Our Favorite Albums (71 – 80)
71. The Flaming Lips – The Soft Bulletin [1999]
Nominated by Johnny Ganache of Pint O’ Comics and DJ MTSPEN of Storytime/Motivation Nation.
Johnny Ganache says: Spacey, weird and beautiful.
DJ MTSPEN says: Many of the group’s albums are endless fun, but the flow of this album’s tone is a great listener experience.
72. Keith Jarrett – The Köln Concert [1975]
Nominated by Michael Benson of 75% Folk and Rob of Chocolate Cake.
Michael Benson says: Amazing live album. Improv at it’s best.
Rob says: 66 minutes of improvisational bliss.
73. John Lennon – John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band [1970]
Nominated by DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life and DJ Deni of Lovin’ the 70’s.
DJ McKenzie says: John Lennon’s first post-Beatles album is a classic; the lofi recording style is a direct contrast from his next album “Imagine,” which lets his songwriting shine.
74. Shel Silverstein – Freakin’ at the Freakers Ball [1972]
Nominated by Big Bent of Dub Revolution (and many more!) and DJ Cheshire Cat of Wonderland.
Big Bent says: As a pre teen, I wore this highly inappropriate tape out in my portable player. Lyrics to songs like “Sophisticated Lady”, “I got stoned and I missed it” and “Stacy Brown got two” were my anthems. plus “Sarah Cynthia Sylvia Stout would not take the garbage out”…
DJ Cheshire Cat says: Uncle Shelby’s children’s’ books were stocked in my temple and school libraries; they were my introduction to the man. Finding this album as a college student was a revelation; the songs are full of sexual liberation, hedonism, and vulgarity in all the best ways. Silverstein was a person who made clear that real human beings are never “ors”, but always “ands” – he was a children’s author AND a Playboy cartoonist AND a songwriter AND a playwright AND a FAHREAK among freaks. I miss you, Uncle Shelby.
75. Tom Waits – Closing Time [1973]
Nominated by DJ MTSPEN of Storytime/Motivation Nation and DJ Livor Mortis of Word on the Street.
DJ MTSPEN says: Early Waits scratches a different itch than the industrial sound of his later career. I enjoy both, but prefer this slightly.
76. Kendrick Lamar – To Pimp a Butterfly [2015]
Nominated by DJ AmorOso of WTF: What the Funk & Storytime and DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life.
DJ McKenzie says: An amazing album about race in America. The lyrics are so beautifully dense you almost need an encyclopedia to understand them.
77. Paul & Linda McCartney – Ram [1971]
Nominated by DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life and DJ Livor Mortis of Word on the Street.
Paul McCartney and his family flew to New York City in October 1970 to begin working on the follow-up to McCartney. While the previous album had featured him playing every instrument, for Ram, McCartney decided to hold auditions for musicians, some of whom were brought in under the guise of conducting a session to record a commercial jingle. (wikipedia.org)
78. DJ Shadow – Endtroducing….. [1996]
Nominated by DJ MTSPEN of Storytime/Motivation Nation and Fluccs Capacitor of Time Moves Slow.
DJ MTSPEN says: Another instrumental classic.
Fluccs Capacitor says: This album was the culmination of my fantasies of being a sample based producer. Before vinyl was a fetishized market where collectors can order up luxury rarities, DJs and producers were digging through their parents or basements of record stores that were in flux during the era of CDs. Shadow not only created dope beats but entire soundscapes with dissonant samples. Masterpiece material for sure.
79. Erykah Badu – Mama’s Gun [2000]
Nominated by DJ Lukey G of The Guest List and DJ Livor Mortis of Word on the Street.
As with other Soulquarian collaborations, the majority of the album was recorded at Electric Lady, Jimi Hendrix’s personal recording studio, which was also used to create several landmark albums by David Bowie, Stevie Wonder, and John Lennon. The sessions were informal, and took place simultaneously with D’Angelo’s Voodoo and Common’s Like Water for Chocolate, resulting in impromptu collaborations and a distinctive sound that can be found among the three albums. Renowned recording engineer, Russell Elevado, who was responsible for the mixing of all three albums, has stated that he used older techniques and vintage mixing gear in order to achieve the warmth found in older recordings. (wikipedia.org)
80. Randy Newman – Sail Away [1972]
Nominated by Richard Kamins of River Valley Rhythms and Rob of Chocolate Cake.
Richard Kamins says: The title song is worth its weight in gold and then some!
Rob says: I could have picked any (or every) Newman album. There probably is no finer songwriter. He’s a better lyricist than Dylan (yeah, I said it) and writes more intoxicating melodies than McCartney. You can leave your hat on….
