yes-close-to-the-edge

Top-Rated Albums

The following albums have scored at least a 9 on this site, 10/10s are in bold. There are lots of artists who I’d like to cover that I haven’t got to yet, including classic rock giants like The Kinks and The Who, and more music from the 21st century.

AABBAThe Visitors
Arooj AftabVulture Prince
AlvvaysBlue Rev
Tori AmosLittle Earthquakes
Tori AmosFrom the Choirgirl Hotel
Ichiko AobaWindswept Adan
Arcade FireFuneral

the-band-4def7d2ee3e5e

BBad BunnyUn Verano Sin Ti
The BandMusic From Big Pink
The Band The Band
Syd BarrettThe Madcap Laughs
The Beach BoysThe Beach Boys Today!
The Beach BoysPet Sounds
The Beach BoysThe Smile Sessions
The Beastie BoysPaul’s Boutique
The BeatlesRubber Soul
The BeatlesRevolver
The BeatlesSgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band
The BeatlesMagical Mystery Tour
The BethsFuture Me Hates Me
Big StarRadio City
Big ThiefU.F.O.F.
Big ThiefTwo Hands
Big ThiefDragon Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Weyes BloodTitanic Rising
The Blue NileHats
David BowieThe Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
David BowieStation to Station
David BowieLow
Bressa Creeting CakeBressa Creeting Cake
Phoebe BridgersStranger in the Alps
Jackson BrowneLate for the Sky
Buffalo SpringfieldBuffalo Springfield Again
Burna BoyAfrican Giant
Kate BushThe Dreaming
Kate BushThe Hounds of Love
The Byrds – The Notorious Byrd Brothers

John Cale Paris 1919

CJohn CaleParis 1919
John CaleFear
CanTago Mago
CanFuture Days
CaribouSuddenly
Charly BlissGuppy
CHVRCHESScreen Violence
Gene ClarkWhite Light
Gene ClarkNo Other
The ClashThe Clash (US Version)
The ClashLondon Calling
Elvis Costello and the AttractionsArmed Forces
Elvis Costello and the AttractionsImperial Bedroom
Creedence Clearwater RevivalWilly and the Poor Boys
Creedence Clearwater RevivalCosmo’s Factory
Marshall Crenshaw – Marshall Crenshaw
Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young – Déjà Vu
Crowded HouseTogether Alone

Nick Drake Bryter Layter

DRichard Dawson & CircleHenki
Richard DawsonThe Ruby Cord
The DecemberistsThe Crane Wife
The DecemberistsThe King Is Dead
Sandy DennySandy
DimmerI Believe You Are A Star
Dire StraitsLove Over Gold
Dave Dobbyn – The Islander
Nick Drake Five Leaves Left
Nick DrakeBryter Layter
Nick Drake Pink Moon
The Dukes of Stratosphear Chips From the Chocolate Fireball
Bob DylanThe Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan– Highway 61 Revisited
Bob DylanBlonde on Blonde
Bob Dylan– John Wesley Harding
Bob Dylan –  Blood on the Tracks: The New York Sessions

EEcho & the BunnymenOcean Rain
Avalon Emerson – & the Charm
Brian EnoAnother Green World
Brian EnoBefore And After Science

Fairport Convention Liege and Lief

FFairport Convention – Liege and Lief
Faith No MoreAngel Dust
Fleet FoxesShore
Floating Points, Pharoah Sanders & The London Symphony OrchestraPromises
Fleetwood MacRumours
Aretha FranklinLady Soul
Aretha FranklinSpirit in the Dark

GPeter GabrielMelt
GenesisFoxtrot
GenesisThe Lamb Lies Down On Broadway
The Go-BetweensBefore Hollywood
The Go-Betweens16 Lovers Lane
Ariana GrandeSweetener
Amy GrantLead Me On

The Hold Steady Boys and Girls in America

HHAIMWomen in Music Part III
Emmylou HarrisRoses in the Snow
Emmylou HarrisWrecking Ball
The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceAre You Experienced?
The Jimi Hendrix ExperienceElectric Ladyland
Lauryn HillThe Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
Robyn Hitchcock & the EgyptiansFegmania!
The Hold SteadyBoys and Girls in America
The Hold SteadyStay Positive
Hüsker DüZen Arcade
Hüsker DüNew Day Rising

IJason IsbellSoutheastern
Jason IsbellWeathervanes


Jellyfish Spilt Milk

JThe JamSetting Sons
The JamSound Affects
JellyfishSpilt Milk
Carly Rae JepsenEmotion
Billy JoelThe Stranger
Elton JohnHonky Chateau
Freedy JohnstonCan You Fly
Nic JonesPenguin Eggs
Joy DivisionCloser

KPaul Kelly and the Coloured GirlsGossip
Paul Kelly and the MessengersHidden Things
Carole KingTapestry
King CrimsonIn The Court of the Crimson King
King CrimsonRed
Sofia KourtesisMadres
KraftwerkComputer World
KraftwerkThe Mix

LMiranda LambertThe Weight of These Wings
LCD SoundsystemSound of Silver
Led ZeppelinHouses of the Holy
Led ZeppelinPhysical Graffiti
Let’s Eat GrandmaTwo Ribbons

Joni Mitchell Blue

MMagdalena BayMercurial World
Manic Street PreachersThe Holy Bible
John MartynOne World
M.I.A.Kala
Ela Minus, Acts of Rebellion
Joni MitchellBlue
Joni MitchellCourt and Spark
Joni Mitchell – Hejira
MitskiBe The Cowboy
The Modern LoversThe Modern Lovers
The Moody BluesTo Our Children’s Children’s Children
Janelle MonáeThe ArchAndroid
Janelle MonáeDirty Computer
Van Morrison – Astral Weeks
Van MorrisonMoondance
Van MorrisonSaint Dominic’s Preview
Van MorrisonInto The Music
Kacey MusgravesGolden Hour
My Bloody ValentineIsn’t Anything
My Bloody ValentineLoveless

NNasIllmatic
Me’shell NdegeocelloThe Omnichord Real Book
New OrderTechnique
The New PornographersThe Electric Version
The New PornographersTwin Cinema
Randy NewmanSail Away
Randy NewmanGood Old Boys
Laura NyroEli and the Thirteenth Confession
Laura NyroNew York Tendaberry

OAngel OlsenAll Mirrors
Angel OlsenBig Time
Kelly Lee OwensKelly Lee Owens

Prefab Sprout Steve McQueen Two Wheels Good

POwen PallettIsland
Gram ParsonsGrievous Angel
PavementSlanted and Enchanted
Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain
Pet Shop BoysBehaviour
Tom PettyWildflowers
The Phoenix FoundationBuffalo
Pink FloydMeddle
Pink FloydThe Dark Side of the Moon
Pink FloydWish You Were Here
PixiesTrompe Le Monde
PixiesDoolittle
PortisheadDummy
Prefab SproutSteve McQueen
Prefab SproutJordan: The Comeback
Natalie Prass – The Future and The Past
Katie PruittExpectations

Queen II

QQueenQueen II
QueenA Night At The Opera

RRadioheadThe Bends
RadioheadKid A
RadioheadIn Rainbows
The RaincoatsThe Raincoats
Real LiesLad Ash
Nadia Reid Preservation
R.E.M.Murmur
R.E.M.Lifes Rich Pageant
R.E.M.Automatic for the People
The ReplacementsLet It Be
The ReplacementsTim
The Replacements – Pleased To Meet Me
Maggie RogersSurrender
The Rolling StonesBeggars Banquet
The Rolling StonesSticky Fingers
The Rolling StonesExile On Main St.
RosalíaEl Mal Querer
Josh Rouse – Nashville
Roxy MusicFor Your Pleasure
Roxy Music Country Life
Todd RundgrenSomething/Anything?
Todd RundgrenA Wizard, A True Star

Dusty in Memphis Dusty Springfield

STiwa SavageCelia
Sigur Rós – Ágætis byrjun
Sigur RósTakk
Simon and GarfunkelBookends
Paul SimonThere Goes Rhymin’ Simon
Paul Simon Graceland
Little SimzSometimes I Might Be Introvert
SlintSpiderland
The SmithsThe Queen Is Dead
Snail MailValentine
Soccer MommyClean
Cleo SolRose in the Dark
Cleo SolMother
Spirit Twelve Dreams of Dr. Sardonicus
Split EnzMental Notes
Split EnzTime and Tide
Dusty SpringfieldDusty in Memphis
Bruce SpringsteenThe Wild, The Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
Bruce SpringsteenDarkness on the Edge of Town
Steely DanPretzel Logic
Steely DanThe Royal Scam
Steely DanAja
Cat StevensTea for the Tillerman
StingThe Soul Cages
The Stone RosesThe Stone Roses
Sufjan Stevens Illinois
Sufjan Stevens Carrie and Lowell
Sun-El Musician – African Electronic Dance Music
Straitjacket FitsLife In One Chord (EP)
Sun Kil MoonApril
Matthew SweetGirlfriend
Matthew SweetIn Reverse
Taylor Swift – Red
Taylor Swift1989
Taylor SwiftFolklore
SZASOS

Talk Talk The Colour of Spring

TTalk TalkThe Colour of Spring
Talk TalkSpirit of Eden
Talk TalkLaughing Stock
Talking HeadsFear of Music
Talking HeadsRemain in Light
TelevisionMarquee Moon
Richard and Linda ThompsonI Want To See The Bright Lights Tonight
Richard and Linda Thompson – Shoot Out The Lights
Tinashe333
Tiny RuinsCeremony
TirzahTrip9Love…???
TransatlanticThe Whirlwind
TricotMakkuro (真っ黒)
Tricot10
Tyler, the CreatorIgor
Tyler, the CreatorCall Me If You Get Lost

UU2 Boy
U2 – The Joshua Tree


Townes Van Zandt Our Mother The Mountain

VVampire WeekendModern Vampires of the City
Vampire WeekendFather of the Bride
Townes Van ZandtOur Mother The Mountain
The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground & Nico

WTom WaitsSwordfishtrombones
Tom WaitsRain Dogs
Tom WaitsMule Variations
Scott Walker4
Scott WalkerTilt
The War On DrugsI Don’t Live Here Anymore
Jessie WareWhat’s Your Pleasure?
The WaterboysFisherman’s Blues
The Weather Station – Ignorance
Jimmy Webb El Mirage
Jimmy Webb Ten Easy Pieces
WeenThe Mollusk
Gillian WelchTime (The Revelator)
Paul WesterbergStereo
WilcoBeing There
WilcoYankee Hotel Foxtrot
Marlon WilliamsMy Boy
Bill WithersJust As I Am
Wolf AliceBlue Weekend
Stevie WonderInnervisions
Stevie WonderFulfillingness’ First Finale
Stevie WonderSongs in the Key of Life
Jamila WoodsLegacy! Legacy!
Jamila WoodsWater Made Us
Steve WynnHere Come The Miracles

XXTCSkylarking
XTCApple Venus, Vol. 1


yes-close-to-the-edge

YNilüfer YanyaPainless
Yellow Magic OrchestraSolid State Survivor
YesClose To The Edge
Yes – Relayer
Neil YoungAfter The Gold Rush
Neil YoungOn The Beach
Neil YoungRust Never Sleeps

ZThe Zombies Odessey and Oracle

1The 1975I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It
The 1975Notes on a Conditional Form

Compilations and Live Albums:

Jackson BrowneThe Very Best Of
The BuzzcocksSingles Going Steady
John CaleFragments of a Rainy Season
The CarsGreatest Hits
Paul KellySongs from the South
The Mutton BirdsFlock: The Best of the Mutton Birds
New OrderSubstance 1981-1987
Pet Shop BoysDiscography: The Complete Singles Collection
Tom Petty & The HeartbreakersGreatest Hits or Anthology: Through the Years
The PoliceGreatest Hits
Split EnzSpellbound
Teenage FanclubFour Thousand Seven Hundred and Sixty Six Seconds – a Short Cut to Teenage Fanclub
Townes Van ZandtLive at The Old Quarter, Houston, Texas
Suzanne VegaRetrospective
Bill WithersLive At Carnegie Hall
Neil YoungDecade

12 Comments

    • It’s just a way to express my overall opinion of the album in a single number. Nothing too over-thought – 10 is an all time favourite, 9/10 is very, very good. Normally it seems conventional not to use low numbers too much, I rarely go under 5, although there are a few 3s.

  1. Your site/blog is very good. Thanks for all the good work you have done. My own blog Vinyl Burn aspires to what you have done here ….without knowing it my blog is similar to yours just a much smaller scale. Anyway cheers to you. I really like your reviews and taste in music.

  2. Very nice site. I like very much the structure. Of course the reviews are very good. You should give a chance to other legends such as Van Halen, The Cure or even Iron Maiden.
    Best regards from Montevideo, Uruguay. In some way, similar to your Country.

    • Hi Enrique, thanks for writing in, and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

      Of the three bands you suggest, I think The Cure are most likely to come first. I really like Powerslave, but don’t know Iron Maiden’s other stuff very well. I used to think I didn’t like Van Halen, but I think now that it’s that I don’t like Sammy Hagar. The early stuff is good.

      Both Uruguay and NZ have cows and glaciers, right?

      • I am sorry. I have noticed that I have never answered this one. Yes we have plenty of cows. But not glaciers. Uruguay is more like the grasslands of the north island of New Zealand. Four seasons. Mild weather. A little wet and windy. Snow-less.

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Aphoristic Album Reviews is almost entirely written by one person. It features album reviews and blog posts across a growing spectrum of popular music.

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Graham Fyfe has been writing this website since his late teens. Now in his forties, he's been obsessively listening to albums for years. He works as a web editor and plays the piano.

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