Freddy's Album Choices

 (scored on a scale of 1-5 by Freddy)

Pet Sounds -- The Beach Boys  ** 1/2
Paul's Boutique -- The Beastie Boys  ****
The White Album -- The Beatles  *****
Bill Withers -- Bill Withers* (compilation)  *****
All Shook Down -- The Replacements   ***
Amused To Death -- Roger Waters   *** 1/2
Automatic For The People -- REM   ****
Band On The Run -- Paul McCartney & Wings    ****
5th Symphony -- Beethoven     ****
Bloodletting -- Concrete Blonde   *** 1/2
Brainwashed -- George Harrison   ****
Bud Smokers Only -- Bone, Thugs -n- Harmony   ***
City To City -- Gerry Rafferty   *** 1/2
Dark Side Of The Moon -- Pink Floyd   *****
The Wall -- Pink Floyd   ****
End Of The Innocence -- Don Henley    ***
Thriller -- Michael Jackson   ***
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere- Neil Young      ****
Licensed To Ill -- The Beastie Boys     *** 1/2
The Ramblin' Man -- Waylon Jennings     ****
The Royal Scam -- Steely Dan    ****
Rumours -- Fleetwood Mac   *****
Some Girls -- The Rolling Stones    ****
Trans -- Neil Young   ***
Living & Dyin' In 3/4 Time-- Jimmy Buffett     ****
Mono-- Paul Westerberg (aka Grandpaboy)     ***
Bee Gees -- Compilation of Bee Gees songs    ***
Division Bell-- Pink Floyd   ***
Pieces Of A Man-- Gil Scott-Heron     *****
Born In The USA-- Bruce Springsteen    ****
Just Add Ice / All About Town-- The V-roys  ****
Hotel California-- The Eagles   *****
Tapestry-- Carole King  ****
Compilation-- Johnny Cash  *****
End Of The Innocence-- Don Henley   ***
Friday Night Is Killing Me-- Bash & Pop *** 1/2
Rust Never Sleeps-- Neil Young  ***
Exodus-- Bob Marley ****
Check Your Head-- Beastie Boys  ****
Black Ribbons-- Shooter Jennings & Heirophant  ****
The Band-- The Band *****
Business As Usual-- Men At Work  *** 1/2
Goin' Down Rockin'-- Waylon Jennings *** 1/2
Compilation-- Yes *****
Cry Like A Baby-- The Box Tops *** 1/2
Pleased To Meet Me-- The Replacements **** 1/2
Hysteria-- Def Leppard ****
Who's Next-- The Who  ****
Times Like These-- Slim Dunlap ***
Seed Of Memory-- Terry Reid *****
Cry Like A Baby-- The Box Tops ***
Mermaid Avenue-- Billy Bragg & Wilco ****
Aja-- Steely Dan *** 1/2
Compilation-- The Monkees ***
Sea Change-- Beck ****
Bat Out Of Hell-- Meat Loaf ****
The Other Life-- Shooter Jennings *****
Basement Tapes-- Bob Dylan & TheBand ***
Elvis Tribute-- Elvis Presley ***
Deja Vu-- Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young ****
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot-- Wilco ****
Sound of Lies-- The Jayhawks *****
Dirt Farmer-- Levon Helm ***
Number 1 Record-- Big Star *** 1/2
Mexican Moon-- Concrete Blonde ***
Suicaine Gratifaction-- Paul Westerberg ***
Compilation-- Neil Diamond ***
Compilation--Don Williams ***

Chris' Album Choices

* - denotes rating from Freddy (based on 1-5 stars)

Alligator--The National  
The Animal Years--Josh Ritter     *** 1/2
Consider The Doors--The Doors* (compilation)    ***
Broken Bells--Broken Bells       ****
Chicago--Chicago Transit Authority      *****
Child is Father to the Man--Blood, Sweat &Tears     ***
East-West--Paul Butterfield Blues Band    ***
Endtroducing--DJ Shadow  
Kay Kay and His Weathered Underground--Kay Kay   *** 1/2
Fate--Dr. Dog
Forever Changes--Love
Glass Houses--Billy Joel     ****
Guero--Beck   *** 1/2
John Prine--John Prine      ****
La La Land--Wax Fang   ***
The Low End Theory--A Tribe Called Quest     ****
The Notorious Byrd Brothers--The Byrds    *** 1/2
The Shepherd's Dog--Iron & Wine     ****
Recovering the Satellites--The Counting Crows     ****
Summerteeth--Wilco   *** 1/2
Tilt--Scott Walker     ****
Innervisions-- Stevie Wonder    *** 1/2
Trace -- Son Volt         ****
Life's Rich Pageant-- REM      ***
Led Zeppelin 4 -- Led Zeppelin      ****
Jimi Hendrix Best Of-- Jimi Hendrix   ***
What's Goin' On-- Marvin Gaye  ** 1/2
Curse Your Branches-- David Bazan      ***
Shake Your Money Maker-- Black Crowes ***
James McMurtry--  ****
I'm Wide Awake, It's Morning-- Bright Eyes  ****
Sail Away-- Randy Newman *** 1/2
Mule Variations-- Tom Waits ****
East Nashville Skyline-- Todd Snider ***
Rockin' The Suburbs-- Ben Folds *** 1/2
Historical Conquests-- Josh Ritter  ***
Gris Gris-- Dr. John ****
Wichita Lineman-- Glen Campbell *** 1/2
Clarence Greenwood Recordings-- Citizen Cope   **** 1/2
Paradise & Lunch-- Ry Cooder  ****
In Search Of The Lost Chord-- Moody Blues *** 1/2
Hot Buttered Soul-- Isaac Hayes  ****
Pacific Ocean Blue-- Dennis Wilson ****
Buhloone Mindstate-- De La Soul **** 1/2
Violent Femmes-- Violent Femmes ****
Emotionalism-- Avett Brothers ****
Animals-- Pink Floyd ****
Compilation-- White Stripes ****
Down With Wilco-- The Minus 5 *** 1/2
Walking In Space-- Quincy Jones ****
Ziggy Stardust-- David Bowie ****
Green River-- CCR ****
Compilation-- Flaming Lips ****
Youth & Young Manhood-- Kings of Leon ***
Sticks & Stones-- The 77's ****
Live At The Apollo-- James Brown ****
Shine On Brightly-- Procol Harum *****
Graceland-- Paul Simon ****
The People's Key-- Bright Eyes *** 1/2
Purple Rain-- Prince **** 1/2
Cease To Begin-- Band of Horses *** 1/2
Bad Books-- Bad Books ***
Andorra-- Caribou *** 1/2
Red Headed Stranger-- Willie Nelson ****
Woodstock: Concert Documentary-- **** 1/2
David Poe: David Poe-- ****
Fun House: The Stooges  ***

REM: Automatic For The People

Choice:   Freddy

This is a long time favorite of mine. It's about as close to a "concept" album as I guess REM has come. Most of the album deals with end of life themes, misunderstood people, and fractured relationships. This is such a pleasant listen, if there were no lyrics I'd still love it. It's easily my favorite REM album and probably in my top 25 of all time. Chris also enjoyed the listen and it came at a time when a nice, mellow record was needed. When making the record, the band started out to make a rocking album, but kept coming back to subdued musical beauty instead of hard edge, guitar rock (which they later hit with "Monster"). The album features string arrangements by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, and was produced by Scott Litt.

Charts:  #2 Billboard USA, #1 in the United Kingdom (Top 4 in 7 countries in 1992)

Singles:  6 singles, featuring "Drive", "Man On The Moon" and "Everybody Hurts"

Awards:  Sold almost 4 million copies in the US alone. Nominated for a Grammy in 1993. Is ranked at #247 in Rolling Stones Top 500 Albums, and was ranked by NME voters as the 37th best album ever in 2006.

Chicago Transit Authority: Self Titled

Choice:  Chris

Really an amazing album. I give Chris mega credit for laying this one on me. It's the first album by the band that would become, simply, Chicago. It's one of the most well rounded albums I have ever heard. I will go on record saying it's the BEST album I've ever had the pleasure of listening to. It's the first album released by Chicago and the year was 1969. I'm amazed at how modern this thing sounds after over forty years. The music is vibrant, with lots of punch and heart. Lyrically, it's still relevant. If you need to get in the zone one night, put this on the turntable, IPod, or CD player and I think you'll be pleasantly surprised. By the way, if there is a better drummer than Danny Seraphin, I've yet to hear him/her.

Top Songs: Beginnings, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Questions 67 & 68

Chart Success:  17th on USA Billboard and 9th on UK Pop Albums

Reviews:  All Music 4 out of 5 stars

Kay Kay & His Weathered Underground: Self Titled

Choice:  Chris

This is one that Chris enjoyed a lot more than I did. I liked it, especially with the headphones on, but it wasn't familiar to me at all, so I had a tough time keeping pace with it. It's an eclectic group of songs, with some punch and imagination. Chris tends to "find" a lot of music, where I go back into my past to dig up an album. That's why we have a good dynamic on album night. It would probably be better for Chris to send me some notes on this album, he has heard it more often than I.

Top Songs:

Charts:

Awards: 4 1/2 stars by AbsolutePunk.net

Michael Jackson: Thriller

Choice:  Freddy

It's a widely held belief that this is a timeless classic. I am surprised to say that Chris and I both thought that it sounded as though it's not aged very well. Not to say it's garbage, by any stretch. It was a great album in it's time, it just sounds dated now, especially if you try to "sit" with it, instead of plugging it in while driving or working around the house. Chris really likes "P.Y.T." and I am still a fan of "Billie Jean" (although produce Quincy Jones was not and didn't even want it on the album), but we both believe "Human Nature" to be the song that has held up the best and is the most well written song on the record.  We listened to the re-mastered edition and it sounded pretty good. Didn't give me the depth that I expected, but it did have more life than the original release CD. The impact of the album was phenomenal, we just don't think the music itself has held up, especially lyrically. Jackson wrote much better songs as his career progressed.

Top Songs: "Billie Jean", "PYT", "Human Nature", "Beat It"

Charts: #1 Billboard (37 weeks), 7 of the nine songs charted in the top 10

Awards: Top selling album of all -time, with up to 110 million units sold, #20 all-time according to Rolling Stone, 29x Platinum

Wilco: Summerteeth

Choice:  Chris

I was surprised that Chris chose this one. He played it quite often when it was released in 1999.....we both did for that matter. Chris had not listened to it for awhile and I'm glad he brought it out. It's hard to choose just which Wilco album is the best. This may not be the best, but it's their transition album.....their missing link. With this album they left the stripped down, folky, alt-country sound behind. They created a nice depth of sound on this album, backed by the great keyboard work of  Jay Bennett. Many of the songs on the record mirror the marital problems of Jeff Tweedy, the lead singer. I highly recommend checking out "She's A  Jar" and/or "Shot In The Arm" if anyone is interested in giving this a listen. It won't be everyone's cup 'o tea.

Top Songs: "She's A Jar", "Via Chicago", "Shot In The Arm"

Charts:  Peaked at #78 Billboard

Awards: #31 on Pitchforks Top 100 of the 90's