To really hear an artist's work, you must look past the hit singles. The entire album is worth hearing to truly get a glimpse of it all in one body of work. Here are some of the albums I am listening to this week.
Alice in Chains - Facelift(1990)
Debut album from Alice in Chains. This is also the first "grunge" record to go platinum. Released before Nirvana and Pearl Jam hit it big. This is a taste of things to come. Alice's later records are more challenging but Bleed The Freak, We Die Young and of course, Man in the Box still stand as awesome songs.
David Bowie - Station to Station (1976)
Released in 1976, between his funk and soul music-inspired Young Americans and his later Berlin trilogy albums (Low, Lodger, Heroes), this album is sort of in between those. The opening track is still one of my favorite Bowie songs and it's so haunting. His cover of Wild is The Wind is also superb. This album is hardly mentioned in respect to Bowie. I think it's one of his best, if not top 5 at least.
The Adverts - Crossing the Red Sea with the Adverts (1978)
One of the best British punk debut albums. I would rank it right there with The Clash and Ramones as far as quality songs go. Bored Teenagers and No Time To Be 21 stand as instant classics. Unfortunetly, their second album, Cast of Thousands was not as good and the band shortly broke up. Here's a clip of Bored Teenagers:
The Legends - Public Radio (2006)
Very reminiscent of early Cure singles. I was immediately floored upon hearing this. I could not find much information on this band online, but I intend to hear more from them. Ethereal, Cocteau Twins and Cure influences are everywhere, especially on tracks like Air, He Knows The Sun and today.
Dead Can Dance - Toward The Within (1994)
The last major event to happen at the Mayfair Theatre in Santa Monica, California before the Northridge Earthquake destroyed it. This is more than a live album, it's an experience. Only a handful of songs were on Dead Can Dance's previous albums. This show must be seen to be believed. It's currently available on DVD. I love the versions of Rakim, and Cantara. I Am Stretched on Your Grave is so heartbreaking and Don't Fade Away is one of the most beautiful songs ever recorded by Brendan Perry This is beauty in it's truest form.
New Order - Lowlife (1985)
New Order's third album. Many would say this is where they finally became their own band and not just fighting the demon of Ian Curtis when they were Joy Division. They still retained their previous dark sound but this album really made them superstars with more accessible pop. Perfect Kiss, Subculture, Love Vigilantes, etc.. Such great songs and I only wish this album was longer.\
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