Top 40 Greatest Music Albums
by kvaughn

Great albums!

Just trying to guess your interests. We have different taste in some ways, but you picked a lot of great albums. You reminded me of some I haven't heard for a long time. I listened to J.J.Cale's "Naturally" today, what a great album. In contrast, I listened to some of the Moody Blues "In Search Of...," and it doesn't move me. Which albums from my list interest you?

Check my list, DNOTD is #40

Are 43 of those from "Double Nickles On A Dime?"

There's a lot here I haven't listened to. I made a "kvaughn's todo playlist"... it's only about 500 songs!

I totally agree about Jonathan Richman shows. I've seen him a few times at the Starry Plough in Berkeley. At first I thought his complete lack of angst was a weakness, then I realized my feelings of angst are my weakness, and Jonathan Richman is just fine. I haven't seen him for several years, his last album I bought was "Surrender To Jonathan" in '96. It's time to find him again, and I see he'll be in SF in July, excellent.

One of the great things about JR is he'll always be a small club performer, and I'm tired of large arena shows. At my perfect show, I'm sitting at a small round table with a cocktail, and JR's on the bandstand playing a ukulele.

From radiofreespike 05/22/2010 11:15 | #11974

Columbia issued three earlier ones: Live Songs in '73, Field Commander Cohen from 1979, and Cohen Live in 1994. I find the last one more "accessible." A plus: material from "I'm Your Man" and a gorgeous rendition of "Joan of Arc." I delve into the other two when I'm feeling more adventurous.

As far as Jonathan Richman, years ago on an extended road trip I bought a tape of "Jonathan Sings." I listened to it, couldn't stand it, and chucked it into the pit of my backpack. A month later, I fished it out, played it, and have become a fan ever since. I've seen him several times performing, although not in the last few years. He is an absolutely joyful, playful, naive, and wise performer. One cannot leave a JR performance in a bad mood.
JR and Radiohead are mangoes and grapefruits. If my music loving friend seemed depressed, I'd recommend Jonathan Richman first (followed by some Junior Walker...)

"Live In London" is the only live recording I have of Leonard Cohens'. Is there another you'd recommend? I have all his studio albums and couldn't decide which one to put on the list, so I chose the most recent release.

Unfortunately "It's Time For (Jonathan Richman)" is out of print. It came out in 1986, two years after I graduated from college. At first I thought it was way too corny, but I came around. Richman tours a lot. If you catch a show, ask him to play "Neon Sign," "Corner Store," or "When I Dance."

I chose a lot of albums that aren't that familiar. I like the typical greatest hits albums, and I'd certainly recommend buying "Kid A" before "It's Time For (Jonathan Richman)," but there are enough people touting the popular groups. I tried to make a chart with several lesser known, but amazing, albums.

From radiofreespike 05/21/2010 00:35 | #11939

A good, solid chart showing a variety of musical appreciations, and not just stuck in one or two genres. That Staple Singers collection is an under-appreciated classic!

I'm curious: As a Leonard Cohen fan, but only having heard "Live in London" a few times, do you prefer that to the other live recordings?

From Mr. Shankly 05/21/2010 00:22 | #11937

I like the originality and eclecticness of this chart. I'm going to rate it highly based on that alone. I have never seen that Jonathan Richman album. Is it out of print?