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[Mervap]

Woodface- Crowded House

As with The Smithereens, I knew there would be a Crowded House album here on my list. The trick was finding the one I would pick to sum them up best. Their debut was an obvious choice, but when I checked the stats on number of plays, "Woodface" wins out. Nothing stands out in particular, just a startlingly high standard of songcraft, which is a Neil Finn norm. He is a master at finding the oddity in conventional pop structure.


Armchair Theatre- Jeff Lynne

Jeff Lynne has been a part of my musical life for longer than just about anyone, even The Beatles. His 70's work with ELO actually was part of my introduction to the Lads' catalog. All the interviews I read with him, he would be asked about The Beatles...and would say how great they were. This album has been a go-to cd for me when I'm a little down...it's a perfect elixir for that.


Little Queen- Heart

It's been well-documented that Ann & Nancy Wilson, leaders of Heart, set out to form a band that would be the female equivalent of Led Zeppelin. Whether or not they succeeded is a matter of opinion, I guess, but this album is pretty great in its own right. This was the first long-player that demonstrated to me that a record need not be just a collection of songs, but a suite of songs that illustrate a point or story. In my mind, that concept was a rock & roll gypsy renaissance fair. The cover spelled it out and, outside of the two singles, "Barracuda" and "Kick It Out", the rest of the tunes take one inside the idea, almost magically.

[Mervap]

War- U2

This band's first two albums, "Boy" and "October", gave hints of great potential...on "War", the hints become a torrent. This album sounded SO different from anything else I'd heard, almost as different as The Beatles did in their time, and the message was still peace. Steve Lillywhite had taken the band's sound, so round and soft on the first two albums, and sharpened it to a razor edge. They would soften that sound after this and become major stars on the world stage, but this one is a keeper for me.


Jaggedland- Marshall Crenshaw

Most of my friends know I LOVE this guy....such a great songwriter and it seems as though the world won't acknowledge the fact. He's had a number of minor hits on his own, beginning with "Someday, Someway" on his self-titled debut in 1982. He's got a small, but rabid fanbase and has continued to tour solo for years. Then, in 2009, there comes this CD: The songs are about subjects I now think about....past relationships, past events and even mortality. Marshall has aged alongside me, slightly ahead of me, and is shining a light on the things I am experiencing too. The musicianship is top-notch and the melodies are among his best ever. On a side note, Crenshaw now performs some of his live dates with another band on my list, The Bottle Rockets.

[2 of 3]

1. The White Album. 1968

What can I say. It has everything. After all these years, nothing sounds dated.
Favourite Track(s): The whole danged thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zNstFt7mYM

2. Together, Alone 1993

You can't really go wrong with any Crowded House album, as Neil Finn is just one of those guys who doesn't have a bad song in his entire repertoire. I could have gone with Woodface also, this band is just so good.
Favourite Track: Fingers Of Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM4VXZi6z1E

3. Hounds Of Love 1985

Just like when you ask a band who there biggest influence was and they all pretty much say The Beatles, if you ask every female performer in the last 30 years, their answer is  Kate Bush.  I like all her albums..even the more "out there" ones. Great stuff.
Favourite Track: Cloudbusting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pllRW9wETzw

4. Minstrel in the Gallery 1975

I'm not sure if I'm the only Jethro Tull fan who favours the acoustic tracks more than anything else..but this album has a nice mixture of acoustic/electric.
Favourite track: One White Duck / 010 = Nothing at All
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FFUA5rKwTg

5. Freedom  1989

Neil Young in fine form. Starts with Rockin in the Free Word and just gets better.
Favourite Track: Crime in the City
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJ6hmupAtIg

6. What Is Love For? 2008

Del Amitri front man Justin Currie's first solo album is possibly the greatest Breakup album ever. A bit of a downer if you can't relate..but if you can..wow. Song after song of.. "it was your fault, it was my fault, it was our fault, was it my fault?...songs.
Favourite Track: Out of My Control
http://grooveshark.com/s/Out+Of+My+Control+Album+Version/3W68T5?src=5

7. Shadows

Gordon Lightfoot again showing how brilliant a songwriter/storyteller that his is.
Favourite Track: Shadows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uGJYZYoHr8

8. The King of America

Elvis Costello. What can you say about an album of songs he wrote for other people? Who gives away songs this good? I'm not sure there is a better lyricist since he's been working.

Favourite Track: American Without Tears.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olFmIHMoYHk

9. Relayer 1974

Yes. I just love this work. Power and beauty all mashed together.
Favourite Track: well...there is only 2 songs but....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WybjHMUTFhM

10. Physical Graffiti 1975

A double album that gives the White Album some competition...just chock full of good tunes
Favourite Track: Kashmir
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfR_HWMzgyc

11. Five Days In July 1993

Canadian band Blue Rodeo with a collection that flows perfectly from start to finish.The album was recorded almost live....they recorded a bunch of demo's that they liked enough to leave alone.
Favourite Track: 5 days in May
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SAyVqlZ1h3w

12 A Swingin' Affair 1956

This is the Sinatra album I go back to again and again....just brilliant in every way.
Favourite Track: If I Had You
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOWUl3Ravf4

 

[Keri]

2. Together, Alone 1993

3. Hounds Of Love 1985

4. Minstrel in the Gallery 1975

5. Freedom  1989

9. Relayer 1974

10. Physical Graffiti 1975

Still no album overlaps but a few group overlaps. It seems there is some love for Crowded House on this forum, as I said my favourite is the last one Intriguer which has a real subtle magic in it for me. But Woodface and Together  Alone are the ones I like next best.

I really do need to get some Kate Bush again. She really left her mark as a creative artist, I should have the Kick inside, The Hounds of Love and The Dreaming.

Another Jethro Tull, nice to see, I think Ian Anderson is a much underrated songwriter, nice album, for me as well Songs from the Wood which was on my list, I'd probably rank Heavy Horses and Thick as a Brick higher, but Minstrel has a charm and to me it is like no other they produced.

Haven't heard Freedom, I used to be a big Neil Young fan, but haven't listened to him for ages, relatively recently I bought After the Goldrush again which has a very gentle vibe but really beautiful, so my favourite of his also got the compilation Decade, which has got some good stuff on.

Another Yes album hurrah! I'm a huge Yes fan but funnily enough Relayer is just too chaotic and discordant for me of the main sequence 70's albums it is my least favourite, it has some beautiful moments though.

Physical Graffiti the first Zeppelin album on a list. I also recently bought this again, this an 4 are the only two full albums I have got of theirs now, I'm seeing if they work their way back into my heart, but I did enjoy listening to it, a monumental album.

Thanks for sharing your list.

[2 of 3]

I know it's only 12...and since Crowded House is well represented, I'd still like to add Try Whistling This to my almost made it list. So good also.

[DazedOblivion]

Very interesting to read your selections. These are 12 of my favorites off the top of my head.

Revolver - Beatles
Desperado - Eagles
Rubber Soul - Beatles
Help! - Beatles
City to City - Gerry Rafferty
Honeyburst - Tim Christensen
Son of a Plumber - Per Gessle
Forgiven Not Forgotten - The Corrs
Out of the Blue - Electric Light Orchestra
Everyone Is Here - Finn Brothers
Rumours - Fleetwood Mac
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Simon & Garfunkel

[2 of 3]

Wow...interesting to see HELP on your list. Which release were you referring to? I mean, I really like the album too...but the North American release is half instrumental music from the movie.

On another note though....there sure is some Finn love on this board. 

[kylenz]

y'know, i almost feel like a traitor on this board, coming from new zealand but not the same amount of love for the finns as other members here. i love split enz, like (but not love) the crowded houses singles, and none of the albums have ever grabbed me all the way through. the finn brother collaboration albums i also had on cd (finn and everyone is here) but found myself liking (and not loving) a couple of the songs but the rest go nowhere for me.

no doubt the finn brothers are easily the 2 best songwriters to ever come from new zealand but i can only ever feel lukewarm about crowded house. i actually prefer tim finns solo stuff over any crowded house - songs like no thunder no fire no rain, fraction too much friction, through the years, staring at the embers, parihaka, howm i gonna sleep.. all very good singles..

[Mervap]

i almost feel like a traitor on this board, coming from new zealand but not the same amount of love for the finns as other members here.

No worries...it takes all kinds to make the world go 'round.

[Keri]

y'know, i almost feel like a traitor on this board, coming from new zealand but not the same amount of love for the finns as other members here. i love split enz, like (but not love) the crowded houses singles...

... i actually prefer tim finns solo stuff over any crowded house ...

Well I'm also from New Zealand and didn't put any of their albums in my favourites, but I've got all the Split Enz, Crowded House, and nearly all of Tim and Neil's solo and collaborations. They feel like a part of me.

The world fell in love with Crowded House, but I didn't like them as much as Split Enz & I was sad they broke up, the first two albums have never done much for me. Woodface was the first i really liked, because I too had a thing for Tim. Tim's Imaginary Kingdom I love all the way through. Intriguer was the first Neil/Crowded House album that really made me go wow, I got his new solo album, I think it's going to grow on Me. So my favourites from their catalogue are:

Split Enz
Mental Notes
Dizrhytmia
True Colours
Time and Tide

Crowded House/Neil Finn
Woodface
Together Alone (Almost, I feel like I may come to love it)
Intriguer
Dizzy Heights (Maybe)

Tim Finn
Imaginary Kingdom
The Conversation (maybe another almost)

Finn Brothers
Everyone is Here

[Keri]

I now have reviews of my 3 favourite pop rock albums from my list up on my music blog:

http://kerismusic.blogspot.co.nz/

[DazedOblivion]

Wow...interesting to see HELP on your list. Which release were you referring to? I mean, I really like the album too...but the North American release is half instrumental music from the movie.

Yes, I was referring to the UK release - such amazing songs on there. "The Night Before" is a real feel-good song for me - I've always been partial to it (along with the other obvious classics)

[2 of 3]

Yeah, I've always admired Paul's vocal on The Night Before. It's almost a Kansas City type vocal on a song that isn't really a rocker. He just rips the high parts. Great stuff.