100 Albums, 100 Words (40-31)

40. Simon and Garfunkel – Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (1966)

Although Bookends and Bridge Over Troubled Water receive far more attention, Parsley, Sage, Rosemary & Thyme is certainly the most varied and possibly the most affecting Simon & Garfunkel album. The raucous “Simple Desultory Philippic” and the deeply sorrowful “7 O’Clock News/ Silent Night” are like little else in popular music, and are certainly exotic yet brilliant excursions within the Simon & Garfunkel catalog. Other tracks such as the wistful “Homeward Bound,” the bouncy “59th Street Bridge Song” and the reflective “Dangling Conversation” may follow familiar models, but do so with a graceful delicacy that makes them memorable, not generic.

39. Prince – 1999 (1982)

Following Dirty Mind, Prince knew he had a unique sound, but was unsure of how to develop it. He tried to elongate songs and be over-the-top in his political declarations on Controversy, but a year later he learned how to control the raw power naked funk unleashed on 1999. Prince’s breakthrough, the album contained three top twenty singles, two of which remain classics (“1999,” “Little Red Corvette”). Prince learned more artistically mature ways to politicize his music with “Lady Cab Driver” and “Free” and still managed to keep up his sultry leer on “Let’s Pretend We’re Married” and “International Lover.”

38. Rolling Stones – Exile On Main St. (1972)

Putting on Exile makes you feel like you’re stepping down into a speakeasy, replete with boogie-woogie piano licks, horns and gospel singers. Once inside, exiled from the mainstream, the album envelops you in cathartic celebration filtered through a whiskey-soaked drawl. “Shake Your Hips” is a leering blues. “Shine the Light” is an elegy. “Sweet Virginia” could be a backwoods ode to the state itself. Taken altogether, this is the apotheosis of what Gram Parsons (a close friend of Richards who worked on the album) termed “cosmic American music,” this roots-infused album of juke joint jive feels simultaneously grimy and rejuvenating.

37. The Doors – Morrison Hotel (1970)

Even though Jim Morrison moans that this is the strangest life he’s ever known on “Waiting For the Sun,” Morrison Hotel may be the most normal album The Doors ever released, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. No twelve minute songs about incest, no wigged out poetry readings – just the essence of rock. Robbie Kreiger’s guitar carries all the barroom swagger he can muster on “Roadhouse Blues.” Ray Manzarek’s hands flutter across his organ on the nuevo-funk masterpiece “Peace Frog.” The compositions are tight, leaving none of Soft Parade’s filler. The older I get, the better this record sounds.

36. The Who – Live At Leeds (1970)

Pete Townsend used the studio to great advantage to create pristine recordings unparalleled for their majesty and breadth. Then, in concert, his bandmates destroyed them with virtuosic power as a completely maniacal trio with a really pretty guy who mostly just stood there but occasionally sang. A blend of perfectly nailed covers (“Shakin’ All Over,” “Young Man Blues”), extended jams of songs that go leagues beyond their original incarnations (“Magic Bus,” “My Generation”), and a concise smattering of mostly straight-forward hits (“Substitute”), Leeds provides the perfect introduction to what the Who do best, and that is rock like wild wildebeests.

35. Bruce Springsteen – Born To Run (1975)

Born To Run is a street fantasy, an “opera out on the turnpike,” and a glimpse into the kind of world that plagued Travis Bickle in Taxi Driver. The urban underbelly Springsteen creates is populated with a vivid cast of characters, including Bad Scooter, the Magic Rat, and the Duke Street Kings. Behind the gritty tales, though, lies a lush and tender soundscape. Roy Bittan’s nuanced piano invites the listener in while Clarence Clemons tight, bright horn leads shoot right through them with pained solos. More than anything else, this is the sound of E-Street, distilled to its finest essence.

34. The Band – Music From Big Pink (1968)

Coming down the wire from a big pink barn, this idyllic album slowly unravels its strengths. A muted organ begins spreading creaky chords among earthy voices in the gospel strains of ”Tears of Rage,” but by “We Can Talk” Garth Hudson is rocking it like a swamp, building to a peak in “Chest Fever.” Following this up is Richard Manuel’s most aching vocal on this album, “Lonesome Suzie.” The musicianship developed while a Toronto bar band and the sound honed with Bob Dylan in the basement of Hi-Lo-Ha reach their logical conclusion in this blissful blend of smooth country sounds.

33. Beatles – Revolver (1966)

Tonight, on Unsolved Mysteries of Rock, we will consider many of the conundrums and confusions surrounding the Beatles’ Revolver, such as what exactly did Dr. Roberts prescribe? Was “Tomorrow Never Knows” inspired by just LSD, or was a time machine also involved? Why do the head lice crawling around on the cover look conspicuously like the Beatles themselves? And, perhaps most importantly, why did the Beatles choose to name this album Revolver? Was it simply to prevent Ted Nugent from one day using the title himself, or was it just that the music on this album completely blows your mind?

32. DJ Jazzy Jeff – The Magnificent (2002)

Baby Black, Pauly Yamz and Chef Word are stars, at least in Philly, the geographical context that this album is a musical metaphor for. The Magnificent creates community, and the lesser known rappers stand shoulder-to-shoulder with giants like J-Live, Raheem, Jill Scott, Shawn Stockman, and DJ Jazzy Jeff. This is undoubtedly the most underappreciated album on my list, which is shameful because the socially conscious rhymes the rappers construct in their lyrical landscapes build up the people, despite occasionally falling into the misogynistic trap that plagues so much otherwise delightful rap. And, of course, Jeff proves fresher than the Prince.

31. Johnny Cash – At Folsom Prison (1968)

If you were a prisoner who got to go to a concert, what would you like to hear songs about? (Please check all that apply.)

o Sleeping with your best friend’s wife
o Being so busted broke you have to steal
o Shooting cocaine
o Shooting your woman down
o Shooting cocaine AND shooting your woman down
o Shooting a man just to watch him die
o Getting pictures of mom in the mail
o Hangings and electric chairs
o Failed attempts at pardons
o Flushing down old love affairs
o A fellow inmate’s musings on religion
o Dirty thievin’ dogs
o Prison break attempts
o Prison break attempts that are really suicide attempts

Best of '07

Two months on, I'm bringing it back with some annotated notes to my best of 2007 mix. First, the tracklist:

1. Nellie McKay – Mother of Pearl (from Obligatory Villagers)
2. Paul McCartney – Ever Present Past (from Memory Almost Full)
3. The Hold Steady – Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window? (from I’m Not There)
4. Bruce Springsteen – Radio Nowhere (from Magic)
5. Albert Hammond, Jr. – Everybody Gets A Star
6. moe. – Blue Jeans Pizza
7. Gwen Stefani – The Sweet Escape
8. Gym Class Heroes – Cupid’s Chokehold
9. Prince – Chelsea Rodgers (from Planet Earth)
10. Mavis Staples – 99 ½ (from We’ll Never Turn Back)
11. John Doe – Pressing On (from I’m Not There)
12. Glen Hansard – Falling From the Sky (from Once)
13. Nathan – Trans Am
14. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Tom Dula (from Dona Got A Ramblin’Mind)
15. Levon Helm – Got Me A Woman (from Dirt Farmer)
16. Ry Cooder – Footprints In the Snow (from My Name Is Buddy)
17. Carolina Chocolate Drops – Little Margaret
18. Paul McCartney – Mr. Bellamy
19. Nellie McKay – Identity Theft
20. DJ Jazzy Jeff feat. Dave Ghetto – Come On (from Return Of the Magnificent)
21. Blind Boy Grunt – Talkin’ Devil

Now, the annotations:

1. Nellie McKay's "Mother of Pearl"

Taken from Obligatory Villagers, this is the feminist track of the year. With a surgeon's scalpel, Nellie expertly deconstructs patriarchal stereotypes of what feminism is. Gorgeous. The call and response between Nellie and the chorus of males makes it.

2. Paul McCartney's "Ever Present Past"

I wrote Paul off a long time ago as sappy crap, but Memory Almost Full has made me completely reevaluate my feelings on him, and this is my favorite track on it. The poppiness is killer, and it's smart too!

3. The Hold Steady's "Can You Please Crawl Out Your Window?"

This song is a cover of an obscure electified Dylan single. It doesn't sound like a Dylan single to me, though; it sounds like early Springsteen. This could be an outtake from The Wild, The Innocent and the E-Street Shuffle, minus Clarence Clemons. It isn't only in the arrangement, but in the vocals and the pacing too. Of course, some would have you believe that early Springsteen sounds like Dylan...

4. Bruce Springsteen's "Radio Nowhere"

For the most part, I didn't think that Magic was very magical, but this number, the first single, did stick out. Bruce gets down to business here like he used to.

5. Albert Hammond, Jr's "Everybody Gets A Star"

It may be reminescent of The Strokes (obviously) and also Jet, Franz Ferdinand, etc., but that background hook and drum line is still killer.

6. moe.'s "Blue Jeans Pizza"

Some of you may mistake this for warmed up jam band leftovers, but there is something mystical going on between those bass notes and piano chords.

7. Gwen Stefani's "The Sweet Escape"

This song is a 1950s throwback, and that's what I love about it. Gwen Stefani manages to pull off the sound of a naughty pin-up girl, blending herself as naive ingenue and dirtier-than-Christina sex pot (ironically, the first time I heard this on the radio, I thought it was Christina). I'm not a fan of Stefani necessarily, but this song blows me away.

8. Gym Class Heroes' "Cupid's Chokehold"

They may seem like second-rate Biz Markies, but this song is a lot of fun and, with the help of Supertramp, catchy as hell.

9. Prince's "Chelsea Rodgers"

Planet Earth may have been the most disappointing album of the year for me, but this song still manages to succeed. Granted, Prince is trying to stay relevant by ripping off his most talented pupil with calls of "shake it like a juicy-juice," but this is still some seriously funky shit.

10. Mavis Staples' "99 1/2"

When I saw Mavis in concert, I REALLY wanted to hear this. As it was, I was perfectly happy to hear "The Weight" and "I'll Take You There," but damn this song is hot! That beat is just so freakishly funky. White-hot gospel at its finest.

11. John Doe's "Pressing On"

This is the highlight of the I'm Not There soundtrack, and its sung by an atheist. This makes me wish Dylan would have taken the time to make Saved the way it should have been made, and makes me wish for the more practical issueing of one or several of Dylan's gospel concerts. I want the Toronto 80 soundboard recordings and the complete stay at the Fox Warfield in San Fran. I also wouldn't mind a collection of all of the various as-of-yet-unreleased gospel songs in whatever versions exist. Come on Columbia, get it in gear already.

12. Glen Hansard's "Fallen From the Sky"

Glen Hansard is the breakout artist of the year, and I mean that in the consummate sense of artist. This guy can handle anything with nuance and beauty. Once is amazing.

13. Nathan's "Trans Am"

An underrated female singer-songwriter, Nathan could be the next Kasey Chambers.

14. Carolina Chocolate Drops' "Tom Dula"

This trio of Americana neophytes already plays it like the old-timers. Perhaps the most unexpected album by a trio of young urban blacks to come out this year, Dona Got A Ramblin' Mind is also among the best album by any.

15. Levon Helm's "Got Me A Woman"

Having fought throat cancer, Levon Helm knows a thing or two about being a badass. He's ten times cooler than Robbie Robertson in my book, so I knew I'd love Dirt Farmer. I didn't know that it was mostly covers, but I didn't care cause they are all good. This one is my favorites. I know what its like to find a woman who will shave your beard. Now, if I could only find a monkey and a Chinese acrobat....

16. Ry Cooder's "Footprints In the Snow"

My Name Is Buddy is the best concept for an album ever and the best packaging for an album ever. While I found most of the songs themselves sadly derivative and not quite strong enough to carry through on the genius of everything else, this song is a definite stand out. Jive on that tex-mex accordian and then lay back for the banjo solo.

17. Carolina Chocolate Drops' "Little Margaret"

Wow. A capella performance of the decade. Great story too. Dappled roans and ivory combs.

18. Paul McCartney's "Mr. Bellamy"

Opening with some melodramatic strings, the ominous piano kicks in, and then drops in this phat bass beat, and you have to wonder, how did macca go from "Ebony and Ivory" to this? This song just layers the hook and has a more genuinely mysterious lyric than anything John ever wrote.

19. Nellie McKay's "Identity Theft"

I'm not totally sure that I agree with Nellie on the university thing -- I definitely try to teach empathy -- but who else is rhyming about Ray Bolger these days? McKay comments on both loss of civil liberties and how corporate marketing steals an artist's identity and transforms it into something easily fit for the marketplace.

20. DJ Jazzy Jeff and Dave Ghetto's "Come On"

Pulling a sample from Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell ("You're All I Need To Get By"), DJ Jazzy Jeff creates a laidback peace whose optimism clashes with Dave Ghetto's toasts and tales of black disenfranchisement and loss of agency.

21. Blind Boy Grunt's "Talkin' Devil"

Recorded over forty-five years ago, this obscure Dylan fragment was released this year. It blends his belief in religion with his hatred of the KKK. Whoever didn't see the born-again period coming just wasn't listening.