Some of the albums in this post have already been featured in other posts on this blog. This is from a document I recently found on my previous computer (Sony Vaio). I transferred the doc to my current computer and decided to use it on this blog. I wrote this about 2 years ago for an old facebook page but never put it up. This is a recollection of my memories of these albums. This is more personal instead of fact filled.
Adrian Belew - Lone Rhino (1982) - (Yep, I know I just did a comprehensive review of Belew's music on this blog... but what can I say).I first recognized
Adrian Belew in 1981 on Tom Tom Club’s classic debut album. I was mesmerized
with Belew trippy guitar work on song such as “L’Elephant”, “On, On, On, On”
and of course “Genius Of Love”. Shorty after that discovery I paid more
attention to his work on Talking Heads’ albums “Remain In Light” and “Fear Of
Music” which I bought a few years prior. It was only natural that when Belew
released his debut solo album that I buy it. Fortunately his debut was outstanding. “Big Electric Cat” is one of those
songs I still play to this day. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002HM6AQW/ref=nosim/populasongsmu-20
Bjork - Homogenic (1997) - With this album Bjork
became one of my favorites. I love the songs “Hunter” , “All Is Full Of Love” and
“All Neon Like”. “Homogenic is one of modern rock’s leading edge album’s of the
90’s which has helped to shape todays sound in music. This album can require a
bit of getting used to, especially if you are not familiar with Bjork. But once
you get the meaning and feel the feel of “Homogenic” you will be gripped.
The following is part of a review I
found on amazon.com:
For starters, "Homogenic" is the complete
opposite of the Euro-friendly, house-filled "Debut," which found
Bjork bringing fire on the dancefloor at four in the morning. Instead, we find
her as the hunter, looking for the next kill, or as the screaming numbed soul
excusing herself for being about to explode. Complete with wavy beats and
minimalist industrial crunch fading in and out throughout the whole album, this
is a difficult heart-renching listen that's filled with everything that is
Bjork: beauty, love, despair, loneliness, and finally defeat with hope.
Blondie - Eat To The Beat (1979) - In early 1979 I
bought Blondie’s “Parallel Lines” and just loved that album. Debbie Harry
became a quick favorite. When “Eat To The Beat” came out I was first in line to
buy it. I played both albums countless times, but it was “Eat To The Beat”
which became my favorite Blondie album. I equate this album with my youth… so
many great memories. “Die Young Stay Pretty” and “Accidents Never Happen” were
my favorites back and still are today.
David Bowie - Scary Monsters (1980) - There are other
Bowie albums which are considered classics, but this is the Bowie album which
really caught my attention. I first bought it because for the song “Ashes To
Ashes”, which was a fantastic sequel to “Space Oddity”. But than the album includes classic
Bowie such as “Fashion”, “Up The Hill Backwards” and my favorite “Scary
Monsters”. This was Bowie successfully moving into a new wave sort of techno
punkish sound.
Brian Eno – Here Come The Warm Jets (1974) - I had
heard about Brian Eno for since the mid 1970’s but never really ventured into
his music until around 1983. At that point I had several Talking Heads, David
Bowie, Roxy Music and other albums he worked on. Finally in ‘83 I bought some
of his classic albums from the 70’s and wondered why I didn’t latch on to him
sooner. I began with “Here come The Warm Jets” and soon after purchased all of
Eno’s pop and rock releases (at the time). Eno completely appeals to the
oddball yet dark side of me.
Jimi Hendrix - Axis: Bold As Love (1967) - This one
has a fantastic sense of color and artistry along with some totally awesome
guitar, bass and drum work. This is one of those albums that not only grows on
you but pretty much becomes an extension of yourself for a while. There are so
many levels of emotions expressed in different ways (primarily through
Hendrix’s inspiring guitar work. Each song has a depth that only escalates with
each song until we reach the penultimate “Bold As Love”, with this song the
colors of the spectrum come alive with every emotion experienced throughout the
album. Emotions of confusion, sadness and even jealousy. “If you love rock and
you don’t own this album, you gotta go ahead and get it. It is worth owning.
The Kinks - Low Budget (1979) Originally, I bought
this one for the song “(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman”. After a few listens
it ends up the entire album was great from beginning to end. My favorite song
from the album is “Moving Pictures” with a cool upbeat new wave feel the song
fit well with others like The Cars and Gary Numan.
Pink Floyd - Atom Heart Mother (1970) - This one
caught the dark side of my emotions. It has an acoustic nature with an
understated atmosphere of electronic emotion. Roger Waters’ “If” and David
Gilmour’s “Fat Old Sun” are amongst the most beautiful and deep reaching songs
Pink Floyd ever recorded. This album is specifically important in my life. I
bought it back in 1982 and it became part of my life. It was like another limb,
part of my own body. When I listened to this album not only did I hear
fantastic music, but I also able to see the colors of the emotions from this
album in my mind. I could feel this music in my bones.
Renaissance - Camera Camera (1981) – “Camera Camera”,
appeals to a level of superficiality we all have hidden in ourselves. Throughout
the 1970’s Renaissance gained acclaim for their symphonic prog rock stylings.
“Camera Camera” found them exploring a harder edged new wave style, which at
some points had similarities to Lene Lovich, while still maintaining a hint of
their earlier prog rock days. Surrounded with excellent musicianship Annie
Haslam’s lead vocal is as always out of this world fantastic. I practically
played the grooves off of this album and especially hooked on “Tyrant-Tula”,
“Ukraine Ways” and the title track “Camera, Camera”.
Roxy Music - For Your Pleasure (1973) - This wasn’t
the first album I owned by Roxy Music and it’s not the album that got me hooked
on them. I discovered Roxy Music in 1979 with the album “Manifesto”, I loved
the album cover and the new wave-dance sound was excellent. It is with
“Manifesto”, that Roxy Music became a staple in my music listening life. But
it’s “For Your Pleasure” that made the biggest impression on me. I first bought
“For Your Pleasure” in 1982. The first thing to strike me was the dark album
cover. It somewhat fit with my persona at the time. The music blew me away. The
album was 9 years old when I bought it, but was still relevant to a certain
culture of music listeners of the time. On the technical side of music (in
1973) FYP was light years ahead of their contemporaries. With it’s strangely charming
yet dark and eerie songs, the album appeals to my ghoulish side. I must have
played “In Every Dream Home A Heartache” at least 10,000 between 1983 through
88. It is through Roxy Music that I discovered Brian Eno.
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