, pounding out simplistic, thrillingly headbangable trash with sneaky wit, a genuine DIY spirit and a superlative ear for sludgy hooks.

5) Distemper by The New Christs
I have found a new place to hide...

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post-radio birdman greatness from aus punk legend rob younger, evoking everything from the gun club to television to nick cave to the fall.

4) Doolittle by Pixies

Kill us all with holy fingers

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while this is a collection of more fully realised songs, i definitely gravitate more toward the jagged irreverence of surfer rosa, but the pixies in poppier mode is still the pixies, and listening to a ton of stuff from this year only hammers home how there was nothing else like it at the time.

3) The Offspring
Watching my baby's jugular blow really makes my motor go!

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before they became the favourite band of college douchebags everywhere, the offspring wrote an album about serial killers, apocalyptic war, satanic sacrifice and other such wholesome topics, with chugging riffs and solos and leads as sharp as blades, and holland offering up one of my favourite punk vocal performances despite not being able to sing for shit (reminder that mr. original pwankstuh is a qualified molecular biologist with a PHD, dude isn't nearly as dumb as the fans he's milking). it's a little uneven stylistically, and i can't deny nostalgia is a factor, but much of it holds up great and i've no doubt i'd love this album if i discovered it for the first time today.

2) Unknown Passage by Dead Moon
I find myself surrendering in dreams with you...

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all hail dead moon night, when the only people around are the old souls drowning the hours away in half-empty bars, and the zombies lurching through the cemeteries. rock music as it's meant to be, dwelling on the fringes, battered and bruised and downright existential.

1) Floating into the Night by Julee Cruise

Falling through this night alone...

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she's dead... wrapped in plastic.

simple formatting for grumbles' sake:
1. julee cruise - floating into the night
2. dead moon - unknown passage
3. the offspring - the offspring
4. pixies - doolittle
5. the new christs - distemper
6. nirvana - bleach
7. jello biafra with d.o.a. - last scream of the missing neighbors
8. cheater slicks - on your knees
9. naked raygun - understand?
10. judge - bringin' it down
 
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#10 Devil Doll - The Girl Who Was...Death
(14 Points)

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Genre(s):
Progressive Rock, Symphonic Prog, Symphonic Rock

Gothic Rock, Heavy Metal



Devil Doll can be quite creepy at times, definitely not something to listen to late at night.(unless you want to be freaked out)
Devil Doll is pretty damn awesome. But they're prog rock. :)
Their albums are somewhat difficult to sit through due to extreme length. But the narrative structure of the music helps sustain interest. Haven't listened to them in freaking ages though.
although i love Devil Doll, Mr.Doctor gets on my nerves from time to time... and same goes for King Diamond in Mercyful Fate and King Diamond... but their music still r0x :D
I was just wondering, if anyone is into Devil Doll here. I just love Mr. Doctor's unique way of pronoucing. It's like composed speech. And the music is very unique too. Worth checking out, if you're into weird schitzofrenic shit :D
The Girl Who Was Death is maybe my favourite DD realease, followed closely by Dies Irae and all the others.
@ Dionysus: One of the first people I've yet to see acknowledge Devil Doll. They are a great band, and were doing the orchestral thing before Therion ever thought of it. I have "The Girl Who Was...Death" and "Dies Irae". Great albums.
devil doll is one of the greatest thing happen to italy musically speaking...

they are one of my fav metal groups ever

:D
Ummm.. what exactly does Devil Doll got to do with METAL? :rolleyes: Nothing, that's for sure.

I only got Eliogabalus on my computer, but it's really great! The both tracks are wonderful pieces of art, especially I like "Mr.Doctor". Really twisted stuff.



Those who voted:
@Terasophe #7
@Serjeant Grumbles #1
 
#8 Dead Moon - Unknown Passage
(17 Points)

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Genre(s):
Garage Punk

Garage Rock, Punk Blues



The Wipers rule but I'm definitely more of a Dead Moon guy.
anyone who loves dead moon is cool with me. :kickass:



Those who voted:
@CiG #3
@no country for old wainds #2


---tied with---

#8 Ham - Buffalo Virgin
(17 Points)

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Genre(s):
Post-Punk

Gothic Rock



Still can't get over how ahead of its time this was.



Those who voted:
@HamburgerBoy #2
@Serjeant Grumbles #3
 
#7 The Cure - Disintegration
(17 Points)

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Genre(s):
Gothic Rock, Post-Punk

Dream Pop



The Cure - Disintegration.
Wouldn't mind disintegrating.
depressed as well? sometimes I wonder if the new wave of depressive black metal bands (as well as bands like Amesoeurs) aren't the revival of real "goth" music. Modern goth music sucks (Gothic Metal/EBM/whatever) and has no real suffering or beauty in it, imo. I think some of the modern black metal bands are carrying on the original spirit of goth music in a newer medium.

edit: I know Ian Curtis was probably dead before he ever heard the term "goth" or "gothic" and that The Cure, Siouxsie, Bauhaus, Sisters of Mercy, Fields of the Nephilim, Christian Death, (deathrock, whatever, no such thing), etc. denied being intentionally goth but that's beyond the point. You can call the sound whatever you want, it doesn't really matter in the end.
Been listening to the cure's disintergration. Awesome. I use to like the cure before, but I only heard lullaby, love song, and pictures of you, now I'm addicted to disintegration, and the same deep water as you.
Disintegration is extremely upbeat and far more positive than the first few albums by The Cure. It's definitely not pure sorrow, or even a very sad album at all.
uh ya it is a very sad album. Open your ears, girl.
Considering that a lot of the songs are more reflectively themed than sad, I'd have to disagree. Not to mention that it's extremely upbeat and full of lush, bright tones and poppy arrangements. Like I said earlier, their earlier albums are way darker and more sorrowful.
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Disintegration bores me.



Those who voted:
@Terasophe #3
@challenge_everything #3
@Serjeant Grumbles #10
 
#6 Pixies - Doolittle
(18 Points)

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Genre(s):
Alternative Rock, Indie Rock

Surf Rock, Noise Pop



Yeah, it's a shame that people think that Nirvana is good when they mostly just ripped off this legitimately great band and added smatterings of a few others.
I don't think there's a bad moment on Doolittle. Everything fits. It's genius. That said, if I wanted to play someone a song off the album to get them into it, Silver would probably be last in line.
I know back to
the topic I dusted off a Pixies cd I hadn't listened to in a while Doolittle.
I still love the Monkey Is Gone To Heaven song.
Top 5 tracks off Pixies' Doolittle:

1. Hey
2. Monkey Gone to Heaven
3. Wave of Mutilation
4. Gouge Away
5. Crackity Jones
doolittle:
silver
gouge away
wave of mutilation
hey
debaser
i know 'silver' sounds nothing like the pixies and pixies fans don't care about it, but i've always wished i had a full album of stuff like that. always reminds me of the sandy badlands theme in ffvii.



Those who voted:
@HamburgerBoy #10
@challenge_everything #4
@no country for old wainds #4
@Serjeant Grumbles #8
 
#5 Julee Cruise - Floating Into Night
(19 Points)
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Genre(s):
Dream Pop, Ambient Pop

Jazz Pop, Lounge, Ethereal Wave, Progressive Pop



Extra respect from me for namedropping Julee Cruise, I'm a huge fan of this specific record.
My tape copy is so fucking beat up at this point. :lol:



Those who voted:
@Oblivious Maximus #2
@no country for old wainds #1
 
#2 Nomeansno - Wrong
(30 Points)

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Genre(s):
Post-Hardcore, Hardcore Punk

Art Punk, Math Rock



Nomeansno-Wrong

Pretty damn cool.
Your girlfriend likes cool music. Nomeansno is good.
great album
I like NoMeansNo more than post-metal and drone stuffs, so Neurosis doing NoMeansNo wins for me. I'm not shitting on their better known stuff, just not my thing.
If you like System, check out Nomeansno, another of my favorite bands (but way more "punk" - think DKs).
songs like this makes me think of a retarded albino with a bad haircut, shorts and no shirt jumping up and down in front of me shouting stupid shit into a microphone



Those who voted:
@HamburgerBoy #1
@CiG #1
@challenge_everything #1
 
#1 Nirvana - Bleach
(52 Points)

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Genre(s):
Grunge

Noise Rock, Sludge Metal



Bleach. I love all Nirvana, but if I had to pick a favorite album, it would have to be Bleach.
Nirvana - Bleach (actually pretty darn good for a Nirvana album)
:kickass: fuck yeah, I love that album.
Soundgarden and AIC kick the crap out of Nirvava, I gotta say. I will also say the Screaming trees rival Nirvana. I just find Nirvana to be very overrated.

The only Nirvana album I really enjoy is Bleach. Oh, and Incesticide.
Bleach was the best Nirvana album if you ask me, though it's still pretty whiny and bland. I've never figured out why people think Cobain was an exemplary lyricist, vocalist or guitar player.



Those who voted:
@CiG #2
@Terasophe #1
@TechnicalBarbarity #1
@challenge_everything #2
@no country for old wainds #6
@Serjeant Grumbles #2
 
Dammit, did I forget to add my list?! I'm still throwing it down after the fact...

1. Ham - Buffalo Virgin
2. Devil Doll - The Girl Who Was... Death
3. The Cure - Disintegration
4. Alan Silvestri - Back to the Future Part II
5. John Williams - Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
6. Danny Elfman - Batman
7. Mother Love Bone - Shine
8. Death in June - The Wall of Sacrifice
9. Nirvana - Bleach
10. Mudhoney - Mudhoney
 
1989:

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1. The electric eels - Having a Philosophical Investigation with The electric eels
Favourite song: "Refrigerator"

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2. Bad Brains - Quickness
Favourite song: "Voyage Into Infinity"

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3. Simply Saucer - Cyborgs Revisited
Favourite song: "Illegal Bodies"

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4. Nirvana - Bleach
Favourite song: "Negative Creep"

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5. Beastie Boys - Paul's Boutique
Favourite song: "Johnny Ryall"

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6. Dead Moon - Unknown Passage
Favourite song: "54/40 or Fight"

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7. Madonna - Like a Prayer
Favourite song: "Like a Prayer"

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8. The Cure - Disintegration
Favourite song: "Lovesong"

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9. NoMeansNo - Wrong
Favourite song: "The End of All Things"

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10. Ramones - Brain Drain
Favourite song: "Pet Cemetery"