The Best Rock Albums of 1997

Selected by piero scaruffi | Selezionati da piero scaruffi
Reviews of 1997 albums | Best albums of all time | Bands (USA) | Bands (non-US) | Back to music
Recensioni del 1997 | Migliori album di sempre | Musicisti (USA) | Musicisti (altri) | Torna alla musica
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Best of the 1960's Best of the 1970's Best of the 1980's Best of the 1990's Best of the 2000's
TM, ®, Copyright © 1998 Piero Scaruffi
1997

(Compiled by Mauro Bondoni based on my ratings)
  1. Hash Jar Tempo : Well Oiled (Drunken Fish) (9)
  2. Built To Spill: Perfect From Now On (Warner) (8.5)
  3. Amon Tobin: Bricolage (Ninjatune) (8.5)
  4. Autechre: Chiastic Side (Warp) (8)
  5. Doldrums: Acupuncture (Kranky) (8)
  6. Today Is The Day: Temple Of The Morning Star (Relapse) (8)
  7. Laika: Sounds Of The Satellites (Too Pure) (8)
  8. Red Red Meat: There's A Star Above The Manger Tonight (SubPop) (8)
  9. Subarachnoid Space: Almost Invisible (Release) (8)
  10. Acid Mothers Temple: Acid Mothers Temple & The Melting Paraiso Ufo (PSF) (7.5)
  11. Biosphere: Substrata (7.5)
  12. Dissolve: Third Album For The Sun (Kranky) (7.5)
  13. Electric Wizard: Come My Fanatics (Rise Above) (7.5)
  14. Laddio Bolocko: Strange Warmings (Hungarian) (7.5)
  15. Gravitar: Now The Road Of Knives (Charnel) (7.5)
  16. Bob Ostertag: Like A Melody No Bitterness (Seeland) (7.5)
  17. Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments: Straight To Video (Anyway) (7.5)
  18. Run On: No Way (Matador) (7.5)
  19. Geraldine Fibbers: Butch (Virgin) (7.5)
  20. Storm & Stress: Storm & Stress (Touch & Go) (7.5)
  21. Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One (Matador) (7.5)
  22. Belle And Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister (Enclave) (7.5)
  23. Alio Die: Password for Entheogenic Experience () (7.5)
  24. Squarepusher: Hard Normal Daddy (Warp) (7.5)
  25. Deerhoof: The Man The King The Girl (Kill Rock Stars)
  26. Hovercraft: Akathisia (Blast First) (7)
  27. Eat Static: Science Of The Gods (Planet Dog) (7)
  28. Aerial M: self-titled (Drag City) (7)
  29. Lowercase: Kill The Lights (Amphetamine Reptiles) (7)
  30. Djam Karet: The Devouring (Cuneiform) (7)
  31. Kreidler: Weekend (Play It Again Sam) (7)
  32. Space Needle: The Moray Eels Eat The Space Needle (Zero Hour) (7)
  33. Mainliner: Sonic (Charnel) (7)
  34. L@n (A-Muzik) (7)
  35. Paul Schutze: Nine Songs From The Garden Of Welcome Lies (1997)
  36. David Shea: Satyricon (Sub Rosa) (7)
  37. Chumbawamba: Tubthumper (Republic) (7)
  38. Apples In Stereo: Tone Soul Evolution (SpinArt) (7)
  39. Cornelius: Fantasma (Trattoria) (7)
  40. Ulan Bator: Vegetale (Disques Du Soleil) (7)
  41. Dylan Group: It's All About (Bubble Core) (7)
  42. Skeleton Key: Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon (Capitol) (7)
  43. Roni Size: New Forms (Mercury) (7)
  44. Bardo Pond: Lapsed (Matador) (7)
  45. Mogwai: Young Team (Chemikal Underground) (7)
  46. Loreena McKennitt: The Book Of Secrets (Quinlan Rd) (7)
  47. Tuatara: Breaking The Ethers (Epic) (7)
  48. Azusa Plane: Tycho Magnetic Anomaly & the Full Consciousness of Hidden Harmony (Camera Obscura) (7)
  49. Otomo Yoshihide: Sound Factory (Gentle Giant) (7)
  50. Ladybug Transistor: Beverley Atonale (Merge) (7)
  51. We: As Is (Asphodel) (7)
  52. Firewater: Get Off The Cross (Jetset) (7)
  53. Roy Montgomery: Harmony of The Spheres (Drunken Fish) (7)
  54. Matmos (Vague Terrain) (7)
  55. Cerberus Shoal: Element Of Structure/ Permanence (Audio Information Phenomenon) (7)
  56. Vas Deferens Organization: Zyzzybaloubah (VDO) (7)
  57. Gas: Zauberberg (Mille Plateaux) (7)
  58. Colossamite: All Lingo's Clamor (Skin Graft) (7)
  59. Richard Buckner: Devotion And Doubt (MCA) (7)
  60. Wyclef Jean: The Carnival (1997) (7)
  61. Lungfish: Indivisible (Dischord) (7)
  62. Bjork: Homogenic (Elektra) (7)
  63. DJ Shadow: Preemptive Strike (Mo' Wax) (7)
  64. American Analog Set: From Our Living Room To Yours (Emperor Jones) (7)
  65. Lullaby For The Working Class: I Never Even Asked For Light (Bar/None) (7)
  66. John Fahey: Womblife (Table Of The Elements) (7)
  67. Ohm: O2 (Timothy's Brain) (7)
  68. Salaryman (City Slang) (7)
  69. Spiritualized: Ladies And Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space (Arista) (7)
  70. Ant-Bee: Lunar Muzak (Divine) (7)
  71. Voodoo Child: The End Of Everything (Elektra) (7)
  72. Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole (Astralwerks) (7)
  73. Everclear: So Much For The Afterglow (Capitol) (7)
  74. Gus Gus: Polydistortion (4AD) (7)
  75. Erykah Badu: Baduizm (Motown) (7)
  76. Jack Drag: Unisex Headwave (Devil's weed) (7)
  77. Movietone: Day And Night (Drag City) (7)
  78. Big Swifty: Akroasis (Cherry Smash) (7)
  79. Monorchid: Let Them Eat (Simple Machines) (7)
  80. Bobby Conn: Bobby Conn (Truckstop) (7)
  81. Jim O'Rourke: Bad Timing (Drag City) (7)
  82. Red Stars Theory: But Sleep Came Slowly (Rx Remedy) (7)
  83. Skeleton Key: Fantastic Spikes Through Balloon (Capitol) (7)
  84. Jim O'Rourke: Happy Days (Revenant) (7)
  85. Corrupted: Paso Inferior (Frigidity Disco)
  86. Aqua: Aquarium (MCA) (7)
  87. Shallow: High Flyin' Kid Stuff (7)
  88. Rainer Maria: Past Worn Searching (Polyvinyl) (7)
  89. Wheat: Medeiros (Sugar Free) (7)
  90. Boxhead Ensemble: Dutch Harbor (Atavistic) (7)
  91. Nicolai Dunger: Eventide (1997) (7)
  92. X-Ecutioners: X-Pressions (Asphodel) (7)
  93. Missy Elliott: Supa Dupa Fly (1997) (7)
  94. Mike Keneally: Sluggo! (Immune) (7)
  95. Live Human: Live Human Featuring DJ Quest (Cosmic) (7)
  96. State Of Grace: Jamboreebop (RCA) (7)
  97. Ryoji Ikeda: +/- (Touch) (7)
  98. Howie B: Turn The Dark Off (Island) (7)
  99. Citizens' Utilities: No More Medicine (Mute) (7)
  100. Edith Frost: Calling Over Time (Drag City) (7)
  101. Fucking Champs: III (Frenetic) (7)
  102. Panacea: Low Profile Darkness (Position Chrome) (7)
  103. Danielson Famile: Tell Another Joke At The Ol' Choppin' Block (1997)
  104. Luke Slater: Freek Funk (NovaMute) (7)
  105. Bug: Tapping The Conversation (WordSound) (7)
  106. Radiohead: OK Computer (Capitol) (7)
  107. Andrew Chalk: East of the Sun (1997) (7)
  108. Coalesce: Give Them Rope (Edison) (7)
  109. Forgas Band Phenomena: Roue Libre (Cosmos) (7)
  110. Mats/Morgan Band: The Music Or The Money (UAE) (7)
  111. Larry Kucharz: Metachoral Visions (1997)

Songs
(Mostly selected by Austin Krentz, based on my album reviews)
( Click here to play them on Spotify (thank you Luke!))
  1. Chumbawamba: Tubthumping
  2. White Town: Your Woman
  3. Built To Spill: I Would Hurt A Fly
  4. Cornershop: Brimful Of Asha
  5. Run On: As Good As New
  6. Verve: Bitter Sweet Symphony
  7. Amon Tobin: Stoney Street
  8. Yo La Tengo: Autumn Sweater
  9. Radiohead: Karma Police
  10. Laika: Shut Off/Curl Up
  11. Cornelius: Count Five Or Six
  12. Ben Harper: Homeless Child
  13. Richard Buckner: Figure
  14. Belle and Sebastian: Seeing Other People
  15. Bardo Pond: Pick My Brain
  16. Death In Vegas: Rocco
  17. Lullaby For the Working Class: This Is As Close As We Get
  18. Aerial M: Always Forever
  19. Red Red Meat: Sulfur
  20. Ulan Bator: Cephalopode
  21. Pressurehed: Bluff Creek And Beyond
  22. Bjork: Alarm Call
  23. Today is the Day: Kill Yourself
  24. Everclear: So Much For The Afterglow
  25. Boxhead Ensemble: Ebb's Folly
  26. Geraldine Fibbers: Folks Like Me
  27. American Analog Set: Don't Wake Me
  28. Space Needle: More Than Goodnight
  29. Minus 5: Popsycle Shoppe
  30. Laddio Bolocko: Call Me Jesus
  31. Firewater: The Circus
  32. Aqua: Barbie Girl
  33. Movietone: Summer
  34. Acid Mothers Temple: Pink Lady Lemonade
  35. Thomas Jefferson Slave Apartments: El Cajon
  36. Ant-Bee: Snorks and Wheezes
  37. Apples In Stereo: We'll Come To Be
  38. Die Form: Lonely Heart
  39. Mike Keneally: I, Drum Running, Am Clapboard Bound
  40. Gravitar: Christmas Only Comes Once, Ever
  41. Erykah Badu: On & On
  42. Roni Size: Share the Fall
  43. Wyclef Jean: Gone Till November
  44. Chavez: Tight Around The Jaws
  45. Fucking Champs: Valkyrie Is Dying
  46. Strapping Young Lad: All Hail the New Flesh
  47. Red Stars Theory: I Thought About You
  48. Elliott Smith: Between the Bars
  49. GusGus: Gun
  50. Colossamite: My Driving Hand
  51. Harvey Milk: Brown Water
  52. Emperor: Ensorcelled by Khaos
  53. Howie B: Fizzy In My Mouth
  54. Salaryman: Voids + Superclusters
  55. Tuatara: Breaking the Ethers
  56. Lowercase: She Takes Me
  57. Prodigy: Smack My Bitch Up
  58. Missy Elliot: The Rain
  59. Emperor: Ensorcelled by Khaos
  60. Incubus: A Certain Shade of Green
  61. Smash Mouth: Walkin' On The Sun
  62. Foo Fighters: Everlong
  63. Blur: Song 2
Extended tracks
(Mostly selected by Austin Krentz, based on my album reviews)
  1. Hash Jar Tempo: Well Oiled
  2. Cerberus Shoal: Permanence
  3. Hovercraft: Quiet Room
  4. Alio Die: Password for Entheogenic Experience
  5. Squarepusher: Papalon
  6. Autechre: Cipater
  7. Chemical Brothers: Private Psychedelic Reel
  8. Big Swifty: Kalpa
  9. Storm and Stress: Guitar Cabinet Stack Way High Is Freedom
  10. Mogwai: Fear Satan
  11. Piano Magic: Wintersport/ Cross-Country
  12. Acid Mothers Temple: Speed Guru
  13. Gravitar: Real Li
  14. Vas Deferens Organization: Futura Perspective
  15. Corrupted: Paso Inferior
  16. John Fahey: Planaria
  17. Bob Dylan: Highlands
  18. Otomo Yoshihide: DD
  19. Jim O'Rourke: Happy Days
  20. William Basinski: On A Frontier Of Wires
  21. Iceburn Collective: Polarity
  22. Lowercase: You're A King
  23. Jim O'Rourke: Bad Timing
  24. Spiritualized: Cop Shoot Cop
  25. June of 44: Sharks And Sailors
  26. Matmos: And Silver Light Popped In His Eyes
  27. Doldrums: On The Pine
  28. Windy & Carl: Antarctica
  29. Geraldine Fibbers: Heliotrope
  30. Gas: Zauberberg 3
  31. Bob Ostertag: Like A Melody No Bitterness
  32. Flying Saucer Attack: Forever
  33. Larry Kucharz: Ars Antiqua
  34. Paul Sauvanet: Land Of The Angel
  35. Electric Wizard: Return Trip
  36. Voice Crack: With A Hint Of Yellow
  37. Verve: The Rolling People
  38. State of Grace: Conspiracy
  39. Autechre: Draun Quarter
  40. Enslaved: 793
  41. Forgas Band Phenomena: Roue Libre
  42. Fishmans: Walking in the Rhythm
  43. Incantation: Unto Infinite Twilight/ Majesty of Infernal Damnation

Songwriters
  1. Lida Husik: Fly Stereophonic (Alias)

Industrial
  1. Gravitar: Now The Road Of Knives (Charnel)
  2. Dissolve: Third Album For The Sun (Kranky)
  3. Society Burning: Tactiq (Cargo)
  4. Subarachnoid Space: Almost Invisible (Release)
  5. Doldrums: Acupuncture (Kranky)
  6. Aerial M (Drag City)
  7. Philosopher's Stone: Preparation (Kranky)
  8. Sister Machine Gun: Metropolis (Wax Trax)
  9. Mainliner: Sonic (Charnel)
  10. Mentallo & The Fixer: Burnt Beyond Recognition (Metropolis)
  11. Walking Timebombs (Charnel)
  12. Unit 187: Loaded (21st Circuitry)

Electronica
  1. TUU: Mesh (Hearts Of Space)
  2. Kenneth Newby: Sirens (City Of Tribes)
  3. Ether: Hush (Charnel Music)

Gothic

Heavy rock

Psychedelia
  1. Gravitar: Now The Road Of Knives (Charnel)
  2. Subarachnoid Space: Almost Invisible (Release)
  3. Sky Cries Mary: Moon Bathing On Sleeping Leaves (Warner Bros)
  4. Mainliner: Sonic (Charnel)
  5. Bedhead: Transaction De Novo (Trance Syndicate)

Instrumental
  1. Amon Tobin: Bricolage (Ninjatune)
  2. Vas Deferens Organization: Zyzzybaloubah (VDO)
  3. Vas Deferens Organization: Sweat Your Cheeses (Charnel)

Progressive
  1. Djam Karet: The Devouring (Cuneiform)
  2. Half Japanese: Heaven Sent (Emperor Jones)
  3. Bardo Pond: Lapsed (Matador)
  4. Phish: Slip Stitch And Pass (Elektra)
  5. Happy Family: Toscco (Cuneiform)
  6. Death Organ: Universal Stripsearch (Ad Perpetuam Memoriam)

Britain
  1. TUU: Mesh (Hearts Of Space)
  2. Chumbawamba: Tubthumper (Republic)
  3. Chemical Brothers: Dig Your Own Hole (Astralwerks)
  4. Belle And Sebastian: If You're Feeling Sinister (Enclave)
  5. Citizens' Utilities: No More Medicine (Mute)

Germany
  1. Kreidler: Weekend (Play It Again Sam)

Japan
  1. Mainliner: Sonic (Charnel)
  2. Happy Family: Toscco (Cuneiform)

Rest of Europe
  1. Ulan Bator: Vegetale (Disques Du Soleil)

Australia
  1. Hash Jar Tempo :Well Oiled (Drunken Fish)
  2. Dissolve: Third Album For The Sun (Kranky)
  3. Gate: The Mono Lake (Table Of Elements)

Canada
  1. Kenneth Newby: Sirens (City Of Tribes)

TM, ®, Copyright © 1998 Piero Scaruffi All rights reserved.

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Best of the 1960's Best of the 1970's Best of the 1980's Best of the 1990's Best of the 2000's