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the beatles –
revolver
– decades before vh1’s list, revolver sat atop my list. i think it topped my list before i even had a list. oh, those bygone days, sitting on the couch, gazing into klaus voorman’s image, listening to the tunes that would shape the sounds of future artists that i would later idolize. such as…
martin newell and the newly improved andy partridge –
the greatest living englishman
– alongside revolver, the greatest living pop album. newell is an all too humble pop genius who began his impressive yet highly underrated career in the bands cleaners of venus and the brotherhood of lizards. here he teams with another pop genius, xtc’s andy partridge, to create 12 of the most infectious songs on the planet. More recent Newell compositions await you on...
martin newell -
the spirit cage
- brand spanking new tunes for the newell millenium. you will most definitely listen and listen again, and let nothing else into your cd player for weeks. it's that good. for an even more heaping helping, why not try…
the wayward genius of martin newell
– an incredibly melodic compilation of newell’s works from all stages of his career, from the early days with cleaners of venus to his hard to find off white album. lots of should-have-been classics here, such as my personal favorite “the popular girl,” and then you’ll want to hear…
robyn hitchcock and the egyptians –
fegmania!
– in my opinion, when hitchcock finally gets his career together after the breakup of the soft boys, by reuniting with two of the soft boys themselves. it’s all uphill from here, with classic gems such as “egyptian cream,” “my wife and my dead wife,” “heaven,” “some body,” and his better than the original version of the byrds’ “bells of rhymney.” from there, the only place to turn is to…
tobin sprout –
carnival boy
– in a very “kiss solo album” move, guided by voices writers sprout and robert pollard release solo albums on the very same day. sprout’s collection, the one i was most leery about purchasing, turns out to be one of the catchiest collages of pop in the history of said genre. you’ll be singing along with each of the overlapping harmonies at the close of “the last man well known to kingpin,” a song about…
syd barrett –
the madcap laughs
– twisted melodicism, based on the fact that the songs started with a syd acoustic track, and other instruments were piled on top. syd just couldn’t keep his place, so the timing is off, but when you look beyond all of the flaws, there are some very ingenius moments. definitely the place where lo-fi was born, but it is arguable that it may have started with…
it's hard to believe it: the amazing world of joe meek
-not necessarily worse than anything else recorded at the time, but definitely different, meek originated the practice of lo-fi, recording hit records in his kitchen. most notable of these was “telstar” by the tornados, complete with backwards toilet flushing. tunes of dead lovers inspired my own interpretation of a joe meek song, "i'm in love with a dead girl." yet another forefather of lo-fi could be…
paul mccartney –
mccartney
– most of you will probably disagree, but this has got to be one of the forefathers of the lo fi scene. it was indeed very daring of paul to put this out, not only because of his announcement of his departure from the beatles, but more so because of the lp’s lack of quality. there are half-songs, poorly recorded songs, it just wasn’t done in those days (well, from yesterday’s standards.) this sort of thing continues on volume 2...
paul mccartney –
ram
-sometimes it takes someone hearing something in your work to jog the memory free. this was the case with ram. those were the days in the early seventies, sitting around munchy-wunching on bits of chocolate flavored popcorn, listening to ram over and over and over again. yet another rare case of lo-fi hitting the charts, whereas, these days, it’s not uncommon to find a disc like…
guided by voices –
under the bushes, under the stars
- one hour of supposed studio recordings from the kings of tascam porta-studio technology. by far, the best collection gbv ever released, with the timeless classic “the official ironmen’s rally song,” and the stirring “don’t stop now.” but if it’s quality you want, how about…
guided by voices –
do the collapse
– the cars’ ric ocasek throws the porta-studio out the window to bring you gbv in pure, unadulterated stereo sound. the songs aren’t bad either, starting with the pop anthem “teenage fbi” and keeping their finger on the pulse with “surgical focus.” never thought i’d hear “hold on hope” while grocery shopping, but it happened. someone else i was surprised to find in the dairy case was…
elliott smith –
figure 8
– the man who whispered his way through the oscars whispers again in this collection of well crafted tunes. the acoustic version of “son of sam” that i heard at the supermarket isn’t featured here, sadly, but you won’t miss it. equally good is…
elliott smith –
xo
– smith harkens back to revolver, both figuratively and literally, in “baby britain.” lots of great stuff here, and just when you think it’s coming to a close, it keeps going, at least that’s how it is for me. my drive to work wasn’t as long as the cd, so i naturally assumed that when the ride ended, the disc ended. that was before i had a changer. another one that’s always in the changer is…
beck –
mutations
– an oddly melodic and not in the least bit quirky assortment from an artist who likes to keep people guessing. no funk or rap to be found here, and what a nice surprise. who would have thought that beck could be soothing? try it on, it’s very comfortable, much like…
bob mould
– another artist who changes his tune from time to time. what’s this wrestling venture i’ve heard about? anyhose, this is bob’s best to date, an album he made to please no one but himself. he plays all the instruments himself, using bass as a primary instrument on many of the tracks, and soothes as well as rocks. listen for the balloon solo in “hair stew.” sheer genius! another high point for bob was…
sugar –
copper blue
– the days of “side a” and “side b” are far gone, but this disc delivers the most incredible side a in recorded history. hit after hit after hit emanates from your speakers. i’m making myself anxious to hear it again just talking about it. never has there been such a package of hits since…
the jam –
all mod cons
- it wasn’t just the rickenbacker on the back of the cover that lured me to this release, the music is just as alluring, if not more so. every song could have been a hit, but unfortunately most of the world wasn’t listening. thank heaven we still can. unlike…
the hitmen – torn together
– whenever a turntable is near, this is the disc i reach for. perhaps one day an oldies label will put out a re-release, like oglio, who miraculously saved…
20/20 - look out!
– two of my absolute favorites from the new wave era. i kept in constant contact with their fan club president, who turned out to be the bassist’s girlfriend, cheri, who was the inspiration for track 2. it was almost like being there. whenever i listen, it’s almost like being in that era, just like when i listen to…
squeeze – argybargy
– this was the sound of hanging out with members of my first actual band. road trips to buy skinny ties were scored with tracks like “another nail for my heart” and “pulling mussels.” indeed, a classic, much like…
the cure –
the head on the door
– the skinny ties long forgotten, the era of shoegazing begins. this disc is where robert smith gets a grip on his writing, and for one brief, shining moment, the music is in perfect focus. soon after, the songs became band compositions and the droning seven minute songs ensue. to escape the drone, there is only one place to go…
the smiths –
strangeways here we come
– just as the smiths perfect their craft, they break up. this is their swan song, a collection of snappy, peppy, poppy stuff. strangeways, here i come again and again and again, and then i go to…
robyn hitchcock and the egyptians – perspex island
– just lay me down in a bed of 12 string. that’s exactly what this is. to quote hitchcock himself, “it’s the musical equivalent of a sofa. it’s unable to cause you any pain whatsoever.” once you’re finished lounging here, try…
colin newman – commercial suicide
– despite the harsh title, this is a bed of orchestration. lots of strings and horns, beautifully arranged like pillows laid out for meditation. “their terrain,” “feigned hearing,” and “but i” are among my favorite tunes of all time. this is where repetition is honed to perfection, from one of the godfathers of “dugga,” wire. for more therapeutic repetition, check out…
swervedriver –
99th dream
– the equivalent of soft ice cream, swirling to a curled peak. tasty and comfy at any volume, preferably the loudest you can achieve. tons of great riffs to lose yourself in, and even greater melodies mixed in. fits very nicely alongside…
radiohead –
the bends
– i can always count on radiohead to give me a song to wallow in when i prove myself to be a royal ass. “fake plastic trees” was my theme song during my summer of woe. it’s great when a sad song can make you feel good, and the rest of the songs here will make you feel incredible. when you feel like you want to melt, well…
straitjacket fits – melt
– as soon as autumn begins to put a chill in the air and turn the trees to red and gold, this disc enters the changer. i feel compelled to go to allentown, with the harmonies and thick guitars of “bad note for a heart” and “down in splendor” rustling through the pocono leaves. after that’s finished playing, on comes…
the dukes of stratosphear –
chips from the chocolate fireball
– xtc’s salute to the bands of 1967 is full of great experiments in sound, and yet, the result is pure pop. they dip their sweet sounds in rich, chocolaty coatings of beatles, beach boys, syd barrett era pink floyd, and more for an extremely tasty treat. another artificially flavored snack from the artificial ‘60’s is…
the rutles –
archaeology
– neil innes jumps onto the “anthology” wagon with unreleased tracks from his beatles parody, and what’s amazing is, these tracks are 100 times better than the songs used in the film. beatles parody aside, this is a true work of art, much like…
xtc –
skylarking
– despite the changing season theme, “sacrificial bonfire” just makes the entire album seem to fit into the thanksgiving season. the band was a tad displeased with todd rundgren’s treatment of the material, but i seem to enjoy his production efforts. another fine example of todd at the helm is…
cheap trick –
next position please
– considered a low point in the tricksters’ career, i believe this to be one of their best. never have the hamer guitars sounded so rich, thanks to todd rundgren’s agile use of the mixing board. there are some real gems here as well, from the opening “i can’t take it,” to the rollicking title track, to the rundgren-penned “heaven’s falling.” yet another rundgren production triumph is…
the psychedelic furs –
forever now
– scads of tuneful pop ditties, as the furs reformulate for maximum pop sensibility. flo and eddie (2 of the turtles) are on hand for vocal support, and richard butler’s love for the cello is fleshed out with help from ann sheldon. for more cello fun, you may want to sample…
magnetic fields –
69 love songs
– a plethora of instrumentation, from ukelele to cello to banjo to you name it. and what’s more, you would think that there would have to be some throwaways in a collection of this size, but there aren’t! 69 incredibly catchy tunes that will make even the most unwilling ear take notice. something else that can’t be ignored is…
smashmouth –
astro lounge
– sure, everyone on the planet has sung its praises, but i must as well for its undeniable songwriting prowess. they set out to make every song radio ready, and they damn well did it. unfortunately, radio is no longer worthy of the song that smashmouth penned in its honor, letting teenagers steal the spotlight from more worthwhile artists like…
fountains of wayne
– the man who brought you the song behind that thing you do does it for real, but doesn’t receive the attention he deserves. it just goes to show how big a part promotion plays in what songs top the charts. every song here has all the makings of a hit, and the same can be said for…
fountains of wayne –
utopia parkway
– my hopes were fulfilled with this release, after the christmas teaser “i want an alien for christmas.” it’s a completely successful sophomore effort. this stands right up there with…
elvis costello –
blood and chocolate
– costello’s most enjoyable effort. this is one that i can’t help but sing along to while driving. elvis is rejoined by the attractions after a stint with t-bone burnett and some of the first elvis’ collaborators. the little hands of concrete never sounded so good. for more interesting fingering, look no further than…
the soft boys – underwater moonlight
– robyn hitchcock and the boys finally get it together on this 1980 release. classics abound, but not soon enough, as the boys called it quits shortly afterward. hitchcock tried to re-record some of the songs on later solo works, but the magic was here. another magical experience can be found in…
xtc-
mummer
– strap on your acoustics, gentlemen, we’re going in! the highlight of my trip to chicago in ’89 was to hear songs from this album performed live and “unplugged” (a phrase that has long since vanished) on their oranges and lemons radio tour. i wish i could manipulate my fingers fast enough to play “love on a farmboy’s wages.” some songs i do know how to play, and love to, can be found on…
xtc –
drums and wires
– this is where it all began for me. after an appearance on don kirschner’s rock concert (my years are really beginning to show now), a mad search ensued and was miraculously successful. loads of quirky, jazzy guitar licks envelop this true pop masterpiece. and now to the other end of my xtc experience, with…
xtc –
wasp star (apple venus vol. II)
– the latest and the greatest from the band, now consisting of only andy partridge and colin moulding. i hear they used the “pod” guitar processor to achieve sounds like the ultra-cool tone in the opening notes of “playground.” andy’s daughter provides backup vocal support as well. a true family experience. one song not featured here, but worthy of note, is the track for the avengers soundtrack that andy co-wrote for…
the verve pipe
– i cannot believe that this cd fell flat and received no recognition whatsoever. sure, it’s very laid back much of the time, but there isn’t a bad song on it. it’s definitely another “can’t help but sing along” collection, and i often do. one that you can hum along to, mainly because you can’t understand the words, is…
my bloody valentine –
loveless
– the first time i listened to this, i thought there was something drastically wrong with the disc. once you’re familiar with where the sound bends, it becomes a pool of sound to lose yourself in. trance music for the grunge guitar world, with loops aplenty. another band linked cohesively with valentine is…
lush –
gala
– three ep’s thrown together into an all too pleasing assortment of sounds. miki berenyi’s sweet vocal is the feminine equivalent of elliott smith. lush’s later works just don’t compare to this collection. 2 tracks are repeated with different production, but you love the songs so much it doesn’t matter. lush is linked even more so with…
ride –
nowhere
– raw yet tantalizing, this was ride’s best. they later honed their sound to something a little more solid, but it went in a sort of ‘70’s psychedelic direction. they should have kept their eyes on their shoes, if you ask me, and here, they’re focused on the toes. someone with their eyes to the stars is…
owsley
– clearly a work of a pop mastermind. almost a guilty pleasure because it’s so poppy, but he’s no bobby sherman. another sing along disc, in the same vein as the verve pipe. yet another pop mastermind exists in…
game theory – lolita nation
– scott miller, who later went on to form the loud family, puts out a double-length disc of pop gems surrounded by studio experiments and outtakes. great listening, you could say it’s the “deluxe edition.” masterfully produced by mitch easter, of rem production fame and…
let’s active – big plans for everybody
– mitch dissolves the weeping willow-headed threesome and continues on his own with his finest work. i regret not picking up one of the many copies untouched on cd at the local retailer at the time, because now it is out of print. but, i cling longingly to the cassette. it still lurks in a few specialty shops, as my brother found out. if you’d care to sing along with mitch, but don’t know any let’s active, there’s always…
mitch miller and the gang –
christmas sing along with mitch
– there’s nothing more christmassy than the voices of 25 guys, singing about watching mommy kiss santa claus and cuddling up to the fire with one girl. this had a direct impact on the creation of the song “sleigh ride with 25 guys,” which can be found hidden on scrawl.
