Our Favorite Albums (451 – 460)
451. St. Vincent – Actor [2009]
Nominated by DJ TJ of Punkadelic.
Actor is the second album by musician St. Vincent. Annie Clark was influenced by scores to films by Disney and Woody Allen. To prevent writer’s block, Clark watched films without the sound and composed music for her favorite scenes. After arranging the music using GarageBand, she then wrote lyrics and added gentle vocal melodies. (wikipedia.org)
452. Grateful Dead – Live/Dead [1969]
Nominated by Andy Chatfield of Center for the Arts Radio Hour and DJ Steve of WES Sports and Beyond.
DJ Steve says: Is that Live with a long I or a short I? Both! I had a turntable
that I could stack records on, and of course I played them in order, Sides 1-4. After a while, I just played one record, side 1/4, which holds Dark Star, Death Don’t Have No Mercy, and Feedback on it.
453. Talking Heads – Talking Heads: 77 [1977]
Nominated by DJ MTSPEN of Storytime & Motivation Nation who says: Another tough pick, but this album barely edges out the rest of an incredible discography. Groovy and ahead of its time.
454. Neil Young – After the Gold Rush [1970]
Nominated by DJ Deni of Lovin’ the 70’s.
Most of the album was recorded at a makeshift basement studio in Young’s Topanga Canyon home during the spring with Crosby, Stills, Nash, & Young bassist Greg Reeves, Crazy Horse drummer Ralph Molina and burgeoning eighteen-year-old musical prodigy Nils Lofgren of the Washington, D.C.-based band Grin on piano. Songs on the album were inspired by the Dean Stockwell-Herb Bermann screenplay for the unmade film After the Gold Rush. Young had read the screenplay and asked Stockwell if he could produce the soundtrack. Tracks that Young recalls as being written specifically for the film are “After the Gold Rush” and “Cripple Creek Ferry.” (wikipedia.org)
455. The Rivergods – State Of The Union [2017]
Nominated by Robbie of Homegrown.
Recorded October 14-16, 2016 at Pwop Studios, New London, CT.
456. Ennio Morricone – Once Upon a Time in the West [1972]
Nominated by Leith of The Light Fandango.
The soundtrack features leitmotifs that relate to each of the main characters of the film (each with their own theme music), as well as to the spirit of the American West. The theme music for the Claudia Cardinale character has wordless vocals by Italian singer Edda Dell’Orso. It was Leone’s desire to have the music available and played during filming. Leone had Morricone compose the score before shooting started and would play the music in the background for the actors on set. (wikipedia.org)
457. Joan Manuel Serrat – Dedicado a Antonio Machado [1969]
Nominated by Francesco Fiumara of Caffè Italia who says: When another language that you learn bring you to some milestones.
458. Propagandhi – Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes [2001]
Nominated by Rick Reaction.
Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes is the third album by Canadian punk rock band Propagandhi, released February 6, 2001. It was released on the band’s own G7 Welcoming Committee Records label in Canada and Fat Wreck Chords elsewhere. It is the first Propagandhi release of new material on their own label. (wikipedia.org)
459. Toots and the Maytals – True Love [2004]
Nominated by Karen Stein of Imagine who says: I am crying as l write this. I love this guy. A contemporary of Bob Marley, he was instrumental in keeping reggae fresh and on the charts. In this album he re-records some of his band’s classics with Eric Clapton, Ben Harper, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Beck, Trey Anastasia, and more. You haven’t lived til you’ve heard Still Is Still Movin’ To Me, with Willie Nelson singing the lead. Toots died in September 2020, of COVID, 77 years young. Heaven will be a better place with him in it, but Earth will never be the same. Rest in peace, my man..
460. Brave Old World – Blood Oranges [1999]
Nominated by Richard Kamins of River Valley Rhythms who says: Arguably the best “modern Klezmer” recording ever made––this music is stunning!
