Building a music collection? Don't know where to start? Here's the best of heard in some well-known categories (though you may disagree with what I put in them!) along with the best I've heard in some categories I've made up myself! If I skip something obvious, let me know!
Country: I don't like country music, I like Johnny Cash. I recommend Classic Cash, The Sun Years, or Johnny Cash at Folsom Prison.
Hardcore: Minor Threat's Complete Discography. Whether you buy into the "straight-edge" idea or not, start here. Compare everything to this- little will match it.
Punk: The Clash. Almost thirty years later, still "the only band that matters."
American Punk: The Ramones Ramones, Bad Religion The Grey Race, Social Distortion Sex, Love, & Rock n' Roll, Husker Du New Day Rising, The Minutemen Double Nickels on the Dime, X Live at the Whiskey A Go-Go on the Fabulous Sunset Strip, Violent Femmes.
Blues: It's almost impossible to go wrong in this category, so I'll give you a few choices: John Lee Hooker- The Ultimate Collection, 1948-1990, Robert Johnson- King of the Delta Blues Singers, B.B. King- How Blue Can You Get? Classic Live Performances 1964-1994, Son House- Father of the Delta Blues.
Ska: The (English) Beat I Just Can't Stop It or The Specials The Singles
Pop: Squeeze 45's and Under
Rockabilly: Start early- Eddie Cochrane, Gene Vincent, Johnny Burnette, Dale Hawkins, Ronny Self, Jerry Lee Lewis, Bo Diddley- and then get modern- the Stray Cats, the Paladins, the Reverend Horton Heat, and the Hillbilly Hellcats
Dark: Wipe off the eyeliner and burn your NIN albums, Steve Albini and company go to that place in your mind/heart that you can't admit that you have- and they are relentless about it.
Rap: Start with Run-D.M.C's Greatest Hits 1983-1991, and then move on to Public Enemy and the Beastie Boys Paul's Boutique
Soul: Sam Cooke Live at the Harlem Square Club, 1963
Political: Billy Bragg Back to Basics
Other great albums or groups that I haven't mentioned already or that I'm too lazy to put into categories:
The Alarm- any album other than Raw
Oasis- I am ashamed to say I like them...but I do.
Big Country The Crossing
The Proclaimers- I don't even know where to begin...perfection.
Big Audio Dynamite This is Big Audio Dynamite or No. 10 Upping Street
Elvis Costello The Best of Elvis Costello...
The Pogues/Shane MacGowan- I like Black '47 and Flogging Molly, but they are the "t-ballers" and Shane with or without the boys are the "major leaguers."
Devo Hits
Paul Weller- A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G
The Cult Love
Garbage- I'm human and Shirley Manson is a siren...
Dag Nasty Can I Say?
R.E.M.- There's a lot to be said for staying true to your work.
Fugazi Repeater
The Donnas- They rock on several levels...
Bob Mould- any album other than Modulate
Stevie Ray Vaughan- I've never seen or heard anyone as good at what they do as this man was- buy it all.
The Jam: Just go ahead and invest in the boxed set Direction, Reaction, Creation
The Jesus and Mary Chain Psychocandy
U2- With the exception of that disco album...
Morphine- Listen to Yes or The Night and you'll see why Mark Sandman's early death was such a tragedy.
The Smiths/Morrissey: They've both becme the butt of many jokes, but I urge you to listen and decide for yourself.
Mike Ness- As close to a modern Johnny Cash as I've encountered.
Joe Strummer- Again, an untimely death. Damn.
The Stooges- Iggy wasn't always a joke.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment