Our Favorite Albums (161 – 170)

161. Toto – Toto IV [1982]

Nominated by Andy Chatfield of Center for the Arts Radio Hour.

The recording took many months during 1981 and 1982 and the band was allowed a much larger than average recording budget. At a time when most bands were using a single 24-track recorder Toto used as many as 3 separate 24-track recorders at the same time. The 24-track recorders were linked with a computerized SMPTE timecode system that allowed for up to 69 individual tracks of sound simultaneously. (wikipedia.org)

162. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures [1979]

Nominated by Fluccs Capacitor of Time Moves Slow who says: Minimalist dread in an alienating world. There’s been a ton of articles, cliche’s and t-shirts that nod toward this album and for good reason. Its spacious production and urgent vocals are the perfect soundtrack for pre-millenial tension. All I know is when I heard ‘Shadowplay’, I wanted to start a band.

163. Nat King Cole – Cole Español [1958]

Nominated by DJ MTSPEN of Storytime/Motivation Nation who says: One of those albums you never get sick of, its a ton of fun.

164. The New Lost City Ramblers – Songs of the Depression [1959]

Nominated by Bill Revill of Acoustic Blender who says: Kind of an intro to traditional and topical music from those days.

165. Stereolab – Emperor Tomato Ketchup [1996]

Nominated by DJ TJ of Punkadelic.

The album is named after the 1971 experimental film Emperor Tomato Ketchup by Japanese author and director Shūji Terayama, while the artwork is inspired by the LP cover sleeve of a 1964 recording of composer Béla Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra by the Bamberg Symphony conducted by Heinrich Hollreiser. (wikipedia.org)

166. Al Anderson – Al Anderson [1973]

Nominated by Robbie of Homegrown.

Recorded between June and September 1972 at Vanguard’s 23rd Street Studios.

167. The Left Banke – There’s Gonna Be a Storm: The Complete Recordings 1966-69 [1992]

Nominated by Leith of The Light Fandango.

168. Premiata Forneria Marconi – Storia Di Un Minuto [1972]

Nominated by Francesco Fiumara of Caffè Italia who says: Then you discover Italian progressive.

169. Sonny Rollins – Way Out West [1957]

Nominated by Richard Kamins of River Valley Rhythms who says: Mr. Rollins goes to Los Angeles for the first time and the results are both fun and amazing!

170. Bob Dylan – The Times They Are A-Changin’ [1964]

Nominated by DJ McKenzie of Splitting Hairs & The Beatles: A Week in the Life who says: A beautiful album about America and Americans. Each song offers a different perspective on the turbulent atmosphere of the early 1960s.