Top Ten Greatest...
Time to lighten the mood
My good goomba Rick, over at City of God has kicked in a first rate worst Americans ever Top Ten list. I toyed with the idea, but opted for something a wee bit lighter.
The Caveman's Top Ten Greatest Albums
10. Frank Zappa's Overnight Sensation ~ OK, I'll admit it. I'm strange. But Zappa's always been a guilty pleasure. And he's also funny as hell. Excuse me while I jump on my pygmy pony, grab my zircon encrusted tweezers and put on my poncho. And yes... it's a real poncho, not a Sear's poncho.
9. Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells ~ For it's era (early 70's) this album was a stunner. Better known as The Theme from The Exorcist, side one is just one solid song, and it's just Mike Oldfield playing almost 30 various instruments. Record just one instrument for the length of time for side one, then record another instrument, then record another instrument... get one note wrong, start over on that track. Stuff like that's no big deal now, but thirty years ago, it was groundbreaking. And Oldfield's album stands the test of time. If you like intricate, tight instrumentals, this is the album for you.
8. The Commitments ~ Do you enjoy R&B? Like Blue Eyed Soul? Then this Irish band will knock your socks off. Lead singer 16 year old Andrew Strong has a voice that is a combination of James Brown and Joe Cocker, and can belt out a tune with all the subtlety of a nuclear strike. Angeline Ball has the voice, and face, of an angel. The entire band is simply awesome. One album, one concert... that's it. They disbanded. If you haven't seen the movie or heard the album, do it.
7. Victory At Sea ~ OK, I'm a retired Marine, my second oldest brother is a retired Naval Officer, my oldest brother was a Vietnam Marine machine gunner, our father was a Navy WWII, Korea and Vietnam vet. It's a no brainer that I love this album. Feeling worn down and need something to get you fired up to lift weights... or call in a napalm strike? Then this is the album for you.
6. Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive ~ I've always loved Big Band Swing, but this 80's New Wave artist suprised the hell outta everyone with this album. Tunes like Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby and What's The Use Of Gettin' Sober If You're Gonna Get Drunk Again? make this album a must have for anyone who even remotely likes Jazz. Louis Jordan is looking down from Heaven and smiling.
5. Blue Oyster Cult's Some Enchanted Evening ~ If for no other reason... because THIS is the album that has Godzilla live. And whatever you do, don't play Kick Out the Jams if your driving on the interstate. This is one of those songs that forces your right foot down.
4. Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery ~ Proof positive that you can dig on dirty hippie art school drop-out weirdo druggie music without being a dirty hippie art school drop-out weirdo druggie. Imagine a heapin' helpin' of Modest Mussorgsky, a liberal splash of Scott Joplin, and lastly, about a thousand hits of blotter acid. The entire Karn Evil 9 suite is simply stunning... a musical masterpiece. Jerusalem is almost religious... well it is a very old English church hymn. And Benny The Bouncer must be what's played before British soccer games. Yes, it's a rather calming little ditty.
3. Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True ~ Nothing says Take No Prisoners Rock 'N Roll like the Angry Young Man from the UK. Gritty, primitive Rock. If Mystery Dance and Welcome To The Working Week don't get you doing the White Guy With No Rhythm But Doesn't Care dance moves, then there's something wrong with you. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes and Blame It On Cain are just flat out fun.
2. Steely Dan's Countdown To Ecstasy ~ The twin genius of Fagan and Becker. Once you recover from being knocked off your chair by how great the musicians really are, you eventually discover that most of their songs are about drug smuggling and porno. But the music is just so damn good... you don't really care. And I gotta admit, My Old School always takes me back to my beer soaked, hormone driven high school days.
1. Chicago II ~ The greatest album ever produced. Drum-tight instrumentals. Intelligent lyrics. Harmonies that would make Brian Wilson proud. Make Me Smile never got the recognition it deserves. Undoubtedly, it rivaled anything The Who or The Beatles ever did. Chicago did a number of excellent albums after this one, but when Terry Kath (guitar and lead vocals) passed away +may God rest his soul+, that was the moment that Chicago went from being a great Rock and Roll band and became just another sickening sweet pop band.
Time to lighten the mood
My good goomba Rick, over at City of God has kicked in a first rate worst Americans ever Top Ten list. I toyed with the idea, but opted for something a wee bit lighter.
The Caveman's Top Ten Greatest Albums
10. Frank Zappa's Overnight Sensation ~ OK, I'll admit it. I'm strange. But Zappa's always been a guilty pleasure. And he's also funny as hell. Excuse me while I jump on my pygmy pony, grab my zircon encrusted tweezers and put on my poncho. And yes... it's a real poncho, not a Sear's poncho.
9. Mike Oldfield's Tubular Bells ~ For it's era (early 70's) this album was a stunner. Better known as The Theme from The Exorcist, side one is just one solid song, and it's just Mike Oldfield playing almost 30 various instruments. Record just one instrument for the length of time for side one, then record another instrument, then record another instrument... get one note wrong, start over on that track. Stuff like that's no big deal now, but thirty years ago, it was groundbreaking. And Oldfield's album stands the test of time. If you like intricate, tight instrumentals, this is the album for you.
8. The Commitments ~ Do you enjoy R&B? Like Blue Eyed Soul? Then this Irish band will knock your socks off. Lead singer 16 year old Andrew Strong has a voice that is a combination of James Brown and Joe Cocker, and can belt out a tune with all the subtlety of a nuclear strike. Angeline Ball has the voice, and face, of an angel. The entire band is simply awesome. One album, one concert... that's it. They disbanded. If you haven't seen the movie or heard the album, do it.
7. Victory At Sea ~ OK, I'm a retired Marine, my second oldest brother is a retired Naval Officer, my oldest brother was a Vietnam Marine machine gunner, our father was a Navy WWII, Korea and Vietnam vet. It's a no brainer that I love this album. Feeling worn down and need something to get you fired up to lift weights... or call in a napalm strike? Then this is the album for you.
6. Joe Jackson's Jumpin' Jive ~ I've always loved Big Band Swing, but this 80's New Wave artist suprised the hell outta everyone with this album. Tunes like Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby and What's The Use Of Gettin' Sober If You're Gonna Get Drunk Again? make this album a must have for anyone who even remotely likes Jazz. Louis Jordan is looking down from Heaven and smiling.
5. Blue Oyster Cult's Some Enchanted Evening ~ If for no other reason... because THIS is the album that has Godzilla live. And whatever you do, don't play Kick Out the Jams if your driving on the interstate. This is one of those songs that forces your right foot down.
4. Emerson, Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery ~ Proof positive that you can dig on dirty hippie art school drop-out weirdo druggie music without being a dirty hippie art school drop-out weirdo druggie. Imagine a heapin' helpin' of Modest Mussorgsky, a liberal splash of Scott Joplin, and lastly, about a thousand hits of blotter acid. The entire Karn Evil 9 suite is simply stunning... a musical masterpiece. Jerusalem is almost religious... well it is a very old English church hymn. And Benny The Bouncer must be what's played before British soccer games. Yes, it's a rather calming little ditty.
3. Elvis Costello's My Aim Is True ~ Nothing says Take No Prisoners Rock 'N Roll like the Angry Young Man from the UK. Gritty, primitive Rock. If Mystery Dance and Welcome To The Working Week don't get you doing the White Guy With No Rhythm But Doesn't Care dance moves, then there's something wrong with you. (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes and Blame It On Cain are just flat out fun.
2. Steely Dan's Countdown To Ecstasy ~ The twin genius of Fagan and Becker. Once you recover from being knocked off your chair by how great the musicians really are, you eventually discover that most of their songs are about drug smuggling and porno. But the music is just so damn good... you don't really care. And I gotta admit, My Old School always takes me back to my beer soaked, hormone driven high school days.
1. Chicago II ~ The greatest album ever produced. Drum-tight instrumentals. Intelligent lyrics. Harmonies that would make Brian Wilson proud. Make Me Smile never got the recognition it deserves. Undoubtedly, it rivaled anything The Who or The Beatles ever did. Chicago did a number of excellent albums after this one, but when Terry Kath (guitar and lead vocals) passed away +may God rest his soul+, that was the moment that Chicago went from being a great Rock and Roll band and became just another sickening sweet pop band.
posted by Kevin Whiteman at
11:46 PM
3 Comments:
Yeah--I like the Chicago pick for #1.
But no Blood, Sweat, & Tears? No Vanilla Fudge? No Rascals?
You must be a young 'un.
Dude, you forgot Queen's A Day At The Races, and Kansas' Point Of Know Return, and Billy Joel's 52nd Street, and the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.
How could this be?
LOL!!! Big Daddy, I was seriously thinking about adding BS&T to my list!
Paul, the list only goes to ten! Hmmm... should I expand it?
In the meantime.... Dad29 and Paul ---- TAG!!! Just how soon will the world see your top ten albums?
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