Press Play and Sit Your Ass Down

It’s the age of the ipod and most people either just listen on shuffle, go to a playlist, or let the “genius” pick your songs.  But once upon a time, albums mattered.  Musicians didn’t just write and perform songs, they created whole albums.  And some of those musicians (and producers) carefully crafted those albums to be a start to finish listening experience.  Some still do.  This is our chance to share some of our favorite whole album experiences.  Here are our first few.  More will follow.

So just let it play.  Sit your ass down.  And listen.

 

The Pretenders – The Pretenders

This stunning 1980 debut sums up everything that punk brought to the table. Songs like Precious, The Wait and Tattooed Love Boys pumped new life into the stagnant rock scene – they explode out of the speakers. Chrissie Hynde re-defines the female frontwoman role: She’s the chief songwriter and singer, bad ass and feminine at the same time. The rest of the band – Martin Chambers, Pete Farndon and James Honeyman-Scott – weren’t just hired hands. They set the template which has still defines the sound of The Pretenders to this day. Sadly, this lineup would only make two albums: Farndon and Honeyman-Scott would die within a year of each other of drug-related causes. But the power and explosiveness they created is forever documented on this amazing collection.

Order it on Amazon.com

 

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The Doors – The Doors

The Doors hypnotic blend of blues, poetry and the unknown made them one of the most talked about bands on the L.A. rock scene. But would that mystery get captured in the studio? The answer was a resounding yes. Recorded in less than a week, this album perfectly captures the fire and the energy of their stage show. Sensual, seductive, spiritual, yet carnal, The Doors redefined the band dynamic (no bass player!) and cemented the idea that rock n roll can be more than just entertainment. The Doors also captures the changes that were creeping into the country’s consciousness, but it doesn’t sound at all dated. A perfect debut album.

Order it on Amazon.com.

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Aerosmith – Rocks

With nine down and dirty songs that infuses hard rock, blues, and even New Orleans-based funk, Rocks captures the Bad Boys from Boston at their creative peak. Songs like Back In The Saddle, Last Child and Combination are set list staples and tracks like Nobody’s Fault and Lick And A Promise have been covered by Stone Temple Pilots, Vince Neil of Motley Crue, L.A. Guns, and Testament. Slash and James Hetfield of Metallica said this was the album that made them pick up the guitar.

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Pixies – Surfer Rosa

This is an album that launched 1000 bands and started the bridge between College Rock and Alternative and Grunge. There is not a bad song to be found.  Surfer Rosa is sparse, energetic and contains the bands best known song  Where is My Mind.  Kurt Cobain was a huge fan and loved the sound so much that he recruited the producer Steve Albini for Nevermind.  Frank Black wrote the entire album except Gigantic, which was co-written with Kim Deal.  Kim Deal later went on to form and become lead singer of The Breeders and ‘ Gigantic is one of only two Pixies album tracks on which Deal sang lead vocals.

Order it on Amazon.com.

 

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme

 This 1965 masterpiece – a 33 minute four song suite devoted to God – cemented John Coltrane’s status as one of the greatest musicians of the 20th (or any) century.  His quartet – Jimmy Garrison, Elvin Jones and McCoy Tyner are not just along for the ride.  They are locked in and marching in step with ‘Trane  The influence A Love Supreme had on the arts cannot be measured.  It was the first soundtrack for the counterculture movement.  Contemporaries such as Miles Davis, and Pharoah Sanders followed in making multi-conscious based music.  Younger artists such as The Doors, Santana and The Allman Brothers Band expanded their musical vocabularies using A Love Supreme as a guide.   Take the trip and be transformed.