| |
|
Music Archives:
Most Recent
| Highest
Rated | Alphabetical
| Highest Rated 2006
 1.
Bob Dylan: Blood On The Tracks (Columbia, 1975)
The beginning of the
grizzled, elder-statesman Dylan phase that's lasted until this day.
Vivid and precise in its imagery.
|
|
 2.
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (Reprise,
1979)
Neil Young's light side
(commanding, introspective folk like "Pocahontas") meets his dark shadow
(the unseemly electric sprawl of the second half). Pristine, messy and
beautiful in its sloppiness.
|
 3.
The Who: Who's Next (MCA. 1971)
These self-important mods could sometimes be insufferable, but
Who's Next
distills the band's best elements--Daltrey's ham-fisted vocals,
Townsend's concise songwriting and Moon's understated chaos--into a
masterpiece.
|
|
 4.
Kiss: Destroyer (Casablanca, 1976)
Where the music caught
up with the sheer imagination of the visual spectacle. "Detroit Rock
City," "Queen of the Nighttime World" and "God of Thunder" are
air-guitar anthems.
|
 5.
The Rolling Stones: Exile On Main Street (Virgin,
1972)
The needle-junkie's
answer to the proper Americana of Sweetheart of the Rodeo.
Helped lay the blueprint for all of country-rock -including, more's the
pity, the Eagles.
|
|
 6.
Led Zeppelin: IV (Atlantic, 1971)
Houses of the Holy
rocked harder, Physical Graffiti
had more sprawl, but IV remains
a perfect fusion of blues-rock swagger and gauzy, shimmering fantasia.
And love it or hate it (the latter, please), "Stairway to Heaven" has
changed the face of rock radio for all time.
|
 7.
Van Halen: Van Halen (Warner Bros., 1978)
The album that launched
a thousand hair-metal guitar heroes and just as many outlandish frontmen.
|
|
 8.
Pink Floyd: The Wall (Capitol, 1979)
Roger Waters' landmark
concept piece is too bleak and nakedly ambitious for some tastes. A bit
overblown, but its very excess is ultimately its greatest strength.
|
 9.
Yes: Going for the One (Atlantic, 1977)
Most critics, if they care to acknowledge Yes at all,
give the nod to Fragile
or The Yes Album. But this one
is spectral and soaring, thanks in no small part to the lush, imperial
keyboard work of returning member Rick Wakeman. "Wondrous Stories" is
simply gorgeous.
|
|
 10.
Elton John: Honky Chateau (Rocket/Island, 1972)
One of the rare
instances where Elton's over-the-top flamboyance didn't get in the way
of some unassuming and truly memorable songs.
|
| |
| Notable near misses: |
| |
- Big Star: Third/Sister Lovers (Aura, 1978)
- Black Sabbath: Black Sabbath (Warner, 1970)
- David Bowie: Low (Virgin, 1977)
- Cheap Trick: Live at Budokan (Epic, 1979)
- Alice Cooper: Welcome to My Nightmare (Atlantic,
1975)
- Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (Rykodisc, 1977)
- Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (Reprise, 1977)
- Genesis: Selling England By The Pound (Atco, 1973)
- Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (Reprise, 1974)
- Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers: Damn the Torpedoes
(MCA, 1979)
- Rush: Hemispheres (Mercury, 1978)
- Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (Columbia, 1975)
|
Site
design copyright © 2001-2007 Shaking Through.net. All original artwork,
photography and text used on this site is the sole copyright of the respective creator(s)/author(s). Reprinting, reposting, or citing any of the original
content appearing on this site without the written consent of Shaking
Through.net is strictly forbidden. Contact us at
shaking@shakingthrough.net if
you wish to use any of the material published here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
