There are some great albums on this part of your list that don't get the attention they deserve. To Live in Die in LA, in particular. I will say that a piece of me died when I saw the inclusion of the B-52s, however. My all-time most despised band. 😁
B-52's seem like a very divisive band. I wasn't around when they were big, but my dad used to play the Wayne's World Soundtrack all the time growing up, so I've heard my fair share of "Love Shack." At least to younger people, they're just a fun and quirky band with some danceable jams.
this is so strange to me as I think of B52s as one of the most universally loved bands of all time. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. It could be partly a generational thing as my high-school years were 81-85. I’m 100% with Kevin here.
I'm personally not hating on them. They're not my favorite band, but they're fun to listen to at parties or driving around. I've met plenty of people who were around in their heyday who think they're corny/gimmicky, but they could be in the minority because I've met people who go ape shit for them.
...and those people going ape-shit are usually all in. We covered Cosmic Thing at an Album of the Month discussion awhile back, and one of the people on the Zoom redefined what it meant to be a superfan. It was cool hearing his stories, but really cool hearing how excited he got telling htem.
I possibly fall into the latter category. I banned Love Shack from my 40th birthday party but I don’t think I find the rest of their music particularly problematic, I’ve just never really listened to it. Little bit in love with Kate Pierson’s vocals on Out Of Time though.
B52's the most despised? Wow. It never ceases to amaze me how a band or a song can elicit such radically different viewpoints. I guess that's part of what makes lists like these interesting.
Great lists from both of you — plenty of surprises! I’m shocked that Kevin wasn’t aware of Grizzly Bear — that’s one of my favorites and I was happy to see Sam choose that one. Same goes for the To Live and Die in LA soundtrack. In terms of divisive albums, ones you either love or hate, Neutral Milk Hotel’s ITAOTS is at the top of that list. I personally love it and was lucky to see Jeff Mangum perform it in its entirety around a decade ago. I was also surprised at Kevin’s meh feelings for Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin. I know lots of people might not like their pre TSB catalog, but this one is so fantastic, it blew my mind when it came out. Yoshimi is also great, but I have to go with what comes first when there is a tie for awesomeness.
Thank you, Steve! Not sure how it happened, but I'd completely missed Grizzly bear....and have clearly been missing out. As for Flaming Lips, I always feel like they're band who flew over my head. It's definitely a "me" thing.
If you ever get a chance to see a Lips show live, it's definitely worth it. I can't say enough good things about "Soft Bulletin" and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and they have a bunch of other albums worth checking out.
I saw them open up for Beck on the Sea Change tour -- they were also Beck's backing band -- and it was also the Yoshimi tour as well. One of the best shows I've ever seen.
It was a tough call between "Yellow House" and "Veckatimest," as both of those albums dominated my college years. They are among the bands that were at the pinnacle of that era of indie rock. For Kevin, definitely start with those two, and "Shields" is also a great listen. Their last album had some highlights, but it was a bit underwhelming to me.
Yeah, I might lean toward Veckatimest in terms of favorite, but maybe it's just the one I play more. The musicianship is so stellar. Daniel Rossen solo work is also worth checking out if you haven't yet.
Admittedly, it took me three listens to get "In the Aeroplane." I thought it was so fucking weird when I first heard it. It's definitely not for everyone, but the people who love it will die by that album. I also heard them play the whole album live at Bonnaroo back in 2013, and the crowd was absolutely nuts and was literally hanging by every word.
Smooth Operator by Sade was my number 3 of 1985. Every Little Kiss was a runner up. Men at Work should have been in there too! That was an era with SO much great music! B-52s became a staple in my Top Ten later.
I was thinking a track list would be the most feasible. I follow the Austin City Limits playlist and they just dump albums from featured bands, it's not as fun as I had hoped. But i also realize curating one song is more work haha.
I’m a post-AM advocate also but I can see how those last two albums might be divisive. Have to say Four Out Of Five and Bodypaint were both highlights of their live set last year for me.
Those albums certainly have their highlights. I don't think they're bad by any stretch, but I'm not sure if lounge music plays to their strengths as a band.
Perhaps, but I feel it would be hard to surpass what they did with indie rock on AM and I like that they decided to move in a different direction. I have a lot of time for The Car as an album.
I do have to say, I saw them live last year with a backing band and all the songs of their latter albums sounded like they had a little extra mmph to them.
Some real fist-pump moments in here for me. Cannonball AND Wang Chung? I'm always the guy trying to get people to listen to that soundtrack, so I loved to see you stating your case. Going to get a 74 Miles page up on The Jazz Tome this week in honor of your pick (will let you know when it's up) and I hope you'll let me know if you have any other jazz surprises up your sleeve for later in the countdown. You know my email address.
I’m glad you liked those picks, and am really happy 74 Miles is getting a page!! It’s good (and heartening) to know I’m not the only guy trying to get people to listen to To Live and Die in LA.
No spoilers, but I have a feeling there will be some more fist-in-the-air moments for you coming up. At least I hope so, anyway!
For anyone scrolling the comments, please check out Greg’s page. I’m not just blowing smoke when I say that it’s incredible!
Whether you’re a fan of jazz, album art, liner notes or all of the above it’s a fantastic experience.
My Part 1 response not so much WTF but rather "Damn I'm old, I don't know most of these artists." My Part 2 response is "Okay. A lot more artists I know, yet Damn I'm Old." Love the Halt and Catch Fire reference (old web designer/developer here). But especially like the Cannonball Adderley pick, an artist who my mom had an album of, which i think i inherited back in 85 from early 60s. And the Burritos were my gateway (insert proper noun here)
Oh man, Diamond Life is DA BOMB. I love Sade so much, and this record is spectacular. I have an early UK pressing which is sublime.
What I love about this album is how versatile it is. I can’t think of a context where it wouldn’t work.
As for Lana del Rey, I respect her work, and the sound she’s crafted, but I struggle a bit with her style of singing. I love how authentic she is, though, but she’s too ethereal for me. I prefer singers who give you all the bells and whistles (quite literally) and who go way over the top, all guns blazing 🤣 BUT it’s amazing how she’s carved out her niche. Her work is super interesting and I have a lot of respect for her.
I’d only ever listened to Born To Die before which I do really enjoy as an album but NFR has just blown me away! It’s very beautiful. Thanks for prompting me to listen.
I’ve heard OF all of the artists on your list although I’ve certainly not actually heard all of them. I’m not sure I’ll get to them all but I’m listening to the Bruce Hornsby album and really enjoying it. I do remember liking the hits that came out of the album but not enough to go it and buy the record. Not sure I would’ve appreciated it as much then as I seem to now.
Love seeing Sade on here! I was lucky enough to see her in cover at London’s O2 Arena in 2011 and she and the band were amazing.
And with Men At Work you’ve highlighted one of my eight desert island discs. I’ve loved that album ever since buying it on cassette when it was first released. Most of my favorites aren’t even the songs that became hits. “I Can See it In Your Eyes”, “Touching the Untouchables” and “Down By The Sea” are some of the highlights for me.
LOTS of musical research for me to do coming out of this list!
Men at Work are one of my favorite bands I have met Bruce Hornsby, talked to him for about 15 minutes at a William & Mary basketball game back in the 90's, he is a nice guy.
I was a huge fan of Scenes From The Southside and Night On The Town in my teenage years but I never listened to The Way It Is, the album, only the single. Remedying that now!
Quite surprised with n°81. Must listen to that one again. And let me weigh in on the conversation about the B 52's. Their debut album is one of the most important of the post-punk period. Absolutely deserving to be included in your list. I would've placed them higher 😁 but then again, I'm a fan.
There are some great albums on this part of your list that don't get the attention they deserve. To Live in Die in LA, in particular. I will say that a piece of me died when I saw the inclusion of the B-52s, however. My all-time most despised band. 😁
B-52's seem like a very divisive band. I wasn't around when they were big, but my dad used to play the Wayne's World Soundtrack all the time growing up, so I've heard my fair share of "Love Shack." At least to younger people, they're just a fun and quirky band with some danceable jams.
this is so strange to me as I think of B52s as one of the most universally loved bands of all time. I don’t know anyone who doesn’t like them. It could be partly a generational thing as my high-school years were 81-85. I’m 100% with Kevin here.
I'm personally not hating on them. They're not my favorite band, but they're fun to listen to at parties or driving around. I've met plenty of people who were around in their heyday who think they're corny/gimmicky, but they could be in the minority because I've met people who go ape shit for them.
...and those people going ape-shit are usually all in. We covered Cosmic Thing at an Album of the Month discussion awhile back, and one of the people on the Zoom redefined what it meant to be a superfan. It was cool hearing his stories, but really cool hearing how excited he got telling htem.
I don't know anyone that doesn't like them, either. Some may have had their fill of "Love Shack" or "Roam," but that's about it.
I possibly fall into the latter category. I banned Love Shack from my 40th birthday party but I don’t think I find the rest of their music particularly problematic, I’ve just never really listened to it. Little bit in love with Kate Pierson’s vocals on Out Of Time though.
Me In Honey is an all-timer for me!
Thanks for weighing in! I'm happy to see someone else likes the To Live and Die In LA soundtrack; I wasn't sure that would happen.
As for The B52s, what can I say? We like what we like! At least we hit your least favorite band early in the series. lol.
B52's the most despised? Wow. It never ceases to amaze me how a band or a song can elicit such radically different viewpoints. I guess that's part of what makes lists like these interesting.
Great lists from both of you — plenty of surprises! I’m shocked that Kevin wasn’t aware of Grizzly Bear — that’s one of my favorites and I was happy to see Sam choose that one. Same goes for the To Live and Die in LA soundtrack. In terms of divisive albums, ones you either love or hate, Neutral Milk Hotel’s ITAOTS is at the top of that list. I personally love it and was lucky to see Jeff Mangum perform it in its entirety around a decade ago. I was also surprised at Kevin’s meh feelings for Flaming Lips The Soft Bulletin. I know lots of people might not like their pre TSB catalog, but this one is so fantastic, it blew my mind when it came out. Yoshimi is also great, but I have to go with what comes first when there is a tie for awesomeness.
Thank you, Steve! Not sure how it happened, but I'd completely missed Grizzly bear....and have clearly been missing out. As for Flaming Lips, I always feel like they're band who flew over my head. It's definitely a "me" thing.
If you ever get a chance to see a Lips show live, it's definitely worth it. I can't say enough good things about "Soft Bulletin" and "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots" and they have a bunch of other albums worth checking out.
I saw them open up for Beck on the Sea Change tour -- they were also Beck's backing band -- and it was also the Yoshimi tour as well. One of the best shows I've ever seen.
It was a tough call between "Yellow House" and "Veckatimest," as both of those albums dominated my college years. They are among the bands that were at the pinnacle of that era of indie rock. For Kevin, definitely start with those two, and "Shields" is also a great listen. Their last album had some highlights, but it was a bit underwhelming to me.
Yeah, I might lean toward Veckatimest in terms of favorite, but maybe it's just the one I play more. The musicianship is so stellar. Daniel Rossen solo work is also worth checking out if you haven't yet.
Admittedly, it took me three listens to get "In the Aeroplane." I thought it was so fucking weird when I first heard it. It's definitely not for everyone, but the people who love it will die by that album. I also heard them play the whole album live at Bonnaroo back in 2013, and the crowd was absolutely nuts and was literally hanging by every word.
The Color Me Badd reference🤣
Lol. I had to.
I'm a bit more in line with Kevin here. I've always been a big fan of the albums by Bruce Hornsby, Sade, The B-52s, and Men at Work. All classics!
Sade is a queen. I just started getting into her last year, and I'm happy to be a part of the resurgence of interest in her work.
Classics indeed!
I'll have to go back and look, but did songs from any of these records make one of your year-end lists?
Smooth Operator by Sade was my number 3 of 1985. Every Little Kiss was a runner up. Men at Work should have been in there too! That was an era with SO much great music! B-52s became a staple in my Top Ten later.
Any chance this list becomes a Spotify playlist?
I hadn’t thought of that! Like the entire record(s), or selected tracks from each?
Picking one track from each would be a fun one.
I was thinking a track list would be the most feasible. I follow the Austin City Limits playlist and they just dump albums from featured bands, it's not as fun as I had hoped. But i also realize curating one song is more work haha.
I like it!
Thumbs up - Bruce Hornsby and Sade, thumbs down - Arctic Monkeys, WTF - B52's (how could this not be top ten?!?!?)
Interesting crossover - Sade and The Stooges (matter and anti-matter)
I'm fine with people hating on post-AM Arctic Monkeys, but I will not stand for pre-AM Arctic Monkeys slander! :P
I’m a post-AM advocate also but I can see how those last two albums might be divisive. Have to say Four Out Of Five and Bodypaint were both highlights of their live set last year for me.
Those albums certainly have their highlights. I don't think they're bad by any stretch, but I'm not sure if lounge music plays to their strengths as a band.
Perhaps, but I feel it would be hard to surpass what they did with indie rock on AM and I like that they decided to move in a different direction. I have a lot of time for The Car as an album.
I do have to say, I saw them live last year with a backing band and all the songs of their latter albums sounded like they had a little extra mmph to them.
I love the way you're sorting these. As for The B52s, it might not be the last time we see them....
Thanks for the shout-out here - appreciate it, Kevin!
Anytime! Thank you for letting me share your work with everyone.
Some real fist-pump moments in here for me. Cannonball AND Wang Chung? I'm always the guy trying to get people to listen to that soundtrack, so I loved to see you stating your case. Going to get a 74 Miles page up on The Jazz Tome this week in honor of your pick (will let you know when it's up) and I hope you'll let me know if you have any other jazz surprises up your sleeve for later in the countdown. You know my email address.
I’m glad you liked those picks, and am really happy 74 Miles is getting a page!! It’s good (and heartening) to know I’m not the only guy trying to get people to listen to To Live and Die in LA.
No spoilers, but I have a feeling there will be some more fist-in-the-air moments for you coming up. At least I hope so, anyway!
For anyone scrolling the comments, please check out Greg’s page. I’m not just blowing smoke when I say that it’s incredible!
Whether you’re a fan of jazz, album art, liner notes or all of the above it’s a fantastic experience.
https://thejazztome.info/
Took me a hot minute, but here you go: https://thejazztome.info/cannonball-adderley-74-miles-away/
Right on! Thanks for adding it to your page!
My Part 1 response not so much WTF but rather "Damn I'm old, I don't know most of these artists." My Part 2 response is "Okay. A lot more artists I know, yet Damn I'm Old." Love the Halt and Catch Fire reference (old web designer/developer here). But especially like the Cannonball Adderley pick, an artist who my mom had an album of, which i think i inherited back in 85 from early 60s. And the Burritos were my gateway (insert proper noun here)
If it's any consolation, I think I've said "damn I'm old" about 1000x so far.
Oh man, Diamond Life is DA BOMB. I love Sade so much, and this record is spectacular. I have an early UK pressing which is sublime.
What I love about this album is how versatile it is. I can’t think of a context where it wouldn’t work.
As for Lana del Rey, I respect her work, and the sound she’s crafted, but I struggle a bit with her style of singing. I love how authentic she is, though, but she’s too ethereal for me. I prefer singers who give you all the bells and whistles (quite literally) and who go way over the top, all guns blazing 🤣 BUT it’s amazing how she’s carved out her niche. Her work is super interesting and I have a lot of respect for her.
Totally get it with Lana. I’m not really a fan of her outside of NFR but it’s just an incredible baroque pop album.
Sade is the shit.
Absolutely!
I’d only ever listened to Born To Die before which I do really enjoy as an album but NFR has just blown me away! It’s very beautiful. Thanks for prompting me to listen.
Great point about Diamond Life! It's definitely a versatile record; I don't think that's something that gets talked about a lot (if at all?).
I’ve heard OF all of the artists on your list although I’ve certainly not actually heard all of them. I’m not sure I’ll get to them all but I’m listening to the Bruce Hornsby album and really enjoying it. I do remember liking the hits that came out of the album but not enough to go it and buy the record. Not sure I would’ve appreciated it as much then as I seem to now.
Love seeing Sade on here! I was lucky enough to see her in cover at London’s O2 Arena in 2011 and she and the band were amazing.
And with Men At Work you’ve highlighted one of my eight desert island discs. I’ve loved that album ever since buying it on cassette when it was first released. Most of my favorites aren’t even the songs that became hits. “I Can See it In Your Eyes”, “Touching the Untouchables” and “Down By The Sea” are some of the highlights for me.
LOTS of musical research for me to do coming out of this list!
Out of anything I’ve listed, seriously check out Grizzly Bear if you like what Kevin listed.
"Down By The Sea" is one of my faves, too! Some really great listens here. I hope you have a blast doing the research. :)
Love the love for Sade - so underrated, her voice was absolutely angelic.
Men at Work are one of my favorite bands I have met Bruce Hornsby, talked to him for about 15 minutes at a William & Mary basketball game back in the 90's, he is a nice guy.
Nice! Seems like a pretty down to Earth dude, but you never know. I'm happy to hear it!
I was a huge fan of Scenes From The Southside and Night On The Town in my teenage years but I never listened to The Way It Is, the album, only the single. Remedying that now!
Quite surprised with n°81. Must listen to that one again. And let me weigh in on the conversation about the B 52's. Their debut album is one of the most important of the post-punk period. Absolutely deserving to be included in your list. I would've placed them higher 😁 but then again, I'm a fan.
100% agreed with your assessment of the B52s. There may or may not be a reason why it’s where it is. Stay tuned!
As for #81, there are a few tracks on there that would make for incredible 12” mixes. Just sayin’…
No anger yet!
Give it time. Lol.
I’ll start getting the insults ready to hurl.