An interesting list

[ericcoleman]

From the Guardian



1. Nick Drake – Bryter Later - 1970
2. Tom Waits – Rain Dogs - 1985
3. The Band – The Band - 1969
4. Gene Clarke – No Other – 1974
5. Nick Drake – Five Leaves Left – 1969
6. The Beatles – A Hard Days Night – 1964
7. Curtis Mayfield – Curtis – 1970
8. Todd Rundgren – A Wizard And A Star – 1973
9. George Harrison – All Things Must Pass – 1970
10. Todd Rundgren – Something/Anything – 1972
11. Pink Floyd – Piper At The Gates Of Dawn – 1967
12. Bid Star – Radio City – 1974
13. The Flying Burrito Brothers – The Guilded Palace Of Sin – 1969
14. Earth Wind & Fire – I Am – 1979
15. Jeff Buckley – Grace - 1994
16. My Bloody Valentine – Isn’t Anything – 1988
17. Scott Walker – Scott 4 – 1969
18. Buffalo Springfield – Again – 1967
19. Laura Nyro – New York Tendaberry – 1969
20. Sly And The Family Stone – Fresh – 1973
21. The Beach Boys – Holland
22. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Searching For The Young Soul Rebels – 1980
23. Joni Mitchell – Court And Spark – 1974
24. The Boo Radleys – Giant Steps – 1993
25. Steely Dan – Countdown To Ecstasy – 1973
26. Dusty Springfield – Dusty In Memphis – 1969
27. John Cale – Music For A New Society – 1982
28. Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure – 1973
29. Funkadelic – Maggot Brain - 1971
30. Blue Nile – Hats – 1989
31. Public Enemy – Fear Of A Black Planet – 1990
32. Leonard Cohen – I’m Your Man - 1988
33. Talking Heads – Fear Of Music – 1979
34. Chic – Risqué – 1979
35. Rod Stewart – Every Picture Tells A Story – 1971
36. Joni Mitchell – The Hissing Of Summer Lawns – 1975
37. John Coltrane – A Love Supreme – 1965
38. Iggy & The Stooges – Raw Power – 1973
39. Lou Reed – Berlin – 1973
40. Tim Hardin – Tim Hardin 2 – 1967
41. The Stooges – Fun House – 1970
42. Suicide – Suicide – 1980
43. David Bowie – Young Americans – 1975
44. Neil Young – Tonight’s The Night – 1975
45. Run Dmc – Raising Hell – 1986
46. Aretha Franklin – Young Gifted And Black – 1972
47. Robert Wyatt – Rock Bottom – 1974
48. Captain Beefheart – Clear Spot – 1972
49. The Band – Music From Big Pink – 1968
50. Tom Waits – The Heart Of Saturday Night – 1974
51. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Don’t Stand Me Down – 1985
52. The Jayhawks – Hollywood Town Hall – 1992
53. Public Image Ltd – Metal Box – 1979
54. Husker Du – Warehouse: Songs & Stories – 1987
55. Grateful Dead – Live Dead – 1970
56. Moby Grape – Moby Grape – 1967
57. Pavement – Slanted And Enchanted – 1992
58. Miles Davis – Sketches Of Spain – 1960
59. The Beach Boys – Today – 1965
60. Laura Nyro – Eli And The Thirteenth Confession – 1968
61. The Slits – Cut – 1979
62. Dexy’s Midnight Runners – Too-Rye-Aye – 1982
63. Al Green – The Belle Album – 1977
64. Roxy Music – Stranded – 1973
65. The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground – 1969
66. Little Feat – Dixie Chicken – 1973
67. Pere Ubu – The Modern Dance – 1977
68. Aphex Twin – Selected Ambient Works 85- 92 – 1992
69. Kraftwerk – Radioactivity – 1975
70. The Velvet Underground – Loaded – 1970
71. Neil Young – On The Beach – 1974
72. The Everly Brothers – Roots – 1968
73. Blondie – Eat To The Beat - 1979
74. PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love –1995
75. Todd Rundgren – Todd – 1974
75. Jane Siberry – When I Was A Boy – 1993
76. Big Star – Sister Lovers – 1979
77. The Zombies – Odessey (Sic) And The Oracle – 1968
78. Ar Kane – Sixty Nine – 1988
79. Isaac Hayes – Hot Buttered Soul – 1969
80. Nick Drake – Pink Moon – 1972
81. The Mothers Of Invention – We’re Only In It For The Money – 1968
82. The Beach Boys – Sunflower – 1970
83. Neil Young – Arc/Weld – 1991
84. Husker Du – Zen Arcade – 1984
85. The Rolling Stones – Get Yer Ya Ya’s Out – 1970
86. Crowded House – Temple Of Love – 1988
87. Tim Buckley – Starsailor – 1970
88. The Doors – Strange Days – 1967
89. Van Morrison – Tupelo Honey – 1971
89. Miles Davis – Bitches Brew – 1969
90. The Lilac Time – Paradise Circus – 1989
91. Al Green – Al Green Is Love – 1975
92. REM – Lifes Rich Pageant – 1986
93. Beach Boys – Summer Days (And Summer Nights) – 1965
94. Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain – 1994
95. The Millennium – Begin – 1968
96. Prefab Sprout – Steve McQeen – 1985
97. TLC – Crazy Sexy Cool – 1995
98. Tribe Called Quest – Midnight Marauders – 1993
99. Iggy Pop – The Idiot – 1977
100. Dr John – Gris Gris – 1968

And for a comparison, the best of list
1. Marvin Gaye - What's Going On
2. The Beatles - Revolver
3. The Sex Pistols - Never Mind The Bollocks
4. Nirvana - Nevermind
5. The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses
6. The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
7. David Bowie - The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust
8. The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground & Nico
9. The Beatles - The White Album
10. Van Morrison - Astral Weeks
11. Bob Dylan - Highway 61 Revisited
12. Massive Attack - Blue Lines
13. David Bowie - Hunky Dory
14. Miles Davis - Kind of Blue
15. Radiohead - The Bends
16. Primal Scream - Screamadelica
17. The Clash - London Calling
18. Oasis (What's the Story) - Morning Glory
19. The Beatles - Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
20. Public Enemy - It Takes A Nation Of Millions To Hold Us Back
21. Oasis - Definitely Maybe
22. The Beatles - Abbey Road
23. Lou Reed - Transformer
24. Bob Dylan - Blonde On Blonde
25. The Rolling - Stones Exile On Main Street
26. REM - Automatic For The People
27. The Rolling Stones - Let It Bleed
28. The Smiths - The Queen Is Dead
29. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Electric Ladyland
30. The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced?
31. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Natty Dread
32. Patti Smith - Horses
33. Television - Marquee Moon
34. The Clash - The Clash
35. Joni Mitchell - Blue
36. Portishead - Dummy
37. Pink Floyd - The Dark Side Of The Moon
38. Stevie Wonder - Songs In The Key of Life
39. Bob Dylan - Blood On The Tracks
40. The Verve - A Northern Soul
41. John Lennon - John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
42. Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures
43. Talking Heads - Remain In Light
44. Bruce Springsteen - Born To Run
45. John Coltrane - A Love Supreme
46. Aretha Franklin - Queen of Soul
47. Neil Young - After the Gold Rush
48. Alanis Morisette - Jagged little pill
49. Captain Beefheart and the Magic Band - Trout Mask Replica
50. Public Enemy - Fear Of A Black Planet
51. The Jam - All Mod Cons
52. The Bee Gees - Saturday Night Fever Soundtrack
53. Stevie Wonder - Innervisions
54. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Legend
55. Garbage - Garbage
56. Michael Jackson - Off The Wall
57. U2 - The Joshua Tree
58. The Who - Who's Next?
59. The Beastie Boys - Licence To III
60. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin II
61. Prefab Sprout - Steve McQueen
62. David Bowie - Low
63. Tricky - Maxinquaye
64. Ian Dury and the Blockheads - New Boots And Panties
65. The Ramones - The Ramones
66. The Beach Boys - Sunflower.
67. The Happy Mondays - Pills 'n' Thrills And Bellyaches
68. Underworld - Second Toughest In The Infants
69. Paul Simon - Graceland
70. The Byrds - Younger Than Yesterday
71. U2 - Achtung Baby
72. Burning Spear - Marcus Garvey
73. The Smiths - The Smiths
74. James Brown - Live At The Apollo
75. Pulp - Different Class
76. The Doors - The Doors
77. David Bowie - Heroes
78. Fleetwood Mac - Rumours
79. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Live!
80. Bob Marley and the Wailers - Exodus
81. The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet
82. Goldie - Timeless
83. The Pixies - Doolittle
84. The Beatles - 1962-66
85. The Cocteau - Twins Treasure
86. Prince - Sign 'O' The Times
87. The Specials - The Specials
88. ABC - Lexicon Of Love
89. Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin IV
90. Iggy and the Stooges - Raw Power
91. The Velvet Underground - Loaded
92. Adam and the Ants - Kings Of The Wild Frontier
93. Dexy's Midnight Runners - Searching For.The Young Soul Rebels
94. Frank Sinatra - Songs For Swinging Lovers
95. Joy Division - Closer
96. The Pretenders - The Pretenders
97. REM - Out Of Time
98. Stereo MC's - Connected
99. John Lennon - Imagine
100. Augustus Pablo

Albums in my collection
Albums that I want in my collection
Albums I would never want in my collection


Edit I need to go through and see which albums made both lists.

Comments

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

If you're not familiar with Rundgren's Something/Anything LP, grab a copy. It's brilliant, and probably the best thing he's done in his long, weird career. :)

[ericcoleman]

I am familiar with it, which is why I don't own it. It almost made the latter of the three categories. I can't stand Rundgren.

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

Blasphemy!

[ericcoleman]

Yeah, you're right. Recommending Rundgren to someone is blasphemy.

Re: And then there's that little-known fourth category

[ericcoleman]

I do own Sandinista ... there is one really really good record in there just screaming to get out. It's worth owning for The Call Up and One More time if nothing else.

And if the Vatican doesn't like Black Sabbath, then they haven't listened to the lyrics.

Rundgren

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

Eric, your opinions re Todd Rundgren simply made my jaw drop. I can see thinking that some of his stuff is a little lame, or that there is no "there" there, but I'm trying to imagine just despising all of his stuff, and to me, this makes no sense whatever, especially from a musician I respect (which you are). I'm trying to figure out how one can possibly not note, or note but then disregard, the amazing level of musicianship in "Hello, It's Me," or "Cold Morning Light," or "I Saw the Light." To me, this is absolutely perplexing. (My own favorite song of his is titled, I *think*, "One More Day/No Word," and it is on *Something/ Anything.* I used to play this at fan jam sessions -- maybe I should start doing so again. Note that I omit the chorus at a couple of spots where he pointedly puts it in.) I do believe, however, that it is right and proper for no two people to have identical tastes in music, any more than we have the same fingerprints, so I guess I just need to note this as another example of this very real phenomenon.

Nate

[barondave.livejournal.com]

I have two of the CDs on the first list. I may have a vinyl album or two, but I haven't looked at them in ages. You know me: Care to guess which two? Hint: I used to have the Siberry, but gave it to someone who appreciated it a lot more.

I think I have six of the second list.

In fairness to me, I have a lot of songs from albums on both lists in various Greatest Hits collections.

Re: Rundgren

[ericcoleman]

First off, I hate the Rundgren "sound". I think he has ruined many albums by other artists with that sound. Did Patty Smith or The Tom Robinson Band really need those stacked backing vocals? It worked pretty well for Meat Loaf or The Tubes, but for others, no way.

Technically his stuff is sensational, but I've always found him bland and unconvincing. One of the most important things for me is believing the musician, and he has always struck me as kind of a fraud. A brilliant fraud perhaps, but still a fraud.

[bammba-m.livejournal.com]

Kraftwerk!! I totally used to listen to them in my rebellious post-teen years!

Awesome.

And i just finished re-reading Good Omens which has the most wonderful exchange:

"What's a Velvet Underground?"
"You wouldn't like it."
"Oh. Beebop."
"If you were to ask probably 100 people to describe modern music, none of them would use that term?"
(or to that effect, i don't have the book here at my desk)
The notion of Velvet Underground being beebop gives me the giggles.

Re: And then there's that little-known fourth category

[ericcoleman]

If I want dub, I'll pull out my Lee Perry collection ... hmmm, I need some of that on my IPod now that I think about it.

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

AWWWWWWW..."Hello, It's Me" and "I Saw the Light (in your eyes)" are linked to pivotal sexual experiences in my college years...

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Fair enough. Most of Rundgren's work slides off of me, but I've always had a soft spot for S/A.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

My imagination reels. It practically jigs.

[ericcoleman]

Well, I certainly hope it got better for you

Re: Rundgren

[markiv1111.livejournal.com]

I'm not that familiar with Rundgren's production of other musicians and don't consider it that relevant. But I have found certain songs of his to be "completely, totally and absolutely not fraudulent." There are half a dozen where if you follow the progression lyrically, it becomes more and more obvious that this was a guy who had at least one serious unrequited love and had no way to deal with it except to write powerful song after powerful song. (Note that "unrequited love" is one of my big issues too, though it has been some years since I was last in one; it's in a lot of my songs.) I think these are more authentic than, even, a lot of the Beatles' stuff. I love the Beatles, but McCartney made it quite clear in one book that he could write a song without being in the situation the song described (although George Harrison insisted on writing from life). Probably the best song in Rundgren's series is "Hope I'm Around" on the album *Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren* (which, oddly, is the only album that I bought from a cutout rack to show up later on CD). The problem may be that Rundgren is a somewhat mechanical singer even when he is not a mechanical writer.

Nate

[shsilver.livejournal.com]

What, no Kinks?!?!?! Outrage.

And Rubber Soul should be on one or 'tother.

[jcw-da-dmg.livejournal.com]

A LOT of things weren't that should have been.

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

am I too old to bluch and giggle....nope.

*giggle* *blush*

[barbarakitten-t.livejournal.com]

uh, yes....

i found filk music. ; )

[archiver-tim.livejournal.com]

Considering I probably have at least 100 albums that never sold more than 5,000 copies that I enjoy as much as some that I have that sold 5 million copies, I find my likes can vary widely. I would have a hard time coming up with my own list that I think others should own or listen to.