#32: Daft Punk - Homework (1997)

Zack: Let me start by saying that I was not under the influence of any mind altering substance during the listening of this album...and I think that really impaired my experience. A friend of mine who is really into house/electronic/dance music told me that others are responsible for the creation of the genre but it is Daft Punk who molded it into what it is. Some even say that their work here on Homework is the first example of a house/electronic/dance album that people could listen to outside the confines of a club. Could have fooled me. If I was hanging out in a dark room with a minimum of a dozen friends, I think I would have been more interested in this album. But listening to it in a brightly lit room with only 3 people just doesn't seem to suit the nature of the music.
Favorite Tracks: Around the World, Da Funk, Indo Silver Club

Emily: To me, techno is techno. This album was no different. It was loud, repetitive, and not too interesting. One song in particular, Rollin' and Scratchin', was seemingly just 7 minutes of noise. Multiple times I found myself saying to Zack, "This is unpleasant." I can see how in a club environment this would work, especially with glowsticks and a lot of Ecstasy, but it just doesn't work for simple, drug-free listening. Later Daft Punk is definitely more listener-friendly, like Technologic and Harder Better Faster Stronger. I would recommend those songs much more highly than anything on Homework.
Favorite Tracks: Da Funk, Burnin', Around the World

#31: Neil Young and Crazy Horse - Rust Never Sleeps (1979)

Zack: After listening to this album, I immediately started listening to it again. In fact, as I’m writing this, I am on my third listen through. It’s that good. I really don’t even know what to compare it to. The intro and outro tracks, My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue) and Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black) have a grunge sound to them that is oh, only about 10 years ahead of its time. The middle all fluctuates between folk and hard rock effortlessly. There are absolutely no dud tracks. Neil Young’s lyrics are diverse, ranging from serious ones that sent shivers done your spine (“It’s better to burn out because rust never sleeps/The king is gone but he’s not forgotten” hits me particularly strong) to jokingly provocative lines (“I wish I was a trapper/ I would give a thousand pelts/ To sleep with Pocahontas/ And find out how she felt” makes me giggle a bit every time). I’m about to start listening to this album from the top for the fourth time. If that doesn’t convince you to check this out, then I suspect nothing will.

Favorite Tracks: Hey Hey, My My (Into the Black); Ride My Llama; Thrasher

Emily: "It is better to burn out than to fade away." Certainly Neil Young has neither burned out nor faded away, and I think this album alone could have ensured it. It was recorded live, and everything, from the instrumentation to the vocals, sounds effortlessly natural and emotional. The faint cheers in the background make you feel as if you're actually hearing Young live. The first half of the album is stripped down and acoustic, all the better to showcase Young's masterful songwriting. The second, electric half incorporates hard rock elements and showcases Young's range beyond the folk he is known for. Young created two halves that reflect and complement each other, but can also stand on their own as individual testaments to his diverse career.

Favorite Tracks: Ride My Llama; Welfare Mothers; My My, Hey Hey (Out of the Blue)

#30: Pixies - Doolittle (1989)

Zack: While this is my first time actually sitting down and listening to Pixies, in a way I’ve been listening to them for years. They have been so influential that almost any alternative or grunge band will trace their sound back to Pixies. All of these musicians listened to them and found something in their music that they enjoyed and sought to emulate. Whether it’s the fast paced punk sound of songs like Debaser, the subdued tempo akin to pop rock in tracks like Here Comes Your Man, or the myriad of tunes in between, something on this album will strike your fancy.

Favorite Tracks: Monkey Gone to Heaven, Hey, Debaser

Emily: This album is solidly “alternative.” By that I mean they take every element of alternative music that we know today and combine into one unique sound. There’s some punk, some late new-wave, some classic rock, and some hints of grunge – many of the genres that proliferate alternative airwaves (and my iPod) today. It sounds like it would be a total mishmash, but it’s effectively cohesive. I’m excited to listen to more Pixies. Their music is very much a turning point in alternative rock.

Favorite Tracks: Mr. Grieves, Debaser, La La Love You

#29: Rage Against the Machine - Rage Against the Machine (1992)

Emily: I did not expect to like this album at all. My only real exposure to RATM before this was via Guitar Hero, and I would never play their songs anyway. I thought every song would be loud and screamy, and that holds true for the most part. However, two things elevate this debut album above headache-inducing metal – Zack de la Rocha’s lyrics, and Tom Morello’s guitar playing. De la Rocha is angry, no doubt, but he doesn’t lose artistry through his anger. His lyrics are fresh and powerful, and he spits them as if he can no longer contain his rage within his mind. Morello adds a throbbing pulse to the album with his guitar, building up the sense of anger in each song until it boils over and explodes. Rage Against the Machine is certainly not for every listener. This album is loud, mad, and in-your-face – but it’s also smart, political, and full of potential.

Favorite Tracks: Know Your Enemy, Wake Up, Bombtrack

Zack: Rage Against the Machine has always had a distinctive sound to me. The combination of Tom Morello’s ability to create totally abnormal sounds from his guitar with Zack de la Rocha’s voice creates a sound unlike any other nu metal band out there. Besides for their sound, the other distinctive feature about this album is the lyrics. If you were wondering why they chose that particular band name, you need not look farther than the words they use. They are pure rage, but the recipient of this anger is a group as ambiguous as “the machine.” At times, it seems like the band is angry because it is the fashionable to be so. More maturity and focus would have gone a long way towards their message, but then again accusing the government of raising taxes isn’t as inflammatory as saying they murdered Malcolm X or Martin Luther King.

Favorite Tracks: Killing in the Name, Township Rebellion, Wake Up

#28: TV on the Radio - Desperate Youth, Blood Thirsty Babes (2004)

Zack: I absolutely adore TV on the Radio. They have such a unique and distinctive sound that incorporates all sorts of genres and instruments. I first started listening to them when Return to Cookie Mountain came out in 2006, 2 years after DYBTB. This is my first time listening to this album but I think it'll soon have as many listens as RTCM, which I've listened to 3 or 4 times this week alone. DYBTB is a perfect example of TV on the Radio's sound, meaning that it's somewhat difficult to pinpoint exactly what their sound is. Some songs lean more towards a jazz, others are more experimental rock, and there's even a little a cappella in there. This album is just a lot of fun and very creative and definitely has a little something for everyone.

Favorite Tracks: Wear You Out, Staring at the Sun, Don't Love You

Emily: I really like that TV on the Radio can take elements from a bunch of very different genres, throw them all onto one album, and still make it sound cohesive. It flows nicely from songs that lean a little more rock at the beginning, to 2 a cappella tracks mixed into the middle, and reconvening with an experimental rock sound at the end. The a cappella songs in particular were a pleasant surprise. The repetition in Ambulance creates an eerie ambiance, and the mix of rock with the a cappella sound was unique and very effective. I definitely will be exploring some more TV on the Radio after this fine introduction.

Favorite Tracks: Poppy, Ambulance, Dreams

#27: Soft Cell - Non-Stop Erotic Cabaret (1981)

Emily: After listening to an entire Soft Cell album, it's clear why the band is a one-hit wonder. Tainted Love is a classic piece of synth-pop, fun to sing along to with a catchy beat that inevitably gets stuck in your head. But overall, this album failed to impress me. The low-budget sound was very distracting - it was difficult to hear the lyrics and the synthesizer spare instrumentation was muddled by static (except on Tainted Love, which might have been a remastered track). New-wave minimalism is great when it works, but it needs more polish than Soft Cell provides.
Favorite Tracks: Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf, Chips on My Shoulder

Zack: Honestly, there was very little I loved about this album. Two things to be exact. Tainted Love (of course) and the title of the album. Non Stop Erotic Cabaret is such a ridiculous name for an album that really sums up New Wave as a genre. My displeasure with this album probably has a lot to do with my overall disinterest in New Wave music as a whole. It just doesn't do anything for me. Throw in the fact that this album is lacking the typical high-tech aspect of New Wave and all you get is a static-y version of a genre I don't like in the first place. If you're into New Wave, then you should check this album out. If not and want to try and get into it, I recommend listening to another band like The B52s or The Eurythmics first.
Favorite Tracks: Tainted Love, Sex Dwarf, Seedy Films

#26: The Specials - Specials (1979)

Emily: I'm embarrassed to say that in all of my ska fandom I have never listened to The Specials. I had really only heard of them through Mustard Plug's Brain On Ska with the line "respect the Specials!" Truth is, The Specials are the founding fathers of third-wave ska. They pioneered the two-tone sound which is commonly associated with ska today. And they were one of the first to combine the island reggae of Jamaica with the punk beats and sensibility of the UK. The combination, although on paper it sounds a bit weird at first to non-ska fans, works together seamlessly. Rather than mashing both sounds together entirely on every track, they tweak the balance a bit from track to track. Some songs feature heavy reggae vibes, while others are guitar-driven, shout-along punk songs. Each song stands out, but they all work together as a whole. If you are a ska fan, you need to listen to this album. Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, and Streetlight Manifesto are all amazing in their own right, but The Specials started it all.
Favorite Tracks: Concrete Jungle; Little Bitch; A Message to You, Rudy

Zack: There's definitely something special about the debut album by The Specials, appropriately named, Specials. It isn't the narcissism involved in the naming process or the fact that it is a masterful piece of production by Mr. Elvis Costello himself. What makes this album so special is the focused rebellion of the lyrics. Jerry Dammers, the primary songwriter for this album, puts actual meaning into each song that truly represents the feelings of the Skinhead culture of the late 70s and early 80s in the UK. There are songs about growing up, free will, the Clockwork Orange-esque streets of the grimy parts of London, the foolishness of marriage, and birth control. Some are covers or adaptations of 1st wave ska bands from the Caribbean but every song is done in such a way that makes them all uniquely The Specials.

Favorite Tracks: Concrete Jungle; Stupid Marriage; Little Bitch

#25: Kanye West - The College Dropout (2004)

Zack: Say what you want about Kanye West's character (Barack Obama sure has), but the guy pumps out great albums. The College Dropout, the first of his university-themed releases, is a fantastic debut. Everything about it screams excellence. The production is off the charts good, his lyrics are witty, his flow is smooth, he collaborates with some of the best in the game, his skits are funny and help the flow of the album, the singles are all great, and there's plenty of gems that you just need to bob your head to. Whatever your stance on hip-hop, you should be able to appreciate this album. I bought it when I was really into rap, and even when I spurned the industry for a couple of years, I'd occasionally throw this album into the CD player and be blown away. Kanye is just terrific and I am insanely excited for the release of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy one week from today.
Favorite Tracks: Two Words, Slow Jamz, School Spirit

Emily: Even though I'm not a rap fan, I always like Kanye. I like that he doesn't just rap over beats; most of his songs have actual melodies. Samples really add to that sound, which to me makes core hip-hop more mainstream-friendly. He's also a great lyricist. The songs tell stories, but with a lot of wit and clever wordplay. Even though Kanye is always pissing people off, from President Bush to Taylor Swift to pretty much everyone, he makes great music, and his public image shouldn't overshadow that.
Favorite Tracks: All Falls Down, Spaceship, Slow Jamz

#24: Living Colour - Vivid (1988)

Emily: I was a bit underwhelmed by this album. It starts out extremely strong with Cult of Personality, a badass rock anthem with a throbbing riff and a touch of funk thrown in. However, only until the end did that strength return. The middle of the album was not bad persay, but just generic. The best moments are definitely when their harder edge comes out - all of the guitar solos and riffs are awesome.
Favorite Tracks: Cult of Personality, What's Your Favorite Color?, Which Way to America?

Zack: Come, my precious readers, on a journey through this album with me. We start with Cult of Personality, an absolutely mind-numbingly awesome song, complete with clips of JFK. Immediately following is the song I Want to Know, as in I want to know what happened to the powerful guitar and funky lyrics of the first song. You pick up from there, but only slightly, and weave your way through several generic songs until you hit Broken Hearts and Glamour Boys, which don't really sound much like the previous tracks. Broken Hearts is an attempt to slow it down which I sort of liked, but only as a contrast to some of the heavier songs. Glamour Boys is a total stylistic departure from the previous songs and is a bit weird, although not terrible. You end with What's Your Favorite Color? and Which Way to America? You may have noticed that each of these songs is a question, and it made me ask some questions as well, such as "Why weren't all the rest of the songs as good as these?" The album as a whole was decent to good range, but the promise from the first and last two songs leaves you knowing that Living Colour could produce a more consistent album.
Favorite Tracks: Cult of Personality, Which Way to America?, What's Your Favorite Color?

#23: Sly & The Family Stone - Stand! (1969)

Zack: You've got to love the funk. It just fills your soul with its funkitude and makes you want to get funky all over the dance floor (or in this case, the floor of my dorm room). It is also important to note that one of my favorite things about funk music is how you can put funk in front of anything, noun, adjective, verb, et cetera, and it automatically works. Maybe spellcheck doesn't agree, but we all know in our hearts that it's true. This album is a perfect example. It's got all the elements necessary for a funktastic experience. The horn section is on point, the beat is danceable, and the lyrics are either interesting or non-existent. This album as a whole is one of the earliest examples of funk music as we know it today, and you can really see where other groups got their roots from.
Favorite Tracks: Sing a Simple Song, Everyday People, Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey

Emily: Funk was a big part of '70s music, both as an influence and as its own genre, and Sly Stone is very much responsible for that. He just makes you want to get down and get funky, for lack of a better word. This album was a lot of fun to listen to (and dance to, of course). We want the funk! Gotta have more funk!
Favorite Tracks: Sing a Simple Song, You Can Make It If You Try, Everyday People

#22: Bob Marley & The Wailers - Catch a Fire (1973)

Original cover art, designed to look and move like a Zippo lighter. Only 20,000 were produced.

Emily: In choosing what to listen to today, I was looking for something laid back and relaxed. Bob Marley fit my mood perfectly. Although the songs tend to sound the same, each one has a super-chill vibe that evokes laying on the beach in a hammock, or smoking weed, or perhaps the two together - whichever you prefer is cool with me and Bob.
Favorite Tracks: Stir It Up, Baby We Got a Date (Rock It Baby), Kinky Reggae

Zack: Oh, the things I would give for hair as awesome as his. It's so rich and luxurious! Anyway, Bob Marley is just Bob Marley. All the music he makes is relaxing and you just want to lay down and vibe off it. Really, vibing is all you can do to this album. You can't listen to it because listening implies concentration and if you're concentrating on this music, you're missing a huge part of it. Bob Marley isn't about listening; it's about experiencing. If you are going to enjoy his music, you have to let yourself crawl into it. If not, you'll probably just find it boring.
Favorite Tracks: Kinky Reggae, Concrete Jungle, No More Trouble

#21: The White Stripes - Elephant (2003)

Emily: This album is just plain cool. The guitar-and-drums sound is minimalist, but that makes it powerful. Their style is so unique, a mix of garage rock, alternative, and hard rock that sounds like no other band. Jack and Meg both play with a lot of passion, and that translates into the intensity of every song. The simple throbbing guitar riff of Seven Nation Army is enough to get anyone pumped up. (the Temple marching band played it last year for a few football games and it was awesome. Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOTemZdLuxc)
Favorite Tracks: Seven Nation Army, The Hardest Button to Button, I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself

Zack: I'm a fan of all three of Jack White's bands and each is very unique. What makes The White Stripes so unique from either The Raconteurs (or The Saboteurs if you're one of our mates from Down Under) or The Dead Weather is the minimalism that defines their sound. Jack White throws the bass out the window and makes sure you won't miss it on every song on this album. The distortion effects he uses have helped him earn his place in the Hall of Guitar Gods (if you think I'm making an outlandish claim check out Rolling Stone magazines 100 Greatest Guitarists and see with your own eyes that he cracks the top twenty). Every song is an elegant combination of simplicity in instrumentation with complex sounds that merge garage rock, punk, alternative, and blues.
Favorite Tracks: Seven Nation Army, Ball and Biscuit, The Hardest Button to Button

#20: OutKast - Stankonia (2000)

Zack: I'm a pretty big OutKast fan and this album has a lot to do with it. Andre 3000 has one of the sickest flows in the game and Big Boi is pretty spectacular as well. On my first couple of listens, I definitely did not pick up on all of the ridiculous lyrics that are present. Don't believe me? In Ms. Jackson, Andre apologizes to the title character for her daughters inability to talk "because my dick's all up in her mouth." Wow. Anyway, this album is pretty much terrific and OutKast is one of the few southern rap acts that I really enjoy so if you haven't done it already, listen to this album.
Favorite Tracks: B.O.B.; We Luv Deez Hoes; So Fresh, So Clean

Emily: I'm not a big rap fan overall, and this album really wasn't an exception. I thought the album was a bit too long and some of the tracks were kind of unnecessary. However,  I like the tracks where Andre 3000 sings, and the lyrics are so ridiculous that you can't not like them. And even though I don't like rap, B.O.B is just awesome. I have no idea how they can rap so fast and still make sense and sound great.
Favorite Tracks: B.O.B, Ms. Jackson, We Luv Deez Hoes

#19: The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Are You Experienced? (1967)

Zack: Picking which Hendrix album is my favorite is like picking which supermodel I would like to sleep with. But if I had to pick, I would go with Marissa Miller...I mean Are You Experienced?! The entire thing is simply splendid. My least favorite song on the album, Manic Depression, could very easily be another person's favorite, mostly due to the fact that being the worst track on a Hendrix album is really not a bad thing at all. I absolutely adore this entire album. No matter what mood I'm in, there's a song for it. Plus, have you heard that guitar? It has the ability to become emotion. Hendrix truly was a genius, but the studio albums can't capture all of his genius at work. If you don't believe me, go to Youtube and look up Hendrix Hey Joe Woodstock. It's incredible. He dominated that instrument in a way I have never heard anyone else do.
Favorite Tracks: Hey Joe, Red House, Highway Chile

Emily: Somehow, in all of the time I have known Zack, I had not listened to any Hendrix with him. Which means I barely listened to any Hendrix at all. Now, I'm definitely a convert. I've never heard anything like this album - there's so much emotion and intensity through every single song. Anything else I write will simply echo Zack's sentiments - Hendrix was simply a musical genius.
Favorite Tracks: The Wind Cries Mary, Hey Joe, I Don't Live Today

#18: Joy Division - Closer (1980)

 

Emily: To me this album was surprisingly modern-sounding for being 30 years old. Clearly it's transitional - the punk origins are clear, but there's also a new-wave feel to the album. A few of the songs could easily have had a background synthesizer with little impact on the overall song and feel of the album. I enjoyed listening to this album, and couldn't help but think about how great it would sound live. I envisioned the band playing in a tiny venue with tightly packed fans dancing and singing along.

Favorite Tracks: A Means to an End, Passover, Decades

Zack: This album was definitely way too cool for me. I can see a bunch of hipster kids sitting around talking about how cool Joy Division and how they hope they don't sell out like all the other good bands do while drinking fancy coffee. I knew that Joy Division was from the 80s, but the sound is so modern that you forget that this didn't get released a few years ago. Also, my favorite hip-hop artist (Lupe Fiasco) has a Joy Division inspired post punk band called Japanese Cartoon that is absolutely spectacular and everyone should listen to. As a final thought, is it closer or closer? Well, I guess that didn't really help at all. Is it like to close something or to more closer to something? Just another mystery that will go unsolved I suppose...

Favorite Tracks: A Means to an End, Decades, Colony

#17: Gorillaz - Gorillaz (2001)

Zack: My brother bought this album in what now feels like ages ago and I loved it immediately. I listened to it a few times and then pretty much put it aside until the second Gorillaz album, Demon Days, rekindled my love for their animated style of genius. The first half is damn-near flawless and the second half is used for an expansion in terms of style. The variance is incredible. There are straight hip-hop tracks like Clint Eastwood, somber songs like Tomorrow Comes Today (one of my all-time favorite songs), dancefloor packing jams like Rock the House, and whatever the hell Latin Simone is. Every song has its own unique signature and the listener is constantly kept guessing. In short, I LOVE THIS ALBUM!!!!!!!1!!!!!11!!!!!
Favorite Tracks: Tomorrow Comes Today, Punk, Clint Eastwood

Emily: I approached this album thinking it was completely hip-hop, but I was pleasantly surprised by the wide array of genres and sounds. They span from hip-hop to alternative to punk to experimental. They even throw some Latin salsa in there for good measure. I liked this album a lot more than I thought I would, especially the more alternative tracks. It's definitely worth another listen (or even more).
Favorite Tracks: M1 A1, 5/4, Re-Hash

#16: Amy Winehouse - Back to Black (2006)

Emily: This album is simply amazing. Winehouse combines a retro soul sound with intimate lyrics and a voice rife with raw emotion. It is clear that she puts her entire heart and soul into her music. Every lyric is personal, every arrangement unique. Unfortunately, all of the troubles she sings about have played out in her personal life and the public has lost sight of her music. She's capable of a comeback, though - the music is just too good.
Favorite Tracks: You Know I'm No Good, Rehab, Back to Black

Zack: I would be willing to forgive the drug addiction, overall craziness, and even Britishness for anyone with a voice like that. Go ahead ladies, open another tab and try to find a voice coach in your area. I'll wait. What I love most is how she takes the most classy and refined forms of music and adds dirty lyrics about drugs and infidelity. The contradiction that lies between the gospel-like feel to her voice and the content of her words, or the reversal of starting with rehab and ending in addiction, is simply magnificent. Everything about this album is well-crafted and hearkens back to another era of music that I, for one, am quite fond of.
Favorite Tracks: Back to Black, Addicted, Rehab

#15: R.E.M. - Document (1987)

Zack: I'd never listened to an entire R.E.M. album before this one and I've got to say, it was a bit underwhelming. I love all of the singles by them that get radio play which probably preconditioned me to have high expectations because I was left wanting more. That isn't to say it wasn't a good album, though. It started out pretty weak but by the time you hit the half-way mark, the album had picked up and it carried its strength all the way through to the end. Also, they named a song after my favorite blues musician! You gotta love that.
Favorite Tracks: It's The End Of The World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Lightnin' Hopkins, Oldfellows Local 151

Emily: R.E.M. was one of the first and biggest college-rock bands, and it's clear why. Their sound is laid back and chill, great for tailgating perhaps. This album was solid, if not too exciting. The first few songs all sounded alike, but after the fun novelty of It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) - who doesn't love yelling "LEONARD BERNSTEIN"? - things picked up a bit.
Favorite Tracks: The One I Love, It's the End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine), Lightnin' Hopkins

#14: Franz Ferdinand - Franz Ferdinand (2004)

Zack: This album definitely is very catchy and fun to listen to. For a debut album, it is certainly a strong performance, although several tracks are a bit weak. While there are some exceptions, most of the songs sort of sound the same, although that isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

Favorite Tracks: Take Me Out, This Fire, Auf Asche

Emily: I always group Franz Ferdinand along with Arctic Monkeys. Both came out around the same time, both generated a lot of hype, and both extol a neo-Britpop sound. I personally think the Arctic Monkeys do it better, but that doesn't mean they don't do it well. I agree with Zack that many of the songs sound the same (with the notable exception of the foot-stompingly good Take Me Out), but this album definitely showed potential for the band and genre.

Favorite Tracks: Take Me Out, Michael, This Fire

#13: Destiny's Child - Survivor (2001)

Emily: Destiny's Child can do no wrong. Every single they release is a hit for good reason. All three ladies have great voices and are stars in their own right. They shift from upbeat dance tracks to soulful ballads with ease, and their girl-power-with-sex-appeal vibe is always fun. As great as Beyonce is solo, I still hold out hope for a Destiny's Child comeback.
Favorite Tracks: Independent Women Pt. 1, Survivor, Emotion

Zack: It doesn’t get much better than three super-sexy ladies singing in a beautiful harmony about their booties. They have such soulful voices that can fluctuate between powerful and soft effortlessly. And what makes it better is that they sang about things they know. Whether that was persevering through a tough break-up, being a strong woman, or men who are so sexy that they make you think of delicious baked goods, they made sure every word was a genuine representation of their experiences. Finally, just for the record, your bodies wouldn’t have been too bootylicious for me, ladies.

Favorite Tracks: Bootylicious, Survivor, Emotion