Wax Ecstatic: The 100 Greatest Albums of All Time Part #3

The Three To Get Ready edition- Records 80-71

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Aug 28, 2024

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Tower Records Los Angeles. Photo: Robert Landau.

Good morning!

Here’s an affectionate attempt at ranking their records with the understanding that placing things you love in a rigid hierarchy is objectively insane
~Elizabeth Nelson

Welcome to Part 3!

In this essay, I will explain how Robbie Dupree’s "Steal Away” is the prism through which all past, present, and future music must be viewed. The song is canon, and together, we’ll hop aboard the yacht and take an incredible journey from the roots of rock music to the future and all points in between.

Just kidding, we won’t be doing any of that. What we will be doing is acting as a tour guide through 20 of our favorite albums and making a case for why they belong on each of our Top 100 lists. Driving the truck with me again is

Sam Colt

We will each make the case for our records and share quick thoughts on the other person’s choice. As with previous editions, we encourage you to laud us, laugh at us, or both.

That’s what the internet is for, right?

In all seriousness, these records are on the list because they mean a lot to us. We also want to hear what they mean (or meant) to you. And while there is no Robbie Dupree on this list, what follows is a veritable feast of great sounds from multiple genres and eras.

Enjoy!

KA—

P.S. For those who missed them, you can check out Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

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80: Boz Scaggs- Silk Degrees (1976)

True story: In the early ’80s, I was in elementary school in Oregon. We were set up with pen pals from North Carolina. These letters included all the boilerplate stuff you’d expect from 9-year-old strangers writing to each other.

If memory serves, our teacher even served up a menu of questions for us to pick from.

Things like:

What sports do you play?
What is your favorite subject?
What music do you like?

My pen pal said he liked someone named Boz Scaggs. I thought he was making it up, but my dad assured me that Boz was, in fact, a real person that made music. I’d probably just never heard him before.

The musicianship here is superb, but Scaggs also likes to tell a good story. Most of us know about Lido, and root for him to hit one more time.

But on track 2, we also learn about Georgia, a temptress who gets a guy to do her dirty work, landing him in jail.

“Jump Street” is a rollicking good bit of kicks rock that reminds everyone Scaggs is from Texas.

“What Do You Want The Girl To Do” has a heavy Motown/soul influence & sounds like it very could’ve easily been sung 10 years earlier by a group like the 5 Stairsteps. Similarly, “It’s Over” oozes with AM Gold.

With a cast of colorful characters, and superb musicians, Silk Degrees is an excellent record from start to finish, with Scaggs backed by legendary session musicians like Jeff Porcaro. This opening track is one of my favorites on the record. Even though it’s overshadowed by staples like “Lowdown” and “Lido Shuffle,” it holds its own.

My pen pal wasn’t making anything up; I was just late to the party.

Sam’s pick & my take: Weezer - Weezer (Blue Album) (1994)

Weezer are an easy band to love/hate, but it’s easy to love this record, even if you’re not sure why you do. To my ear, “Buddy Holly” is pop perfection, and “Say it Ain’t So” is the hipster sing-along for those that wouldn’t be caught dead doing “Sweet Caroline.

79: The Jesus and Mary Chain- Barbed Wire Kisses (1988)

There are a few distinct sections of JAMC fans. Those who swear Psychocandy should be on this list instead, those who came to the band through Automatic and/or “Sometimes/Always” with Hope Sandoval, and… everyone else.

Either way, by this point, the brothers Reid had enough B-sides, demos, and covers to put together a record, and thus, Barbed Wire Kisses came to be. I didn't know it, but this world of shattered glass, Ray-Bans, and jagged riffs was precisely what my ears were looking for, and I quickly wore out at least one copy of the cassette.

Bo Diddley gets a nod with their take on “Who Do You Love,” as do the Beach Boys (sorta) with “Kill Surf City.” For those who wanted the Psychocandy era to continue, there’s plenty to like here. For those who preferred the pop turn Darklands took, there are a couple of tracks in that vein as well. Speaking of which, here is also a fantastic demo version of “On The Wall,” which, 35+ years later, is still one of my favorites by the band.

Sam’s pick & my take: Johnny Cash - At Folsom Prison (1968)

(In Keith Jackson’s voice): The granddaddy of ‘em all! Whoa Nellie, this is a classic!

78: Garbage- S/T (1995)

You can tell who is from Madison and who isn’t by how they describe the traffic. If they tell you it’s awful, they grew up here. If they laugh and say it’s not too bad, they're a transplant. The only exception to this rule (IMO) is when it comes to East Washington Avenue (aka East Wash). The arterial runs through the city and gets more treacherous the closer you get to the capital. While you're fighting to stay alive, you might miss what’s left of Smart Studios.

Standing there forlorn at the intersection of East Wash and Baldwin streets, it’s easy to forget that some incredible records were made in Madison on the isthmus. Records from L7, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Young Fresh Fellows, and many, many more were all made there.

So it only stood to reason that when some of the people behind the boards on those records decided to make their own, the result would be great.

Former Angelfish frontwoman Shirley Manson joined producer Butch Vig, Duke Erikson, and Steve Marker, and together they crafted something unlike everything else we were hearing at the time. It’s safe to say that Vig was one of the architects of the grunge movement. It's also safe to say that this record doesn’t sound anything like it. Whether it’s the woozy, buzzsaw opening guitar on the opener “Supervixen,” the creeping sound of “Queer,” or the in-your-face menace of “Vow,” it was exactly the new sound needed to fill in the void as the grunge wave began to ebb.

The building where Smart Studios is located is now an Airbnb, and how people react to that is also a tell. Some think it's lovely and are happy to see it invested in, while others see it as heresy. What’s not up for debate is that some world-changing sounds came from inside those walls, and Garbage’s self-titled debut is but one of them. And it still sounds like nothing else.

Sam’s pick & my take: The Replacements - Tim (Let It Bleed Edition) (1985)

Speaking of debates, when it comes to this remix/remaster, there is also a hard line between those who love it and those who wish they’d left well enough alone. I am firmly in the former camp. The original mix is decidedly lo-fi and flat. For a band like The Replacements, that sort of thing was often a feature, not a bug—almost as if they were trying to convince us they weren't as good as we knew they were. Ed Stasiusm’s treatment of the record proves we were right. It’s expected that remixes will make certain elements pop or uncover others. Stasium’s archeology took that to the extreme, and the result is a record that is almost wholly new. Under his guiding hand, songs not only have new (to us) elements moved to the fore but entirely different dimensions. We said at the outset that live records, greatest hits, compilations, and remixes were technically kosher but would be included sparingly. Making room for this record is one of the reasons. Don’t be surprised to see it featured again.

77: Drop Nineteens-Delaware (1992)

For better or worse, My Bloody Valentine’s Loveless is the barometer by which every shoegaze record is measured. Kevin Shields & Co. set a high bar, with many not even attempting to clear it. To try and do so in 1992 in the shadow of Nirvana was doubly ambitious, but Boston’s Drop Nineteens were just ballsy (or naive) enough to try.

Like any shoegaze record worth its salt, the three guitars generate plenty of fuzz. There are also boy/girl alternating vocals. Delaware splits from the back by putting them more out front. Instead of mumbling or being buried so far in the mix as to be unintelligible, Greg Ackell and Paula Kelley are actually singing. There’s also plenty of bass fighting for space here, something that gives tracks like “Winona” its juice. That track also had the makings of a hit (at least for early 90s alternative, anyway).

There was also the dissonant “Reberrymemberer,” where Ackell lets loose a primal scream, fighting off the weight of crushing distortion. “Kick The Tragedy is a beguiling 9-minute bender that goes from blissful to loud to spoken word. And just for good measure, there’s a cover of Madonna’s “Angel” on here. In the 90s, anything went. It all makes for a great time, even if the timing of the record's release was off.

Sam’s pick & my take: De La Soul - 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)

Looking back through admittedly fuzzy memory, in the mid-to-late 80s, everyone I knew had three hip-hop records: Beastie Boy’s License To Ill, Run DMC’s Raising Hell, and this. Only one has a Steely Dan sample, and only one sounds as good now as it did then. “This,” of course, would be 3 Feet High and Rising. It’s the summer of love with some 808, and I’m here for it.

76: The dB’s- Like This (1984)

By 1984, founding member Chris Stamey had left, and moving to lead guitar and vocals, Peter Holpspapple became the de facto leader of the band. He and producer Chris Butler (ex-Waitresses) took their sound in a much more straightforward direction for their third album. The result is an intense pop record overindexed on hooks, and no clunkers in sight.

Tracks like “Spy in the House of Love” sound as fresh as ever, and for my money, “Love is for Lovers” is sui generis power pop. Like This had all the ingredients of a hit record…except one—their label folded the same year this was released, and it’s been plagued by distribution issues ever since. The band has since rereleased a remixed/remastered version of Stands for deciBels, and speaking with drummer Will Rigby, there is a possibility this will see a similar treatment. If that comes to pass, I’ll be the first in line.

Sam’s pick & my take: Sigur Rós - Ágætis Byrjun (1999)

How could the small island that gave us the Sugarcuibges also give us this? What is going on over there? The Cubes reveled in mischief and fun, altering the bounds of pop along the way. With Ágætis Byrjun Sigur Rós ginned up a handful of new genres. Its languid, expansive sound gave rise to the Ambient, Chill, and Ethereal categories. As of this writing, the record is 25 years old, and it still sounds like it is beaming down to us from the future.

75: Sweaty Nipples- What’s Your Funktion? (1989)

It's a safe bet that most people reading this have no idea who this is. But if you lived in Portland during a very specific period in the early 90s, you know exactly who they are. In fact, you can probably hear their sound in your head right now. Odds are you’re smiling too. Sweaty Nipples were, at their heart, a party band. If they were playing, it was guaranteed the best thing going on in PDX that night, and you wanted to be there. It was FOMO before any of us had ever heard that term. They were huge, but they were still self-aware enough to be down to Earth. I once gave Davey Nipples a ride, and he was genuinely surprised (and happy) that I knew who the band was.

The band insisted on a good time, and there was plenty of silly string and god-knows-what-else flying, but all of that was fueled by a sound heavily influenced by Freaky-Styley-era Chili Peppers. As in the fun version, before Anthony Keidis decided to get serious. What’s Your Funktion? is an EP full of songs about erections, bad trips, and, well, funk. It was all slap bass, thundering drums, and riffs turned up to 11. The band would go on to record a couple of LPs and even grab a slot at Lollapalooza, but eventually fell victim to changing tastes and record labels not knowing what to do with them. But for a short, beautiful time, everyone was invited, and the bar was open. It was always a good time for those lucky enough to have been there.

Sam’s pick & my take: Patti Smith - Horses (1975)

Few debuts have come out of the gate as strong as Horses did. And for decades, it’s been a gift for new generations to discover, becoming one of those records everyone “must” own or at least be familiar with if they want any sort of street cred. That aside, few records do as much to capture raw power, fury, and talent as Horses des. Look for a wave of hagiographies to hit your timelines next year as it turns 50.

74: Texas is the Reason- Do You Know Who You Are? (1996)

In 1996, Emo hadn't yet become a four-letter word and devolved into a world of forward-swept hair and 46-word song titles. In some circles, the lines between hardcore, post-hardcore, and emo were blurring, with bands not only taking strands of each and brewing it into something new but also, well, being okay with it. The Talmudic debates were still very much there, but more and more bands were okay just disregarding them.

After a gale force three-song EP and a split single with The Promise Ring, the band released Do You Know Who You Are?. Released by Revelation Records, it saw a bit of hype in some circles. It was almost inescapable depending on who you ran with and where you got your music recs. Expectations were high, and despite the all-star lineup, I wondered if this would live up to them.

I needn’t have worried. “Johnny on the Spot” sets the tone early, with stadium-sized hooks and drumming out in front. Garrett Klahn’s just-raspy-enough vocals give everything a touch of authenticity and grit. He looks like he’s seen some things; you believe him when he tells you. When he wears his emotions on his sleeve, you root for him. Winning over a bunch of music fans who’d spent the last several years OD’ing on cynicism is no easy feat. TITR did it with one album.

Musically, the record has influences from all corners; there’s some hardcore here, some emo, and some (gasp!) pop influences. And along the way, we’re treated to everything from 8000rpm songs to an (almost) lullaby (the title track). Do you know who you are is sometimes a tricky question to be asked. Texas is the Reason knew exactly how to answer it.

Sam’s pick and my take: The Supremes - Where Did Our Love Go? (1964)

Like the GM factories surrounding it, Motown was an assembly line of sorts. Records were made more as money makers than artistic expression, and the quicker they could get off the line and into a listener’s hands, the better. This meant a slew of records with some top-notch hits and some, well, not-so-great filler to round out the record. Not this time, though. A little over 60 years ago, the title track kicked Dean Martin out of the top spot on the charts, and the fortunes of Motown—and the band—changed forever.

73:Duran Duran- Rio (1982)

2024 is a pretty tough time. A lot is going on: wars, economic stress, and pretty much any other chaos you can think of. It’s heavy. In times like this, sometimes the only thing left to do is put on something fun, like Duran Duran’s Rio.

For younger readers, it’s hard to describe just how much Duran Duran dominated the airwaves in the early to mid-80s. ‘Til now, rock had been focused on guitars with synthesizers related to more of an ornamental role. With Rio, the band upended that model, putting Nick Rhodes’ keys out front and making the guitar more of an accessory.

They certainly weren't the first band to do it, but few before them had come to the show with a mix of new wave sounds and choruses that were hopelessly catchy. Just for fun, think about Rio. Most of you can at least hum the chorus, even if you don't remember the words— and never mind that the lyrics themselves were often nonsensical.

I mean,

Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand
Just like that river twisting through a dusty land
And when she shines, she really shows you all she can
Oh Rio, Rio dance across the Rio Grande

No matter. The escape was the point. Much like the band’s tailored looks, the lyrics' prime objective was to rhyme well and sound good when sung.

That said, lost in all the hairspray and eyeliner is the fact that this band can play. The keys are on point, but the rhythm section of John Taylor on bass and Roger Taylor on drums is right in the pocket. It would have been easy for this record to be nine songs of sonic cotton candy. These two tether it down and give the record a heft often missing on other synth-pop records.

These days, it feels like we’re all being pulled 100 different ways, with someone always asking something of us. The only thing Rio demands is that you dance.

Sam’s pick and my take: Neil Young - After the Gold Rush (1970)

I’m not the biggest Neil Young fan. I enjoy his music, but I have to be in the right mood. And even then, I can only go for so long before I have to pivot to something else. Most people my age have Harvest Moon in their collection because they thought they needed to. It was just a record you were supposed to have, I suppose. Part of that is because of Young’s outsized reputation, and part of that is because of records like After the Gold Rush. Young can be polarizing—for every critic that panned this, 3-4 fans will tell you on their deathbed that it’s a masterpiece.

For my money, it's a solid record that’s outlasted most of the rocks thrown at it over the years. If nothing else, “Southern man” is an all-timer. The people who own it do not have it out of some odd sense of obligation but because they want it.

72: Meat Puppets- Meat Puppets II (1984)

if you were listening to alternative music in the early 90s, odds were good that your favorite band’s favorite band was the Meat Puppets. You may recognize the sound, even if the name doesn't ring a bell. It was one of Kurt Cobain's who went so far as to have them join the band on their infamous MTV Unplugged session/album. No less than three of the songs played that night came from Meat Puppets II.

Drawing from various music (and drug) influences, the band found themselves increasingly at odds with the Phoenix, AZ area punk scene they’d emerged from. So they did the only thing they could.

They switched things up.

The difference in sound between Meat Puppets I & II is stark. Gone are the punk elements, replaced by a slower, heat-addled vibe, like the band is playing a mid-day set at a honky tonk out in the middle of the desert. Curt Kirkwood’s vocals alter between a drawl (do Arizonans have an accent?) and caterwaul. Flanked by the brothers on stage, Cobain swivels in a chair and does well to try and initiate the original tone on “Lake of Fire.” It’s good, but there can only be one original.

The record doesn’t reveal itself right away. Opener “Split Myself In Two’ is a rollicking track purpose-built for running red lights. Much like the acid both Kirkwood brothers were taking at the time, the record takes you on a trip and takes a little bit to get together. Eventually, though, it’s all cacti, fescue, and chasing spirit animals.

In another universe, the band is huge, taking their rightful place in the pantheon of rock stars. In this one, they’re relegated to “cult favorite’ status. Meat Puppets walked so a lot of bands could run, only finding themselves unable to catch up.

Sam’s pick & my take: Ella Fitzgerald - Ella & Louis (1956)

11/10. No notes. Is this the last time we see Ella in this series? Don’t bet on it.

71: Bjork- Post (1995)

I don't know what universe Bjork is from, but we’re lucky she decided to zap herself down to our planet. With Life’s Too Good, the Sugarcubes came out of nowhere (ok, Iceland) and rearranged our minds. A few years later, Bjork took it further with her first solo record, Debut. And lest we think that was as far as she'd push the envelope, she followed it up with Post, a glorious grab bag of sounds. Who else but Bjork would deliver something vaguely menacing like “Army of Me” (sidebar: why is no one using this as a walk-up song??), follow it with the wistful “Hyperballad,” and round it out with the sublime cover of “It’s Oh So Quiet.” That’s just three of the first four songs.

As a kid, Bjork would sing aloud to pass the time as she walked to school. For Post, she again sang outside, this time in the Bahamas, an idea the singer once described as “completely outrageous.” Maybe, but the result is a wonderfully outrageous album that shows the eclectic singer at her best.

Sam’s pick & my take: Aphex Twin - Richard D. James Album (1996)

One of this album’s strengths is its short length. I say that not as a backhanded compliment but as genuine praise. Some of Aphex Twin’s other releases suffer from a little too much meandering or tangents. This release has no time for such things. Richard James has made a career out of pushing up against the corners of electronic music, with results often giving listeners whiplash. This LP is a compact, melodic ride through the best of what he has to offer. “Accessible” isn’t often an adjective used to describe Aphex Twin's sound, but if any offering is an on-ramp for new listeners, this is it.

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That’s a wrap on Round Three! Be sure to share your thoughts in the comments, check out Sam’s thoughts on his picks, and stay tuned for Part 4 next week!

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