Music

[Doctor Steuss]

My local library's website makes it so you can order CDs from other libraries within the district, and have then delivered to your preferred library and held for pickup. We've been loving it for discovering new music, and finding various albums for us to hunt for at our favorite stores that sell used CDs and records.

On that note...

What are some of your favorite albums? Albums that either you can listen to from start to finish without any skips, or albums that have a song that is just so perfect that it makes having the album worth it?

My son primarily likes modern pop; particularly women vocalists. Billie Eilish is his absolute favorite, with Charlie XCX a close second. It doesn't need to be pop though, as I recently introduced him to Dido's "No Angel" album, and he immediately fell in love.

For me, there isn't a set genre or time period. I do get particularly nostalgic for 90's music (punk, pop, alternative, hip-hop), but my musical net is cast wide.

My all-time favorite song is Rolling Stone's "Sympathy for the Devil." To me, it's absolutely perfect.

A handful of albums as they come to mind that I can listen to (from various genres) from start to end with no skips:

Counting Crows - August and Everything After
Method Man and Redman - Blackout
Portishead - Dummy
Beta Band - Hot Shots II
Budos Band - Self titled
Thelonious Monk - Monk's Dream
Eels - Daisies of the Galaxy
Mercury Rev - All Is Dream
Rage Against the Machine - Evil Empire

I could keep going (and going, and going...)

[Whiskey]

You are going to have to do that Portishead thing without me.

Echo and Bunnymen: Ocean Rain
Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers

Here is an outlier - ready? Soundtrack to A Star is Born, 2018

Neil Finn and the boys made GREAT albums. Anything from Split Enz or Crowded House.

Prince may not have made the legend albums. But.... when you learn more about Prince and the production of the albums, they go to the top of the list.

Tom Petty, Springsteen, Boz, Bon Jovi all made ass. Nothing but ass.

[Doctor Steuss]

Thank you Whiskey. I actually like some soundtracks. The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks for some non-original, but excellent mix fun. As for films, I am a huge fan of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I don't like the Broadway soundtracks at all, only the movie soundtrack. There are a couple of tracks that I always skip though, so it's definitely not one of those "start to end" albums.

Only stuff they have available for Echo and the Bunnymen are from TV soundtracks (Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why..., etc.). I'll keep a lookout for the vinyl of that album when we hit the record stores.

I now have Split Enz self-titled on hold, and the two Crowded House albums they have in the catalogue (Intriguer, and Dreamers Are Waiting).

I've never been able to get into Prince. A few of his albums are on my USB stick of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 albums of all times that I listen through occasionally during my commute, but I always have trouble getting through his stuff (there's about 70% of the stuff on that list that I have trouble getting through).

I actually like Tom Petty's album "Wallflowers." Dig his stuff with the Traveling Wilbury's too.

[Whiskey]

Thank you Whiskey. I actually like some soundtracks. The Guardians of the Galaxy soundtracks for some non-original, but excellent mix fun. As for films, I am a huge fan of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I don't like the Broadway soundtracks at all, only the movie soundtrack. There are a couple of tracks that I always skip though, so it's definitely not one of those "start to end" albums.

Only stuff they have available for Echo and the Bunnymen are from TV soundtracks (Stranger Things, 13 Reasons Why..., etc.). I'll keep a lookout for the vinyl of that album when we hit the record stores.

I now have Split Enz self-titled on hold, and the two Crowded House albums they have in the catalogue (Intriguer, and Dreamers Are Waiting).

I've never been able to get into Prince. A few of his albums are on my USB stick of Rolling Stone Magazine's top 500 albums of all times that I listen through occasionally during my commute, but I always have trouble getting through his stuff (there's about 70% of the stuff on that list that I have trouble getting through).

I actually like Tom Petty's album "Wallflowers." Dig his stuff with the Traveling Wilbury's too.

Even in the wayback days, Prince was not my thing. Then a guitar teacher said to pay attention and learn more about the guy. He was a tortured genius.

Zeppelin IV is going to be on all the best of the best lists. I suppose it is that good, but you have to skip Stairway to Heaven. I can't deal with one more listen of Stairway.

[Whiskey]

Natalie Merchant's Tigerlilly and Ophelia are that damn good too.

And.... I'll stop soon... promise

Fleetwood Mac.... but not Rumors.... Tusk.

[Doctor Steuss]

And.... I'll stop soon... promise

Please don't. My son and I usually make it through 3-5 albums from the library a week (I always like to try to listen to an album 2-3 times if I've never heard it before, just to make sure I give it a chance to marinate and set in), so I'm constantly running out of albums to add to the list.

[Jersey Girl]

Stones: 12 X 5 and Sticky Fingers Deluxe Edition

Singles: Beast of Burden* and Tumbling Dice...on a loop.

*The Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden (Instrumental) (Loop that thing)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cpBnnEjqjU

Beast Of Burden (Orchestral Version) (Alexa. Loop it.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D57RHHzPJYk

**Rolling Stones - Beast of Burden LIVE Tempe, Arizona '81 (Best version in all of existence--guitar weaving)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoMygCUS8sU

**Youtube DID something to the playback speed on this. It's playing fast. They killed it. WTH youtube!

Apologies Steuss. You asked. I delivered.

[Whiskey]

And.... I'll stop soon... promise

Please don't. My son and I usually make it through 3-5 albums from the library a week (I always like to try to listen to an album 2-3 times if I've never heard it before, just to make sure I give it a chance to marinate and set in), so I'm constantly running out of albums to add to the list.

Well, if you and your son are off on an adventure here, then fire all your guns. The soundtrack from This is Spinal Tap is hysterical. If you are looking to be entertained, not just in awe of the music, it is great.

Lesson in music history and stuff kind of album - HUGE THUMBS UP for Dread Zeppelin: 5,000,000. That album is legend entertainment. I saw them live at the House of Blues. Just minding my own business, and up walks the Managing Director of the Investment Bank where I worked. Asked me if I knew anything about the band. Had to admit that I was a hell of a fan.

Van Morrison: Moondance made him richer. But the older stuff was better. I saw him at the HOB too. I have seen him a few times. Not interesting live. Not even a bit interesting. Weird.

Mississippi Fred McDowell. Anything from the wayback machine when he was recording in Mississippi with a National Guitar. He taught and inspired the best of the best. Rita and many others learned from him. (you will recognize his music from the Stones covers)

For your son, RL Burnside: A Bothered Mind. This dude was crossing over before Kid Rock and the Stones it seems. This ain't Hollywood or Muscle Shoals type recording - it is damned AMERICA at its best. You will recognize his music without knowing it was him for all those years.

Papa Wemba. Oh man. Anything from the 80s but anything. This is stuff that can still just crack me. Almost make me want to let Kish call me names and canpakes say i said something i didn't say or let Gad say i think things that never crossed my damned mind. Papa Wemba is just that interesting.

Francis Cabrel: Samedi Soir sur la Terre. If you don't understand it, even better. Though, if you do, even better. This is over 30 years old now. Antique. This is from the time when albums were albums but on CD. Just before ipods killed hte albums. it is well done.

[Doctor Steuss]

Thank you Jersey Girl and Whiskey for more fun.

This one just popped into my mind as another one I can toss on and listen all the way through:

Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson

[Whiskey]

Thank you Jersey Girl and Whiskey for more fun.

This one just popped into my mind as another one I can toss on and listen all the way through:

Harry Nilsson - Nilsson Schmilsson

Wow. Have you seen the documentary? One of the best. So good. So damn good.