My Favorite Albums Evar: 10-1

Episode 10-1

100-91 / 90-81 / 80-71 / 70-61 / 60-51 / 50-41 / 40-31 / 30-21 / 20-11

Well, this is it.

10 Carole King – Tapestry (1971)

One of the most intimate and emotional albums ever, delivered with a pure and unaffected sincerity that only the early 70’s could provide. This one has special status with me for a few reasons, but one of them is the fact that it can float in and out of regular rotation with me but still reappear as a favorite, and even though I grew up listening to it, it always hits me like a ton of bricks. Big, emotional bricks.

09 Bruce Springsteen – Born to Run (1975)

Springsteen’s third album reflected on the fading memories of a street-tough lifestyle with a much louder and more full sound, but got a little more angry and depressing. Yet, songs like “Thunder Road” kept that strange Midwest via New Jersey optimism alive, mixing last chance scenarios with hopeful endings.

Heaven’s waiting on down the tracks
Oh-oh come take my hand
We’re riding out tonight to case the promised land
Oh-oh Thunder Road oh Thunder Road
Lying out there like a killer in the sun
Hey I know it’s late we can make it if we run
Oh Thunder Road sit tight take hold
Thunder Road

08 Van Morrison – Astral Weeks (1968)

I love all of his work, but this is my favorite. Don’t think I didn’t struggle with this one, either. Like a lot of the albums I love, Morrison mixed genres and influences and came out with a pure and gorgeous collection of songs that are still just as impressive as they must have been then. And as is the case with a lot of these albums near the top, the choice is my favorite by an artist that I hold in high regard, but I can honestly say that even if I didn’t give two shits about Morrison, I’d still hold this one near and dear.

07 The The – Dusk (1993)

Forget all that dance shit, we’re bringing in Johnny Marr and singing red, shimmering and dusky songs that sound and feel like their subject matter. Matt Johnson sang about lust, desperation, sadness and hope in ways that I have never been able to completely understand or discover anywhere else, and the sheer depth and longing of the entire album makes it totally irresistible, even if you’re sitting right on top of cloud 9. If this is one that you’re no familiar with, I beg you to track it down.

06 New Order – Power Corruption and Lies (1983)

What can I say about this record? It’s been in my pretty elastic top 10 list for years, and I never grow weary of it. “Blue Monday” aside, this record mastered the genre, emerged from the Joy Division shadow, and brought its subject matter to a new and innovative spotlight. One of the best albums start to finish ever recorded. I can’t think of a moment on it that I’d skip.

05 Leonard Cohen – Songs of Love and Hate (1971)

There are a lot of really incredible singer/songwriters to unearth from the never-ending basement of records that is the 1970’s, but for my buck, Cohen is the master. Not only do the songs read like poetry (well, they are poetry, adapted), but Cohen’s gently intimidating voice is the centerpiece amidst highly reflective and even philosophical songs. “Avalanche”, “Famous Blue Raincoat” and “Joan of Arc” are my standout favorites, but the entire album is incredibly dense and stunning. Even the “hate” songs reflect undeniably indentifiable feelings, the feelings of someone who was capable of a great love, an astounding care, dethroned. No one matches Cohen. I’ll fight you on that.

04 Fleetwood Mac – Rumors (1977)

Here’s 1977 again, rearing it’s beautiful head. Buckingham’s bittersweet “Go Your Own Way” against the loveably cheesy “You Make Loving Fun” and everything in between make this one a classic. This album is another one that I had around a lot growing up, but only came to know intimately as a teenager, driving around with my girlfriend, learning to drive stick and smoking in empty parking lots. One of my fondest memories of my late teen years involves dancing on the roof of a ‘78 Cadillac to “Don’t Stop”. Now I know that’s not what makes an album great, but I really shouldn’t have to argue for Fleetwood Mac.

03 Pavement – Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain /Gold Soundz Single (1994)

Immediately engaging and (to their chagrin) more accessible than Slanted and Enchanted, Crooked brought Malkmus’ roots in classic rock and obscure British noise into a whole new landscape. Everything that makes Pavement incredible is featured here: so-what transitions, head-scratching wordsmithery and multi-genre play amidst the familiar Pavement fuzz. I could write an epic about this one. Oh, why is the “Gold Sound” single included? Well, maybe you’ve heard of it, “Strings of (Fucking) Nashville”?

02 Red House Painters – Ocean Beach (1995)

Man, this one fucking wrecks me. Every. single. time. Kozelek’s capabilities as a songwriter and composer were never more evident, as the album floats through disaster after disaster, ray of light after flickering, distant ray of light. Still deeply nestled in the sparing and sort of droning melodica that fans knew him for, the sprinkling of Simon and even Cohen-ish compositions made this one a high point. I’m not sure we’ll ever hear anything this beautiful again.

01 Beatles – Revolver (1966)

I’m a Beatles girl, I guess. And I’m one of those Beatles girls that doesn’t grow tired of the songs she loves. Sure, White is incredible, and yeah, there’s a lot of incredible stuff out there that the Fab Four are responsible for, but what can I say, this is my favorite. “Eleanor Rigby”, “Taxman” and come on, one of the greatest songs ever, “Tomorrow Never Knows” … come on! Besides that, the theme of groups experimenting with different genres comes to full fruition on this one, as it stands as one of the most successful attempts at playing with different sounds evar.