Jayne Karma Lamo

100 Albums!

Since being challenged on social media to list my ten most influential albums, I’ve been delving into my favourites to put together a list. I narrowed down my top ten, but had SO many honorable mentions that I wanted to include, that I figured, let’s make it 20….or 30…..and then it became 100! ❤️

I’ll start with my top ten, and add a little blurb on each, and then give you a list of the 90 honorable mentions. They are in no particular order, as I had a hard enough time making the list, let alone ranking things. My musical tastes are so fluid day by day – my mood could easily influence a ranking, so I didn’t really feel a rank score was very accurate. The “rules” I created for myself were:

ONE album only PER artist, or I could have easily populated this list with multiple albums from my favourite bands.
I must like the album in its ENTIRETY, rather than choosing albums that contain only a song or two that I enjoy. So this list is a testament to artists that have created albums that I can listen to beginning to end and appreciate at least MOST of the tracks, if not each and every one. This is a feat in and of itself in the days of downloadable singles, where bands dont seem to feel as compelled to create a whole album that shines.
Other than a select few, I also chose not to mention albums / bands that I feel are ridiculously overmentioned in “top” lists. Though I enjoy The Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and other early influential pioneering artists, I don’t feel like I need to include them in this list. As an 80’s baby, these are kind of “givens.” The few that I do mention are VERY dear to my heart for various reasons.

Tool – Aenima

Tool is a band that will always be cemented in the best of the best for me. Undertow was such a genre bending album. Their innovative style includes face melting power amidst incredibly complex melodic stories that evolve so frequently that I am amazed they can regurgitate their creations on stage. Not to mention the clarity and delight that is Maynard’s singing. Truly an eargasm every time.

PJ Harvey – Stories from the City, Stories from the Sea

This was the first album of Harvey’s that I sat down and listened to in full. Her edginess and gift for simple, yet powerfully emotive and boundary pushing songwriting had me immediately. Being a multiinstrumentalist myself, I appreciate her talents of putting all her gifts together into a cohesive whole with the help of her bandmates. I also appreciated that this album included some amazing collaborations with Thom Yorke, which were mostly background contributions rather than front and centre.

Radiohead – The Bends

Speaking of Thom Yorke, Radiohead was one of my first loves. I even created a cringe worthy fan website back in the days of geocities and writing your own html code – it was incredibly time consuming (hmmm, like this list? I am sensing an Autistic pattern here)….I first heard “Street Spirit” on Much Music, which was how I discovered music back in the days prior to internet music streaming! This album is GOLD cover to cover, and I nearly wore my copy out. The collaborative songwriting by this dream team is stellar.

Nine Inch Nails – The Fragile

Though not necessarily my CURRENT favourite album of NIN’s, this was the album that did it for me back in the day. No one captures angst quite like Trent Reznor! From the desperation of The Fragile, through the middle fingered don’t give a shit attitude on Starfuckers, Inc, this album was perfect for a teen going through her own identity and coming of age issues. I still blast NIN when I need a little catharsis.

The Smashing Pumpkins – Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness

If you haven’t heard this classic TWO DISC epic creation, you’re missing out. Another dream team in action, these bandmates have never been the same in their own solo work. Coming together, they created many magical things. Billy Corgan’s indistinguishable croon over top of Iha’s perfectly complementary riffs made their style truly unique. I myself identified heavily with D’Arcy, their bassist. She has staggering performance anxiety (which I also share), yet has a beautiful “HERE I AM WORLD” attitude that did not create any obstacles to having her tits out on the jacket of their next release. I was truly heartbroken when she left the band. It should be noted that during my obsession with this album, I even decorated my room with many of the motifs from the cover / jacket art.

Red Hot Chili Peppers – Blood Sugar Sex Magik

As a bass playing teen, I absolutely idolized Flea. Upon meeting him when staying in the same hotel as the band with my boyfriend at the time, I absolutely fan gushed. Yet, I remember shaking his hand and thinking, how the F does he play so amazingly with such small hands? Anyway, this album is quintessential for any budding bassist. I also loved the edgy sexual themes of Kiedis’ funky lyrics. Truly a delight to listen to.

Gang of Four – Entertainment

Keeping with the amazing bass player theme, this album absolutely bent my perception. Dave Allen blew me away with his pumping riffs that drove Jon King’s post punk lyrics in even harder. Andy Gill’s experimental and minimalistic guitar shone both on its own and allowed Allen’s basslines to truly drive the tunes. Definitely a groundbreaking album that stands the test of time.

Foo Fighters – The Colour and the Shape

Dave Grohl and the Foo Fighters will always be dear to my heart. Many bands that break out after the death of a former collaborator or a break up of an original line-up fail to measure up. Yet Foo Fighters did more than measure up – I truly feel Dave and the Foo have risen beyond the success of Nirvana. The sheer number of pure hits they come out with is staggering – not to mention the fierce, athletic enthusiasm of their live shows. This album was the one that I played on repeat during my formative years, amd often played my bass along with in my room. An amazing release, among many others of theirs! It was hard to pick one.

The Cranberries – No Need to Argue

I’m truly sad that I never got to see a live show before Dolores passed on. I love belting out the lyrics alongside her thick Irish croon, especially to Daffodil Lament. I also appreciate the activism and poltical content in her writing. Every single track on this album hits me hard. The all around talent of this band is clear! If you haven’t heard it, make sure you do, soon. I guarantee you won’t regret it.

The Dandy Warhols – Thirteen Tales from Urban Bohemia

This album is a masterpiece. Not an extremely technical band, The Dandies SHINE in their melodic songwriting. Courtney Taylor-Taylor’s deep, sexy vocals are truly unmatched. Plus, we have another amazing woman on board – keyboardist Zia McCabe. I absolutely have a girl crush on Zia. I’ve seen them three times, and would see them again and again. This is THE album to listen to if you haven’t yet experienced the Dandies. The layered vocal harmonies on “Sleep” will make your heart sing, and the catchiness of “Bohemian Like You” and “Not If You Were the Last Junkie on Earth” is undeniable. Have a listen!

There, that did it for my top ten! So the following are my….

NINETY honorable mentions

….(in true, hyperfocused, Autistic fashion) again NOT rank ordered. It was hard to even narrow this down, but here it is. If you haven’t listened to any one of these, YOU’RE WELCOME! Honestly, I like to think of this as a list that my kids may one day go to if they are ever like, I wonder what Mom listened to? Does that happen??

Beck – Sea Change
Primus – Antipop
Stone Temple Pilots – Purple
Silverchair – Frogstomp
Soul Coughing – Ruby Vroom
The Tragically Hip – Day for Night
Man Man – Six Demon Bag
Hole – Live Through This
Nirvana – Nevermind
Dave Matthews Band – Before These Crowded Streets
Deftones – White Pony
James – Laid
Matthew Good Band – Underdogs
REM – Automatic for the People
Sonic Youth – Sonic Nurse
Joy Division – Substance
Days of the New – (the Yellow album)
Soundgarden – Superunknown
Metallica – Master of Puppets
The Cure – Disintegration
Massive Attack – Mezzanine
Crash Vegas – Aurora
Big Audio Dynamite – Tighten Up Vol. 88
Live – Throwing Copper
Pearl Jam – Yield
Baths – Romaplasm
John Grant – Pale Green Ghosts
Sisters of Mercy – Floodland
They Might Be Giants – Flood
Sugar – Copper Blue
Enya – The Celts
Shriekback – Oil & Gold
Incubus – Make Yourself
System of a Down – Toxicity
Filter – Short Bus
Odds – Good Weird Feeling
Tracy Chapman – (Self Titled)
New Order – Technique
Big Wreck – In Loving Memory Of
Monster Magnet – Dopes to Infinity
The Clash – London Calling
Jimi Hendrix – Are You Experienced
The Blue Nile – A Walk Across the Rooftops
XTC – Apple Venus
Guided By Voices – Under the Bushes, Under the Stars
I Mother Earth – Scenery and Fish
Our Lady Peace – Naveed
Midnight Oil – Diesel & Dust
Ben Harper – The Will to Live
Counting Crows – August and Everything After
Japan – Tin Drum
Spin Doctors – Pocket full of Kryptonite
Collective Soul – (Self Titled)
Billy Talent – (Self Titled)
Daft Punk – Homework
Calvin Harris – I Created Disco
Rage Against the Machine – The Battle of Los Angeles
Garbage – (Self Titled)
Say Hi – The Wishes and the Glitch
The National – High Violet
Alice in Chains – Dirt
Green Day – Dookie
A Perfect Circle – Thirteenth Step
54.40 – Smilin’ Buddha Cabaret
Talking Heads – Stop Making Sense
Suzanne Vega – Solitude Standing
The Pixies – Doolittle
Van Morrison – Moondance
The Prodigy – The Fat of the Land
Ashley MacIsaac – Hi, how are you today?
Frank Black – (Self Titled)
Metronomy – The English Riviera
Peter Gabriel – So
The Chemical Brothers – Come With Us
Hawksley Workman – Lover/Fighter
Dinosaur Junior – Without a Sound
Freedy Johnston – This Perfect World
WhoMadeWho – Brighter
The Doors – (Self Titled)
Interpol – Turn on the Bright Lights
Pavement – Brighten the Corners
Weezer – The Blue Album
Depeche Mode – Violator
Tears for Fears – The Hurting
The Police – Ghost in the Machine
Liz Phair – Whip Smart
Ali Farka Toure with Ry Cooder – Talking Timbuktu
The Offspring – Smash
No Doubt – Tragic Kingdom
INXS – Kick

If you’re on Apple Music, here’s a full playlist that includes all of these amazing albums!

What are your top albums? I’d love to know if you share any on this list, or have any to add!

Page of Swords

Like the other court cards, the Page of Swords is largely about personality traits and behavioural tendencies! This may represent yourself, or someone you are close to / working with right now. The Pages are often younger in age, or at heart.

I have found the meaning of the Page of Swords to be a bit contested in the field. Learning to trust your intuition is very important when reading this card. I will speak to my interpretation below, but feel free to peruse other interpretations if this does not feel right to you!

This character is on the precipice of making a decision in taking a course of action. He is pausing to think prior to acting, to be sure of his commitment. He is ready to pounce, but making sure what he does it right! This action may be related to justice or honour, and as such requires some deliberation to ensure the fairest action is taken. The youthful vigour this Page represents will be an asset here!

This card in reverse may indicate that you (or who this card may represent) are unsure of how to act, even though you / they feel compelled to do so. There is an anxious urgency about which course of action to take. The actor may be somewhat paralyzed in indecision. It can also indicate that someone is acting without ethical consideration, or in an overly defensive manner.

In a relationship spread, the Page of Swords indicates your partner or interest is still deciding how to proceed, to ensure they make the right choice. However, once they do decide, they will be loyal of character and stick with you. If in reverse, this card may indicate your partner may lack some maturity or be unsure of commitment. This card often represents a Libra ♎️

This card can also indicate gossip is abound, or that you are getting drawn into intellectual arguments / debates. Watch carefully what you say to others, and take care not to get drawn into unhelpful dialogue.

Really feel into the energy of this card in relation to the other ones in your reading. Does a particular person from your life snap to mind when you see the card? If so, associate this card with them and its meaning may become clearer ❤️

Ten of Pentacles

The Ten of Pentacles is a card that looks into interpersonal strategies and liaisons. It can also indicate courtship and dating. However, in the dating world it is often indicative of a relationship that is strategic or carefully considered, rather than a spontaneous passionate romance.

This card teaches us that it is to our advantage to nurture relationships in our life that may not be “perfect”, yet are still beneficial. We can’t expect everyone to meet our utmost expectations – and we should not. When we spend our lives cultivating friendship and respect, it pays off in the end. We can’t hermit away and expect to be abundant and successful! We must partake in community and build the relationships we need to thrive.

Sometimes we need to take time to ourselves for reflection and healing, but the Ten of Pentacles urges us that it is time to come out of our shell now and back into reality. What do you want to cultivate and grow? How would you like your “family” or “village” to look? Continue putting the work in to attracting those who will help you succeed, and those that you will in turn help to succeed. Value in others both your similarities and differences. This doesn’t mean to invite everyone in, but to learn to be both discriminating and accommodating. There is a healthy balance. Finding this balance will lead to much material and psycho-spiritual payoff in the long run. If you have already put in a lot of this work, Ten can indicate you are now reaping the benefits!

In a relationship spread, the Ten of Pentacles indicates that your relationship can and will be successful, if you do the work. Learning to be in balance with your partner will lead to the abundance you seek – whether that’s having children, investing in property, etc. While the relationship you are in may not be the passionate thrill ride that plays out in Hollywood, if you both put the time and effort in, you will live a good and healthy life together that bears much fruit. Put the work in and it will pay off with stability and tenderness.

In reverse, this card can mean that something is out of balance in your interpersonal circle. This needs work and tweaking in order for you to get your ducks in a row. Do some thinking to pinpoint where there is a nagging relationship concern, and deal with it presently. It may often be with a parent or relative.

The heart of the message here is: do the work, and ye shall succeed! Relationships take work just as anything else. Know this and prosper 🥰

Nine of Swords

The Nine of Swords is complex in meaning, and I rely largely on my intuition to tease out what is going on for a client. However, here’s some basic things that come up!

As is plain in the symbology, this card is associated with feelings of despair, grief and overwhelm / anxiety. The person on the card is having difficulty facing her current emotional state. We can imagine many possible situations that may lead to these emotions, yet the reading is usually more about the processing of these emotions rather than the situation itself. Usually these arise due to the experience of trauma, whether recently or farther in the past.

The Swords on the wall represent a set of beliefs or stories that the person is attached to and rehearses regularly. These beliefs or storylines are not helping you move past your grief, and are only contributing to the overwhelm. Rumination runs deep. Our logical minds can be helpful in putting things to the side for a bit until we have the space to process, but right now the need to process is great, and the stories are not serving you anymore. It’s time to deal!

Now is the time to take the Swords down off the wall and move forward, basically. Put the story down, let the emotions flow freely as they are without judgment. Even though these beliefs have served you in the past, it’s time for some restructuring. Right now your anxieties and storylines are just swirling like a mental hurricane. Getting to the core of your feelings without attaching a story will allow the storm to dissipate. Continuing to over analyze the situation is only serving to perpetuate the negative thought cycle.

Stepping beyond your comfort zone so that you can leave the current negativity in the past is what’s essential now. This may mean asking for help or guidance. Even if you just need someone to hold you while you cry, having a trusted person to support you while processing is immensely helpful. Eating healing and grounding foods will be beneficial right now. Stay away from sugar, caffeine and alcohol. Even though they may temporarily satiate, the energy of these foods are not helpful when processing big emotions.

Lastly, the Nine of Swords carries some urgency to it. This is a pivotal point where things can either improve or get worse. If you continue to allow these feelings to fester and shove them to the side using your storylines, they will become more deeply rooted and more difficult to deal with later. Do not fall into this trap. If you instead choose to take the path of processing your feelings and beginning to heal, you will surely gain a much more positive outlook on your life in general. This perspective will be most helpful in the years to come ❤️

(ASIDE: In readings on health, this card can indicate struggles with insomnia or night terrors / persistent nightmares. It can also indicate chronic anxiety disorders. These mental health issues often relate to unprocessed trauma, and all of the above continues to apply. Seeing a naturopath for some soothing herbs or aminos may be needed, and turning to a mental health mentor or professional for help is key when facing these struggles.)

The Tower

Since I’ve delved into a lot of the Major Arcana already, I figure I will keep it up until they are complete! The Tower is another one of those “whoa” cards. You look at it and you’re all “awwwwww s**t” 😂

The Tower usually indicates an upheaval in one form or another. Get ready for some big changes that may not be comfortable! Change may be sparked by a particular momentous event, like a loss or major transition of some kind (job, relationship, monetary). When the Tower pops up, it usually means you are being forced to look deeply at your life choices and belief structures due to a metaphorical slap in the face.

If this card indicates such an upheaval is yet to come (look to its position in the spread), you may have an inkling about where it is likely to occur. You may find clues in areas where you are already struggling, or things are already shaky. You may be able to reduce the blow of things to come by simply starting to turn your awareness towards places that you need to do some personal work. Whether this be your health, a relationship, or perhaps standing up for yourself at your job – take a closer look and do some reflection.

If you find yourself in the middle of a crisis or upheaval of sorts, make some time to ground yourself. Touch the earth, spend some time in nature, or sit in a meditation that allows you to be more centred. This is crucial in order to not get too caught up in the “story”; you will be able to process the events and emotions occurring much easier and more quickly if you are centred. Remaining calm and putting your faith in whatever spiritual beliefs call to you will be very helpful during this time. I often find sitting next to running water or the ocean allows me to process big emotions.

Another possibility with The Tower is that your mental realm is undergoing a major overhaul. Perhaps a certain belief system has been toppled, leaving you deeply changed. Your value systems may have radically been altered. Has this new mental (or spiritual) restructuring led to the consideration of different choices / courses of action? Perhaps a new blueprint is in order! Rest assured that these changes are for the better ❤️.

The Tower can sometimes indicate that power structures in your life – especially in your chosen occupation – may be toppling! A change in management may be imminent or underway. This crashing down of current hierarchies may provide opportunities for advancement.

[If drawn in reverse, the meaning for this card is usually similar, yet lessened in severity /intensity.]

Whether the changes are physically or mentally manifesting, know that it is through change that you will learn and grow. Without change we are stagnant. Though it may be uncomfortable, it is essential for progress!