I was challenged by Andrew Mauro to name my 10 favorite albums of all time. I followed these guidelines: no Greatest Hits, no live albums, and one album per artist. Made things a little more difficult, but it definitely was fun narrowing down my collection. These are in no particular order (after the first two). Honorable mentions: Nimrod by Green Day, Stone Flower by Antonio Carlos Jobim, Bat Out Of Hell by Meat Loaf, and Everything Went Numb by Streetlight Manifesto. 1. Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses- If you know me at all, you knew this was obvious. The band’s full-length debut record runs like a greatest hits collection; top to bottom, it is just one single after another. This is Slash, Axl, Izzy, Duff, and Steven at their best. This is one of the best rock albums of all time, hands down. 2. Unplugged in New York by Nirvana- I distinctly remember a time in middle school when I didn’t know anything about Nirvana and thought they were a one-hit wonder. How wrong I was. It wasn’t until I went to the Experience Music Project in Seattle, when I bought this record and my mind was officially blown. 3. Excitable Boy by Warren Zevon- I have always said that Warren Zevon is one of the most unheralded and underrated songwriters in rock history. Go ahead-name a song off the top of your head by him that isn’t “Werewolves of London.” This was the first record I heard of his, and it still remains my favorite, especially considering that all nine tracks are gold. 4. Clockwork Angels by Rush- I had been a casual fan of the band for years (“Tom Sawyer” is one of my favorite songs ever, and is also my go-to for karaoke), but Angels sky-rocketed my love for them. Yes, I know it’s their most recent release, but this album shows how a band with one personnel change in 40 years (One! In 40 years! How about that, Axl!) and 19 studio albums can still keep getting better. Geddy Lee makes me want to learn bass. Neil Peart makes me a master at air drums. And listen to “Headlong Flight” if you think Alex Lifeson shouldn’t be in the conversation for Top 10 best rock guitarists. 5. Hedwig and the Angry Inch Revival Cast Recording- Yes, its just that good. Yes, its just. That. Good. #liftupyourhands 6. Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum- I remember in 2002 hearing on VH1 that Jamie Cullum was a “new artist to watch” and that his concerts are “jazz concerts with the intensity of a rock show.” That’s all I needed to hear-I picked up this record and I fell in love with what I was hearing. And I did end up seeing him live, which inspired me to include way more glissandos in my piano solos. 7. Koyaanisqatsi by Philip Glass- I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, when my entire pledge class of Phi Mu Alpha sat down together and watched this film. Let me tell you-it is nothing like you have ever seen. And the soundtrack? My music collection is now so chock-full of Philip Glass works, that Ash can tell when I’m listening to his compositions without me saying anything. He is without a doubt my favorite composer of all time. 8. City of Evil by Avenged Sevenfold- Jim Bass deserves 100% of the credit for this one. He gave me this record during my freshman year of college and said, “Now this may be too loud for you, but trust me-it’s worth it.” He was right on both accounts (no, it’s not too loud for me anymore), and although I probably won’t become as big as a metalhead as Andrew would like, Avenged does keep me banging my head with the rest of them. 9. Promises Kept by Steve Kuhn- Yes, this is a complete 180 from the previous listing. Steve is my grandmother’s cousin, and he’s been in my life for as long as I can remember. This album was recorded with him and a string ensemble, and it’s probably the most beautiful album of music I’ve ever heard. Absolutely gorgeous. 10. Can’t Buy a Thrill by Steely Dan- All through my childhood, my father tried to get me to like Steely Dan, and I just wasn’t liking them. It wasn’t until I came home from college that I finally listened. The album is a perfect blend of jazz/rock fusion, and “Fire in the Hole” is still one of my favorite songs by them. Lets see what you got Daniel Kitching, Peas Sheehan, Adam Lazofsky, Jonathan Rosen, and Jonathan Silver!
Posted on: Wed, 24 Sep 2014 23:36:15 +0000
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