PD: Day 89: Music List Thursday

OK, I decided to try a list thing, so I'll start with my top 15 favorite Albums of All time. This always subject to change as my music taste change fairly regularly. Feel free to create your own and link to it through the comment section (if you are so inclined). Also, I just went to work, edited a manuscript and watched data roll by. So here goes.

1) London Calling - The Clash - Voted by Rolling Stone as the greatest album of the 1980s, this is the one album that shows the versatility of the Clash - they are the first band to really bring the various immigrant music that had been imported to England in the 60s and 70s. Great Album, every song. By far one of the most influential bands of the last 25 years, when you listen to U2, ColdPlay, or any other music they owe their roots to the Clash - who probably owe their roots to Desmond Decker and MC5.

2) Blood on the Tracks - Bob Dylan - I really enjoy Bob Dylan and this is probably the best of his albums. By far the greatest troubadour that the U.S. has ever had - even if you can't understand what the heck he is saying. But this is an album that got me through quite a few rough patches in my life.

3) Kaya - Bob Marley and the Wailers - While any of the "Bobs" albums can really get you moving, this is just plain great Sunday morning music. It reminds of sitting in Phoenix on the balcony of the apartment and the kitten I inadvertently got my roommates to adopt.

4) The Question - The Slackers - When I first moved to Kansas this album got me through the move. There very few ska albums that are both good and timeless throughout but of the 3rd wave of ska - this is by far my favorite.

5) Who's got the 10 1/2? - Black Flag - Who doesn't like Henry Rollins, there is nothing like an angst ridden, sober punk rocker (Ian MacKaye comes to mind) but Black Flag epitomizes 80's hardcore punk. Granted this is before the warped tour and punk rock tours were done with rickety tour buses and dive bars as opposed to ampitheatres with stuff to sell to kids. I just like the agro of this album.

6) Joshua Tree - U2 - This is a tossup between the Joshua Tree and Actung Baby but this came first. No modern band can recreate itself and be sucessful like U2. I first heard U2 in high school and still like a band that can still be political and be superstars. Although, I'm not sure what to think of the boots single that is recently out.

7) Jazz Samba - Stan Getz - The title is self explantory and this is the best example of a mixture of cool jazz with samba music.

8) Mezzanine - Massive Attack - This album is popular with religous thriller movies but I like the eerie mixture. A great album to just sit and think to.

9) Swagger - Flogging Molly - Oh to be Irish and stranded in America. A story of so many of our ancestors, mix in some fiddle, accordion, speed up the Irish music and you have awesomeness.

10) Mod Jazz - Compilation - I found this album on trip to Salt Lake City. I used to like to go to music stores and look through various albums until I picked out a rare gem. Therefore avoid Wal-Mart and visit your local music store.

11) Birth of the Cool - Miles Davis - Very few musicians can reinvent their genre, Miles Davis was one of them. Sometimes it takes a little time to appreciate Jazz (oddly one of only 2 B's I got in university was in the History of Jazz) but it well worth the wait.

12) Master of M(P)uppets - Metallica - Just plain good and when they were young enough as a band to care about selling out.

13) Prince Charming - Adam and the Ants - So before he went off the deep end, I'll admit a guilty pleasure is listening to Adam and the Ants, especially Stand and Deliver.

14) Live at San Quentin - Johnny Cash - The Man in Black at his best.

15) Classic Sinatra - Frank Sinatra - I always liked Frank, here is this guy with a tough guy image, who would often just put his heart on his sleeve and sing it to the world. Even though he was probably heavily involved with the mob, J and I first bonded over Sinatra in Lawrence and L was born to "One for My Baby" so I will always have a soft spot for his music.