"The Rules: Don't take too long to think about it. Fifteen albums you've heard that will always stick with you. List the first fifteen you can recall in no more than fifteen minutes. Tag fifteen friends..."I approached it as a "desert island" list, as in I have 15 minutes to choose 15 albums, which would be my only musical entertainment for an undetermined amount of time. Of course, at first I didn't think too much about why I chose the following albums, but now that I have some time to ponder my decisions, allow me to explain.
Barenaked Ladies - Gordon
Whenever I am down, this goofy, whimsical and yet highly intelligent debut album always manages to cheer me up. In the days of garage bands and grunge, BNL completely bucked the trend with clean, mostly acoustic, instruments and an old-timey feel.
Dave Matthews Band - Under the Table and Dreaming
DMB spent a lot of time playing live shows before releasing this, their first full-length album. Thus both this and the follow-up album "Crash" were compilations of songs that they had honed to perfection, then recorded with very close attention to detail. Yes; their newer material is mostly boring and formulaic, but this album is a reminder that it wasn't always so.
Rush - Moving Pictures
Anyone who knows anything about classic rock knows this album. From a technical standpoint, it is almost unrivaled, and yet it is extremely catchy and accessible at the same time. If any of you are sitting on the fence as to whether or not you like Rush, then this album might sway your opinion in a positive way.
Vampire Weekend - eponymous
The indie pop album of the 00's, in my opinion. Catchy as a wall of Velcro. Serious talent not taking itself too seriously. As far as I'm concerned, only two albums of white guys playing African pop music have been worthy of praise. This is one of them, and the other is...
Paul Simon - Graceland
This one also has real African musicians too. Again, it's mostly lighthearted and fun, dipping into bits of seriousness for (thankfully) short times. The 80's synth pop influences add to the quirky atmosphere. At the same time, it remains accessible to nearly everyone from age 0 to 100. No one ever got fired for buying a Paul Simon album.
Peter Gabriel - So
This was one of the hardest choices. I knew I needed one 1980's recording studio masterpiece. Other contenders included Dire Straits' "Brothers in Arms", Kate Bush's "Hound of Love" and U2's "The Joshua Tree", but this one stood out by being the most inventive while remaining largely accessible.
Furnaceface - Just Buy It
My early 1990's vintage cassette tape of this album lasted through a good thousand plays (no exaggeration), then finally perished recently in a flooded basement. A friend promptly found a used CD on eBay and sent it to me as a gift. Two decades later, the punk-funk fusion still sounds fresh, and the socially and politically-conscious humour in the lyrics is still as relevant as ever.
Rancid - ...And Out Come the Wolves
"As wicked as it may seem; as wicked as anything could be." Sure, it's not as groundbreaking as the likes of Operation Ivy, Dead Kennedys, or insert-your-favourite-old-punk-rock-band-here. However, musically, lyrically and sonically, this album is nigh perfect. There is not even a trace of filler. There are even a few surprises throughout, such as bongos and a bass solo, and oddly enough, these actually strengthen the material.
Fatboy Slim - You've Come a Long Way Baby
If you don't catch yourself tapping your fingers or otherwise moving some body part in time with the throbbing, fantastical melee of sampled beats on this album, then there's something seriously wrong with you! This one has something for every kind of electronic music afficionado: big beat, hip-hop, house, techno, acid jazz and even a hint of drum n bass.
Metallica - Master of Puppets
I knew I had to choose one classic Metallica album. It's just really difficult to choose only one album from an entire decade of stellar releases.
Tragically Hip - Fully Completely
Love 'em or hate 'em (I happen to take the former side), The Hip are an integral part of Canada, and this album is a shining example. Deeply meaningful lyrics, hard rocking arrangements, and just the right amount of wheat and hockey to keep canucks like me satisfied.
King Crimson - Discipline
It's one thing to push the boundaries of musical arrangement, and quite another to push the boundaries of technical ability at the same time. But the real accomplishment here was in knowing exactly where to set the limits, and thus make the listening experience extremely enjoyable. In my opinion, no progressive rock release before or since this album has been comparable.
Lowest of the Low - Shakespeare My Butt
It is possible to have both quantity and quality, while keeping things simple and straightforward. This collection of folk-infused rock gems is a perfect example. It's a pity that the wheels started to come loose after the first full-length album, but it was an enjoyable ride while it lasted!
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Arguably the best album from the best era of rock. "I'm in the high fidelity, first class traveling set." 'Nuff said.
Radiohead - OK Computer
Seemingly boundless in its pomposity, melodrama, cynicism and overproduction. And that's just the artwork on the CD insert! This is the musical equivalent of heavy narcotics: it will likely fuck one's mind up beyond all recognition, and yet one will immensely enjoy the experience and long for more.
