Four albums into their recording career, Black Sabbath begin to experiment and add new sounds to their catalogue as well as the the music that they popularised. 'Changes' would be the band's first bona-fide ballad, with the piano taking a central position in the song. Of course, future albums would branch out even more, but it was quite a departure from the bluesy, doom-laden heavy metal sound of previous albums.
Best Songs: Changes; Supernaut
269) The Who - Tommy (1969)
The fourth, and probably best known among The Who's albums. A concept album about a dead, dumb, blind Messiah figure who after suffering abuse at the hands of his uncle forms a cult. He also plays pinball, but that isn't as big a part of the story as most people believe, only being mentioned in one song. Has since had both a movie and a stage musical based on it.
Best Songs: Christmas; Pinball Wizard
268) Late! - Pocketwatch (1992)
Before joining Nirvana, aspiring Washington D.C. musician Dave Grohl recorded this 10 track album that was released in 1992 on cassette only. Obviously, nowadays the tracks are available to download if you search for them, which is how I came across it. Several songs were later recorded by Nirvana ('Milk' as 'Milk It', and 'Colour Pictures Of A Marigold' as 'Marigold') and Foo Fighters ('Winnebago', and 'Friend Of A Friend' - which was written about Kurt Cobain on the day they met), but it should be considered a separate project to his two more famous bands.
Best Songs: Friend Of A Friend; Colour Pictures Of A Marigold
267) Riot In Rhythm - Vicious Circle (2010)
Metal album from the modern Seattle band.
Best Songs: Stand Up; Sanctuary
266) Yes Sir Boss - Desperation State (2012)
Yes Sir Boss are a kind of ska-influenced indie-pop band from Bristol. This, their debut album which was released on Joss Stone's label Stone'd Records, took me by surprise. I didn't expect to like it at all, but it's just so relentlessly catchy that I just couldn't help getting sucked in by it. It will be interesting to see how they develop.
Best Songs: Desperation State; Mr. Happy
265) Alice Crime Syndicate - Ten Songs In The Key Of Betrayal (2004)
The fourth and final album from the Seattle rock group, produced by band leader Joe Reineke along with Gil Norton. This album is ACS at their most straight-up, no-strings-attached rocking, and they sound all the better for it. Guitarist Mike Squires had left the band at this point, so all guitars are handled by Reineke.
Best Songs: Forever Is Rock N Roll; The American Way
264) Star Anna & The Laughing Dogs - Alone In This Together (2011)
The third, latest, and best album from Seattle's alt-country musician. As ever, Anna's voice is incredible.
Best Songs: Alone In This Together; Gold And Silver
263) David Bowie - Aladdin Sane (1973)
The second and - offically - final album from Bowie's golden Ziggy Stardust era. As a follow-up to '...Spiders From Mars' it's actually a little disappointing, but taken as an album in its own right it is among Bowie's finest recordings.
Best Songs: Panic In Detroit; The Jean Genie
262) Brad - United We Stand (2012)
Stone Gossard, Regan Hagar and Shawn Smith return with Brad's fifth album. Unlike previous albums, which were strictly treated as a side-project with live appearances a rarity, this album has been promoted by a full tour, including the band's first ever shows in the UK (which they are currently in the midst of). If any album was going to be the one they chose to promote, this is definitely the right decision. From the outset, it's the best thing that the band have recorded.
Best Songs: Miles Of Rope; Make The Pain Go Away
261) Elton John - Caribou (1974)
Another album that is very strong on its own, despite being a disappointment when compared to the record that came before.
Best Songs: The Bitch Is Back; Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
260) The Jane Austen Argument - Somewhere Under The Rainbow (2012)
The first full length album from the Melbourne songwriting duo.
Maintain The Madness; Under The Rainbow
259) White Zombie - Astro Creep: 2000 - Song Of Love, Destruction And Other Synthetic Delusions Of The Electric Head (1995)
The final studio album by the industrial metal, horror-themed band. The tradition of including audio samples from old horror and cult B-movies continued, but had become noticably heavier. Rob Zombie's first two solo albums were the natural progression from this album.
Best Songs: Electric Head Part 2 (The Ecstasy); More Human Than Human
258) The Cult - Ceremony (1991)
The Cult become influenced by Native American culture and released this album as a follow-up to 'Sonic Temple'. It was critically panned, but it remains my favourite Cult album.
Best Songs: Wild Hearted Son; Earth Mofo
257) Tarja - What Lies Beneath (2010)
Second solo album from the soprano, former Nightwish singer. Despite saying she hates rock and metal music just before being fired from that band, she seems to have kept up the Symphonic Metal tradition that she helped popularise with them. And surprisingly, it's almost up there with Nightwish's material, though not quite as impressive.
Best Songs: Anteroom Of Death; Falling Awake
256) Social Distortion - White Light, White Heat, White Trash (1996)
Mike Ness and co. return to their hardcore punk roots for their last album before going on an eight year long hiatus. Unfortunately, this was guitarist Dennis Dannell's final album before dying of a brain aneurysm in the February of 2000.
Best Songs: Don't Drag Me Down; I Was Wrong
255) Foo Fighters - There Is Nothing Left To Lose (1999)
The most commercial-sounding Foo Fighters album yet. It's also their least impressive, but when a band's least impressive album is as strong as this, it's a good indicator of just what that band are capable of.
Best Songs: Learn To Fly; Next Year
254) Filter - The Amalgamut (2002)
Filter-related fact that some of you may not know. Richard Patrick (the first Nine Inch Nails guitarist, and Filter's leader) is the younger brother Robert Patrick, who played the T-1000 in Terminator 2, and John Daggett in the final two seasons of The X-Files. This is why throughout promotional interviews for Terminator 2, Robert can be seen wearing a Nine Inch Nails baseball cap.
Although not as successful as their previous albums, 'The Amalgamut' is one of the best Filter albums yet. There isn't a 'Hey Man, Nice Shot' or 'Take A Picture' to be found, but most of the material on the album is just as good as those, and far better than the rest of their albums.
Best Songs: American Cliche; So I Quit
253) Screaming Trees - Sweet Oblivion (1992)
The Screaming Trees' follow-up to the critically acclaimed 'Uncle Anesthesia', and the first of two albums to feature drummer Barrett Martin. Unfortunately, the Trees would never get the same kind of exposure as their peers in the Seattle music scene, despite being among the better bands from that area.
Best Songs: Nearly Lost You; Winter Song
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