25 albums

I have wanted to write about Music for a while. Here is a list of 25 artists and Albums I love. All of the albums I still own and have bought multiple copies to replace them. I could of went for a top 50 albums but it is hard to Rate or put any one artist over each other. I still would put Stevie Wonder as he has had a huge impact on me.  Music was my obsession even as a Child growing up in the conditions I was exposed I would find myself in my room listening to these albums over and over. Music is my one escape from any of my troubles it can be uplifting to my mood.

Stevie Wonder Album;  Music of My Mind

This was Stevie’s first fully hands on Album where he plays most of the instruments and produced it. This was released the same year as “Talking Book” Showing that he was Untouchable in just the genius form. It was a beginning of 6 years of amazing albums that followed. Songs that would be consider B sides actually hold up on their own. Stevie Was 21 writing these amazing songs like “Superwoman; Girl Blue, Happier than the morning sun, and Seems So long.”

Our lady Peace Album; Clumsy

This Band has a special place as I saw them in 1995 the beginning of the Alternative end of the Grunge era. Rock from up in the nice lands of Canada a perfect set up. The sound of this band drew attention as it had a total Package of great Rock. This Album was the most successful Full of passion tracks like: “4am, Car Crash, Clumsy.” The songs had passionate lyrics with Raine’s voice making you be a part of the pain he was expressing.  

Smashing Pumpkins Album: Siamese Dream

This album I have replaced 8 times now due to over play. Billy was one of the first artists ever to put child abuse in the mainstream. The album is in is my top ten of all time. The use of electric guitars and Dynamics just is amazing sound from this album. Billy has two songs from this album that make most top 50 guitar solo’s of all time.“Soma, Today, and Mayonnaise” are timeless tracks.  I could go on and On about this album and the warm and fuzzes I feel for it but if you heard it then you already know.      

Lisa Loeb Album; Tails

My Dreamweaver she expresses herself in a heartbreaking Fashion on this album.  It took Lisa 7 years to get this album produced as no one would give her a Chance Till “Stay” was put on the reality Bites soundtrack. It was the event that allowed tails to be produced. I never get tired of her voice she is powerful and captivating to me. The idea of a woman and a acoustic guitar there was never any Auto tune on her albums as she sings from her heart. The only track I do not like is “Taffy” as just do not like the style. “Hurricane, Snow Day, and Do you sleep” is just amazing. I will always listen to her also in my Top Ten for me.

Hum Album; You’d Prefer an Astronaut

This is a Band of college friends out of Champagne Illinois. The band was caught up in the early 90s sound and were fans of all mainstream bands most of all Smashing Pumpkins. This Album was there only radio play for a Song called “Stars” and that is all it took for me to buy it. The band was so set on being perfect that there was always a argument about how the sound of each song produced. The Style of singing Mono-toned fit in the sound of the songs. The vocals are bright and Warm while the music had some obvious distorted minor tones to it. They were the first band to be titled Space Rock as a Genre.  Songs of interest “The Pod, I hate it too, Why I like Robins.”  

Zero 7 Album; When It Falls

IF you have not heard this it is a no Brainer to buy blind. The best world of Acid Jazz and Trip hop with 4 amazing vocalists “Sia, Mozez, Tina Dico, and Sophie Barker.” They bring diversity and life to this album in a feeding Frenzy of creativity and just Solid performances. This album and the tour that followed allowed them to get a bigger audience in the states as they are a UK band. This is one of the bands where I watch youtube videos and ask WHY DID I MISS this live.  This band has been making a huge dent in mainstream UK radio the past ten years and have seen some success on the state side “ in the Waiting Line was featured in Garden State.” Sia became Popular after being in this band for close 7 years.  

Stone Temple Pilots Album; Purple

This Follow up to the first album “CORE” I loved the direction this album went. It was not a repeat of the first Album. When you listen to this you can see how growth in their skills to write had jumped to the next level of Rock. The Songs I like on this album “Lounge Fly, Vaseline, Interstate Love Song and Kitchen Ware and Candy Bars.” Looking at the first two albums of this band and how popular they were. It is tragic that drugs took them out of play when Scott Wieland went off the deep end. They have had many comebacks and recently released another album but it will never match up to this album.

Esthero; Album; Breath From Another

This Album was from a 17 year old and a really up and coming producer that formed an amazing Trip Hop album. I found this when I watched Much Music and the Video for “Heaven Sent” came on. Her voice just melted me and the complexity of the sound was a major attraction to me. I bought this album and was just blown away on every Track. It is a perfect of Jazz and Trip hop she has a voice that could be retro fitted to Standards. Due to ever changing record Labels A lot of her videos get harder to find but I am looking forward to the third album. Tracks like “SuperHeros, Anywaz, That Girl, Loving and Heaven Sent” are always in my playlists.

The Swell Season Album; Strict Joy

This album is a product of Glenn Hasnard and Marqueta Iglovia most famously known for the Movie “Once” This album was recorded prior to the movie release as they were in the mind set of Writing together. You can tell the romance they had for themselves and the music they wrote in such a short period of time. Strict Joy is as titled an album with amazing music of all different Styles and utilizing their amazing Harmonies. It is rare to find a Duo so connected to what they are doing. This album is like a Bottle of great Wine subtle, Sweet and Passionate. Songs I love on this “The Rain, Verb, Fantasy man, “ all of the tracks are great and when you listen to “Once” it is a Huge Library of great work is such a short time.

    Pearl Jam Album; Ten

    Whip out the Flannel Shirts is Grunge time This is one of my favorite bands of all time from my Teens. They bottled up every one of just angry and opinionated music. The original Video for “Jeremy” was taken off the air for being too expressive of the issue bullying in school. Ten is one of the top grossing albums for a debut and there is not a weak track on it at all. Eddie singing style is not everyone’s cup of tea but I have always love it. It has been 20 years now and I still listen to this album like it is new. Songs I love “Oceans, Jeremy, Black. Alive, and Release Me”

Soundgarden; Album Super unknown

    This Album is a staple and in top ten land as it just express a lot of what I was feeling when it was release. Chris Cornell voice and just awesome Grunge made this band explode out of Seattle and into the mainstream. I used to listen to “Black Hole Sun” over and over before football games giving me access to what I felt that I was wishing for something to take me away. The songs on this album all have attachments to me. My favorite tracks “Fell on Black Days, 4^th of July, the day I tried to Live. Black Hole Sun.”

   Alice in Chains Album; Jar Of Flies

This Band is and always will be amazing it is Blues meets Grunge and colored with amazing Harmony from Jerry and Layne. This Album was done in 7 days as they left for a tour and forgot to pay the rent. When they got back to town the landlord had evicted them so they moved into the studio and provided this album. It is exactly what they were about.  The amazing Songs from this short work like “Nutshell” it is expression of pain that I relate to. This album is timeless to me and the videos for this album won awards and really pushed them to the top of the mainstream.

 Ben Folds Five Album; Whatever and Ever Amen

  It amazes me this album is almost 20 years old it took a crafty song about Abortion to get them into mainstream play with the Song “Brick.” I was blown away when I bought this album as all the lyrics were humor filled but the music was just so good. The Band was jamming and trying to fit in a world of rock using a Piano in the center of the sound. Ben is one of the greatest live acts I have ever seen. I have been to 9 Ben folds concerts each time I want to see more. All of that is due to this album and how awesome it is. Songs that I can’t get enough of are “Smoke, Fair. Battle of who could care less, Selfless Cold and Composed” All four albums and then the solo career of Ben have been amazing he is someone everyone with a Pulse can get into.  

 Beatles Album; Abbey Road

By far the best full album they had done and the last. The reason I love this album is that you can hear the adversity and it is more filled with individual performances. “Something” has been one of my all time favorites. The album is so diverse with the styles that are on it. “Mean Mr Mustard to Because” are songs that really have no relation to one another. The Beatles are all time favorite that no matter what time era it is. They will be Loved forever for the fantastic Songbook and legacy.

Tori Amos Album; From the Choirgirl Hotel

Tori, is another virtuoso Pianists who has continued to amaze me. This Album is the most expressive of all her albums with some amazing composition and intense Lyrics. The Contrast of “Spark” with “Pandora’s Aquarium” just gives me chills when I listen to them. Tori has a way giving life to her songs by expressing real life events in the writing. She also has a way with timing of songs as well and when performing reacting to the environment she is in live.

Aimee Man Album; I’m with Stupid

Is one of the most underrated solo artists of our time? Aimee Career stated with the new Wave group called “Til Tuesday” with the Hit “Voices Carry” When she left the group she started writing the tracks for this album. Which had to be released twice due to issues with record labels? This album was release and did not have success until the Movie “Magnolia” She was friends with Paul Thomas Anderson. He had Aimee right the score for the movie and Featured he songs in the movie with the cast singing “Save Me”. The success that the movie got and exposure allowed this album to come back from the dead. It is packed with great songs like “Choice in the Matter: You could make a Killing, Amateur, and That’s just what you are”. With so much trouble for record Labels and the industry and being the black sheep for years Aimee formed “Independent music collective United Artists.’ Which is a independent group that keeps all rights to their music and the masters so that they make the profits of the art they produce.

 Tool Album; 10000 Days

This Album opened my eyes to the absolute skill that Tool Has. I was skeptical of this band and heard the hits on the radio but I never just listened to all of the music to see the real art of it. This album is cover to cover a real masterpiece of Metal in the highest art form possible for the genre. The band is an cohesive and reactive group that contribute equally to the writing. The fact that the tracks are over 10 minutes in most of the album shows that they are not playing to the crowd. They are playing for themselves and the following they have is all they need. “Wings for Marie” is a song about Maynard’s fight with Cancer it is one of the best songs I have ever heard live. The Drummer Danny Carey is in the upper echelon of drummers in the world. If you get a chance to see this band best rock shows of our time.

Metallica: Album; Master of Puppets

As this is the Last album that Cliff Burton played and helped write. I feel his influence and educating the other members of the band had an effect that launched them into legends. Cliff Used theory in the writing and they wrote this album you can hear a development of sound from the previous albums. The Songs of “Welcome Home, Orion, Master of Puppets” pave the way for the new direction of the band in the following two albums. I only listen to this album anymore as Metallica is a band from my youth that I do not follow anymore. The Band has went thru changes and different direction from myself in the current time.

Andrew Bird Album: Noble Beast

I thank my best friend for just making me listen to this brilliant Artist. Andrew is a virtuoso Violinist that is a wizard with Looping and creating music. He plays xylophone; guitar, Violin, whistles and claps all in layers. As a live act it is true art form he has great support from the band he plays with. “Anonanimal” is really such a special creation of music to me. He emulates his violin while singing. With ever adapting arrangements of his songs and styles he is really the revival of “Jeff Buckley’s Spirit.“ I have seen him live he uses a unique sound system with the speakers he has. This album is a must own for music nerds out there.

Bjork Album; Vespertine

The peak of her career this album is so organic and amazing. Her arrangements of instruments and a choir give so much life to the music. I consider Bjork the queen of electronica as she uses computers and specially made music boxes to accommodate her. Bjork is very expressive in all of her music the total package as she is Unique. From a composition side it at a level that most artists will ever achieve. This album is amazing “Unison” is my favorite.

   Duncan Sheik Album; White Limousine

This is Duncan’s 6^th solo album and really was a catalyst to another form of writing. Duncan has always said that he never intended to be in the mainstream Pop but from his Debut he was forced into it. This album is his personnel style fully development. He is also preaching at the modern day America and how material it has gotten with the Title Track.  I own all of his music and the growth and change in writing style has grown. Songs that stick out “Hymm, Land”

  Archive Album; Lights

  This is a great Band which happens to have a great Friend of mine as one of the vocalists. Pollard Berrier a college friend has made a dent in writing with this UK band. This albums is great with tracks “Veins; System, Fold and Lights my favorite track.” I am awaiting there tour in the states they have been touring Europe for years. They put on a great mix of Trip hop and electronic music.

Jeff Buckley Album: Grace

This is a no brainer this album is amazing. Captivating original, Brilliant, Passionate, Tragic are all words to use when thinking about Jeff Buckley. He lives eternally in all that has heard this album. His voice is so Unique just his control of the falsetto and use of dynamics. I do not like just one song I love the whole album.

Queen Album; News of the World

This is a great full album of Queen’s I have always been a fan. Growing up I had this album and all thru sports when have you not heard “we will Rock you, We are the champions.” The album had great songs like “All Dead All dead and Spread your wings.” I really love most of the Queen’s Library of music.  So it is hard to pick just one Album.

Radiohead Album; Bends

The band that has change rock they have been leading the pack for years. Such a diverse group of songs that, they have created over the years. This Album is my favorite of all have replaced the album 3 times now from over play. Tracks like “Nice Dream” and “Bulletproof” are just classic and timeless songs. Radiohead’s Video of “Just” is one of best videos out there .

This post is long and I worked on it most of the day as it is hard to limit a list for 25 bands. This list is limited as really I could go on for a while about other albums and artists that I love.