The Top 25 Alternative Rock Albums (Albums 25-21)

It's March, and here at Audio Overflow we've decided to commemorate the month with month-long coverage of the best alternative rock music of all time. Alternative rock means a lot to us. It was the music of our youth (whether we wanted it to be or not), it influenced our future musical tastes, and it oftentimes means a whole lot more to us than all that great music that our parents told us we missed out on. Yes, we at Audio Overflow have crazy-mad nostalgic love for alternative rock, and throughout the month of March we hope to rekindle that long-lost flame for you as well. For the next several weeks, all Retro Reviews, Video of the Weeks, and Top 5 Fridays will be alternative-rock themed. In doing so, we hope to reintroduce you to the best and worse that the genre has to offer.

On Saturdays we'll be counting down Audio Overflow's Top 25 Alternative Rock Albums, which, of course, begins today - right now, actually. As a brief disclaimer, I'd like to point out that Jill, Erin, and myself all have vastly different opinions on music; what makes it good, and what makes it memorable. Personally, though I'm a big fan of indie rock music, which could actually be classified as alternative, I shied away from a lot of stuff that I felt didn't capture the spirit of the alternative rock movement in the late 80s and early 90s. The following list, therefore, is sometimes wildly varied and sure to bring a few surprises. But we hope you enjoy it nonetheless.

#25 - Portishead: Dummy (1994)

Jill says: "Oh gosh, this album is sexy. I'm not ashamed to admit it: it's a total hookup album. Unless you're listening to it at 3 a.m. in the dead of winter lost on a windy, icy, snowy Oklahoma road looking for your Aunt Donna's house that you should have been at 5 hours previously. Then it's just oddly comforting, if Trip-Hop can be oddly comforting."

Cale says: "A strange album that can be both soothing and chilling. Beth Gibbons' voice is the force that carries this noir-influenced album to the great heights it achieved years ago."

#24 - Oasis: (What's the Story) Morning Glory? (1995)

Cale says: "Undoubtedly one of the most influential and important alternative rock albums of my childhood. I remember bringing this CD (which I stole from my sister) to school one day and being the most popular kid in the class! It was one of the first times that I was introduced to rock music that didn't assault my ears with distorted guitars, and for that I cherish it."

Erin says: "A good album with a lot of good songs. It reminds me of high school. Oasis always seemed like they were our version of "The Beatles""

#23 - The Killers: Hot Fuss (2004)

Cale says: "In our nominating process for this list, I wound up being the only one who voted for this album, undoubtedly because it's one of the most recent albums featured. That doesn't take away from its greatness, however. I first stumbled upon The Killers in the wee hours of MTV programming several years ago and picked up this album later that same day. It is effortlessly entertaining from start to finish and a great re-imagining of alternative rock music!"


#22 - Counting Crows: Recovering the Satellites (1996)

Erin says: "True it's mellow alternative, but it still fits. The counting crows have some classics and Recovering the Satellites is definitely their winner."

Jill says: ""Monkey" for sentimental reasons. "Catapult" because it's just awesome. "A Long December" because the first line of it is so very, very true for me. It's "Another Horsedreamer's Blues" though, that does it for me. It's a song that tells a story and it's one I can never ignore. There's just little bits and pieces through out the entire album that I can, and easily do, apply to my entire life."

#21 - Tori Amos: Little Earthquakes (1992)

Jill says: "It's like every other song is the song you should listen to on this album. I purposely skip "Winter" because it's one of two Tori Amos songs that have the power to make me put my head down on my desk and make me sob. I have never been able to figure out which is better, "Silent All These Years" or "Precious Things". Both so powerful and so stirring. Maybe they're both equally amazing."

Cale says: "Joan Osborne who? Tori Amos was the female singer-songwriter of alternative rock...and still kinds is."

Tune in next Saturday for pick 20 - 16.