Paranoid was Black Sabbath's first album, and one of the best to come out of the 70's. A new band formed in England, they sought success in the American music industry. Sure the album only has 8 songs on it, but an unbelievably amount of work was put into it due to guitarist Tony Iiomi play with 2 fingers on his fretting hand. They were chopped off in a machinery accident in England shortly before they immigrated. The nearly fingerless guitarist made now considered some of the best guitar work put into an album featuring such guitar classics as; War Pigs, Paranoid, Iron Man, and Fairies Wear Boots.

 

1. War Pigs- a former winner of the KSHE Rock 'n Roll 500, this is undoubtedly the best song on this album, and the best song of the band. Though one of the hardest songs to play in history, meaningful lyrics from Ozzy, awesome chords from Iiomi, and excellent drumming from Ward makes this song a winner in everyone's book. 5/5

2. Paranoid- a very fast paced song about the childhood of Ozzy. A very interesting riff, a "damn!" kind of solo make this a definite favorite. 5/5

3. Planet Caravan- a very, well..... odd song. Very strange bass playing, and some very odd lyrics make most people just skip right over this track.  .5/5

4. Iron Man- I don't have to say much about this track because it is one of the most known songs in the world. Not the best lyrics in the world, but very good guitar chords from Iiomi, and good drumming make this a fan favorite, but gets old quickly. But the awesome riff says it all.  3/5

5. Electric Funeral- the name says everything about listening to this song. Bad, well, pretty much everything.  -1/5

6. Hand of Doom- this song sucks.  1/5

7. Rat Salad- (that's odd, the original name of Van Halen) this song sucks. But there is some decent riffs in it.   1/5

8. Fairies Wear Boots- a very good 'jammin' type of song. Horrible lyrics, but good guitar playing, and good drumming make this song worth listenong to.  3/5 

                       Most human beings have definately heard of this album before, yep it is the most classic album in history. The Wall. The classic double disc, 90 minute story of a rock star named Pink (partially based on Roger Waters and Syd Barret) and his downward spiral into maddness. Most youngesters beleive that "The Wall" is a song about teachers and kids. Tell them they are dumbasses; that is a song called "Another Brick In The Wall, pt.2". Anyways, this is the biggest selling double-disc album in history, a great complement to 1973's Dark Side Of The Moon. For this particular album, you cannot seperate it into songs, or even segregate the "good songs." That is a crime; there are no "bad" songs. This is how the basic plot goes:

 

                       Pink's father was killed in WWII when he was only a baby (the end of The Thin Ice, Another Brick In The Wall, pt.1) and his social life was smothered, and was always put down by his overbearing mother (Mother), meanwhile being subjected to mental abuse at school (The Happiest Day Of Our Lives, Another Brick In The Wall, pt. 2), Pink begins to build a "wall" around himself to protect him from further mental and emotional hurt. But his childhood dream of becoming a rock star comes true, and eventually marries. But too much LSD, shows, and groupies (Young Lust) tear him apart; even from his wife in more ways than one. He finds this out at the end of "Young Lust". Finally, Pink ends up obliterating his hotel room and frightens away his groupie companion (One Of My Turns). His desent into maddness-- and the buliding of "The Wall" is complete (Another Brick In The Wall, pt.3, Don't Leave Me Now, Goodbye Cruel World". That is only Disc 1.

                      The second disc is all about Pink's lonliness and isolation from the world (Hey You, Is There Anybody Out There, Nobody Home). After that, he sits drugged up in his smashed up hotel imagianing the war that took his father's life (Vera, Bring The Boys Back Home). His manager is wondering why Pink is late for a concert and goes to his hotel room to find him half dead, and lying passed out in the floor. He brings in a doctor the revive him (Comfortably Numb). He is revived enough to make the next concert where he ends up imagaining himself as a facsist dictator (In The Flesh, Run Like Hell, Waiting For The Worms). But his conscience can't take it anymore (Stop). Then his hallucination of his gut-wrenching struggle with himself, desperatly trying to free himself from his dispair, and tear down the "Wall" for good (The Trial).

                        To put basically, this an absolute monster album and won't do with only one listen. This is an album to be explored. No CD collection is complete without this monster "rock opera" of Roger Waters'.

           Led Zeppelin IV (or also known as "Zoso") could arguably be the greatest album of all time. There are literally no bad or decent songs on here. Every song on this collection is considered a classic. It includes the famous Stairway To Heaven, Black Dog, and Rock And Roll. Each song is unique in it's own way. This album defined Led Zepellin at the height of thier career and propelled them straight into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. With smooth, yet screaching lyrics, scorching solos, and great drumming, this is the album to get.

 

1. Black Dog- a very unique formatted songs, pleasant lyric, and make you want to stand up and dance while pretending to play guiatar. 4.5/5

2. Rock And Roll- a very fast paced and dancing song. A classic now known as "the Cadillac commercial song." Light-speed guitars, fast and fun lyrics, and the keyboard make this a favorite. 3/5

3. Battle of Evermore- a very cool song based a Lord Of The Rings, and GREAT mandoline work by Page and J.P.J. 3/5

4. Stairway To Heaven- this song literally defined rock and roll. Considered by many to be the greatest song of all time, and it probably is. A very slow paced song in the beginning, but very fast at the end with an absolutley scorching solo in the middle is the formual for this song. Great lyricism by Plant, and great guitars (especially the kick-ass cherry red double-neck SG) by Page make this many's favorite song of all time. 7/5

5. Misty Mountain Hop- a very fun song, with a very satisfying rythym to it. A nice solo in it too. 3.5/4

6. Four Sticks- a cool slow jam song. Kind of sounds like a very cool indian drum ceremony; it's very unique in the fact that JohnBonham drummed with *four sticks* simetaneously. 2/5

7. Going To California- a very cool acoustic song. Very well thought out lyrics by Plant. 3/5

8. When The Levee Breaks- a very cool and unique rythym and beat. Good lyrics and great harmonica work by Plant, considered more of a blues song. 3.5/5

                             The best selling rock album of all-time and that it is by Pink Floyd should tell you enough about this album. This album stayed on the Billboard Top 200 charts for an uncomprehensible 15+ years. And another 2 after the album was remastered in 1992. It still sell approximately 8,000 additional copies a week even today. It is known now that 1 in every 14 people own a copy of this album. This phenomenon started out as the first concept album utilizing sound effects such as clocks, cash registers, and synthesizers as part of the songs. And this was a time when they still didn't have dgital recording. Like all Pink Floyd albums, this is a strange album; it all runs into one big song basically.

 

1. Speak To Me/Breathe- A very unsual song that starts out with heartbeats (signifing birth) and rolls into a ballad of how life starts out.      3/5

2. On The Run- One of the most unique songs I've ever heard in my life. There is no singing, but you want to keep on listening to it. It is a continuous  drum roll followed by synthesizers and alot of bass to simulate the effect that you are running from something.     3/5

3. Time- This is a masterpeice. Some of the best written (yet depressing) lyrics I've ever heard. It's about how people think they have alot of time in life to do stuff, but they don't in reality. An awesome guiatar solo.     5/5

4. The Great Gig In The Sky- This is a fan dis-favorite. But it is a good song, it's got a great rythym to it, but people don't like to listen to an opera woman wailing for 5 minutes.      2/5

5. Money- This song sounds like it belongs on a different album all together, but whatever. It's everyones favorite of the album, and is a current rock radio staple. Fun to-learn lyrics, my favorite bas roll, and one of my favorite guiatar solos (there's also a saxophone solo too) ever.     5/5

6. Us And Them- This is one depressing song. Some of my favorite lyrics ever, and definately my favorite ballad of all time. It'll get cought in your head very easily     5/5

7. Any Colour You Like- This is the same song basically as Us And Them, but a tad more cheerful. Good all the same.      2/5

8. Brain Damage- A definite radio staple, this describes former vocalist/guitarist Syd Barrett's childhood. A cool song, but the laughs get very annoying.     3/5

9. Eclipse- a very good closing song, and it runs right in with Brain Damage. Good lyrics too, and geuss what; it ends with heartbeats fading signifying death. And if you turn up the volume and the end of the signing you'll hear a secret message: "There Is No Dark Side Of The Moon Really, As A Matter Of Fact, It's All Dark."

                      This legendary album is considered the best debuet by a band in history. This is currently 4th on the best-selling rock albums list. Thier first album, Guns 'n Roses was considered by many to be the next Led Zeppelin and Rolling Stones. Of course, we all know that isn't true. This album, considered to be the only true hard rock album done by them, is the heart of their music. With William Bailey (aka Axl Rose) on vocals and lyrics, "Duff" on bass, and the legendary "Slash" on his blazing Les Paul, this album was a hit in the cooling down period of rock int he late 80s. Know to many as the "re-birth" of rock, this album is a must have.

 

1. Welcome To The Jungle- Everyone knows this song. You may have heard it at sportin events, or just at your friends house; everyone knows this song. With yelling-like lyrics from Axl, and one awesome riff from Slash, this is considered to be on of the bands masterpeices. 4/5

2. Nightrain- This is one of those rare, hidden gems that people talk about. With great lyrics and and awesome solo, this is a good song. 3/5

3. Out Ta Get Me- This is a kinda pointless song, but is very catchy. 2/5

4. Mr. Brownstone- This is a deffinate fan favorite, and one of the better songs on the album. A good riff, and lyrics personifying liquor, everyone loves this song. 4/5

5. Paradise City- This is usually everyones introduction to the band, as it is a radio staple. But it does get old after awhile. 3/5

6. Sweet Child O' Mine- This song actually started out as a love letter from Axl to his girlfriend. But they twisted it and it became one of the greatest songs of all-time. With Slash's scorching riff (originally named "circus music") and Axl with great singing, this song is cool. And you can't forget the top-10 all time solo at the end. 5/6

7. You're Crazy- This is one of the catchier songs on the album, but nothing special. 2/5

8. Rocket Queen- Known for it's guitar playing, this song is worth a listen. 3/5

9.It's So Easy- this song is ok. 1/5

10. My Michelle- probably the worst song on the album. 1/5

11. Think About You- This song is ok, decent to listen to. 1.5/5

12. Anything Goes- This song isn't bad, kind of cool lyrics and some decent drumming. 2/5