Best Albums of 1995

After the musical gift that was the year 1994, 1995 was a bit of a let down. Not exactly solid from top to bottom, it did have a couple gems. In the end, 1995 was just the bridge between two great years for music. Here's my best of 1995...

10. God Bless Satan - Mephiskapheles
Reflections: Yes, I know. You're probably wondering what in the hell satanic ska is doing on this list, but I'll tell you - it's great. This is one of the funniest albums I've ever heard, but unfortunately, it suffers from the common ska-problem of keeping up the quality through the whole album.
Best tracks: The Bumblebee Tuna Song (a must listen)

9. Me Against The World - 2pac
Reflections: While others probably would rate this album a lot higher than I do, I was never really a big fan of 2pac. I do admit that his lyrics are among the best ever by a rapper, and that this album is his best work. He was a brilliant young man, gunned down before his time, but his music lives on in this album.
Best tracks:

8. Subliminal Plastic Motives - Self
Reflections: When this album came out, and I first heard 'Cannon' on the radio, I didn't think much of it. Skip ahead a few years, I've gotten into Self's later albums, and I backtrack and revisit SPM, and love it. Not nearly the masterpiece that Breakfast With Girls is, this album is still a great listen.
Best tracks: Cannon

7. Tragic Kingdom - No Doubt
Reflections: As much as I try to down on Gwen Stefani and her band, I have to admit that they put out absolutely great albums. Tragic Kingdom was their major label debut, and the ska-ish sounds of Spiderwebs, despite its pop sounds hooked me in. After stealing this album from my sister (ha) I listened to it a great deal more, and you know what? It actually is a good album.
Best tracks: Spiderwebs, Just A Girl, Don't Speak

6. Deluxe - Better Than Ezra
Reflections: One of the better 'alternative' rock albums of the year, BTE's Deluxe was easy on the ears, and easy to sing along to. I really enjoyed listening to Better Than Ezra, and I still do - this album is still great to listen to. Check it out sometime, if you've got an hour to spare. It's a good trip down memory lane.
Best tracks: Good, In The Blood, Rosalia

5. (What's The Story) Morning Glory? - Oasis
Reflections: In all my years, and all my travels around the world, I've found that Oasis is king for one thing: drunken singing. This album is great sober, but becomes a goddamned magnum opus if listened to even slightly intoxicated. Wailing away with the Gallagher brothers on the tracks below...it's no wonder they thought they were bigger than the Beatles. They never were, in fact, they were pompous asses. But this album is great.
Best tracks: Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, Champagne Supernova

4. The Bends - Radiohead
Reflections: Yet another album from British rockers, this is Radiohead in top form. This is the Radiohead you should listen to, if you listen to none other. 'Just', in additionto having quite possibly the best music video ever, is a kickass song with unbelievable guitar solos. This album really is one of the best of the 90s, and is worth the time and effort to listen to it.
Best tracks: Just, Fake Plastic Trees, My Iron Lung, Black Star (my favorite Radiohead song)

3. Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness - Smashing Pumpkins
Reflections: This double CD simply blew my mind. After the somewhat disappointment of Pisces Iscariot (a collection of B-sides), the double MCIS was a solid output. The first disc was a lot better than the second, but this album is a must-own. I remember the pain I felt having to wait till Christmas to get this (damned $25 price tag was steep for a 14-year-old with no job) and the absolute, near ecstacy I had when I finally popped the first disc it in my CD player. Amazing.
Best tracks: 1979, Zero, Bullet With Butterfly Wings, Tonight Tonight, Cupid de Locke, Galapagos, An Ode To No One

2. Astrocreep 2000 -- Songs of Love, Destruction, and Other Synthetic Delusions of the Electric Head - White Zombie
Reflections: This album, left at my house by a friend that moved out of the state, was my first real foray into dark heavy metal - and I loved it. The intros before each song, whether snippets were from horror movies or from an old chuch singing a hymn (then interrupted by a blood curdling scream), this album was really just a horror movie in audio form. And it was amazing.
Best tracks: More Human Than Human, The Electric Head Part 2

1. Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five
Reflections: Granted, I didn't hear this album until later in life, this album deserves to be #1 in 1995 without a doubt in my mind. This is BFF at their best, and when they're in top form, it's musical magic. Along with Weezer's blue album, this is one of the most singable albums ever. You can really just sit back and wail along with Ben and the boys. If you don't have this, get it tomorrow. Or today.
Best tracks: The entire album is solid, but 'Best Imitation of Myself' is one of my favorite songs ever.


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