jzb – Page 17 – Zonker.net

August 26, 2016

“Vs.” by Pearl Jam (No. 46)

Pearl Jam‘s Vs. hits all the sweet spots for me as a fan of the band. All the band’s metaphorical engines are firing at full, and there’s not a wasted track on the album. You certainly can’t credit MTV for this album’s success – the band decided not to create videos for the album, and didn’t release singles either.

Vs. represents a band that got super-successful all at once and freaked out a little bit. Long-term I think this resulted in some self-sabotage (e.g. some unlistenable tracks on Vitology and shying away from “Better Man” which is one of the band’s best), but Vs. actually turned out quite well. Continue reading ““Vs.” by Pearl Jam (No. 46)”

August 25, 2016

“Wings Over America” by Paul McCartney & Wings (No. 47)

Wings live album Wings Over America is another one of those albums that I pretty much wore out the cassette tape. Thank goodness for CDs and being able to play something hundreds of times without wearing out the media!

As a rule, I’m not a big consumer of live albums, but I’ll make a big exception for Wings Over America. I don’t recall what year I first picked this one up, but I was somewhere in my mid-teens and still massively obsessed with The Beatles and their solo careers. Paul McCartney and John Lennon in particular. Continue reading ““Wings Over America” by Paul McCartney & Wings (No. 47)”

August 24, 2016

“Little Earthquakes” by Tori Amos (No. 48)

Little Earthquakes by Tori Amos album cover

What’s not to love about Tori Amos‘ debut album, Little Earthquakes? Amos’ command of the piano, her lovely and haunting voice, and the incredibly well-written songs make for an incredibly compelling package.

If you’ve never listened to Amos before, you realize with “Crucify” that you’re not in for a standard pop record. Her voice, her piano playing, the dynamics of the song… everything comes together like nothing else you’ve heard before. Or if you have, you need to tell me what I’ve been missing out on! Continue reading ““Little Earthquakes” by Tori Amos (No. 48)”

August 23, 2016

“Purple Rain” by Prince & The Revolution (No. 49)

As I pulled together my list of my 100 albums, I definitely wrestled with a few of the choices. Where to rank certain albums, whether to include an album or not, and whether I can exclude certain albums or groups. Ultimately I’ve left off a lot of albums that I recognize as great albums, but they’re not terribly important to me personally. One album that’s never been in doubt, is Prince And The Revolution‘s Purple Rain. Continue reading ““Purple Rain” by Prince & The Revolution (No. 49)”

August 22, 2016

“The Queen is Dead” by The Smiths (No. 50)

The Smiths ‎– The Queen Is Dead album cover

The Smiths didn’t last long, but they left behind an amazing legacy and incredible impact. By the time the band recorded The Queen is Dead they were already fraying at the seams, but it didn’t diminish their ability to create amazing tunes.

“Frankly, Mr. Shankly” is Morrissey at his lyrical best, or worst, telling off an imaginary boss. The line about making Christmas cards with the mentally ill took me for a loop the first time I heard it, it was so offbeat. The music is compelling, but quirky, and completely unique. Continue reading ““The Queen is Dead” by The Smiths (No. 50)”

August 21, 2016

“Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac (No. 51)

Rumors is an album I’m not really aware of being introduced to at any specific point. Fleetwood Mac’s defining album was just ever-present when I was growing up, I’m not sure if any of the songs on Rumors escaped heavy rotation on album oriented rock (AOR) stations like KSD and KSHE. By the time I got around to listening to the entire thing start to finish, all of the songs were ingrained in my conscience.

This post is going to be a bit shorter than I originally planned, as I got delayed by several hours on my way to LinuxCon Toronto. Instead of flying into Toronto, I’m stuck overnight in Detroit and getting checked in significantly later than planned. But I do want to talk a little about just how damn good Rumors really is. Continue reading ““Rumors” by Fleetwood Mac (No. 51)”

August 20, 2016

“Details” by Frou Frou (No. 52)

Were it not for Zach Braff, I might have missed out on Frou Frou, The Shins, and missed Colin Hay’s solo career. So it’s a damn good thing my friend Rikki suggested we catch Garden State when I was visiting Lawrence, Kansas many years ago.

The first song on Frou Frou’s Details, “Let Go,” is featured in the movie and on the Garden State soundtrack. It was some of the first new music I’d been enthused about in a while. Turns out, the entire album is at least as good as “Let Go,” and a few of the tracks even better. Continue reading ““Details” by Frou Frou (No. 52)”

August 19, 2016

“Black Celebration” by Depeche Mode (No. 53)

Black Celebration by Depeche Mode album cover

No instruments were harmed in the making of this album. Well, no instruments were used in the making of this album, anyway. I kid, of course, but I remember debating fiercely with friends in the 1986-1987 time-frame whether Depeche Mode made “real” music because the bulk (if not all) of the music was made with synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines.

I believe we’ve come down firmly on the side of yes, you can make music with electronic instruments, especially when you consider influential works like Black Celebration. Continue reading ““Black Celebration” by Depeche Mode (No. 53)”

August 18, 2016November 9, 2024

“Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo” by Aimee Mann (No. 54)

Bachelor No. 2 by Aimee Mann album cover

Bachelor No. 2 is the album that, if Interscope had its way, wouldn’t have been released at all. Instead, Aimee Mann bought the rights back and released it on her own through her website – a gutsy move in 2000, but it paid off for Mann and her fans.

Most of Mann’s albums make me unreasonably happy, but Bachelor No. 2 is wall-to-wall awesome. Let’s start with the opening track, “How am I Different?” It’s a perfect album opener, starting just with acoustic guitar, light drums, piano, and Mann’s voice. After a couple of verses, the music swells and carries you away. I love everything about this song, the melody, the bluesy guitar, Mann’s voice, and the lyrics. “Just one question before I pack, when you fuck it up later, do I get my money back?” Continue reading ““Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo” by Aimee Mann (No. 54)”

August 17, 2016

“Duran Duran: The Singles 81-85” by Duran Duran (No. 55)

This next entry may be cheating, slightly. Does a box set count as an “album?” Let’s ask the judges if they’ll allow it. Oh, right. I’m the judge, so … yeah, I’m allowing it. My next pick is Duran Duran‘s collection, The Singles 81-85.

I’ll be honest, Duran Duran didn’t win me over initially with their consistently catchy songs. They didn’t win me over with John Taylor’s damned decent bass playing. It wasn’t the slick album art, nor Andy Taylor’s tasteful lead guitar playing. Nope, it was definitely the scantily clad women in the “Girls on Film” video. In my defense, I was 12 or 13, and scantily clad women were very relevant to my interests. Continue reading ““Duran Duran: The Singles 81-85” by Duran Duran (No. 55)”