Lists. There is no escaping lists. So if you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Right?
Actually, what triggered this blog was a list of someone’s top fifty fave albums. I read it and only had TWO of the works included. Being a product of the sixties and seventies, the nineteen seventies, that is, I decided to do my own top ten album list and see where it took me.
It turned out to be harder than I thought, but not impossible. Ranking them? That is impossible. Each defines a time in my life, good or bad. So here’s my list, with some brief comments on why each album speaks to me.
Agree or disagree, it doesn’t matter. Musical taste is very personal and life is too short to squabble about it.
Madman Across the Water – Elton John (1971)
If anyone has laid down the soundtrack of my life, it has to be Elton. Every song brings back a memory, but none as sweet and soulful as those invoked by “Tiny Dancer,” the first Elton song I ever heard. Elton’s clear tenor and clean piano set the stage for a love affair that has lasted thirty-seven years.
News of the World – Queen (1977)
From the arena anthems of “We Will Rock You” and “We Are the Champions,” to the gut-wrenching love gone awry of “It’s Late,” News of the World is seamless. With less orchestration than previous albums, this album lays the groundwork for the future of Queen. News of the World sparkles, ice cold at times, as it serves up generous helping of male angst and aggression while showcasing the incredible vocals of Freddie Mercury.
Rumours – Fleetwood Mac (1977)
One of the top-selling albums of all time, worldwide, Rumours rocks with emotion. Every rocker knows the story of the group at this point (find it on Google if you don’t because I don’t have space here). It’s Stevie Nicks asking “have you any dreams you’d like to sell” that drew me in. Maybe I was out of dreams in 1977. Who knows? Rumours still plays as fresh as it did thirty-one years ago.
All the Right Reasons – Nickelback (2005)
What is it with this album? Other than Chad Kroger’s ass looks good in tight jeans, that is. I don’t know and I don’t care. I like it. My pick of the album? “The Next Contestant,” a testosterone-driven ditty with a male-to-male caveman message. I’m sure other drivers wonder why I’m grinning like a fool when it plays.
Anthology - .38 Special
It’s true. I like Southern Rock, and .38 Special are the good, the bad, and the ugly of the genre. When they miss, they miss. But when they strike, it’s like chain lightning, and it’s great. Anthology weeds out most, but not all, of the misses and allows the sparks to fall where they may.
Back in Black – AC/DC (1980)
The true definition of “edgy” to me. It’s not people my age playing songs from this on the jukebox at the bowling alley. It’s teenagers. The message doesn’t need to be put into words, although it was. “Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution, rock and roll will never die.”
Led Zeppelin II – Led Zeppelin (1970)
My introduction to FM radio came screaming out of the air from the land of the ice and snow, from the midnight sun where the hot springs blow. Zeppelin truly was the hammer of the gods to rock and roll.
In Step – Stevie Ray Vaughan (1989)
Stevie who? I’d no clue when a friend presented me with a ticket to a dual concert. Steve Ray Vaughan first, followed by Gregg Allman on the I’m No Angel tour. By the end of the SRV set, I could be ranked among his fans, and I mourned his passing.
Psycho City – Great White (1992)
Great White is a frequently bypassed band. Marred by tragedy and substance abuse, the band is no more, but to me Psycho City stands as its proudest moment. Big guitar riffs, perfectly executed piano bridges, and raspy vocals begging for love while acting the cock of the walk merge for some hard driving rock music.
Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen (1984)
Springsteen came of age with Born in the USA. He’s not been this good since. Cult artist or rock superstar, Bruce both lifted up and tore down middle-class America with the songs on this album. If you hadn’t lived it, you at least recognized it, and I bet you can still sing along to every song.
So there you have it. My top ten rock albums. If I did more than ten, I’d never get the next story written. And speaking of, I must get back to work. The words do not hit the page on their own.
Rayne
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