Album: Editrix Goes To Hell Artist: Editrix Release Date: June 3, 2022 Label: Exploding in Sound Favorite Tracks:
Editrix Goes To Hell
Queering Ska
Cowboy
Gut Project
Time Can’t Be Redeemed
Thoughts:
The punk pop trio from Western Massachusetts returns with a follow-up to their 2021 debut album Tell Me I’m Bad. Darkness and sweetness merge over swirling guitars with singsong lyrics. They’re swiftly becoming one of the most creative contemporary bands out there.
Having listened to every album on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I’m making my own list. This list will be only 250 albums, although I had to make some tough cuts. The list includes a mix of works of musical genius with the pure nostalgia of some albums I’ve loved throughout my life. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about these albums and what your favorite albums are. I will continue the countdown every other Wednesday throughout 2022.
Artist: Various Artists Title: O Brother Where Art Thou? Year: 2000 Favorite Tracks:
“Down to the River to Pray” – Alison Krauss
“I Am a Man of Constant Sorrow” – The Soggy Bottom Boys
“Hard Time Killing Floor Blues” – Chris Thomas King
“I’ll Fly Away” – Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch
“Didn’t Leave Nobody but the Baby” – Emmylou Harris, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch
“O Death” – Ralph Stanley
“Lonesome Valley” – The Fairfield Four
“Angel Band” – The Stanley Brothers
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Right after I saw the movie in 2000
Thoughts: Pretty much every genre of American popular music saw it’s origins in the South. O Brother Where Thou?, the Cohen Brothers pastiche to the mythology of the South, appropriately features a soundtrack of bluegrass, country, gospel, blues, and Southern folk music tunes mainly performed by modern day artists. The soundtrack became a phenomenon in its own right with tours and live concert recordings and big boosts to the careers of all involved (and some who sounded like them).
Bonus Sounds: A few years before O Brother, Where Art Thou?, Smithsonian Folkways issued the compilations Crossroads: Southern Routes, an excellent primer in the variety of music from the South.
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Artist: Various Artists Title: Wattstax: Highlights from the Soundtrack Year: 2004 Favorite Tracks:
“Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get” by The Dramatics
“Oh La De Da” by The Staples Singers
“Lift Every Voice and Sing” by Kim Weston
“Respect Yourself” by The Staples Singers
“Walking the Back Streets and Crying” by Little Milton
“Pick Up the Pieces” by Carla Thomas
“If Loving You Is Wrong, I Don’t Want to Be Right” by Luther Ingram
“Theme from Shaft” by Isaac Hayes
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2007, after watching the movie
Thoughts:
The soundtrack to the movie made of the music festival held at Los Angeles Coliseum in 1972 as a benefit for the African-American Watts community seven years after riots devastated that neighborhood. The recording features performances by some of the great soul, gospel, R&B, blues, funk, and jazz artists of the time. The concert was organized by Stax Records, hence the name Wattstax (which is a play on Woodstock, of course).
Bonus Sounds: So, something I embarrassingly didn’t know is that soundtrack recording called Wattstax: The Living Word was released in 1973. It features a lot of performances that don’t appear in the movie while omitting some songs that appear in the movie. Up to now I’d only been familiar with the 2004 release which more strictly corresponds to the movie. Anyhow, they’re both great and complement one another.
Thoughts: This is a personal album for me in many ways. Tír na nÓg was a pub in Somerville’s Union Square. The Vinal Avenue String Band was a group I saw perform their multiple times (on Monday nights!) in my early years living in Somerville. The trio was made up of Boston folk luminaries Sean Staples, Kris Delmhorst, and Ry Cavanaugh. The owners of Tír na nÓg eventually decided to foolishly sacrifice the bar on the opposition to state restrictions on smoking. The Vinal Avenue String Band is no more. But this fantastic recording of a band in a bar remains!
Bonus Sounds: Ry Cavanaugh made another great album with his wife Jennifer Kimball in their band Maybe Baby who released an eponymous album in 2003.
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Artist: Milla Title: The Divine Comedy Year: 1994 Favorite Tracks:
Gentleman Who Fell
It’s Your Life
Bang Your Head
Don’t Fade Away
You Did It All Before
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 90s, I think?
Thoughts: The stereotype has it that an album of songs that a model/actress wrote as a teenager would be self-indulgent and bad. But Milla Jovovich created a fantastic collection of folk rock/pop tunes with deeply introspective lyrics.
Bonus Sounds: Jovovich has contributed music to film soundtracks but not released another album focusing mostly on acting.
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Artist: The Be Good Tanyas Title: Blue Horse Year: 2000 Favorite Tracks:
The Littlest Birds
Rain and Snow
Lake of Pontchartrain
Only In The Past
Up Against the Wall
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2001, not long after its release in the U.S.
Thoughts: The Canadian trio plays traditional folk/bluegrass instruments and creates beautiful harmonies on folk standards and originals.
Bonus Sounds: The band’s follow-up album, Chinatown (2003), is also quite good.
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Artist:A Tribe Called Quest Title: The Low End Theory Year:1991 Favorite Tracks:
Verses from the Abstract
Show Business
Vibes and Stuff
Check the Rime
Jazz (We Got)
Scenario
The First Time I Heard This Album …: azz was the first widespread African American popular music but by the end of the 20th century it had been elevated to art music. A Tribe Called Quest used hip hop, the newest African American popular music, to revive jazz. I remember this album being big when I was in my first year at college and I’m kicking myself for not getting my own copy, but albums were expensive, and I made some poor choices regarding which ones to acquire or not., last year…
Thoughts: Jazz was the first widespread African American popular music but by the end of the 20th century it had been elevated to art music. A Tribe Called Quest used hip hop, the newest African American popular music, to revive jazz. I remember this album being big when I was in my first year at college and I’m kicking myself for not getting my own copy, but albums were expensive, and I made some poor choices regarding which ones to acquire or not.
Artist: Led Zeppelin Title: Physical Graffiti Year: 1975 Favorite Tracks:
In My Time of Dying
Houses of the Holy
Kashmir
Bron-Yr-Aur
Down by the Seaside
Boogie with Stu
Black Country Woman
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 80s/high school
Thoughts: Led Zeppelin’s double album – 8 newly created songs with some unreleased tracks leftover from earlier albums – is a box of chocolates full of treats. The album includes a lot more of the band’s acoustic and British folk sound in addition to (and entwined with) their bluesy hard rock.
Artist: Bob Marley and the Wailers Title:Live Year:1975 Favorite Tracks:
Trenchtown Rock
Them Belly Full (But We Hungry)
No Woman, No Cry
Get Up, Stand Up
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 80s/high school
Thoughts: The live concert recording from London in 1975 is a compendium of Bob Marley and the Wailers early hits. The imperfections, such as the audience singing along a bit off-key or the feedback in “No Woman, No Cry,” have always made this album more endearing to me. After watching the documentary Uprising, I became even more aware of the importance of reggae to the West Indian community in London in the 70s and 80s.
Bonus Sounds: The reggae compilation Rhythm Come Forward was my introduction to the genre as a child. It included some early songs from when The Wailers were a ska band including this great rendition of “One Love.”
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Artist: Eddie From Ohio Title:Portable EFO Show Year: 1998 Favorite Tracks:
One
Very Short Fuse
Payday in the Village
The Three Fine Daughters of Farmer Brown
This My Town
Very Fine Funeral
The Bridge
Oh My Brother
The Train Song
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Picked it up at a concert on the day the album was released.
Thoughts: Despite the name, Eddie from Ohio were a folk/indie pop quartet known for their funny and insightful original songs. They’re one of those bands whose energetic concert performances and rapport with the audience never translated as well to their studio performances. So this album collects a lot of their best songs the way they were meant to be heard.
Bonus Sounds: I was a huge EFO fan from about 1997-2003, attending a couple of dozen live performances in that time. I had all their albums and consider A Juggler on His Blades (1992), Actually Not (1993), Big Noise (1997), and Looking Out the Fishbowl (1999) to be their best.
Thoughts: This album is one of the first gifts of the millennial generation to popular music. The psychedelic/New Wave/synthpop sounds of the Connecticut duo’s debut album bowled me over when I first heard it and drew me out of a period when I wasn’t listening to much new music.
Bonus Sounds: I reviewed MGMT’s most recent album Little Dark Age back in 2018. It’s okay.
Having listened to every album on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I’m making my own list. This list will be only 250 albums, although I had to make some tough cuts. The list includes a mix of works of musical genius with the pure nostalgia of some albums I’ve loved throughout my life. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about these albums and what your favorite albums are. I will continue the countdown every other Wednesday throughout 2022.
Artist:Jimmy Cliff and Various Artists Title: The Harder They Come (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) Year: 1972 Favorite Tracks:
“You Can Get It If You Really Want” by Jimmy Cliff
“Rivers of Babylon” by The Melodians
“Many Rivers to Cross” by Jimmy Cliff
“The Harder They Come” by Jimmy Cliff
“007 (Shanty Town)” by Desmond Dekker
“Pressure Drop” by Toots and the Maytals
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 80s/Early 90s?
Thoughts: I’ve never watched the film The Harder They Come, although I hope to address that soon. The soundtrack album, though, is a classic time capsule of Jamaican music of the early 1970s. It introduced US listeners to ska, reggae, and rocksteady at a time when recordings of Jamaican music were hard to come by in the States.
Bonus Sounds: My family had the Jimmy Cliff album The Power and the Glory when I was growing up. It is VERY 1980s but it does include the classic “We All Are One.”
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Artist: Cracker Title: Kerosene Hat Year:1993 Favorite Tracks:
Low
Movie Star
Get Off This
Take Me Down to the Infirmary
Sweet Potato
I Want Everything
Euro-Trash Girl
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Mid 90s
Thoughts: Cracker created alternative rock with an Americana twang and had some minor hits in the early 90s. They seemed particularly popular when I was at college at William & Mary, possibly because the band was based in nearby Richmond. This is their best album with the best every hidden track in “Euro-Trash Girl.”
Bonus Sounds: Cracker lead singer David Lowery previously was in the cleverly-named Camper Van Beethoven whose signature song is “Take the Skinheads Bowling.”
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Artist: Black 47 Title: Live in New York City Year: 1999 Favorite Tracks:
Funky Ceili
The Reels
James Connolly
40 Shades of Blue
Maria’s Wedding
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Picked it up after seeing Black 47 play live after a Mets game on Irish Night at Shea Stadium in 1999.
Thoughts: Black 47 are a band that never impressed me on their studio albums but seeing them live changed my mind. They were like the ultimate party band with a great rapport with their audience, who also would use their performances to celebrate Irish socialism. This album captures the vibe.
Bonus Sounds: Black 47 band leader Larry Kirwan also wrote an entertaining autobiography entitled Green Suede Shoes.
Sylk 130 -“When the Funk Hits the Fan (Mood II Swing When the Dub Hits the Fan)
DJ Dozia – “Pop Kulture”
Merio’s Dubwork Meets Kathy Lee – “K-Mart Shopping”
Blaze – “Lovelee Dae (Eight Miles High Mix)”
Sound Associates – “Boom Box”
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 1999
Thoughts: My Electronica Phase (which coincided with my Folk Music Era) saw me going to dance clubs from around 1998 to 2004 to hear some of the best DJs spin trance, house, and drum & bass. Philadelphia DJ Josh Wink was one of them and this mix collection is kind of the epitome of what was great about the scene at that time.
Thoughts: This is the soundtrack to one of my all-time sentimental favorite movies and a time capsule of the mid-90s club music scene. Makes me want to dance on the tables at the library.
Bonus Sounds: Another great 1990s soundtrack with a techno beat is from the German film Run, Lola, Run.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: My teenage Classic Rock period of the late 1980s
Thoughts: Blind Faith recorded only one album with just six songs, but it was a great one. The supergroup was made up of Ginger Baker and Eric Clapton of Cream, Steve Winwood of Traffic, and Ric Grech of Family. Winwood and Clapton went on to long, successful solo careers, but I think some of their best work is on this album. In fact, it’s even possible that they complement one another in a way that brings out their best attributes.
Bonus Sounds: Obviously, there’s nothing else to share from Blind Faith, but Winwood and Clapton, as well as Rolling Stones’ members Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman, served as the backing band for Chicago Blues legend Howlin’ Wolf on The London Howlin’ Wolf Sessions.
Thoughts: Yes, I know it’s cooler to like Exile in Guyville, but this was my introduction to Liz Phair. I acquired Whip-Smart from one of those mail order CD clubs without even knowing what Phair’s music sounded like. Turned out, it sounded like something I liked a lot, and still do.
Thoughts: On Memorial Day weekend in 2000, I went to Montreal with two friends (one of whom I ended up marrying). A highlight of the weekend was going to a club called Blizzarts which was basically a storefront that looked like it was decorated like someone’s basement rec room, but had a totally unpretentious vibe as people danced to drum & bass. The music was spun by D.J. Maüs (a.k.a.Louise Gauvreau ), a rare woman behind the turntables in a male-dominated field and a true artist of her craft. I ordered this album as an import after returning home.
Bonus Sounds: DJ Maus has a Soundcloud account. This is the most recent track available.
Thoughts: Dave Carter was a singer/songwriter in the visionary American roots mode, Tracy Grammer is a fiddler who became Carter’s musical and romantic partner. The duo from Portland, Oregon released three albums before Carter’s unexpected death in 2002. This was the first of their albums that Carter gave to me personally when I worked the merch table at one of their Club Passim shows.
Bonus Sounds: There’s more Dave & Tracy to come in this list, but until then enjoy their rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key” by way of Billy Bragg & Wilco.
Thoughts: Erin McKeown stole the show at the new artists showcase at the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in July 2000, and I immediately got her album at the merch tent. This was 90s folk music with an alt-rock edge.
Bonus Sounds: There’s a version of “Fast As You Can” on McKeown’s debut album Monday Morning Cold that I like even better than the one on Distillation.
Having listened to every album on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I’m making my own list. This list will be only 250 albums, although I had to make some tough cuts. The list includes a mix of works of musical genius with the pure nostalgia of some albums I’ve loved throughout my life. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about these albums and what your favorite albums are. I will continue the countdown every other Wednesday throughout 2022.
Thoughts: The New Pornographers are kind of a collective of musicians who come together from their various individual projects. I feel the mid-to-late Oughts were kind of their peak period as a band embracing a more musically adventurous approach than their earlier collaborations. And, oh, those harmonies are such a delight!
Bonus Sounds: There will be more Pornographers coming up in this list, but you can also read my reviews of their two most recent albums, Whiteout Conditions (2017) and In the Morse Code of Brake Lights(2019).
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Artist: Ex Hex Title: Rips Year: 2014 Favorite Tracks:
Don’t Wanna Lose
Hot and Cold
Everywhere
Outro
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2014
Thoughts: This Washington, D.C. punk rock power trio lead by Mary Timony (of Helium and Wild Flag fame) made a statement with their hard-rocking debut album.
Bonus Sounds: The band’s sophomore effort, It’s Real, is also pretty good.
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Artist: James Brown Title: Live at the Apollo Year: 1963 Favorite Tracks:
I’ll Go Crazy
Try Me
Think
Lost Someone
The First Time I Heard This Album …: High school, late 80s/early 90s
Thoughts: If you’re familiar with James Brown from his pop hits like “I Feel Good” or with the funk sound he developed in the 1970s, you, like me, may be taken aback by the more simple R&B sound of this early live performance. Brown already had the reputation of “the hardest working man in show business” (he said so himself!) when he made this appearance at Harlem’s famed Apollo Theatre. The biggest flaw with the album is that it’s too short, but the powerful performances pack a wallop!
Bonus Sounds: Another significant James Brown concert, for entirely different reasons, occurred on April 5, 1968 at Boston Garden and is documented in the film The Night James Brown Saved Boston.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2021 was the first time all the way through although most of the songs were familiar
Thoughts: Blondie managed to be an innovative New Wave/post-punk band, indie rock before there was indie rock, while also having a ton of radio hits. This album is full of bangers from their peak era of commercial and critical success.
Bonus Sounds: Blondie’s 1977 debut album is also highly recommended.
Thoughts: The album begins with one of the most intense guitar solos in rock history courtesy of Eddie Hazel and follows with gospel and blues influenced psychedelic funk. The socially conscious lyrics and sing-a-long tunes make this one of P-Funk’s greatest accomplishments.
Artist: Dua Lipa Title: Future Nostalgia Year: 2020 Favorite Tracks:
Don’t Look Now
Levitating
Break My Heart
Good in Bed
Boys Will Be Boys
The First Time I Heard This Album …: May 2020
Thoughts: This is one of the albums I listened to during the peak COVID isolation time when I was looking for new music to listen to, so despite being music suited for dance clubs it reminds me of staying at home. I liked it just fine at first but it’s really grown on me on repeated listens over the past couple of years. Plus the more I learn about Dua Lipa the more I’m impressed by this talented artist.
Bonus Sounds: Did you know that among all her other work, Dua Lipa also hosts a podcast? I haven’t listened to it but I mean to check it out.
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Artist:Al Green Title: Call Me Year: 1973 Favorite Tracks:
Call Me (Come Back Home)
I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry
Here I Am (Come and Take Me)
You Ought To Be With Me
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2021, Rolling Stone 500 project
Thoughts: Al Green had one of the great soul voices of all time and this album captures him at his peak.
Artist: Neko Case Title: Fox Confessor Brings the Flood Year: 2006 Favorite Tracks:
Margaret vs. Pauline
Hold On, Hold On
That Teenage Feeling
Dirty Knife
Maybe Sparrow
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2006 or thereabouts
Thoughts: Neko Case is a member of The New Pornographers and the one whose solo career I’ve also been following avidly. This album features some of her best work with her powerful voice and indie rock/folk rock tunes.
Bonus Sounds: I saw Neko Case in concert once. It was a great performance. Case has also just released a career-spanning compilation album, Wild Creatures, which is a good jumping off point for new listeners.
Thoughts: The debut album from the Cambridge, MA electropop act features Michael Angelakos’ impossibly high falsetto over fractious electronic sounds. It was a sound that blew me away when I first heard it and still impresses me now.
Bonus Sounds: Passion Pit has released consistently good music in ensuing years with “Lifted Up (1985)” being among my all-time favorite songs.
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Artist:Miles Davis Title: Kind of Blue Year: 1959 Favorite Tracks:
So What
Freddie Freeloader
All Blues
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Early 1990s
Thoughts: Kind of perfect.
Bonus Sounds: Miles Davis’ other most legendary album is, of course, the psychedelic jazz fusion of Bitches Brew.
Album: Wet Leg Artist: Wet Leg Release Date: April 8, 2022 Label: Domino Recording Co Ltd Favorite Tracks:
Being in Love
Chaise Longue
Wet Leg
Ur Mum
Supermarket
Too Late Now
Thoughts: Wet Leg feels more like a compilation than a debut album since the British indie rock duo of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers have been releasing a string of infectious singles since spring of 2021. The lyrics are brazen, sometimes bratty, and the hooks are infectious.
Thoughts: The new compilation from Daptone Records is a collection of slower tunes released by the label’s many artists. If you’re not familiar, Daptone Records is a Brooklyn-based label founded in 2002 most noted for enabling the late career resurgence of Sharon Jones and Charles Bradley (both of whom are now deceased) and recording numerous other contemporary artists making classic soul and funk as well as reggae and afrobeat. The album is full of gems and really hits the spot for me right now.
Having listened to every album on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I’m making my own list. This list will be only 250 albums, although I had to make some tough cuts. The list includes a mix of works of musical genius with the pure nostalgia of some albums I’ve loved throughout my life. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about these albums and what your favorite albums are. I will continue the countdown every other Wednesday throughout 2022.
Thoughts: “White Winter Hymnal” left me dumbfounded the first time I heard it and it’s still just a sonically amazing song. The debut album of Seattle’s indie folk band Fleet Foxes indie folk is full of such treasures.
Bonus Sounds: Fleet Foxes have released three albums since their debut, and while none resonate with me quite as much, they are all excellent: Helplessness Blues (2011 – the title track is another of my all-time favorites), Crack-Up (2017), and Shore (2020).
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Artist: Crooked Still Title: Shaken by a Low Sound Year: 2006 Favorite Tracks:
Can’t You Hear Me Callin’
Come On In My Kitchen
Ain’t No Grave
Wind and Rain
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2006
Thoughts: Crooked Still were a Boston-area band of recent music school graduates who took a modern approach to traditional folk and bluegrass. I’m pretty sure I saw their debut show at Club Passim in Cambridge. This album highlights the gorgeous vocals of Aoife O’Donovan and the resonant cell of Rushad Eggleston.
Bonus Sounds: Crooked Still haven’t been active for over a decade but Aoife O’Donovan continues a successful solo career including this year’s release Age of Apathy.
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Artist: Tilly & The Wall Title: Bottoms of Barrels Year: 2006 Favorite Tracks:
Rainbows in the Dark
Bad Education
Lost Girls
Sing Songs Along
The Freest Man
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2006
Thoughts: Around 2006 I started listening to podcasts from NPR Music which kickstarted another phase of my listening history of indie rock/pop bands that apparently appeal to NPR audiences. Tilly and the Wall were a band from Omaha whose high-energy performances exuded positivity and whose tunes were built on the percussive sounds of tap dancing.
Artist: Kris Delmhorst Title: Five Stories Year: 2001 Favorite Tracks:
Damn Love Song
Broken White Line
Words Fail You
Yellow Brick Road
Garden Rose
Mean Old Wind
Honeyed Out
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2001
Thoughts: Kris Delmhorst is one of my favorite singer/songwriters who arose from the Boston-area folk scene in the late 90s/early 00s. Five Stories came out during the peak period where I was seeing her perform in local venues on a regular basis.
Bonus Sounds: There will be more from Kris Delmhorst coming up on this list, both solo and with others, but I have also reviewed her most recent releases Long Day in the Milky Way and The Wild.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: During my high school Classic Rock Phase in the late 1980s.
Thoughts: The third and final studio album from the Jimi Hendrix Experience shows an artist diversifying his musical range and displaying the maturity of an already massive talent. The sounds of this album blend psychedelic and hard rock with blues and funk.
Bonus Sounds: All three of the Jimi Hendrix Experience studio albums are stone-cold classics, so definitely check out Are You Experienced and Axis: Bold as Love as well.
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Artist: Kate Bush Title: The Sensual World Year: 1989 Favorite Tracks:
The Sensual World
Love and Anger
Deeper Understanding
Rocket’s Tail
This Woman’s Work
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 2016, although I’d heard bits and pieces of it going back to the 80s
Thoughts: Over a decade into her career, Bush made maybe her most accessible album. That being said it thematically deals with issues relating to computer sex and a musical interpretation of Molly Bloom’s soliloquy from Ulysses, so it’s still pretty esoteric! “Love and Anger” remains one of my favorite Kate Bush songs, and “This Woman’s Work” always makes me weep a bit.
Bonus Sounds: There is more Kate Bush to come in this countdown, but in the meantime you can read my Kate Bush Music Discovery blog post.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: I heard “Hell” on the radio in 1997 and cracked up laughing while also being struck by how unusual it was for the time.
Thoughts: North Carolina’s Squirrel Nut Zippers were one of the main acts of the late 1990s swing arrival, but unlike other bands who just recreated older sounds, they used the swing sound to make quirky songs that fit the alt-rock mood of the era. Some songs feature the ethereal voice of Katharine Whalen while the the tracks with male vocal leads tend to have tongue-in-cheek lyrics.
Bonus Sounds: The Zippers follow-up studio album, Perennial Favorites (1998), includes the absolutely brilliant “Ghost of Stephen Foster.”
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Artist: The Mekons Title: OOOH! (Out of Our Heads) Year:2002 Favorite Tracks:
Thee Olde Trip to Jerusalem
Take His Name in Vain
Only You And Your Ghost Will Know
Bob Hope & Charity
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Probably around 2004-2005 when I borrowed it from the library
Thoughts: The Mekons were already in their 4th decade when they created this album, but seemed to have lost none of the creativity or edginess. They veer easily from post-punk to folk rock to “what the hell is this” over the course of the album.
Bonus Sounds: I need to dive deeper into The Mekons catalog, but they remain an active unit after 45 years having commented on Brexit and still releasing new albums.
Thoughts: Boston’s legendary post-punk band Mission of Burma broke up in 1983 due to guitarist Roger Miller’s tinnitus. They made their triumphant return in 2004 with their second studio album ONoffON. Listening to this album alongside their earlier work makes it seem as if no time passed, and it was perfectly time for the post-punk/new wave revival of the 2000s.
Bonus Sounds: There will be another entry for Mission of Burma in this list, but their later releases – The Obliterati (2006), The Sound the Speed the Light (2009), and Unsound (2012) – are all worth a listen.
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Artist: Björk Title: Post Year:1995 Favorite Tracks:
Army of Me
Hyperballad
It’s Oh So Quiet
Isobel
Possibly Maybe
I Miss You
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Probably around 1997-1998 when I went on a big Björk kick.
Thoughts: Björk’s sophomore album as a solo artist shows an amazing amount of growth as an artist and willingness to experiment with electronic dance sounds. This album is full of bangers including some of Björk’s most famous and timeless songs.
Bonus Sounds: There will be more Björk in this countdown, but do not overlook her earlier work with the Sugarcubes, such as the classic “Birthday,” and tracks from her first solo work Debut, like “Big Time Sensuality.”
Album: Timbuktu Artist: Oumou Sangaré Release Date: April 29, 2022 Label: World Circuit Limited Favorite Tracks:
Wassulu Don
Kanou
Kêlê Magni
Dily Oumou
Thoughts:
Oumou Sangaré is a veteran vocalist from Mali who sings traditional songs of the Wassoulou region. The music reflects the joy, sadness, and tenderness of strife-torn West Africa with an emphasis on the struggles of women. Like many recent recordings, Timbuktu was created during and inspired by living in isolation during the COVID pandemic. In Sangaré’s case she was trapped in Baltimore while touring the United States and unable to return home. Sangaré’s voice and lyrics are supplemented by music played on traditional instruments of Sangaré’s and a chorus of female voices.
Album: Where’s the One? Artist: Congotronics International Release Date: April 29, 2022 Label: Crammed Discs Favorite Tracks:
Where’s the One
Kule Kule Redux
Doubt/Hope
Banza Banza
Guiyome
Thoughts: The debut album from Congotronics International is an epic set of 23-tracks. The supergroup is made up of members of Konono No.1, Kasai Allstars, Deerhoof, Juana Molina, Wildbirds & Peacedrums, and Skeletons’ Matthew Mehlan for a total of 19 musicians from 4 continents. The musical style is a fusion of traditional music of Congo with various rock styles. The result is a music that is infectious, and not surprisingly a dense and loud conflagration of instruments and voices.
Having listened to every album on the Rolling Stone list of 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, I’m making my own list. This list will be only 250 albums, although I had to make some tough cuts. The list includes a mix of works of musical genius with the pure nostalgia of some albums I’ve loved throughout my life. As always, I’d love to hear your thoughts about these albums and what your favorite albums are. I will continue the countdown every other Wednesday throughout 2022.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: In September 1997, I saw Rent performed at the National Theater in Washington. One of those friends gave me a copy of the cast recording and I listened to it over for the next year or so.
Thoughts: Jonathan Larson updated La bohème as a story of people with AIDS, the LGBTQ community, and artists and academics struggling to survive in Manhattan’s East Village. That community is long gone, but the issues that they deal with are startlingly relevant. While generational notions can be overdone, this really feels like the defining musical for those of us who came of age “living in America at the end of the millenium.”
Bonus Sounds: Last year’s tick, tick… BOOM!is a sort-of (auto)biography of Rent creator Jonathan Larson set as a musical.
The First Time I Heard This Album …: 1996, around when it was released
Thoughts: Afro Celt Sound System are an ensemble of musicians who mix traditional Celtic and African music with electronic music. In other words, everything I like all together. I came upon this album serendipitously and until researching the band for this post, I didn’t realize that they still existed and released several other albums. I guess I have some catching up to do.
Bonus Sounds:
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Artist: Various Title: The Indestructible Beat of Soweto Year: 1985 Favorite Tracks:
“Awungilobolele” (Can You Pay Lobola for Me) – Udokotela Shange Namajaha
“Holotelani” (Daughter-In-Law) – Nelcy Sedibe
“Qhwahilahle” (Leave Him Alone) – Moses Mchunu
“Sini Lindile” (We Are Waiting for You) – Nganezlyamfisa No Khambalomvaleliso
“Nansi Imali” (Here Is the Money) – Ladysmith Black Mambazo
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Checked it out the library in the late 80s when inspired by Paul Simon and Johnny Clegg to listen to more music from South Africa.
Thoughts: A great compilation of different styles of South African music released at a time when the boundaries of popular music in the US were expanding beyond North America and the U.K. The guitar styles remain an amazing revelation.
Bonus Sounds:
167
Artist: The Roches Title: The Roches Year: 1979 Favorite Tracks:
We
Hammond Song
Mr. Sellack
The Train
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Early 2000s.
Thoughts: The first album by the sisters Roche (Maggie, Terre, and Suzzy) as a trio sounds really like nothing else from 1979 (or before or after for that matter). The quirky lyrics about everyday matters, the sublime harmonies, and Robert Fripp’s guitar combine to make a masterpiece.
Bonus Sounds: I listened to other albums by The Roches, but none compared to this debut. The Avalanches (who will appear later in this list) are known for their deft deployment of samples and the segment of “Hammond Song” that appears in “We Will Always Love You” (featuring Blood Orange) is divine.
166
Artist: Hüsker Dü Title: New Day Rising Year: 1985 Favorite Tracks:
New Day Rising
The Girl Who Lives on Heaven Hill
Celebrated Summer
Books About UFOs
I Don’t Know What You’re Talking About
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Last year, as part of the Rolling Stone 500, to my eternal shame.
Thoughts: Something was in the water in the Twin Cities in the mid-80s when Hüsker Dü and The Replacements, not to mention Prince and all his associated acts, were churning out some of the most enduring albums of all time. New Day Risinganticipates the hard-crunching guitar sound that’s nonetheless melodic of the Alternative Rock revolution by about 5 years.
Bonus Sounds: I wasn’t aware of Hüsker Dü in the 1980s (except the name) but I did come to really like Bob Mould’s next band Sugar in the 1990s thanks to Alt-Rock radio staples like “If I Can’t Change Your Mind.”
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Artist: X Title: Under the Big Black Sun Year: 1982 Favorite Tracks:
The Hungry Wolf
Riding With Mary
Blue Spark
Dancing With Tears in My Eyes
Real Child of Hell
How I (Learned My Lesson)
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Early 2000s.
Thoughts: Like the Lakers, we move from Minneapolis to Los Angeles, but in punk instead of basketball. The punk rock sound of X seems to be a natural progression from earlier L.A. bands like The Doors as well as incorporating rockabilly and folk rock elements. The interplay of John Doe and Exene Cervenka’s voices creates an ominous mood for the lyrics.
Bonus Sounds: X is so Los Angeles, they named one of their early albums Los Angeles.
Thoughts: This is one of those albums that has so many great tracks on it that it is surprising it is not a greatest hits compilation. This is the peak of the Bob Marley/Peter Tosh/Bunny Wailer era of the band.
Bonus Sounds: I have another Bob Marley and the Wailers album coming up, but you really can’t go wrong with any of the band’s studio albums. Assuming you already have the Legend collection, you can branch out with Burnin’, Exodus, and Uprising to hear the evolving sound of reggae.
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Artist: Led Zeppelin Title: Led Zeppelin II Year: 1969 Favorite Tracks:
Whole Lotta Love
Heartbreaker
Ramble On
Moby Dick
Bring It On Home
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 80s.
Thoughts: Led Zeppelin’s sophomore outing is the peak of their early Blues-infused hard rock sound. Try not to play air guitar while listening to this album.
Bonus Sounds: For this list, I pared down the Led Zeppelin contributions to just two (with one more album to come). Other Led Zeppelin albums I considered were Led Zeppelin, , and Houses of the Holy.
Thoughts: There was a lot of buzz for Vampire Weekend leading up to their debut album. I think this was the first album by a new band that I purchased basically when it was released and was the most recent album on my 2009 Favorite Albums list. Vampire Weekend have released several albums since then, overturned their lineup, and I think have basically broken up now, but their first album still remains my favorite with its high energy indie pop interpolated with Afrobeat sounds.
Artist: Simon & Garfunkel Title: Bridge Over Troubled Water Year: 1970 Favorite Tracks:
Bridge Over Troubled Water
Cecilia
The Boxer
The Only Living Boy In New York
The First Time I Heard This Album …: Late 80s
Thoughts: The final album from the duo of Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel is musically and lyrically diverse, and shows how far they had come from the earnest folkies of 6 years earlier. If only every group could go out on such a high note.
Bonus Sounds: It was hard to narrow down the Simon & Garfunkel discography to just one album for this list as all five of their albums are worth a listen. Bridge Over Troubled Wateris their most polished album and their earlier, stripped-down work is a great contrast in sounds. Bookends from 1968, though, is more experimental and probably deserves to be on this list too. It includes some tracks from the soundtrack of The Graduate, although lyrically they have little to do with that film.
Panorama of the Mountains 