Sea Change

You know as I have been going through this list something has dawned on me; there are a good number of albums that I love that took a few spins for me to really get into them. Up to this point, I listen to an album and make a quick judgement (like a Roman emperor deciding the fate of a gladiator) and move on. Some music takes time to understand and have it make sense to you personally, and sometimes an artist I couldn't have cared less for at 25, will connect with me in a much needed way at 30. When I first heard Yankee Hotel Foxtrot I didn't give it a second thought but a couple years down the road, when I stumbled across it again, we were like dear childhood friends building huts and lighting tires on fire together. Inseparable. Also my mood on any given day can predict if I will have the patience for certain types of music. Sometimes I just need something really easy and accessible like Justin Timberlake and would rather not have to invest in an album. What I'm trying to say is that I fear that at times I may be too hasty in my judgements of an album after only one listen. That's really not hurting anyone but myself and in a hurt-myself-kind-of-way like missing-the-last-eposide-of-The-Shield king of way. It will be alright. I'm not going to listen to all 500 albums multiple times, I'm just going to be a little more open minded and big-bear-hearted moving forward.

You know what else, suicide sucks! And so does Suicide (#441). I suppose this one of those albums that had a huge impact on other artists but it sure is a bowl of poop. If Ghost Rider went anywhere it might be tolerable but it surely doesn't even try that. The breadth of this album doesn't really extend beyond what I could do with an old Casio, a loop station (heavy on the 4 minute loops), and an old tape recorder.

But luckily that was the worst of the last little bunch. Devo (#442) was enjoyable and it might be one of those albums that in order for me to appreciate it I would have to listen to it a few more times. It didn't make a good first impression. It seemed too...ADD for me. Too...cheeky. Though Uncontrollable Urge keeps me coming back and the Too Much Paranoias starts out promising but doesn't really deliver. Cheap Trick (#443) surprised me as not being total fluff and in fact I kind of enjoyed it. Definitely worth a second look, if only to listen to You're All Talk again. MC5 (#446) is far more hooky than I thought they would be and especially when they wanted to party in any kind of anti-establishment kind of way. I really dig Let Me Try.

The real treats were Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto (#447), Sam Cooke (#439), and Beck (#436). Getz/Gilberto is one of the finer jazz albums to come out of the...smooth-latin-jazz scene (I just made that up). No but really it is a great album and one that I think too many people would easily pass over, marking it as "passe et cliche" jazz. However, you'll rarely hear a more smooth sax anywhere than Stan Getz and the vocals by Astrud and Joao Gilberto are wonderful. "The Girl From Ipanema" shows up on this album but I suggest Corcovado.

Sam Cooke Live At The Harlem Square Club, 1963 was an incredible relief after just listening to Suicide. I've only been partially aware of Sam Cooke before this; songs like "Chain Gang" and "Twistin' The Night Away" show up in most any movie set in the 50s and 60s. But I've never really listened to him before and hearing him live made me appreciate the real soul in his voice (The Father of Soul) and I really look forward to exploring more of his stuff. Somebody Have Mercy makes me wish I was there in 1963. I may have been too white though.

I am really happy Sea Change by Beck made it on this list. I once read a statement that called this albums Beck's magnum opus and I would definitely agree. I think it's one of those albums that will last beyond Beck's years and future kidos may one day find a new appreciation for it. Though it does have a tendency to bum me out righteously sometimes. Already Dead is one of my favorites on here and Round the Bend has always reminded me of a Nick Drake song.

Round the Bend.

Zak Making Dollars

The bad: Just when I think I have heard the worst of the worst, I am proven wrong. Public Image Ltd (#461) was about the worst I've heard and not just on this list but in general. It makes me long for...I'd rather lick a tramp or listen to Creed than have to go through that album again. Public Image Ltd was Johnny Rotten's band post Sex Pistols and though it was a departure from the Sex Pistols it was far from an improvement. Def Leppard (#464) sacrificed any real talent they had for the sake of smash-hyper-sex hits that made them millions of dollars and created an album I couldn't care less for; though it didn't make me long for Creed. I like The Drifters but I don't think it's quite fair to put a 'best of' album on a list of greatest albums of all time. Los Lobos, though talented, offered little in the way of catchy tunes. As did Big Star and Alice Cooper. Wait! No! Big Star was crap. When Big Noize (Blake and Steve might be the only peeps who know that reference) can do a semi-decent and almost indistinguishable cover of one of your best hits...well maybe don't write songs and do taxes instead.

The good: I highly doubt that Here, My Dear by Marvin Gaye (#456) would be the only album of his on this list and it makes me excited for what's to come. Z by My Morning Jacket has a modern sensibility that I really connected to and will listen to again, though the effects on the vocals, after an albums worth of songs, might get distracting. Jackson Browne (#450) is one of the better singer-song writers to come out of the 70s and worth looking into more. EPMD (Eric and Patrick Making Dollars) (#453) had a similar swag to A Tribe Called Quest though quite different in musical influences and tempo and more obsessed with "dollars" and "business." Echo and the Bunnymen (#463) gave me a reason to give New Wave a serious look into. Not a bad album, though I think it's not the best of its type. I fully admit that New Wave is a genre that I think you had to grow up with to fully appreciate. The highlight of the last handful of albums was Back to Black by Amy Winehouse (#451). A wonderfully fresh and unique album. Amy Winehouse had an incredible soul in her voice, especially for a white girl, and the music is real throw-back but in no way does it merely rip off or recycle old Motown. I think Aretha and Otis should be proud. If you are like me, you never really gave her a chance but try listening to Me & Mr Jones or You Know I'm No Good or Tears Dry On Their Own if you don't want to listen to the whole album. Really though, the whole album is great.