Essential Studio Albums

[wease]

1992

KISS- Revenge
Sade- Love Deluxe
Tori Amos- Little Earthquakes
Prince and NPG- weird symbol thing
White Zombie- La Sexorcisto: Devil Music Volume One
Body Count
Danzig- Danzig III: How the Gods Kill

[Birds in Hell]

1992:

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works 85-92
Lemonheads - It's a Shame About Ray
Lilys - In the Presence of Nothing
Melvins - Lysol
Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds - Henry's Dream
Ride - Going Blank Again
Rollins Band - The End of Silence
PJ Harvey - Dry
Polvo - Cor-Crane Secret
Pulp - Separations
Spiritualized - Lazer Guided Melodies
Stereolab - Peng!
Stereolab - Switched On

[liebzz]

John Prine - The Missing Years

John Prine is nothing if not a charismatic songwriter. His songs always seem to have character and a sort of relatable humor that is almost childlike wonder. It’s a big Old Goofy World is precisely the song and sound I am referring to here. You Got Gold, Everything is Cool, Picture Show, and The Sins of Memphisto probably also hit that mark. This is good fun stuff.

The Essential Track: It’s a Big Old Goofy World

Up Next: Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw

[liebzz]

By the way, how is that on every John Prine album cover, he looks like a totally different person. Every time.

[Birds in Hell]

Most of the time in this thread I nominate records that I really like and would also be interested to read liebzz's views on.

Sometimes, like the Pulp, Lilys and Stereolab records above, they're not even the band's strongest (or most "essential") records, but it seems important to tackle them from a chronological perspective because those bands have more significant records coming down the line.

But then there's other records I feel like should be nominated by someone, but I'm not personally a huge fan of, like Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted for 1992. I guess I just nominated it anyway, but perhaps feel like I'm not the album's best spokesperson.

What was the point of this post? I really don't know.

[Jorge]

You just wanted to express yourself

[Ello Sailor]

One of the great OB posters. You've earned a little ramble.

[liebzz]

Most of the time in this thread I nominate records that I really like and would also be interested to read liebzz's views on.

Sometimes, like the Pulp, Lilys and Stereolab records above, they're not even the band's strongest (or most "essential") records, but it seems important to tackle them from a chronological perspective because those bands have more significant records coming down the line.

But then there's other records I feel like should be nominated by someone, but I'm not personally a huge fan of, like Pavement's Slanted and Enchanted for 1992. I guess I just nominated it anyway, but perhaps feel like I'm not the album's best spokesperson.

What was the point of this post? I really don't know.

The point is I need to listen to more music.

Actually, the well received point, I think, is that while some albums are essential in the traditional sense, they sometimes provide context for a larger picture - and I have embraced including those albums. Hell, Dirty Work is on here but there’s nothing essential about that album - but it does provide context for a band whose collective spark had dwindled, nearly broken them up, only for them to emerge a few short years later as the purveyors of stadium rock - a transition (debatably essential) that would inform the next 40 years of the band’s work. There are also countless examples of albums that played those roles in here even if they are not the best.

And then there are those albums that aren’t the most important in the development of popular music, but are just plain awesome, and I embrace those too and seek to contextualize how they fit in my music taste. Also very welcome. This is all why I beg for input from y’all!

[wease]

I agree, Spenno. I do the same things.

[Birds in Hell]

You just wanted to express yourself

You know, I think you're right, Jorge.

One of the great OB posters. You've earned a little ramble.

What's the opposite of catching strays?

What a nice thing to say, and baby that's backatcha.

[Kalevi]

1992
Rage
David byrne

[liebzz]

Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw

It is really remarkable how long Bonnie Raitt maintained a relevant recording career through all sorts of changes in the pop music landscape. She delivers her brand (which is basically an entire subgenre) of country, rock, and pop here in prime form. I don’t necessarily get too far into this sound, but it is good for what it is, and a reminder of her staying power with huge hits like Something to Talk About, I Can’t Make You Love Me, and Not the Only One. Good Man Good Woman, Papa Come Quick, and Slow Ride are additional strong highlights here. I may not run back to this, but if this doesn’t set the table for a number of artists pushing a similar sound in the ensuing years, I don’t know what does.

The Essential Track: Something to Talk About

Up Next: Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky Is Crying

[liebzz]

Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky Is Crying

We’re continuing to head South for some blues, rock, country, soul, and jazz - with this posthumous album in tow. SRV was really an indescribable guitarist with a gift already sorely missed by this release. Everything here is pretty solid, a compilation of tracks that didn’t make prior albums but you’d never know this wasn’t a cohesive album in itself. The winner here is the blazing instrumental cover of Little Wing - absolutely scorching.

The Essential Track: Little Wing

Up Next: Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1991

[liebzz]

Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1991

This is the first release under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd since 1977. I say under the name because there may have been one member from that group in this one? Maybe? And while they certainly do their best to recreate what this band did in the 70s, this isn’t the same band. A reasonable facsimile perhaps, but I think this comes across as much more of a vanilla classic southern rock band - it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to decent enough music but not much of a reason to stick around. Smokestack Lightning here is pretty good, and the rest is fine, but not particularly distinctive.

The Essential Track: Smokestack Lightning

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds

[wease]

Bonnie Raitt - Luck of the Draw

It is really remarkable how long Bonnie Raitt maintained a relevant recording career through all sorts of changes in the pop music landscape. She delivers her brand (which is basically an entire subgenre) of country, rock, and pop here in prime form. I don’t necessarily get too far into this sound, but it is good for what it is, and a reminder of her staying power with huge hits like Something to Talk About, I Can’t Make You Love Me, and Not the Only One. Good Man Good Woman, Papa Come Quick, and Slow Ride are additional strong highlights here. I may not run back to this, but if this doesn’t set the table for a number of artists pushing a similar sound in the ensuing years, I don’t know what does.

The Essential Track: Something to Talk About

Up Next: Stevie Ray Vaughan - The Sky Is Crying

I Can’t Make You Love Me hits me just about every time.

[wease]

Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1991

This is the first release under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd since 1977. I say under the name because there may have been one member from that group in this one? Maybe? And while they certainly do their best to recreate what this band did in the 70s, this isn’t the same band. A reasonable facsimile perhaps, but I think this comes across as much more of a vanilla classic southern rock band - it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to decent enough music but not much of a reason to stick around. Smokestack Lightning here is pretty good, and the rest is fine, but not particularly distinctive.

The Essential Track: Smokestack Lightning

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds

[wease]

Lynyrd Skynyrd - 1991

This is the first release under the name Lynyrd Skynyrd since 1977. I say under the name because there may have been one member from that group in this one? Maybe? And while they certainly do their best to recreate what this band did in the 70s, this isn’t the same band. A reasonable facsimile perhaps, but I think this comes across as much more of a vanilla classic southern rock band - it isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it lends to decent enough music but not much of a reason to stick around. Smokestack Lightning here is pretty good, and the rest is fine, but not particularly distinctive.

The Essential Track: Smokestack Lightning

Up Next: Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds

Pretty much agree with everything here. I do enjoy the album, and it’s their best post-heyday, but there’s nothing really special about it.

The band actually has 3 cats from ‘77. Four, actually, but the 4th doesn’t play on the album. They toured with 2 drummers for a few months behind this one.

[liebzz]

Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds

This is more like it. While the Allman Brothers are also missing a significant chunk of their early lineup, this looks, feels, and acts like ABB, largely due to Betts and Gregg Allman, but also because Warren Haynes is tailor made for this band. And the songs on this one, particularly Nobody Knows and Kind of Bird, are scorching reminders of what this band can do at their apex. I wouldn’t register a complaint about a single one of these tracks, but those two take it.

The Essential Track: Nobody Knows

Up Next: Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

[wease]

Allman Brothers Band - Shades of Two Worlds

This is more like it. While the Allman Brothers are also missing a significant chunk of their early lineup, this looks, feels, and acts like ABB, largely due to Betts and Gregg Allman, but also because Warren Haynes is tailor made for this band. And the songs on this one, particularly Nobody Knows and Kind of Bird, are scorching reminders of what this band can do at their apex. I wouldn’t register a complaint about a single one of these tracks, but those two take it.

The Essential Track: Nobody Knows

Up Next: Van Halen - For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge

Can’t really argue with your pick, but End of the Line has my vote.

[liebzz]

Glad to see you posting - this is a very wease run of albums.

End of the Line is really good, but Nobody Knows is massive.