I've been talking
about doing this list for years and finally I'm
making it happen. I'm making it happen. This list is comprised
of albums that for one reason or another I have grown to love
over the years. Some of them date all the way back before I
was born. I was a child of the 80's. So most of the 80's entries
are kind of nostalgic.
Many
of these albums I dare to consider some of the best
ever written. I hope you enjoy the list and maybe even
feel drawn to check out a few that you are unfamiliar with.
70.
Van Morrison-
Astral
Weeks
(Astral
Weeks)
Astral Weeks, Van Morrison's seminal 1968 album has been praised by musicians and writers from Lester Bangs to Bruce Springsteen. Known previously for his role as the singer in the Irish rock and blues band, Them, Van Morrison has helped define rock and roll with such hits as 'Gloria' and 'Here Comes The Night'. On Astral Weeks he abandons his pop sensibilities and amplified sound in exchange for a more 'rootsy' and organic vibe. The long lasting success of this album demonstrates that Van's songwriting is timeless and has appeal for all listeners of all generations. I would recommend this album to any fan of Van's solo music or the music of his previous band Them.
69. Viva Voce- Lovers, Lead The Way
(One
in Every Crowd)
Here, on their second full-length release, Viva Voce are, indeed, all over
the place. From swirling symphonic pop to classic indie-rock guitar grooves
and crackling lo-fi ballads, the husband-and-wife duo of Anita and Kevin
Robinson leave footprints all over the stylistic map, rarely stopping long
enough to let their creative heels sink into the ground. As such, the
album's 15 tracks can nearly be cut into quadrants, each representing a
slightly different configuration of the album's working ethic.
album review--->
68. Rootdown- Tidal Wave
Hip-hop artist Paul Wright's side-project Rootdown is back with their third project, Tidal Wave. The creative reggae group delivers an all-new, ten-track record full of songs about their faith in God, love, and relationships. The upbeat "Good Day" gets things going well, and speaks of trusting in God to get through the day, and declares that "today will be a good day." album review--->
67. The Doors- L.A. Woman
(Cars
Hiss By My Window)
My mixed feelings about The
Doors' final album are probably best summed up in my review of
Marianne
Faithfull's
Before The Poison:
L.A. Woman might be one of the best
swan songs ever, but Jim Morrison's raspy, drug-, cigarette-, and
alcohol-ravaged voice is a symbol of impending doom, promises unfulfilled,
and death in a bathtub.
album review--->
66. The Listening- The Listening Lp
From the opening moments of The Listening LP, it's clearly the band's name change is not merely cosmetic. Lush keyboards and almost-lazy synth bassline bring the record in as hushed, throaty vocals deliver line after line in a hypnotic cadence. "Glory of the Feared" is one of twelve outstanding tracks that drip, sweat and bleed passion, agony, heartache and hope. Lyrically, Gabriel Wilson is in top form, a romantic wordsmith using potent imagery to convey the depths of despair and the quiet resurrection of hope.
album review--->
65. Rolling Stones- Let It Bleed
Released way back in 1969, "Let it Bleed" finds The Rolling Stones at their absolute creative peak. Though it was released as part of a string of masterpiece albums the band recorded between 1968 and 1972, the argument can be made that "Bleed" stands ever so slightly above the rest. The Stones' countryfied rock has never sounded better, and is a major source of inspiration to today's "alt. country" movement.
64. Pete Yorn- Day I Forgot
Multi-talented musician Pete Yorn has called "Day I Forgot" a "feel-good" CD that was kind of a breezy natural extension of his excellent debut album, Musicforthemorningafter. Based on the bright-sounding single "Come Back Home," which is not the best song on the CD but perhaps best encapsulates what he was going for at the time, Yorn deftly hit the lighthearted mood he was striving for. "Day I Forgot" is the result of a year and a half of grueling touring, a maturation in Yorn's songwriting process and the bliss he felt in finally being able to come home and stay put for a while.
63. Cool Hand Luke- Fires Of Life
Enter the life of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Enter their fire. Then realize we were never promised a Christian walk without fire. Once this reality settles, pick up Cool Hand Luke's sophomore release, The Fires of Life. Based on Isaiah 43:2 and Psalm 30:5, Mark Nicks, Chris Susi and Brandon Morgan lift scriptures and paste them right into the song, creating a mosaic of language mixed with delicate instrumentation.
album review--->
62. Pilgrim-
S/T 
(Only
Your Presence)
There's
something liberating when you hear a song that moves you.
It's a sort of drug for some like myself. I am constantly on the search
for music that hits me deep down inside. It's always a victory when I
find an album like "Pilgrim."
Pilgrim is Josh White formerly of
Telecast and
The Followers. He has moved
into the genre of electro
pop, with a product that is sure to be a great success.
album review--->
61. Derek Webb- Stockholm Syndrome
(Black
Eye)
Over two years in the making, Webb
co-produced "Stockholm Syndrome", with former Caedmon's Call bandmate Josh
Moore. "Stockholm Syndrome", delivers everything listeners have come to
expect from Derek Webb: killer pop hooks and lyrics as thought provoking as
they are emotionally revealing. Sonically, however, this record is a radical
departure for Webb, who has left his acoustic, folk/rock roots behind for a
sound he describes as "intentionally inorganic." "I've always loved folk
music," Webb says, "because of its ability to tell the story of the times
we're living live in, in a timeless way.
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