In the world of MP3’s and I-Pods the sacred record album has gone by the wayside. More and more I see bands who put out an album that has maybe 3 good songs on it. This is unfortunate. That is what is so spectacular about albums, they should tell a story, and even if each song isn’t monumental, the songs should be a glue that keep the story together.

This is a list of albums I like. I’m not saying they are the greatest, I’m just saying I like them, that’s it. You can test drive a few of them if you want.

SIDEBAR: You won’t find any Dylan or Beatles. I’ve never cared for either one’s music.
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*** – Highly Recommended
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***The Clash ‘London Calling’
If you don’t know the history of this band or record, look it up, I’m not a historian. This record is solid all the way through. It’s full of young life and its struggles. It has a very upbeat sound that is heavily influenced by Reggae and SKA. I’ve called this band the Anti-Beatles

***The Smiths ‘Hatful of Hollow’
Morrissey’s sarcastic haunting voice was the epitome of this album. Critics blow wads over ‘The Queen is Dead’  but this album blows that one away.

LOVE ‘Forever Changes’
This is definitely a PERIOD album about free love and depression. It’s beautiful.

Replacements ‘Pleased to Meet Me’
Though the Replacements put out a lot of great music, I’m a big fan of this album alone. They were doing something different and is still delightful to listen to.

***Rory Gallagher ‘Tattoo’
Rory mixes Jazz and Blues to create an almost perfect rock album. Rory’s guitar playing and voice meld well together. This is a classic.

***Dead Kennedy’s ‘Fresh Fruit for Rotting Vegetables’
Classics like ‘Lynch the Landlord’ and ‘Holiday in Cambodia’ Jello Biafro was the hero of anti-censorship. Let’s just say Tipper Gore is not a friend of his.

Vandals ‘Sweating to the Oldies’
This album is fucking hilarious. The Vandals were one of the first Pop punk bands to emerge. This is a live album that features their disgusting banter between the songs. “This one is called, Fuck my ass”

***The Pogues ‘Rum, Sodomy and Lash’
You may have heard of Flogging Molly, well these guys are the original entirety Rockers. All these songs are about death and drinking, but set to a jig you can dance to.

Fairport Convention ‘Liege & Lief’
Richard Thompson’s first band consisting of hippie, entirety rock. I’m sure this won’t be you favorite the first time you hear it, but it grows on you. Thompson is one of the more respected guitar players in the world, and any of his solo stuff is worth picking up also

Billy Brag ‘Worker’s Playtime’
An English folker who weaves beautiful songs

LL Cool J ‘Walking like a Panther’
Maybe it’s my teenage angst still inside of me, but I love this album! The same goes for the next one on the list.

Beastie Boys ‘Licensed to Ill’

Dead Can Dance ‘Box Set’
I suggest buying the 3 CD, 1 DVD box set of this group. Their music is so inspiring and haunting it can only be enjoyed in it’s entirety.

***Nuggets ‘Box Set’
Get the American one, the British one is OK but the American is definitely the preferable purchase. Features almost 100 songs by the greatest 60’s garage rock bands. This box set is a classic, originally released by Rino in the 70’s it was a flop, released in the 90’s it was a huge hit. If you ever wondered where modern R & R came from this box set will answer all your questions.

***Rolling Stones ‘40 Licks’
Sure, the Stones put out some classic albums, but why fuck around, this is a 2-CD collection that captures it all.

AC/DC ‘High Voltage’ & ‘Back in Black’
These are the only two albums you need by them.

***Leonard Cohen ‘I’m Your Man’ & ‘Various Positions’
This gravely monster of romance is highly recommended. I also suggest you pick up some of his poetry books.

***Robbie Fulks ‘The Very Best of’
Don’t let the title fool you. This isn’t a compilation of Fulks greatest hits, it’s  a collection of songs that never made it to other albums. I first got into Fulks in his days with Bloodshot Records and saw him live at the Pomp Room with an audience of 5 people. He is the Roots Country God. There isn’t a single country artist, Pop or roots that can hold a candle to this guy. He is one of my all-time favorites. Hell, even Jesse likes him.

Liz Phair ‘Exile in Guysville’
The deepthroat cover says it all. This album is about sex, dirty dog fucking to be exact. I have no idea what Liz is up to now, and could care less, she recorded a true classic in ‘Exile’

Squirrel Nut Zippers Perennial Favorites’
This band plays preposterous ragtime music set to modern lyrics and dance hall stompers.

Fiona Apple Extraditing Machine’
I’ve officially dubbed Apple as a Siren. Her cynicism reminds me of a female Morrissey.

***The Stooges ‘Raw Power’
The inklings of punk rock

***MC5 ‘High Time’
One of America’s greatest R & R Bands of all time. Unfortunately bad production, poor management and image destroyed this band.

***Tom Waits ‘Nighthawks at the Diner’ & ‘Raindogs’
If you know me, you know I’m the biggest Tom Waits fan in the area. A few years back I set out to get his complete catalog and the tribute albums. I still have to get a couple more tribute albums and a copy of ‘Big Time’ on video, but other then that, I consider myself an officiate. I will later be writing: ‘My Guide to Tom Waits’ but until then I highly suggest these two albums to wet your palette. Nighthawks was recorded live in the mid-seventies and features many songs from his albums in that time period. It is Waits at his best. You can tell he has just begun to make it in the music realm he lives in (whatever that is) and truly finding himself. A Captain Beefheart meets Zappa meets Coltrane. I also believe this was when Tom was still ‘Comfortable’ with his drinking. Raindogs is quite the opposite, recorded when he is at Rock Bottom (the first time around), the record is dark and mysterious and you can tell the end is near. Tom has been sober now for over 10 years and is still at it. If you want to get to know this man, try out these albums.

Nick Cave ‘Murder Ballads’
Though it may be a toss up between this record and ‘No more shall we part’ I had to pick ‘Murder Ballads‘. Cave’s talents really shine through, and his darkness. To write a whole album about murderers, well that takes a special person.

***Jimi Hendrix ‘Band of Gypsies’
Jimi live album recorded on New Year’s Eve 1970 without ‘The experience’. This highly emotional album is the pinnacle of Hendrix’s career and displays his incredible musical talents.

The Who ‘Live at Leeds’
If you never buy another Who album, you will be fine with this one. I’ve always felt that the Who got screwed in the studio, there live energy is not apparent, that’s why this is the greatest WHO album ever made.

***Miles Davis ‘Kind of Blue’
Even if you don’t like jazz, this CD needs to be sitting in your collection. It is a masterpiece.

Charles Mingus ‘The Black Saint & Sinner Lady’
Quite possibly the greatest Jazz composer to ever live.  Stealing ingredients from the Duke and Gershwin and throwing them in a blender of soul and blues. This album combines native sounds with jazz and liquidizes them in a blender. Play this one for your parents – they’ll either hate it or love it.

***ZEKE ‘Flat Tracker’
17 minutes of pure Rock & Roll insanity.

***Bob Marley ‘Legend’
I’m sure you already own this. If not, you should throw your stereo away.

Jeff Beck ‘Beckola’
Kind of sounds like Zeppelin, or at least what Zeppelin should have sounded like. Rod Stewart kicks out the Jams on this classic rock jewel.

Led Zeppelin ‘One’ & ‘Four’

Bad Brains ‘Quickness’
I’ve been told this Jamaican’s Hard Rock band’s first album is better, I disagree. “Don’t blow no bubbles dude!”

***Sex Pistols ‘Never Mind the Bullocks’
A turning point in Punk Rock. A must have.

***Guns & Roses ‘Appetite for Destruction’
I think this is where I turned into a very bad kid.

Weakerthens ‘Reconstruction Site’
Propagandi’s lead singers newer band. They are kinda of a We Might Be Giants’ throwback, but not as simple.

***The Cure Disintegration Street’
An instant classic

***Hank Williams ‘Box Set’
The greatest songwriter to ever live.

Patsy Cline ‘Box Set’
The greatest female roots-country vocalist to ever live

Nina Simone ‘The Best of’
I’ll admit Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughn are phenomenal jazz vocalists, but I hold a soft spot in my heart for Nina. Her deep, sultry voice is unmistakable, and she has never been duplicated. It’s great to hear her live material, her emotion is fantastic.

Dianne Schurr ‘Music is my Life’
Called the female Ray Charles. Dianne is one of the premier female jazz vocalists/pianists alive today. She is also blind. Whenever I hear people rant about Norah Jones, I tell them they’ve never heard Dianne scat, and her piano playing is up there with Ellington and Monk.

The Ramones ‘Rocket to Russia’
Come on!

The Doors ‘Greatest Hits’
I would suggest a particular album, but most of the Doors material is worth a listen. Very Addictive.

***Lucinda Williams ‘Car Wheels on a Gravel Road’
I saw Lucinda live right after this album came out. Best concert I have ever seen. Lucinda holds up to what she says, there’s no such thing as happy songs.

Junkyard Dogs ‘Good Living Platter’
This fucked-up country album includes members from the Reverend Horton Heat and the Supersuckers. The musicianship is excellent and the songs are funny.

Bad Livers ‘Industry and Thrift’
2-Piece Bluegrass band that tears it up.

Alex Chilton ‘Loose Shoes – Tight Pussy’
I just like this record, it is solid. Alex has put out a lot of shit, but when he nails it, he nails it.

Rancid ‘and out come the wolves’
Classic punk-rock album by crazy frontman Tim Armstrong

Operation Ivy ‘Operation Ivy’
Tim Armstrong’s first band – early ska-punk

Tracy Chapman ‘New Beginnings’
Political music before being political all of sudden got cool.

Swinging Neck Breakers ‘Live for Buzz’
60’s – Ramones – Lyres – throwback band.

Acid Bath ‘When the Kite String Pops’
If you you only buy ONE death metal album, this is the one. (It’s the only one I own) Beautifully produced. They are great Live also.

Metallica ‘Master of Puppets’
Heavy Metal at it’s best – sorry Ozzy.

Black Sabbath ‘Paranoid’

***Reverend Horton Heat (2)
‘Smoke Em if you got Em’ ‘Liquor in the front’
Smoke Em is their first album, more Stray Cats then Cramps, but solid. Liquor is there 4th? album, hard-driving and playing – Classic

Jayhawks ‘Sound of Lies’
The experiment gone right.

***Fugazi ‘13 Songs’
This is another CD that belongs in your collection, whether you want it or not. Flawless punk rock.

***Van Morrison ‘Moondance’ & ‘Best of’
Fuck the Brown-eyed girl, this guy is a musical genius who is still at it.

***Whiskeytown ‘Strangers Almanac’
Frontman Ryan Adams best material. This is one of my favorite Albums.

Janis Joplin ‘Pearl’
Another MUST HAVE album.

***************Counting Crows ‘August and Everything After’
I’ve been ridiculed a lot for liking this Album, but I’ll have to say it is flawless. It is my favorite album ever made. Most of their material after this has been lackluster at best. I think what I like about the album so much is the timeless sound and the incredible glue between songs. Each song is different but compliment each other very well, plus it is the perfect length. Make fun all you want, I love this album.