Top 50 British Albums of all Time (Nothing canonical allowed)

Hex because it's gr8 k thnx bi.

Something by Venom.

Electric Wizard, Come My Fanatics... Like the 1984 lineup of Swans covering the first Black Sabbath album.

4) Derek Bailey - Ballads. Because it's pretty when the tunes pop out of all the prickle.

5) Immersion - Low Impact. Clarity and expanse.

Witchfynder General 'Friends of Hell', because on the 'new improved' periodic table it's impossible to find anything

Kenickie — At The Club. Because of the "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah" chorus in "In Your Car", and the handclaps of Come Out 2Nite.

Foxbase Alpha. Makes me want to pack up and emigrate.

Drugstore -- Drugstore. Because it's gorgeous and sometimes makes me want to bawl my eyes out.

"my cinema" by dukes of hang gliding. because it's dark as hell, the songs are wonderful, and barely anybody knows it exists

Bevis Frond - New River Head, because the songwriting is terrific, the guitar work is brilliant, and the songs 'move me,' as in emotionally.

is 1984 by Hugh Hopper considered canonical? How about Tony Oxley's The Baptised Traveller?

Blow Monkeys, Animal Magic

The Distractions-Nobody's Perfect

After a Buzzcocks does power-pop ep on manchester's leading punk label and a beatiful done in every possible way single on Factory Records, The Distractions signed to Island and delivered an album that may not completely match the peaks of those first two releases, is still one of the great post-punk/power-pop/just plain old rock and roll records that time has forgotten. The Distractions sang 60s girl group worthy melodies and played party garage rock worthy rhythms with a New Wave slant, while just about every single song is about a girl. The Trouser Press said:

Decades from now, rock historians will scratch their heads in bewilderment that the Distractions' fine body of work didn't ensure the Manchester quintet a longer lifespan. The 1979 EP (which contains rougher versions of two songs that would later turn up on Nobody's Perfect, plus a live pair — "Too Young" and "Maybe It's Love" — unavailable elsewhere) hints that the group was working from an abnormally broad palette, a sense confirmed by its one fine album.

A lot of records belong to a specific time, but Nobody's Perfect continues to measure up as an ace slab of educated pop rock, right in tune with the ground rules laid down by Blondie, Squeeze and others of that ilk. Part of the problem may be that Nobody's Perfect is too weighty to be passed off as a simple diversion. The band's eclecticism draws on everything from Chuck Berry to Phil Spector to psychedelia — often within the same song — and the vocals tend to be more somber than carefree. "Boys Cry" comes on like a Ronettes tune but delivers none of the upbeat emotional release seasoned pop listeners are trained to expect. Regardless, Nobody's Perfect very nearly is.
[David Sprague/Jon Young]

And while this record is long-ripe for reissue, with the members of the band fully supporting such a project, the rights are lost somewhere in Island/Universal red tape. Anyone with any leads or connections at Island or Universal, please contact me, thanks.

Mark Perry-Snappy Turns

This is a good idea for a thread.

Never been able to understand what the fuss is about with The Distractions...

I should probably try that Mark Perry, though. I like "Love Lies Limp" but haven't heard anything else by him/A.T.V./Door & Window that's even like that.

Here's my choices:

Crispy Ambulance - The Plateau Phase
Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel - Timeless Flight (or Human Menagerie,
take your pick)
Dif Juz - Extractions
The Popguns - Eugenie
The Beloved - Where It Is (hmm...canonical? nah, couldn't be, it's
not even available on CD)
Pale Saints - The Comforts Of Madness
John Cooper Clarke - Snap, Crackle & Bop

not to seem defensive or argumentative, but seeing your selections I wouldn't make you out to be a Distractions fan necessarily. I think it appeals to people who've spent equal amounts of time with Singles Going Steady as the Phil Spector Back to Mono box set. If that sounds great to you but you still don't feel the Distractions, we'll just have to agree to disagree. However, I'd also ask if you've spent good time with the Factory single. The LP production isn't nearly as interesting.

Dan - agreed abt the Distractions. I could put you in touch with Mike Finney... but there's not much that can be done I think.

God, The Distractions at the Rock Garden, Spring 1980... sigh.

"It Doesn't Bother Me" was a severely underrated single, I thought. I *lived* that record. *LIVED* it, I tell you!

My choice of album is Kevin Ayers "Joy Of A Toy" - because it's a garden of earthly delights.

(Also: "Human Menagerie" seconded.)

as far as records that Q wouldnt include:

london posse - hows life in london
young disciples - road to freedom
roni size - reprazent
omar - music
agent k - feed the cat

Napalm Death - Scum

Anthony More - Flying Doesn't Help
Julie Driscoll - Sunset Glow

Dave, thanks, but I've been in touch w/ Mike Finney for some time now, I've just never been able to get anywhere with Island/Universal.

Joy of a Toy is amazing. I've been a big Syd Barrett and Soft Machine freak for years and I couldn't believe it took me till last summer to get the first few Ayers records.

Marsupilami - S/T
Esoteric - Epistemological despondency
National Health - Of queues and cures
Henry Cow - In praise of learning
Lemon Kittens - We buy a hammer for daddy
Nurse With Wound - Homotopy to Marie
Bolt Thrower - IVth crusade

oh what the hell, excuse the wank...

808 State '90' - As a culmination of the Manchester quartet's (initially a quintet altho by this point Mad Gerald's influence seems gone as the tunes do lack a certain 'funk' tho exoticism remains paramount) late 80s experiments in acid house this is a bold official debut and prelude to the more refined ambient techno stylings of 'Ex:El' (also worthy of inclusion really and very probably superior to it's predecessor). 'Magical Dream's breathy vocals evoke sensual freedom to the point where the monotonous tone is understood regardless of the words, riding as it does over a cascade of shimmering synth bells and punchy beats. 'Ancodia' continues the hazy hedonistic vibe, pawing Thelma Houston cheekily and excitedly like a kitten to 'You Used To Hold Me's ball of yarn. 'Cobra Bora' pushes audacious sampling further with it's 'Do The Hustle' intro, kicking, clapping and cowbelling all the way, the thunderous hook like a slap in the face of fear. Melodic ideals stream through with the starkest ease, 'Pacific' being possibly the apex of this newfangled harmonious alliance between techno thrills and musical competence, or just 'Albatross' for the E generation (somehow far from a bad thing). 'Donkey Doctor' and '808080808' salute the methodical algorhythms of Kraftwerk impressively, minimal, disciplined odes to machine lust as they are ('welcome to techno city' is the rather cheesy tho totally appropriate declaration, the self-referential nod to 'Pacific's breathing pattern the perfect empthasis). 'Sunrise' offers something of a departure being the true haunted hangover, a seething jungle of paranoia and confusion yet wonderfully seductive with it's garbled squeals and deep, hollow bass tones. A great introduction and document to a British take on the emerging techno sound (perhaps more refined but reserved than the work of the Belleville 3 at this time if obviously indebtted), from an act who remain one of the strongest in the electronic music field from this country if all too regularly underlooked considering their influence and initial success.

i think i will post that on Amazon haha