Twenty Six Big Ones: The Albums That Shaped My Vision
Feb 04 '03 (Updated Feb 06 '03)
The Bottom Line How I came to enjoy music from Bon Jovi to the Eels and everything in between.
Musically, my interests have changed pretty drastically since I picked up my first cassette tape. That album, Bon Jovi’s Slippery When Wet, shaped the music I chose throughout junior high. Much of my collection revolved around Cinderella, White Lion, Slaughter, Skid Row, and the like.
And then in about 1992 I caught wind of a new phenomenon. Grunge. From that moment through about 1998 I was stuck in a rut. I’d listen to nothing else besides grunge and cock rock. Not that it was bad much at all, but there’s only so much you can hear without being forced to broaden your horizons. And so in about 1999 I began experimenting with my musical boundaries.
I found this wonderful used music store in East Lansing called CD Warehouse. I’d pick up random discs to see what I’d like and would tune into student radio to hear new music that I wouldn’t otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Not just that, I also heeded the advice of my sister who has for years imagined herself as a part of England. She was kind enough to toss a disc or two my direction, usually with positive results (though, to this day I cannot forgive her for suggesting the hell that is Catatonia).
In the past two years or so, I’ve begun to really spread my wings. Since the current state of rock music is so bad, I have turned to slightly modified versions of rock and roll. Be them electronically infused, tossed with Brit-pop, trip-hop, or indie pop it has been a pleasure to learn so much about so many unusual, unique, and creative entities. So, without further ado let us get on with the list of albums, a progression of musical taste:
The list that follows is purposefully assembled in the chronological order that I discovered the albums.
For Better and For Worse: A Progression of Musical Taste 4th Grade – Today
Slippery When Wet – Bon Jovi [1986]
A girl’s gotta have a girl musical love. As disturbing as it might be, Bon Jovi was mine. It was 4th grade music class. My teacher had every intention to teach the class two songs…Lean on Me and Livin' on a Prayer. Of course, my little girl mind immediately picked up on the latter of the two. I soon begged my way into owning the cassette tape (purchased at the grocery store). The rest is history. This is the seed that started my now distinct love for music. Songs like Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love A Bad Name, and Never Say Goodbye are to this day absolutely memorable. Great album? No way, but exactly what this little girl needed.
Skid Row – Skid Row [1989]
After spending years pining over Jon and Richie a new man entered my heart, Sebastian Bach. The first time I specifically recall hearing Skid Row was while watching MTV one day. I Remember You was the song. My junior high eyes welled up with tears (yes, seriously) with what transpired on screen. The song was great. It spoke to my heart. I bought the cassette and was then rewarded with such anthems as Youth Gone Wild, 18 and Life, and Rattlesnake Shake. Those were the days.
Pornograffitti – Extreme [1990]
As I grew, my tastes aged. Well…sort of. I came to appreciate the great things in music. Well played guitars (Nuno Bettencourt) and hard hitting vocals (Gary Cherone). It didn’t hurt that they were good looking and sang the occasional ballad, either. Both More Than Words and Hole Hearted were my favorites of the era. Not just that, but the tape made me feel like a rebel. Affixed to the front was an ominous black and white ‘parental advisory’ sticker, the first to be included in my now extensive collection.
Doubt – Jesus Jones [1991]
http://www.epinions.com/content_29782806148
A strange deviation from my rock and roll norm, Jesus Jones was the perfect release for me after the most recent race and/or track meet. I’d pop the tape into my Walkman and boogie away. By no means is this great music, but it remains hard not to enjoy the electronic-rock of Mike Edwards and company. Of course I first discovered the album because of hits Real Real Real and Right Here, Right Now but soon found that other songs were equally great most notably International Bright You Thing, Welcome Back Victoria and Trust Me.
Facelift – Alice in Chains [1990]
http://www.epinions.com/content_31494344324
As with most subsequently popular AIC albums, Facelift is metal. It was later mistaken for some kind of grunge, but in reality the band came about well before the Seattle movement. Without question one of my personal favorite rock albums of all time, it is hard to not covet songs like Man in the Box, Sea of Sorrow and Bleed The Freak. An album well ahead of its time, Facelift was an astute acquisition for me all of those years ago.
Ten – Pearl Jam [1991]
Ten was an amazing first experience with “grunge.” When I first heard Even Flow and Alive I must admit I was unimpressed. But as other songs were given exposure my interest definitely grew into a minor love affair. I finally “getting” what Black was about…and then feeling a little rebellious for understanding. However you slice it, Ten is a great album from start to finish. No lulls impede the listening ear.
Core – Stone Temple Pilots [1992]
http://www.epinions.com/content_28960001668
While Pearl Jam was my first grunge brush with grunge, STP represented my first love with the sub-genre. Something about the tone of Scott Weiland’s voice drew me in. The throbbing, anxious sound of the music beckoned me as high school freshman/sophomore and listener. The first time I heard Sex Type Thing I was sure I’d felt ecstasy. And then Plush proved me wrong…that was true paradise. From that moment on, I was in love with the rockers. I ran to Ben Franklin (a dime store that has since gone out of business) and snatched up the lone copy. Soon I was transported to a place where Dead and Bloated, Wicked Garden and Crackerman reigned supreme. Core was my single favorite album for about five years.
Mellow Gold – Beck [1994]
http://www.epinions.com/content_31759502980
Not only did I enjoy Loser when it hit airways, I actually went out and bought the tape (still had yet to get a CD player…don’t laugh). Anyway, for whatever inspired reason my younger sister and I picked up Mellow Gold. We loved it; it was the first tape to be played in my first car (1991 Escort Pony, baby). Beck had a certain demeanor, a certain swagger that even today is uncommon in music. And aside from Loser, there were other fabulous tracks like Pay No Mind, Nitemare Hippy Girl and Beercan. Hurrah!
The Downward Spiral – nine inch nails [1994]
My life changed for the better once I really discovered nin. See, I already knew of Reznor’s work because of the success of Pretty Hate Machine. But at the time the debut was released, it was much too hard and much too strange (okay, not quite hairy enough) for my taste. But The Downward Spiral came out in perfect timing. The grinding, industrial noise and Reznor’s incredibly emotional compositions seemed perfect. Not just that, I came to a quick understanding upon later entering college that Closer was the perfect party song. Ahem. Anyway, how could you go wrong with such a perfect album also including Hurt, March of the Pigs and Piggy?
Unplugged in New York – Nirvana [1994]
http://www.epinions.com/content_71891455620
Of course I knew Nirvana well as part of the aforementioned grunge movement. I owned Nevermind, Incesticide, and In Utero like the rest of the world. But it was only with Unplugged that I was enamored with the band. Somehow the album felt quaint and real, not at all manufactured but as though I was standing on the edge of the stage during an acoustic set. Even today I’d be willing to maintain that this is the best Nirvana album every released. Period. No questions asked. It contains a few truly inspired tracks: Lake of Fire (yes, I know this is a Meat Puppets song), Something in the Way, About a Girl, and On a Plain. Sheer brilliance.
Kerosene Hat – Cracker [1993]
http://www.epinions.com/content_32102190724
By no means a great or even probably memorable album, Kerosene Hat somehow managed to wedge itself into my collection before the end of my high school career. At first I heard Get Off This and thought to myself “wow, that’s a fun song.” And then I heard Low and was immediately hooked. Unfortunately for Cracker, the album wasn’t nearly as good as any of the singles. But with that said, I’m happy to have been thrown the chance to check out a different kind of rock.
Throwing Copper – Live [1994]
http://www.epinions.com/content_61729902212
As with the rest of the population of high school seniors, I too was a fan of Live. Not that it should come as any big shocker to anybody reading my opinions for any amount of time. I had actually already come to know Live though Mental Jewelry, but dismissed them quickly as a worthless entity. But then came Throwing Copper. Sure it’s an over-the-top melodrama. Sure it’s steeped in religion. Whatever, the songs are good. Beginning with I Alone, I liked Live. And then continuing with Selling The Drama and finally (big shocker here) Lightning Crashes, the album quickly made a niche in my collection. Not just that…it was also my first compact disc.
Astro Creep: 2000 – White Zombie [1995]
http://www.epinions.com/content_41096679044
Even today, I’m a sucker for a good Zombie track. And with that said one of the two best albums the band ever released (or Rob Zombie as a solo artist) is Astro Creep. While not containing my favorite song from Zombie, it does however present a nice, round horror-tinged image. And it is this connection with horror films that probably initially drew me in. That and the nifty More Human Than Human. Don’t forget Super-Charger Heaven or any of the other songs from the album…it’s chock full of ironic fun and growling vocals not to mention a mean bass guitar.
Licensed To Ill – Beastie Boys [1986]
http://www.epinions.com/content_46072761988
While I first heard the B-Boys in the 1980’s because of my skater punk cousin, it took until college for me to shed enough of my rock and roll shell to allow them into my collection. And while Licensed To Ill isn’t the band’s best album (I happen to really like Paul’s Boutique) it is probably the most fun. And fun was the name of the game during my Freshman year in college. I’d pop this disc into my Aiwa and kick it before heading out to a party or the bar (errr, I mean library). There are the obvious favorites Fight For Your Right and drinking anthem Brass Monkey but also person treasures No Sleep Till Brooklyn, Paul Revere, Slow Ride, and Slow and Low. A must have for any party.
Jagged Little Pill – Alanis Morissette [1995]
Really hitting it big the summer before my freshman year of University, Jagged Little Pill and its massive number of hits lasted well through my first and second years in higher ed. I remember seeing for the first time You Oughta Know and think how much Morissette rocked but then wondering what the hell she looked like (since the video had little to identify the Canadian with). As more singles broke I continued to be impressed but not particularly by Ironic. Songs like Hand in My Pocket, Mary Jane, Perfect and All I Really Want rocked just hard enough with just enough angsty emotion to entertain. Not just that…it is a really decent album even if overplayed for a time.
Tidal – Fiona Apple [1996]
http://www.epinions.com/content_30088531588
Shadowboxer was unlike anything I’d ever heard at the time. Though, I remember thinking to myself that the music was not at all my style but somehow wonderful and amazing. Subsequent releases solidified my feelings for Apple and Tidal. It took until Never Is A Promise for me to finally break down and buy the brilliant disc. It changed my world, opened up new musical doors. Though, I still was hesitant to pick up anything that wasn’t clearly marked rock and roll.
Rattle & Hum – U2 [1988]
http://www.epinions.com/content_29658877572
For some reason it took me until Christmas 1996 to finally pick up Rattle & Hum. I had and loved Achtung Baby and Zooropa and was well acquainted with Joshua Tree. And what finally drew me to Rattle & Hum was the strange song All I Want Is You. After a bit of research I discovered it was a part of this album and I knew beyond doubt that I needed it to complete my collection. I was right; Rattle & Hum is a wonderful album and is for some unexplainable reason my favorite U2 disc. Songs like Helter Skelter and All Along The Watchtower are highlights in a sea of U2 greats like Silver and Gold, Desire, Van Dieman’s Land and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For.
Fashion Nugget – Cake [1996]
http://www.epinions.com/content_60458765956
While in retrospect I should have recognized that Fashion Nugget wasn’t any sort of “great” album, I still find it hard to not enjoy many of the songs. Of course The Distance was what first spoke to me followed by the remake of I Will Survive. For the group I hung out with in college, Cake was a close second to Presidents of the USA for great party music. And what more could college kids living in the barren white north ask for?
Irresistible Bliss – Soul Coughing [1996]
http://www.epinions.com/content_31495261828
Late one drunken night I saw something incredible on MTV. I saw the video (yes, video people) for Super Bon Bon. I had little idea about whose song it was (and, well…my eyes weren’t much for focusing on tiny white print on the TV at that time) I had to do some major searching. And not to mention the fact that the internet was yet to be uber-popular. So after FINALLY tracking down Soul Coughing I snatched up Irresistible Bliss. And while it took a bit of time to really appreciate the album (it’s of course not exactly rock music) I found myself invigorated and deeply attached to the album and other songs like Lazybones, Soundtrack to Mary, and Sleepless.
Shepherd Moons – Enya [1991]
http://www.epinions.com/content_45042667140
Bet you wouldn’t have guessed that this rock girl actually owns not one, but three Enya albums. At the time I acquired this disc, I had some very loud and rather obnoxious roommates. I won’t go into details, but let me just say that I desperately needed some way to escape. And Enya provided a soft, comfy place to go without having to trudge through the snow. Putting on my headphones I was both relaxed and enamored by Caribbean Blue, How Can I Keep From Singing? and Ebudae. Eventually my eyes would close, and I’d drift asleep. Perfect.
American Thighs – Veruca Salt [1994]
http://www.epinions.com/content_32368266884
But I rock and roll is here to stay and when something good comes my way I’m not going to let it pass by unnoticed. Such is the case with Veruca Salt. Led for the first two albums by Nina Gordon and Louise Post, the band rocked as hard as any group of guys could’ve possibly hoped. Not to mention the fact that they could write songs and perform (at least Gordon could). Anyway, with a whole herd of good songs like Seether, Forsythia, and Victrola I was pleased to have finally purchased American Thighs literally four or five years after the album’s initial release.
Fragments of Freedom – Morcheeba [2000]
http://www.epinions.com/content_55031205508
On a whim after hearing Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day on student radio. Little did I know at that time that by no means is Fragments of Freedom Morcheeba’s best. But at the time, I didn’t have any idea about the not-quite-trip-hop trio. Songs like Be Yourself, World Looking In, and In The Hands of Gods are all great. But the album on the whole is only average. But what Fragments of Freedom did is open my eyes to an entirely different kind of music and for that I’m grateful. And then I’m also pleased to have discovered Morcheeba and thusly Big Calm and Who Can You Trust?
Bring It On – Gomez [1998]
http://www.epinions.com/content_84024790660
All hail rock and roll! In the midst of the worst crop of rock music ever to have hit the scene, Gomez rolled in sporting British accents and blues-rock songs. As strange as it would seem on the surface, the band is WONDERFUL. And my sister tried for ages to tell me as such. I didn’t believe her until I randomly bought Bring It On after finally heeding her advice (a good two years later), and found myself rejuvenated and once again thinking that maybe all hope wasn’t lost. Gomez must be heard.
Dog Man Star – Suede [1994]
http://www.epinions.com/content_71164595844
Somehow it took me until a year or two ago to stumble on Suede (or London Suede as the case may be). Why so long, you ask? Well…they aren’t exactly straight rock and roll and therefore when Dog Man Star got a zillion great reviews in 1994 I couldn’t have been any less interested. But now I see the error of my ways and have bowed to my new British gods. Dog Man Star hits hard with the uber-catchy Heroine and others like New Generation, Introducing The Band and This Hollywood Life. A wonderful album, from a darned spiffy band.
No Such Place – Jim White [2001]
http://www.epinions.com/content_80348941956
Without question, the single most impressive discovery I’ve made in my musical history, Jim White is an amazing talent. With bizarre imagery, beautiful vocals, and timeless folk-rock songs the Floridian singer-songwriter should have a larger following. But unfortunately he does not. White has managed to open my eyes even wider to folk rock and indie rock and to come to further realize that even if I don’t recognize an artist’s name he or she may be worth hearing.
Electro-Shock Blues – Eels [1998]
http://www.epinions.com/content_85491814020
And that brings us to today, and my most recent obsession the Eels. Dark and strange, Electro-Shock Blues resonates wonderfully without sounding too purposeful or selfish. E is unaffected by the spotlight that briefly shone on him in the mid-1990’s instead content to make music to satisfy himself. It works wonderfully on this occasion and on songs like Cancer For The Cure, Elizabeth On The Bathroom Floor, Going To Your Funeral and Last Stop: This Town. While the album might not be for those easily offended or depressed, it is genius.
So there you have it. My musical journey to date. Of course I left off some of my early brushes with music, but in the entire scheme of things they were pretty unimportant and less life-defining than my discovery of Bon Jovi.
Hope you enjoyed!
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Member: Shelly T.
Location: Metro Detroit, Michigan
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Bye-bye CL hat. Hopefully I'll write some new reviews some time soon!
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