88.5 GAAT - The Beatles, Abbey Road

Any one of the Beatles will easily make the WXPN's 885 Greatest Albums of All Time list. Well, Magical Mystery Tour might be the only exception here, but even a weak Beatles album tops out the best effort made by any other band. My guess is that the Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Revolver, and The White Album win trifecta.

Hands down, these albums were amazing productions that shaped the face of pop music for years to come. Just think of all the musicians that credit their beginnings to being transfixed by a certain album, or how entire sub genres of music were born out of one song in particular. It’s mind blowing. I dare say that Rock and Roll might never have evolved into what it is without the help of the Beatles. Typically these three albums are hailed with that sort of praise.

It seems rather pointless to vote on these records considering they will most likely make the top 100, and are not necessarily my favorite of the Beatles (albeit, they are up there). Gasp! Call me a heretic. With so many great albums to their credit, I chose to vote for something just as worthy, often sitting in the shadows of more praised. Consider this: Abbey Road.

That album cover made famous by false rumors. It showcases songwriting contributions from all four (although Lennon, and McCarthy still dominate). The flow from one track to the next is just as cohesive as Sergeant Peppers. Songs range from serious to silly; guitar driven to orchestrated. Although Let It be was the last album to be released, Abbey road was the last to be recorded. As the final product from the Fab Four, it deserves recognition.

With the advent of CD’s, MP3’s, and I Pods, you loose the concept of A-side, B-side. Digging out an older tape or record, and you’ll realize that this is an album divided. The first half moves along with some memorable songs. “Come Together,” “Something,” and “Here Comes the Sun” are probably the most well known from overplayed rotations on your typical classic rock radio station. Not to be ignored, “I Want You” and “Oh! Darling” are sung straight from the heart; you can hear it in the timbre of their voices and in the guitar riffs.

“You Never Give Me Your Money” suite, a segue of seemingly half-finished songs, fills the second side. I’ll contend that you need to listen these songs straight through in one sitting; an I Pod shuffle just doesn’t do this portion justice. I can’t believe how catchy these short musical segments are, or how much raw emotion they carry. From the raw energy of “Polythene Pam” down to the sweetness of “Golden Slumbers,” The Beatles bring you on an emotional roller coaster.

(As a side note: They Might Be Giant’s on the last track(s) of Apollo 18 is the only other recorded attempt at recreating the vibe set by Abbey Road's second half. Well, they managed in their own geek-rock style. I guess it was an art that was bound to be imitated)

The power of music is to evoke emotions and memories. Any of the Beatles’ songs do just that, but never as finely as in Abbey Road.



A review of my top 10 albums to date:

Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes
Abbey Road, The Beatles

Tags: 88.5, WXPN, The Beatles, Abbey Road, music

88.5 GAAT - Violent Femmes, Violent Femmes

Violent Femmes debut album, Violent Femmes, is a solid album, from start to finish, and I’m not sure why. There is absolutely no production value- songs have a spartan assembly of bass, acoustic, snare, and the occasional xylophone. Most of the songs are suited for open chord guitar strumming, mostly in the key of G. Lyrics are ridden with teenage angst about sex and love lost, and Gordon Gano doesn’t croon as much as whine (which seemingly fits the part).

So what makes this album stand out amongst others? Everything clicks- it has that magic; call it a busking band breakthrough. Each song consistently hits the mark. I first heard the album back in ’92. I could hardly believe it was recorded ten years earlier, as it still sounded fresh. To my ears it doesn’t sound dated, even twenty years later; then again, maybe my taste in music is frozen in the mid 90’s.

This was the first album where I learned every word to every song; the type of record to play in a car filled with your best friends, radio blasting, shouting out lyrics to “Add it Up” or “Kiss Off,” driving with no particular destination in mind. Nights where three hours spent in a Jersey diner in the middle of the night (or was it morning), nursing a cup of coffee didn’t seem unreasonable. Nights when South Street still had Zipperhead, tattoo / piercing parlors, squatters, and the streets closed for pedestrian traffic. Vintage clothes and clove cigarettes. Ah, the smell.

Senior year of high school, both the Ramones and the Violent Femmes were playing in concert the same night, but different venues. I had to pick one or the other. The one Violent Femmes album was weighed against the Ramones’ entire career. Sad to say, but the Femmes won out that duel. This is one of my shameful regrets, Joey Ramone is dead, and I’m seeing the Femmes in concert later this summer. Ah well, it was a great concert, wonder if I can still squeeze into that concert T.

Tags: 88.5, WXPN, Violent Femmes

88.5 Greatest Albums of All Time

One of my favorite radio stations, Philly’s 88.5 WXPN, is hosting the “885 Greatest Albums of All Time” contest. Rules are simple enough- vote for your top 10 albums, in order from most to least favorite. Soundtracks, compilations, and tribute albums are acceptable, whereas compilations and “the best of…” are not. Sounds easy right? We are talking the top 10 albums, as complete albums, of all time. I relate this to the question of “If you were deserted on an island with CD player in hand…” A significant question indeed!

Does one choose based on gut instinct alone, or should there be some written code to guide the entire process? Pick 10 CD’s; what would be my criteria? Every contest needs criteria; and the teacher side of me is itching to write a rubric, but I won’t. Music has a magic that can’t be quantified; there is just something special that makes me return to certain albums time and time again. I can’t put my finger on that special quality, but it is definitely there. It’s like your first kiss- maybe not the most passionate, but certainly was a memorable moment. My top choices will be based on gut instinct all the way; however, I feel the need to justify my picks. Let me at least explain some considerations that needed to be made.

First, the CD must be enjoyable in its entirety. None of this, “Well tracks 1 though 5 are great, but the last half of the album really drags.” No fast-forwarding over songs. Like a good read, the entire CD has a dramatic arc, and is probably best enjoyed in its entirety. Every song is a winner; this is what makes a top album so rare.

Second of all, it must be an album that I actually own, or have “borrowed” for an extensive period of time. I don’t think of this contest as the ‘top ten albums ever made’, as much as the ‘top ten in my own personal collection’. Sure, people might down upon me if I don’t vote Frank Sinatra, Charlie Parker, Elvis Presley, or Aretha Franklin. No doubt that they have produced some of the best albums of all time; they weren’t the albums of my time. I’m looking to create a soundtrack to my life, my top ten.

Hey, 885 albums means there is plenty of room for diversity. Having said that, I won’t hesitate to vote for more obscure albums. For example, at least a half-dozen Beatles’ album will make the 885 top albums list. Each of their albums is an amazing product, from start to finish, worthy of recognition. I know that Sergeant Pepper or Revolver will most likely be in the top 25 albums. So why not mention another Beatles’ album that might easily get overlooked. I’m propelled to pick those unsung masterpieces that deserve long-awaited praise.

In honor, I’d like to post an album a day, over the next three weeks. Each post will highlight the album, and justify its place in my top ten. In culmination, I’ll judge each of these 10 albums, and rank each from one through ten in one final post.

Tags: WXPN, 88.5, greatest albums of all time