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A to Z: My All-Time Favorite BandsJul 05 '05 Write an essay on this topic.
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The Bottom Line Some are popular, some are unique treats - but they all make constant appearances on my playlists.
When I heard about Jaguardog's write-off, it sounded like a cool think to enter. But then, as things have been doing more and more, it slipped my mind to actually create my entry. Now, many weeks later and with it 90% of the way done over that span, it's time for my entry into the AtoZ Favorite Musical Artists Write-Off I have tried to give you an album that I think best epitomizes that artist, although there are some when only a description of the artist as a whole will suffice. And I also included a few lesser known bands you might want to check out, indicated by the asterix (*). Enjoy! A » Anthrax - Among the Living: Anthrax was one of a handful of bands during the late 80's that stood out from the hair band and glam metal that so thoroughly filled the scene. Intelligent lyrics, a myriad of subjects and some hardcore musical skills set this band apart from most. » Fiona Apple - "Shadowboxer": Not and album but a song that epitomized what she had to offer. Her discs were great, and the world is still waiting for her latest to arrive. Great blues voice and piano that were missing from music at the time. » AC-DC - Back in Black: Perhaps the greatest hard rock album ever made for the college scene. I know of not one party that wouldn't get moving when this album came on. While AC-DC produced many classic albums and songs, this would be the defining disc for them and for a whole social set. » *Apocalyptica - Plays Metallica by Four Cellos: This album introduced me to four classical musicians with a whole new way of looking at the way that their instruments could be used and how metal could be played. I have to think that Metallica got the idea for S & M from these guys. B » Blues Traveler - Travelers and Thieves: When I got this disc in college, I hadn't really heard of the band - just thought that the cover looked good and the store had them as the featured artist. I have never regretted buying it - in fact, I bought the expanded version (with a second 4 live track disc) the day it came out. The band helped spur blues-laden rock back into the forefront and stayed at the top for many years. » Joan Baez - no album here, simply a woman that can be listed near the top of rock royalty. Her voice, her poetic writing, her social consciousness were all reasons why my list would be sadly incomplete without at least one album of hers in it. » Bare Naked Ladies - Rock Spectacle: These guys are a riot and made me have a new-found respect for some of today's music when it was starting to really sag (in my opinion). Irreverent and intelligently-written songs make for a great band (and a great album) for any collection. C » John Coltrane - Coltrane Plays the Blues: This and Blue Train are among Jazz's greatest albums. This was a simple one - Coltrane was one of the best and one of my favorites. » Harry Chapin - Greatest Hits Live: Harry Chapin was a storyteller trapped in a musician's body. Every song was a poem, every note the voice of a shaman relaying valuable information to the younger set around him. » *Cowboy Mouth - Easy: While this band really has to be seen live to be experienced to the fullest, this album catches a lot of their spirit and energy. A favorite for the summer months. D » Dio - Holy Diver: Still one of my favorite heavy metal albums from my youth. » Miles Davis - Kind of Blue: Although Miles had many best albums - depending on which style you preferred - I think that almost everyone will agree that this is perhaps his quintessential album. A masterpiece. » Ani Difranco - Out of Range: I've been missing a lot of female artists (even though the original instructions were 1 male, 1 female, 1 group). But I couldn't skip over Ani Difranco, a singer-songwriter who took on the music scene on her own terms and has had enviable success even without major label support. Her witty and sometimes scathing lyrics and quirky style are a great combination. E » Eagles - Greatest Hits: I really struggled with 'E'. This was the best that I can come up with other than... » Melissa Etheridge - Brave and Crazy: A great album from another artist who took the scene on her own terms. F » Ella Fitzgerald - Live in Rome: I struggled to find a secon 'F' (no, Foreigner doesn't cut it), but the first was simple. Ella. Ella. Ella. No other singer in history - in my opinion - has ever matched her amazing voice, delivery and personality. This album in particular shows off a lot of what she could do. G » Grateful Dead - Europe '72: Picking a single best Grateful Dead album is like picking the best beer out there - there are too many great ones to choose from. But Europe '72 was the first Dead album I bought, and thus has a special place in my heart. » Peter Gabriel - Passion: Not your normal Peter Gabriel album, this is actually a middle-eastern-influenced soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ. I had this long before I saw the movie, and it stands alone just as well as it fits into the movie. Amazing music from a variety of cultures, Gabriel created a fantastic soundtrack and standalone album. H » Herbie Hancock - Maiden Voyage: Another jazz classic, but one that many might not know about. I know that the first time I heard of it, I was thinking "Herbie Hancock - from the Beveryly Hills Cop movies? Yes, it's the same one, but no - this is far and away superior to anything from that era. Great piano jazz that is just perfect for quiet nights alone or with a special someone. » Sarah Harmer - All of Our Names: One of my new favorite artists, Harmer's combination of great lyrics and wonderful music create an excellent set of songs on this album. » *Heaven - Where Angels Fear to Tread - a metal band that never got its due despite some great straight rock and roll. I » Iron Maiden - Live After Death: Perhaps one of the greatest metal bands ever, and most likely the greatest live band of their generation. Their live shows were simply over-the-top spectacular, and this disc did a fairly good job of capturing that magic and energy on a disc. » Indigo Girls - Indigo Girls: I still think that this 'debut' (major label, at least) was their strongest work. Not that the rest of their work isn't good (Swamp Ophelia was always a favorite also), but this has their rawest music. J » Billy Joel - Songs in the Attic: Forget the regular albums, this early live album contains some lesser-known songs done in new ways that produce one of the best start-to-finish albums in my collection. » Jewel - Pieces of You: I always like this album - the innocence and pure spirit she embodied on it. » Elton John - Live in Australia: Elton John (who played in Philly last night and still has it) has countless great albums. But to be able to go back to songs that weren't necessarily your most popular and do such amazing things with them (and with the help of an orchestra) is an amazing thing. K » BB King - Again, another artist that no album defines. B.B. King was doing it when most of the other artists on this list were too young to play anything but their thumbs. And in all that time, he has come to be one of the patriarchs of the blues, and sadly, one of its last living legends. » Kiss - Alive: These guys were supposed to be all about the show, but I think that they created some top-notch music, as well. Alive manages to capture both elements. L » Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory: One of the best albums to come out in recent times, their blend of hip-hop/rap and metal make for a great combination and a unique signature sound. I wasn't as impressed with Meteora, but their performance at Live 8 was enough to remind me of how good they are. » *Love Seed Mama Jump - Live at the Stone Ballonn: A personal favorite from my youth, these friends from the University of Delaware created a highly energetic band that gave 100% every night and also managed to create great (and often hyperactive) versions of classic songs. M » Metallica - Ride the Lightning: Still my favorite metal band, despite the hugely disappointing St. Anger. This album put them on the worldwide map, and still represents some of their greatest work (although both Kill 'Em All and Master of Puppets are excellent). » Megadeth - Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?: Another of metal's greatest bands, Dave Mustaine and company provided more intelligent - and politically incorrect - lyrics and driving music to raise the testosterone and intelligence levels of their fans. » Sarah McLachlan - Fumbling Toward Ecstasy: On the softer side, Sarah McLachlan has been a favorite singer-songwriter for a long, long time. Again, her songs reach for the soul with amazing lyrics and beautiful music, alternating between melancholy ballads and energetic guitar works. N » the Nighthawks - Ten Years Live: I discovered them from a cover of the soulful dirge "If You Go", as played by my favorite college band (see Queen Bee, below). This disc is the one that was recommended, and it has become one of my favorite blues CDs and a definite for any long road trip. » Keri Noble - Fearless: Another new favorite singer-songwriter, Noble's angelic voice has created some of the best new music I've heard this year. O » Ozzy Osbourne - Diary of a Madman: I waver between this and Blizzard of Ozz, but right now this is my pick. Freed from the reins of Black Sabbath, Ozzy and young guitarist Randy Rhoads created two hard rock masterpieces and solidified Ozzy as a grand master of metal. » Joan Osbourne - Relish: Joan Osbourne burst onto the scene with this disc with good reason. Solid writing and excellent music combine for a stellar album. P » Phish - A Picture of Nectar: Like the Dead, Phish's albums are often little more than placemarkers on the chronology of their live performances. The bootlegs and live shows are where they show off best, but this album reflects some of the best studio work. » Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here: One of my all-time favorite albums, Pink Floyd has a unique place in rock because of their eclectic style and grand performances of masterful music. This disc has both, and some of the band's most recognizable songs. Q » Queensryche - Operation:Mindcrime: Queensryche was great in their own style anyway, but this concept album elevated them to a whole new level. » *Queen Bee and the Blue Hornet Band - Harder than a Freight Train: My favorite band at Penn State, their good natures and excellent blues music made them a local legend. This was their first big release and gives a great look at their talent. R » Rush - Moving Pictures: A favorite from high school, I always liked Rush's softer-edged hard rock. » Rusted Root - Cruel Sun: Another PSU favorite, they were a unique sound and style which made this indie release a college classic. S » the Smiths - Strangeways, Here We Come: Not for the clinically depressed, Morrissey and company defined my friends and I in our freshman year. No, we weren't doing the goth thing, but we each had a song (Mine was "Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before") that kind of fit our personalities. » Mindy Smith - One Moment More: She's a regular listen on my iPod with her wonderful voice and folk-country style that I never seem to get tired of. » Joss Stone - The Soul Sessions: One of the most surprising musical finds of the last couple of years, the then-17-year-old British singer rocked my world with her amazing covers of older R&B and soul classics. T » Tesla - Mechanical Resonance: A great metal band that expanded the scope of what a metal band could do, particularly when they released a fully acoustic album. » 3 Doors Down - The Better Life: One of my favorite new bands of my 'adult stage', these guys always rock - pure and simple. U » U2 - Under a Blood Red Sky: So many albums to choose, and so easy to hate everything after Rattle and Hum. Quick primer: Old U2 = good. New U2: Pretenious cr@p. V » Stevie Ray Vaughn - Texas Flood: SRV was a classic blues player gone much too soon - but his music lives on, and was destined for great things. » Van Morrison - A Night in San Francisco: A live disc that never ceases to amaze me in its range and style. Van Morrison is a rock classic all by himself, but this and Moonshadow are great discs. » Van Halen - II: Diver Down, VH I, 1984 - the classic albums go on and on ... and then Van Hagar came and ruined it. W » Widespread Panic - Light Fuse, Get Away: Simply one of the best jam bands out there - fantastic shows, quality originals, amazing covers and tons of vibe even in their studio discs. » *Was (Not Was) - Born to Laugh at Tornadoes: Eclectic and weird but still a favorite bizarre album. » W.A.S.P. - The Last Command: Underappreciated in their time, the spectacle they created overshadowed their talent as musicians. X » XTC - "Dear God" - Not a huge fan of the band as a whole, but I will forever count this song as one of my favorites. Y » Neil Young - Rust Never Sleeps: Neil Young will be a legend, and this is a piece of the story that will be told. Z » Warren Zevon - Genius: Also taken way too soon, Zevon was a master of the satirical lyric, adding a biting wit and bizarre mind to excellent music to create a unique style of song. He is missed.  |
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