Top 10 for 1995

TheBigBlack's Rock Top 10

Red Hot Chili Peppers
One Hot Minute

Alternative Rock | Album | 12 September 1995

Oasis
(What's The Story) Morning Glory?

Rock | Album | 2 October 1995

For 10 minutes in the 90's Oasis were without a doubt the biggest rock band in the world. '(What's The Story) Morning Glory?' is a perfect example of why. Often known for their offstage antics, the brothers Gallagher were not the most likeable characters at the time (and still aren't), but it would have been interesting to see how much bigger the band could have become if they had treated their fans (and each other) a bit better. Many of these songs have gone on to reach rock classic status, and deservingly so. 'Don't Look Back in Anger' and 'Champagne Supernova' are effortless in their balladry, whilst rockier songs like 'Roll With It' and 'Morning Glory' are loud and raucous, but still keep a radio friendly edge. The band were often compared with The Beatles, and although there is no direct connection - there is a hint of Lennon/McCartney buried deep, especially in the perfect way the songs are structured to hook. In fact there is nothing really new here at all - this is just straight up rock played with a mischievous swagger - but the songs are so damn good they can't be ignored. Try to find anyone anywhere that has not been in a late night sing-along of 'Wonderwall', even if they don't like the band.

Faith No More
King For A Day... Fool For A Lifetime

Alternative Rock | Album | 25 March 1995

Everclear
Sparkle And Fade

Alternative Rock | Album | 23 May 1995

Foo Fighters
Foo Fighters

Alternative Rock | Album | 4 July 1995

Smashing Pumpkins
Mellon Collie And The Infinite Sadness

Alternative Rock | Album | 24 October 1995

Mad Season
Above

Grunge Rock | Album | 14 March 1995

'Above' is the only studio album by Mad Season. It peaked at No. 24 on the Billboard 200 chart. The album has been certified gold by the RIAA in the United States. Layne Staley created the artwork on the album cover and inside the inlay.

It could be said that a grunge supergroup formed by musicians that met in rehab is doomed to fail, but it did seem for a fleeting moment that Mad Season wouldn't be a casualty. Guitarist Mike McCready of Pearl Jam met bassist John Baker Saunders of The Walkabouts while seeking treatment, and once back on their feet they began to jam with drummer Barrett Martin of Screaming Trees. Rounding out the line-up on vocals was Layne Staley of Alice In Chains, himself recently clean. 'Wake up' opens the album in a mellow and sleepy way, not with the expected bombast of the sum of the band's parts. A vibraphone drives the songs until the magnificent climaxing guitar solo. Arguably, Staley is at his absolute best here, possibly finding a new appreciation for music as a post-rehab outlet. His voice is like the edge of a razor, slicing through the atmosphere. Although the album wonderfully showcases the vocals, it is also reminds the listener what an amazing guitarist Mike McCready is, as his warbling psychedelic guitar drives each song. He has no second guitar to compete with here as he does in his primary band, allowing him room to leave space and time his notes wonderfully. His guitar cuts the silence opening into 'X-Ray Mind', and the music now starts to sound like what one would expect from these musicians. The album ducks and weaves through multiple styles and tempos, with every song taking the listener on a different journey. This can often be a jarring listening experience, but for the most part the album manages to avoid alienating any ears. Moving between the classic rock balladry of 'River Of Deceit', an undeniable modern rock masterpiece, the album moves onto the soulful (but heavy) 'I'm Above' featuring the first song with the crooning guest vocals of Screaming Trees' Mark Lanegan. 'Artificial Red' showcases some classic blues, while 'I Don't Know Anything', easily the most 'grunge' of the tracks on display, grinds its way toward the album's final moments. Lanegan reappears and is showcased on the jazz infused 'Long Gone Day'. Although the moody and lengthy instrumental 'November Hotel' has some very loud moments, the album slows down toward the end, and closes with the quietly performed 'All Alone' wrapping things up nicely. It isn't an album that reveals it's magic easily, and it takes a number of listens to unravel it's many layers. Sadly, this was to be the band's only album, and forever will be, as both Staley and Saunders were both later taken from us by their addictions.

Alice In Chains
Alice In Chains

Grunge Rock | Album | 7 November 1995

'Alice in Chains' (occasionally informally referred to as 'Three Legged Dog' and 'Tripod') is the third studio album by Alice in Chains. This was the band's first full-length studio album to feature bassist Mike Inez and their last studio album to feature original lead vocalist Layne Staley before his death in 2002. It debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart with first week sales of 189,000 copies, and stayed on the chart for 46 weeks. The album was certified double platinum by the RIAA and has sold over three million copies worldwide.

The Mark Of Cain
Ill At Ease

Alternative Rock | Album | 1 November 1995

'Ill At Ease' is the third studio album by The Mark Of Cain. It was produced by American musician Henry Rollins.

Silverchair
Frogstomp

Alternative Rock | Album | 27 March 1995

'Frogstomp' is the debut studio album by Silverchair. It was released when the band members were only 15 years of age. It reached number 1 on the Australian ARIA Albums Chart. It has since been certified double platinum by the RIAA.

TheBigBlack's Rock Honourable Mentions

Jimi Hendrix
Voodoo Soup

Classic Rock | Compilation Album | 11 April 1995

Alanis Morissette
Jagged Little Pill

Rock | Album | 13 June 1995

The Beatles
Anthology 1

Classic Rock | Compilation Album | 21 November 1995

'Anthology 1' is a compilation album by The Beatles, released as part of The Beatles Anthology series. It features rarities, outtakes and live performances from the period 1958-64, including songs with original bass player Stuart Sutcliffe and drummer Pete Best. It is the first in a trilogy of albums with Anthology 2 and Anthology 3 (both 1996), all of which tie in with the televised special The Beatles Anthology (195). It contains 'Free As A Bird', the first new Beatles song in 25 years, which was released as a single two weeks after the album. The album topped the Billboard 200 album chart and was certified 8? Platinum by the RIAA. It reached number 2 on the U.K. albums chart.

TheBigBlack's Metal Top 10

Ozzy Osbourne
Ozzmosis

Heavy Metal | Album | 24 October 1995

Dissection
Storm Of The Light's Bane

Black Metal | Album | 17 November 1995

At The Gates
Slaughter Of The Soul

Death Metal (Melodic) | Album | 14 November 1995

'Slaughter Of The Soul' is the third studio album by At The Gates. It was their last album before their eleven-year breakup from 1996 to 2007. It is considered a landmark in melodic death metal and played a major role in popularizing the Gothenburg scene, alongside The Jester Race by In Flames and The Gallery by Dark Tranquillity. Andy LaRocque's neo-classical guest solo on 'Cold' was widely acclaimed as one of the greatest metal solos and guitarist Anders Bjorler admitted in 2007 that he still could not play it properly.

Down
NOLA

Metal (Sludge) | Album | 19 September 1995

Death
Symbolic

Death Metal | Album | 21 March 1995

Anthrax
Stomp 442

Thrash Metal | Album | 24 October 1995

Fear Factory
Demanufacture

Metal (Industrial) | Album | 13 June 1995

Opeth
Orchid

Death Metal (Progressive) | Album | 15 May 1995

TheBigBlack's Metal Dishonourable Mentions

Iron Maiden
The X Factor

Heavy Metal | Album | 2 October 1995

'The X Factor' is the tenth studio album by Iron Maiden. It is the first of two albums by the band to include Blaze Bayley, formerly of Wolfsbane, as vocalist, replacing Bruce Dickinson who left the band following their previous tour to pursue a solo career. It also saw the departure of the band's longtime producer Martin Birch, who retired shortly after the release of their previous album, 'Fear Of The Dark' (1992). The album takes a darker tone than the band's first nine releases, due to the lyrics being based on personal issues surrounding Steve Harris at the time, who was in the midst of a divorce.