Board 8 > Rank the Tracks Week 11: Alice in Chains' Dirt (+ OK Computer results)

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 10:34:23 AM
#1:


Previous results can be seen here:
https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Rank_the_Tracks

The rules:
1. Listen to the album in full
2. Rank every track on the album
3. For the results, there will be a curve at the top of each list; two additional points between #1 and #2, and one additional point for the next two ranks. This way, the songs that really stick out to someone get an edge that is not immediately negated by someone else putting it lower. In the case of Demon Days, someone's 15th track will get 1 point, 14th 2 points, 4th 12 points, 3rd 14 points, 2nd 16 points, and 1st 19 points
4. If you want to include comments for individual songs, I will compile them in the results
5. The results will be posted at the beginning of the next topic
6. The deadline to vote is Sunday, May 16 at 8:00 AM EST - though if you are for whatever reason listening to the album around that time, just say so in the topic and I can delay a bit
7. You can sign up to be added to a user cycle for after we finish the queue; once we get through the last planned album, the next person on the list will choose 3 albums which the other users will vote on for the next topic.
7a. To ensure people are being given an actual choice, the three nominated albums must be by different artists. You can otherwise stick to a similar sound or era.
7b. The tiebreaker for these polls will be whichever is listed first in the poll options - make sure to deliver the results in order of your own preference (which will hopefully have the added benefit of influencing people toward your first choice if they can't decide).
7c. The order of the user cycle will be randomly determined, but users will first be sorted into tiers by how many of their nominations have been covered during the early nominations period.

Alice in Chains' Dirt:
1. Them Bones
2. Dam That River
3. Rain When I Die
4. Down in a Hole
5. Sickman
6. Rooster
7. Junkhead
8. Dirt
9. God Smack
10. Untitled
11. Hate to Feel
12. Angry Chair
13. Would?

Schedule:
5/23: LCD Soundsystem - Sound of Silver (CasanovaZelos)
5/30: Pink Floyd - The Wall (Johnbobb)
6/6: Pixies - Doolittle (VeryInsane)
6/13: Wu-Tang Clan - Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers) (Johnbobb)
6/20: Kendrick Lamar - Good Kid, M.A.A.D. City (Start the Machine)
6/27: Meat Loaf - Bat Out of Hell (Seanchan)
7/4: Lin-Manuel Miranda - Hamilton (TomNook)
7/11: Janelle Monae - The ArchAndroid (TheArkOfTurus)
7/18: The Strokes - Is This It (MoogleKupo141)
7/25: Fiona Apple - Fetch the Bolt Cutters (CasanovaZelos)
8/1: Massive Attack - Mezzanine (Giggsalot)
8/8: The Killers - Hot Fuss (Seanchan)
8/15: Ben Folds Five - Ben Folds Five (jcgamer107)
8/22: Air - Moon Safari (ZaziGuado)
8/29: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced (Johnbobb)
9/5: Nine Inch Nails - Pretty Hate Machine (Steiner)
9/12: The Knife - Silent Shout (CasanovaZelos)
9/19: Billy Joel - The Stranger (Seanchan)
9/26: Spice Girls - Spice (SpikeSetsFire)
10/3: Iron Maiden - Powerslave (TheArkOfTurus)
10/10: Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves (Snake5555555555)
10/17: OutKast - Aquemini (Giggsalot)
10/24: Of Monsters and Men - Beneath the Skin (Jesse_Custer)
10/31: Taylor Swift - Speak Now (Snake5555555555)
11/7: The Avalanches - Since I Left You (SpikeSetsFire)
11/14: Moby - Play (SpikeSetsFire)
11/21: Steely Dan - Can't Buy a Thrill (Seginustemple)

User Cycle sign-ups:
11/28: MetalmindStats
12/5: TheArkOfTurus
12/12: Snake5555555555
12/19: Jesse_Custer
12/26: ZaziGuado
1/2: SpikeSetsFire
1/9: Johnbobb
1/16: VeryInsane
1/23: CasanovaZelos
1/30: Seanchan
2/6: Giggsalot

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 10:38:13 AM
#2:


Radiohead - OK Computer results

Participants sorted by deviation from final results:
CasanovaZelos (10)
VeryInsane (14)
Jesse_Custer (20)
RyoCaliente (20)
Seginustemple (22)
neonreaper (24)
SpikeSetsFire (26)
HBJDubs (28)
TheArkOfTurus (30)
Giggsalot (30)
Johnbobb (32)
Snake5555555555 (36)
Evillordexdeath (36)
ChainLTTP (42)
Seanchan (42)
MetalmindStats (42)
Raetsel_Lapin (44)

General Album Comments:

Snake5555555555: Progressive rock for the slacker generation, combining introspective, slow-burning songs with moments of explosive hard rock, political diatribe and harsh commentaries on social isolation in an increasingly technologically-reliant age. It's downright impossible to truly listen to this album and not come away from it feeling something. Radiohead wear their influences on their sleeves here, mainly The Beatles but artists like Bob Dylan, ambient artists like The Orb, trip hop in Portishead, & classical composers get their due here too, but Radiohead smartly doesn't pigeonhole themselves and instead gets wildly creative with their compositions, and veer from the progressive-metal-esque Electioneering, which is one of the most prevalent political songs on the album, to the lush electronica structures of Exit Music, to the haunting ambient soundtracks that score terrifying lyrical motifs in tracks like Climbing Up the Walls or The Tourist, accompanied by absolutely gorgeous and ear-catching string arrangements. I would be remiss to not mention Airbag with its stop-start rhythm that is as addicting and catchy as it is frightfully meaningful as it paints a picture of car crashes and other transportation tragedies. There is no crack in Radiohead's armor, from start to finish Radiohead captivates with some of the best storytelling in music, and even tracks like Fitter Happier which run the risk of alienating even some of RH's most devout followers come across as charming and fitter to the album's overall themes (and it's an experimentation I tend to love despite its low ranking here). It's an album that totally lives up to the hype and you could spend hours dissecting the lyrical themes and instrumentation but I think it's best to just let it speak for itself.

ChainLTTP: The greatest album of all time. This is hard to rank because I feel differently about the songs individually vs how they fit into the album. But here goes nothing

CasanovaZelos: OK Computer is my favorite album of 1997 and #22 of all-time. It's hard to say anything that hasn't already been said; alongside Nevermind, this is THE big album of the 90s, and has the benefit of an obsessive online fanbase analyzing every detail. Rock and roll had been put through a blender in 1996, and Radiohead helped pick up the pieces and put them in a new direction, shedding alternative for something bigger and almost ethereal. This is one of those rare albums where no two songs sound the same, yet they all go so perfectly together. Hard rockers like "Paranoid Android" and "Electioneering" are expertly contrasted against the drifting atmosphere of "Subterranean Homesick Alien" or the subtly sinister "Climbing Up the Walls." Where The Bends was exceptional if familiar alternative, with all its focus on guitars and all that makes rock rock, OK Computer is all about atmosphere. Yet that's not to imply they went easy on the instrumentation; every layer of these songs is richly detailed. The end result is an album like nothing before it, with too large of a scope for anyone else to successfully imitate.

Giggsalot: Seminal, justifiably canonized, must-listen, etc. OK Computer flows effortlessly, and the perfect production and thematic consistency can fool you into thinking that the songwriting is a lot more even than it actually is. In that way, it's a pretty perfect example of the album form, and deserves its status. As with quite a lot of albums of that kind, though, there's a very strong argument that it doesn't even stand out in its own creators' discography divorced of the sociocultural context from which it came. Still, I'd love for my 4th - 5th album to be this good!

Evillordexdeath: For me, Radiohead's hot streak from The Bends through Kid A is one of the most impressive in all of music, with every track on all three albums being nothing short of excellent. OK Computer might actually be my least-favorite of the three, but even so it's one of those albums where it feels bad to have to choose a song to put in last place.

Seanchan: I will maintain I am generally positive on this album though I don't have anywhere near the reverence that I think a lot of the people in this topic do. I also found it really hard to do this ranking and I suspect this might be a very different ordering if I did more listens.

Johnbobb: Overall I really dug this album, way more than I thought I would. It's got a little bit of grunge, a little bit of electronic, and heavy dose of rock, all with Thom Yorke's iconic voice. I will say the album definitely has a quality dip about halfway through. Everything leading up to and including Karma Police is excellent, but after Fitter Happier, it feels a little more generic, though it's still not without it's highlights.

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 10:42:08 AM
#3:


OK Computer Track Ranking

12. Fitter Happier (Track #7)
Score: 49 (Average Rank: 10.35/12)
Biggest Fan(s): MetalmindStats (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): TheArkOfTurus, RyoCaliente, VeryInsane, HBJDubs, neonreaper, SpikeSetsFire, Seanchan, Seginustemple (#12)

ChainLTTP: I absolutely adore this interlude, but it's not really a song so

CasanovaZelos: The definitive album-only track. This is going to be near the bottom of pretty much every list, but thats not to say it serves no purpose. I would never listen to Fitter Happier on its own, but I also cannot imagine OK Computer without it. Its a foreboding transition to the back half of the album that really sticks.

Giggsalot: It's weird that people hate on this, it's the conceptual heart of the album and it does its job perfectly. Sure, in these album rankings it kind of acts like the fodder line, but there's no shame in that.

Johnbobb: this is basically a skit so it's kind of hard to rank, but it still sounds good and fits well within the greater album.

11. Electioneering (Track #8)
Score: 74 (Average Rank: 8.88/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Snake5555555555 (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): ChainLTTP, Raetsel_Lapin, CasanovaZelos, Evillordexdeath (#12)

ChainLTTP: would be a better song on The Bends, but even with Jonny's shredding it's still a weak part

CasanovaZelos: The weakest moment of OK Computer, a purely alternative track that doesnt hit nearly as hard as those on their previous album. The lyrics arent nearly as interesting, either, just a basic take on political back and forth. Now that I think about it, the weird slogans make this feel like a precursor to Kid A what a difference it makes when the music itself is pushing boundaries. I dont think this is a bad song by any means, but it does stick out in a weird way.

Giggsalot: Actually kind of underrated, if this was on The Bends it would be one of the best songs there. The burst of energy the album needs after Fitter Happier.

Johnbobb: this is literally just a Muse song and no one can tell me otherwise

10. The Tourist (Track #12)
Score: 79 (Average Rank: 8.71/12)
Biggest Fan(s): ChainLTTP (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Jesse_Custer, Giggsalot, MetalmindStats (#12)

ChainLTTP: The best closer next to the Abbey Road Medley and A Day in the Life. Sums up the entire point of OK Computer in a single track and god damn if it can still get to me 15 years after I first listened to the album straight through. I will be playing this song when I'm on my death bed, looking back at my life, and I will be at peace.

CasanovaZelos: This one has never done too much for me on a sonic level, though I do like the way it cycles back around to the opening. Another crash is impending. Our narrator may be lucky, but only in the sense that he keeps surviving. There is a constant theme of feeling stuck, and using this track to make the whole album feel like a cycle drives that theme home. That elevator ding is a perfect closer.

Giggsalot: Like Airbag, this feels like an appropriate end, which cleverly hides the fact there's almost no song here at all. It's definitely possible that I might think more of this if it was by Low or Red House Painters - in principle, I like a lot of the artistic choices here - but given that Radiohead closers are almost informally amazing, this is a weird exception.

9. Subterranean Homesick Alien (Track #3)
Score: 93 (Average Rank: 7.59/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): Sanke5555555555 (#12)

ChainLTTP: this song is lyrically perfect and makes me more introspective than anything besides the #1. I love it so much

CasanovaZelos: The comedown from Paranoid Android; not quite depression, but more an introspective take on feeling like an outsider in your own world. The spacey sound here is key to OK Computer as a whole, even if I rarely listen to this one outside of the album proper.

Giggsalot: I really like the dreamy folk vibes here, which makes me wish Radiohead would tap into this sound more frequently. But they've never really paired it with a great song (see also Give up the Ghost). I like the lyrics here and this climaxes well, but there's not a lot else here for me.

8. No Surprises (Track #10)
Score: 106 (Average Rank: 6.88/12)
Biggest Fan(s): SpikeSetsFire, Evillordexdeath (#3)
Biggest Detractor(s): Johnbobb (#12)

ChainLTTP: such a perfect juxtaposition of lovely melody with dark lyrics that came to define this era

CasanovaZelos: Much like Let Down, an uplifting tune paired with depressing lyrics. Unlike Let Down, it feels like this depression will stick. Like Karma Police, I feel this one is a bit too simple to justify its acclaim, but Yorkes vocals are so powerful. Its also a better song while actively listening; there are layers here I always forget in retrospect. If Im harsh on these two tracks, its only because I feel like almost every song on here deserves the same level of attention. This is still a classic, reaching stunning emotional heights through its relative simplicity.

Giggsalot: I came here planning to write that this was a tiny bit too cute, but that's bullshit. Not my absolute favourite here, but this is perfect in its own right. The album probably should have ended here, the last two songs feel a bit like footnotes after this.

Johnbobb: Probably the only song on the album I'm outright consider "not good." Boring, repetitive, and just kind of unnecessary.

7. Airbag (Track #1)
Score: 130 (Average Rank: 5.88/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Evillordexdeath (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Giggsalot, HBJDubs (#10)

ChainLTTP: the perfect opener: "in an interstellar burst, I'm back again to save the universe." Fuck me, it's so good

CasanovaZelos: Though not my favorite track on the album, "Airbag" does a great job capturing what makes the full album so effective. After starting with an abrasive guitar, the song pulls back to let Yorke's gentle voice shine. Though we never return to that opening sound, it leaves a pervasive sense of foreboding. This is an album defined by contrasts, and "Airbag" makes a simple statement - after a horrifying accident, the survivor is simply happy to be alive, but he can't quite put everything behind.

Giggsalot: As alluded to above, the bookends on OK Computer feel 'appropriate', which is an ideal way of hiding that they're not especially great songs. Airbag has cool atmosphere and a nice guitar tone but not a huge amount else.

Johnbobb: what a fucking way to start an album

6. Lucky (Track #11)
Score: 130 (Average Rank: 5.76/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Seanchan (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): MetalmindStats (#11)

ChainLTTP: this takes me back to college so much. The Pink Floyd track of the 90s

CasanovaZelos: First he survived a car crash, now our narrator survives an air crash. However depressing this album can get, theres a theme of survival as well. This is the only outright optimistic track on the album - the way Yorke delivers its gonna be a glorious day the final time can bring me to tears. While this will likely be overshadowed by other tracks on its own, this is the cathartic release that makes OK Computer work as a cohesive whole.

Giggsalot: Actually a bit underrated, probably their best straight up britpop song. That chorus fucking soars, man.

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 10:44:57 AM
#4:


track ranking continued

5. Climbing Up the Walls (Track #9)
Score: 132 (Average Rank: 6.24/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, Giggsalot, HBJDubs, Seginustemple (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Evillordexdeath, Seanchan (#11)

ChainLTTP: the climax of this hits so fucking hard

CasanovaZelos: Perhaps the most underappreciated Radiohead track. The atmosphere here kills me, and that final scream is one of the best things Yorke has ever pulled off. This is such an unsettling, chaotic piece, and it really surprises me that its not considered a standout. Perhaps it was too ahead of its time, as it feels like a bridge toward Kid A.

Giggsalot: Loving the appreciation for this so far in this topic! This is the best song here hands down for me. An absolute masterclass in building tension, with a climax that just completely burns the house down.

4. Exit Music (For a Film) (Track #4)
Score: 154 (Average Rank: 4.59/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Raetsel_Lapin, neonreaper, Seanchan, Johnbobb, Metalmindstats (#2)
Biggest Detractor(s): ChainLTTP, RyoCaliente (#9)

ChainLTTP: see (Climbing Up the Walls), god damn this song got me through my moody freshman year of college

CasanovaZelos: A deeply moving song, and Ill never get over the fact that its from the Romeo + Juliet credits. A completely baffling film, but there must be some merits if seeing the ending inspired the band to write this. Again, this is a song of contrasts; after clearly embracing the depressing conclusion of its inspiration during the first half, Yorke goes a step further and ends the song with condemnation. But as with every other song on OK Computer, its mere manic rambling; Romeo and Juliet are incapable of revenge, so they can only wish harm upon their enemies, which itself fits the overarching theme of the album. Thom Yorkes vocals during the climax are to die for, while the distorted backing vocals that come in a third of the way through always get under my skin. And, gosh, when the drums come in.

Giggsalot: Yep, this is where the album really takes off for me. This has the best core melody so far by miles, and OK Computer's best songs are the ones where they hone in on a simmering, almost trip-hop-esque tension. That buzzing bass is the sound of dreams.

Johnbobb: The biggest surprise of the album, as the previous three songs were all great, but I thought it might have finally hit a dip in the beginning of track 4. Then the deep background vocals come in, then the drums and distorted guitar at around 3 minutes in, leading to perhaps my favorite moment of the album in the last minute of the song.

3. Karma Police (Track #6)
Score: 158 (Average Rank: 4.53/12)
Biggest Fan(s): SpikeSetsFire (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Raetsel_Lapin (#11)

ChainLTTP: it feels disgusting putting Karma Police of all things in the middle, but this album is the fucking GOAT so here we are

CasanovaZelos: While I really like Karma Police, Ill never understand people who treat it like the definitive Radiohead song. On an album where nearly every track is pushing the boundaries, this feels a little too simple. But then I get to the outro and it kills me every time. I can see why its a big deal this is the most rock radio friendly song on the album, and it has a killer atmosphere. Just, the first couple minutes are just alright to me, saved by a stunning ending.

Giggsalot: Note-perfect classic, and the only one of the three singles here that hasn't suffered from overplay. Who cares that it's basically Sexy Sadie, they should teach this in schools. I will not be taking questions.

Johnbobb: the only song I knew going in, because of course I did. Listening to it in context of the rest of the album is a much different experience though, because I actually didn't like it quite as much as the album's opening tracks, though I can really appreciate the interesting midpoint having Karma Police/Fitter Happier here creates. Great song either way.

2. Paranoid Android (Track #2)
Score: 170 (Average Rank: 4.47/12)
Biggest Fan(s): Jesse_Custer, TheArkOfTurus, neonreaper, Johnbobb (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): HBJDubs (#11)

ChainLTTP: probably in your casual fan's top 2, and for good reason. This is where it starts getting REALLY hard for me to rank them

CasanovaZelos: "Happiness is a Warm Gun" or "Bohemian Rhapsody" for the angsty gen Xer. It makes sense for this to be the signature track; in an album full of contrasts, a song which is several distinct ideas mashed together accentuates the idea. OK Computer does a phenomenal job exploring generally untapped emotions, and this is the perfect embodiment of stress-driven narcissism. Every inch of this song, no matter how disparate each section gets, suggests someone on a manic high desperately reassuring themselves of their own greatness lest the world drag them back down. And instrumentally, this is simply an awesome song.

Giggsalot: Yeah, we all know this one is great. I could make a case that the only truly spectacular section is the "rain down" chorus, but I've been snarky enough already and who needs more of that. This is a classic for a reason.

Johnbobb: It's hard to choose a favorite between the first four songs, because OK Computer has such an incredible start. PA does a little of everything, leaping from acoustic to grunge to whatever the fuck is happening in that last minute.

1. Let Down (Track #5)
Score: 170 (Average Rank: 4.12/12)
Biggest Fan(s): RyoCaliente, CasanovaZelos, VeryInsane (#1)
Biggest Detractor(s): Snake5555555555 (#9)
ChainLTTP: Radiohead firing on all cylinders. This is a band that is clicking. You only see this once a generation, friends

CasanovaZelos: My personal favorite Radiohead song. Again, contrast is the name of the game, and no other song can make me feel so simultaneously hopeful and crushed by the weight of the world. Yorke sings One day I am gonna grow wings with such force, only to tear it down immediately. But the line keeps coming back, and even if he immediately subverts it every time, the fact he cant drop the idea suggests theres reason to believe. And, just, the outro. Such a beautiful piece of music, and again accentuating the contrast as Thom Yorkes vocals split in two. It unfortunately gets lost in the shuffle for some people its not as in your face about what its doing like Paranoid Android - but I truly believe this is Radiohead at their most emotionally raw.

Giggsalot: One of only about three genuinely pretty songs on the album (RH got way better at this later on). I've never adored this the way most fans do, but it's crept up on me over the years. Consider me charmed.

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 10:49:20 AM
#5:


OK Computer was the first time first place had to be decided by the tiebreaker (which is decided by the higher average rank). The best albums for this project are ones where a bunch of tracks are really close; the top 8 here all did pretty well, and Climbing Up the Walls jumped 2 spots compared to just using the average rank due to some serious love from specific users.

Once again I'm the most generic voter, but I really did not expect that to be the case; I feel like "No Surprises" would be much higher in other circles, and I was pleasantly surprised by "Climbing Up the Walls" actually doing well.

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Seanchan
05/16/21 11:03:31 AM
#6:


9 of the 12 tracks had someone pick it as their favorite. That has to be a record for us. Of the other 3, one had 5 2nd place votes and the other 2 had at least 1 3rd.

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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 11:06:05 AM
#7:


Seanchan posted...
9 of the 12 tracks had someone pick it as their favorite. That has to be a record for us. Of the other 3, one had 5 2nd place votes and the other 2 had at least 1 3rd.


The Blue Album went 8/10 with a number one vote

Edit: which, this is a hard comparison to make due to different track lengths, but I think these are balanced out by The Blue Album having three less voters. Crack the Skye also had 6/7 but that's probably expected when there are so few songs.

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ChainLTTP
05/16/21 11:11:41 AM
#8:


lol how did someone rank fitter happier #1?
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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 11:31:10 AM
#9:


Dirt is my #975 album of all time, but I also haven't given it a spin since my first listen a decade ago. I don't really have strong memories, so not much to say going in. And having listened, still not many strong feelings. I get that Alice in Chains is one of the definitive grunge bands, but as someone too young to have experienced it first hand, I never heard about them as much as Nirvana, Pearl Jam, or Soundgarden. Their sound is cool and distinctly harder than the other groups, though it again reinforces my idea that grunge was more of a marketing term than a legitimate genre. Nirvana could have easily been classified as punk, while Alice in Chains and Soundgarden could both fall into heavy metal. Pearl Jam is the only one that matches my conception of 'grunge' and nothing else. The funny thing is, "Post-Grunge" is absolutely a genre, but I feel all of those bands distinctly sound influenced by Pearl Jam and not the others.

As an album, this feels like one that has a distinct divide between the singles and b-sides. Unlike something like Achtung Baby, however, I feel like each track earns its place. A good listen throughout, but hard to rank in this way.

My ranking:
Rooster (#1484 all-time)
Would? (#2421 all-time)
Them Bones
Down in a Hole
Angry Chair
Dirt
Dam That River
Rain When I Die
Hate to Feel
God Smack
Junkhead
Sickman
Untitled


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LiquidOshawott
05/16/21 11:33:54 AM
#10:


I demand Untitled be renamed to Iron Glaaaaand

Also Exit Music is pretty good shocked nobody put it at 1

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SpikeSetsFire
05/16/21 11:51:20 AM
#11:


Great results for OK Computer.
Close finish and such diverse taste. Love it.

I have never listened to Alice in Chains before in my entire life.
So I'm going in totally blind and unaware.


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Johnbobb
05/16/21 12:32:08 PM
#12:


Reading those results was wild; had no idea what was coming next. Let Down at number 1 blows my mind

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ChainLTTP
05/16/21 12:40:43 PM
#13:


CasanovaZelos posted...
Pearl Jam is the only one that matches my conception of 'grunge' and nothing else.
Pearl Jam is more traditional rock if you had to broadly fit them somewhere else.

Stone Temple Pilots is the most definitive major grunge band for me.
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LiquidOshawott
05/16/21 12:42:56 PM
#14:


also uh random grunge 5 ranking

Nirvana
AIC
Soundgarden
Pearl Jam
Stone Temple Pilots

Ten is probably better than any non Nirvana album but I dont really like other Pearl Jam stuff

They are headlining a festival near me though, could consider going there assuming things are normal by September

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SpikeSetsFire
05/16/21 1:10:30 PM
#15:


Speaking of Stone Temple Pilots, I met Scott Weiland once.
He had just finished a gig with Velvet Revolver that night.
This was in Brisbane, Australia. In the mid 2000's? Can't remember exactly.

Anyway, he randomly came in to my bar for a beer with the rest of the band.
Slash was there too. And he wanted a non-alcoholic beer which I didn't have.
Slash and the rest went out to the beer garden to listen to the live music. Scott stayed at the bar.

As Scott sat at the bar drinking his VB stubby, some fucking drunk Aussie who had no idea who he was, kept pestering him and giving him shit about his appearance.
And Scott just kept mumbling under his breath, "I'm going to stab him. I'm going to stab him."

Long story short, he didn't stab him, and I got his autograph on the back of a coaster.
And that's the end of my story.


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CasanovaZelos
05/16/21 1:17:41 PM
#16:


Hmm, grunge album ranking:
Nirvana - Nevermind (#18 all-time)
Nirvana - In Utero (#109)
Pearl Jam - Ten (#154)
Hole - Live Through This (#356)
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York (#422)
Pearl Jam - Vs. (#639)
Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies (#909)
Soundgarden - Superunknown (#961)
Alice in Chains - Dirt (#975)
Pearl Jam - Vitalogy (#1380)
L7 - Bricks are Heavy (unranked, 7.9/10)
Nirvana - Bleach (unranked, 7.9/10)
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger (unranked, 7.9/10)
Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog (unranked, 7.7/10)
Pearl Jam - No Code (unranked, 7.6/10)
Pearl Jam - Yield (unranked, 7.3/10)
Screaming Trees - Dust (unranked, 7.1/10)
Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion (unranked, 7.1/10)

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Snake5555555555
05/16/21 1:26:38 PM
#17:


Down in a Hole
Them Bones
Would?
Rain When I Die
Dam That River
Junkhead
Angry Chair
Hate to Feel
Sickman
Rooster
God Smack
Dirt
Untitled

Man this album brings back so many great memories. It was one of those endlessly looped high school albums for me, back when I was absolutely obsessed with grunge. Scored homework sessions, vacations & camping trips, video game multiplayer matches, work assignments, etc.. I've largely grown tired of that sound over the years, due to both being massively overplayed and moving on to other musical obsessions, but the fact remains I still absolutely love this album. Layne Staley's vocals are both heavenly & haunting, at once a drone of absolute despair, anger, & hatred and a lullaby that assures you there's still hope and it's without question no grunge band were doing vocal harmonies like AIC was; this album would not be as fondly remember without Cantrell backing up Layne. The songs become a choir that invokes a sense of belonging and community with the listener, inviting sing-alongs as you wallow in and become enveloped in each song's rich, filthy, & seedy atmosphere. I actually agree with Zelos that grunge is not really a genre, but I do think it's more than a marketing term too; I think it's more a term for the aesthetic of the music. Dirt is what to comes my mind when I think of grunge, and that starts with its album title cover right down into every note and lyric of the music. This is dirty music, from its sludgy guitars to lyrics that depict the depressing lows one person can end up experiencing and how daunting of a task it can appear to pull yourself out of whatever grave you dug yourself into. The album even features themes of warfare, with comparisons to the horrifying conditions of especially the Vietnam War, an analysis of psychology exploring different ways the brain can be scarred but in the end it's still the same feeling. It's also practically impossible to separate the backstory of the album and the unfortunate tragedy of Staley from this music, a double-edged sword that both mythologizes the album and re-contextualizes each song with new meaning but also makes it incredibly difficult to listen to as you know these were real people really going through these difficult times.

To criticize the album a little bit: the 8-10 track span of the album always kind of blended into one for me, I feel like those tracks aren't as memorable as the beginnings of the album. I'm a little fatigued with the album's sound by that point, but it ends strong though with Angry Chair and especially Would?, a moody masterpiece with an explosive chorus and satisfying ending.

And despite the album's inherent darkness the album is absolutely a fun listen to. Them Bones is an explosive opener, with Layne's "ahs!" being instantly catchy with a satisfying chromatic riff, that is one of the best short metal songs of all time. The beginning of the album shows a particular aptitude for even more hooky songwriting, such as Dam the River's chorus "maybe I don't give a damn anyway", with wordplay that's a bit blunt sure but it comes together with the riff and is a blast to sing along to. And of course there's some "chugga-chuggas" for the true head-banger, in songs like Sickman. In general, it's not really what I listen to the album for, but I appreciate it all the same.

It's a timeless album and a realistic snapshot of both a band and a generation, and whether or not grunge is old hat at this point is irrelevant, because substance abuse and psychological torment is something that affects all generations no matter what the music sounds like.


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Snake5555555555
05/16/21 1:30:48 PM
#18:


I did a top 25 Grunge albums ranking in my early days of the board, and it's pretty cringy and surface-level but I thought it would be funny to share.

https://board8.fandom.com/wiki/Snake%27s_Top_25_Grunge_Albums

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ZeroSignal620
05/16/21 1:35:01 PM
#19:


On paper, Dirt is arguably the most depressing album ever written. The songs featured on this album include the ideas of death, struggle, war, and drug addiction; the latter hits the hardest considering all four members were on something at the time of making this album, and two of them are no longer with us today.

However, it was also the final piece to an impressive 4-pack of Seattle albums. Released one year after Pearl Jam's Ten, Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, and Nirvana's Nevermind, Dirt arrives fashionably and excellently late. In the end, Dirt not only stands out above all over Alice in Chains albums, it stands out over all albums released from the 90s Seattle movement. 8 of the 13 tracks on this album are in AIC's overall top 30 songs ever.

1) Rain When I Die - By far the strongest track on Dirt. The minute long bass opening and the main guitar line before verses mixed with Layne's vocals help produce one of AIC's best songs ever.

2) Rooster - Written about his father's time in Vietnam, Jerry Cantrell brought forth the horrors of war on paper before Layne added his voice to it all. Music wise, the opening and chorus are damn near perfect. This is a staple in every AIC playlist for a reason.

3) Would? - Written in memory of Mother Love Bone vocalist Andrew Wood, this tune grabs you with an excellent chorus and a slightly groovy guitar solo. The bass opening is spot on as well.

4) Them Bones - An excellent album opener, Them Bones is short and simple, yet hard and to the point. Cantrell's lyrics about the idea of death needed the vocals of Layne Staley to make this a hit. Also Cantrell's best guitar solo is featured here.

5) Junkhead - Arguably AIC's drug anthem, the tune and lyrics give this one a haunting atmosphere behind it all. Easily could have been written from the personal experience of any band member.

6) Angry Chair - The guitar work absolutely defines this song here, as well as the ending parts to all the verses.

7) Down in a Hole - AIC almost goes in ballad form for this song and it pays off. While the chorus is simple, the verses are done very well here.

8) Dirt - The title track is done very well here, don't let its placement here fool you. Solid chorus and guitar work help make this one a classic.

9) Sickman - The bridge to this drags on a bit, but otherwise a decent song. Lyrically, more foreshadowing on Layne's behalf.

10) Dam That River - Short, simple, and to the point. Unlike Them Bones, however, this song is decent at best and mostly forgettable. You could've put this track on Facelift and no one would've noticed. That's not a knock against Facelift, just saying DTR's style sounds more like a Facelift track.

11) God Smack - Allegedly the unofficial origin of the band with the same name, God Smack reflects a little more on the band's struggle with heroin. Good chorus, weak verses.

12) Hate to Feel - This one never stuck to me musically, especially with its abrupt ending; lyrically, the idea of Layne stating the fear of ending up like his father is some heavy foreshadowing. On a different note, the live versions of this end up being better than what we get here.

13) Untitled (Dream Sequence) - Titled "Iron Gland" on a compilation album, the biggest tragedy is that this 40 second joke of a skit got put on a Best Of compilation over a number of classics.

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Johnbobb
05/16/21 6:38:44 PM
#20:


Big 5 ranking:
  1. Soundgarden
  2. Pearl Jam
  3. Alice in Chains
  4. Nirvana
  5. Stone Temple Pilots
All are excellent, but SG and PJ are easily above the other 3 for me. Weird to think the lead singers of 4 of those 5 have died though (twice for STP). Really holding out hope Eddie Vedder sticks with us a long time

Fun fact:
I saw Stone Temple Pilots in the fall of 2012 at the Rock Allegiance festival, one of Scott Weiland's last shows before he left the band about 6 months later. Kicking myself I didn't get the chance to ever see Chris Cornell


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MetalmindStats
05/16/21 8:06:29 PM
#21:


ChainLTTP posted...
lol how did someone rank fitter happier #1?
Sorry. At least you won't have to see my comments preserved on the wiki page.

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ZeroSignal620
05/16/21 8:08:58 PM
#22:


My big 5 rankings, cause why not?

1) Alice in Chains
2) Soundgarden
3) Pearl Jam
4) Nirvana
5) STP

Vocalists
1) Chris Cornell
2) Eddie Vedder
3) Layne Staley
4) Kurt Cobain
5) Scott Weiland
(I'd put William Duvall at 3.5 if we include new era vocalists. Still haven't listened to any new STP to determine an opinion on the new vocalist)

Lead Guitarists
1) Jerry Cantrell
2) Mike McCready
3) Kim Thayil
4) Dean DeLeo
5) Kurt Cobain

Finally, no rankings or ratings, but among these Big 5 and including side projects, my album placements from best to worst from what I've heard...

Alice in Chains - Dirt
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
Alice in Chains - Unplugged
Nirvana - Unplugged in NY
Pearl Jam - Ten
Temple of the Dog - s/t
Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Pearl Jam - Vs
Mad Season - Above
Alice in Chains - Facelift
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog
Alice in Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Nirvana - Nevermind
Soundgarden - Down on the Upside
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Mourning
Jerry Cantrell - Boggy Depot
Alice in Chains - s/t
Soundgarden - King Animal
Chris Cornell - Carry On
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Alice in Chains - Sap

12 years ago I did an AIC song ranking topic that I was very proud of when it was finished. I'd love to bring it back to include the ones from this era cause all 3 Duvall albums have solid stuff on them.

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Snake5555555555
05/16/21 8:55:37 PM
#23:


Might as well throw my hat in with some rankings

Bands
1) Soundgarden
2) Alice in Chains
3) 90s STP
4) Nirvana
5) Pearl Jam

Albums:
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Soundgarden - Down on the Upside
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Nirvana - In Utero
Alice in Chains - s/t
Stone Temple Pilots - Core
Mad Season - Above
Nirvana - Nevermind
Pearl Jam - Vs.
Alice in Chains - Unplugged
Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
Stone Temple Pilots - Tiny Music... Songs from the Vatican Giftshop
Stone Temple Pilots - Purple
Pearl Jam - Vitalogy
Alice in Chains - Dirt
Nirvana - Unplugged in NY
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Soundgarden - King Animal
Pearl Jam - Ten
Alice in Chains - The Devil Put Dinosaurs Here
Pearl Jam - Yield
Alice in Chains - Rainier Fog
Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
Pearl Jam - Gigaton
Stone Temple Pilots - No. 4
Soundgarden - Ultramega OK
Soundgarden - Louder Than Love
Pearl Jam - s/t
Jerry Cantrell - Degradation Trip
Alice in Chains - Facelift
Pearl Jam - No Code
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Alice in Chains - Sap
Chris Cornell - Carry On
Temple of the Dog - s/t
Pearl Jam - Riot Act
Chris Cornell - Euphoria Mourning
Jerry Cantrell - Boggy Depot
Pearl Jam - Binaural

I don't think I've fully heard any of STP's albums from Shangri-La to Perdida, though I did like some of the tracks on the latter. Not gonna get any further into side projects beyond what's listed here cause there's just too many.

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Johnbobb
05/16/21 11:06:41 PM
#24:


I'd have to re-listen to quite a few of the grunge albums to do a proper ranking, but the ones I've heard enough times to rank comfortably:

Pearl Jam - Ten
Soundgarden - Superunknown
Pearl Jam - Vs.
Soundgarden - Badmotorfinger
Nirvana - MTV Unplugged in New York
Temple of the Dog - Temple of the Dog
Nirvana - In Utero
Soundgarden - King Animal
Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion
Nirvana - Nevermind
STP - Core
Bush - Sixteen Stone (man I wish Bush had stuck with this style rather than going full post-grunge by their 3rd album)
STP - Purple
Pearl Jam - Vitalogy
Alice in Chains - Facelift
STP - No. 4
Chris Cornell - No One Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1
Alice in Chains - Black Gives Way to Blue
Pearl Jam - Backspacer
Alice in Chains - Jar of Flies
Pearl Jam - Lightning Bolt
Bush - Razorblade Suitcase
Chris Cornell - Carry On
Mudhoney - Mudhoney
Pearl Jam - Gigaton

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CasanovaZelos
05/17/21 9:48:38 AM
#25:


MetalmindStats posted...
Sorry. At least you won't have to see my comments preserved on the wiki page.


Sorry, I must have missed your comments while putting the results together; I can always add them.

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CasanovaZelos
05/17/21 2:33:18 PM
#26:


"The National Anthem" just came on shuffle and I realize I have no idea how Kid A would be ranked. "In Limbo" and "Morning Bell" seem destined for the bottom three alongside "Treefingers," which I think gets treated similarly to "Fitter Happier" since no one really appreciates ambient music...but between Everything In Its Right Place, The National Anthem, How to Disappear Completely, Idioteque, and maybe even Motion Picture Soundtrack, I honestly don't know.

And I said it before, but In Rainbows could be the wildest album possible in regards to variance. The only bet I would make there is "Faust Arp" taking last place.

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ChainLTTP
05/17/21 2:45:03 PM
#27:


Morning Bell would probably fall in my top 3
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CasanovaZelos
05/17/21 11:38:22 PM
#28:


Bump

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TheArkOfTurus
05/18/21 11:02:44 AM
#29:


1. Would?
2. Them Bones
3. Rain When I Die
4. Down in a Hole
5. Rooster
6. Dam that River
7. Dirt
8. Angry Chair
9.Sickman
10. Junkhead
11. Hate to Feel
12. God Smack
13. Untitled


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LiquidOshawott
05/18/21 5:16:03 PM
#30:


ChainLTTP posted...
Morning Bell would probably fall in my top 3

Honestly the hardest thing for me is that the Amnesiac version is just better tbh

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CasanovaZelos
05/19/21 1:18:30 AM
#31:


bump

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SpikeSetsFire
05/19/21 4:50:50 AM
#32:


Hate to Feel
Angry Chair
Dirt
Them Bones
Would?
Down in a Hole
Dam That River
Rooster
Rain When I Die
Junkhead
God Smack
Sickman
Untitled


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CasanovaZelos
05/19/21 8:41:03 PM
#33:


up

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neonreaper
05/20/21 8:17:16 AM
#34:


Down in a Hole
Them Bones
Would?
Hate to Feel
Angry Chair
Rooster
Dirt
Rain When I Die
Sickman
Dam That River
God Smack
Junkhead
Untitled

When I put my list together, I really didn't expect to see Dirt and Rain When I Die middle-bottom. It's such a good album. It's also a little tricky to think about, as I liked this as a kid, as a young adult, and as a middle-aged guy. I would imagine I listened to Would and Angry Chair the most when I was young, but that has changed over time. Even Junkhead is a good and vital part of the album.

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HBJDubs
05/20/21 5:12:08 PM
#35:


1. Rooster
2. Them Bones
3. Down In A Hole
4. Rain When I Die
5. Would?
6. God Smack
7. Angry Chair
8. Sickman
9. Dirt
10. Dam That Hole
11. Junkhead
12. Hate To Feel
13. Untitled

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Raetsel_Lapin
05/20/21 7:11:23 PM
#36:


1: Down In A Hole
2: Angry Chair
3: Dirt
4: Rooster
5: Dam That River
6: Them Bones
7: Hate To Feel
8: Would?
9: Untitled
10: God Smack
11: Sickman
12: Rain When I Die
13: Junkhead
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LiquidOshawott
05/20/21 9:00:52 PM
#37:


Would?
Rooster
Down In A Hole
Them Bones
Angry Chair
Junkhead
Rain When I Die
Dam That River
God Smack
Dirt
Sickman
Hate to Feel
Iron Gland/Untitled

This album is a little top heavy but still pretty good. Alice In Chains is pretty fun to play on guitar btw

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HBJDubs
05/21/21 4:31:33 PM
#38:


As I go through the previous albums I'll just briefly post my #1 pick as well as by biggest detractor from the final rankings

Demon Days - El Maana is #1, Demon Days is biggest detractor (#13 on final, #3 on mine)

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CasanovaZelos
05/22/21 1:18:14 AM
#39:


Bump

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CasanovaZelos
05/22/21 12:57:02 PM
#40:


Last day to vote

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Johnbobb
05/22/21 5:40:05 PM
#41:


  1. Rooster - 10/10 perfect song
  2. Sickman - doesn't get nearly enough love compared to the many hits from Dirt. It's one of the tracks I think of the most, and it shows off the vocals really well, even just when Staley pronounces the title. SickmaAaAaaAaaaAaaan, Sickman, Sickmaan, Sickmaaaaaan.
  3. Hate to Feel - So much is done in this one song; the tempo is constantly changing, the vocal shifting throwing the listener for a loop over and over.
  4. Them Bones - When that opening "IIIAAAAHHH" scream comes in, I want to throw a rock through a window it's so good
  5. Angry Chair
  6. Would? - Much like Them Bones is a near perfect opener, Would? is a perfect closer
  7. Rain When I Die
  8. Dam That River - I had this song stuck in my head all morning at work, but only the lines "Sooooo yoooou couldn't damn that river / Well maybe I don't give a damn anyway"
  9. Down in a Hole - I HATE putting Down in a Hole this low (9th on my list) because holy shit is it good, it just slows down the album's pace just enough to fall short of some of the other tracks
  10. God Smack
  11. Dirt
  12. Junkhead - admittedly this is the one song on the album that's hard to listen to now, given Staley's later overdose
  13. Untitled - I'm ranking this last not because it's bad, and not even because it's not really a song, because I can still appreciate its spot on the album and how it contributes to the overall feel. But on an album where every song could be a hit, it has to drop.


This is probably the hardest album to rank so far because the whole thing is just so goddamn good. Start to finish, this is grunge at its absolute best, without a single bad song. While I don't think Alice in Chains had the overall lasting power of some of the other grunge bands like Pearl Jam and Soundgarden, at their best they're difficult to compete with. Layne Staley and Jerry Cantrell's voices together just creates an otherworldly experience, resulting in one of my all-time favorite albums.

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Seanchan
05/22/21 7:42:46 PM
#42:


  1. Them Bones
  2. Down in a Hole
  3. Rooster
  4. Dam That River
  5. Would?
  6. Angry Chair
  7. Rain When I Die
  8. Sickman
  9. Junkhead
  10. Hate to Feel
  11. Dirt
  12. God Smack
  13. Untitled
This is a really solid album. On my first listen I was surprised by how many of these songs I was already familiar with from 90s/00s radio play. There's definitely a lull after Rooster but it ends strong. I was a bit surprised doing my rankings as there's not really a "bad" song on the album (removing Untitled for obvious reasons). I don't think this is as good as Nevermind but it's closer than I would have initially thought.

I'm gonna put something out there that probably won't get much traction but...any chance of taking a week off/giving 2 weeks for an album at different points? I like doing this but I feel like I could use a break every once in a while from my "homework grind". I'm going to throw out The Wall and Hamilton as two that I would like have a longer time; one because they are longer albums and two because they're around holidays in the U.S. I don't know about the rest of you, but I take some time off from work around the holidays to do family stuff and it means I have less time/inclination to do something like this.

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CasanovaZelos
05/23/21 12:07:25 AM
#43:


final bump

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CasanovaZelos
05/23/21 9:07:09 AM
#44:


Up and counting results now

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