Filed under: Top 40 Albums | Tags: Counting Crows, Lists, Madonna, PJ Harvey, Public Enemy, U2
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35. U2 – Achtung Baby (1991)
Must Hear: One
Underappreciated Gem: Acrobat
This was the album that announced to the world that the “Band of the 80’s” was ready to lay claim to the next decade as well. From Bono’s proclamation of “I’m ready, ready for what’s next” at the outset to the chilling closer “Love Is Blindness”, Achtung Baby transforms U2 from arena rock flag wavers to industrial monsters but never loses sight of the band’s true vision and exquisite storytelling. “One” is arguably the greatest song the band has ever produced (rivaled only by “With or Without You” in my mind) and “Mysterious Ways”, “Even Better Than The Real Thing” and “Acrobat” are prime examples of the musicianship and growth that keeps U2 at the top of the heap even 17 years after this album’s release.
34. Madonna – True Blue (1986)
Must Hear: Open Your Heart
Underappreciated Gem: Live To Tell
A quintessential 80’s pop album, True Blue was the recording where Madonna succesfully made the leap from dance club diva to serious songstress. Led by three stunning mega hits, the latin flavored “La Isla Bonita”, the wistful yet melodic “Open Your Heart” and the controversial (at the time) teen pregnancy theme song and radio favorite “Papa Don’t Preach”, this album introduced Madonna to a whole new audience and a showed a leap forward in her musical maturity that makes this her finest single work.
33. Counting Crows – Recovering The Satellites (1996)
Must Hear: Angels of The Silences
Underappreciated Gem: Catapult
Following up their smash debut “August and Everything After” seemed like a daunting task for Adam Duritz and Co. but they not only equaled their previous foray but in terms of songwriting surpassed it. This album which is equal parts classic rock and heartfelt folk, becomes a showcase for Duritz’s voice from the beginning balladry of “Catapult” to the grand “Daylight Fading” and “Miller’s Angels” and the achingly sorrowful hit “A Long December” making it their most accomplished production yet.
32. Public Enemy – Fear of A Black Planet (1990)
Must Hear: Fight The Power
Underappreciated Gem: Burn Hollywood Burn
Public Enemy’s third album is everything a rap album should be. The messages brought to light by Chuck D and Flavor Flav on Fear of a Black Planet were urgent as a bullet and helped to bring awareness to the struggles of the inner city like no other album since Stevie Wonder’s “Songs in the Key of Life” and “Innervisions”. Whether it’s racism, sexism or social injustice, Chuck D goes after the offenders with one impassioned pronouncement after another. Flav even gets in on the act with the memorable “911 Is a Joke” that plays as catchy satire but is truly one of the most true indictments of urban policy anyone has ever come up with. A touchstone in making the rap genre more than just party music.
31. PJ Harvey – To Bring You My Love (1995)
Must Hear: Down By The Water
Underappreciated Gem: Send His Love To Me
This is the album on which PJ Harvey finally lived up to her early promise as a songwriter. She plots a a winding course through her feminine psyche that ranges from lament on “Working For The Man” to desire on “Long Snake Moan” and delirium on “Down By The Water”. With the caressing “Send His Love To Me”, Harvey puts a beautiful bow on what is the perfect gift to her fans, a completely engrossing album.
Filed under: Top 40 Albums | Tags: Elvis Costello, Lauryn Hill, Lists, Outkast, The Cure, TMBG
This is the first part in a series of posts that look at what I believe are the top 40 albums released from 1980 through 2008.
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40. Elvis Costello and The Attractions – Imperial Bedroom (1982)
Must Hear: Beyond Belief
Underappreciated Gem: Man Out Of Time
While some will say “King of America” was a better album, I believe this was the perfect bridge between Elvis Costello’s earlier punk and rock oriented records and his later more complex recordings. “Beyond Belief” gives notice immediately that this is a special work and the next three songs work as an almost seamless piece of music leading into the moving “Man Out Of Time” and the simply gorgeous ” Almost Blue”. Imperial Bedroom stands as a wonderful achievement in a career full of extroardinary music.
39. Outkast – Stankonia (2000)
Must Hear: B.O.B.
Underappreciated Gem: Humble Mumble
When Big Boi and Andre 3000 decided to “change the game” they released one of the best hip hop albums in years. Channeling the best parts of P-Funk, the sexuality of Prince and the electricity of Southern Rap, Stankonia comes at you in many different ways but never disappoints. From the laments of love long gone in “Ms.Jackson” to the big pimpin’ style of “We Luv Deez Hoes” to the breathtaking poetry of “Humble Mumble” and bombastic explosion of “B.O.B.”, Outkast show that when true vision meets ambition that a great album can be realized.
38. They Might Be Giants – Flood (1990)
Must Hear: Your Racist Friend
Underappreciated Gem: Hearing Aid
They Might Be Giants (TMBG) were always considered the “cool” band for the “uncool”. Feted as “OUR” band by the math geeks and computer dorks, TMBG was the best kept secret in fringe rock for years until the release of “Flood”. When “Birdhouse In Your School” gained heavy rotation on MTV and the radio, TMBG gained a whole new audience and after hearing this album many of the new fans decided to come along for the whole ride. Songs like “Particle Man”, “Istanbul (Not Constantinople)” and “Birdhouse” draw you in with their catchy sing-a-long verses and melodic mix-ups like “Hearing Aid” and “Minimum Wage” make you want to visit again and again. Truly the Giants’ best album and one that hasn’t lost it’s ability to make you want to play it loud and dance by yourself just like you did the first time you heard it.
37. Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
Must Hear: To Zion
Underappreciated Gem: Superstar
With her distinctive voice, Lauryn Hill created an album which served as a voice for anyone who was looking for something more from hip-hop during the late 90’s. Focusing not only on her personal life (“To Zion” and “Lost Ones”) but also the state of hip-hop (“Superstar”) and the social concerns of not only the past but the future as well (“Every Ghetto, Every City” and “Final Hour”), Hill imagined a complex and thoughtful album that still somehow found time to explore the fun side of hip-hop.
36. The Cure – Disintegration (1989)
Must Hear: Lovesong
Underappreciated Gem: Homesick
Anyone who has experienced the joy and pain of being in love can recognize all of their most personal feelings laid out for them in the most poetic way in the words of Robert Smith on this epic album. “Disintegration” is the fully realized dream of a pop album for the affected masses. All 12 songs on the album are pieces that develop slowly around the listener and bring an evocative lush sound that captures your ear as well as the pit in your stomach.
