I think this list was actually written by Ebert's editor, Jim Emerson, who took on some of the writing while Ebert was recovering from various surgeries. It was posted on Ebert's site but not actually compiled by the big guy himself. Still a pretty strong list.
Song Cycle - A chamber pop tour de force. Expansive and wonderfully engaging.
Scott 4 - Like Song Cycle, a 60s album that's on the obscure side, but really excellent and highly consistent. Love the Seventh Seal song.
Maiden Voyage - I won't pretend that I can intellectually evaluate jazz albums, but I know what I like, and this is great stuff.
Acid Tongue - Of the five mixes I received over the course of last year, three of them contained Acid Tongue songs. Now it's easy to see why. Jenny Lewis's voice is gorgeous and lilting, but the songs have meat to them. The epic "Next Messiah" is great, as is the title track, but my favorite might be "Carpetbaggers."
Basement Tapes - Oftentimes I'm not a fan of recordings like this, of bands getting back to their folksy roots and saying pish-posh to studios. This particular album, however, represents a collaboration of two of the greatest artists of the 60s at the peak of their creative output, so of course it's awesome.
Repeat When Necessary - Rockpile fans could tell you how different Dave Edmunds's style was from Nick Lowe's and how much they clashed, but turns out they both create incredibly fun rock albums.
Ram - This album is an enigma to me. It was clearly very popular upon its release, selling very well in both the UK and US and generating enough of a splash to start a feud with John Lennon, who took exception with some of McCartney's lyrics. On the other hand, none of the songs are well-known today, and reviews of it are mixed, perhaps because it's not really the album that everyone expected from McCartney. As for the sound itself, it's incredibly infectious, despite the fact that its style is pretty far off from the big, bombastic rock he would later develop with Wings, but it sounds different from his Beatles output as well. Erlewine might be right on the money when he calls this "the first indie pop album, a record that celebrates small pleasures with big melodies"... but associating the former Beatle with anything indie is the most enigmatic thing of all. Standouts: "Monkberry Moon Delight," "The Back Seat of My Car."
Hejira - Pretty good but pales in comparison my favorite Joni Mitchell output (Blue and Court and Spark). I don't think this album is less original or less emotive, but the songs just aren't as good, and they're too long. She used to do more with less.
Paul Simon - Hey, turns out Paul Simon's great even when he's not influenced by African rhythms.
1984 - Van Halen rocks! And sometimes synths.
A Grand Don't Come For Free - I already knew I liked this, so this is cheating.
And the Thieves Are Gone/Our Shadows Will Remain - More accessible and less sparse than Come to Where I'm From, while still proving to be highly affecting and catchy.
Liege and Lief - Great British folk.
Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren - Finally after hearing some Todd Rundgren albums that are either far more weird or far less weird than his masterpiece Something/Anything?, I find an album that is equally weird. Love it.
Rolling Stones Now!/England's Newest Hitmakers - The Stones when they were just a bunch of hard-rockin' youths. Not as brilliant as their later work but still a blast to listen to.
Quebec - Ween album number 4. I actually found this pretty disappointing. It's just far more bland and uninvolving than the other Ween albums I've heard. The first half is pretty good, but then the soporific "Captain" brings the album to a crashing halt, from which it doesn't recover until the last song (which admittedly is probably my favorite song on the disc).
Dirty Mind - I've developed a better appreciation for Prince lately. This album is pretty good, though not as good as the other Prince albums I've heard.
Ready to Die - I'm not always big on rap, but I actually really enjoyed this album. The lyrics are clever throughout, and the songs are catchy. Up there with Blue Lines as one of my favorite rap albums of the 90s.
Histoire de Melody Nelson - Strangely captivating album that is at least half-classical. I have to read the translated lyrics though.
----------------
Okay, after this point, I really ought to listen to the albums more before I start commenting. Just so you know, I didn't always comment about the albums I heard without actually buying a physical CD, so let me go back and comment on a few.
The Meters' Look-Ka Py Py is too... instrumental. Decent but I prefer Rejuvenation.
The New Pornographers' Electric Version is just as awesome and infectious as their other albums I've heard. The New Pornographers might be the catchiest band of all-time. They have a knack for writing hooks that get permanently latched into my brain. Many standouts, but my favorite is probably "Chump Change."
Stiff Little Fingers' Inflammable Material is a fantastic, highly underrated punk album.
Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears' Flight of the Knife is mind-blowingly awesome. I once described this as: Queen meets Of Montreal and decides to come up with their own version of Ziggy Stardust. Every song is a multi-part suite layered with instrument over instrument, it's irresistibly catchy, and it all comes together for a ridiculously entertaining scifi epic.
Outkast's Stankonia I had already heard, but not until I ripped it did "I'll Call Before I Come" get stuck in my head for like a month.
Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson actually bored me a lot more than I was hoping. I thought this was album was supposed to be funny? "Coconut" is an inane novelty, "Without You" is classic of course, but the best song might be "Gotta Get Up."
Pavement's Brighten the Corners/Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped - It seems to me that these bands have a similar career trajectory. Both of them started off as wildly messy, noisy rockers and eventually polished up their act over the course of their career. The trick is to catch them when their albums are listenable yet still unique, i.e., the "Daydream Nation" acme. Sonic Youth's early career was, I understand, a bunch of noise; their late career is, well, this. Rather Ripped is a very good album, but it's scrubbed of most of what made Sonic Youth so original. It goes down smooth. Brighten the Corners is much the same way, although it also somehow puts the lyrics more front and center, and Malkmus could still write a killer song at this late stage of Pavement's existence. Favorites: "Shady Lane" and "Rats" respectively.
The Fratellis' Costello Music is highly recommended. Would I lie to you?
Sparks' A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing is a highly enjoyable precursor to Kimono My House. It's not as consistent as Kimono, but I certainly can't argue with a glam pop cover of "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music.
Madvillain's Madvillainy - Any rap album that references Pinky and the Brain has got a thumbs-up from me.
Okay, I updated the albums I've gotten and wrote another chunk. Here is part two:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – A more raw, sexual side of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs than I’ve previously heard. It works in a big way. Well, technically in a little way since this is an EP.
New Day Rising/Warehouse: Songs and Stories – Both of these take the Zen Arcade sound in more accessible directions while leaving the sound beneath a hazy fuzz. I personally find the latter album far more memorable, but both are very good.
More Songs About Buildings and Food/Stop Making Sense – I used to dislike the Talking Heads, but luckily I’ve come around.
Shazam – A fun little gem of an album. I rather dig these epic tunes. Nice Move.
Late Registration – This may be a pretty uncool opinion in many circles, but I think this and College Dropout may be my two favorite rap albums. Kanye’s background music and collaborators are always well-done, and his raps are intelligent and passionate. Just listen to “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” – what other rapper would write a song about the irony that African-American rappers love buying diamonds and thereby supporting an industry that in turn exploits Africans… all the while sampling “Diamonds Are Forever?”
Music From the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle – A top-notch indie rock album, bisected by the weird bird “Green Typewriters,” which goes on a bit too long. Favorite: “Jumping Fences” or “NYC-25.”
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? – I’m actually a sucker for Celtic music, so I loved this album. “Dreams” is the hit and probably my favorite song here, but there are many worthy competitors, such as “Sunday” and “Linger.”
Two Things At Once – Short, charmingly immature bursts of punk, akin to being slapped in the face. Okay, some songs on Milo Goes to College have some more room to breathe, like “Hope,” but the hilarious “Weinerschnitzel” on Fat is only 12 seconds long! I’m a little late, but R.I.P. Frank Navetta.
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space – Sometimes these druggy albums really wear me out listening to them. This is actually one of the better ones, but I honestly prefer the less trippy moments, such as “Come Together.”
Pure Guava – Speaking of druggy albums… Ween album #3 is hit or miss. I actually liked this more than I was expecting, given how inaccessibly weird I had heard it was. Favorite: “The Goin’ Get Tough From the Getgo.”
American Recordings – It’s the 90s. You’re not playing to prisoners. Yet you’ve still got it, Mr. Cash.
Beverley Atonale – Jonathan Richman meets Belle and Sebastian, and Pavement kinda hangs out in the corner as well. Another solid lo-fi Scaruffi pop album.
Paid in Full – Classic, acclaimed rap album. I enjoyed it but that’s about it. Favorite: “My Melody.”
Nothing's Shocking – On the first listen I thought this album was incredibly screechy and irritating. I actually liked it a bit better on the second listen, but still, I don’t think Jane’s Addiction is for me.
Burnin' – I am totally down for declaring this a highly underrated Bob Marley album. Every song is just terrific! I just wish I knew what “duppy” meant.
All Things Must Pass – Spiritual yet incredibly catchy music. Nice work, George. I even think the jams are pretty good, even though everyone hates them.
Endtroducing – Sorry guys. I tried, but I really couldn’t get into this.
Martial Arts Weekend – Basically the Mountain Goats with one or two more instruments. I love the Mountain Goats and I love musical instruments, so... Actually, I really wanted to get this because the opening track is called “Baltimore.” I love that song but “The River Song” and “Going to Marrakesh” are just as good. I’m frustrated by “Memories”; I think I want it to be better than it actually is.
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – Has some slow spots, but for the most part this is a really compelling rock opera with lots of haunting imagery. Too many standouts to list.
The Chirpin’ Crickets – I had already heard most of these songs on my Buddy Holly compilation. Which should probably tell you that this is a pretty top-notch Buddy Holly album.
Bat Out of Hell – I must admit I became mildly addicted to the title track, a blistering rock epic that could get anyone charged up. The rest of the album is still pretty good. Youthfully silly at times.
Tallahassee – “No Children” is up there with the best songs I’ve ever heard. The rest of the album is also fantastic, amounting to one of the Mountain Goats’ best albums. Darnielle’s always great, but he’s best with this and Sunset Tree – I guess I prefer his albums that have strong unifying concepts.
Third – Four overlong jams that admittedly do manage to hold my attention for the most part. Very good stuff.
Soul Mining – Damn fine 80s power pop.
Warren Zevon – Listening to this album, you’ll probably hear multiple songs mention Jesse James as well as multiple songs that satirize the mythos of Los Angeles. That should probably give you a good sense of the album: influenced by the sights and sounds of L.A. yet steeped in a certain folksy tradition.
The Distant Future – “If You’re Into It” is one of the Conchords’ best songs.
Pinch Me – “Powder Blue” is one of BNL’s best songs.
Homeboys – The two other Adam Again albums I’ve heard focus more on themes of relationships and, er, digging, whereas this one is all about the troubles of inner city life and the escape through music. The two other Adam Again albums I’ve heard are better and more varied, but Homeboys is still a great album.
Almost Killed Me – I’m getting the sense that all the Hold Steady’s albums are the same. They all talk about the same parties/bar scene, they all talk about someone named Charlemagne, and they all feature about two songs where Craig Finn decides to actually sing instead of speak-singing. I’m okay with that because I like their style, but I think here they haven’t really perfected it. I prefer Boys and Girls in America.
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators – Whoa. Psychedelic.
Question the Answers – I’m so glad I decided to pick up these Mighty Mighty Bosstones albums. They’re not the best albums I’ve heard this year, but the might be the most fun. I never get sick of listening to them, partially because I’m a sucker for horns. Favorite track: “Toxic Toast.”
Let's Face It – This is a little poppier than Question the Answers, but I’m totally okay with that. Most people only know “The Impression That I Get” but there are other better songs here. “Noise Brigade” and “Numbered Days” are great, but I’ve been totally obsessed with “Another Drinkin’ Song.” Just listen to the way it depicts the different sides of alcohol addiction. It repeats the chorus multiple times, yet the first time it sounds like a dirge (albeit a ska-dirge), and the last time the sadness has been replaced by a drunken joviality. Fantastic.
Oyster – Earthy and catchy. I picked this up on a total whim, and I’m glad I did.
Night and Day – I knew and loved “Steppin’ Out” before hearing this. It turns out that writing more songs with a similar sound as “Steppin’ Out” is not a stable strategy. This album is pretty uneven but I do really like the first and last track.
I figured it was about time for my somewhat-annual album thought update. However, I haven’t updated this list with the albums I’ve actually heard in quite some time. So I’m going to do it in a few installments. Part one:
Maxinquaye – A hip-hop album in the style of Blue Lines. Very good, but unlike Blue Lines, it doesn’t seem to stick in my brain.
Ys – Well-made and unique, but I admire the craftsmanship (or craftswomanship) more than I actually feel like listening to it.
30 Greatest Hits – Good stuff, Aretha.
Chocolate and Cheese – The first Ween album I heard. Why didn’t anyone tell me I had to be listening to this band like five years ago? Come on guys, you knew I liked Weird Al and They Might Be Giants. This is a terrifically weird album, if a little uneven. There are some weak spots in the first half, but the second is incredibly strong. My favorite: “Buenas Tardes Amigo,” an Ennio Morricone send-up that toes the line between epic Western drama and hilariously overblown parody.
The Boatman's Call – I prefer Abbattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus, but this is an excellent, more low-key side of Mr. Cave. I think my favorite songs are the middle two (the ones with questions as titles) but it is also hard to argue with a song that has the lyric, “This useless old fucker with his twinkling cunt doesn’t care if he gets hurt.” Least favorite: “Black Hair.”
The Real Thing – Mind-blowing, thrilling punk-rap. I knew the transcendently weird “Epic” from Rock Band, but there’s a lot of other terrific songs here. Unfortunately, the one with the best title is probably the worst song (“Surprise! You’re Dead!”).
Gaucho – I feel gypped. This was on Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s list of favorite albums, but his review is actually pretty negative. While still good, it is probably the worst Steely Dan album I’ve heard, though I do really like the title track and “Time Out of Mind.”
Never a Dull Moment – I agree, Mr. Stewart. Although the end result still doesn’t add up to an album as good as Every Picture Tells a Story.
3+3 – Some of the best funk/soul out there.
Seconds of Pleasure – Innovative? Nah. Affecting? Nope. This album just. Fucking. Rocks. Seriously, you other rock bands should be taking notes.
Dig Me Out – Sneering girl punk for the modern age. Favorite: “Little Babies.”
This Nation's Saving Grace – Pitchfork has overrated this, but it’s still a great album. I’m impressed with its ability to seem bleak and nihilistic while also incredibly catchy.
Repeater + 3 Songs – Another good album that never really lingers with me.
Drums and Wires – I always like XTC. But I LOVE Skylarking and Apple Venus Vol. 1.
Elastica – Good, but Erlewine overrates this IMHO. The songs are hit-or-mess. For 90s girl punk, I’ll take Dig Me Out.
Saturation – As for this, Erlewine was right on the money. One ferocious rocker after another. Favorite: Probably “Positive Bleeding,” although “The Stalker” has been really stuck in my head lately.
Rattlesnakes – Clever, literate, catchy 80s pop.
At Newport – Like Live at the Regal, this is one of those albums that really engages me with the blues.
The Mollusk – Probably my favorite album of this chunk, I cannot tell you how much I love The Mollusk. Ween cranks out a nautical-themed CD where every song is of a different genre and yet it still holds together as a unified concept album. What’s more, the song quality is astonishingly consistent. Picking favorite songs would merely showcase my favorite genres, but rest assured that the whole album is awesome.
I Just Can't Stop It! – It’s skariffic!
All the Young Dudes/Mott – The former is a Britrock record that is great fun and showcases its excellent title track. The latter is more variegated, resulting in an album that is richer and still enjoyable. Favorite: Probably “Ballad of Mott the Hoople.”
Night Moves – Like Springsteen but a little funkier. I actually loved this album more than I’d care to admit. The title track is a masterpiece.
Avalon – Jeez, Bryan Ferry, put me to sleep why doncha? I’d rather do the strand.
Jesus of Cool – Like Rockpile but funnier. That Nick Lowe is a cheeky little bastard, isn’t he? Favorite: Probably “Nutted by Reality.”
Vermilion – Fantastic, incredibly catchy, underrated alt-country. More importantly, Continental Drifters is one of the best band names ever. On the other hand, “Heart, Home” is one of the worst song names ever. It’s also probably the weakest song here, though still decent. The epic “Daddy Just Wants It To Rain” is heart-wrenching, but it’s just one of many standouts here, including “I Want to Learn to Waltz With You” and, hell, the first three tracks.
Mutiny/Cereal Killers – These rockin’ power-pop albums are loads of fun, but Too Much Joy sound like they had even more fun recording it. Standouts: “Donna Everywhere” and “Sort of Haunted House” on the former, “King of Beers” on the latter.
Green Thoughts – I had high hopes for this album and was kinda disappointed. Bland 80s pop/rock. Still pretty good though.
Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things – These guys remind me of TMBG, they have a knack for hiding melancholy emotions in incredibly enjoyable, bouncy songs. Their sound also reminds me of Apples in Stereo. Anyway, a great album, probably the best of this particular wave of Scaruffi’s favorite pop albums.
I Want One of Everybody – Lo-fi and incredibly obscure. A little too murky for me but still pretty good.
Crazy Rhythms – Weird and meandering yet insanely fascinating. The songs kinda blend together for me but the overall impact is truly unique.
I did like it, although not nearly as much as you. I couldn't help feeling like substance-wise, it was a bit thinner than Tarantino's other movies, even compared to the Kill Bill films (maybe not compared to Death Proof). Perhaps that's missing the point of what is, after all, an incredibly entertaining style/genre experiment, but still.
http://www.museumofplay.org/NTHoF/
Their inductees for this year: http://www.museumofplay.org/about_us/files/nthof_winners_09.pdf
And in fact: http://www.museumofplay.org/nthof/toys/index.php?toy=candy_land
(P.S. You probably meant an art museum, but I was just amused that you made that comment since I just heard about this place the other day.)
I think you should rank them by preference instead of chronologically.
I think this list was actually written by Ebert's editor, Jim Emerson, who took on some of the writing while Ebert was recovering from various surgeries. It was posted on Ebert's site but not actually compiled by the big guy himself. Still a pretty strong list.
Awesome list with many of my favorites, although have you watched much House? I love that show. It might be my favorite show on TV right now.
Yeah, close call. It's like asking which is worse, cancer or AIDS.
Yeah, I had actually already seen Inglorious Basterds and was a big fan as well. And I agree with you about 9 too.
How was the Fifth Element? I have it on my DVR and have been pondering whether to actually watch it...
Hey AAA! What did you think of 9 and Inglourious Basterds?
Part the third (and final):
Song Cycle - A chamber pop tour de force. Expansive and wonderfully engaging.
Scott 4 - Like Song Cycle, a 60s album that's on the obscure side, but really excellent and highly consistent. Love the Seventh Seal song.
Maiden Voyage - I won't pretend that I can intellectually evaluate jazz albums, but I know what I like, and this is great stuff.
Acid Tongue - Of the five mixes I received over the course of last year, three of them contained Acid Tongue songs. Now it's easy to see why. Jenny Lewis's voice is gorgeous and lilting, but the songs have meat to them. The epic "Next Messiah" is great, as is the title track, but my favorite might be "Carpetbaggers."
Basement Tapes - Oftentimes I'm not a fan of recordings like this, of bands getting back to their folksy roots and saying pish-posh to studios. This particular album, however, represents a collaboration of two of the greatest artists of the 60s at the peak of their creative output, so of course it's awesome.
Repeat When Necessary - Rockpile fans could tell you how different Dave Edmunds's style was from Nick Lowe's and how much they clashed, but turns out they both create incredibly fun rock albums.
Ram - This album is an enigma to me. It was clearly very popular upon its release, selling very well in both the UK and US and generating enough of a splash to start a feud with John Lennon, who took exception with some of McCartney's lyrics. On the other hand, none of the songs are well-known today, and reviews of it are mixed, perhaps because it's not really the album that everyone expected from McCartney. As for the sound itself, it's incredibly infectious, despite the fact that its style is pretty far off from the big, bombastic rock he would later develop with Wings, but it sounds different from his Beatles output as well. Erlewine might be right on the money when he calls this "the first indie pop album, a record that celebrates small pleasures with big melodies"... but associating the former Beatle with anything indie is the most enigmatic thing of all. Standouts: "Monkberry Moon Delight," "The Back Seat of My Car."
Hejira - Pretty good but pales in comparison my favorite Joni Mitchell output (Blue and Court and Spark). I don't think this album is less original or less emotive, but the songs just aren't as good, and they're too long. She used to do more with less.
Paul Simon - Hey, turns out Paul Simon's great even when he's not influenced by African rhythms.
1984 - Van Halen rocks! And sometimes synths.
A Grand Don't Come For Free - I already knew I liked this, so this is cheating.
And the Thieves Are Gone/Our Shadows Will Remain - More accessible and less sparse than Come to Where I'm From, while still proving to be highly affecting and catchy.
Liege and Lief - Great British folk.
Runt: The Ballad of Todd Rundgren - Finally after hearing some Todd Rundgren albums that are either far more weird or far less weird than his masterpiece Something/Anything?, I find an album that is equally weird. Love it.
Rolling Stones Now!/England's Newest Hitmakers - The Stones when they were just a bunch of hard-rockin' youths. Not as brilliant as their later work but still a blast to listen to.
Quebec - Ween album number 4. I actually found this pretty disappointing. It's just far more bland and uninvolving than the other Ween albums I've heard. The first half is pretty good, but then the soporific "Captain" brings the album to a crashing halt, from which it doesn't recover until the last song (which admittedly is probably my favorite song on the disc).
Dirty Mind - I've developed a better appreciation for Prince lately. This album is pretty good, though not as good as the other Prince albums I've heard.
Ready to Die - I'm not always big on rap, but I actually really enjoyed this album. The lyrics are clever throughout, and the songs are catchy. Up there with Blue Lines as one of my favorite rap albums of the 90s.
Histoire de Melody Nelson - Strangely captivating album that is at least half-classical. I have to read the translated lyrics though.
----------------
Okay, after this point, I really ought to listen to the albums more before I start commenting. Just so you know, I didn't always comment about the albums I heard without actually buying a physical CD, so let me go back and comment on a few.
The Meters' Look-Ka Py Py is too... instrumental. Decent but I prefer Rejuvenation.
The New Pornographers' Electric Version is just as awesome and infectious as their other albums I've heard. The New Pornographers might be the catchiest band of all-time. They have a knack for writing hooks that get permanently latched into my brain. Many standouts, but my favorite is probably "Chump Change."
Stiff Little Fingers' Inflammable Material is a fantastic, highly underrated punk album.
Bryan Scary and the Shredding Tears' Flight of the Knife is mind-blowingly awesome. I once described this as: Queen meets Of Montreal and decides to come up with their own version of Ziggy Stardust. Every song is a multi-part suite layered with instrument over instrument, it's irresistibly catchy, and it all comes together for a ridiculously entertaining scifi epic.
Outkast's Stankonia I had already heard, but not until I ripped it did "I'll Call Before I Come" get stuck in my head for like a month.
Harry Nilsson's Nilsson Schmilsson actually bored me a lot more than I was hoping. I thought this was album was supposed to be funny? "Coconut" is an inane novelty, "Without You" is classic of course, but the best song might be "Gotta Get Up."
Pavement's Brighten the Corners/Sonic Youth's Rather Ripped - It seems to me that these bands have a similar career trajectory. Both of them started off as wildly messy, noisy rockers and eventually polished up their act over the course of their career. The trick is to catch them when their albums are listenable yet still unique, i.e., the "Daydream Nation" acme. Sonic Youth's early career was, I understand, a bunch of noise; their late career is, well, this. Rather Ripped is a very good album, but it's scrubbed of most of what made Sonic Youth so original. It goes down smooth. Brighten the Corners is much the same way, although it also somehow puts the lyrics more front and center, and Malkmus could still write a killer song at this late stage of Pavement's existence. Favorites: "Shady Lane" and "Rats" respectively.
The Fratellis' Costello Music is highly recommended. Would I lie to you?
Sparks' A Woofer in Tweeter's Clothing is a highly enjoyable precursor to Kimono My House. It's not as consistent as Kimono, but I certainly can't argue with a glam pop cover of "Do-Re-Mi" from The Sound of Music.
Madvillain's Madvillainy - Any rap album that references Pinky and the Brain has got a thumbs-up from me.
Okay, I updated the albums I've gotten and wrote another chunk. Here is part two:
Yeah Yeah Yeahs – A more raw, sexual side of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs than I’ve previously heard. It works in a big way. Well, technically in a little way since this is an EP.
New Day Rising/Warehouse: Songs and Stories – Both of these take the Zen Arcade sound in more accessible directions while leaving the sound beneath a hazy fuzz. I personally find the latter album far more memorable, but both are very good.
More Songs About Buildings and Food/Stop Making Sense – I used to dislike the Talking Heads, but luckily I’ve come around.
Shazam – A fun little gem of an album. I rather dig these epic tunes. Nice Move.
Late Registration – This may be a pretty uncool opinion in many circles, but I think this and College Dropout may be my two favorite rap albums. Kanye’s background music and collaborators are always well-done, and his raps are intelligent and passionate. Just listen to “Diamonds From Sierra Leone” – what other rapper would write a song about the irony that African-American rappers love buying diamonds and thereby supporting an industry that in turn exploits Africans… all the while sampling “Diamonds Are Forever?”
Music From the Unrealized Film Script, Dusk at Cubist Castle – A top-notch indie rock album, bisected by the weird bird “Green Typewriters,” which goes on a bit too long. Favorite: “Jumping Fences” or “NYC-25.”
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We? – I’m actually a sucker for Celtic music, so I loved this album. “Dreams” is the hit and probably my favorite song here, but there are many worthy competitors, such as “Sunday” and “Linger.”
Two Things At Once – Short, charmingly immature bursts of punk, akin to being slapped in the face. Okay, some songs on Milo Goes to College have some more room to breathe, like “Hope,” but the hilarious “Weinerschnitzel” on Fat is only 12 seconds long! I’m a little late, but R.I.P. Frank Navetta.
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space – Sometimes these druggy albums really wear me out listening to them. This is actually one of the better ones, but I honestly prefer the less trippy moments, such as “Come Together.”
Pure Guava – Speaking of druggy albums… Ween album #3 is hit or miss. I actually liked this more than I was expecting, given how inaccessibly weird I had heard it was. Favorite: “The Goin’ Get Tough From the Getgo.”
American Recordings – It’s the 90s. You’re not playing to prisoners. Yet you’ve still got it, Mr. Cash.
Beverley Atonale – Jonathan Richman meets Belle and Sebastian, and Pavement kinda hangs out in the corner as well. Another solid lo-fi Scaruffi pop album.
Paid in Full – Classic, acclaimed rap album. I enjoyed it but that’s about it. Favorite: “My Melody.”
Nothing's Shocking – On the first listen I thought this album was incredibly screechy and irritating. I actually liked it a bit better on the second listen, but still, I don’t think Jane’s Addiction is for me.
Burnin' – I am totally down for declaring this a highly underrated Bob Marley album. Every song is just terrific! I just wish I knew what “duppy” meant.
All Things Must Pass – Spiritual yet incredibly catchy music. Nice work, George. I even think the jams are pretty good, even though everyone hates them.
Endtroducing – Sorry guys. I tried, but I really couldn’t get into this.
Martial Arts Weekend – Basically the Mountain Goats with one or two more instruments. I love the Mountain Goats and I love musical instruments, so... Actually, I really wanted to get this because the opening track is called “Baltimore.” I love that song but “The River Song” and “Going to Marrakesh” are just as good. I’m frustrated by “Memories”; I think I want it to be better than it actually is.
The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway – Has some slow spots, but for the most part this is a really compelling rock opera with lots of haunting imagery. Too many standouts to list.
The Chirpin’ Crickets – I had already heard most of these songs on my Buddy Holly compilation. Which should probably tell you that this is a pretty top-notch Buddy Holly album.
Bat Out of Hell – I must admit I became mildly addicted to the title track, a blistering rock epic that could get anyone charged up. The rest of the album is still pretty good. Youthfully silly at times.
Tallahassee – “No Children” is up there with the best songs I’ve ever heard. The rest of the album is also fantastic, amounting to one of the Mountain Goats’ best albums. Darnielle’s always great, but he’s best with this and Sunset Tree – I guess I prefer his albums that have strong unifying concepts.
Third – Four overlong jams that admittedly do manage to hold my attention for the most part. Very good stuff.
Soul Mining – Damn fine 80s power pop.
Warren Zevon – Listening to this album, you’ll probably hear multiple songs mention Jesse James as well as multiple songs that satirize the mythos of Los Angeles. That should probably give you a good sense of the album: influenced by the sights and sounds of L.A. yet steeped in a certain folksy tradition.
The Distant Future – “If You’re Into It” is one of the Conchords’ best songs.
Pinch Me – “Powder Blue” is one of BNL’s best songs.
Homeboys – The two other Adam Again albums I’ve heard focus more on themes of relationships and, er, digging, whereas this one is all about the troubles of inner city life and the escape through music. The two other Adam Again albums I’ve heard are better and more varied, but Homeboys is still a great album.
Almost Killed Me – I’m getting the sense that all the Hold Steady’s albums are the same. They all talk about the same parties/bar scene, they all talk about someone named Charlemagne, and they all feature about two songs where Craig Finn decides to actually sing instead of speak-singing. I’m okay with that because I like their style, but I think here they haven’t really perfected it. I prefer Boys and Girls in America.
The Psychedelic Sounds of the 13th Floor Elevators – Whoa. Psychedelic.
Question the Answers – I’m so glad I decided to pick up these Mighty Mighty Bosstones albums. They’re not the best albums I’ve heard this year, but the might be the most fun. I never get sick of listening to them, partially because I’m a sucker for horns. Favorite track: “Toxic Toast.”
Let's Face It – This is a little poppier than Question the Answers, but I’m totally okay with that. Most people only know “The Impression That I Get” but there are other better songs here. “Noise Brigade” and “Numbered Days” are great, but I’ve been totally obsessed with “Another Drinkin’ Song.” Just listen to the way it depicts the different sides of alcohol addiction. It repeats the chorus multiple times, yet the first time it sounds like a dirge (albeit a ska-dirge), and the last time the sadness has been replaced by a drunken joviality. Fantastic.
Oyster – Earthy and catchy. I picked this up on a total whim, and I’m glad I did.
Night and Day – I knew and loved “Steppin’ Out” before hearing this. It turns out that writing more songs with a similar sound as “Steppin’ Out” is not a stable strategy. This album is pretty uneven but I do really like the first and last track.
I figured it was about time for my somewhat-annual album thought update. However, I haven’t updated this list with the albums I’ve actually heard in quite some time. So I’m going to do it in a few installments. Part one:
Maxinquaye – A hip-hop album in the style of Blue Lines. Very good, but unlike Blue Lines, it doesn’t seem to stick in my brain.
Ys – Well-made and unique, but I admire the craftsmanship (or craftswomanship) more than I actually feel like listening to it.
30 Greatest Hits – Good stuff, Aretha.
Chocolate and Cheese – The first Ween album I heard. Why didn’t anyone tell me I had to be listening to this band like five years ago? Come on guys, you knew I liked Weird Al and They Might Be Giants. This is a terrifically weird album, if a little uneven. There are some weak spots in the first half, but the second is incredibly strong. My favorite: “Buenas Tardes Amigo,” an Ennio Morricone send-up that toes the line between epic Western drama and hilariously overblown parody.
The Boatman's Call – I prefer Abbattoir Blues/Lyre of Orpheus, but this is an excellent, more low-key side of Mr. Cave. I think my favorite songs are the middle two (the ones with questions as titles) but it is also hard to argue with a song that has the lyric, “This useless old fucker with his twinkling cunt doesn’t care if he gets hurt.” Least favorite: “Black Hair.”
The Real Thing – Mind-blowing, thrilling punk-rap. I knew the transcendently weird “Epic” from Rock Band, but there’s a lot of other terrific songs here. Unfortunately, the one with the best title is probably the worst song (“Surprise! You’re Dead!”).
Gaucho – I feel gypped. This was on Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s list of favorite albums, but his review is actually pretty negative. While still good, it is probably the worst Steely Dan album I’ve heard, though I do really like the title track and “Time Out of Mind.”
Never a Dull Moment – I agree, Mr. Stewart. Although the end result still doesn’t add up to an album as good as Every Picture Tells a Story.
3+3 – Some of the best funk/soul out there.
Seconds of Pleasure – Innovative? Nah. Affecting? Nope. This album just. Fucking. Rocks. Seriously, you other rock bands should be taking notes.
Dig Me Out – Sneering girl punk for the modern age. Favorite: “Little Babies.”
This Nation's Saving Grace – Pitchfork has overrated this, but it’s still a great album. I’m impressed with its ability to seem bleak and nihilistic while also incredibly catchy.
Repeater + 3 Songs – Another good album that never really lingers with me.
Drums and Wires – I always like XTC. But I LOVE Skylarking and Apple Venus Vol. 1.
Elastica – Good, but Erlewine overrates this IMHO. The songs are hit-or-mess. For 90s girl punk, I’ll take Dig Me Out.
Saturation – As for this, Erlewine was right on the money. One ferocious rocker after another. Favorite: Probably “Positive Bleeding,” although “The Stalker” has been really stuck in my head lately.
Rattlesnakes – Clever, literate, catchy 80s pop.
At Newport – Like Live at the Regal, this is one of those albums that really engages me with the blues.
The Mollusk – Probably my favorite album of this chunk, I cannot tell you how much I love The Mollusk. Ween cranks out a nautical-themed CD where every song is of a different genre and yet it still holds together as a unified concept album. What’s more, the song quality is astonishingly consistent. Picking favorite songs would merely showcase my favorite genres, but rest assured that the whole album is awesome.
I Just Can't Stop It! – It’s skariffic!
All the Young Dudes/Mott – The former is a Britrock record that is great fun and showcases its excellent title track. The latter is more variegated, resulting in an album that is richer and still enjoyable. Favorite: Probably “Ballad of Mott the Hoople.”
Night Moves – Like Springsteen but a little funkier. I actually loved this album more than I’d care to admit. The title track is a masterpiece.
Avalon – Jeez, Bryan Ferry, put me to sleep why doncha? I’d rather do the strand.
Jesus of Cool – Like Rockpile but funnier. That Nick Lowe is a cheeky little bastard, isn’t he? Favorite: Probably “Nutted by Reality.”
Vermilion – Fantastic, incredibly catchy, underrated alt-country. More importantly, Continental Drifters is one of the best band names ever. On the other hand, “Heart, Home” is one of the worst song names ever. It’s also probably the weakest song here, though still decent. The epic “Daddy Just Wants It To Rain” is heart-wrenching, but it’s just one of many standouts here, including “I Want to Learn to Waltz With You” and, hell, the first three tracks.
Mutiny/Cereal Killers – These rockin’ power-pop albums are loads of fun, but Too Much Joy sound like they had even more fun recording it. Standouts: “Donna Everywhere” and “Sort of Haunted House” on the former, “King of Beers” on the latter.
Green Thoughts – I had high hopes for this album and was kinda disappointed. Bland 80s pop/rock. Still pretty good though.
Plants and Birds and Rocks and Things – These guys remind me of TMBG, they have a knack for hiding melancholy emotions in incredibly enjoyable, bouncy songs. Their sound also reminds me of Apples in Stereo. Anyway, a great album, probably the best of this particular wave of Scaruffi’s favorite pop albums.
I Want One of Everybody – Lo-fi and incredibly obscure. A little too murky for me but still pretty good.
Crazy Rhythms – Weird and meandering yet insanely fascinating. The songs kinda blend together for me but the overall impact is truly unique.
I agree with you completely, except (maybe) with the assertion that it's better than Kill Bill Vol 1. I'll have to think on that...
I did like it, although not nearly as much as you. I couldn't help feeling like substance-wise, it was a bit thinner than Tarantino's other movies, even compared to the Kill Bill films (maybe not compared to Death Proof). Perhaps that's missing the point of what is, after all, an incredibly entertaining style/genre experiment, but still.
I think AfterHours has finally gone off the deep end...
I'm very glad to see that you were a big fan of Funny People as well!
Heyrocker, is there a way to report spam on the new site?