Pearl Jam Twenty might be the soundtrack to Cameron Crowe's documentary, but the two-disc set also stands on its own as a look into the band's lengthy career. The first half consists of live material. Some of this stuff goes way back, like the version of "Alive" recorded in 1990, when the band still went by the name Mookie Blaylock. There's also a cover of Mother Love Bone's "Crown of Thorns." It's the second disc that has the real gems, a smattering of demos from the early '90s that reflect the significant amount of overlap that existed between Temple Of The Dog and an early Pearl Jam.
This is easily the band's most powerful, cohesive album from its indie days. R.E.M.'s first few records demonstrated they had their own sound; this one proved they could ride that sound anywhere they felt like. Peter Buck's unforgettable guitar licks drive Michael Stipe's otherworldly voice deeper into that mystery he always sounds seconds away from revealing, then Mike Mills distracts you with an unexpected harmony and everything starts all over again, only better. Every track's such a stunner that listening straight through will leave you breathless.
Three years before The Runaways became the little foxes of hard rock, Suzi Quatro released her debut album, a mind-blowing mix of glam and (proto) punk sass that profoundly influenced Joan, Cherie, Lita, Sandy and Jackie. This record rules. Every tune is a metallic banger, throwing its weight around with all the middle-finger authority of Slade, Sweet and Mud. What ultimately pushes Suzi Quatro over the top is its funkiness. Yes, the riffs are, uh, balls to the wall. But it's the grooves that will have your rump doing counter-clockwise gyrations that feel good and perverse, simultaneously.
In October 1968, The Jimi Hendrix Experience headed to San Francisco and occupied the famed Winterland Ballroom for six performances over three consecutive nights. The shows took place days before the release of Electric Ladyland, meaning the band was at the very top of its game. Of course, four discs is a lot of acid rock to wade through, yet they contain many sublime moments. The nervy version of "Sunshine of Your Love" on disc 3 is a real wanderer. Another powerfully manic jam is "Killing Floor," a cover of the Howlin' Wolf tune featuring The Jefferson Airplane's Jack Casady on bass.
Though Kaleidoscope was never anything more than a cult entity in the mid-'60s, their influence on the development of psychedelic rock and early world music cannot be overestimated. Following up on fellow Angelenos The Byrds' raga-flavored "Eight Miles High," Kaleidoscope's excellent debut album Side Trips, released in 1967, found them diving deep into the blend of global sounds, sonic experimentation and multi-layered harmonies. With their uncanny ability for fusing disparate folk traditions, Kaleidoscope were more or less the American version of the Incredible String Band.
In Concert At Pacoima Jr. High, released in the wake of Valens' 1959 death, is a wonderfully odd product of early rock 'n' roll frenzy. It opens with an intensely earnest introduction from manager Bob Keane. In addition to thanking fans for their continued loyalty, he explains the mishmash nature of the album: four raw live tracks, recorded at his client's former junior high no less, plus a smattering of outtakes and alternative versions. The music is, of course, fantastic. Much is made about the mythology surrounding Valens' demise, but setting that aside, the guy flat-out rocked.
By 1978, the Stones had sunk into such self-parody that another album could only be viewed as an exercise in cynicism. But Some Girls astounded the world as one their very best records. From the disco sleaze of "Miss You" to Keith's high-water mark, "Before They Make Me Run," and the punk-dumb gem "Shattered," this is one of those records you need.
Their ubiquity on classic rock radio has diminished the impact of Jethro Tull's music, but their 1971 breakout still stands as a marvel. Singer/songwriter/flautist/bandleader Ian Anderson had settled on an oblique-yet-evocative voice, lead guitarist Martin Barre peeled off roaring licks and the overall mix of hard rock, acoustic folk and that pastoral flute mesmerized listeners on both sides of the pond. The opening title song is, of course, the band's most famous, but its worth it to sit with the entire album from start to finish to really absorb Anderson's lyrical themes.
One of the alternative nation's defining hits of the 1990s, Achtung Baby was U2's first foray into post-modern European pop, neo-Krautrock and Madchester-inspired club grooves. At the time, songs such as "Zoo Station" and the inscrutable lead single "The Fly" represented the most experimental music U2 had ever produced. At the same time, "One" -- which just might be the band's finest romantic ballad -- proved they could still achieve a Joshua Tree-style sublimity. This 20th anniversary edition contains a second disc of remixes and b-sides, including a cover of the CCR chestnut "Fortunate Son."
Dylan's archival train keeps a-chugging. Brandeis University 1963, recorded weeks before the release of The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan, isn't a historical landmark, but a glimpse into Dylan's stage persona and set list during his transition from interpreter to songwriter. He's already a master troubadour. One minute Dylan tickles nervous funny bones with "Talkin' John Birch Paranoid Blues"; the next he plunges a dagger into our collective conscience while retelling the "Ballad of Hollis Brown." Later on, he turns Old Testament: "And I'll stand o'er your grave/ 'Til I'm sure that you're dead."
Peter Tosh broke free from Bob Marley and the Wailers in 1974-75; by 1976 he released Legalize It and guaranteed himself reggae superstardom. It's a classic album, filled with smoky rhythms, subtle politics and some surprisingly playful love songs. Check the title track, "Why Must I Cry" (co-written with Marley) and "Ketchy Shuby."
Queen's second record may not have the immediately identifiable hits their later albums drip with, but that does nothing to diminish its overall power and importance to their catalog. Staking out some no-man's land between prog rock, glam and heavy metal, Queen II is as different from what people were doing in 1974 as everything the band did in the '70s. The guitars, of course, always sound amazing, but two minutes into "Father To Son," Brian May's supercharged Fender positively roars, with a brutal majesty no one can even imitate. "Ogre Battle" is another highlight.
Neil Diamond spent so much time being considered unhip that by the 2000s he went back to being the coolest man on the planet. While our bedazzled hero has had a fine career, complete with a Rick Rueben produced critical resurgence, these breakout '60s singles and album cuts are among the most liberating and joyous of his vast output. So, start clapping your hand and singing along to “Cherry, Cherry,” “I’m A Believer” and “Kentucky Woman.” Of course, you also get the intense, existential Neil Diamond with the brilliant “Solitary Man” and the devoted lover boy with “Red, Red Wine.” Just, please remember to lock up your daughters when Dangerous Neil starts crooning “Girl, You’ll Be A Woman Soon.”
The title cut is the closest Aerosmith ever got to sounding as safe and smart as Cheap Trick, but they're still the types of dudes you don't want smoking pot with your little sister. "No More No More" rules and there's nothing in rock music like the first couple minutes of "Sweet Emotion." That and "Walk This Way" show the band becoming increasingly interested in funk.
With a band as deep in the classic rock pocket as ZZ Top, you'd think you'd want a live album from 1975 or 1976, but in 1980 ZZ Top were touring in support of Degüello, which is easily one of their 10 best records and a major landmark in guitar-tastic rock music. This set finds the ferocious trio burning the joint down with almost all the songs you need from that album (no "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide") and a positively gut-punching churn through "Precious and Grace." "Manic Mechanic" sounds incredible and, of course, the "La Grange/Sloppy Drunk/Bar-B-Q" medley is a showstopper.
When Kurt Cobain, Krist Novoselic, Dave Grohl and producer Butch Vig bridged self-deprecating indie rock and embittered punk in 1991, they didn't expect to revolutionize pop music. The anarchic adrenaline of "Smells Like Teen Spirit" and "Breed," the sinister sneer of "Come as You Are" and "Lithium," Cobain's palpable pain in "Something in the Way" -- it all hit the sweet spot of a young and restless Generation X. This 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition includes B-sides, live cuts, early Smart Studios recordings and a surprisingly listenable set of tracks recorded on a boombox.
Containing in excess of 100 tracks, Clarke, Hicks & Nash Years is too much Hollies for the casual oldies fan looking to groove to "Bus Stop" or "Carrie Anne" on occasion. But for those Anglophiles whose British Invasion craving knows no satiety, this massive six-disc set is a needed slice of cultural fix. The first couple discs, on which the group sound like The Fabs, Jr., are nice, but it is discs five and six, spotlighting The Hollies' excellent forays into mid-1960s psychedelic pop, that really stand out. "Everything is Sunshine" sounds like 21st-century twee pop.
Discovery is basically Oh, by the Way 2.0: a massive box set that contains all 14 of Pink Floyd's studio albums. This time around, however, it's the 2011 remasters that are showcased. These have been released individually as well, but true Pink Floyd fans will want to press play and take the complete journey, during which they'll witness the radical (and long) evolution of their heroes totally uninterrupted.
Jailbreak is the record for which Thin Lizzy is best remembered. Packed from top to bottom with songs that became radio hits (and still see constant airtime in classic rock formats), Phil Lynott was at the peak of his powers as a songwriter, guitarist and arranger. "Cowboy Song" is awesome, and that Thin Lizzy twin guitar sound is all over the place.
What makes Dog Man Star such a deliciously maddening experience is the way it dances oh so lasciviously across a razor-thin tightrope strung between wild genius and bloated absurdity. Pop stars who could record whatever they wanted by '94, The London Suede broke the bank and created a sprawling and dense orchestral rock epic that ultimately shares more in common with David Sylvian, Scott Walker and Talk Talk than whatever Fab Four clones the NME was freaking for at the time. It really is an amazing record; one could listen to it a million times and still find new sonic details to explore.
In 1980, Paul was paroled from a Japanese prison, sacked Wings, bought a bank of synths and self-recorded this, one of the weirdest, most eccentric hit albums of all time. It seems like the always sonically experimental Paul was getting into Kraftwerk and synth pop, coming out with bizarre numbers like "Frozen Jap" "Temporary Secretary" and "Front Parlour" to feed his drug-bust bad vibes into. If your looking for actual songs, "Waterfall" and "One of These Days" are lovely odes to Paul's increasing isolation, while "Coming Up" is an unstoppable disco-rocker (a juiced up concert version was released as a single and returned Macca to the top spot on the singles charts).
Released in 1972, two years after Jimi Hendrix's death, In the West is a fine collection of live recordings that date from 1969 and '70. This was a period of personnel transition for the guitarist. The original Experience appears on just three tracks: "Voodoo Child (Slight Return)," "Little Wing" and "Red House." For the rest, his old pal Billy Cox has replaced original bassist Noel Redding. The music is excellent all around, particularly the stretch between "I Don't Live Today" and "Spanish Castle Magic." It probably goes without saying, Hendrix totally tears it up on these jams.
Classic rock radio may have squeezed this one drier than dry, but Dark Side remains an unparalleled achievement (the anal retentive masterpiece was on the charts for more than 24 years). Chances are you know every song on here, and with good reason. For one thing, the floating, super slo-mo "Breathe" just never gets old. This 2011 remaster offers a whole new generation of teens a psychedelic soundtrack to their newfound parental disobedience.
Floyd continued to peak with this '75 release, featuring the majestic, glittering ode to fallen member Syd Barrett that opens the set and runs nearly 15 minutes. The album closes with a variation on the same theme. In between you'll find nothing short of rock radio genius: three mid-length tunes you can and probably will be singing till the day you die.
The five-disc Smile Sessions works better than any of Brian Wilson's stabs at finishing this lost masterpiece (particularly the 2004 version). This mainly has to do with how experimental pop unfolded over the past five decades. Though unintentional, the music's skeletal nature turned out to be wildly prescient in how it predated the psychedelic deconstruction central to modern lo-fi, electronic pop and ambient-based rock. It's a crazy thought, but had Wilson actually completed Smile in '67, it might have aged about as well as its counterpart Sgt. Pepper, which sounds awfully dated nowadays.
Essential is a decent introduction for those who have never been exposed to Roxy Music, arguably the greatest art-rock band of all time. The first half of the collection's 16 tracks was culled from the group's first four albums; these comprise what is generally considered their golden period. The second half is an overview of the band's uneven transition into new wave and disco pop. Fans of Roxy's older music are on the fence about this stuff, yet it possesses its own special charms. To hear just how gloriously frantic these guys were on stage, check out the live version of "Do the Strand."
Like Cheap Trick, Material Issue hailed from the Windy City, and also like Robin, Rick, Tom and Bun E., the trio blurred the lines between power pop, classic rock and new wave. Case in point: International Pop Overthrow, Material Issue's wonderfully catchy debut, would've been a Shindig! fave in the mid '60s, but when released in 1991, the lead single "Valerie Loves Me" became an alternative smash on 120 Minutes. The band would be searching for that next hit the rest of its career.
Neil's music, going all the way back to the iconic Harvest, had always contained a pungent whiff of country music. But in the mid-1980s he made the conscious effort to morph into a Nashville crooner. In addition to dropping Old Ways, an album featuring both Waylon and Willie, he assembled the International Harvesters, a backing band of Southern session legends, including pianist Spooner Oldham, and toured the nation. A Treasure collects some of the best recordings from these jaunts, and it is a must-hear for any serious fan of Neil Young or the intersection of country and rock 'n' roll.
While the rest of Britain were filling out dancefloors doing the Madchester cigarette dance, Suede (or London Suede in America) brought Britpop to the forefront with three-minute choons and Bowie-esque foppery. Though several songs ("Metal Mickey," "Animal Nitrate," and "The Drowners") were already popular U.K. singles, Suede rang in a new era with its sexually ambiguous cover -- coupled with singer Brett Anderson's renowned "bisexuality" -- and glammy guitar-rock. While Oasis and Blur would become Britpop's biggest, they both owe Suede a pint for starting it all here.
A 1971 masterpiece, What's Going On's influence has endured since its release. A concept album that explores social problems and human relationships, the album paradoxically spawned three No. 1 hits and has never ceased influencing Soul. Gaye is in fine form, and songs such as the title track and "Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)" are part of America's cultural fabric.
To say this sequel to Europe '72, released four decades later, is long overdue is a grand understatement. Though its predecessor is a triple-disc set, Vol. 2 proves the band's vaults were by no means exhausted. And thanks to producer David Lemieux, the recordings stashed therein now sound excellent. Treats abound, but the standouts on disc one are inspired versions of the Jerry Garcia ballads "Loser" and "Sugaree." On the second disc, The Dead go deep with an exceptionally focused take on the "Dark Star" to "Drums" to "The Other One" triumvirate. This alone breaks the 50-minute mark!
In the early '80s Richard and Linda Thompson were working without a record label. Though the duo had released some of the very best rock music of the previous decade, they weren't considered terribly hip and marketable in the age of punk and new wave. Richard, to earn some extra scratch, recorded this collection of get-back-to-my-roots British and Celtic folk instrumentals. It's an enjoyable and lively album, though it quickly became something of a historical footnote after the duo released Shoot Out the Lights, one of the greatest records in all of rock history, the following year.
For 1970's Stormbringer!, John and Beverley Martyn made the requisite hippie pilgrimage to Woodstock to record with the Big Pink scene: Levon Helm, Paul Harris, John Simon, et al. Because the Martyns as musicians possessed such powerful personalities, the record doesn't sound like your typical back-to-country effort from the early '70s. The bulk of it -- including the title track and "The Ocean," both of which are gorgeous -- floats through time cloaked in soft strings and phantom textures. Another keeper is "Traffic-Light Lady," one of the more touching tunes the duo ever committed to tape.
From Steve Tyler's first shriek to Joe Perry's muted, hard funk guitars, "Back In the Saddle" is one of the band's weirdest, best numbers. They keep up the eccentric pace with the sleazy robot of "Last Child" (how'd they do that anyway? Even Bowie can't make robots sleazy), proving that Rocks is one of those albums where you can feel a band hitting their stride.
This recording of Franklin's performance at a National Association of Radio and Television Announcers event in Philly showcases her vast and varied gifts. She pulls a soulfulness out of her piano-playing that almost rivals her vocal skill. She whips through her hits and classics at lightning speed without sacrificing the tiniest bit of nuance or vocal dexterity. And then, starting with her cover of Nina Simone's "Young, Gifted and Black," she finally slows things down, stretching and shaping the last five songs into funk-fortified soul symphonies across which her voice luxuriates.
Probably the most (justifiably) celebrated Krautrock album of all time, Tago Mago represents the apex of Can's powers. Accentuating the "mental" in "experimental, our heroes bend space and time with ample help from innovative tape loop manipulation, inverted bastardized grooves, astral guitar layers and Damo Suzuki at his peak - singing with a lazy haze of cohesive cool on parts of "Mushroom," and violently convulsing with lyrical outbursts of amazing incoherence on "Peking O." Calling this album "ahead of its time" is a well-meant injustice.
