Britney Spears
The Circus Tour 2009
Acer Arena
2.5/5

The crowd: Absolutely INSANE. The loyalty of her fans was OBVIOUS during the show. I've NEVER been to a show with SO MUCH screaming and devotion. It was nice to see, especially after endless media reports about walk outs and upset fans. It was clearly only a small percentage of people who didn't enjoy the show, because from what i saw, most people seemed to have a blast.
The crowd was the most interesting one iv'e seen so far at an Arena tour [besides GaGa's crowd]. SO many poofs and SLUTTY girls, lol, but in a good way!
The female fans were awesome, the crowd was filled with Barbie doll look a likes, some in Britney costumes, others practically in their undies and heels. Even the fat girls bleached their hair and put on the pinkist skirt they could find. Had a tranny sitting in front of me too.

Opening act: Well known Aussie female Dj, Dj Havana opened the show. Cool set up, hot girl, jumping around in her tiny undies and stilettos. Set the mood for the type of show we were about to see.

The show: Firstly, the set up for the tour was done well. The entire stadium glowed pink [gay], and they had sprayed the entire arena with her perfume. I felt like i was sitting inside Britney's vagina or something, was cute :). Once Dj Havana finished her set, they had a big 25 minute countdown to Britney's arrival. It was the PERFECT crowd warmer, because once we got to that last minute, lawd oh lawd, lol, that crowd fucking lost their minds. GREAT way to start the show.

Britney started with Circus, then worked her way through Piece of Me, and a couple of other songs. It was exciting seeing her. She's SO famous, and because i've been a fan for years, i couldn't help but get a few butterflies inside my tummy. I wasn't going nuts though, it just didn't call for it.

As we approached the middle of the show, things got a bit more interesting. Me Against The Music was GREAT. Best performance of the night, they utilized the stage the most during that. The stage was a bit tricky to navigate at times i noticed. There were some songs where she'd just have oher back to us for an entire song. It left you feeling a bit "um.....hello bitch, i'm over here!".
Other stand out moments were Do Something and Get Naked. The dancing in get Naked was really good, and Britney seemed into it. Breathe On Me was funny. The guy they dragged up on the stage looked pleased with the fact that Britney was shimmering her hips in front of him. He was some big jock, he looked REALLY excited in the pants region. I think he was straight, lol.

Other parts of the show i liked were the videos shown. The opener with Perez was done well, so was the Sweet Dreams mask party video.

Now for the not so great stuff.

Miming. This is the first "live" act i've seen mime a show, and it will be my last. I was obviously aware of what i was in for going in, and that's fine, i still chose to go. After going through the experience though, i can't say i got too much out of seeing someone lip every song on stage.
The main problem is the CONNECTION. When you mime a song, there's NO connection with the audience. I don't care if the song is only about shaking your ass!, if you sing it live, it puts a bit of conviction behind it, and it makes me enjoy it more. I don't mind a bit of miming during parts of songs where choreography comes in. But at least sing the majority of it live so i can actually connect with you on SOME level during the show. With Britney, there was nothing like that there. The show felt like it was on auto pilot, and she felt a million miles away.

Another thing, audience interaction. I don't expect ALL acts to sit and chat with the crowd like Pink does. I'll admit, it's a GREAT way to really make an audience feel close to you if you acknowledge there presence in some way, but it's not desperately needed. Britney had ZERO interaction with us. She said "Hello Sydney" and then "Bye Sydney". That was it. She just wasn't............"there". And i don't mean in a "drugged out" way. Her energy levels were good most of the time and she looked like she was having fun, but it was like watching a robot "do her thing" and then leave.

The tour design was nicely done, but i also think at times it was a bit too much. It felt like the performances were DROWNING in the lights and special fx. I wanted to see Britney, not smoke bombs and flying chairs for 5 minutes while Britney dances at one end of the stage where i couldn't see her past the pretty lights. It was overkill sometimes, and i wished she'd PULL BACK some of the sets to allow us in a bit more.

The miming, the lack of audience interaction, the veil of visual effects............it all worked to make her feel like she was a million miles away on that stage. It was just empty.

Overall, as a fan, i had a decent time. She's got some great songs under her belt, and some of the performances were nicely done. What made the night was the crowd atmosphere and the music. As a touring act though, i can't say Britney left any sort of lasting impression on me. I wish i could say she did, but she didn't. I saw the show, and pretty much didn't think about it by the time i got to my car in the car park. I suppose that's what you get when everything she has to offer on stage is so.........."false".

I've been following her career for 10 years, and i'm still a big fan. I'm glad i can at least say i saw her ONCE in my life, just for the thrill of it. Would i ever see her again though? No. I wouldn't.

Sorry Britney, but..............after seeing her fellow pop friends like Pink, Beyonce and GaGa [who only had a shitty club stage may i add], Brit just ISN'T in the same league on stage. At all. In any way shape or form.

What happens when you sleep?Paranormal Activity [2009]
Directed by: Oren Peli
Starring: Some random people
4/5

There's been so much hype around this movie that i can barely see straight. It's taken the world by storm, and many people are saying it's one of the scariest movies ever made. Some critics even labeled it the scariest film EVER. That's a big title, and a few films over the years have received it. The only movie that's ever lived up to that hype for me has been The Exorcist, so i went into PA with curious eyes. I left all expectations at the door when i went to see this, and was thankfully pleasantly surprised. By "pleasantly surprised", i mean, CREEPED THE FUCK OUT a few good times.

The story follows a young couple named Katie and Micah. They move into a new house, and we soon learn that Katie has a few problems with ghosts. One "ghost" in particular has been following her most of her life. Katie's getting a bit annoyed by being terrified by shadow figures during the night, so her boyfriend decides to record each night as they sleep, so they can catch some raw footage of the haunting taking place. The "ghost" doesn't like this idea very much, and as the nights go on and as creepy footage is captured, the shit starts to hit the fan in a major way.

That's pretty much the entire movie. You follow these people day in and day out, hearing them talk about what's happening, seeing them get stressed, and see paranormal activity occur during the night. What's great about the film is that it has a really nice slow build up to the events that take place closer to the end of the movie.
We get to know the couple during the daytime scenes, some people hated them, i personally liked them. The night time scenes are when MOST of the "freaky" stuff happens, which is probably why it's best to see the film with a smaller crowd. Those scenes work best in complete silence. There's a lot of sound use in the film that really makes your spine tingle, sometimes it's very subtle, other times it's loud as FUCK.

It's hard to talk about the movie without giving too much away, it's best you go in with no idea about scenes or stand out moments. So if you haven't seen the movie, don't read on......if you have, highlight the muted text to read my thoughts of specific moments [or skip to the black text at the end of the review for no spoilers]:

The realistic use of the night cam gives a really great eerie feel to the movie. You feel like you're seeing the real thing and it helps build atmosphere every time the lights are out and the hauntings occur.
Another great effect during the night cam footage: Every time something creepy is about to happen, the play a foreboding sound that lets you know something isn't right. It's an amazing effect that worked like crazy on me, and the rest of the cinema [who went silent each time it happened].

The stand out scene for me was when Katie gets dragged from her bed by her foot. It really fucked me up, and everyone in the cinema was really freaked out, lol. The way it was executed was PERFECT, everything from the way her foot gets gripped to the dragging down the hallway and her screams of terror. It looked exactly like how it would in real life [i assume]. Absolutely spine tingling and completely unexpected. That moment is one of my all time favourite scenes in a movie ever. It's SO well done.

Other nice parts.................the footage of a Ouija board being left alone in the house, creepy stuff, the bed sheets being lifted up over Katie's legs as she sleeps, Katie watching Micha sleep while in a trance, spooky, and the ending where Katie screams for Micah right before throwing his lifeless body at the camera sitting in their bedroom.

The film isn't perfect, and it's not for everybody. There IS a pacing issue in the first half of the film, and a day scene or two could have been shortened or left out completely. The ending, as great as it was, does mess with the tone of the film a bit, and it did get a bit too "Hollywood" for my taste. Other than that, i didn't really find much else wrong with the movie. On repeat viewings it'll most likely lose a bit of it's bite, but in the right setting it could easily be enjoyed again in a second screening. As a first viewing experience though, GREAT stuff. Lots of fun.

When this was initially released through film festivals earlier this year, 99% of the crowd reaction to this was extremely positive. The critical reviews have been strong during it's entire release as well. With lots of hype comes eager people ready to rip a film apart though, and now this is suffering the same situation Blair Witch did back in the day. People go in readying themselves to be TERRIFIED instead of just enjoying it for what it is. I'm sure there are many people out there who genuinely found it boring, or not scary. It's not a masterpiece by any means. But it's also the perfect movie made for the cynical crowd who refuse to get caught up in the latest fad out of some strange desire to PROVE EVERYONE WRONG by hating a movie. It's a bit ridiculous.
In saying that though, as i mentioned before, the film is getting rave reviews by the critics [and still many movie goers], and that's always welcome in my book since horror films are disregarded by critics so often because the genre churns so much crap.

Ignore what everyone else tells you. Don't listen to the hype, don't listen to the complainers [they always try and ruin a party], and try and see this film in a dark room, with as little people as you can, with the volume turned up full blast. If you like a good slow burner, you'll be in for a few treats with this.
Is it the scariest movie ever made? no, is it genuinely creepy? fuck yes.

I'm waving my PA fan flag loud and proud!

She's Evil!Jennifer's Body [2009]
Directed by: Karyn Kusama
Starring: Megan Fox, Amanda Seyfried
3.5/5

Megan Fox plays Jennifer, a beautiful cheerleader who becomes the victim of a ritual sacrifice at the hands of Satanic worshipers. Problem is, Jennifer doesn't die, in fact, the sacrifice goes a bit wrong and Jennifer returns from the dead, possessed by a flesh eating demon and ready to eat her way through high school.

Enjoyable movie. I didn't expect to be blown away, but it looked decent enough, and i'm a Diablo Cody fan, so i knew it'd have enough positives to pull me in. Some people think Diablo tries too hard with her scripts, creating new words, trying to be witty ect. I actually like her style, it reminds me a little of the writing from Buffy, so i can enjoy it without feeling like she's trying to force "indie cred" onto me. The writing actually turned out to be funnier than i expected, i found myself laughing at a few of the lines, and the characters for the most part were like able.
The storyline was simple and to the point, and even though there wasn't a lot of depth to the characters, they still gave enough for us to like them. They were cast well also. Amanda Seyfried was great as Jennifer's best friend, and Megan Fox did a good job as well. Megan doesn't have much to do in the Transformers movies. She spends most of the time bending over a lot and screaming out "Sam" [not in that order]. Her role in JF isn't exactly brain science either, and it's mostly set around her looks [which are smokin'], but she at least gets to have a bit more fun with this role than she did in Transformers. She has a chance to sink her teeth into something a bit more interesting and it comes across that way, she's having fun, you can tell. I'll be interested to see how she does with more complex roles in the future. I don't think she's the terrible actress some people make her out to be. She was definitely watchable in this.

Another part of the film i liked was the direction. It was nicely shot and edited, slick and stylish. The horror wasn't too over the top, but there's enough of it there to give casual viewers their blood fix. Hard core horror fans may be disappointed by the lack of gore, but the film never sold it self as a straight up horror flick anyway, so whatever expectations you have as a horror fan, maybe don't bother trying to meet them with this movie.

It's not as rewarding as Juno [which Diablo also wrote], but it's certainly entertaining enough for at least one screening. It's an easy watch, it doesn't ask too much of the viewer and it just gets on with it. It could have been a little darker, a bit gorier, a but more fleshed out story and character wise, but it's a decent enough package as it stands. I liked it.

PS: There's some people who said Ginger Snaps did this story better, i agree with that.

PPS: For the boys out there, NO you don't see Megan's tits in this.

My Favourite Films of ALL TIME! #11The Exorcist [1973]
Directed by: William Friedkin
Starring: Linda Blair, Ellen Burstyn, Max Von Sydow

" Is there someone inside you? "

Oooooooh, cover your eyes bitches, it's The Exorcist!!!!! The greatest horror film ever made!!!!! THERE, I FUCKING SAID IT!!!!! It scared the panties off me as a kid and it still CHILLS me to my bone now days. It's one of those movies you grew up knowing about. You wait and wait until you get to an age where you can FINALLY feel brave enough to see it, and when you do, BAM!!!! it's CREEP central! for most people anyway.

This was one of those movies i used to rent when i was a teen and i'd get creeped out even HOLDING the movie in my hands at the video store. As usual with horror VHS rental tapes, it was old, looked like it had been in 600 peoples houses and stank of plastic. That just added to the creep factor though. Speaking of creep factor, anyone notice how the horror section in video stores always seemed eerily quiet. It's a genre that's an acquired taste, so it was never booming with customers. It always seemed like such a "forbidden" section to be in. I loved that.

The Exorcist follows the story of a young girl named Regan [played perfectly by Linda Blair], who finds a Oujie board in her new house and starts playing with it. She tells her mother [Ellen Burstyn] that she talks to a spirit by using the board named Captain Howdy. Her Mother assumes Regan is just messing about as troublesome teenagers do, and she laughs it off. Soon though, Regan starts acting a little "strange"..........and by strange, what i really mean is, completely and utterly FUCKED UP! Her bed shakes uncontrollably, she starts speaking in tongues, she stabs her pussy with a crucifix and she even pisses on the floor like a cow.

OBVIOUSLY these aren't exactly NORMAL things people do, so Regan's Mother sends her to a few doctors to run some tests. After a whole bunch of hideous testing, the doctors come to realize that they can't actually diagnose her with anything........so they recommend more of an, unorthodox form of treatment for the girl. To her Mother's surprise, she is told to visit a church to get the help of an Exorcist. It's at this church that Regan's Mother meets Father Merrin, a young Priest, who's never performed an exorcism in his life, but who decides to offer his help to a very desperate and emotional Mother trying to save her haunted daughter.
Once Merrin enters the house, the shit well and truly hits the fan! Regan is walking backwards on her hands and feet down stairs, making her head spin 360 degrees, swearing and vomiting her way through all hours of the day and night. Merrin and Regan's Mother realize they're in way over their heads, so they seek the help of a skilled Exorcist named Father Karras, who coincidentally came head to head with the demon inside Regan many years ago.
What happens next is a whole lot of crazy demonic possession, and 3 people fighting to save the life of a girl who may not live much longer if the demon inside her kills her.

Most people who are reading this have most likely already seen this movie. Some of you however may not have, and it all may seem a little.......over the top. Obviously, it is. The makers of this film didn't hold back at all when it came to what they showed on screen. When they say "a girl gets possessed", they really fucking mean POSSESSED!
Even though the movie is over the top with abusive language "stick your cock up her ass you mother fucking worthless COCKSUCKER!", there is still a lot of strong atmosphere in the film that really takes you in and makes you suspend belief and just accept what it is that your seeing. Don't get me wrong, if you've had a few drinks, you may find yourself giggling at a few of the lines Regan throws at you. But there's not denying how creepy and unsettling some of the scenes can be, and it's the more quieter moments in the film that really showcase that.

The acting in this movie is SUPERB! Ellen Burstyn is perfect as Regan's Mother, and Linda Blair is REALLY good in her role as Regan. She was so young when this movie was made, i can't believe some of the stuff they asked her to do in this. How does a young kid play something SO dark? incredible. That's one thing about these 2 characters in this film, they have a very close Mother/Daughter relationship, so when things go bad, you really feel for Regan's Mom.

The version of the film i'm talking about is the one dubbed "The Version You've Never Seen". This was released in cinemas in 2001, and featured a few added scenes as well as some tweaked existing scenes. Some fans of the original film feel that some of the new additions [mainly involving a demonic face that pops up every so often] were unnecessary......personally, i liked every new addition they added to the re-release, i wish they added even MORE to be honest. I could watch this movie for 3 hours!

If you've never seen this before, go rent it, put it in your DVD player, turn off ALL the lights, turn the volume up full blast and cuddle yourself in your seat.
When this movie first opened in 1973, it had people fainting in horror in the cinema isles. Although it may not have the exact same impact today, there's no denying that the movie for most people, is one of the creepiest films ever made. It's very evil.

The Box [2009]
Starring: Cameron Diaz, James Marsden
Directed by: Richard Kelly
3/5

James and Cameron play a married couple who get given a unique box by a stranger who tells them if they press the button on the box, they'll get a million dollars. The catch is, in order to get the money, a person they don't know, anywhere in the world, will die. Can they live with that on their conscience?

Erm, well..........um.....not really sure......how to describe the movie since i got a headache trying to wrap my brain around every part of what the hell this thing was all about.
It's a slow burning movie, so if you're looking for something fast paced and exciting, you'll probably be really bored. It has a similar tone to the The Invasion and those old skool mystery sci fi flicks. In fact, it was a lot more sci fi than i expected.
There's a nice slow build up and mystery around everything that's happening for most of the films running time. In fact, you pretty much have NO IDEA what ANYTHING means until you get to the final 15 minutes. And even then it still didn't make as much sense as i would have liked. They throw it all onto you in one long go, so it gets a bit messy and a lot of random things happen that don't get any explanation at all. You just have to accept it as "weird stuff" because of the storyline.

It's cast well, the story itself is interesting, and the reveal itself is something i wouldn't have guessed either. It did kind of leave me feeling a bit "oh....ok", at the end. I felt as if the ending should have shocked me in some way, or given me more to chew on, but it just felt like an over long reveal that told me what i needed to know, but in slightly anti climatic way. The story never really lifts off the ground as much as i wanted it to.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but not for everyone. It also didn't need to be as long as it was. It's not the type of movie you could watch over and over, and it's not really something you need to run to the cinemas to see. Dvd would be enough for this thing.

It's memorable because it's SO fucking WEIRD. But in other ways, it's also kinda forgettable as well.

It was decent.

My Favourite Films Of ALL TIME! #10
Labyrinth [1986]
Directed by: Jim Henson
Starring: David Bowie, Jennifer Connelly

"You have no power over me."

It's a rare thing when a childhood movie stays with you for your whole life. Labyrinth is one of those movies. There are many films from my childhood i still adore, but there are only a few that truly have a certain SOMETHING else about them. Something so unique and special, that they stay in your heart forever. Corny right? i know.....but fuck it, when it's magic, it's magic, and Labyrinth is fucking MAGIC.

Here's the story....

Young, innocent, bushy 80's eye brow teenager, Sarah [Jennifer Connelly] is left to babysit her annoying baby step brother, Toby. During a huge baby cry fest, Sarah tries to silence Toby by reciting a riddle to him. It's a riddle from one of Sarah's favourite fantasy books, which she doesn't realize holds REAL power. To Sarah's shock, not only does the riddle make Toby shut up, but it also makes him disappear all together!
Sarah soon finds out that the evil, but charismatic Goblin King, Jareth [played by Bowie] has kidnapped Toby and is holding him captive in the Goblin City in another dimension. Unfortunately for Sarah, the Goblin City lies on the other side of a giant magical labyrinth. The Goblin King sets her a task, solve the labyrinth in 13 hours, and Toby is hers again. Fail, and Toby belongs to the Goblin King forever!. Unknown to Sarah, the Goblin King is going to purposely try and make her fail so he can use his seductive ways to charm her into staying with him as his Queen in his Goblin Realm. Basically, the labyrinth is gonna be a BITCH to solve. And if she can try and not listen to her craving pussy when it comes to Jareth, she may make it out with her step brother as planned.

I dunno about you, but that's some serious fucking awesome story telling right there! I mean, LOOK at that movie poster! fucken A!

Labyrinth is the type of kids movie that will be watched for years to come. Nearly 25 years on, and the people who grew up with this movie are now showing it to their kids. On DVD it's a big seller, and it gets a new release every few years. It's even JUST hit Blu ray!.
It's a classic movie that doesn't wear thin no matter how old it gets. I suppose that's due to Jim Henson, the worlds most famous puppeteer, who produced and Directed the movie. If you don't know Jim Henson, that's kinda fucked up. He isn't a big player anymore since he passed away, but 25 years ago Jim Henson was as big as Disney. He's most famous for The Muppets series, you know, Kermit, Miss Piggy ect...............EVERYONE knows those characters, so if you don't know Jim, then you would know some of his creations.
As well as the awesome puppet work in the movie, there's a GREAT soundtrack thanks to the genius David Bowie, who sings a few songs in the movie. The film is a musical, but the numbers are so good, it doesn't distract from the rest of the movie. There aren't THAT many songs either, so if musicals aren't your thing, don't worry, there's plenty of dialog. I can't help but clap furiously when Bowie breaks out to DANCE MAGIC!, or feel nostalgic when i hear the opening number 'Underground', or the beautiful 'As The World Falls Down'. That song features in my favourite scene from the movie. It's a beautiful ballroom scene which takes place inside a crystal ball nightmare where Sarah is seduced by the mysterious Bowie. The costume Sarah wears is LEGENDARY! If i ever go to a costume party and see a chic in that, i'll know EXACTLY who she's dressed as. Sigh.

An interesting thing about this film is that there's a mildly sexual aspect to Sarah and Jared's relationship. Underneath the pretty puppets and catchy songs is a story about a young girls growing sexuality. It was obvious to me even as a kid. Jareth has an odd fascination with Sarah, he actually really wants her illegal pussy. And she's no sweetie pie either, she becomes completely over taken by his desire for her. They flirt like crazy, it's actually kinda hot! haha. After seeing Bowie's character in the movie, you may think "hot?"..........but trust me, there's chemistry between the characters and Bowie's portrayal is unexpectedly provocative. Bowie is great in this actually, he's a good actor.

One other thing that may stand out to you in this movie, is something a little unexpected. It's Bowie's BULGE!...............yes, that soft little bump all men have in their crotch region! "Why?" do you ask?...........let's just say, wearing TIGHTS when you're "well endowed" only accentuates what lies between the viewer and a thin piece of cloth covering their DICK! ha. Even as a kid his bulge stood out to me like crazy. Ask anyone who's seen the movie, they'll laugh and echo my exact words.

As usual with most of the childrens films i like, this isn't JUST a movie kids can enjoy, all you older bitches can love it too. Sure there's the amazing nostalgia attached to it from my end [and many other people], but seriously, you can enjoy this movie no matter what your age is. All you need is a big imagination and being open to 80's fantasy AWESOMENESS.

I've never met anyone who hates this film, so if you ever watch it and dislike it..............GO TO FUCKING HELL AND DIE YOU HEARTLESS LOST CHILDHOOD CUNT!.

Bless you xx.

Top 10 Albums of The 90's
Since the last decade will be over once 2010 hits, i started thinking about what 10 albums made the most impact on me over the last 10 years [which will go into a list i'll be posting on here sometime next year]. It got me thinking about the previous decade we had also, the decade i grew up in and am heavily influenced by, the 90's.
So here's my top 10 albums of the 90's, it was a tight race for a few choices, but i managed to pull a list out that was pretty good......


10. Janet Jackson The Velvet Rope [1997]
The album isn't perfect from start to finish, there are a couple duds. But the overall tone of the album is REALLY nice, very mature and beautifully produced. Creatively it's Janet at her best, and it was the best "look" she had too. It's a mellow album for the most part, but there are enough mid tempo beats in there to cruise the songs along without getting boring. Let's not forget the interlude called "Speaker Phone" which features Janet masturbating on the phone while talking to Lisa Marie, lmao, hmmmmm.
It's a shame her output has been kinda average since then. She was once very cool.
Best tracks: Go Deep, What About, Velvet Rope.

9. Moby Play [1999]
One of the most influential dance acts of the 90's finally hit it big with his 'Play' album. This album takes me waaaaay back, such a great nostalgic trip. The album took over the world when it was released, it was everywhere. If you aren't familiar with it, chances are you've heard many of his songs in movies over the years and don't know it. Moby mixed house beats with gospel vocals, a style that became his signature. 'Porcelain' is one of the most beautiful songs i've ever heard.
Best tracks: Machete, Why Does My Heart Feel So Sad, Run, Porcelain.

8. No Doubt Tragic Kingdom [1995]
If there's one music genre i kinda hate, it's Ska. No Doubt made it listenable to me though, mostly because their songs were SO catchy and mixed with other styles. The lead single 'Just A Girl' was a big obsession of mine when it was released, and the rest of the album made a big impact too. When i think 90's, No Doubt are one of the first things that pop into my mind. Their other albums are great too, but this one is their most consistent.
Best tracks: Don't Speak, Are You Happy Now?, Sunday Morning, Just A Girl.

7. Def FX Majick [1995]
99% of you will most likely NOT know this band or album, but that's understandable.....they're a local Aussie act. They're an industrial group who hit it big with this album after being an indie act for a while. Some REALLY great metal/industrial tracks on this, all led by a real life Wicca [aka: Witch] named Fiona Horn. Synths, guitars, drums......it's kinda Nine Inch Nails in places. Old skool, yo!
Best tracks: Mind In Mine, God Rod, Hymn To Her, Majick.

6. Garbage Garbage [1995]
Who doesn't like Garbage???? they were MASSIVE in the 90's. They had a trademark sound and singer Shirley Manson became a God to her fans. Their debut [which is the one i'm writing about] is perfect from start to finish. It's the only album of there's that doesn't have ONE bad track on it. Fans toggle between this album and their second one, Version 2.0 [which is also good], as far as favourites go. For me, this one is the one i seem to re-visit the most.
Best tracks: Milk, Happy When It Rains, Vow, Stupid Girl.

5. Marilyn Manson Mechanical Animals [1998]
Manson has been a favourite of mine for years. I grew up on a lot of his stuff, and i still adore it. This album was Manson at his best. It's the perfect mix of metal and electronica, and the era probably features his wildest look [he had tits for fucks sake!]. It's a beautifully dark album, really deep synthy base lines and heavy guitars. The great thing about Manson is that as well as doing some awesome loud tracks, he can write a great ballad too, and there's some great ones on here. He can surprise you too, on the track 'I Don't Like The Drugs', he goes gospel. Ha!
Best tracks: The Dope Show, Coma White, Speed Of Pain, I Don't Like The Drugs.

4. Bjork Post [1995]
The 'Post' album cover is SUCH a massive symbol of the 90's. Every time i see it i know exactly which decade it came from. It was a hard choice picking which album of hers would make this list, she had 3, and i toggle between them quite a bit as far as which is strongest. Her 3rd album of the bunch 'Homogenic' is probably her most impressive production wise, but i feel 'Post' showcases her at her most accessible and quirky. It's a good mix of commercial and indie. Hyper Ballad is one of the best songs ever made.
Best tracks: Army of Me, Enjoy, Possibly Maybe, Hyper Ballad.

3. Hole Live Through This [1994]
This was a tough choice, i had to pick between this album and their one after this, 'Celebrity Skin'. They're both good for different reasons, but i think this album is the more influential and probably has the better hooks. It's very raw sounding, not as polished as the following album, but that's where it gets it's charm i think. Not one crap song on the record. Perfect.
Best tracks: Doll Parts, Violet, Rock Star, Jennifer's Body.

2. Nine Inch Nails The Downward Spiral [1994]
One of the most influential albums of the 90's. NIN and it's singer/creator Trent Reznor were the leaders of industrial music in the early 90's. The album is a MONSTER of a record, it's insane from start to finish. Loud, angry, dark and sexy. I'm SO glad i grew up on this album, it opened me up to industrial music and made me fall in love with the genre. I was playing this shit when i was 10! isn't that badass!?. NIN are still around and still producing great music, they've never topped this album though, it's just TOO MUCH. Fucking amazing.
Best tracks: Reptile, Closer, Heresy, A Warm Place.

1. Madonna Ray of Light [1998]
My precious Madonna. To the 80's kiddies, Like A Prayer was her big Golden moment, to the later generation of fans, Ray of Light is what turned a lot of them into fans. I've been a fan since i can remember though, i grew up on Madonna. After missing in action for 4 years, she came back in the late 90's and blew everyones eye balls out with ROL. Mature, beautifully produced, and a completely different side of Madonna we'd never seen before. I hate using the word, but it's very "lush". The album takes you on a journey. It's still her best album after 25 years imo.


Honorable mentions:

Portishead Dummy
Souxsie & The Banshees: Twice Upon A Time: The Singles
TLC Fan Mail

fin ;)