My 100 Favorite CD’s
I know, I know. It’s self-indulgent
of me to pedal my clearly subjective opinions unto the unique earbuds of
others, but as the heroic Dr. King Schultz said after shooting the despicable
Calvin Candie in the belly , “I simply could not resist.”
This list is perhaps more than
anything else a “thank you” of sorts to music-sharing friends over the years,
who have been largely responsible for the eclectic collection I’m able to call
my own. The music is a lot of fun, but I will always value most the experiences
and perspectives that helped shape my impressions. Without the people who
inspire and illuminate, none of it really means nearly as much.
It’s no doubt true that the order may
be mishmashed, and that out in Musicville somewhere there are other albums that
would put my list to shame and expose me for the sham I really am. But
sometimes it’s just the experience of hearing an album in a certain context, at
a certain time, that makes it special to the listener. Such is the case with my
list. I definitely have more familiarity in some genres than others, there are
many missing genres (and possibly decades!), and there are surely bands you may
agree belong here and some that don’t, and albums of the artists that may be
better than the one I chose, but…I don’t claim to be “right” about any of my
picks…they are just my mere biased opinion.
The first music I ever got into,
though I’m ashamed to admit it, was the so-called “hair metal” of the late
1980’s, the post glam-rock years. My favorites were Cinderella, Winger,
Whitesnake, and Guns n Roses, with only the latter managing to sneak out into
respectability and be worthy of my list
(I did consider Cinderella’s “Long Cold Winter” and Whitesnake’s self-titled
debut, though, I have to admit). I’ve had varying degrees of forays into
so-called Math rock, Electronica, Sleep Rock, and Punk/Hardcore that form a bit
of my bias. I obviously have a deficiency of knowledge in the Soul/Funk and
Jazz genres, which is unfortunate because I’ve since discovered some really
great tunes from those in recent years. Same deal with Soft Rock, which I never
really cared much for until a few years ago. Of course I do love the Cars. I do
also love some Huey Lewis, Boston, and Dire Straits, though, but the radio has
tried to play the life out of them (with some success).
So without further ado, I present to
you my “88 Favorite Albums,” which is I hope if nothing else at least
interesting in its genre-hopping tendencies.
At best, I will introduce some hungry soul to an album they had never
before considered or heard of, and my take will resonate with their own. I hope
you, fellow musical enthusiast, will enjoy the read—and nod your head as often
as you scratch it.
100.
Internal Wrangler- Clinic (2000, Domino Recording)- Sporting
surgical masks well before Covid was a thing, these guys were ahead of their
time! The music isn’t bad either—in fact, it’s very dynamic and melodic stuff,
featuring the unique voice of Ade Blackburn and flared up by distinctive use of
clarinet blasts by partner Jonathan Hartley for an effect not unlike the
electric viola used by The Velvet Underground. Patch in some odd psychedelic
influences, low-fi granularity, and sweet crooning and you have one Hell of an
interesting album. Clinic also has some of the coolest press photos I’ve
seen—the gimmick is a good one. True, it’s a little lighter on the bass end and
subtle than my typical taste palette, but cooldown tracks “Earth Angel,”
“Distortions,” and “Goodnight Georgie” are real keepers.
99. Reign of Terror- Sleigh Bells
(2012, Mom+Pop)- Embodying well the anxious and geared
up modern times, “Reign of Terror” assaults with its high-octane electric
guitar and sylphic vocal contrast, effecting much hype, excitement, and
familiarity then disappearing like cotton candy before being fully savored. The
standout vocals sound a bit like a methed-up Enya, looping you on an
exhiliarating yet disastrous dream rollercoaster--it’s lovely and vacuous at
the same time. Something is missing here, perhaps a sturdy framework of bass
and drums, but without the hollow center you wouldn’t get the same blissful
starkness. The CD starts and ends strongly, the last four tracks being my
favorite sequence, but my overall favorite tracks are “End of the Line,” “You
Lost Me,” and “D.O.A.”
98. Days
in The Wake- The Palace Brothers (1994, Drag City)- Clocking
in at just twenty-seven minutes, this album is a valuable balm for the delicate
soul, and features a rare brand of intimacy that few have attained with the
same level of integrity. Singer Will Oldham had a good (and “palatial”) run
from 94-97, including the great Viva Last Blues in 95, but DITW
sticks with me as the most moving of his oeuvre. Standout tracks “I Send My
Love to You,” “I Am A Cinematographer,” and “Pushkin” have stuck with me
throughout the years, but all tracks are understated and subtle gems of
beautiful minimalism. Oldham’s quavering voice contains an unequivocal rawness
that sucks you in and manifests a trove of highly literate and detailed
stories. The quiet light of the singular acoustic guitar flickers like a
wax-dripping candle in a shadowed barn tracing you through a corridor of safe
passage. Not for everyone but a must-listen for all proper worshippers at the
church of Indie rock.
97. To
Bring You My Love- PJ Harvey (1995 Universal-Island Records)-
Admittedly I didn’t get much into PJ Harvey in the 90’s, but I do remember
hearing my sister playing this album from her bedroom and it getting my
attention—most notably when hearing the rousing album closer “The Dancer,”
which made me realize this was no album to be ignored. TBYML is
virtually the definition of badass—raw, honest, and against the odds, Harvey
emerges one of the powerful voices of the era. Even though it wasn’t in my
aesthetic wheelhouse at the time, I had to respect this woman’s musical prowess
and ability to channel her maverick voice into something truly moving. “Down By
the Water” is the best-known track from the album, other than possibly the
title track, but I prefer the sexy “Working for the Man,” the aching “C’mon
Billy,” and the urgent “Send His Love to Me.”
96. The Magnolia Electric
Company- Songs: Ohia (2003,
Secretly Canadian)- Very enjoyable while musically straightforward,
sometimes seeming to channel Neil Young, this pleasing album builds slowly and
attains a unique beauty in its latter half, becoming more eclectic with each
progressing track until finally culminating in the awesome “Peoria Lunch Box
Blues,” “John Henry Split My Heart,” and “Hold on Magnolia”—a nice trifecta to
end an album at its zenith. Tracks “Almost Was Good Enough” and “Farewell
Transmission” are also key contributors to the album’s energy, complete with an
irrestible hookiness and rare vulnerability. Singer and songwriter Jason
“Captain Badass” Molina sadly died at the age of only 39, but he left some
great work in his wake, and “Magnolia Electric Co.” is the most consistently
rewarding of the catalog.
95. Dear You- Jawbreaker (1995, DGC Records)- Spurning the frat
boy underwear party, towel ass-slapping, female-marginalizing of pop punk
goofballs comes Jawbreaker, creating their own trenchant version of adolescence
quintessence that sounds just as good—even better perhaps—than the brightest
burners of the punk world. Singer Blake S. and Co. create a sense of exigence
and angst with their engrossing and involving tunes on “Dear You” --crushing
riffs and six-string punishment with a sensitive side. And those lyrics—those
lyrics—so clearly discernible and relatable, telling stories of nascent
desires, social woes, and contradictions from a human level, without
airbrushing. Favorites are “Jet Black,” “Fireman,” and “I Love You So Much It’s
Killing Us Both.”
94. Almost Everything I Wish I’d Said
the Last Time I Saw You- Wakey!Wakey! (2010, Family Records)-
One of my favorite sing-along, belt it out in the car, go ahead and let people
stare at you at the intersection albums. If I need a pick-me-up, “Almost
Everything…” is totally lovable and ridiculously catchy, rendered with a whole
lot of feeling. Songs like “Twenty-Two,” “Square Peg Round Hole,” and “Feral
Love” seem reminiscent of the Beatles’ “White Album” at its uppity best, with
that classy, academic feel that pipes always eventually succumb to. Somewhat
uniquely, the album’s “bonus track” “Take it Like a Man” is an all-out,
ridiculously zany and fun violining onslaught—and possibly the album’s high
point. “Almost Everything…” is a compositional triumph that opens up the lungs
and heart.
93. The Art of Rebellion- Suicidal
Tendencies (1992, Sony Music)-
The Suicidal Tendencies endure as one of the most searching and
thought-provoking thrash bands of the 80’s, and “The Art of Rebellion” is their
best-sounding and most accessible album. Characterized by singer Mike Muir’s
internal wrestling match lyrics and trademark vocal stylings, we get a band
bold enough to express real fears—true punk mavericks giving voice to the
repressed and marginalized corners of the mind. “Monopoly on Sorrow,” “Can’t
Stop,” and “Which Way to Free” should get in your head and clear out more than
a few cobwebs.
92. Rivers Arms- Balmorhea (2012, Western Vinyl)- Possibly the saddest album I've ever heard, it's even more remarkable that it is entirely instrumental. This is the epitome of music that doesn't need English to explain itself. Balmorhea were one of the key artists of my musical oeuvre that helped get me through my first midlife crisis, Covid, and my tastes aging out of music I would have enjoyed at a younger age. Merging beautiful piano, guitar, violins, and other sundry players into unique orchestral wonders, Rivers Arms is masterful at creating mood and communication through melody and texture. "The Winter" is sacred bleakness, a song to reserve only for hurt occasions--the one that transports this album to the next level. However, stalwarts like "Windansea," "Lament," and "Greyish Tapering Ash" are key arteries to this album's beating heart.
91. Ascension- Jesu (2011, Caldo Verde)- The king of
monochromatic sludge, JK Broadrick, turns to his Jekyll side for Jesu, his
post-Godflesh shoegaze project, and delivers his most accessible CD to date
while retaining the Stentorian and ponderous repeti-riffing of his finest
heavier work. It’s far from radio-friendly, but the disciplined and
uncompromising approach is rewarding over time, ploddingly drowning out
Broadrick’s vocals and finding even an occasional colorful pitch via the
blistering synthesizer drone. “Birth Day” sets the mood, lifting us high into
the aether; “December,” in which Broadrick’s vocals are slightly less drowned
and resonate through with a schoolboy’s innocence, is possibly my favorite
track, if not “Small Wonder,” which is equally mesmerizing; “King of Kings” is lyrically repetitive but
has their signature quality of transitioning just as you have that thought.
90.
Dummy- Portishead (1994, Go! Discs Ltd)- Two of my friends
agree that this electronica-pop masterpiece is possibly the sexiest album they
know--superior to even Barry White for candlelight trysts and bearskin rug love
making. Dummy was one of the first albums of its ilk to hit the
mainstream, and listening to it now it’s clear it was way ahead of its time and
(for me anyway) too good to even absorb in the course of a few listens. I
always loved the opener “Mysterons” and the opening of “Sour Times,” then I’d
skip over to “Wandering Star” and “Biscuit” for more musical ecstasty, but upon
future listens it became evident that the whole album is insanely crafty ear
candy.
89. Disco Volante- Mr.
Bungle (1995, Warner Bros.)-
Wild, zany, over-the-top, and seemingly random as fuck, Mr. Bungle’s finest
absurdist foray is crazily catchy and oddly enrapturing. A study in ADHD with
all of its hintings and withdrawals, “Disco” seems to capture full-blown
testosterone in very pleasing (and potentially annoying) spastic snapshots.
“Desert Search for Techno Allah,” “Violenza Domestica,” and “Ma Meeshka Mow
Skwoz” first versed me in the language of the Bungle. When speaking of the
“fear factor” of his two projects at the time, Mike Patton once said that while
Faith No More may make you scream, Mr. Bungle will make you fall down the
stairs. I would have to say he was correct.
88. 69
Love Songs- Magnetic Fields (1999, Merge Records)- Just
writing this many songs on the topic and putting them into one release should
warrant a “top 100” billing in itself. However, it helps that these short but
sweet ditties, the majority carried by Stephin Merritt’s highly unique and
exhausted-sounding baritone, are rife with mordant humor, irony, seasickness, multiple
guest vocalists, and so many more paeans to most people’s second favorite
four-letter word. Helmsman Merritt most commonly trades off vocal duties with counterpart
Claudia Gonson, who with similar ennui yet no-nonsense delivery serves as
Merrit’s perfect foil. I’m actually partial to the third disc of the three disc
set, but of the 69 songs there are very few throwaways (I really do hate “Love
is Like Jazz,” however)—quite impressive. “Love in the Shadows,” “Underwear,” The
Book of Love,” and “Love is Like a Bottle of Gin” are just a few of my
favorites.
87. Meantime- Helmet
(1992, UMG Recordings)- Guitar solos
are inefficient—who needs ‘em? This seemed to be the mindset behind “Meantime,”
which turned out to be in fact, not wasted time, but ahead of its time in its
stolid efficiency, musical monochromania, and dry-eyed delivery of the goods.
Straighten your back, clench your fists, and grit your teeth for this staccato
ride. “Turned Out,” “Ironhead,” and “In the Meantime” are unrelenting piledrivers,
rendering you speechless, cornered, and pinioned. “Better” and “You Borrowed”
solidify the CD’s second half like a giant pummeling fist to your noggin,
exposing you as the pusillanimous jackanape you really are.
86. High Violet- The
National (2010, 4AD)- You
didn’t really think I was going to make a list of would-be pretentious
superstars and not include the National, did you? My only thing with this band
is that sometimes they don’t quite affect as deeply as it seems they should or
portend to, but for me, HV hits the heart mark most frequently—though Alligator
and Boxer, released five and three years earlier respectively, are also
great albums. Matt Berninger plays the part of the drunken, sad professor so
abundantly well that you know he was cut out to do just this. The lyrics are
always set to cut to the quick, the accompaniment is thoughtful, and the whole
seastorm generally works well. “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is a legit National classic and
one of my favorite tracks of theirs; “Conversation 16” and “Vanderlyle Crybaby
Geeks” also hit the mark with true aim. “Runaway” and “Sorrow” are good tracks
that seem to promise to be even better than they end up…but doesn’t that embody
the bourgeoise of the times anyway?
85. Dear Science- TV On the Radio
(2008, Touch and Go Records)-
Harbingers of the digital-rock era, TVOTR hit the mark on “Dear Science,” an
exhilirating musical exploration that sifts through the rubble of 20th
Century artistic and politicial tropes. These guys seem to really effect the
cutting edge of all that is cool and je ne sais quois of Musicville. Complete
with poetic lyricism, top-notch production, and the one-of-a-kind harmonizing
of Tunde Adebimpe and the extraordinarily high-pitched beard wizard Kyp Malone,
“Dear Science” doesn’t even need a P.S. (although it does in fact contain a few
bonus tracks). Check out “Stork and Owl,” “Family Tree,” and the housewrecker,
“Lover’s Day,” with its chill-inducing and glorious saxophone party to end the
album on the highest of notes.
84. Psalm 69- Ministry (1992, Sire Records)- In which the Messiahs
of irreverent industrial metal come through thick and heavy with jarring and
satisfying beats and, of course, the inscrutably dark persona of frontman A
Jourgensen, a kind of pre-Rob Zombie menacing horror show, equal parts
junkshooter and articulate hillbilly. Thinking the purpose of music was to blow
my proverbial socks off, I immediately took to “Psalm 69”’s ludicrous speed
beats, super heavy riffs, and swordblade vocals. Dive deep into “Scarecrow,”
“N.W.O.,” and “Just One Fix,” and expect to burst into flames the next time you
sit on a church pew.
83. Stop Making Sense- Talking Heads (1984,
Sire Records)- It’s all right to be weird, David Byrne assures us. He was
nowhere to be seen when I was trying to navigate 8th grade, but it’s
all good—one could always blast their favorite album after school. Not that I
was in 8th grade yet when Stop Making Sense came out, but I’d
learned to stop making sense on my own so I didn’t even need to listen to them
anyway. Just kidding—after all, it’s the tunes that jingle, and the funk that’s
funky. “Wild Life” was the first single of theirs I heard, and I dug it rather
a lot. As for SMS though, I don’t even think this is a studio album, but
I really love it anyway. Top 3 Talking Heads songs? Hmm…, that’s tough. I’m
gonna go “Burning Down The House,” “Once in a Lifetime,” and “Psycho Killer.”
Sorry Joy, as “Life During Wartime” I believe is her favorite.
82. Blood Mountain- Mastodon
(2006, Reprise Records)- Insatiably
juicy stuff from one of my most admired metal bands. Taking on prodigious
themes, spouting out dynamic riffs like baleen blasts, kiltering like the
mizzenmast of the Pequod, “Blood Mountain” looms large, blowing well-used metal
tropes out of the water and transcending the genre to the top of their own
blasted summit. “Capillarian Crest,” “Hand of Stone,” and “Colony of Birchmen”
are truly sick numbers…bow down accordingly to your new daddies.
81. Merriweather Post Pavillion-
Animal Collective (2009,
Domino Recording)- Satisfying, dance-friendly freneticism from one of the
most exciting and catchy innovators of the synth era. “MPP” delivers a plethora of rich and melodic loops, seeming
to embody the feel of college party music. This is indeed the Beach Boys on
ecstasy. Highlights are “Also Frightened,” “Lion in a Coma,” and the grand
finale, “Brother Sport,” which brings a satisfyingly colorful quagmire of an
album to its rousing pinnacle.
80. Arise- Sepultura (1991, Roadrunner)- When I was a young
teenager, my friend down the street played me a live video version of
“Desperate Cry,” which caused our collective jaws to drop, as it was about the
heaviest thing we’d ever yet heard. Such is the case with “Arise,” the most solid
and well-produced album from Brazil’s own maestros of molten metal. With a
distinctive sound nary attained before or since, with some of the most virtuoso
thrash ever played, and with one of the best drumming performances ever cut,
“Arise” is one of the most satisfyingly Stentorian CDs I’ve ever had my ears
melted to. I’ve since heard Sepultura’s debut classic, Beneath the Ruins,
and admit it’s hard to top, and an even more ambitious effort, but Arise gets
straight to the point more so with slightly better production and absolutely no
filler. Tracks such as “Dead Embryonic Cells,” “Meaningless Movements,” and the
aforementioned “Desperate Cry” help justify this album’s high status in the
canons of metal.
79. San Francisco- American Music
Club (1994, Reprise Records)- I remember buying this album after a clerk at the old “Encore
Books and Music” remarked that it was his favorite album of the year. I
proceeded to become a Mark Eitzel fan thereafter, loving his inebriating
meditations and lulling, drawn-out notes. “San Francisco” highlights his
expressive vocals without devolving too far into self-indulgence, and is
bolstered by the Club’s strong musical chops, impressive diversity of
instrument choices, and mood-setting nuance. The slower tracks outdo the
sometimes mediocre rockers, but throughout the album you definitely feel like
you’re in capable hands. “Can You Help Me” and “Wish the World Away” are the
rock standouts; “In the Shadow of the Valley,” “Cape Canaveral,” and “The
Revolving Door.”
78.
Watermark- Enya- (1988, Warner Bros.)- Entirely unique and genre-defining when it
came out in 1988, Watermark is the quintessential New Age album of the
era, a consistently beautiful work by the remarkable one-named Celtic chanteuse.
“Orinoco Flow (Sail Away)” was the hugely popular and influential hit with its
undulating vocalist-as-instrumentalist richly melodic movement. “Exile,”
wonderfully featured in the Steve Martin 1989 movie “L.A. Story,” is slower and
sparser, more intimate, and features an astounding flute solo—my favorite track
on the album. “Cursum Perficio” impacts with its exigent feel, “On Your Shore”
is reminiscent of “Exile” but also distinctly beautiful, and “Storms in Africa”
is rousing and energetic.
77. Pork Soda- Primus (1993, Interscope Records)- I remember
listening to this album as a testosterone-laden teenager, driving around wildly
trying to enlist any onlookers into my self-proclaimed hamburger train of
spastic sound. No other band seems to noodle out such magically colorful
weirdness, taking you through a super goofy maelstrom of delicious musical
confections. Truly, this is grandiose fun. Fellow swines know to take large
sips of “Welcome to This World,” “DMV,” and “The Air is Getting Slippery.”
76. Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots-
The Flaming Lips (2002, Warner
Bros.)- The first song I ever heard by The Flaming Lips was “She Don’t Use
Jelly,” which nearly convinced me I would never listen to The Flaming Lips
again. However, hearing “Yoshimi” opened up a whole new portal of sonic
possibility and allowed me to first realize the magic of singer Wayne Coyne and
Co. and experience this unique, mind-expanding fusion of rock and techno
trippiness that remains sweet and evocative. The trilling bass of “It’s
Summertime,” ethereal vocal of “In the Morning of the Magicians,” and the piece
de resistance “Do You Realize?” stand as some of the coolest (and saddest)
songs of the era.
75. Gentlemen- The Afghan Whigs
(1993, Elektra Entertainment)- An
album of surprisingly sweeping scope really set apart by deft guitar work and
unflinching lyrical machismo, “Gentlemen” is a conceptual winner, reprising
themes of cruel love, unfair and self-serving romantic reachings, and
botched-yet-blissful flights of fancy. You get the feeling the Whigs left it
all out there on this one, as if you can almost hear singer Greg Dulli just
over his tipsy point by the album’s penultimate track. “When We Two Parted,”
“My Curse,” and the title track are gems; add on “Now You Know” and “What Jail
is Like” and you get a great yet unsettling rock album.
74. InSides- Orbital (2000, Warner Records)- One of the most
highly regarded electronic acts of the 1990’s, Orbital deliver a 6-8 song
masterpiece with “InSides,” my favorite album of the electronica genre. Blooming
with alacrity and a unique poignancy, Orbital creates expansive soundscapes
that open up oft-untapped portals of the ear and mind. It’s musical wizardry
that really tests the boundaries of how much electronic and voiceless
instrumentation can emotionally affect a listener. As it turns out, quite a
bit. While each track contains ear candy aplenty, standouts for me are
“PETROL,” “The Box,” and particularly “DwRBwdr,” which is pure sonic bliss.
73. A Ghost is Born- Wilco
(2004, Nonesuch Records)- I didn’t
have much familiarity with Wilco’s music prior to this album, but I quickly
learned to admire their stellar songcraft, insightful lyrics, and willingness
to just jam the hell out for 9 minutes or so, as they do rather unexpectedly on
this album right out of the gate, lifting up the otherwise nondescript “At
Least That’s What You Said” to being a very strong first track. Ambitious and
atmospheric, “A Ghost is Born” hardly needs my approval—it did win the Best
Alternative Album of 2004 Grammy—but while all the songs are all very very good,
“Hummingbird,” “Muzzle of Bees,” and “I’m a Wheel” seem particularly inspired,
memorable, and fun, dripping with nectar and nostalgia.
72. The
Joshua Tree- U2 (1987, Island Records)- I’m hard-pressed to
find any other album whose first five songs are all as classic and iconic as
those of The Joshua Tree. Even after that, the other six are all excellent,
completing what may well be the most rock-solid album of the 1980’s. With U2’s
immense popularity and slough of overplayed musical videos, though, it’s tough
to ascertain this album through the same filter as a less heralded one. That
said, who doesn’t agree that “With or Without You” is one of the most poignant
singles of the era, or that “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” is a
song that embodied the times? Quite like that of the other juggernaut band U2
is often compared to—REM--this is thoughtful music for smart and serious people.
And there’s nothing wrong with that.
71. Magic Potion- The Black Keys
(2006, Nonesuch Records)- The Black
Keys attain a superb level of vintage ethos with “Magic Potion,” a swaggering
effort from a mere duo that creates a rare electric experience. Cool, nuanced,
and smooth with a surprising fullness of sound (sorry bass players),” Potion
captivates with its unique energy and deft musicianship. The Keys seem to
tap into their full sonic capacity here, setting tones well for the soulful and
raspy athlete Auerbach, painstakingly pedestaled by the cerebral Carney. Turn
the knob way up for “Goodbye Babylon,” “Modern Times,” and “Just Got to Be,”
and revel in the feedback and fuzz.
70. 13 Songs- Fugazi (1989,
Dischord)- One of the most hyped, loved, and inscrutable all-time indie
punk bands, Fugazi walk the walk on “13 Songs,” which has over time become a
collection of punk rock classics looming large over their legendary shadows.
It’s tenacious and abrasive stuff, lyrically flashing nuggets of integrity and
insight, then seeming cryptic and inaccessible at the same turn. A few of the
tracks are laggers, but juggernauts such as “Margin Walker,” “Burning Too,” and
“Provisional” more than pick up the slack. Add on once-underground anthems
“Waiting Room” and its sister “Bad Mouth,” and this is not only good enough to
be on a major record label, but worthy of being the (anti) authoritative voice
of an off-kilter generation.
69. Automatic for the People - R.E.M (1992, Warner Bros.)- Minus the
bells and whistles, “Automatic for the People” contains some of REM’s better
efforts at musing poetic and romantic while retaining their signature gravitas.
With consistently impressive instrumentation and composition, synthesized by
Michael Stipe’s seafaring and time wrinkled vocals, its solid throughout.
Understated at times, its monochrome and austere qualities make its embrace
seem fuller and more authentic. My personal faves are “Try Not to Breathe,”
“Sweetness Follows,” and “Star Me Kitten.”
68. Purple- Stone Temple Pilots
(1994, Atlantic Records)- STP exude coolness and swagger on “Purple,”
one of the superior hard rock albums of the mid-90’s. It’s the right
combination of heaviness and trippiness, complete with exemplary guitar solos,
hammering drums, and of course the stony rasp of Mr. Lady’s Man himself, Scot
Weiland. “Interstate Love Song,” “Kitchenware and Candybars,” and “Meatplow”
highlight his vocal talents, vanquishing with ease all subsequent karaoke
imitators. “Still Remains and “Vasoline” are also great and memorable tracks.
67. Last Splash- The Breeders (1993, 4AD)- Creative and
offbeat to the core, “Last Splash” is one of the more awesomely weird
alternative CDs of its time—it’s sort of like a midday hungover and lovesick
surfboard ride through a sun-blistered parallel Universe. But the weirdness is
very welcome; indeed, even the strangest tracks emit a kind of warm fuzzy ear
massage. Clearly Kim Deal (who I actually met in person one time—ask me to tell
you the story!) learned a thing or two from being in the Pixies, and with
sister Kelly and compadres in tow, proffers a myriad of musical gifts.
“Invisible Man,” “No Aloha,” and “Mad Lucas” will leave a foamy trail on your
beach.
66. The Blue Album- Weezer
(1994, Geffen Records)- What can I say about this one, other than that
it’s a sonic “Big O?” One triumphant tune after another, “The Blue Album”
continuously delivers hugely catchy soundwaves, capturing a 50’s-infuenced
nostalgia and rising action with rock-powerful genius. With this album, Weezer
helped define a super clean, tight, and malted milkshake-thick sound that few,
if any, have ever attained to the same level of excellence and influence.
Truly, this is the kind of shit you blow the roof off of the birthday garage
party with. My favorites are “The World Has Turned And Left Me Here,” “Only In
Dreams,” and of course, everyone’s favorite Kiss encomium, “In the Garage.”
65. Dark Side of the Moon- Pink Floyd
(1973, EMI Records)- Rock electronic fusion from way before it was the
standard, hearing any Pink Floyd song on the radio always seems to command my
attention. “Dark Side” is their masterpiece, better than even “The Wall”
possibly because there is less interlude and filler, and better than most
anything else because of its ability to test the limits of the psycho-emotional
affect music can have on a listener. This is the quintessential theme album
that truly comes full circle, exploring universals, time texture, and philosophical
musings. It seems every time I hear David Gilmour’s voice, it’s time to take
pause, tune out the world, and surrender to a luxurious synthesizer bath.
Standout faves are “Time,” “Us and Them,” and “Brain Damage.”
64. Vulgar Display of Power- Pantera (1992, Atlantic Recording)- Pantera
hadn’t quite mastered the art of tuning the guitar, nor had they perhaps
expected Phillip Anselmo’s late-in-life voice change (following his nutless
soprano on their previous album “Cowboys From Hell”), but they did master one
skill, and one skill alone, which is very evident on “Vulgar Display”: kicking
the fuck out of eardrums and becoming Gods of all sweat-soaked high school
weight rooms forevermore. Truly, Pantera prove to have the biggest balls of
them all with this album—a roughneck, adrenaline-soaked, muscle-flexed, fuck
you to any creature asinine enough to stand in the way of this sheer metal
pummeling. The unbelievably killer riffs tell the tale; these fuckers lived by
the sword. “Regular People,” “Fucking Hostile,” and “This Love” are wonderful
roundhouses to the face.
63. Brain Drain- The Ramones
(1989, Sire Records)- I first heard of The Ramones in ’89, noting their
quotation (“hey ho, let’s go”) in the Stephen King book Pet Sematary. It was the book title song that I saw performed on
MTV in the same year, that first turned me on to them—they looked truly dark
and brooding, stuck in some sort of CBGB-induced time warp. I picked up “Brain
Drain” and soon became entranced by its dark and sardonic fuck-all ennui; these
dudes seemed to be above the fray. It was only the second CD I ever purchased,
the first punk album I ever listened to in its entirety, and remains my
favorite Ramones album to this day. Every December 25th, it was time
to blast “Merry Christmas, I Don’t Want to Fight Tonight,” much to the
annoyance of my sister in her adjacent room. Beloved tracks “I Believe in
Miracles,” “Don’t Bust My Chops,” and “Can’t Get You Outta My Mind” have a
unique and mature simplicity that seems to give a perfectly composed middle
finger to the striving and technicolor plasticity of the status quo.
62. By the Way- Red Hot Chili Peppers
(2002, Warner Bros.)- I like all RHCP albums a lot (excepting maybe “One
Hot Minute”), but “By the Way” for me is their great coming of age (middle age,
that is) album; a mature, sometimes sad and wistful, other times infectiously
energetic, but always musically captivating effort that helped solidify their
status as one of the greatly productive and distinctive bands of their time.
Once again re-united with John Frusciante, they become a 4-member force of
nature, reinforcing a funkspicy core while proffering the sweetest of fruit in the same token. I tend to go back to
“Universally Speaking,” “I Could Die For You,” “The Zephyr Song,” and “Cabron”
the most, but this shit is wonderfully all over the place…shake booties
accordingly.
61.
Doolittle- Pixies (1989, 4AD Ltd.)- But who doesn’t want to
be a debaser? With tracks like “Wave of Mutilation,” “Monkey Gone to Heaven,”
and “Hey,” there is little doubt that Doolittle is a gosh danged
classic. The Pixies were the original fusion chefs of music, deriving their
confection of sounds from the sweet, the savory, and the saccharine. I live for
the evanescent moments of connection and weightless beauty in these songs, their
unfaltering belief in dreams and magic. Just like some weird ditties, dude, and
Doolittle’s got it all.
60. Viva La Vida- Coldplay
(2000, Parlophone Records)- Adding instrumental layers helps Coldplay
effectively attain a dreamy and elevated feel on “Viva La Vida,” which plays
rather well as a celebration of life’s nascent experiences, relationships, and
the power of artistic expression. ‘Twas a great comeback album for Coldplay, a
doppler-effecting departure from their prior intimate best work, a highly
pleasing and symphonic arrangement of sound, their first true triumph in
transmission from the aether. Melodic and colorful, evocative and nostalgic,
“Viva” soundly brought Coldplay back into deserved prominence. My favorite
tracks are “Cemeteries of London,” “Lost!”, and the stellar title track.
59. Be the Void- Dr. Dog (2012,
Anti Inc.)- Entering the scene as an unassuming and self-deprecating ragtag
pack of slackers, Dr. Dog begrudgingly get it done on “Be the Void,” a rather
catchy and enduring kindling of tunes. Although with some similarities of
sound, the tracks are very distinguishable upon closer listen, containing an
earthy quality that elicits much boot-stomping and celebration…straw hats,
anyone? “Be the Void” is a welcome spitshine antidote to the overly digitized
and caressingly polished production of the era—it’s folksy and fun, one
excellent track after another. Sing along with glee to “That Old Black Hole,”
“Heavy Light,” and “How Long Must I Wait”—no shoes required. Except if you’re
at Sheetz, of course, where whoever arranges the elevator music sure has a
strange propensity for playing tracks off this album.
58. Out
of Time- R.E.M. (1991, Warner Bros.)- It always seemed to me like
R.E.M. were saying something very intelligent and profound--but what that was,
I couldn’t exactly say. Carrying the collective Zeitgeist on one’s shoulders
would be a hefty task indeed, so credit R.E.M. with the broadest shoulders of them
all (even though I doubt Michael Stipe could bench much more than 150). Musically,
they are one of the most unselfish acts I know of, as every note seems to be a
contribution to the greater good rather than an individualistic foray. Along
with other socially conscious acts like U2, they put out some of the greatest
popular music of the 80’s and 90’s, and Out of Time is, dare I say, the
timeless classic of the set. Everyone knows “Losing My Religion” is a great
piece of musical art, but OOT also contains gems like “Low,” “Country
Feedback,” and “Belong,” all of which are stylistically dissimilar and
keystones of high quality songcraft. The much-maligned “Shiny Happy People”
threatens to damper this otherwise unsullied work, but I never really minded it
that much, and a Kate Pierson vocal is always welcome in my world.
57. Dirty- Sonic Youth (1992,
Geffen Records)- All-time artisans of axe, feedback, and fuzz, Sonic Youth
go all-out on “Dirty,” a 15-song, hour long cortex vortex that will spin you
more than a midnight martini. Before hearing this CD, I had no clue a guitar
could make such sounds, such far-reaching golden lasso winners of the seminal
indie rock pissing contest. Particularly when the tracks go on rumbling
journeys of dissonance, such as in “Theresa’s Sound World,” “On the Strip,” and
“Shoot,” they are most transporting, sending you racing and reeling and then
recovering, steady breath returning. At times grating and abrasive, “Dirty”
really took some time to grow on me. But for the sheer artistic uniqueness and
thrill-ability, it remains one of the most influential CDs of its time.
56. Dirt- Alice in Chains (1992,
Sony Music)- The dark lords of grunge helped define the genre with “Dirt,”
attaining a truly eerie and angry edge that effects sort of like a
deconstructed heavy metal meets a strung-out Nirvana. It’s dank and dingy
stuff, with lyrical venom and vicious strains of riffing seldom found anymore—it’s
more invested, more risk-taking, than most modern recordings. Jerry Cantrell’s
highly distorted and drawn-out guitars merge with Layne Staley’s oft-flanging
vocals like arterial tributaries of sonic ebb and flow. Find a dark corner and
immerse yourself in the soaking ambience of “Rain When I Die,” “Down In A
Hole,” and the standout title track.
55. Come
on Die Young- Mogwai (1999, Chemikal Underground)- These
gurus of post-rock have an uncanny ability to write evocative and moving tunes,
and many of them at that, but CODY is my favorite (although Young
Team, Rock Action, and Hardcore Will Never Die, But You Will
are all amazing) from tip to tail. Opener “Punk Rock” is a bit of a head-scratcher--nice
dripping guitar riff voiced but the voice over by an obnoxious and
self-righteous punk neanderthal is slightly alienating. However, it’s pure
silverveined genius after that, taking a listener on a sonic journey that seems
to transcend every day banalities and offer lucky listeners a seat on the
astral plane. It’s time to close your eyes and let the music whisk you off to a
distant land of your imagining. The pairing of “Helps Both Ways” with “Year 2000
Non-Compliant Cardia” takes things to the next level, offering a seamless
transition from one lilting song to the next and pulling you into the aether
all the while--“Cody” is a signature Mogwai track in its ambient glory and
slow, glistening grandeur; “May Nothing But Happiness Come Through Your Door”
is another soft stroke of genius; and “Christmas Steps” seals the deal, at
first seeming to play to suit with its slow, thoughtful opening, but then growing
fierce and staccato, unrelenting and fierce, tapping into your tightening chest
and calling out the warrior beat of the heart.
54. The Bends- Radiohead (1995,
XL Recordings Ltd.)- On their second and final “rock album,” Radiohead were
already starting to grow their electronic gills, as evinced by their clean
production and insatiable hooks. “The Bends” is highly addictive and
unshakable, with a brilliant Thom Yorke vocal performance that keeps the
enjoyment level in the clouds. The excellent title track defines the gimmick
and is reprised catchily in “Just” and “Black Star.” Yorke’s vocals work hard
and succeed in lifting up “Sulk;” “High and Dry” is nearly as good as
advertised; “My Iron Lung” is a fresh breath and sucks in with its lovable
cheesy and pitchshifting dominant riff; “(nicedream)” is a fine soundtrack to
simply that. But “Bones” is the centerpiece, a completely rousing and inspired
electric maelstrom that never seems to play out.
53. End of Amnesia- M. Ward
(2001, M. Ward Records)- Somehow M.Ward manages to find the aching
beauty that most other ambling and wayward folk pilgrimagers never manage to on
his best effort, “End of Amnesia.” It’s an amazing six-string and vocal
accomplishment that hits its stride early and rarely glances back over its
shoulder. The songs have an uncanny way of merging and overlapping, continuing
the album’s story while alluding to each other, as if to challenge the
associative nature of memory itself. While the majority of the tracks are
special, standouts for me are “Psalm,” “Color of Water,” and the tandem of
“Silverline” and “Flaming Heart,” standout examples of songs becoming immersed in
versions of themselves while breathing life into a finely articulated musical
landscape.
52. Nothing’s Shocking- Jane’s
Addiction (1988, Warner Records)- Here’s proof that a group
of non-jock, artsy skinny boys can deliver a powerful and enduring rock album,
creative sensibilities intact. The ever-flamboyant Perry Farrell waves his wand
deftly on “Nothing’s Shocking,” emerging this time as more magician sage than
insidious harlequin. It’s danceable rock, boasting explosive guitar solos,
infectious rhythms, and satisfying vocal madness. A few of “Shocking’s” epic
tracks, particularly “Jane Says” and “Mountain Song,” have attained an iconic
alternative rock status, and it’s hard to deny their unique appeal. But “Ocean
Size,” “Summertime Rolls,” and “Up the Beach” set it all in motion, epitomizing
the mood and feel that helps this CD attain its true distinction.
51. Seasons in the Abyss- Slayer
(1990, American Recordings)- This unrelenting, pulverizing onslaught of
an album is suffocatingly exhilarating, ripping your anvils from your ears
piece by bloody piece and leaving you aghast and prone, seizing and sieging to
its majestically gore-spewing entrails of sound. As imaginative as it is
disturbing, “Seasons” makes no bones about it; this is balls-out,
sword-wielding, armor-clad metal at its most belligerent. Araya and co. want
nothing more than to eviscerate the sonic atmosphere at maximum velocity and
amplitude, leaving unrelenting observers reeling obliviously into obscurity,
shuddering and shivering into dissolving dust. Reign In Blood is
generally the most celebrated Slayer album, which is fair, but SITA is a
more lyrically mature, focused and better-produced effort. “Spirit in Black,”
“Born of Fire,” and “Hallowed Point” are standout tracks, not to mention the
epic title track--all of them assuring the descent into darkness is
iron-clad.
50. Is This It- The Strokes
(2001, The Strokes)- The Strokes were legendary in Retro-rockers in their
day, always grooving strong from their unique time warp, helmed by the
iron-lunged vocals of Julian Casablancas and the ear candy riffing of the modern
Slash-like Albert Hammond, Jr. and ladies’ choice Nick Valenti. Add on the
somewhat John Paul Jones-esque bassist Nikolai Fraiture and a drummer “Fab”
enough to land Drew Barrymore and Kristin Wiig as girlfriends, and you have The
Strokes. “Is This It,” their debut, kicks off their 5-album contract legacy,
enduring as the most satisfying of the catalog, combining 50’s era nostalgia
with digital precision. “Someday,” “When It Started,” and “Take It or Leave It”
are the stars of an album that shines brightly throughout.
49. Lateralus- Tool (2001, Tool Dissectional/Volcano
Entertainment)- Tool seemed
to progressively get better with each album until peaking at “Lateralus,” their
most cohesive and focused album. It’s ponderous and deep, but minus the half
hour or so of cricket sounds and cancerous threats as contained in their
previous two albums. And sadly, there is no “Hooker With A Penis” this time
around. This album hits this stride with “The Patient,” continues to build
traction, “Parabola” then emerges as another exceptional track, and it then
culminates in the excellent title track, one of Tool’s best all-time songs. It
loses its grip by the time “Faaip de Oiad” devolves into the familiar unknown,
but it’s high time for the descent by then. “Lateralus” for me embodies what
Tool were all about—a very powerful and strong rhythmic force contrasted with a
voice of unexpected elegance, at turns merciless, shocking, ambiguous, and
boldly existential.
48. Cure For Pain- Morphine (1993, Rykodisk)- You can’t
miss Morphine with their characteristic swervy saxophone and legendary baritone
Mark Sandman, whom I first heard decorating 90’s movie soundtracks—it was good
driving down the road music. But this album is essentially a heartbreaker, a
great artistic achievement, and capstones another sad story of a great talent
who left us at all-too early an age. It all starts with the infectious energy
of “Buena,” and then continues to deliver one great track after another. My
favorites are “Candy,” “In Spite of Me,” and the title track “I’m Free Now.”
This album has really stood the test of time well and continues to be moving
and poignant, and I pore over the latter notes trying to understand the tragic
mystery of rock’s legendary Sandman.
47. Chutes Too Narrow- The Shins
(2003, Sub Pop Records)- While it may sound a bit anachronistic compared
to the octane acts our listening ears have come to expect, The Shins’ “Chutes
Too Narrow” is a brilliant and thoughtful album that seems to revive the lost
art of literariness in music. Also a rarety, James Mercer’s lyrics are not only
proper language, but they’re discernible, elocuted free of drowning
distractions. The music, like the singing, is clean and carefully paced, not
out to bombard but instead, to allow for digestion and careful consideration.
Pretty much all of the tracks are strong, but “Young Pilgrims” and “Saint
Simon” seem to centralize the hub; “Turn a Square” and “Kissing the Lipless”
are fun rockers; “Pink Bullets” and “Those to Come” are especially pretty.
46. Around the Fur- Deftones
(1997, Maverick Recording Co.)- The Deftones aspire to hit it—the
musical mark, that is—on “Around the Fur,” and deliver an impressively wanton
onslaught that rocks heavy and moodily, leaving you roused and dreaming of
sleazy boardwalk hookups and smoldering smoky drags. It’s metal of rare
ambience and mood, a propeller of crankshafts and lugnuts, inviting you to put
on your sunglasses and extend your middle finger to all surrounding
superficialities. Favorite tracks “Be Quiet and Drive,” “Lhabia,” “Lotion,” and
“Dai the Flu” will give you the mid-day shivers.
45. Grace- Jeff Buckley (1994,
Columbia Records)- Featuring perhaps one of the best vocal performances
ever recorded, Jeff Buckley’s most cohesive work “Grace” boasts astounding range
and texture while keeping the ability to mesmerize intact. Buckley’s voice
weaves ellipses around the instruments with amazing ease and detail, all the
way down to his gasps of breath. “Lilac Wine” accentuates this well, as does
“Hallelujah,” Buckley’s version being perhaps the best rendition of the song
ever performed. The title track is the best rocker, and “Last Goodbye” is a
very moving heartbreaker. It’s a haunting and beautiful album--intimate,
sophisticated, and graceful to the bone.
44. The Velvet Underground and Nico
(1967, UMG Recordings, Inc.)- This album seems to embody the vintage,
avant-garde sound of the 70’s. Even on CD it sounds like it’s on vinyl. Lou
Reed sings with a unique and superchic monotone, and Nico has the mercury-dense
sound that solidifies each song mold into an instant art piece. Coupling
degenerate lyrics with bright, jangly guitar trills and a weirdly effective use
of a droning electric viola, the erratic and off-kilter result is an awesome
rush. “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Heroin,” and “Venus and Furs” help lift this
album to greatness, while tracks “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” “The Black Angel’s
Death Song,” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror” are large contributors to the album’s
offbeat and stylish ambience.
43. Face The Truth- Stephen Malkmus
(2005, Matador Records)- Stephen Malkmus really shows his stuff on his
third album, turning out his best solo/Jicks musical foray. You know it’s
really a gem right away—the full lyrics are even included in the liner notes!
SM seems like he’s having more fun than usual--his introspective waxing is
especially edifying and the songs seem to know exactly where they’re going.
After a quality opener in “Pencil Rot,” “It Kills” really sets it all in motion
with the staggered rhythm, vocal straining, and shifts into monotone
characteristic of SM; “Freeze the Saints” is a bittersweet exemplar that
lyrically excels; “Mama” is a kindly and nostalgic gift; “Baby C’mon” is a
superfun zinger that warrants a sing-along. Fans of Malkmus should delight in
this album, the magical “3” in the Jicks catalog and the pinnacle in the solo
career of a very rare bird indeed.
42. Angel Dust- Faith no More
(1992, Warner Records, Inc.)- At the age of 14 I was a bit obsessed with
FNM, and remember waiting at the local record store, “cash in hand,” on this
album’s release date, ready to be thrilled. I was not disappointed. While more
layered and dense, “Angel Dust” is just as volatile and eclectic as its
predecessor, delivering multiple moments of brilliance. Jawdroppers such as
“Everything’s Ruined,” “Caffeine,” and “Jizzlobber” stand atop this highly
creative and unique album. The divergent contributions of the band’s 5
members—Jim Martin, the oddball metalhead who just wants to thrash out; Bill
Gould, the funky bassman who wants to play the Hell out of four strings; Roddy
Bottum, a rare keyboardist in a metal-influenced band adding uncharacteristic
color and texture; Patton, the highly ambitious and dynamic vocal chameleon;
and “Puff” Bordin, the rhythmic backbone, allowing all the weird chemistry to
happen. It all adds up to an ass-kicking of strange eloquence, leaving you writhing
yet begging for more.
41. Turn on the Bright Lights-
Interpol (2002, Matador Records)- Along with bands like The
National, Interpol forged a new black-tie ambient rock in the early 2000’s, and
2001’s TOTBLNYC is my favored takeaway. Interpol create a dynamic
quagmire of sound with their calculated slow jams, sirening guitars, and unique
robo-vocals. Their more ponderous jams come off sophisticated and deep, hearkening
back to melancholic root acts such as Morrissey or Joy Division. The rockers
often create a tense exigence that is rousing and inebriating. Try “Untitled” and
“NYC” to be marvelled and moved , “Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down”
and “The New” for sinking reverie, and “PDA” and “Say Hello to the Angels” for
more up-tempo enlightenment and to experience their modernized New Wave feel.
40. Yanqui
UXO- Godspeedyou!BlackEmperor (2002, Constellation)- Trying to describe this
album, or this musical act for that matter, is hard to put into words, but since
I discovered them a few years prior to the Covid years, I have been sadly
obsessed. This is my possibly my favorite bedtime album, the one that most
purports to elicit dreams and create a vision of seafaring swordsmen, giant
Gothic castle fortresses, and demon armies moving in tandem across vast
panoramic swaths of barren soundscape and bleeding desert in sepia tones. Not
the most heralded of Godspeed’s albums, I think this is their most cohesive
from start to finish, the one that best stands as one opus track. If you have
become jaded on music, jaded on life, and walk amongst the living dead—this is
music after music and hence life after life, and your soul is renewed.
39. Elliott Smith- Elliott Smith
(1995, Kill Rock Stars)- It’s more or less just Elliott Smith and his
guitar, but this magical album has an amazing fullness and songcraft that makes
it just as satisfying as any full-band effort—in fact, maybe more so—retaining
the intimacy and delicateness they don’t. Smith has the acoustic guitar chops of
a true artisan and a unique, transporting, yet quiet voice that envelops like a
wisping evening rain on a city block. His songs are out to wrench the gut—and
do so to spine-tingling effect. Smith died at only 26 years of age, leaving
several moving works in his wake (see also “Either/Or,” “XO,” or “Songs from A
Basement on A Hill”), but this to me is his most solid and best-sounding
effort. “Needle in the Hay,” “Clementine,” and “The White Lady Loves You More” illustrate
a tragic artist in scattered petals of love.
38. The Moon and Antarctica- Modest
Mouse (2000, Epic Records)- Taking on prodigious themes,
synthesizing ethereal musings and scientific dorkdom, and a bit reminiscent of
Built to Spill minus the Adderall, Modest Mouse find a sweet and sprawling magic
on “The Moon and Antarctica.” “3rd Planet” is an amazing opener with
its bandying between insight and absurdity. “The Stars are Projectors”
highlights the Mouse’s unique creativity, showing them at their warm and
playful best. Its sister track, “Life Like Weeds,” similarly gives life to philosophical
musings unparalleled in the alt-rock genre. “Tiny Cities Made of Ashes” excels
at accentuating their subversive humor streak, “Paper Thin Walls” is another
lovable rocker, and “I Came as a Rat” and “Wild Pack of Family Dogs” boost
their eccentric charm and set them atop the shoulders of future itinerant geek
squads.
37. Wowee Zowee- Pavement
(1995, Matador Records)- Pavement cast their widest net on “Wowee Zowee”
and reel in a barnacled bounty, rocking at their energetic zenith--and height
of their popularity. It’s their most fun and eclectic album, the one that most
tests their creative limits. Tracks “At&T,” “Rattled by the Rush,”
“Grounded,” and “Fight this Generation” seem epic in scope, but all clock in at
less than four and a half minutes. Quasi-punk spazzouts like “Serpentine Pad,”
“flux=rad,” and “Best Friend’s Arm” are sufficient to heighten mosh pits to
flying pocket-protector frenzy. Slackers at their most ambitious turn out to
sound pretty fine indeed.
36. Clap Your Hands Say Yeah- Clay
Your Hands Say Yeah (2005, CYHSY)- This pogo party of an
album still thrills me every time I listen to it, and I’m hard-pressed to find
a voice more captivating than that of Alec Ounsworth. CYHSY ‘s trebly bright
tunes have an awesome energy and folk-rock ethos that lifts the spirit and sets
the room in wild motion. “Over and Over Again” sounds like a fuller, more
distorted Talking Heads; “Is This Love” is a harmonic confluence of jangling
tones; “The Skin of my Country Teeth” is Ounsworth’s vocal pinnacle, evocative
and heartstring pulling; “In this Home on Ice” is a skating wall of sound,
letting you get lost in its lingering chords. But “Upon a Tidal Wave of Young
Blood” brings it all home, cresting into a white-capped and frenetic
finale.
35. Down on The Upside- Soundgarden
(1996, UMG Recordings, Inc.)- I’m a little partial to Soundgarden, as I
used to pride myself on favoring them as the underdogs of grunge when I was in
high school, and even named “Head Down” from “Superunknown” as my favorite song
for my yearbook profile. So, it was hard to choose a favorite album of theirs,
but for me DOTU stands as their most satisfying and refined album—all
juice and no filler. There’s just so much to enjoy about this band—Kim Thayil,
lookin’ like Jesus, playing geet like no other with his distinctive
high-pitched electric wails, disdain for drawn-out solos, and able punk chops;
Ben Shepard, a seemingly erratic personality, with his always probing bass
meanderings and incongruent child-like innocence of compositions; Matt Cameron,
the glue amidst the maelstrom, an amazing beatbox of needed constancy; Chris
Cornell, the overseer of the madness, one of the most admired voices of the
era, shrill and mysterious, helming journeys of mystical paradox and
disillusion. The singles “Pretty Noose,” “Burden in My Hand,” and “Blow Up the
Outside World,” hold up better on the radio than singles from their previous
albums. And gems like “Zero Chance,” “Switch Opens,” “Boot Camp,” and “Dusty”
are sweet ear candy, while offbeat numbers like “Rhinosaur,” “Applebite,” and
“Overfloater” deepen the chasm and allow the garden’s burgeoning chemistry to
take root.
34. Misery is a Butterfly- Blonde Redhead (2004, 4AD Ltd.)-
Layered with fine textures and intoxicating melodies, “MIAB” is fine art, a
luscious outpouring of sonic delights and the stuff of wonderful dream
soundtracks. I love the dynamic vocal tradeoffs between Kazu Makino and Amedeo
Pace on “Doll is Mine” and “Pink Love,” which create a Strawberry Fields-eque
psychedelia and feel of dizzying revelry. “Falling Man,” “Maddening Cloud,” and
“Messenger” are all very solid tracks with Pace on vocals. But my favorite
tracks are the ethereal and moody bruisers “Magic Mountain” and the title
track, which highlight Makino’s vocals, equal parts flight and suffocation. The
title track soars the highest and, with its dizzying violin, disconcerting
undertones, and delicate vocals, is a bittersweet sock to the gut.
33. Silent Alarm- Bloc Party
(2005, Vice Music, Inc.)- This highly upbeat and energetic debut from
London’s Bloc Party contains an undeniable energy and raw feeling amidst highly
catchy punk/funk tunes that invites dance and engagement-- and may be the best
album of 2005. Singer Kele Okereke accentuates, rather than conceals, his
intoxicating British accent--and his bold and unharnessed delivery
complementarily enhances the highly energized music to great effect. The Party
takes off strong with “Like Eating Glass” and never really looks back, as other
up tempo boldsters like “Luno,” Helicopter,” and “Positive Tension” help keep
the galvanizing pace. But the sweet center of this CD is contained in building
block tracks like “Blue Light,” “So Here We Are,” and the standout “This Modern
Love,” which has the makings of a modern classic.
32. And Justice For All- Metallica (1988, Blackened Recordings)-
On their deepest, dryest, darkest album, Metallica do the unthinkable: they
back up pummeling, heavy music and themes of death and destruction with
context, intelligence, and reason. This is the quintessential album of
symphonic metal, and a band testing the limits of a genre they seemed to
transcend. “One” is one of the best songs of the 1980’s and is also one of the
most memorable and disturbing videos. The title track is another great accomplishment--both
musically and lyrically, it’s a classical metal masterpiece. Additionally,
“Blackened,” “Dyer’s Eve,” and “To Live Is To Die” rank among Metallica’s
all-time best tracks.
31. The Curtain Hits the Cast- Low
(1996, Vernon Yard)- The
most accomplished slowcore band of perhaps all-time, Low spread their wings
most expansively on their 1996 opus, creating a uniquely beautiful set of
dirges. Modern listeners may not have the attention span for this, but upon
careful listen, it is seldom you’ll find a band more nuanced, precise, and
detailed—and the vocal note-stamina of Alan Sparhawk and Mimi Parker, rather
unprecedented, functions like antigravity, letting the listener weave among
stars whilst forming their own constellation imprint on the cold dark night.
“Over the Ocean” is the CD’s hallmark tune—accessible at under four minutes
while clearly transporting—it’s as single material as Low gets. “Laugh” builds
epicly and angrily to rousing, breaking ejecta, articulating profound
frustration with very few words required. “Stars Gone Out” is is a nostalgic
heartpiercer, leaving you dancing with yourself on a foggy lake in a post-party
streamer-festooned gazebo. You may need your Zoloft after this one, but make no
mistake about it --this finely detailed swatch of sounds and silence is a most
welcome smear to your cerebellum: it’s soporific and ambient rock at its
zenith.
30. Odelay- Beck (1996,
UMG Recordings, Inc.)- Beck was doing unheard-of things with the release of
“Odelay” in 1996—I had never heard anything quite this eclectic, and it was
hard to wrap my ears around it. There was no doubt this was a musical prodigy
at work, taking us on an enlightening sonic journey like some sort of
metal-mouthed Willy Wonka. Tracks like “Novacane,” “The New Pollution,” and
“Where It’s At” were portable dance parties suffusing my Discman with promises
of bright lights and boogie nights. And slightly more mellow numbers like
“Jackass,” “Derelict,” and “Hotwax” were fascinating transports to a wonky
dream-like state. It was the beginning of Beck’s ascent into his enduring
legacy as deconstructionist maestro, hopping the hip like a sorcerer.
29. Ten- Pearl Jam (1991,
Sony Music)- Pearl Jam brought a wizened, mature energy to “Ten”—rather
impressive for a debut album—and quickly earned a reputation for not only their
cool, cascading studio tracks but for their highly memorable live shows back in
the day as well. It’s no wonder they are the most enduring grungers of
all-time, and the bulk of the reasons why are contained on “Ten.” It was not
only their strongest collection of songs, but also somehow suits them the best
in terms of both production and mixing. Eddie Vedder was a sage, a grumbling
old soul of twentysomething with an unparalleled voice, flanked by sturdy
woodmen Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, and one of the great soloists of the era,
Mike McCready. This force of nature indeed scored a “10” on “Ten.”
28. Franz Ferdinand- Franz Ferdinand
(2004, Domino Recording Co.)- Party people, take note: You really must
dust off your monocle, top hat, and stray cut strut for this shit. These funky,
swaggering freaks always elucidate a good time, but never moreso than on their
namesake “FF,” in which no element of grandiosity is outcast. It’s danceable
and intoxicating, with tracks like “Tell Her Tonight,” “This Fire,” and “Darts
of Pleasure” stroking the blazing bonfire. Tracks “Come on Home,” “Take Me
Out,” and “In the Dark of the Matinee” are the stuff of dance rock classics.
It’s a rush from start to finish, an ambitious and great accomplishment, but
somehow “Franz” manages to make it all sound easy, super fun, and carefree.
27. Orange- The Jon Spencer
Blues Explosion (1994, Shove Records)- Ah, hearing this CD
for the first time on a superior car stereo system brings back warm sonic
memories. I really did believe Mr. Spencer when, during “Flavor,” he proclaimed
“The Blues in Number One!”, rattling off an impressive list of some of the most
exciting and eminently-qualified cities’ endorsement of the “Blues.” Nothing
really did sound quite so cool, funky, or sexed-up as JSBE to me, and they
pulled off this part-rock, part-Elvis-y, all-out energy coup under the veil of
Blues, not really sounding like traditional Blues at all. But it worked
awesomely well, seeming to ignite the room and inspire wild bombast and
debauchery. Tracks like “Ditch,” “Blues X-Man,” and the aforementioned “Flavor”
exemplified rock panache with welcome additions of violins and harmonicas,
Judah Bauer’s skilled guitar work, and, of course, the off-the-wall vocals and
distinctive low-end guitar work of Spencer. “Orange” is one of the most fun,
flamboyant, and eclectic rock albums I’ve ever heard-- an instant party.
26. The Real Thing- Faith No More
(1989, Slash Records)- Another nostalgic album from a band I’m
definitely biased towards, this album was one of the most exciting to me as a
teenager, taking over as my favorite “tape” (the cassette itself was even
colored blue, which I thought was amazing), and it soon claimed more than a
fair share of my pool-party projected testosterone. FNM just seemed like no
other, first appearing on MTV with the eternally enigmatic, rap-rock hybrid
“Epic,” complete with both writhing singer and fish, and then delving deeper
and heavier into the scare zone with juggernauts like “Zombie Eaters” and the similarly
progressing (from slow, to heavy, to screamingly heavy) title track. And this
album even contains “Surprise! You’re Dead!”, whose unique brand of heaviness
and thrill level makes even the blades of sword-wielding metal gods seem
flaccid by compare. Yes, a lot of the magic is attributable to having vocal
chameleon/genius Michael Patton at the controls, but the band’s weird chemistry
is at its most nascent and halogenic on “The Real Thing,” the result is a most
satisfying hodgepodge.
25. Appetite for Destruction- Guns N’
Roses (1987, Geffen Records)- GNR were one of my very first
revered bands— “Appetite” was released when I was in 4th grade—and
it quickly became my favorite (cassette) tape. In retrospect I realize that it
contains about 70-75% of GNR’s best all-time tracks, easily being their best
album. Side One was killer rock, defiant and insolent, laden with profanity and
drug references—the very definition of what kids aren’t supposed to be
listening to. Side Two showcased their sweeter side, including standouts like
the classic “Sweet Child O Mine” and “Rocket Queen,” but also lightening the
load was “Anything Goes” and “Think About You.” But it was their pissed-off,
always seemingly inebriated, impenetrably hard rock persona that defined
them—and numbers like “It’s So Easy,” “Mr. Brownstone,” and “Out Ta Get Me”
carry the full swagger—wild and inviting but edgy and dangerous at one false
turn. The duo of Slash and Axl is a great combination of talent and charisma,
and created an iconic sound that never exceeded its efficacy on this album.
24. Songs for the Deaf- Queens of the
Stone Age (2002, Interscope Records)- Josh Homme has had
quite a career as a rockstar behemoth in a post-rock world. He’s become quite
the big fish in a small pond, indeed…still, that shouldn’t detract from his
amazing output as QOTSA brainy child and frontman, Eagles of Death Metal
co-conspirator and guitarist, Kyuss creator, and perhaps most memorably,
co-collaborator with Samwell on “What What In the Butt.” All joking aside,
QOTSA’s albums have been a cut above the competition (note: self-titled album
is amazaing), but “Songs For the Deaf” is kind of in a league of its own among
rock albums of the early 2000’s. The so-called “stoner rock” genre belongs to
Queens alone, as they’re easily the primary takeaway, and with “SFTD” they
created an album that rocks so hard and awesomely it’s like Viagra to the
waning member of rock n roll. It’s a paradisiacal island of rock hubris that is
earth-core solid but lyrically sweet, like a first draught of pepsi cola after
a day in the sun. “The Sky Is Fallin,” “First It Giveth,” “Hangin Tree,” and
“I’m Gonna Leave You” are the centerpieces, and “No One Knows,” I think the best
single of 2002, is an original and very impressive rocker.
23. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club
Band- The Beatles (1967, Universal Music Group)- This is the
Beatles’ best combination of pop appeal, trippiness, and unequalled rock and
roll songcraft. For me, “Sergeant” epitomizes the use of theater and theme in
music, the pairing of the musical and the visual, the expansion of song into
story. Only “The White Album” was as ambitious in scope, but it includes the
filler and flippancy that “Sergeant” avoids and is less cohesive at the end of
the day. “Lucy In the Sky with Diamonds” is one of my favorite all-time Beatles
tracks, exciting with its colorful imagery and cryptic subtext. “Being For the
Benefit of Mr. Kite” is also one of my faves, a traipsing and tripping carnival
funhouse of a tune. The finale, “A Day in the Life,” is one of the Beatles’
great epic tracks, if not the greatest.
22. Surfer Rosa- Pixies (1988,
4AD Ltd.)- This is the scrappiest, weirdest, most explosive confection of
ditties ever put out by the OG’s of alt-rock, The Pixies. Seemingly way ahead
of its time, it still has great ability to excite and enthrall. All of the
elements—guitar, drums, lead guitar, and oddball vocals and interjections—merge
and dissolve with a unique organic chemistry that subsequent imitators would
only pine away fruitlessly for. “Where Is My Mind” is the signature track, and
it’s a doozy for sure. “Break My Body” and “Broken Face” also wield a signature
weird corporeal poignancy. But this album also highlights the Pixies best
punk-ish numbers, highlighted by the wild “Vamos,” “I’m Amazed,” and “Something
Against You.”
21. The Downward Spiral- Nine Inch
Nails (1994 Nothing/Interscope Records)- All bets are off,
all joking is swept aside, and it’s time for the dark descent into Trent
Reznor’s abysmal laboratory of pain. It’s really that intense, that severe,
that creative an album that you may in fact be left scratching your wrists in a
straitjacket while bathing your pelvis in a moonlit well. “The Downward Spiral
“is to me the cradle of the “goth” subculture that exists even to this day. “Mr.
Self-Destruct” opens the gates with ferocity, delving fist-first into the
haunting, psychologically tense subject matter, seething vocals, and trebly
distortion that sets the spiral in motion. Tracks “Eraser,” “The Becoming,” and
“March of the Pigs” are exemplary, highlighting the balance between sensitivity
and ferocity that helps give this CD its artistic fineness and depth. “A Warm
Place,” “Hurt” and “Piggy” are standout ambient tracks (particularly the first
two), the latter concluding in a very awesome percussion explosion that seems
to embody the volatility and frustration contained within. With all of its
electronic leanings, “Spiral” was well ahead of its time—still enduring as a
great but disturbing album.
20. Orange Rhyming Dictionary- Jets
to Brazil (1998, Epitaph)-
It was indicated that frontman Blake Schwarzenbach was capable of a turn
of phrase of two in his work with Jawbreaker, but his penmanship ascends to a
new level on “Orange Rhyming Dictionary,” the first and best of the JTB
trilogy. Literate gentlefellows such as these seemed destined to dwindle in a
word-deficient 21st Century, but…it’s a monumental accomplishment
nevertheless. “Crown of the Valley” is a propitious start, a vivid and
sun-bleached tale of old money gone belly up; it’s poetic mescaline. “Morning
New Disease” is my personal fave, brilliantly detailing a sort of anachronistic
hangover through a poet’s searching eyes, life passing by ineffably in vivid
frames with music serving as an exigent alarum call. “Starry Configurations”
and “Sea Anemone” are lyrical highpoints, both very cohesive and beautiful
throughout. “I Typed For Miles” is my other favorite. With its building
narrative and irrestible climax, it demarcates the CD’s peak. And “Sweet
Avenue” is a sterling swansong, one of the more moving and authentic ballads I
have heard.
19. Absolution- Muse (2003, Warner Music Group)- Sounding like a geared-up,
superunleaded Radiofloyd, Muse jetpacked onto the scene with this 15-track,
(near) hour-long opus debut, and with it already seemed to seal a legacy of
greatness. “Absolution” began Muse’s ravenous claim to the best sounds the new
electronic wave would produce, and the harvest is bountiful indeed—seriously,
the hits to the central nervous system just don’t stop coming. Every track
seems to contain its own cataclysmic climax, from the cardiac-arrest inducing
“Apocalypse Now” to the dizzying and Orwellian paranoiac “Ruled by Secrecy.”
Other glacial icebergs like “Butterflies and Hurricanes,” “Falling Away With
You,” and “Time is Running Out” encapsulate the prodigious floe. And of course,
don’t forget “Blackout,” a beautifully symphonic track to rank alongside both
Radiohead’s “Exit Music” and Arcade Fire’s “Crown of Love.”
18. Fever to Tell- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
(2003, Interscope)- Their fiercest
album by far, “Fever to Tell” launched Karen O and co. into stardom with good
reason—it messes you up like a rabid catbite, then gently licks your festering
wounds to wellness. In addition to O’s wild, over-the-top caterwaulings, many
kudos must also go to guitarist Nick Zinner, whose playing deftly navigates
some seriously bony terrain and shows a sick amount of discipline. For only
being a trio, the open space is painted full with creative licks and
stop-on-a-dime silences and fiery ignitions. And c’mon, with lyrics like “boy
you just a stupid bitch/ and girl you just a no good dick” (on “Tick”), who can
ever discount Karen O’s cred as an oriental supervillain? Check out the
ridiculously explosive aforementioned for a fornicating ride, or “Y Control”
for more sweetly-tinged malarky. Not to mention, YYY’s best-known numbers
“Maps” and “Date With the Night” both hold up well—and additionally, “Modern
Romance” is just as moving as the highly praised former. With all of its
featherweight heaviness, “Fever To Tell” best channels paroxysms of the pocket
protector’d, but it’s in fact as infectious as a syringe of pox to the
groin.
17. Keep It Like a Secret- Built To
Spill (1999, Warner Bros.
Records)- College radio superheroes long after college radio was cool, BTS
exploded from their chrysalis with this CD, proving deft hands at nuanced song
composition, clever changes, and astounding crescendoes. The peanut brittle of
the guitar work, alternating between high- and low- ends seamlessly, and the
often slow and steady, then thrumming and staccato percussion, blended with
Doug Martsch’s candied vocal whinings, oozes a confection sweet enough to turn even
impressionable ears diabetic. Singer Martsch, also the primary songwriter and
six-string sage, has a penchant for writing layering, evolving riffs that weave
texture and mood into songs, and KILAS contains several of those triumphs.
“Time Trap” is one, and with its wrenching tremolo, juicy slide guitar, and unison
vocals, sets the highwater mark. “The Plan,” opening up the album with great
electricity and enviable songcraft, has become a signature BTS (no, not the boy
band) tune. “Sidewalk” and “Center of the Universe,” while not as dynamic, are
highly arresting and boost the sonic energy to heretofore unprecedented levels.
“You Were Right,” though lyrically dejecting, is another zinger, and
“Temporarily Blind” is another opus a la “Time Trap,” a dynamic study that
grows gradually and blooms magnanimous.
16. The Mysterious Production of
Eggs- Andrew Bird (2005,
Wegawam Music Co)- Sure, he’s a musical prodigy, but that alone
can’t account for the brilliant merging of original sounds and eclectic
pastiche on TMPOE, the golden of the Birdman’s oeuvre. Add to that his
crystalline-yet-slightly- mumbled word wizardry, rife with double entendres,
wry humor, and poetic license to drive; then, mix in deft musicianship,
flutteringly recurring motifs, and deep pathos, and you’ve got yourself the
recipe for a real gem. “Sovay” is a great opener with its slightly off-kilter
¾, lagging vibraphone, and invigorating lyrical subversion. “Banking On A Myth”
is another awesome track with its exigent intro, broken fuzz box
interpolations, and Radiohead- reminiscent vocals. As is “Masterfade,” which
affects like the foray of a computer coder into a wilted wonky Universe…it’s
beautiful. “The Naming of Things” sounds like a missing Pavement song that even
Stephen J. Malkmus would nod approvingly to. And “The Happy Birthday Song”
covers the rousing climax, seemingly conjuring both Sparklehorse and “A Day In
the Life.”
15. Vampire Weekend- Vampire Weekend
(2008, XL)- You were hopefully over
Weezer by 2008, but if you happened to trunk your argyle sweater and bobby socks
with a resurrection in mind, you were suddenly in luck—Vampire Weekend arrived!
Synthesizing many musical elements and samplings with crazy Afro-Caribbean
beats and lyrics oft-referencing the arcane, their debut seemed destined to
convene the cads and jettison the jackanapes. VW helped define a new level of
refinement in rock of the digital age, with a feel a bit like Paul Simon’s
“Graceland” in hyper speed, yet insanely catchy and modern at the same time.
It’s ear candy from start to finish, but “Cap Cod Kwassa,” “Campus,” and “M79,”
comprising the album’s svelte midsection, contain the keys to the castle. The
latter is my favorite and uses VW’s best elements—thin, resonant percussion,
jangling and tremolo six string, staccato transitions, and ivory tower
lyricism—to the effect of a deep inhalation of Yale quad grass blades.
“Walcott” and “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance,” the last two chapters, are also noteworthy—the
former, blaring the speakers to overdrive like a spooky Beach Boys resurrection
crashing a Halloween-themed Phi Kap party.
14. Violent Femmes- Violent Femmes
(1982, Slash Records)- This album is
a true diamond in the rough. Without relying on electronic effects, samples, or
other high jinks, VF cast their spell with a musical tour de force that angrily
whittles away and builds until becoming the maverick classic that it is. Many
are familiar with the classic “Blister in the Sun” and “Add it Up,” but this
CD’s later tracks are even deeper and scrappier, proving VF to be an
unexpectedly folksy and seemingly effete powerhouse. Particularly the dynamic
“Gimme the Car,” the effusive “Promise,” and the all-out blitz of “Gone Daddy
Gone”—also a well-known track—and it’s solo bedroom dance party time. “VF” also
contains some of my favorite bass work of all time, the 4-stringer stealing the
show on several tracks—and it’s being acoustic makes it that much more
distinctive and critical to the songs’ effects. It’s a dark horse for sure, but
this is one enduring classic that outperforms even its own legend.
13. Parachutes- Coldplay
(2000, Parlophone Records)- There’s
not really too much need to try to justify this one (other than to my wife that
is, who doesn’t get the Coldplay thing), as it’s just a beautifully crafted,
moving album, with some of my favorite sing-along tunes (also to the
disagreement of my wife, incidentally). From the flowing harmonics of “Shiver”
to the anthemic chorus of “Everything’s Not Lost,” it’s a quintessential
thoughtful person’s coming-of-age album. “Trouble” is my favorite track, a
resonant confessional with delicate piano, fortifying bass, and of course,
Chris Martin’s top-tier vocals making it sound all the more convincing.
“Sparks” is another great track, another downer that seems perfect for tracing
the grain patterns of the local pub’s hardwoods. And then there’s “We Never
Change,” another existential heart-wrencher that seems wise beyond its years.
It’s a surprisingly sad and introspective album from a band that became stadium
superstars (after all, what do they have to be sad about?), but it’s a true
masterpiece.
12. Funeral- Arcade Fire (2004, Sony Music)- With the most
impressive catalog of perhaps any band of the 2000’s, Montreal’s Arcade Fire
were a shoo-in for my list—the only question was, which album? My choice is
“Funeral,” their ironically named debut and most bold, filler-free, dynamic CD
to date. It’s an excellent dirge for the post-pen era, ushering huddled legions
into the uncharted with unflinching leadership and the eyes and ears of
scoutmasters. It all starts with the dreamy “Tunnels (Neighborhood#1),”
describing a fantasy snow day with enviable pathos and singer Win Butler’s
semi-muffled vocals sounding surprisingly immersed in the landscape.
“Neighborhood#4” is another highlight, taking the listener by storm, providing
just the right kinetic frenzy at the right time. “Crown of Love” is a standout
ballad, pretty and delicate like a silent apocalypse of cars snow-spinning on
the Autobahn of life. And, of course, their well-loved anthem “Wake Up” is a
rousing and poignant sing-along, containing joie de vivre enough to animate and
color even the darkest of palls.
11. Toxicity- System Down (2001,
Sony Music)- My highest rated metal album comes, not surprisingly, from my
favorite metal band. I can’t think of any other band better designed to tap
into my testosterone and incite gleeful, full-bodied convulsions. This is their
most thought-provoking, serious album—and it sounds the best cover to cover.
The key elements are Serj Tankian’s rapid-fire, dynamic,
throttling-yet-sonorous, punishing-yet-whimsical vocals and Daron Malakian’s
warp speed, dexterous, unbelievably thick and heavy guitar riffs. Not to
mention the intelligent, politically charged, vituperative-yet-compassionate
lyrics. “Prison Song,” “Deer Dance,” and “Science” are sonically arresting
while also delving into the sociopolitical; “Bounce,” “Chop Suey!”, and
“Shimmy” contain lighter subject matter but are a whole lot of fun. Needles” is
my favorite track, though the title track is a pretty close second. And “Aerials” is a strong conclusion that
seals the deal— “Toxicity” is a nu-metal classic of the highest order.
10. Lift
Your Skinny Fists Like Antennas to Heaven- Godspeedyou!Blackemperor (2000,
kranky)- Not really sure if I have the words
for this one. At a certain point in the game, post-rock took over my soul and
this band of geniuses is largely to blame. I don’t know if there’s any
comparable act—maybe Mogwai—but the level of uniqueness and ability to elicit
high emotions of this act is sick in its most delicious sense. I sometimes
envision myself in a recording studio while this one was being cut—and it’s as if
a sonic conflagration takes hold, embracing the edifice in an unrelenting bear
hold—and some sort of beautiful hurricane-rendered apocalypse ensues. This is
emotional music at its finest. This was the transformation of rock music into its
molten state. GSYBE are my new daddies.
9. Stranger Than Fiction- Bad Religion
(1994, Atlantic Recording Co.)- The
unexpected merging of Ph.D.-level lyric writing with the three-chord cadence of
punk rock comes to a head on Bad Religion’s seventh album “Stranger Than
Fiction,” their best-produced and most collaborative punk classic. By
“Stranger” they had really polished their sound and honed their writing to the
point that they seemed to transcend punk with their uniquely catchy and (dare I
say) pop-appealing sound, unparalleled vocal delivery, stop-on-a-dime changes
made to look easy, and pretty and melodic harmonizing to contrast bleakly
uncompromising and grimly gray middle fingers to mother earth. Truly, being
excoriated by a disheveled and disillusioned former professor is not supposed
to give you the chills of this magnitude.
“Hooray For Me,” “Slumber,” and “Better off Dead” snapshot BR at the top
of their game; “Incomplete,” “Infected,” and “21st Century Digital
Boy” are worthy of their punk-classic status.
8. Illinoise- Sufjan Stevens
(2005, Asthmatic Kitty Records)-
Possibly the most ambitious, far-reaching melodious musician of modern Indie
rock, Sufjan Stevens really proves the prodigy on Illinoise. It’s 26
songs long, 14 of which have titles comprised of 7 or more words (the longest
title being 53 words long), and song lengths range from 19 seconds to 6 minutes
and 45 seconds…so, it’s a lot to take in, but it’s too beautiful and fun to
not. Clocking in near the six-minute mark, “Come on Feel the Illinoise,”
“Chicago,” “Casimir Pulaski Day,” and “They Are Night Zombies! They Are Neighbors!”
are all wonderful tracks and among my favorites. At about half their duration,
“Decatur, or Round of Applause…,” “Prairie Fire That Wanders About,” and the
strangely incongruent “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” are also great songs. I’m also a
big fan of “The Black Hawk War…”, a glorious instrumental that seems an apt
prelude to the saturation of sweetness to follow. Musically, Illinoise
is hard to categorize, but it’s a bit as if Andrew Bird, Neutral Milk Hotel,
Elliott Smith and Vampire Weekend had a rogue lovechild. At the same time, it
has extreme pop appeal and an amazing, if almost annoying, willowy positivity.
7. Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain-
Pavement (1994, Matador
Records)- No band can channel gangly angst with more Indie cred than
Pavement, and on CRCR they reach their cryptic zenith, allowing the
listener to tap into something less contained and constrained, as if indeed
“thoughts have wings.” Stephen Malkmus always seemed a little too smart for
rock n roll, but the unique set of sounds that come out of the Stockton
foursquares (plus their second drummer) has become sacrosanct to Indie Rock enthusiasts—and
with good reason--and “Crooked” is their King Tut. What other band presses the
“record” button even before they get the troops organized, as they do on
“Silence Kit?” And of which other album can you say the poppiest song (“Cut
Your Hair”) is the least rousing? “Stop Breathin,” “Elevate Me Later,” and
“Newark Wilder” are gems, not to mention “Gold Soundz,” which has become a
signature track and “greatest hits” moniker. CRCR is the quintessential
slacker masterpiece.
6. The Creek Drank the Cradle- Iron
and Wine (2002, Sub Pop
Records)- I initially scoffed off this album for being too quiet, too
twangy, for my taste—fortunately, I gave it another chance. “Creek” is really
the best of its ilk, led by the enviable acoustic playing and serious,
thoughtful (and again enviable) lyrics of the original beardträger
of the 2000’s, Sam Beam. It’s a moving, deep and insightful listen that shoots
straight for the heart and is intently and intensely true to its aim. The
opener “Lion’s Mane” is the keyturn to the castle, opening up the gates with an
instant classic that boldens I&W’s main themes as well as can be imagined.
“Bird Stealing Bread,” “Promising Light,” and “Weary Memory” are top-caliber
tap-alongs in addition to being impressively intricate and aristrocratic
reflections. But “Faded From the Winter” and “Upwards Over the Mountain” are
this CD’s jewel center, achingly beautiful and uncompromised tear-jerkers that
seem to spring from the purest of aquifers.
5. The
Wall- Pink Floyd (1979, Columbia Records)- Very few albums
affected me more as a teenager than this one—and few bands’ impacts were felt throughout
the years as much as Pink Floyd. This is one of those special theme-based or
cinematic albums that feels more like a dreamy journey than just a series of
songs (see also The Who’s Tommy, the Beatles’ Magical Mystery Tour,
or Dream Theater’s Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence). But this one is not
only the most cohesive as an entire work but also the most dynamic, helmed by beautifully
composed songs but laced with ironic humor, well-placed sound effects, and
oft-reprised lyrical themes that help to make it all come full circle. Despite years
of radio play doing its best to suck all the feeling out of it (ironically
enough), “Comfortably Numb” is one of my favorite songs of all-time; “Mother”
is another popular track that deserves to be legendary unlike few; “Another
Brick in the Wall,” sufficiently ambiguous and haunting, is the indispensable
thematic element. And while “Young Lust” and “Hey You,” the other tracks you’ll
hear on the radio, are also a great and catchy songs, lesser-known gems like
“The Thin Ice,” “Goodbye Blue Sky,” and “In the Flesh?” have the same high
level of resonance.
4. In the Aeroplane Over the Sea-
Neutral Milk Hotel (1998,
Merge Records)- And now for something completely different. With a musical
backbone consisting of merely three open acoustic guitar chords, NMH created
the unlikeliest of magnum (or should I say “mangum,” ha-ha) opuses with
“ITAOTS,” one of the most unique and endearing CDs I have ever heard. The
combination of Jeff Mangum’s rich, resounding vocals with the dense, poetic
lyrics that intertwine like kudzu growing on a Rube Goldberg machine is the
brilliant constant. Tack on nodes of trumpet, accordion, and occasional singing
saw and the sonorous hodgepodge is complete. Mangum is a lyrical Brahman swept
up from Arkansas yokeldom, wonderfully touching on themes of holism, love,
death, and other shite, equal parts accord and absurd. Thus, put on your
propeller hats and enjoy the skull severance—start to finish—but revel of
course in “The King of Carrot Flowers, Part 2 and 3,” the title track,
“Communist Daughter,” and the grand finale “Two Headed Boy, Part 2.” As iTunes
puts it, “to hear this album once is to love it forever.”
3. Siamese Dream- Smashing Pumpkins
(1993, Virgin Records)- Smashing
Pumpkins were an acquired taste for me; I first remember hearing a track from
“Gish” and not being able to tell if the whiny, affected voice was male or
female. However, after giving “Siamese Dream” a chance, I fell deeply under its
spell—the warm fuzzy and drawn out distortion, chimerical imagery, intoxicating
violin and mellotron motifs, and yes, assuaging voice of singer/songwriter
Billy Corgan enmeshed me in a rare trance. It’s without a doubt one of the
richest, catchiest, and most enrapturing rock albums I’ve ever heard. “Hummer,”
“Mayonaise,” and “Rocket” have always been favorites, but “Soma,” “Disarm,”
“Luna,” and “Spaceboy” aren’t far behind. It’s a very beautiful accomplishment
that it is uniquely peerless, the realization of an extraordinary alternative
vision.
2. Nevermind- Nirvana (1991, Sub Pop)- This was definitely THE
album of my teenage years, the one that seemed to give a voice to all that
collective angst brewing inside of high school gymnasiums yet managing to be
too cool for school at the same time. Cobain’s voice, that perfect throaty
rasp, seemed iconic and immortal even while he lived. Meanwhile, no drummer
seemed to have more crisp energy than Dave Grohl, and weirdo bassist Kris
Novoselic was the perfect oozing glue to bind these inscrutable punks together.
And the videos, particularly “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” “In Bloom,” and “Come
as You Are,” kicked some serious ass, too. “Nevermind” was the first CD I ever
owned, and the rumbling bass intro to “Lounge Act” was my CD player’s first
true sound quality test. Friends and I used to yell along to “Lithium” while
playing ping-pong, wishing we someday would wield the pipes of heroes among
men. It would all end too soon, but Nirvana was the grunge act for peers to
follow and the torch bearing renegades for future tribes to follow.
1. OK Computer- Radiohead
(1997, Capitol Records)-
Aggravatingly, Thom Yorke to this day insists that “OK Computer” was not born
out of the dehumanizing effects of technology, but instead a near “catatonia”
he experienced from the “non-stop travel” and “claustrophobia” of being on the
road. OK, Mr. Yorke. In any event, Radiohead’s masterpiece was astoundingly
prescient, seeming to foresee the SIM card future of humankind and the fitter,
healthier credo of the daily grind. It’s Pink Floyd-esque paranoia turned real,
but while it may at times make you shudder to think, it also lifts you up into
an interstellar oddity of sorts, reminding you why you like music and what it
all really means. “Paranoid Android” is the quintessential alt-rock epic of the
90’s; “No Surprises” is an existential anthem for the ages; “The Tourist” is
the culmination of the journey’s conclusion, an epiphany to end all others.
I turned my attention back to Dwarf Duck and Suzy, shortly after the squabble subsided. These two unassuming fellows here, perched in front of the boats, appeared to be in a typical duck daze, and I assumed pals of Suzy's. She started walking away from Dwarf Duck towards them, and I thought: Oh, now even Suzy is ditching DD to be with her other friends. However, there was quite a surprise in store for me (and Suzy as well, we would think!). I have heard that the duck mating process is rather feisty, but had never encountered it in vivo before. Female duck netherparts are actually labyrinthine in shape, making it virtually impossible for any appendage to permeate the maze. The exceptional appendage happens to belong to none other than the duck male, and is approximately the shape of a corkscrew. Etymologists may note the possible origin of the term "cork" here, it should be noted. 
And then the hurlyburly behind the fence began. It was funny to me how it was literally behind the picket fence. The ducks appear to be on lookout here, ready to stave off any potential detractors. Dwarf Duck remained on the left side of the fence and was not a witness to the proceedings. This duck-duck-goose convoy appeared to be oblivious to me watching them, also. Nothing was going to stand in the way of this party. 
