Crucial Artists and Albums

Radiohead - OK Computer: Critically acclaimed and selected on many top 10 lists for 1997, Radiohead’s OK Computer needs no validation by me of it’s brilliance. Hailed as a concept album to many, to me it's simply my personal all-time favorite album. If you are remotely interested in the genre of alternative rock, then OK Computer is the album that you should purchase without hesitation. Personal favorites include “Paranoid Android”, “Exit Music (For a Film)”, “Lucky”, and well, the whole damn album. Just buy it and see. And while you're at it, pick up the new album Kid A, the album title refering to the first human clone (which in Thom Yorke's view, has already been done). Yorke & Co. explore their farthest musical whims in this masterpiece which take on an atmospheric, ambient tone. Swirling electrical musical landscapes and haunting vocal melodies predominate, and guitars and conventional instruments are put to the wayside in favor of synth and drum machines. This is the most far-reaching of their work, and it's nothing short of brilliant. Yet another gem from Radiohead that needs hours and hours to fully absorb...

Nick Drake - Bryter Layter: Simply put, Nick Drake is my idol. A master musician, singer, and songwriter, Nick Drake has influenced many artists and enthralled the masses with his melancholy and thoughtful lyrics, acoustic guitar, and instrumental arrangements. Although Bryter Layter is not as popular as his most well-known work Pink Moon, it is by no means inferior. I would actually have to recommend all of his albums for their sheer brilliance and pain in the classic English romantic tradition. Bryter Layter is probably his most upbeat album of his much-too-short career (he died in 1974 at the age of 26 of an accidental anti-depressant drug overdose). Opening with "Introduction", a brilliant instrumental track, Drake uses jazzy piano rhythms, horns, and simply beautiful guitar playing to captivate the listener. "One of These Things First" almost puts me to tears every time I listen to it. Other favorites include "Hazy Jane II", "Fly", and "Northern Sky". Nick Drake's other albums include Five Leaves Left, Pink Moon, and a collection of demos & b-sides called Time of No Reply. For the less adventurous listener, there is also a "greatest hits" collection available called Way to Blue, as well as a raw collection of home recordings entitled Tanworth in Arden. Although the sound quality is poor, the music is not. No more excuses! Buy Nick Drake. Now.

The Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy: I first heard of the Eels when they released Electro-Shock Blues. Initially I was not too much into the Eels sound, but Daisies of the Galaxy converted me into a die-hard fan. A Man Called E fronts the Eels accompanied by Butch the drummer, along with guest musicians such as Peter Buck of REM. E interlaces music boxes, keyboards, and guitar, and along with his melancholy lyrics and deadpan vocals, his sound brings to mind a moody Beck. By combining poppy and almost childlike melodies with E’s great storytelling, the Eels provide music that is both happy and depressing at the same time. Wonderfully honest and at times heart-wrenching, this CD is my pick of 2000 as my favorite album so far released. Particular favorite tracks for me are “I Like Birds”, “Flyswatter”, “It’s a Motherfucker”, and “Jeannie’s Diary”. Check out the Eels’ previous two albums, Electro-Shock Blues and Beautiful Freak, as well as A Man Called E’s two solo efforts, A Man Called E and Broken Toy Shop. Being unhappy never sounded so good...

Queens of the Stone Age - Queens of the Stone Age: When Kyuss disbanded, I was devastated. I was a big fan of And the Circus Leaves Town, and quickly warmed to the sludge-heavy, riff-ridden brand of heavy desert rock (to most people, “Stoner Rock” would suffice). Sky Valley, Blues for the Red Sun, and Wretch are brilliant Kyuss albums in their own right, spawning forth band spin-offs such as Fu Manchu, Slo Burn, Unida, and Queens of the Stone Age. Queens of the Stone Age were formed by ex-Kyuss members Josh Homme on guitar, Nick Oliveri on bass, and Alfredo Hernandez on drums. Their self-titled debut on Loosegroove records is nothing short of a classic. Featuring Josh’s infectious guitar riffs, Nick’s rock-steady basslines, and Alfredo’s thunderous tom-heavy drumming, the result is a mesmerizing sonic experience that ranges from sheer heavy jamming to the experimental. Meant only to be played at maximum volume. Particular favorites include “Regular John”, “Avon”, “Mexicola”, and “You Can’t Quit Me Baby”. Queens also have an album out called Rated R. Their debut album for Interscope, Queens brings a little of the old and a lot of the new. Intermixing stony soundscapes with heavy punk-laden riffs, Josh Homme and Nick Oliveri lay the groundwork for some exciting new directions. Particular favs include the rippin' "Quick & to the Pointless", "Feel Good Hit of the Summer", & "The Lost Art of Keeping a Secret", and "In the Fade". Alfredo is no longer a permanent member of Queens, but do not despair - He's drummed in various projects such as Che' with Brant Bjork (Fu Manchu/Kyuss) on vocals and guitar, and Dave Dinsmore (Unida) on bass. Looking for more Kyuss/Queens-related material? Check out the Desert Sessions series, Mondo Generator, Unida, Earthlings?, and of course, Fu Manchu.

Travis - The Man Who: Often an album will come out that will be panned by many as cheap imitators of a certain style. Such is the heavy burden for the UK outfit Travis. After all, how can one put out a mixed bag of Britpop and not be compared to Radiohead or Oasis? However, Travis is a band that truly delivers – Heavy set with acoustic guitar co-mingled with distortion riffs, The Man Who covers the musical spectrum from flighty and apprehensive, to heartfelt emotion and longing, to blowing the listener away with conviction and honesty. The vocals are superb, the songwriting brilliant, and the comprehensive sounds and melodies all gel together perfectly. Riding the commercial success of the single “Why Does it Always Rain On Me?”, Travis has been playing to sold out club dates and rave reviews (this listener included). The 7/17/00 show at the Fillmore was one of the best shows I’ve been to in years, and I’ve seen a lot of damn good shows. There are no lowlights on the album, and if I had to choose my favorites, I’d be partial to “Turn”, “Slide Show”, and “Writing to Reach You”. If you like b-sides and the like, Travis has released several CD singles, all with previously unreleased b-sides and live tracks. Particular b-sides include the Band’s “The Weight” and Britney Spears’ “Baby One More Time”, which they have been known to play live often. One of my favs of the late nineties!

Coldplay - Parachutes: One of my new favorites, Coldplay hail from (you guessed it!) the UK, mixing a blend of honest ambition, excellent musicianship, and haunting melodies that touch the soul. Their debut release on Parlophone is perfect for a rainy afternoon, and Chris Martin's falsetto intertwines with Jonny Buckland's dreamlike guitar solos. Moody and pensive, Parachutes features the songs "Yellow", "Trouble", and "Everything's Not Lost", the 3 songs that Coldplay considers to be most like them. Other great tracks include "Sparks", "Spies", and "Don't Panic". My favorite album for 2001 thus far. Another winner from Britain again!

Genius/GZA - Liquid Swords: This was the first album that made me a fan of hip-hop. Up to this point, I was listening to a lot of gangsta rap such as NWA, Ice Cube, Ice-T, and Snoop Dogg. I never took rap that seriously until Genius/GZA released Liquid Swords. Genius/GZA was the fifth album to be released from the Wu-Tang Clan family, after the Wu’s debut Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), Method Man’s Tical, Ol’ Dirty Bastard’s Return to the 36 Chambers, and Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. With the RZA’s razor-sharp beats and loops, along with Genius/GZA’s wicked rhymes and flawless delivery, Liquid Swords packs punch with stories of violence, honor, and MC skills. Method Man, Ghostface Killah, U-God, Inspectah Deck, Raekwon, and other members of the Wu-Tang Clan offer their verbal skills and support. How can you deny such lines as “lyrics are weak like clock radio speakers”?

Placebo - Without You I'm Nothing: The UK trio of Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, & Steve Hewitt make up the Brit-glam band Placebo. At first, I considered Placebo to be a bit hokey lyrically with their pseudo-hit "Pure Morning" ("a friend in need's a friend indeed, a friend with weed is better"). However, don't let the opening track fool you. Lyrically and musically, the album covers darker issues such as drug addiction, sexuality, and feelings of uselessness and angst. With Molko's sneering vocals and cross-dressing attitude, along with grandiose soundscapes and shredding guitar riffs, Placebo takes you on a journey that is sometimes dark and pensive, violent and penetrating, and pure genius at times. My track picks are "You Don't Care About Us", the rising cresendo of "Without You I'm Nothing", "The Crawl", and "My Sweet Prince". Check out their previous self-titled album - it's excellent as well.

Gay Dad - Leisure Noise: Don't let your jock-american culture prejudice you to this UK band's name. This CD is classic Brit-pop, and I mean that in a good way. I realize that sometimes it's difficult to pick out Brit-pop bands from the fodder, but you can't go wrong with Gay Dad. Opening their debut release with the dreamy "Dimstar", Gay Dad mixes lush instrumentation with beautiful vocal melodies and harmonies. "My Son Mystic", "Black Ghost", and "Pathfinder" are songs I simply cannot stop raving about. The great thing is that they have yet to "break through" commercially in the USA, which means you'd be able to find Gay Dad in your local used music stores.