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Here are ten of my favorite records in no particular order...
- The Beatles,
Sgt.
Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
-
It's pretty difficult to single out any one Beatle record (I realize I am dating
myself when I call them "records"). In my opinion, the
Beatles were the most innovative and profound influence on popular music in
this century. I chose Sgt.
Pepper but also might have selected Abbey Road,
Magical
Mystery Tour or The
White Album.
- Neil Young, Harvest
- I believe Neil's most creative music was produced early in
his career. This is a premier example of that period. A high
school friend loaned me this record and I was profoundly affected by
it. Other favorites of mine are After the Gold Rush
and Zuma.
- The Smiths, Louder Than
Bombs - This legendary 80's British band produced much great music. Like
Lennon and McCartney, the whole was greater than the sum of the parts.
I never found solo efforts by Morrissey and Marr nearly as satisfying
as their combined output. LTB is a rich double album containing
some of their best music.
- Victoria Williams, Loose
- A lot of people can't take Victoria's voice but I like it. Some of her
releases are uneven but this one is a true gem. Nearly every song on
this extremely well crafted record is a winner.
- Indigo Girls, Indigo Girls
- Emily Saliers and Amy Ray have produced a rich catalog of rocking
acoustic/folk music. All of their records are worth listening
to. I selected their fine debut album but also could have gone with Rites
of Passage or Shaming of
the Sun.
- The Who, Who's Next
- One of my favorite bands in high school, I found their early releases in the
60's and their later releases in the 80's disappointing. But
there was a period of inspiration in the 70's when they produced Who's
Next, one of the best rock records ever released, and two other classics:
Tommy and Quadrophenia.
- Jethro Tull, Aqualung
- Another favorite of mine from high school days. Jethro Tull's
eclectic sound was part rock and roll, part acoustic folk, part Renaissance. Other excellent Jethro Tull records are Thick as a
Brick and Minstrel in the Gallery.
- Bob Dylan, Planet Waves
- I listened to this record continuously while studying during my freshman year
in college. It got me through a lot of exams and I never tired of
it. Dylan is a most prolific and enigmatic song writer.
Other Dylan records I like are Street Legal and
Desire.
- Steely Dan, Can't
Buy a Thrill - This record was given to me by a college
girlfriend. It's a wonderful
collection of songs that demonstrates the rich and unique sound of Steely
Dan. Other Steely Dan records I like are Katy
Lied and Pretzel
Logic.
- Liz Phair, Exile
in Guyville - Proof that I do listen to music produced after 1979
:), Liz Phair is a
talented singer/songwriter who really rocks. EIG is her amazingly
honest and powerful debut album. I might also have chosen Liz' Whitechocolatespaceegg,
which is full of interesting and catchy tunes.
Recent musical interests:
- Lucinda Williams (Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, Lucinda Williams)
- Oasis (Be Here Now, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants)
- Kim Richey (Glitter, Kim Richey, Bitter Sweet)
- Tim Hardin - A Woodstock era singer/songwriter who never achieved his
early promise, Hardin wrote many hauntingly beautiful songs including If
I Were a Carpenter, How Can We Hang on to a Dream, and Reason to Believe.
Copyright © 2000 Marc A. Cohen, All rights reserved.
Revised: September 06, 2000
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