#theriptide

So, here we are at the beginning - number 100 on the list. It actually didn’t take me long to select the albums that would go into this, I just started a playlist and threw in a track from every album I thought might even possibly have a chance of making the cut. This resulted with a shortlist of about 135 albums, then I started chopping. The hard part is arranging these 100 albums into an order that I’m satisfied with, which is a process that takes time and deliberation, and will probably change even as I’m writing this blog. But this is definitely album 100 - why? Because as I started removing the excess 35 albums from the list, initally there were obvious cuts, then there were some which were a shame to lose but I just couldn’t justify... as I whittled it down towards 100, each cut became harder and harder to make, until eventually I was left with 101 records. I toyed with just making a list of 101 albums, but then decided that the dalmatians have dibs on that number. So it was between ‘Hidden’ by These New Puritans, and ‘The Rip Tide’ by Beirut, and only one could stay. ‘Hidden’ is a fantastic album and I still feel like it should probably be on this list, but the amount of time I spend listening to it these days is probably quite low - I loved it intensely when it came out, but now I find it a little cold and unwelcoming. By contrast ‘The Rip Tide’ is as warm, sunny and welcoming as they come. Beirut’s best album by some margin, the whole record exudes melody, nostalgia and charm, and is a set of earworms from start to finish. And because it ended up being the final album to survive the chop - it automatically graces the start of the list at position 100. From here on it’ll be a little harder to justify each position, but I shall do my best. If I make it as far as the top 10, then I have no doubt it will be excruciating decision making. I can’t wait.