“Safe Travels” by Jukebox the Ghost (No. 11)
Jukebox the Ghost set the bar high with their debut album Live and Let Ghosts, and their follow-up Everything Under the Sun. With Safe Travels they completely clear the bar, and then some. Jukebox the Ghost is a relative newcomer on the music scene, especially compared with a lot...
“Bloodletting” by Concrete Blonde (No. 12)
Bloodletting gets tagged with the “gothic rock” genre, which is a bit unfair to Concrete Blonde. Sure, it’s got a wee bit of goth about it, but it’s not all gloom and doom lyrically or musically. In fact, Bloodletting is every bit as energetic and rock & roll as...
“Who’s Next” by The Who (No. 13)
On Tommy The Who sought to stretch beyond the confines of single songs to a cohesive, two-album work. With Who’s Next, The Who deliver nine incredible specimens of classic rock and roll. From the first notes of the primitive A.R.P. synthesizer on “Baba O’Riley” to the final flourish of...
“The Future” by Leonard Cohen (No. 14)
The Future is currently my favorite album by Leonard Cohen, and some of his darkest material. Coming four years after I’m Your Man, The Future finds Cohen even less optimistic and just as hoarse. That’s OK, he has a choir of angels to back him – or, at least,...
“Speak for Yourself” by Imogen Heap (No. 15)
After developing an addiction to Frou Frou, it’s not much of a surprise that I’d branch out to Imogen Heap immediately. Her second solo album, 2005’s Speak for Yourself is everything I enjoyed about Frou Frou and then some. There’s not a huge difference in overall sound between Frou...
“Broken” by Nine Inch Nails (No. 16)
Just how loud and angry can an album be, without devolving into noise? With Broken Nine Inch Nails tells us, pretty fucking loud and angry. The follow up to Pretty Hate Machine, Broken is an EP that barely clocks in over 30 minutes. Less, if you don’t count the...
“Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury” by Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (No. 17)
True to their name, The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy were one and done. They left behind one album, Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury, a damning cultural critique of U.S. culture over a unique synthesis of hip hop, industrial, jazz poetry, and punk. My only beef with the Heroes is...
“Whatever” by Aimee Mann (No. 18)
A word of caution before listening to Aimee Mann‘s Whatever – it may very well cause you to recalibrate your standards for songwriting. If you’re setting your standards by this album, it’s almost unfair to most other bands. Almost. Released in 1993, Whatever was Mann’s first solo album –...
“Document” by R.E.M. (No. 19)
For Document R.E.M. picked up a much harder edge than previous albums. Sure, Life’s Rich Pageant dabbled a bit with more aggressive guitar, but Document has a much harsher sound throughout. And it sounds so, so good. Document practically kicks you in the face with the opening track, “Finest...
“Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me” by The Cure (No. 20)
Most of The Cure‘s albums are outstanding, but Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is simply magical. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me shows The Cure delivering perfect, joyful pop right alongside languid and extended jams that don’t give a damn about radio play. I have to be honest,...