In yesterday’s post, I discussed jam-packed albums — those great records that are good from beginning to end. After I posted some of my favorites in that category, I asked some of my co-workers to nominate their favorite jam-packed albums. So today, I’m posting two of those responses — from photographer Dave Middlecamp and reporter Nick Wilson.
DAVE MIDDLECAMP:
This is what really separated the super stars from the hit and miss artists, if you could come up with a great album with flow that was worth getting up and flipping over. Usually a band had to make a manager, record company or weak song writer(s) happy and the album got watered down. Few artists had the power or vision to see a project all the way through.
Abbey Road/Beatles – hits on one side and an opera on the other. The fab four at their song writing peak.
Hotel California/Eagles – the album as a concept the decadent corruption of modern life and great songs. One song title, Life in the fast lane, became an urban catch phrase.
I’m the Man/Joe Jackson – captured the angry hipster with an edge of humor and you could dance to every tune.
Dark side of the Moon/Pink Floyd – this is the psychedelic milestone, songs flow seamlessly great writing and guitar (Start the album when the lion roars for the third time while screening the Wizard of Oz.)
Damn the Torpedos/Tom Petty – This is the first album where he put it all together, Mike Campbell the guitarist contributed the music to Refugee and he he said the hair stood up on the back of his neck when he heard what Petty had written for the words. What a killer band Petty had to bring the songs to life.
Dire Straits/Dire Straits – Mark Knopfler emerged from nowhere with a fully formed sound and mature songs, Sultans of Swing, Down to the Waterline, I’m sure others prefer his best seller album Brothers in Arms but the first album is my favorite.
NICK WILSON:
Highway 61 Revisited and Blonde on Blonde/Bob Dylan
This is when Dylan was at his best and doing some amazing things with his guitar. His voice was still fresh and nasally and interesting and he wrote some darn good lyrics during this period, too. I wish time could be frozen and that talent and ability he had when he made those albums could have been preserved. You have to give Dylan credit for evolving because he was a folk singer before rocking it out. Leopard-skin Pill-box Hat is a tremendously great song on Highway 61 Revisited with some all-out, screechy guitar that will take you to the moon and back.
Sam Cooke/ Greatest Hits Don’t know if we’re allowed to use a Greatest Hits album (EDITOR’S NOTE: Technically, no — but we’ll let it slide.) , but this one you can sing along to from beginning to end and feel better about life as you go. Cooke was a true singing talent with funny lyrics too (i.e. “Don’t know much about biology….”
Galore/The Cure The Cure made a compilation of their singles and this album killed it. It has Friday I’m in Love, Just Like Heaven, and one of the best songs of all time, Close to Me. These guys include passion, humor, and pain in their songs – which are more complex in mood than most rock bands. And it’s fun to hear the strong British accent come out in their lead singer’s cries.
Posted on July 3rd, 2009 by Pat
Filed under: Music
Leave a Reply