Cru's Desert Island Discs

I just looked back and realized this is my longest blog yet, so let’s get right to it. We’re talking about our ‘Desert Island Discs’, which for me is a somewhat revolving list of the albums that I would most want to have with me if I were ever stranded on a desert island. Presumably, these would be the only bits of music I would ever be able to hear again, so I will now divulge my top 10 list and (as always) invite your feedback and your own submissions.

There is no particular order to this list, but I would say the first 3-4 are ones that never rotate out.

Guns N’ Roses – Appetite for Destruction: This shouldn’t really surprise anyone that’s talked to me for more than 30 minutes about music. Quite simply, an absolute masterpiece and the greatest debut album of all time, in my opinion. EVERY song is brilliant. Musically, lyrically, sonically, this album is perfect. Perfect. I could write pages and pages and pages about this album, and it is without a doubt, my favorite record of all time. Equally as important as the songs themselves is the mix of this record. Without a long detailed explanation, I will give you an assignment that will allow you to instantly understand what I’m talking about. After you read this blog and make whatever comments you want to make, go and put on Appetite and listen to it through headphones (for most of you, this will be the first time you’ve done this, so believe me, it’s worth it)… Listen to the record in its entirety 3 times… The first time, I want you to turn the balance all the way to the left and listen to the whole record. The second time, turn the balance all the way to the right. Lastly, after having done steps 1 and 2, listen to the record in both ears and you will truly hear it for the first time. I won’t say anymore about it. Do what I tell you and you will understand. And your appreciation for this record and the performances therein should increase exponentially.

Pearl Jam – Ten: A document of the early 90s Seattle music scene and the debut album from my favorite band of all time. Quite simply, this is the album that started it all for me and pushed my overall musical appreciation and appetite to another level. I never get tired of this record. The guitar work is a perfect mix of funky riffs, wailing leads and rhythmic grooving. The rhythm section keeps a constant energy to the record, even on the mellower songs. Eddie Vedder’s voice and range and emotional expression, especially on tracks like Release and Garden, literally has brought me to tears before (yes, I said that). One of the few records in my entire catalog that I know every word to, which is a big deal for me because I’ve always been a music-first-then-lyrics guy. This is the well from which everything else that Pearl Jam has become originally sprang and that is why it is THE record of theirs I could least live without. As a side note, the boys in the band have finally made a decision that’s been years coming, which is to release a remixed version of the record. For more info, and for a great gift idea for any PJ friends of yours, go here: https://www.pearljam.com/news/pearl-jam-announces-reissue-band%E2%80%99s-debut-album-ten (It’s a reissue and remix of Ten)

Pink Floyd – Dark Side of the Moon: There isn’t much I can say about this album that has not been said already. Literally, books have been written and documentary films made about this record. But the fact is, Roger Waters and his bandmates, at a fairly young age, were able to identify and channel pretty much every fear and challenge that one faces in life and combined that with the very personal history of the band and its founder, Syd Barrett, to make the mother of all concept albums. There’s a reason this was the international smash it was and continues to be. As Pink Floyd moved into the creative peak of their careers, DSOTM stands as an absolute classic record and an example of how a well-executed concept can reach across musical genres, language barriers and geo-political borders to strike a chord with just about anyone that exists in modern society. To me, Dark Side is more of a novel that is simply told through the medium of music instead of printed words. That said, it's a must-have for the desert island because sonically and narratively, it doesn't get much better than this.

Dwight Yoakam –dwightyoakamacoustic.net: This one may be a head-scratcher to all but my closest friends, since ordinarily I despise anything even remotely country-music related. But I have always enjoyed Dwight Yoakam and respect him as a songwriter and an artist that never gave into the typical Nashville way of doing things and stuck to what he knows best, which is heavier on the rockabilly than the formulaic crap that you find on most country stations today. This particular album was introduced to me by my buddy Hooks and it consists of just Dwight and an acoustic guitar as he goes through some of his classics, some new cuts and a healthy dose of covers and country standards. Literally sounding like he is just sitting in the middle of an empty room, this record gives me chills just because of how raw the performance is and how much emotion Dwight brings to the vocal performance. An underrated guitarist, Dwight handles every lick on this record, with few exceptions. Why would I have it with me on a Desert Island? Possibly because it is the antithesis to Appetite for Destruction, meaning the sound of one man, one guitar and an uncomplicated approach to the songs themselves is something that I find myself often reaching for when I want a change of pace.

Incubus – Light Grenades: Ahhhh, Incubus… the band that started as just another Nu-Metal douchefest from Southern California and has evolved quite completely into a rock solid airtight, funk/metal/rock/world music machine… This, their latest release, is their best work to date and illustrates the end result (for now) of that evolution. What I like most about this record is the completeness of the work. Most Incubus records prior to this one were simply collections of whatever songs they had put together during that recording session and lumped together as an album. This is the most album-like of their work, rather than just a collection of songs, even to the extent that in “Earth to Bella”, they have 2 different parts of the same song that close what would be Sides 1 and 2 of a traditional vinyl release. From the ethereal-sounding introduction of Quicksand, featuring Brandon Boyd’s echo-laden haunting vocals over a plodding rhythm and various electronic effects, all the way through the end of the album, they simply don’t let up. Indeed, I found that most times I have listened to this record, I’m always surprised at how quickly it seems to go by, testament to the fact that there are no major distractions or interruptions in the flow of the album. Additionally, it’s one of those great records where every time I listen to it, I hear another little new piece of production value that I appreciate, whether it’s a previously unnoticed double-tracking of a vocal, or a guitar lick or sample in the background that adds subtle flavor to an already tasty dish. Must be heard on headphones for full appreciation… although that’s pretty much true with every record ever.

Prince and the Revolution – Purple Rain: So, this is part 1 of my dive into the pop genre for my desert island listening. Packed with hits from start to finish (Let’s Go Crazy, Computer Blue, Darling Nikki, When Doves Cry , I Would Die 4 U, and Purple Rain, the great thing about this record is that the ‘filler’ material is also excellent. Weird synth-driven ballads, electronic drums of all kinds, heavy guitars, soulful vocal delivery, plenty of sampled sounds, this album was and still is ahead of its time. There is a continuity to it that without a doubt makes this, in my opinion, the most complete work His Purple Majesty ever has created. Two things I know about Prince: He’s probably THE most underrated guitarist around and Purple Rain is kick-ass all-around. If I’m stuck on an island, I doubt I’d do much dancing, but in the off chance that I had the chance to do some love-makin’ with a mermaid, I’d need some love-makin’ music. And this is love-makin’ music at its finest.

Blind Melon – Blind Melon: Probably the single most-listened to album during my freshman year in college, there is so much more to this record than the pop ditty “No Rain”. As with Appetite, the interplaying of the guitars and excellent mix of acoustic and electric riffing and rhythm work, combined with the fluid drumming and Shannon Hoon’s whiny-but-never-annoying voice makes me feel like I’m laying in the middle of a field, looking at the clouds and just feeling happy to be alive. Although the subject matter of the songs varies substantially, this was Blind Melon at their purest, before drugs took hold of Shannon and pushed the band in a more experimental direction, as heard on Soup and Nico. This record is a snapshot of five dudes from Indiana that were immune to what was 'popular' at the time and stuck to what they knew best: folk and roots-influenced rock that was best enjoyed with a cold beer, or whatever your medicine of choice is. Nothing too weighty in the material, but as with previous entries on this list, very easy transitions from song to song and an infectious energy that comes through in the performances. This, on the island, would be my “I feel like a hippie today and just want to hang out and throw rocks into the ocean for an hour” listening music.

Led Zeppelin - Physical Graffiti: OK, OK, I am cheating here. Yes, I am aware that Physical Graffiti is a double album, but it’s my blog, so I get to pick it as a single recording. Since I can only choose one of their works, this is the most representative of everything Zep ever was or ever became. Blues still being the root of it all, but with the growing experimentation and effects and synth-playing that would become more and more common in later releases, especially on In Through the Out Door. What other band could have two songs as diametric in their catalog as Black Country Woman and Kashmir, and yet decide to put them on the same album? Add to that two of my personal favorite Zep tunes in Ten Years Gone and Down By The Seaside, and you have a great core group of songs on this record that never get old. On Physical Graffiti, Zeppelin rocks (Custard Pie, The Wanton Song), they float (Seaside, In The Light), they boogie (Night Flight, Trampled Under Foot), they play the blues (BCW), they simply do EVERYTHING they ever did, and they do it as well as they ever did it, which is saying a lot.

Beastie Boys – Paul’s Boutique: Outside of rock and roll, there is no other band that I have been into more than the Beastie Boys. Of course, they do their share of rocking, whether it’s sampling Led Zeppelin and The Beatles (as they do here on The Sounds of Science) or picking up and playing the instruments themselves, these three dudes from The Big Apple were groundbreaking, influential across multiple genres and just wicked talented. Paul’s Boutique has a little slice of everything. You get the humorous rhymes that they had built their reputation on with Licensed to Ill, but also get flecks of disco (Hey Ladies), metal (Lookin’ Down The Barrel Of A Gun), old school turntable-driven hip-hop (B-Boy Bouillabaisse and 3-Minute Rule), and stuff that can just be characterized as classic Beasties (Shake Your Rump, Egg Man, Shadrach). I’d want to launch myself off a cliff if I could never listen to the Beastie Boys again, so for the sake of staying alive on the island, Paul’s Boutique fits the bill. Yet again, no filler here. Every track is unique and kick-ass and the album is widely regarded as being the most Beastie record of them all because of all the different styles and influences that come together on this collection. For that reason, it’s the BB disc I can’t live without.

Duran Duran – Seven and the Ragged Tiger: Part 2 of my dive into pop music. My favorite record as a child. This was THE record that I listened to more than anything else, at least until Van Halen’s 1984 came out. I am without a doubt a product of the first MTV generation and I still remember sitting on my living room floor in Houston when I first saw the video for The Reflex. Did they all look like a bunch of fancy boys with whacked out hairdos and uber-gay shirts and pants? Damn right they did. Was that considered super cool at the time? Fuckin’ right. Other than Ace Frehley, I don’t recall a ‘rock star’ that I literally wanted to BE more than John Taylor, at least up to that point in my life. So Mom and Dad were cool and got me this record for my 8^th birthday. They were convinced that KISS stood for “Kids in Satan’s Service” so I had no chance at getting a KISS record. Duran Duran was a perfectly suitable alternative, for them and for me. And you know what? From a purely musical standpoint, these guys wrote some great songs. The sound is a funky combination of JT’s heavily disco-influenced bass lines, Andy Taylor’s rock guitar style, and Nick Rhodes’ synthesized keyboards adding a very 80s sound to the whole thing. Certainly a sound that is not represented on my list so far. And Simon LeBon is simply an icon of 80s music, whose voice set Duran Duran apart from all the other bands that came out after them, trying to mimic their sound and especially their success. What’s ironic is that Duran Duran is probably the least-80s sounding band that was around in those days. Really, was there ever an era of music that produced more one-hit wonders than the 80s pop scene? I doubt it. But Duran Duran were/are global superstars and they have sustained that success 25 years later, proving that substance always supercedes style. The best song on the record (The Seventh Stranger) wasn’t even released as a single, so there’s some mega-quality stuff to be heard here. Hell, even the instrumental track (Tiger Tiger) works and doesn’t distract from the overall continuity of the record. So this is a must have for me.

So, that’s it… Another long-winded blog from Cru on his musical tastes. Countless bands and records got left out of this list, but that’s part of the fun with an exercise like this.

So, what do you think of the list? What are your can’t-live-without discs? Why?
Discuss…

Rock on,
Cru

The greatest soundtrack of all time... can there be just one?

What is it???

If I am rating soundtracks, I tend to think that there are two obvious elements to what makes a great one great. It has to stand on its own as a collection of music and it must add something to the film. Pretty obvious, right? I would also say that most good soundtracks have songs on them that instantly conjure up imagery associated with the film. Examples include:

Uma Thurman dancing around her living room singing along to Urge Overkill's version of "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" just before snorting an awfully big hit of heroin up her nose. If you don't know what movie that's from, I can't really help you. But for those that do, you know exactly what I mean.

Or how about one of the most obvious? John Cusack standing in Ione Skye's driveway, boombox held high overhead as Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" comes through as the perfect statement of his affection for and dedication to the love of his young life.

Ladies, if you hear Kenny Loggins' mid-80s hit "Playing With The Boys", do you not immediately flash back to the infamous, highly homo-erotic volleyball scene from Top Gun? Of course you do... or from the same film, who can hear "Take My Breath Away" from Berlin without thinking of that love scene with Cruise and McGillis where the closest you get to gratuitous nudity is the silhouette of their tongues as they make out like 8th-graders waiting for the late bus to bring them home?

A good soundtrack can unveil new music from an already established artist (Metallica: Mission Impossible 2, Singles: Pearl Jam), reintroduce an already well-loved song to a modern audience (Almost Famous: Tiny Dancer by Elton John, Reservoir Dogs: Stuck In The Middle With You by Gerry Rafferty) or introduce new artists to the general population (Reality Bites: Lisa Loeb, Garden State: The Shins).

So, I'll throw out some of my personal faves, with a quick note on each. What I really want to know is what your favorites are and why...

My top 5, in no order:
Singles - Pretty much every band I loved at the time was on this one and almost all the songs were new at the time, including tracks from Alice In Chains, Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins and Paul Westerberg. The relevance is that other than the Pumpkins, all the bands were from Seattle and most from the early 90s, which is when and where the film is set. Gotta love the cameos in the film from the boys from Pearl Jam, Chris Cornell, and Tad Doyle, as well as the live performances from Alice In Chains and Soundgarden.

Fast Times At Ridgemont High - Most easily identified with Jackson Browne's "Somebody's Baby", this is another soundtrack that is so perfectly suited to the film that you almost don't notice the music. Great cuts from Billy Squier, Joe Walsh, and Jimmy Buffett help round out a collection of late 70s era guitar rock that Jeff Spicoli probably still listens to while he's getting wasted in his bathroom.

The Breakfast Club - That John Hughes not only knew how to write and direct brilliant films about teenage living in the 80s, he also knew exactly what music to include. Trust me, everyone knows Simple Minds' career-defining hit "Don't You (Forget About Me)" and knows it's from this movie, but you also know every other nugget of music in the film, even if you have no idea who the artists that created it are or what the titles of the songs are.

The Wedding Singer - Almost self-explanatory, but a whole hell of a lot of 80s one-hit wonder artists are wanting to buy Adam Sandler a drink for helping them get a new influx of royalty checks in the late 90s. Classic 80s songs like Love My Way by Psychedelic Furs, Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins, How Soon Is Now? by the Smiths, and Do You Really Want To Hurt Me? by Culture Club, plus a bunch of other old favorites. Shit, it was so good, they released a second album's worth that was almost just as good... As comprehensive a soundtrack as there's ever been...

Pulp Fiction - How the fuck did Quentin Tarantino so perfectly nail the retro-chic look, feel and sound of this film? How did he combine Al Green, Urge Overkill, and Dick Dale so perfectly together to make a fluid, flowing soundtrack that is as easy to listen to on its own as it is vital to the film's success and pop culture iconic status? The answer is, I have no idea, but I'll keep listening to see if I can figure it out...

I realize I'm leaving out plenty of classics, but those are the ones that come to my mind. What are YOUR favorites???

Rock on,
Cru