This time around, I won’t even bother with the basics (The Stooges’ Funhouse, Led Zeppelin II, Sabbath’s Paranoid, Miles Davis’ Birth Of The Cool, etc). I will go ahead and assume that you own and enjoy these musical masterpieces on a regular basis. Furthermore, these are, in no way, a “6 greatest” or such…they are simply 6 albums that you really, truly, honestly should own.
Bad Brains, Black Dots (1996, Caroline Records)
First off, some label love. Caroline Records kicks so much ass! As if they weren’t awesome enough for unleashing Primus’ Frizzle Fry onto the world, they’ve got this to their credit as well. You’d be hard pressed to find “bad” releases from Caroline in the 90’s.
That being said, popular rumor says that we can all thank Ian MacKaye for the release of Black Dots. The rumor is, whilst digging through piles of recorded musical history, he stumbled across this tape, labeled as “Brains Demos.” After contacting HR, he was given the “blessing” to release them, and we are all thankful for that.
Recorded with legendary producer Don Zientara, this album blows away the face-smashing, self titled release.. Black Dots presents a more raw and aggressive take on nearly all of the Bad Brains tracks including "Don’t Need It," "Supertouch/Shitfit," and the immortal "Pay To Cum."
The urgency of the recording is somewhat startling and this record true captures the essence to the early hardcore music scene. You would be hard pressed to find another recording that measures up, in any way, to this album.
Standout tracks: Attitude, Banned In D.C., Send You No Flowers, Pay To Cum.
NOTE: This version of Attitude happens to be the most played song on my iPod.
WARNING: This album may kick your teeth in!
Tom Waits, Nighthawks At The Diner (1975, Asylum Records)
Tom Waits is a god. This should not be breaking news to anyone. Some people (me) might argue that he has always been a FAR better song writer than Bob Dylan. Waits is always pushing the boundaries of music with consistently phenomenal results.
Recorded live on July 30/31 of 1975, Nighthawks captures Waits in his ultimate element: a small crowd and no cerfew. He wastes no time jumping into his tongue-in-cheek comedy, “I’m so horny, the crack of dawn better be careful around me…”
What follows is over an hour of perfection. Waits holding the crowd in his palm as he follows the music where it is want to go. The recording builds a wonderful ambience and you, as the lucky listener, are sitting in the studio with the handful of lucky guests.
Waits paints picture after picture, from his own dingy apartment, to the passenger seat of an 18-wheeler. Thankfully, the crowd was sober enough to keep their mouths shut so, there is very little “chatter,” though the audience rarely misses a punchline from Tom’s endless battery of jokes.
Standout tracks: Putnam County, Big Joe & Phantom 309, Warm Beer, Cold Women, Better Off Without A Wife.
Bjork, Post (1995, Elektra Records)
First and foremost, Bjork is an acquired taste. That being said, if you haven’t yet, you REALLY need to acquire said taste. Bjork is truly one of the most unique talents to ever enter a vocal booth.
Now, I will freely admit, over the years, there is no CD I’ve had to purchase more times than this one. I have easily played my way through a dozen copies since it’s 1995 release (thanks to my iPod, I’ve not had to purchase one this decade).
If that endorsement isn’t enough to make you run out and buy this fine piece of musical mayhem, I will explain why this album in particular has earned such loyalty.
While Bjork’s first solo record, Debut, was pretty darn good, she truly perfects her craft throughout the 45 minute runtime. A mixture of ambient textures, programmed drums (which I normally despise), all flowing under the sheer brilliance of Bjork’s distinctive vocal stylings make Post absolutely magical.
The album opens in a rather aggressive manner with "Army Of Me," but quickly pulls back and finds its groove through the remainder of the record. While “It’s Oh So Quiet” earned notoriety for the video work of Spike Jonez, it may very well be the weakest cut on the record.
Throughout the record, one truly finds just how invested Bjork truly is in each of her vocal tracks. There are squeaks and yelps that most musicians would have cut out. However, these “imperfections” give the album true depth and reveal the vocal mastery that makes Bjork one of a kind.
Standout tracks: Hyperballad, The Modern Things, Enjoy, Headphones.
NOTE: The opening musical hook on Possibly Maybe was used as the “interlude” music on VH1’s long running “Insomniac Theater.”
NOTE: The opening musical hook on Possibly Maybe was used as the “interlude” music on VH1’s long running “Insomniac Theater.”
Dax Riggs, We Sing Of Only Blood Or Love, (2007, Fat Possum Records)
Easily my favorite album of 2007, Dax Riggs (Deadboy & The Elephantmen, Acid Bath) nails each and every track on this dark return to raw rock and roll. Though the entire record has a beautifully dark ambience, it manages to avoid being cliché.
Blending elements of blues, grunge, goth, and punk, We Sing Of… somehow flew below the radar of the “music press.” Taking the White Stripes’ stripped down studio feel and combining it with the sheer urgency of punk, Dax bangs out 15 masterful tracks in a shade over 35 minutes.
The range runs from the acoustic “Ouroboros” to the bluesy “Night Is The Notion” to the sheer rock of Scarlett Of Heaven Nor Hell.” Riggs is also capable of transposing all of his sound and ambience to the live stage as I was lucky enough to witness this past fall.
If you don’t own this one (you probably don’t), go buy it…now...don’t even finish reading this blog…go get the record….now…seriously…
Standout tracks: Living Is Suicide, Forgot I Was Alive, When I Was Bleedin’, Truth In The Dark.
WARNING: This album induces uncontrollable “rocking out” and air guitar.
The Evens, Get Evens (2006, Dischord Records)
Ian MacKaye is a freaking genius! Whether it’s Fugazi, Minor Threat, running Dischord Records the way he has over the past 3 decades, or standing up for that which is right, Ian MacKaye is THE MAN!
In 2001, Ian teamed up with former Warmers drummer Amy Farina and the pair released their self titled debut as The Evens…music lovers around the world rejoiced!
Their scaled back sound of Ian’s baritone guitar and Amy on drums provides a perfect musical vehicle for their songs of cynicism and protest. Their voices effortlessly blend together and form a simple, yet lush, landscape.
2006’s Get Evens is a brilliant protest record. Nearly every song challenges the dominant paradigm of the United States. Covering subjects from unemployment to the violations of civil liberties, the record is an all out declaration of war against the status quo of our society.
The album’s final track, "Dinner With The President," is a masterful poke at everyone’s favorite fool, George W Bush. Questioning why he can’t get a meeting with Dubbya, MacKaye quips, “…available, but they’re not calling me…I live in town, it’s not geography…”
Standout tracks: Cut From The Cloth, Cache Is Empty, Get Even, Dinner With The President.
NOTE: The Even’s “Vowel Movements” from Pancake Mountain is the perfect way to teach your kids about vowels!
The Little Willies, The Little Willies (2006, Milking Bull Records)
When Norah Jones is in a group, and NOT the superstar, you can guarantee it’s a record worth buying! In the case of the self titled release from the relatively unknown NYC supergroup, The Little Willies, the guarantee is delivered in full.
Formed after Norah released her second album, the band name is a nod to music legend Willie Nelson. The record brings Jones’ country/bluegrass roots (which undertone her solo records) to the forefront in brilliant fashion.
The record is mostly covers (4 originals) and stays true to the mellow, mostly acoustic, feel throughout. Jones and Richard Julian (who one can make the case is, in fact, “leading” the band) have vocals that blend so beautifully, it’s almost disgusting.
Whether they are taking the whimsical “Roly Poly” or the soulful, “Easy As The Rain,” this band of superstar musicians doesn’t miss a beat. Each song stands tall on its own, yet melds perfectly with the other songs to create an anomaly: a record that is perfect for long drives, a night in with friends, “putting the moves on,” or even getting over a break-up.
Even when the album slows down for the more soulful tracks, it quickly recovers its amazingly catchy, bouncy vibe. Even after hundreds of listenings, The Little Willies remains fresh and a pleasure to experience each and every time.
Standout tracks: Roly Poly, Best of All Possible Worlds, No Place To Fall, Lou Reed.
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