1960's

So right off the bat I will give you what I think the Best Album of the 60's, The Most Influential Album of the 60's, and Best Song of the 60's is, and from there you can choose to continue reading. Please note, I am just a dude who likes music and have no idea if the music I have chosen is reflected on any list (but I bet they are).

Best Album: The Beatles- Rubber Soul.

Most Influential Album: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds.

Best Song: The Beach Boys - God Only Knows.


Best Album: The Beatles- Rubber Soul.

There are two camps when it comes to best albums + The Beatles. Those who think Revolver is the best, or those who think Sgt. Peppers is the best. Now, both of these albums are the amazing, do not get me wrong. If I was on a desert island with my top 100 albums, they would both be in my treasure chest. However, if I was on a desert island with only five albums, Rubber Soul would be one of the five.

In this world, there is nothing better than listening to this album, frontwards to back, and taking it in. This was The Beatles at the beginning of their musical journey. Yes, there are at least a hundred recordings previous to this record, but it was here that they began to shine. Take away a few garbage songs on the album, the rest is solid gold. For me, The song In My Life is the number 1 song Lennon/McCartney ever wrote. It is an important album- Harrison starts to shine as a lyricist and instrumental innovator, Lennon starts to seem more comfortable with his singing, and McCartney truly begins to put substance into his lyrics (most of the songs are written for his impending break-up with then girlfriend Jane Asher). Hell, even Ringo gets creative by flicking a matchbook as percussion during the song I'm Looking Through You. This is the best Beatles album, and no matter how many revisions to the list, or new expanded remastered albums they put out, Rubber Soul will always be their best.


Most Influential Album: The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds.

It is almost fitting that the most influential album of the 1960's was born from the best album. When Brian Wilson heard the album Rubber Soul by The Beatles, he realized that musically The Beach Boys needed to go places. Wilson began writing songs with lyricist Tony Asher, and the result, in my opinion, is the most influential album of the 1960's. This album, besides giving the world amazing songs, was what would usher in the world of studio experimentation. One could say, well George Harrison (The Beatles) was playing the Sitar and George Martin(The Beatles producer) was messing around with the studio space, but Brian Wilson took experimentation and made it into a cohesive, grand experience. Any band, from May 1966 onwards who ever flipped a knob and found brilliance, owes that inspiration to this album.


Best Song: The Beach Boys - God Only Knows.

What can someone say about this song that has not already been said. This is one of the best songs of all time. Now saying that might lead you to believe that I am saying it is great amongst rock and roll or the music post Elvis shaking his hips. No, I am saying it is one of the best of ALL time. Throw in a couple songs by Mozart and Beethoven and you are on your way. When people in the future are carbon dating our bones and picking up bits of our culture and they happen upon this song, they will think we were a beautiful species. I am going on record with this blog that no one has written a more beautiful song since and I am guessing no one will. I danced to this song with my wife at our wedding. case closed.

My Best, Influential Albums and Best Songs

So I have been in a heated debate with my old buddy Chris about what was the best song of the 1990's. Chris and I have of course agreed to disagree( for now) but in the interim, the discussion has prompted me to take a look at the 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, and 00's and pick my favorite album, the most influential album, and the best song of the decade. I decided I would blog about it and see everyones reaction. By no means am I the definitive answer to great music, but I thought it would be interesting to see what others reactions would be. Chris may get a little pissed at me but am going out on a limb

Top 100 of Decade

Well, I certainly took a big crap when it came to my official list of top 100 albums of the decade. Of course I had great excuses for ignoring the list. First, My wife and I moved to the suburbs, specifically with my mother in law whose Internet access was crap. Second, my wife and I were building a new house which is a time suck. Third, my wife was pregnant. My daughter was born happy and healthy on November 18, 2009. Now, I am not a complete loser. I compiled my list last May and therefore I am going to publish it without comments. Maybe my blog followers have their own idea of top albums?

My list

100 Eddie Vedder Into the Wild(OTS) 2007
99 Girl Talk Feed the Animals 2008
98 Jets Overhead Bridges 2005
97 Dr Dre The Chronic 2001 2001
96 Wolfmother Wolfmother 2006
95 Nine Inch Nails With Teeth 2005
94 Dave Matthews Band Everyday 2001
93 Gorillaz Demon Days 2005
92 Jay Z Kingdom Come 2006
91 Dave Matthews Band Gru Grux King 2009
90 Dr. Dog Fate 2008
89 Eminem The Marshall Mather LP 2001
88 The Strokes Is This It 2001
87 Bright Eyes I'm Wide Awake.. 2004
86 Tool Lateralus 2001
85 Shins Chutes to Know 2002
84 Queens of the Stoneage Songs for the Deaf 2002
83 The Killers Sawdust 2007
82 Modest Mouse The Moon & Antarctica 2001
81 Beyonce I'm Sasha Fierce 2008
80 Bloc Party Silent Alarm 2006
79 Red Hot Chili Peppers Stadium Arcadium 2006
78 Brian Wilson Smile 2004
77 Mgmt Oracular Spectacular 2008
76 Incubus Morning View 2001
75 Rihanna Good Girl Gone Bad 2008
74 Beyonce Dangerously In Love 2004
73 Outkast Speakerboxx/The Love Below 2003
72 System of a Down Toxicity 2001
71 The Great Northern Trading Twilight for Daylight 2007
70 Wilco Wilco(The Album) 2009
69 Sufjan Stevens Illinois 2006
68 Thom Yorke The Eraser 2006
67 Keane Hopes and Fears 2004
66 Kings of Leon Only By The Night 2008
65 The Strokes Room on Fire 2003
64 The National Boxer 2007
63 Linkin Park Hybrid Theory 2000
62 Staind Break The Cycle 2001
61 3 Doors Down The Better Life 2000
60 The White Stripes Get Behind Me Satan 2005
59 Greeny Day 21st Century Breakdown 2009
58 Beck The Information 2006
57 Kanye West Graduation 2007
56 Modest Mouse Good News for People Who Love. 2005
55 Ryan Adams Heartbreaker 2005
54 Mark Ronson Versions 2007
53 Jay Z American Gangster 2007
52 The Killers Day & Age 2008
51 Metallica St. Anger 2003
50 Pearl Jam Pearl Jam 2006
49 Coldplay Viva La Vida 2008
48 Johnny Cash American V: A Hundred 2006
47 Radiohead Amnesiac 2001
46 Beck Guero 2005
45 Jeff Tweedy Sunken Treasure 2006
44 Lil' Wayne Tha Carter III 2008
43 Amy Winehouse Back to Black 2007
42 Dave Matthews Some Devil 2003
41 Eve Scorpion 2001
40 U2 How to Dismantle an Atomic 2003
39 The White Stripes Icky Thump 2007
38 Maroon 5 Songs About Jane 2003
37 Jay Z The Blueprint 2001
36 James Blunt Back to Bedlam 2005
35 Jack Johnson Brushfire Fairy Tales 2001
34 Gym Class Heroes As Cruel as School Children 2006
33 Gorillaz Gorillaz 2001
32 Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand 2004
31 Danger Mouse The Grey Album 2004
30 Beck Modern Guilt 2008
29 Fergie The Duchess 2007
28 The Soundtrack of our Lives Behind the Music 2002
27 Kanye West Late Registration 2005
26 Radiohead Hail to the Thief 2004
25 Justin Timberlake Future Sex Love Sounds 2006
24 Fleet Foxes Fleet Foxes 2008
23 The Killers Sams Town 2006
22 Metallica Death Magnetic 2008
21 Nelly Furtado Loose 2006
20 Wilco A Ghost is Born 2004
19 Coldplay X&Y 2005
18 Vampire Weekend Vampire Weekend 2008
17 Beck Sea Changes 2002
16 The Killers Hot Fuzz 2000
15 Jay Z The Black Album 2003
14 Radiohead Kid A 2000
13 TI Paper Trail 2008
12 Weezer The Green Album 2001
11 Bright Eyes Cassadega 2007
10 The White Stripes White Blood Cells 2001
9 Radiohead In Rainbows 2007
8 The White Stripes Elephant 2003
7 Wilco Sky Blue Sky 2007
6 Green Day American Idiot 2004
5 Coldplay A Rush of Blood to the Head 2002
4 U2 All That You Cant Leave Behind 2000
3 Kanye West College Dropout 2004
2 Coldplay Parachutes 2000
1 Wilco Yankee Hotel Foxtrot 2001

#99-Girl Talk-Feed The Animals-2008

There are no original ideas, only original people. This is a quote from Barbara Grizzuti Harrison but it just as well could be a quote from any of the artists lifted for this 2008 album. Girl Talk is as original as they come, despite the fact that he is stealing from every genre of music over the last fifty years.

Girl Talk, or Greg Michael Gillis, has extrapolated music from Procol Harum to Radiohead to Kanye West and even Twisted Sister. He has taken these original works, juxtaposed them to a beat and added lyrics, and created a cornucopia of music more appropriate for a frantic night at the club. Although I cannot find a single word online about pending copyright lawsuits or a disgruntled member of The Band trying to hunt him down, I believe Girl Talk has developed the next phase of music in a world where original music is falling into the crevices of recycled auto tuning and reprocessed drum beats.

#100-Eddie Vedder-Into the Wild-2007

The cinematic premise of Into the Wild was fated to be a powerful adaptation of Jon Krakauer’s 1996 book. The story of Chris McCandless and his journey from Atlanta to Alaska is heart wrenching, emotionally charged, and in the end a study of the American youth post-Kerouac on the road without a thought of the world around him. When the project was announced, my initial reaction was that Sean Penn would give the tender, affectionate treatment to the film that was needed to bring the story to the screen. It was my surprising when I heard that Eddie Vedder would be recording the soundtrack.

The Into the Wild soundtrack is in essence a solo album by one of the most underrated leaders of music today. It has everything an album would need to tell a story of an epic American adventure. It has the acoustic, haunting power of Dylan with the deep growl of a performer who not only sings the song of Chris McCandless but also of the millions who find themselves on a great journey. Each song is a testament to Sean Penn’s beautiful film as well as Krakauer’s narrative.

Eddie Vedder is the father of modern music. Through his years as Pearl Jam’s front man, he not only contributed to the current musical landscape, but also managed to keep his head above the tumultuous musical waters of the last 20 years. He is our Neil Young, our Dylan, and this album is a fine entry into what can only be described as a powerful discography.

Next #99

Ryan

Ryan's Top 100 Albums of the Decade

It has been a while since I have posted. This is mostly due to school, and work, and a new house we are building, and a baby that is coming in November. However, all of this aside, it is no excuse to ignore all four of my followers and therefore I think I will commit more time with this.

For some news( besides the house and the arrival of a child), I also quit smoking which has seriously impeded my creativity. Truly, the greatest synapse enhancer is nicotine, and with it drained from my body, I have lost a lot of energy to type out anything. Thus my absence.

Now, I am definitely feeling better and am ready to tackle a monumental task. I am going to compile my thoughts on the top 100 albums of the last decade. Now that a new decade is just around the corner, traditionally it is the job of VH1 and MTV and Rolling Stone Magazine to analyze what the greatest songs of the decade have been. If you want an expert opinion, I suggest following them. If you want a list of my top 100 songs, then keep reading. I will be posting my first album shortly and hope I can finish this list by Jan. 1st. We will see.

Also you can email me or post a comment on here if you have your own idea for a great album. I will then listen to the album and find an appropriate place on my list.

Ryan

Tuesday Rain Means No Work :(

Sadly the rains have come back and I have taken a day off from work to monitor the ceiling. Luckily the landlord is going to fix the situation along with the rest of the condo association, but truly this has been a nightmare week so far.

While I am sitting here watching the water and working on my big paper. I am listening to two stations on my Itunes Radio. The first station is the 90's hits which as I type is rocking out a little Bryan Adams (Everything I Do) I Do it For You. Gotta love early 90's Adams and his complete sell out to Hollywood (This was a part of the Robin Hood soundtrack). I was listening to the Beatles station earlier and it pissed me off. I do not understand why a popular stance has been taken to only play the acoustic version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. I mean, I know it is more melodic and dreamy, but for the love of god, give me some Clapton and Harrison.

Meanwhile, check out this awesome rendition of While My Guitar Gently Weeps on the ukulele!

Dan Auerbach - Keep It Hid

I had first heard about the Black Keys through a co-worker of mine named Paul. He swore by these guys and burned me a compilation CD. Of course I took the CD and lost it. Two years went by and I eventually found the CD tucked away in a drawer. It was covered with rubber glue that I had used on a science experiment for an Earth Science class at the College of Dupage. I took the CD, gently removing the rubber glue, and cleaned it. When I listened to it, I was completely amazed. Dan Auerbach is the multi-instrumentalist and vocalist in the Black Keys. When I saw the first review on Ain't It Cool News.Com I immediately came home to download this. Here is my review.

1. Trouble Weighs a Ton - Very good track 1, with some great acoustic strums.

2. I Want Some More - Definitely something reminiscent of the Loving Spoonful-if an amalgam of John Sebastian picked up Jack White's guitar.

3. Heartbroken, In Disrepair-The beginning could be the opening of a random TV show about the judicial system. It slowly finds itself and for a second it could be late-80's Fogerty.

4. Because I Should-A lot of computerized noises in the beginning. It seems hard to find it's place on the record. A few seconds of noise really.

5. Whispered Words (Pretty Lies) - Just the name gives this song hope. I am amazed how Auerbach goes from sounding like John Sebastian, to John Fogerty, to Wayne Coyne (Flaming Lips). This song could just as well been on the last Modest Mouse CD.

6. Real Desire - Yes a standard Napoleon Dynamite, Beat Drum and Organ mix. It has been awhile!!

7. When the Night Comes - This is what I was waiting for! I can only see this song on some car commercial a few months down the road.

8. Mean Monsoon - Sounds like me after a few guitar lessons and some Clapton/Allman-esque guitar parts.

9. The Prowl - Sound fits the title. You feel like you are on a prowl.

10. Keep It Hid - Title cut and another beat drum. Singing through a bullhorn is still not very original.

11. My Last Mistake - I like it. May be worth buying the whole album if you do not take my word.

12. When I Left the Room -Another tight cut.

13. Street Walkin' - Again

14. Goin' Home - A nice little diddy for the close.

I am pretty convinced that Dan kept all the great tracks for the end of the record. Overall four thumbs up.

Ryan

Some More Music Reviews

To outdo my blogger comrade Tim, I am going to unleash some more music reviews in the next few days. Hopefully I can turn my 3 followers onto some good music, or reintroduce them to some classic albums. Maybe if I am lucky I can get more followers.

Ryan

Album Review: Fleet Foxes/ Fleet Foxes

There is something apocryphal about Fleet Foxes self titled album. It is as if you as the listener have stumbled on a forbidden tragedy of esoteric recordings direct from the backwater churches of the Appalachian Mountains. My first exposure came in the form of their performance on Saturday Night Live. I have long been against the opening of musical horizons on the backdrop of a Grand Central Station Terminal, but for me and their performance, it opened my eyes to what could possibly be the most enjoyable music I have heard in a long time. Below is a track by track breakdown(as usual).

1. Sun It Rises - The opening is what you would imagine a family singing on their porch as the sun sets and dinner is about to be served. When the acoustic guitar pipes in, you think you have this song figured out, and then comes the Brian Wilson melody-something you would not expect from a band who is trying to conjure up a lighter Deliverance with their finger-picking and banjos.

2. White Winter Hymnal - There is a story here, deeply embedded within the melody. It's magical and special and unique and if you really devote yourself to the lyrics, you want more of the story to be told.

3. Ragged Wood- You can imagine people in church singing to this song, dancing and harkening the birth of spring or Jesus.

4. Tiger Mountain Peasant Song- very subtle, reminsicent of Greensleeves, but with an aching voice singing about premonitions of his death.

5. Quiet Houses - This could just be on a Dave record, with a more powerful drumline than the other songs.

6. He Doesn't Know Why - I would imagine this could be a transplant from an early 70's folk band. This song has no place in this era, and that is why it is beautiful.

7. Heard Them Stirring - Churchy and again in that very C G guitar playing that could very well be that timeless song about the beheaded Anne Boleyn.

8. Your Protector - Pan flutes have no place in this day and age. Beautiful singing.

9. Meadowlarks - Neil Youngesque vocals singing of the meadowlarks. Could be one of the top songs on this album.

10. Blue Ridge Mountains - very gentle and subtle. Very Beach Boys on the Susquehanna River.

11. Oliver James- The finale and a keeper.

Overall I would have to say this is a great record. Something different in this world of commonality. I give it Five Thumbs Up.

Past Albums-Revisited-Metallica's Load

I decided I am going to review some great albums from my youth and talk about them. Since my friend Mar is the only person who actually reads my blog (and given that her fiance talks a big game but never comments), I guess she will be the only one who enjoys these little blogs. Oh Well.

Artist: Metallica.

Album: Load.

Year: 1996.

This album was it for me, the introduction into the world of Metallica. Of course I had heard Enter Sandman and Sad But True from their previous album, but when I saw the video for "Until It Sleeps", I began what would be a magnificent quest to be an absolute Metallica fan.

Track List and description:

Ain't My Bitch-The song brings back the memories of riding in my El Camino down the mean streets of Gilman, Illinois-wondering who my bitch was.

2 X 4-no comment

The House Jack Built-a great song and the first non-single song of Metallica's I enjoyed.

Until It Sleeps- Lars Ulrich with Mascara and a bluesy opening. This was complete opposite of Enter Sandman and was what hooked me.

King Nothing-The video had Metallica in the woods. It always reminds me of winter.

Hero Of The Day-John Mayer called the solo in this song his favorite. Basic and powerful.

Bleeding Me-Listen to the guitar solo and then try and tell me that Kirk Hammett isn't amazing

Cure-no comment

Poor Twisted Me-no comment

Wasting My Hate-no comment however the live version is amazing.

Mama Said-James singing to his dead mother. When you see him do this song solo and alone on stage with an acoustic guitar, you can feel how much pain inside.

Thorn Within-no comment

Ronnie-no comment

The Outlaw Torn-no comment.

After hearing this album, I immediatley went and saw them in concert in Moline, Illinois. I will never miss a Metallica concert when it comes around. They are just too good.

Discovery

Today I have discovered a song that may or may not mark the end of my status as a fan of great music.

Now, you may be asking.. what song is it, Ryan?

This song was recorded in 1992.

This song won the Grammy Award for Best Female Pop Vocals in 1993.

The song I am referring to is k.d. Lang's "Constant Craving".

That's right friends, I am in love with a love song sung by a lesbian.

This song might be the most amazing song ever put down on record. I am a grown man of 28, and after hearing this song I am surprised how moved I was. This was not the first time I heard this song. I can remember that my mother had this album and played this song like 900 times on a car trip between G-town and Champaign-Urbana. Of course, the repetitive nature of hearing a song over and over can ruin it for a person, especially for a twelve year old who had just discovered Nirvana. Nevertheless, as an adult and hearing this song, I am completely floored at how honest the lyrics are, and how thoughtful the production value lends itself to k.d. Lang's voice.

I may have destroyed any shred of integrity I have as it relates to blogging about music, but who cares. This song is a gem.

The Best Album Of The 1980's

Believe me this IS the best album of the 1980's

Some people say it is LONDON CALLING-THE CLASH, or some day THE JOSHUA TREE-U2. If you are really a fan, you could probably argue PURPLE RAIN-PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION. Of course these are all great records and always have a spot in any shuffle that I am compiling. To me, though, the best album of the 1980's is none of these, and in fact, my album rarely shows up on any list anywhere. My BEST ALBUM OF THE 1980's is:

RADIO KAOS-Roger Waters

I will let Wikipedia describe the album. It is a concept album but it is describes to me exactly what the 1980's were about.

The concept is based around a 23-year-old disabled man from Wales named Billy.

Billy is confined to a wheelchair and is thought to be mentally a vegetable. However, Billy is highly intelligent but has no way of expressing himself. Billy has a twin brother Benny who is a coal miner. Billy lives with Benny, Molly his wife, and their children. Unfortunately, Benny has lost his job in the mines due to the "market forces". One night, Benny and Billy are out on a pub crawl when they pass a shop full of TV screens broadcasting Margaret Thatcher's "mocking condescension". Benny vents his anger on this shop and steals a cordless phone. Next, in theatrical fashion, Benny poses on a footbridge in protest to the closures; the same night, a taxi driver is killed by a concrete block dropped from a similar bridge. The police question Benny, who hides the phone in Billy's wheelchair. Benny is taken to prison, and Molly, unable to cope, sends Billy to live with his uncle David in L.A.. Billy is gifted and can hear radio waves in his head ("Radio Waves" track 1), so he begins to explore the cordless phone, recognising its similarity to a radio. He experiments with the phone and is able to access computers and speech synthesisers, he learns to speak through them. He calls a radio station in L.A. named Radio KAOS (hence the album title) and tells them of his life story about his brother being in jail ("Me or Him" track 3), about his sister-in-law not being able to cope and sending him to L.A. to live with his uncle Dave ("Sunset Strip" track 5), and about the closures of the mines ("Powers that Be" track 4). Billy eventually hacks in to a military satellite and fools the world in to thinking nuclear ICBMs are about to be detonated at major cities all over the world whilst deactivating the military power to retaliate ("Home" track 6 and "Four Minutes" track 7). The album concludes with a song about how everyone, in thinking they were about to die, realises that the fear and competitiveness peddled by the mass media is much less important than their love for family and the larger community. ("The Tide is Turning" track 8).

The album is dedicated "to all those who find themselves at the violent end of monetarism." This and other moments in the album--such as a segment juxtaposing a Ronald Reagan campaign slogan with clips from an old western TV show and an apparent recorded plea from American hostages not to engage in "heroics" to free them--make Waters' political point of view quite clear.


Thanks to Wikipedia I can copy and paste a good description. To listen to it is remarkable, and take away the ICBM's crushing towards the west coast, you could definitely picture this album today.

So It goes