LEGEND Your Song of the Day

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Prime Time

Prime Time

PT
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Continuing on with my favorite albums of all time, although it should have its own thread but I'm too lazy right now to start another one, here are #'s 11-15 -

#11 - Aja - Steely Dan

Steely Dan, due to their pristine productions and obsessive-compulsive drive towards perfection, are criticized by some as being too clean and maybe even sterile in their sound. But many in the music industry use their recordings to equalize their recording studios. "If the speakers sound good while playing a Steely Dan song then we're ready to roll."

Steely Dan is a rock band that leans towards jazz. "Aja" is a superb example of that. The best rock and jazz musicians were hired to aid Donald Fagen and Walter Becker's vision and they hit a home run with it. There are only 7 songs and they are all my favorites but I'll give you my top song on that album - "Deacon Blues." Check out these lyrics -

"I'll learn to work the saxophone
I'll play just what I feel
Drink Scotch whisky all night long
And die behind the wheel
They got a name for the winners in the world
I want a name when I lose
They call Alabama the Crimson Tide
Call me Deacon Blues"


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4d8XrDyArE


#12 - Frampton's Camel - Peter Frampton

Peter Frampton was once a rising-star guitar player while a member of Humple Pie. He went solo, did a ridiculous Rolling Stone cover, and was thereafter labeled as a pretty boy. In other words he lost his street cred for awhile. The fact is that Frampton, who was mentored by David Bowie, is one heck of a guitar player.

This album showcases his superb sound and jazz/rock leanings, great voice, as well as his ability to craft catchy tunes.

Favorites: "I Got My Eyes On You," "All Night Long," and "Lines On My Face."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJbOOlX5qGQ


#13 - Twice Removed from Yesterday - Robin Trower

Trower, once the guitarist for Procol Harum, struck out as a solo artist with this album produced by Matthew Fisher who was also a member of Procol Harum. Haunting and dreamy are the best words I can come up with for this album. Excellent vocals by James Dewar. Trower was a Hendrix acolyte and played the same white Fender Stratocaster but came up with a style all his own

Favorites: "I Can't Wait Much Longer," "Daydream" and "Hannah."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOOPXHiuk08


#14 - Court and Spark - Joni Mitchell

My ex-wife turned me on to Joni's music and we got to see her live playing many of the songs on this album. Mitchell is known primarily as a singer/songwriter but she has some serious chops on guitar as well as piano.

This album is chock full of great songs.

Favorites: "Help Me," "Free Man In Paris," and "Just Like This Train."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YgE6lDYz7I0


#15 - The Completion Backward Principle - The Tubes

Got to see this band many times including once at a high school where only about 20 of us showed up. This is right after their aptly titled 'Love Bomb' album completely bombed. The Tubes put on a show like no other band complete with strippers, high-wire acrobats, midgets, and whatever else they could think of.

They were never the best singers or musicians but this album has many catchy tunes.

Favorites: "Talk to Ya Later," "Sushi Girl," "Amnesia," "Mr. Hate," "Power Tools," and "Let's Make Some Noise."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r57OrW1yz00


 
CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey

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Good picks, PT. I have never thought about making a top 10/20 list. I have so many favorites it would be like picking my favorite child. Also, it depends on my mood at the time as to what I'm digging most at the moment. People were talking about albums that when their dad played, you knew he was in a good mood. This was one of those for me.

 
CodeMonkey

CodeMonkey

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Playing pool the other night one of the guys said he had never listened to Styx very much and challenged us all to play our favorite Styx numbers for him. We didnt realize how many favorites we all had until we started reeling them out. They have bunch of good tunes and at their height were just about THE BAND to see. This clip is from a recent live performance in St. Louis.

 
thirteen28

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I wish I could find the live version of this in a single video. Two will have to do for now:



Studio version of the same if you prefer uninterrupted:
 
Prime Time

Prime Time

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Favorite albums: #'s 16-20

#16 - Disraeli Gears - Cream

While not a fan of the wah-wah pedal, the tone and style of Eric Clapton's Gibson SG was very influential on my guitar playing as a young man. The album was produced by Felix Pappalardi who went on to fame as the bass player for the band Mountain. Along with guitarist Leslie West they had one huge hit 'Mississippi Queen.' Felix, another rock and roll casualty, was shot to death by his wife.

Cream was the beginning of the "super groups." With Clapton on guitar, Jack Bruce on bass, and Ginger Baker on drums they made some serious noise and left behind many cool songs.

Favorites: "Strange Brew," "Sunshine of Your Love," "Outside Woman Blues.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ig4IJgRjGU


#17 - Electric Ladyland - Jimi Hendrix

My parents actually bought this album for me. Had they seen the original cover and listened to it first that wouldn't have happened. :sneaky:

Jimi got the people around him so mad while working on this record that most of them quit and he ended up producing it himself. I'm guessing that was his plan. Bass player Noel Redding later recalled: "There were tons of people in the studio; you couldn't move. It was a party, not a session."

Favorites: "Have You Ever Been To Electric Ladyland," "Crosstown Traffic," "Voodoo Chile," "All Along the Watchtower."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KngOuqUm-mQ


#18 - Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd

I had just bought my first house and the wife had me painting the kitchen and the living room. There was no furniture in the house but I brought my record player and this album which I had just purchased. Somewhere between a bottle of Korbel brandy and the paint fumes, my brain cells absorbed the music and imprinted the songs permanently.

Favorites: "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," "Wish You Were Here," "Have a Cigar."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMr3KtYUCcI


#19 - Hysteria - Def Leppard

Produced by control freak(and I say that with all respect) Mutt Lange, this album crafted hard rock with melody, harmony, and precision. Mutt later went on to marry and divorce Shania Twaine. Bad Mutt Bad. Why mention Mutt Lange at all? Because he's one of those producers who leaves his fingerprints all over every album he produces. Without him there is no Hysteria. Check out some of his credits:

Favorites: "Rocket," "Love Bites," Armageddon It," "Hysteria."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jaiaaar88EM


#20 - Skylarking - XTC

What a wonderful collection of pop songs. XTC wrenched their fans from punk to pop and it worked out well for them. Andy Partridge, a type of Brian Wilson character due to his stage fright and hatred for the media, is underrated as a songwriter and singer.

Favorites: "The Man Who Sailed Around His Soul," "Big Day," "Earn Enough for Us," "Summer's Cauldron/Grass."


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYbGugKvy1o
 
Alan

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Prime Time changing the rules:
Steely Dan, due to their pristine productions and obsessive-compulsive drive towards perfection, are criticized by some as being too clean and maybe even sterile in their sound. But many in the music industry use their recordings to equalize their recording studios. "If the speakers sound good while playing a Steely Dan song then we're ready to roll."
Click to expand...
While stationed at Edwards, AFB, I worked part time at a stereo store called TriStar Stereo in Lancaster, CA. I did warranty repair work on all the stereo equipment. One of the Manufacturers was JBL and because I was one of their "employees" I was able to purchase their speakers at only 55% of retail. In addition to that perk JBL allowed me to buy a set of their 4315B studio monitors that they normally only sold to studios. I'm still enjoying the incredible sound they produce, although the woofers have understandably lost some of their tightness due to a slight deterioration of the materials. Unlike all the Japanese speakers (and most other manufacturers) their studio monitors produced an extremely flat sound with no emphasis on any of the frequencies. Every record I played on my Conrad Johnson turntable sounded exactly like the group intended. I had to set up a small anechoic chamber in a tiny bedroom using special wall tiles, furnishings and my DBX Dual Graphic Equalizer. There was only room for my stereo equipment, my speakers, two bean bag chairs and me plus either my wife or a friend. Heaven.

I know, pretty geeky eh? :LOL:

I'm glad you decided to up the stakes with 11-20 PT. (y) You and I are probably two of the few who are familiar with the Tubes. :)
 
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