Being retired I obviously have too much time on my hands so last year l listened to my top 100 Albums in 100 days. An Album a day and I throughly enjoyed it. So this year I thought why don’t I do it again but with records that have either passed me by or recommended by friends, son etc. The one rule I have imposed on myself is that I can have listened to the odd track but not the whole album .I have chosen the first 7 so that’s the first week sorted .
Saint Etienne – So Tough
Car Seat Headrest – Scholarship
Grateful Dead – Workingman’s Dead
Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix
George Harrison – All Things Must Pass
Sly & the Family Stone – Stand
Paul Simon – One Trick Pony
My question to you fellow Afterworders what records do you think I should add to my 100 ?
100 Albums in 100 days.
by 88 Comments
I will add one that is a brilliant album and may have passed you by. If you already love it (there is no other response) let me know and I will replace it with another.
Pete Yorn – Musicforthemorninafter
Not heard that one yet so thank you 👍
I’ll suggest The Mona Lisa’s Sister by Graham Parker.
My favourite GP album by a mile – when I moved away from cassettes to cd’s it took me ages to get this.
It’s a fine album, but apart from a best of…anthology I don’t have any other GP. I should.
There was quite a good post Rumour retrospective a year or two back, which covers most bases.
Per Rumour it has to be Squeezing Out Sparks and the Introduction to early retrospective. (Having said, I’m quite fond of The Up Escalator.)
The Up Escalator contains my favourite GP song The Beating of another heart.
Mine too.
Some albums I have very much enjoyed over the last coupe of years & would heartily recommend are;
Bill Ryder Jones – Iechyd Da
Big Special – Post Industrial Hometown Blues
Everything Everything – Mountainhead
Fred again.. – ten days
Nick Cave & Warren Ellis – Carnage
She Drew The Gun – Howl
SOAK – If I Never Know You Like This Again
The 2 real standouts are the SOAK & Bill Ryder Jones albums, both would trouble my list of favourite albums of all time
If you loved Iechyd Da you will probs enjoy A Bad Wind Blows In my Heart * West Kirby County Primary
Can I suggest The Power and The Glory by Gentle Giant? One of my all time favourites, irrespective of genre…
One Trick Pony is fabulous. One of my favourites.
Everybody rates All Things Must Pass, except me. I far prefer George Harrison’s self-titled album.
Are you likely to enjoy laid back, fairly light reggae in a sort of Bob Marley-ish stylee? If so, I’d suggest Above The Bones by Mishka. I’ll wager you don’t know it cos no one does. It was championed and co-produced by Hollywood star and stoner Matthew McConaughey and has very much a laid back stoner/surfer vibe.
If a more widely known name is more likely to interest you, how familiar are you with David Sylvian’s solo catalogue? Hard to recommend a specific album as they vary so much in musical styles (though not in quality, which is always top notch).
Of David Sylvian’s stuff it would be Secrets Of The Beehive for me. It’s got a lovely European/Scott Walkery vibe to it
Just checked out Mishka on Spotify and there is two songs which I had previously liked on there ( no memory of it though ) but yes it’s my sort of reggae.
Thumbs up from me for One Trick Pony.
If you’re going with Saint Etienne – So Tough, I’d recommend the album before, Foxbase Alpha, first.
Similarly, with Teenage Fanclub – Grand Prix, try Bandwagonesque first.
And a couple of personal faves:
Furniture – The Wrong People.
Love and Money – Dogs in the Traffic.
On the Fannies – I think Grand Prix is the perfect start point. Go back to hear the grungier roots and go forward to hear the tunes and songwriting craft develop.
This^
Grand Prix on the Fannies? Paging Moose…..MOOSE, where the hell are you?
Another vote for Grand Prix. Its pop perfection – not a bad track on it IMO FWIW
Another unconditional recommendation for Grand Prix
The furniture album is in my top 5 of all time. Doesn’t the lead singer now write for Mojo magazine?
Yes, Jim also hosts the excellent “You’re not on the list” podcast.
Looking around the room, I recommend:
Michael Penn – March
They Might Be Giants – John Henry
Robert Fripp – Exposure
Monkees – Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd.
Sugar – Copper Blue
Copper Blue is a good shout.
Thumbs up for “Exposure”.
Some 90s…
Logical Progression Level One by LTJ Bukem
Illmatic by Nas
The Brown Album aka Orbital 2 by Orbital.
That’s quite a question to ask this forum. Do you have good life expectancy?
I’ve a bottle of Tabasco sauce i think will outlive me.
You’re not trying hard enough.
Yes but I can always up to 200 albums or roll it out next year .
Do you want any hardcore folk suggestions?
Open to anything ?
Very good. Bit of song, bit of dance, bit of diddly-dee, bit of no-prisoners-taken-Rheingans:
Simpson Cutting Kerr : Murmurs
Blowzabella : Octomento
The Gloaming : ‘birdscarer’ (they don’t have titles, but that’s what’s on the cover – 2016)
Rheingans Sisters : Receiver
Fay Hield & the Hurricane Party : Orfeo
Oh, and
Juana Molina : Un Dia
I assumed you’d want include some Lau, some Spiro and some Leveret too.
Maybe The Bell that Never Rang/Lau, Kaleidophonica/Spiro and Forms/Leveret?
All good choices!
Can I suggest some Faces – A Nod Is As Good As A Wink
and Gang of Four – entertainment should be on any good list
Also suggest Jim Bob – Who Do We Hate Today and Thanks For Reaching Out
Another up for the Jim Bob albums. He is in a real purple patch at the moment
If you haven’t listened to the whole of Cupid & Psyche, you really should. 😉
Try some Baxter Dury with his cockney Serge Gainsbourg stylings. I cant get enough of it at the moment. Can’t go wrong with anything from Happy Soup onwards but maybe start with either Prince of Tears or The Night Chancers.
Or maybe Luke Haines & Peter Buck Yes that Peter Buck) Beat Poetry for Survivalists. Have v much enjoyed rediscovering that recently.
Another massive fan of Baxter Dury and eagerly await his new album in a couple of months. Prince of Tears is my favourite but there is a very good compilation Mr Maserati.
A fine tip that sir – I bought and enjoyed Prince Of Tears, but wasn’t sure where to go next.
Mr Maserati (just purchased, awaiting delivery) should give me the clues I need
Loved Baxters last album, I Thought I Was Better Than You, he just gets better!!
That he does @colrow26.
Tales From the Argyll Cycle, Vol 1/Jackie Leven
Anhedonia/Ben de La Cour
Serpentine Prison/Matt Berninger
Lush Life/ Lushlife feat B.J Cole
Bongos Over Balham/Chilli Willi & the Red Hot Peppers
Seperntine Prison is another good shout.
The Matt Berninger album is a bit of a hidden gem and he’s just released another solo one, listened to it once and it seems pretty good too.
Bonnet of Pins is not far short of a perfection. The album seems good but not had a chance to give it a proper listen.
Hmm, I must give it (Get Sunk) another go, finding it limp by comparison, apart the 3 Booker T involved tracks.
Thumbs up for “Lushlife”.
I knew you lot wouldn’t let me down , so many suggestions most I haven’t listened to yet so many thanks .
Couple off the top of my head (and again an excuse to shoehorn into a thread my love of the Japanese band Mono)
Mono / Hymn To The Immortal Wind
– a great starting place (although you could go with last years Oath which is up there)
‘Til Tuesday / Welcome Home
– the band that Aimee Mann started in. I remember this getting a rave review in Q magazine back in 1986 and buying it. It’s set me off on my love of all things Aimee Mann and is an album that still gets played often to this day. It also contains the sublime “Coming Up Close”
Sofia Kourtesis – Madres. A beautiful wispy sunny beach album of a record. Again, example of a ‘dance album’ with ‘proper songs’.
It’s a wonderful record.
New album due in August, but in the mean time if you haven’t already heard this it’s well worth checking out.
I’ve been posting long Features regularly since 2019. In my mind, I draw attention to lesser known or under-appreciated albums. My first was Revolver as long ago as 2016 but that doesn’t count. I presume you are familiar with that one.
A quick countback comes up with 19, so, maybe I should include Revolver.
Here’s the list:
Cupid & Psyche 85 by Scritti Politti
Odetta Sings Dylan
Where Did Our Love To by The Supremes
AWB by Average White Band
Rock Bottom by Robert Wyatt
Forces Of Victory by Linton Kwesi Johnson
We Are Family by Sister Sledge
Swordfishtrombones by Tom Waits
Fresh by Sly And The Family Stone
Screaming Target by Big Youth
Super Fly by Curtis Mayfield
Slade Alive!
Paul Simon
Gonna Take A Miracle by Laura Nyro and LaBelle
Super Ape by Lee “Scratch” Perry & The Upsetters
Nightclubbing by Grace Jones
Aladdin Sane by David Bowie
Hot Buttered Soul by Isaac Hayes
In A Silent Way by Miles Davis
Thumbs up for “Cupid & Psyche 85”, “We Are Family”, “Nightclubbing” & “In A Silent Way”.
I’ll chuck half a dozen into the mix. Nothing too extreme. No jazz. No classical.
Ane Brun – How Beauty Holds the Hand of Sorrow.
Aoife Nessa Frances – Protector.
Julia Jacklin – Crushing.
Loma – How Will I Live Without a Body?
Jessica Pratt – Here in the Pitch.
Low – Double Negative.
The Three EPs by the Beta Band. Contains kitchen sink.
I commend this recommendation to the house
Fires by Nerina Pallot is well worth a listen.
10 000 maniacs – In my tribe
Natalie Merchant – Ophelia
Hayes Carrl – KMAG YO-YO
Steve Earle Guitar Town
Thumbs up for “Guitar Town”.
Focussing on best albums by some of my favourites that bear listening to from start to finish.
Manic Pop Thrill – That Petrol Emotion
Don’t Get Weird on Me Babe – Lloyd Cole
Hope and Despair – Edwyn Collins
Rockin’ and Romance – Jonathan Richman (if you can find it)
Eno/Cale – Wrong Way Up
Cammell Laird Social Club – Half Man, Half Biscuit
Memories of a Colour – Stina Nordenstam
Surf – Roddy Frame
Love that Lloyd Cole album. Haven’t heard it in yonks.
Surf is a great shout….
Roy Harper – Stormcock
Thumbs up for “Stormcock”
I recommend “Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports”.
Actually it’s Carla Bley’s pop/rock album in disguise. With added Robert Wyatt and Chris Spedding.
Another thumbs up for Stormcock…or pretty much any Roy Harper, tbh…
My favourite discovery of recent years is “Clube da Esquina” by “Milton Nascimento and Lô Borges” which is the Brazilian equivalent of Blonde on Blonde apparently, and sold bucketloads in its home country – but in my parochial little world had completely passed me by. Anyway its great – perfect for a summer’s day and will impress the ladies. Here’s the opening track ….
A handful of favourites –
Alice Coltrane – Journey in Satchidananda
Miles Davis – Kind of Blue
Chuck E. Weiss – Extremely Cool
Dave Alvin – Eleven Eleven
Chuck Prophet – The Land That Time Forgot
Nala Sinephro – Endlessness
Thelonious Monk – Palo Alto
A further vote for Eleven Eleven – well worth your time and money…
And another vote and the expanded version is even better but hard to get at decent price or was when I bought it.
There are those that say The Stones Goat’s Head Soup is under appreciated and they have a point. Worth a go I’d say.
Many haven’t got beyond a few early singles and the debut is definitely a classic but check out Norman Fucking Rockwell by Lana Del Rey, one of her best and maybe overlooked by quite a few.
Heaven Or Las Vegas by the Cocteaus has their best tunes. It’s kind of magical.
Act Naturally by JJ Cale is a laid back groove, but masterful musicianship with it.
Warm Leatherette is one of Grace Jones best.
Notorious Byrd Brothers – The Byrds. Many know their hits but this is a glorious psychedelic country rock trip.
I agree with all of this. Goat is my favourite Stones.
NFR overlooked? I think it has been recognised as one of the best albums of the century so far. GHS is appreciated about right in my book 😉
Not by critics but by music fans, those for whom she may not be thought of as for them.
I alternate between Vegas and Treasure as my favourite Cocteaus album depending on mood and nostalgia (Treasure has special emotions associated with it for me).
Other suggestions – More Adventurous by Rilo Kiley
Here’s another few that you may enjoy…
Serge Gainsbourg – Histoire de Melody Nelson
A Girl Called Eddy – Been Around
Villagers – That Golden Time
Mother Earth – The People Tree
Kelly Finnigan – A Lover Was Born
As everyone in the world references the phrase ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll’, why not actually listen to a Rock ‘n’ Roll album? The Beatles did, and Bob Dylan and Jimi!
‘Johnny Burnette & The Rock ‘n’ Roll Trio’ or ‘The Chirping Crickets’ or Chuck Berry’s ‘After School Session’ say.
If this doesn’t get you moving, nothing will…
What a brilliant video too
A Pagan Place by The Waterboys
Similarly, Goodbye Jumbo by World Party.
If you love Grateful Dead – Teenage Fanclub – George Harrison – Sly & the Family Stone, you might just as well listen to last year’s Phish album »Evolve«.
That’s interesting – I shall!
No list would be complete without The Men They Couldn’t Hang and after much deliberation I’m nominating How Green Is The Valley, all decent tracks but with six standouts.
Of newer stuff, Rob Clamp and the Ashmen: Lost Soul. Also worth seeing live.
Probably too obvious but the Koln Concert by Keith Jarrett
Low/Station to Station
Sunken Condos – Donald Fagen
Record – Tracey Thorn
Secrets – Gil Scott Heron (or I’m New here if you want to be more up to date)
Sea Change by Beck