Our Favorite Albums (281 – 290)
281. The Chicks – Wide Open Spaces [1998]
Nominated by DJ Livor Mortis of Word on the Street.
Wide Open Spaces is the fourth studio album and the major label debut of American country music band Dixie Chicks. It was their first record with new lead vocalist Natalie Maines, and became their breakthrough commercial success. (wikipedia.org)
282. Nirvana – Nevermind [1991]
Nominated by Andy Chatfield of Center for the Arts Radio.
Cobain, Nirvana’s main songwriter, fashioned chord sequences using primarily power chords and wrote songs that combined pop hooks with dissonant guitar riffs. His aim for Nevermind’s material was to sound like “The Knack and the Bay City Rollers getting molested by Black Flag and Black Sabbath”. Many of the songs on Nevermind feature shifts in dynamics, where the band changes from quiet verses to loud choruses. Dave Grohl said this approach originated during a four-month period prior to the recording of the album, where the band would experiment with extreme dynamics during regular jam sessions; however; the Smart Studios recordings of songs such as “Lithium” and “In Bloom” show the band was writing songs in that style long before Grohl had joined the band. (wikipedia.org)
283. SZA – Ctrl [2017]
Nominated by DJ Lukey G of The Guest List.
SZA wrote most of the album’s lyrics and collaborated with producers including Craig Balmoris, Frank Dukes, Carter Lang, Scum and ThankGod4Cody to achieve its sound. The efforts resulted in a primarily neo-soul and R&B album, with elements of hip-hop, electronic, indie and soul. Lyrically the album has a confessional theme, which touch upon SZA’s personal experiences and complexities of modern love; including desire, competition, jealousy, sexual politics, social media, and low self-esteem. (wikipedia.org)
284. Willie Nelson – Red Headed Stranger [1975]
Nominated by Bill Revill of Acoustic Blender who says: A country concept album with a storyline. A good intro to Willie.
285. Various Artists – The Lion King: Original Broadway Cast Recording [1997]
Nominated by DJ MTSPEN of Storytime and Motivation Nation who says: Songs that tell a story in many powerful ways.
286. RXYNO – She Called [2018]
Nominated by Robbie of Homegrown.
For the numerous fans and new converts that have caught the band at their raucous live shows, the album certainly lives up to the hype. She Called is a hard hitting, highly listenable collection of garage rock songs bolstered by memorable songwriting, a tight live performance, and frontman Fredric Kaeser’s ragged howl of a voice. (ctscramble.com)
287. Michael Jackson – Off the Wall [1979]
Nominated by DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life and DJ Deni of Lovin’ the 70’s.
It was Jackson’s first album released through Epic Records, the label he recorded under until his death in 2009, and the first produced by Quincy Jones, whom he met while working on the 1978 film The Wiz. The album features songwriting contributions from Stevie Wonder, Paul McCartney, Rod Temperton, Tom Bahler, and David Foster, alongside three tracks penned by Jackson himself. (wikipedia.org)
288. Charlie Haden & Pat Metheny – Beyond The Missouri Sky [1997]
Nominated by Michael Benson of 75% Folk who says: Really solid end to end. Beautiful melodies.
289. Eugenio Bennato & Carlo D’Angiò – Musica Nova [1978]
Nominated by Francesco Fiumara of Caffè Italia.
A project of Neapolitan musicians Bennato and D’Angiò who had previously colloborated in the Nuova Compagnia di Canto Popolare, which was founded in 1967.
290. Paul McCartney and Wings – Band on the Run [1973]
Nominated by DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life who says: Paul McCartney’s defining post-Beatles moment came in 1973 with the fantastic album “Band on the Run.” So good, even John Lennon had to compliment it.
