my top 3 favourite albums of all time

1. soundtracks for the blind – swans
   this is easily the greatest album of all time. it mixes post-rock with ambient and experimental elements. my favourite songs on the album are the sound and how they suffer. the album consists of recordings from the band's 15-year career, including interviews with michael gira's father, who was legally blind. it would be impossible to go over every song here, as the album is two and a half hours long, but every second is worth it. some songs are drone, some are field recordings, and there's even a random pop song in the middle. listening to this album is an emotional whirlwind that everyone should experience at least once. the album covers topics like child abuse, sex, illness, mental deterioration, and violence.

2. in the aeroplane over the sea – neutral milk hotel
   in the aeroplane over the sea is a lot less dark and experimental than soundtracks for the blind, but it's still an incredible album. i think the best song on the album is the king of carrot flowers pt. 1, but the saddest song is, without a doubt, two-headed boy pt. 2. the genre is indie folk, folk punk, and indie rock, and there is a lot less variation in style with this album. the best part of this album is the story and themes it contains, which are expressed through jeff mangum's great lyrics. jeff was obsessed with anne frank, almost to a weird extent. he said he had a recurring dream in which he saved her using a time machine, which is shown in the song oh comely. her story and similar themes are present throughout the entire album. this album probably had the biggest impact on me compared to the rest of them.

3. giles corey – giles corey
   i was torn on whether i should choose giles corey or the powers that b as number 3. i chose giles corey because the powers that b is more of a "fun" album and isn't as deep or philosophical as giles corey. giles corey is a slowcore/dark folk album, and this is one of the most miserable albums i know, alongside F♯ A♯ ∞ and any weezer album. this is dan barrett's best work in my opinion. the album starts off with the atmospheric track the haunting presence, which turns into someone hitting piano keys and screaming—which is in my opinion one of the most underrated tracks on the album. my personal favourite is i'm going to do it, but i reckon objectively the best is no one is ever going to want me.
   something i find interesting is the album cover. if you haven’t seen it or are unaware of its origins, the album cover is an image of pakistani magician kuda bux, famous for being able to see with his eyes covered in dough, cotton wool, and surgical bandages, and then his head being wrapped in towels. the album cover features him wearing those things. i think the origin is from the book a collection of mysteries from the unknown, on page 87. however, according to the dan barrett lore, he is wearing a voor's head device, a fictional device meant to give whoever wears it hallucinations. there is actually a lot of lore surrounding dan barrett's work that is too much to go into here.
   going back to the album itself, the main themes are depression and suicide, which are pretty evident when listening. the overall vibe of the album is gloomy, pessimistic, and even paranormal. definitely something you should listen to if you like deathconsciousness by have a nice life.

honourable mentions: the money store, fabulous muscles, and 69 love songs