#90: Iron Butterfly - In A Gadda Da Vida (1968)

Emily: The first half of the album consists of psychedelic songs about love, trees, and hippies. It's cool to listen to, but it's pretty standard fare for the era. What makes this album a classic is the second half. Or, rather, one song that took up the entire second side of the record. Yep, it's In A Gadda Da Vida, a seventeen minute long psychedelic trip through what may or may not be the Garden of Eden. Of course I had heard of the song before - who hasn't? - but before today I had never listened to it all the way through. The beginning and end mirror each other with gravelly singing and the iconic bass line. What really struck me, though, was the middle section. The band breaks it down with keyboards, drums, and even an organ, creating otherworldly sounds that probably only make sense with the help of LSD. The sound changes and evolves throughout, yet it sounds so harmonious that you barely realize you've been listening to the same song for a quarter of an hour. This track alone is enough to cement Iron Butterfly's place in hippie history, and the entire album just adds to their musical credibility.
Favorite Tracks: In A Gadda Da Vida; Most Anything You Want; Flowers and Beads

Zack: Since Emily covered half of the album, or track 6 as it's known, I guess I'll discuss the other five. All the rest of the songs are of normal, radio-friendly length, which really just makes it more unusual that the seventeen minute song was the single. They all feature an organ which, I think we can all agree, is pretty bitchin'. And there's that consistent gruff vocal work that just makes you want to dance around naked in the mud somewhere. Seriously, if there was a mud pit anywhere in Philadelphia, I would be completely submerged in it right now. Furthermore, apparently this was the first album ever to be awarded platinum status. I don't know why, but I feel like that's a really random achievement to hand out. I mean, if I'm the RIAA and it's 1976 and I have to go back and award the first ever platinum status label, I would think there would be a few choices over Iron Butterfly. I'm not saying that the band isn't cool, because they totally are, and I'm not saying that this album wasn't good because it rocked, but I just would have expected them to go in a more transcendent, everyone-knows-who-this band/singer-was kind of artist. I don't know record sales off the top of my head, and I pity you if you do, but I would think that some album by The Beatles, or Elvis, or Sinatra, or just about half of the pre-1976 artists on the list cracked the platinum level. Why not award it to them instead? Guess we've got entry #612 in the list of mysteries that will never be solved.
Favorite Tracks: In A Gadda Da Vida; Are You Happy; My Mirage

#89: Frank Sinatra - Francis Albert SInatra & Antonio Carlos Jobim (1967)

 

Zack: My dad's second favorite game to play whenever we're out eating, behind I Spy, is name that artist. I just got in the habit of always answering Frank Sinatra since it seemed that as soon as we walked through the door, Ol' Blue Eyes came right on. I may not have recognized what the music was, but I knew that it must be Frank Sinatra whenever my dad started crooning. Unfortunately for my eardrums, that was all too often. Sinatra even managed to sneak into my Christmas, as my dad is the proud owner of The Sinatra Christmas album. Do I begrudge my dad for forcing me to endure so much swing? Not a chance. Frankie is just too smooth not to enjoy. You just have to snap your fingers and enjoy whenever The Chairman of the Board starts singing. The Latin flavor that permeates this particular example just enhances that universal truth.

Favorite Tracks: The Girl From Ipanema; I Concentrate On You; Baubles, Bangles, and Beads

Emily: Two things come to mind when I think of Frank Sinatra. The first is a short story I just wrote an essay about, where the turning point is when Jackie Gleason throws up on Frank's shoes. The other, slightly more pleasant one is the Fridays/Sundays with Frank radio show that's played on my local talk radio station. This show would always be on while eating lunch on Sundays with my family, and my mom and I would always complain to turn it off. As you can see, I'm not much of a Sinatra fan. However, this album has (slightly) changed my perspective. He takes standards that sound straight out of a '50s piano bar, typical Sinatra fare, and puts a Latin twist on them. It creates a sound not quite jazz and not quite swing, but something unique that is still uniquely Ol' Blue Eyes.

Favorite Tracks: The Girl From Ipanema; Once I Loved (O Amor En Paz); I Concentrate On You

#88: Elvis Costello - My Aim is True (1977)

Zack: When I listened to this album, I heard a snapshot of a very eclectic UK music scene. In '77, punk rock was in full effect (The Ramones formed in 1974 and The Clash 2 years after), and Costello pays homage in I'm Not Angry. The second ska wave was just beginning (The Specials united in 1977), and Watching the Detective really seemed to capture that sound. When I think of the vague conceptual understanding of "pub rock" that I have, I hear the song Alison playing in my head. But beyond just bringing all the trendy new rock genres that were emerging around London together, Costello also paid homage to a lot of the older musicians who had inspired him. Miracle Man had a sort of Buddy Holly-Crickets feel to it that made me think I was listening to a catchy little ditty from the '50s. All of these elements converging in one album so well made it a fun album that was also extremely hard to classify. If I had to place it in some genre or other, I would go with classic rock, because it really has earned its place as a classic.
Favorite Tracks: Alison; I'm Not Angry; Watching the Detective

Emily: I've heard the name Elvis Costello bouncing around music channels and Rolling Stone for a long time, but before today I had absolutely no idea what his music was about. All I really knew was that Zack classified him under classic rock, but that's a pretty wide-ranging genre. I went into listening to My Aim is True with a completely open mind, not knowing what to expect. What I heard was an eclectic sound that, to me, is based in '50s rock & roll. Add a few other rock influences from throughout the previous decades, and you end up with an album that's just plain cool. I may not have known Elvis Costello before, but now I am definitely looking forward to the rest of his music on the list.
Favorite Tracks: Blame It On Cain; I'm Not Angry; Alison

#87: Talking Heads - Fear of Music (1979)

Zack: I vaguely remember writing that I thought '80s hipsters sat around and talked about how awesome Joy Division was. I was wrong. '80s (or late '70s if you're going to nitpick me) hipsters probably LOVED Talking Heads. Because I wasn't exactly sure what to write, I turned, as most lazy people with questions do, to Wikipedia. There, in the lyrics section, I discovered... "'Paper' compares a love affair with a simple piece of paper;" "in 'Life During Wartime,' Byrne cast himself an 'unheroic urban guerilla,' who renounced parties, survived on basic supplies like peanut butter, and heard rumours about weapons shipments and impromptu graveyards;" and, my personal favorite, "'Air' is a protest song against the atmosphere, an idea Byrne does not consider 'a joke.'" The fact that the theme of your song is so ridiculous that you need to clarify that you're serious should probably be a warning sign. One with big flashing lights. Now I'm not saying that artists should stick to normal, boring themes. And I'm definitely not saying this album was bad. In fact, I thought it was very cool and fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed it. But the fact that they seem to be taking themselves soooo seriously (at least as far as I can determine from Wikipedia, the most reliable of sources when trying to decode inflection) when their topics of choice are so over-the-top is slightly annoying.
Favorite Tracks: Cities; Heaven; Papers

Emily: According to Wikipedia, Fear of Music is supposedly rather deep and profound. Either that, or pretentious. I'm not quite sure, because I didn't get that vibe at all. As I've said before, I usually don't pick up much on lyrics the first time I listen to an album. This album was no different. What I got out of it was a fun, New-Wavey brand of post-punk that seamlessly transitioned between slower, melancholy tracks and upbeat, bouncier songs. Perhaps I need another listen to get that deeper message. Even if it's not there, this album is very good based solely on its musical merit.
Favorite Tracks: I Zimbra; Life During Wartime; Cities

#86: Black Sabbath - Paranoid (1970)

Emily: Not many metal bands can be considered timeless. Look at, oh, the entirety of the '80s. But there are a few exceptions to this rule. Case in point: Black Sabbath. They are basically the pioneers of metal. Their music is loud, heavy, and intense - but it still sounds relevant today. Not much metal can be perfectly mashed up with Ludacris (confused? Check this out.) What I like about them is that they're metal with melody. You can actually sing along (well, if you can understand what Ozzy is saying), and the instrumentation all fits together. And the guitar riffs? Iconic. Throw on Iron Man or Paranoid and everyone will be air-guitaring along.
Favorite Tracks: War Pigs; Paranoid; Iron Man

Zack: My favorite part of Black Sabbath is that they created a song (War Pigs) that the band Cake covered. Other than they're just meh in my book. That isn't to say that they haven't been incredibly influential to the development of music over the course of the last four years. They took the occult themes that Led Zeppelin pioneered to a whole other level, devising the first ever sincerely creepy music. They were the first to use bass the way they do, providing that signature low boom in the background. And most importantly, they  made metal. I wrote earlier about how Zepp laid the foundations for metal, but it was Sabbath who built all the walls. They molded metal into what it is today. Furthermore, they did metal right. Their music isn't all about violence to the point where the lyrics become laughable. They don't rely on making their listeners appear to seize all over the floor to be iconic. They just made music that was heavier and darker than anyone else and that is where their legacy justly lies.
Favorite Tracks: War Pigs; Iron Man; Paranoid

#85: Depeche Mode - Violator (1990)

Emily: I expected to be a little more excited by Depeche Mode. Unfortunately, this album was just a bit boring. It has an electronic, new-wavey sound that's more subdued than other bands of the era. Although they achieve subtlety, it tends towards sleepiness rather than delicacy. I thoroughly enjoy their sound, however, when they pick up the tempo a bit. Personal Jesus, the big single off that album, has the electronic sound with much more kick to it. There's a driving beat, shout-along refrains, and blatant blasphemy - what more could you ask for? Well, perhaps an entire album with that sound...
Favorite Tracks: Personal Jesus; Enjoy the Silence; Halo

Zack: What can be said about this album that can't be summed up through snoring? Pretty much nothing, but I don't want to go to the trouble of recording myself sleeping (a tad difficult to do since I would be, well, you know, sleeping) and then have to imbed it and all that jazz. So instead, let me just tell you how boring this album was. Very. Ultimately, I think it rode a couple of highly successful singles to the top of the charts and had a good bit of fortune in just barely sneaking in to the end of the new wave movement. In just a little over a year, new wave was more or less murdered in cold blood by grunge, but Depeche Mode managed to squeak one big album in beforehand. I'm not faulting them for it (it's hard to hold good luck against someone), but I just want to point out how, had some delays on the end of the record label happened, this album would be remembered differently.
Favorite Tracks: Personal Jesus; Enjoy the Silence; Policy of Truth

#84: Foo Fighters - Foo Fighters (1995)

Zack: Is there any way I can talk about this album without seeming like a raving Foo Fighters lunatic? Absolutely not, so I'm not even going to try. On the first post, I sat in my chair, staring at my computer screen, trying to come to terms with myself about leaving the Foo Fighters off my top 5 list. It was hard to do. Weighing my love of Lupe and Streetlight against them was damn near heartbreaking. In the end, I have to accept the consequences of the choices I made, and so I would like to take this opportunity to say that the Foo Fighters are my number six, and a close one at that. And for those of you pondering what comes after that, Red Hot Chili Peppers at seven and The Who at eight. From there it gets complicated and I would need time to figure it out. For now, let's just worry about this album, which should not be the only representation of the Foos on the list. If there could be only one, I would pick Colour and the Shape (shout-out to my sister Heather for buying it for me as one of my all-time favorite Christmas presents). After that, Echoes Silence Patience and Grace and then this here debut, which narrowly edges out There Is Nothing Left to Lose (I'm not counting Wasted Light because it won't be officially released for another week and a half, although it was leaked today and everyone should check it out because it's pretty spectacular). What's it with me and lists tonight, anyway? I don't know, but that's the last one. Well I guess the favorite tracks will be the last one. Alright. After that I'm done. Foo Fighters is a great alternative album and means a lot to the career of Dave Grohl, who had to pick up the pieces after Nirvana and prove to the world that he could also be a kick ass frontman as well as a great drummer. I think he definitely proved his point. This album blends many different rock influences. I hear some punk, grunge, metal, and I think a hint of cinnamon. It's all there and it's all splendid. Throughout his career, Grohl has matured as a song writer from the silly songs off this album to more serious ballads, but going back and listening to catchy early tunes can still be a bundle of fun.
Favorite Tracks: I'll Stick Around; Big Me; X-Static

Emily: I think Zack pretty much summed it up. The Foo Fighters have been one of the most consistently successful, acclaimed, and all-around awesome rock of the '90s and '00s, and this album laid the groundwork. Although I agree that it's not the strongest Foo Fighters album, it's still great. What's even more remarkable is that Dave Grohl plays every single instrument on this album, certainly cementing his greatness as a musician and frontman. Foo Fighters was his brainchild, and from this self-made album came an esteemed career at the forefront of alternative music. I know the Foos will keep doing great things, and I'm definitely looking forward to listening to Wasting Light the first chance I get.
Favorite Tracks: This Is a Call; Big Me; I'll Stick Around