Yeah, I called 'em LP's. Get over it. Let's not pick nits on
something so subjective as My 50 Desert Island LP’s ok. Most likely you will
disagree vehemently with my choices anyway, so by the time we get through the
list, you will forget that I called them LPs anyway. So there.
Enough logic for one day. Honest to God, I really think of this stuff. Todd Snyder’s song "Vinyl Records” sort of was the impetus for this particular list. See exhibit A.
Enough logic for one day. Honest to God, I really think of this stuff. Todd Snyder’s song "Vinyl Records” sort of was the impetus for this particular list. See exhibit A.
Todd is (aside from being my favorite contemporary songwriter) a music junkie like we are. So I started thinking that like Todd in the song, if I had to carry a bunch of LPs around in a pillowcase I had better keep it down to a dull scream. Thus was born the 50 Desert Island LPs.
I will do this in pieces so I really piss off the greatest amount of people.
50 thru 41
50)PETER WOLF - Sleepless (2002)
Everyone over 40 should own this disc. The disc features guest appearances a go-go: Keith, Mick, Steve Earle amongst others. Wolf so obviously has a true connection to his muse on this release, as he goes all over the place stylistically. I can't hear this disc without thinking of my good friend, Craig (R.I.P.).
49)DONALD FAGEN - The Nightfly (1982)
The knock on Becker & Fagen has always been their cold, obtuse lyrics, Kent. This disc totally blows that theory out the water. As jacked up as Fagen obviously became (thankfully for us fans) he fondly recalls his childhood all through this record. “Walk Between the Raindrops” is downright sweet. He covers’ Dion’s romantic “Ruby, Baby”. Finally there is his ode to JFK’s dream “The New Frontier” supplanted with his own adolescent dreams of Tuesday Weld - not bad dreams to have really. He is STILL Donald Fagen after all, but looking at his childhood years through rose-colored glasses.
48)DIRE STRAITS - Making Movies (1980)
My favorite Dire Straights disc cover to cover. There are other Straits songs I like more than most on this disc, but if I had to be stranded and pick 1 straits disc it would have to be this one. As a matter of fact I would probably need two copies because I would wear out the grooves on side 1. "Romeo & Juliet" & "Tunnel of Love" never me down; both sonically and lyrically some of Knopfler's best work.
47)THE DOOBIE BROTHERS - Tolouse Street (1972)
Everyone says that the Doobies came into their own once Michael McDonald joined the band. I beg to differ. The band grew and put out some fine music in their later stages but I still love the old Johnston/Simmons stuff. This LP is such an amalgamation of styles, hits, crunchy guitar riffs and (naked chicks on the inside of the gatefold album - only in the 70's) that you can never be bored listening to it – at least I can’t. The Doobie Brothers – The Official Band of the 3 Monks.
46)PETER GABRIEL - So (1986)
One of the biggest and best LPs of the 80’s No one would have thought how huge this disc would become. I bet Gabriel himself would have doubted it. But he shows his obvious love for 60’s Stax R & B – no sweet Motown stuff – mixing the rough R & B sound with his detatched artistic experimental music causing a unique sound that was certainly a complex, heartfelt homage, not a simple copy.
45)AVERAGE WHITE BAND - AWB (1974)
I loved blue-eyed soul and this is some of the best - forget that most of these guys are from Scotland. This was only their second LP proper, but I think the thing I love so much about this LP is that they all play SO tightly. I don’t know enough about AWB, but I wouldn’t doubt that they were a sessions group (like the MGs or the Funk Brothers or the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section) as the grooves they laid down on this disc were so thick and smooth you could use them to fill in potholes on the Cross-Bronx Expressway.
44)FRANK ZAPPA - Apostrophe (1974)
43)CAROLE KING - Tapestry (1971)
The very first LP I ever bought. My oldest and dearest friend, this LP has never let me down. I can listen to it cover to cover and ride the emotional coaster of an artist at her peak. I guess I have never really recovered from the crush I had on Ms. King from the cover. I know every song by heart, even the one’s I am not crazy about.
42)YES - Close to the Edge (1972)
I have to thank my cousin Chuck for this one. I knew Yes from the Fragile release, but my cousin had the most eclectic LP collection I'd seen up to that point, and he’d let me listen to his records (all bought in japan during his time stationed there in the USAF). I was looking for another “Roundabout” when I opened up the LP cover and saw that fantastic Roger Dean picture and was immediately hooked. I put the platter on the turntable, put on his headphones and was blown away. Even at 14 I found this music amazing - even if I couldn't hear it on the radio. It really opened up my mind to the possibilities of music. Melodic and fantastic. Sorry, Judas Palomino.
41) THE EAGLES - Eagles (1972)
The Eagles have gotten bad rap, I think. Some of the complaints are deserved (soul-less, self-important, a boring live band (at least they were when I saw 'em in '77) to name but a few). Some of the complaints are because they are SO popular. But its not like they didn't bring anything to the table, either. Their first release was really good for its time. It will never be confused by the more learned and sophisticated listener with Blonde on Blonde or Revolver or Pet Sounds, but hey I'm not sophisticated so I don't care. Nine of the ten tracks on this LP (I have learned to really hate “Witchy Woman” with the white-hot heat of 1,000 suns) are really good. They were a band for this one, with a pro producing (Glyn Johns), pulling out some really great work from Leadon (Earlybird) and Meisner (Tryin’) as well as Frey’s arrangements.
See ya for the next batch.
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