#2 Grant Lee Buffalo - Fuzzy
Grant Lee Phillips has long been an articulate songwriter. While band members Phillips (vocals & guitar), Paul Kimble (bass) and Joey Peters (drums) had already recorded together, it all came together on Grant Lee Buffalo’s debut Fuzzy. Phillips brought a vocal style that embraces the listener to the album. It also helped that he wrote a set of beautifully crafted songs that foreshadowed Americana. The title track, "Dixie Drug Store" and “The Shining Hour” are stunning.
How many albums remain part of the popular musical lexicon decades after they were originally released? The answer is very few. Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, The Dark Side of the Moon and Born to Run are examples of albums cherished even by listeners who weren’t born when those albums were originally released. So many more critically acclaimed albums have been essentially forgotten over time. MMR would like to reintroduce readers to some of those lost albums and the artists. We will update the list periodically with what we believe are overlooked or forgotten releases. Each and every one of these albums should be part of your record collection.
#4 Los Lobos - Kiko
Despite a handful of successful singles, Los Lobos remains an underappreciated band. By The Light Of the Moon introduced Los Lobos to a broader audience. Kiko cemented the band status as one of the best roots rock groups of all-time. Kiko is a set of intelligent, imaginative, and inspired songs. "Kiko and the Lavender Moon," the rollicking "That Train Don't Stop Here," “Wicked Rain, and the rocking "Whiskey Trail" are highlights. The brilliance of Kiko is dimmed only by the it failing to achieve the commercial it deserved.
Ten Underappreciated Albums of the '90s
#8 Radney Foster - See What You Want To See
Radney Foster was essential to the creation of Alt. Country as one half of the duo Foster & Lloyd. The duo’s self-titled release remains a classic, as does Foster’s solo debut, Del Rio, Tx, 1959. See What You Want To See was issued on the heels of a four year hiatus where Foster was dealing with family issues. The album included “Raining on Sunday” and “I’m In” (covered by Keith Urban) and “Godspeed” (covered by the Dixie Chicks). Add in “I’ve Got A Picture” and “Folding Money, and you have an enduring classic that sounds a fresh today as the day it was issued.
#1: David Baerwald - Bedtime Stories
Baerwald was half of the short-lived eighties duo, David & David. Bedtime Stories was his first solo effort. The album received rave reviews but was not a commercial success. Mining the same sound and feel that defined David and David’s Boomtown, Baerwald's songs focus on broken lives and the underbelly of life. "All for You" addresses infidelity, "Hello Mary" is a tender conversation with an old lover, “Dance” made use of the Tower of Power horns, and “Stranger” is a moving commentary on how those who serve in the military are ignored or cast aside when they return home.
#7 Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream
As popular as progressive rock was in the ‘70s, the music genre was largely ignored and often scorned in the grunge era ‘90s. The rebirth of progressive rock that continues today was led by Steven Wilson and Porcupine Tree. Stupid Dream was an opening salvo of modern progressive rock. The songs are a mix of metal guitar juxtaposed with gentle acoustic guitar work. The title track is haunting. Piano Lessons epitomizes modern progressive rock. Pure Narcotic reeks of Radiohead’s The Bends. A Smart Kid is progressive rock storytelling. Brilliant.
Music Lost But Not Forgotten
#10 Chris Whitley - Living With The Law
Chris Whitley quit highschool as a teenager and moved to New York City where he spent time homeless, supported by what he could earn busking on the streets. Recorded in New Orleans in Daniel Lanois’ home studio, Living With The Law is the work of a troubled soul. Honest, dark songs of drug abuse, alienation, loneliness and prison existence envelop the listener. Few artists can match the power and utter beauty of songs such as"Dirt Radio," "Phone Call from Leavenworth.” While "Big Sky Country" and "Living with the Law" hit the Billboard Rock charts, album sales were underwhelming. Released the same year as the Seattle grunge movement hit with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and others, Living With The Law was a near flawless debut for Whitley. Whitley sadly died of lung cancer in 2005.
#6 Nick Lowe - The Impossible Bird
Whether as a member of the seminal pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz, as a solo artist, or as a producer, Nick Lowe is one of the most influential figures in rock music. Best known for the hit single “Cruel to be Kind,” Lowe produced some of the best albums released in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Often misrepresented as a punk rocker, Lowe’s music actually favored early rock n’ roll. Lowe’s career was floundering when he released The Impossible Bird in 1994. Always known for clever lyrics and a biting sense of humor, Lowe took a stab at country music on The Impossible Bird. The album is about as good as it gets. Songs such as "Soulful Wind," "12-Step Program (To Quit You Babe)," and "The Beast in Me" are Lowe classics. The album hits on all cylinders.
#3 Jellyfish - Bellybutton
San Francisco-based Jellyfish was Andy Sturmer (vocals/songwriter/drums), Roger Manning (keyboards), Jason Falkner (vocals/songwriter/guitar) and Chris Manning (drums). While Jellyfish only released two studio albums, the band’s debut, Bellybutton, was a set of well-crafted pop/rock songs. "Baby's Coming Back" was the single release, but the album is filled with solid tracks such as “The Man I Used to Be” and “The King Is Half-Undressed." Falkner and Chris Manning left the band after Bellybutton. The band called it quits by 1994.
#9 Sonny Landeth - South of I-10
Guitarist/songwriter Sonny Landreth is an award-winning musician who developed a distinctive sound. Landreth's slide guitar work has graced recordings of artists such as John Hiatt, John Mayall, Irma Thomas, and Allen Toussaint. South of I-10 (the interstate highway that runs through Louisiana, remains one of Landreth’s best solo releases. While Toussaint and Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) make quest appearances, it is Landreth’s guitar wizardry that carries the album. Mixing Cajun music, zydeco, Delta blues, and swamp pop, Landreth songs like “Congo Square,” "C'est Chaud," “Mojo Boogie,” and”Shooting For The Moon” remain vital. South of I-10 is essential to any collection..
#5 New Radicals -
Maybe You’ve Been Brainwashed Too
The New Radicals took the one-hit wonder moniker a step further by making a one hit wonder of an album. The New Radicals were the creation of singer/songwriter Gregg Alexander. The L.A. band signed with MCA, and debuted with the release of their only album, Maybe You've Been Brainwashed Too. The album is a fun throwback to the rock and blue-eyed soul of the early '70s. Songs like "Mother We Just Can't Get Enough" and the hit single “You Get What You Give” are as fresh today as they were on the albums release. It’s always been a head scratcher that Alexander disbanded the New Radicals after this successful debut.
J.J. Cale - Naturally (1971)
J.J. Cale is best known for writing "After Midnight" and "Cocaine," songs that Eric Clapton made into international hits. Cale's boogie shuffle was adopted by Clapton, Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) and other artists. Raised in Oklahoma, Cale joined a band that featured Leon Russell. After moving to Nashville for several years, Cale returned to again hook up with Russell. The two friends ultimately relocated to Los Angeles with another classic rock era musician, Carl Radle. In 1965, Cale cut the first version of "After Midnight."
Cale returned to Tulsa in 1967. Radle forwarded demos Cale had recorded to Denny Cordell, who was in process of founding Shelter Records with Russell. Shelter signed Cale in 1969. The following year, Eric Clapton recorded his version of "After Midnight." In December 1971, Cale released his debut album, “Naturally.” The album generated the hit "Crazy Mama," included a re-recorded version of "After Midnight," and the track "Call Me the Breeze," which Lynyrd Skynyrd would later cover.
Cale went on to release 14 more albums, including the critically acclaimed albums “Troubadour” and “The Road to Escondido.” While Clapton made Cale’s songs classics, Cale, himself, never achieved star status. He instead developed a strong cult following. Cale only sporadically released albums over the years. His first - “Naturally” - set the stage for what would become a solid career. Cale passed away in 2013 after suffering a heart attack.
Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)
Arriving as punk rock and new wave arrived to overtake AOR, Graham Parker was marketed as the ultimate angry young man. He proved to be one of the more successful songwriters to emerge from England's pub rock scene. Parker incorporated elements of punk anger and angst into his rock & roll. His lyrics oozed with indignant passion, biting sarcasm, and bristling anger. After hearing Parker perform, Stiff records co-founder Dave Robinson helped him assemble a backing band. The Rumour, as the band came to be known, included pub rock icons Brinsley Schwarz, Martin Belmont, Bob Andrews, Steve Goulding, and Andrew Bodnar. Parrker’s debut, “Howlin Wind” was a major critical success. He followed it with the equally acclaimed album “Heat Treatment.” But it was the 1979 release of the album “Squeezing Out Sparks” that moved Parker to the forefront of the new wave movement.
“Squeezing Out Sparks” includes powerful tracks such as "Local Girls," “Passion Is No Ordinary Word,” “You Can’t Be Too Strong” and “Protection.” Each track is a classic. Parker spews anger on the hard rock tracks while muting that anger on the acoustic numbers.
Despite positive critical reviews, Parker never achieved the popularity of his contemporary, and the artist he was rightly or wrongly compared to, Elvis Costello. Parker has continued to release albums to the delight of a solid cult following. “Howlin Wind” and “Heat Treatment” were very good releases. “Squeezing Out Sparks” was Parker’s best and one of the indispensable records of the new wave era, ranking up there with Costello’s and Nick Lowe’s best work.
World Party - Goodbye Jumbo (1990)
World Party was the creation of multi- instrumentalist and Beatles devotee Karl Wallinger. Wallinger formed World Party after leaving a successful gig as a member of the Waterboys. The name, World Party, actually was the title of a song Wallinger co-wrote and which later appeared on the Waterboys acclaimed album “Fisherman’s Blues.” Wallinger left the Waterboys earlier, after their acclaimed release “This Is the Sea” (1985). World Party issued its debut album “Private Revolution” in 1987. The album included the unexpected hit single "Ship of Fools." Private Revolution was, however, a mixed bag. It would be World Party’s second release - “Goodbye Jumbo” - that would set the bar for the group.
“Goodbye Jumbo” was Wallinger at his best. Wallinger incorporated everything into the album from the Beatles to Prince. From the stunning lead track, “Is It Too Late?” to "Way Down Now" to "Put the Message in the Box" to the amazing “And I Fell Back Alone” to “God On My Side” - each track as compelling as the one before it.
World Party would go on to issue a number of fine releases, including “Bang!” (1993), “Egyptology” (1997) and “Dumbing Up” (2000). While worthy albums, none of them proved the equal of “Goodbye Jumbo.” Wallinger suffered an aneurysm shortly after the release of “Dumbing Up.” After a long recovery period, Wallinger returned to the studio to put together the stunning compilation album, “Best in Show,” which was released in 2007. World Party followed that with the 2012 release of “Arkeology,” a five disc set of previously unreleased recordings and live cuts, including covers of several songs by the Beatles.
Angie Aparo - The American (2000)
Angie Aparo is perhaps the most obscure of the artists discussed here. That is unless you live in the Atlanta area, where Aparo packs them in every time he plays. Aparo’s major label debut album, “The American,” was released in 2000.
“The American” is so good it leaves you wondering why Aparo is not now better known. Aparo vocals are warm. The album includes Aparo’s original version of the song “Cry,” which proved to be a hit for Faith Hill. Husband Tim McGraw covered Aparo’s “Free Man.” Whileboth are fine songs, neither is among the best tracks on “The American.” The single, “Spaceship” stands out, as do “Green Into Gold,” “Hush,” and “Third Time Around.” But the best here are “Memphis City Rain and the title track.
Aparo followed “The American” by releasing “One With the Sun,” which included several originals and brilliant covers of Neil Young’s “Don’t Let It Bring You Down” and Oasis’ “Champagne Supernova.” Aparo then ran into an issue that plagues many artists careers - namely, label trouble. The album “For Stars and Moon” was independently released. More recently, Aparo has gone through personal health issues which left him having to relearn his own songs. This reviewer was lucky to be at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Ga., when Aparo made his return to the stage. It was a joyful experience even though Aparo had to pass on some songs he had not yet relearned. If Aparo had never released another album, “The American” stands as testimony to his tremendous talent.
Harry Nilsson - Son of Schmilsson (1972)
Harry Nilsson was as unique an artist as will ever walk this earth. Nilsson truly marched to his own drummer. He had an uncanny ability
to write catchy melodies and connect them to inspired and, at times, bizarre lyrics. Nilsson's early album, Aerial Ballet, included a cover of Fred Neil’s Everybody's Talkin' (the theme for the movie Midnight Cowboy). Three Dog Night rode Nilsson’s song One into the Top Ten in 1969. Nilsson became a pop star with Everybody's Talkin’, Me And My Arrow and his cover of Badfinger’s Without You.
Without You appeared on the 1971 release Nilsson Schmilsson. The album included the offbeat Coconut and the rockerJump Into the Fire. Yet nothing could prepare his fans or critics for what was to come, Nilsson’s follow-up album Son of Schmilsson. The album title suggested Son of Schmilsson was a sequel to its predecessor, and there are similarities (Gotta Get Up and Coconut), but the album is a step beyond. Nilsson incorporated every off-the-wall idea into an album that is literally a warmed jumping bean. Songs about a reluctant astronaut (Spaceman), a hilarious country tale of lost love (Joy), a profanity driven rant to an ex (You’re Breakin’ My Heart) and the ultimate take on aging (I’d Rather Be Dead) complete with a senior citizens choir singing "I'd rather be dead than wet my bed." At the same time, there were beautiful melodies in songs such as Remember (Christmas) and Turn On Your Radio. The album might have been dismissed as a novelty except for the fact that the songs were so strong. Even in the absence of a top single, Son of Schmilsson claimed into the top twenty of the charts.
Nilsson continued to record through the seventies, but never again achieved the success of Nilsson Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson. His public life during late 70s was marked by his drinking relationship with John Lennon during Lennon’s famous “lost weekend.” Nilsson died in 1994 after suffering a massive heart attack. His legacy is that a gifted musician and songwriter. Son of Schmilsson is a significant and indispensable part of that legacy.
Nick Lowe - Labour of Lust (1979)
As a member of the pub rockers Brinsley Schwarz, as a solo artist, and as a producer, Nick Lowe was one of the most influential figures in the “new wave” movement of the late seventies. Brinsley Schwartz provided a platform for Lowe to write songs, among them the classic What’s So Funny About Peace, Love and Understanding. From 1977 to 1981, Lowe produced Elvis Costello’s most critically acclaimed albums (My Aim Is True, This Year’s Model, Armed Forces, Get Happy and Trust), Graham Parker’s Howlin Wind and the debut albums for the Pretenders and the Damned. Lowe’s early solo career wed early rock n’ roll with cheeky lyrics. The cover of Lowe’s debut album Jesus of Cool depicted Lowe as an everyman musician (a folk singer, a hippie, a metal head, a rock & roller, a new wave artist and so on). The songs were a combination of classic hooks and a series of tongue-in cheek lyrics.
In 1979, Lowe released Labour of Lust as the follow-up to Jesus of Cool. Where Jesus of Cool was series of schizophrenic singles, Labour of Lust combined the songs into a well-crafted whole. Supported by the band Rockpile (Dave Edmunds) and led by the hit single, Cruel To Be Kind, there is not a throwaway on the album. Every song carries itself. Highlights included the fantastic Cracking Up, American Squirm (a not so complementary depiction of Americans), the sexual disease inspiredDose of You and a remarkable take on Mickey Jupps song Switchboard Susan. There is also the wonderfully understated love ballad, You Made Me.
Lowe teamed with Rockpile for the groups only album, Seconds of Pleasure (1980). After a couple of less than stellar solo albums, Lowe turned to roots rock for the well-received albums Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit (1984) and Rose of England(1985). Lowe went on to produce Costello’s acclaimed album Blood & Chocolate, helped form the supergroup Little Village (Lowe, John Hiatt, Ry Cooder, and Jim Keltner), and later played on Hiatt’s classic Bring the Family. In 1994, Lowe hit it big again with the release of the album The Impossible Bird. Between 1998 and 2011, Lowe released four critically acclaimed lounge singer albums (Dig My Mood, The Convincer, At My Age and the Old Magic). While Lowe has never able to repeat the chart success of Labour of Lust, the album is without question one of the best albums of the new wave era.
Chris Rea - The Road to Hell (1989)
British singer/guitarist Chris Rea is not as well known in the United States as he is in Europe, though he recorded the album Whatever Happened to Benny Santini? (1978) which went gold on the strength of the Top 20 hit Fool (If You Think It's Over). Rea then essentially disappeared from the U.S music scene until he released the critically acclaimed The Road to Hell (1989).
Road to Hell is a tour-de-force commentary on disillusion with a world in decline. Road To Hell, Part 1 laments the protagonist selling his soul to get ahead as he is warned that he is on the road to hell. Road To Hell, Part 2, is an indictment of our use of technology to get ahead regardless of the cost and our use of the planet as a disposable profit center. On the third track, You Must Be Evil, Rea chastises the television industry for its lack of restraint in showing violence. Rea convincingly sings, “You tell us that it's news. You don't have to show that stuff. Can't you show us some respect.” Texas has Rea appealing to his wife to leave the world and all its madness behind and escape to the open roads of Texas. The album concludes with the Tell Me There’s A Heaven, as Rea addresses a crisis in faith, how it gets harder and harder to believe and suggests faith is still worth clinging to.
The Road to Hell is a subtle protest album from an age when protesting had become largely passee. The album stands up more than 25 years later. Perhaps because the concerns expressed on The Road to Hell remain concerns today.
Grant Lee Buffalo - Fuzzy (1993)
Singer/songwriter Grant Lee Phillips formed Grant Lee Buffalo from the ashes of the neo-psychedelic band Shiva Burlesque with former Shiva members Joey Peters (drums) and Paul Kimble (multi-instrumentalist). Signed to Slash Records, the trio issued their debut album titled
Fuzzy in 1993.
Fuzzy's is an amazingly well-crafted debut. A mix of rock and Americana, the songs were rich vignettes. The combination of Phillips haunting voice and the musical accompaniment elevated the songs from the opening track (The Shining Hour) through the last (You Just Have to Be Crazy). Few debut albums offer cuts as strong as the title track, Jupiter and Teardrop, and the brilliant Dixie Drug Store.
Critics justifiably praised Grant Lee Buffalo. Yet the group never achieved the mainstream success they deserved. The group ultimately released three more albums (Mighty Joe Moon, Copperopolis and Jubilee) before calling it a day. Each album succeeded because of Phillips strong songwriting abilities. Phillips launched a solo career. Not unexpectedly, his solo releases are generally well-received by critics. Fuzzy is arguably Grant Lee Buffalo's finest album, though the follow-up Mighty Joe Moon could claim the same honor. The groups ability to marry rock and alt. country proved to be a magical blend.
Dave Mason - Alone Together (1970)
Dave Mason and Jim Capaldi first teamed up in The Hellions, playing in the U.K. and in Hamburg during 1964-65. In 1966, Mason took a job as road manager for the Spencer Davis Group, which connected him with one Steve Winwood. Mason, Winwood, Capaldi and flautist Chris Wood joined together in 1967 to form the highly influential band Traffic. As Mason puts it, every band at the time seemed to be “The” something or other. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Animals. Traffic was simply Traffic. Mason’s relationship with Traffic was an on again-off again affair. He left the band just as the group released its debut album, Dear Mr. Fantasy. Mason returned sometime later, penning the classic Feeling Alright. He left Traffic again, moved to L.A. and joined Delaney & Bonnie. Mason also recorded with Jimi Hendrix, contributing to Hendrix’s Electric Ladyland version of Bob Dylan’s All Along the Watchtower. In 1970, Mason released his solo debut, Alone Together.
Alone Together peaked at #22 on the Billboard Charts. Engineered by Bruce Botnick (The Doors), the album is filled with memorable songs that reveal Mason’s talent as a songwriter and as a guitarist. The album was recorded with a veritable “who’s who” of musicians, including Leon Russell, Jim Keltner, Jim Gordon and Carl Radle (Derek & The Dominoes) , Delaney & Bonnie, Capaldi and songstress Rita Coolidge. A mix of ballads and rockers, songs like Look At Me Look at You, Shouldn’t Have Took More Than You Gave, and Only You Know and I Know (the single hit) showcased Mason’s ability with a guitar.
While Mason achieved greater chart success some years later with the album Let It Flow (with hits Let to Go, Let It Flow and We Just Disagree), the songs on Alone Together remain in his concert set some 45 years later and with good reason.
Big Country - The Crossing (1983)
Scottish band Big Country formed around frontman Stuart Adamson, guitarist Bruce Watson, bassist Tony Butler and drummer Mike Brzezicki. Big drums and guitars that sounded like bagpipes gave Big Country a distinctive sound all its own. Brzezicki was a highly regarded and sought after drummer, sitting in on many other artists albums.
The Crossing is filled with rock anthems every bit the match for what The Alarm and U2 were releasing in the day. In reviewing The Crossing, Rolling Stone’s Kurt Loder said of the group that it “blows the knobs off all the synth-pop diddlers and fake-funk frauds . . . cluttering up the charts.” In A Big Country was the lead single and first track on the album. The song slams the listener against the wall with drums and guitars blaring and sets the tone for the rest of the album. The song ultimately climbed into the Top 20 in the charts. In A Big Country is but one of a set of outstanding songs that challenge the listener lyrically and were musically innovative at a time when the music world was dominated by synch pop. Chance is as strong a track. Fields Of Fire and Harvest Home are musical assaults. The Storm and Porrah Man are guitar anthems permeated with a haunting Celtic feel.
Big Country remained popular over time in the U.K, but slowly lost its U.S. audience. The group recorded and performed (with members coming and going) until Adamson’s untimely death in 2001. The group recently reformed, replacing Adamson with former Alarm lead man Mike Peters. While Big Country may not have lived up to the lofty expectations created by The Crossing, the 1983 release was the groups biggest musical statement and among the best debut releases of any artist.
Foster & Lloyd - Foster & Lloyd (1987)
Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd met a staff songwriters. Foster had come from Del Rio, Texas, by way the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Lloyd hailed from Bowling Green, Kentucky. The two melded Foster’s talent for lyrics and love of country music with Lloyd’s love of Beatles era pop and rock. They issued their self-title debut in 1987.
Foster & Lloyd featured three top ten hits, Crazy Over You, Sure Thing and What Do You Want From Me This Time. Add to that the top twenty hit, Texas in 1880. Crazy Over You is honky tonk perfect. Sure Thing is one of the finest songs penned by Foster (and that is saying something). Texas In 1880 is the most enduring of the songs. Even today, Foster has no chance of leaving a concert without playing it. Turn Around, The Part I Know By Heart and You Can Come Crying to Me are literate love songs that resonate years after they were released.
Foster & Lloyd were an integral part of what we now call the Alt. Country movement. They released two more albums before disbanding (though they reunited in 2011 for one album). Foster has gone on to a highly successful solo career. He is without a doubt one of Nashville's and Texas’ most respected songwriters. In addition to classic albums like Del Rio, Texas 1959, See What You Want To See and This World We Live In, he has recorded hits like Just Call Me Lonesome, Nobody Wins, Easier Said Than Done and Everyday Angel. His songs have been re-recorded hits for the likes of Keith Urban (Raining On Sunday and I’m In) , Sarah Evans (A Real Fine Place to Start) and others. Lloyd has gone one to issue a number of critically acclaimed albums featuring his pop rock sound, especially Set to Pop and Standing On The Shoulders of Giants.
Porcupine Tree - Stupid Dream (1999)
The story is that guitarist Steven Wilson began Porcupine Tree as a Spinal Tap joke, writing songs for this non-existent band. The tracks were ultimately issued as Porcupine Tree’s first album. The additions of bassist Colin Edwin, keyboard player Richard Barbieri (Japan) and drummer Chris Maitland completed the band. Three more releases followed, establishing a cult following for Porcupine Tree throughout Europe and even in America. Nothing could have prepared PT fans for the groups epic release, Stupid Dream.
From the opening track, Even Less, the set is a mix of blasting electric guitars juxtaposed with gentle acoustic guitar work. Piano Lessons is the essence of modern progressive rock. Pure Narcotic is flavored by Radiohead’s The Bends, with a lyrical line that even references that album. Stranger by The Minute is the hit that should have been - if you assume Wilson cared about hit songs. A Smart Kid is progressive rock storytelling at its best. Brilliant. The album is adorned with strings that magnify the beauty of the music.
These days, Porcupine Tree founder Steven Wilson is acknowledged as one of the most talented and respected artists in the music industry. In addition to releasing a number of critically acclaimed albums with Porcupine Tree, Wilson has issued a string of outstanding solo offerings, contributed to groups such as Blackfield and No-Man, and re-mastered the catalogues of iconic progressive rock artists Yes and King Crimson. PT fans will debate whether some of the groups subsequent releases (such as In Absentia and Fear Of A Blank Planet) were superior, but Stupid Dream stands as a modern progressive rock masterpiece.
Pete Yorn - Musicforthemorningafter (2001)
New Jersey boy Pete Yorn studied music while at Syracuse University. After graduating from college, he relocated to L.A. Yorn landed a recording contract after scoring the Farrelly Brother’s movie Me, Myself & Irene. In 2000, Yorn released his debut album Musicforthemorningafter.
A mix of Americana, American and Brit Rock, the songs on Musicforthemorningafter draw the listener in. The album begins with the lead single, Life on a Chain, which deservedly earned a spot on modern rock and college stations. Yorn’s vocals have a Jay Farrar (Uncle Tupelo and Son Volt) feel on Strange Condition (the song appeared on the soundtrack for Me,Myself & Irene). Just Another shifts gears, demonstrating Yorn's ability to handle a ballad as well as a rocker. On Your Side very clearly suggests an artist who is tired and vulnerable. Its music intended to be heard last at night. Wine is optional.
After two more solid releases, which turned Musicforthemorningafter into a day-in-the-life trilogy, Yorn’s career slowed. Musicforthemorningafter is nonetheless a work that warranted the attention Yorn received on its release and still warrants a place in your album collection.
Dr. John - Gris Gris (1968)
Malcolm John Rebennack was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1940. Music became Rebennack's life choice after a chance meeting with the legendary pianist Professor Longhair. So definitive a choice that Rebennack was playing piano and guitar in bars by age 16. Engrossing himself in the New Orleans voodoo, real and imagined, Rebennack developed a persona he aptly named Dr. John Creaux the Night Tripper. Landing a recording deal with Atco Records, Dr. John recorded his classic debut Gris-Gris (1968).
Gris-Gris was and remains the perfect blend of New Orleans funk and trippy psychedelia. All of it touched by Dr. John's voodoo sensibility. Rebennack and ex- NOLA artist Harold Batiste put together a group of session players for the project, including Shirley Goodman and Jessie Hill (indispensable backing vocals), Richard Washington (guitar/mandolin) and Plas Johnson (sax). The music is a thick, foreboding gumbo. Rebennack's half-sung, half-spoken vocals meld French Creole and English slang. The opening track, "Gris-Gris Gumbo Ya Ya," comes off as an incantation, with Rebannack introducing himself as "Dr. John, the Night Tripper." While Gris Gris is a mere seven tracks, Dr. John saves the best for last. The eight-minute or so "I Walk on Gilded Splinters" is as close to a masterpiece as it gets.
Decked out in colorful headdresses, feathers, and cloaks, and carrying a voodoo cane, the Dr. John persona has come to define the artist. While his commercial breakthrough came later with the release of In The Right Place (1973), Gris-Gris is the indispensable album in his catalogue (others that come close) . No one who is passionate about New Orleans can claim the city until he or she embraces Gris Gris.
David & David - Boomtown (1986)
Boomtown was a one-off collaboration between David Baerwald and David Ricketts. The album stands as a testament to what talented artists can produce.
Boomtown opened with the surprise hit , "Welcome to the Boomtown." It and songs like "Swallowed By The Cracks" and "Being Alone Together" tackled the underside of urban life in the '80s - a time when many Americans were obsessed with financial success and upward mobility. Boomtown focuses on those left behind, darker characters such as Miss Cristina (who drives a nine four four, keeps cocaine on her dresser and bars on her doors) and Kevin (who deals dope out of Denny's and keeps a table in the back).
Boomtown served as a commentary on Reagan's America. Memorable characters touched or defined by greed, drugs, despair and broken dreams paired with consistently appealing melodies. Sadly, the commentary remains relevant over 30 years later. Sadly too, David + David never reprised Boomtown. Baerwald moved on to a critically acclaimed but commercially challenged solo career. Ricketts has worked with other artists, namely Toni Childs, but has not released anything since Boomtown.
Chris Whitley - Living With The Law (1991)
Chris Whitley began playing guitar at age 15. He quit high school and moved to New York City. At times homeless, he supported himself by busking on the streets. Oddly, Whitley accepted a street fans offer to travel to Belgium. He recorded a series of albums while there, drawing interest from producer Daniel Lanois.
Recorded in New Orleans, Living With The Law is the work of a tortured soul. It is a dark, yearning, compelling set with one great track after another. The songs touch on the singers detachment from society, drug abuse, loss, and loneliness. Few artists can match the power and beauty of songs such as "Big Sky Country," "Dirt Radio," "Phone Call from Leavenworth," and the title track.
Living With The Law was a near flawless debut for Whitley. It should be required listening for anyone with musical ambitions. But, as they say, timing is everything. Released the same year as the Seattle grunge movement hit with Nirvana, Pearl Jam and others, Living with the Law received rave reviews but sold poorly. Then Whitley waited four years before issuing a follow-up. Sadly, Whitley died of lung cancer in 2005. While he left a number of fine albums behind, Living With The Law is his finest.