Top Rock / Alt-Rock Artists and Bands - The Reviews

As promised, my first foray into reviewing artists and bands of every genre in pop music. After spending the bulk of the last ten years writing about politics, I thought it'd be a nice change of pace to get back to my first love. I haven't given up on politics, mind you, but let's just say I'm looking for a more constructive release of my energies.

Now before I go any further, it's worth noting that these are going to be critical reviews of each artist and band. If you're looking for non-critical reviews, I suggest you try Wikipedia. The opinions expressed here are my strictly my own and you are more than free to do with them as you will.

As one of my Facebook friends pointed out when he called me Peter Christgau, I've definitely been influenced by Robert Christgau. And with good reason. The former Village Voice critic practically wrote the book on rock criticism, so why reinvent the wheel? Still, since Christgau has never actually reviewed artists and bands, preferring instead to review their individual albums, this is new ground, as far as I'm concerned.

So what are the parameters? Well for starters, I have decided to break down the genres into four main groups: rock/alt-rock, R&B/funk, country/alt-country and jazz/fusion. While I do have some rap and hip-hop artists in my collection, I do not have enough to render a definitive opinion on any of them. Hence, they will not be included. I should also point out that I have a bias against progressive rock and heavy metal and have thus decided to omit any bands that fall into those sub-genres. I may make an exception for Yes and Rush if I have the time. 

No artist or band was reviewed without at least two albums worth of music from which to render an objective assessment. Rest assured, with over 1,500 CDs and almost as many LPs in my collection, if it made the cut, it belonged here.

The grades: Like Christgau, I rate in letters from A plus to D. No one got an E or an F. See below for a legend.

A plus: These are artists or bands who are so integral to their respective genres that if you omitted them the house of cards would fall in on itself. Pure greatness.

A: These are essential artists or bands that over the years have brought consistent satisfaction to countless millions of listeners and have produced many outstanding and consistent albums.

A minus: Solid to very good artists or bands that have made several outstanding albums but have produced many more that are just very good.

B plus: These are artists or bands that are quite good but not excellent and whose work reflects that. They can also be artists or bands that have one or two outstanding albums but have basically underachieved throughout most of their careers.

B: These are average artists or bands that on occasion surprise but more often than not underperform.

B minus: Below average and borderline mediocre artists or bands that rarely hit the mark.

C plus: These are overrated and borderline pretentious artists or bands that may have a particular following but never come close to hitting their stride.

C: Pretentious and overbearing artists or bands that at times are painful to listen to, but may have a hit or two on an otherwise innocuous greatest hits album.

D: Proof positive that hell exists.

So who goes first? Since I have more rock artists and bands in my collection, it was only natural I start with this genre. There's no particular order here; I went with whatever popped into my head first. After the review, I will list the two best albums of each artist or band followed by the overall grade.

Assuming the motivation is there, I'll do between 10 to 15 reviews per post and at least three posts per month. At that rate, it should take me about a year and a half to get through most of my collection. As you can see I'm not in any hurry. The objective here is to have fun.

So, without further ado,

ROCK/ALT-ROCK

The Stooges: 

Along with the MC5, they were the inventors of punk rock. Raw, unleashed and untamed, they were a cross between the Sex Pistols and the Ramones years before either existed. At a time when most rock bands opted for the big arenas - see Led Zeppelin - their audience was smaller and far more concentrated. The Stooges, Fun House. Grade: A minus.

The Rolling Stones: 

To refer to them as the greatest rock and roll band of all time would be like referring to the Atlantic ocean as wet. It goes without saying. Apart from Their Satanic Majesties Request and Goats Head Soup, their entire '60s and '70s catalogue would be the envy of any band. Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street. Grade: A plus.

The Kinks: 

The most underrated rock band of the '60s would end up being the most disappointing rock band of the '70s. Though not in the same class as Lennon/McCartney or Jagger/Richards, Ray Davies was nevertheless an accomplished writer who always managed to get the most out of his talents, such as they were, until they eventually dried up on him. Face to Face, Arthur. Grade B plus.

The Beach Boys: 

Contrary to popular opinion - and myth - Pet Sounds was not a great album, no matter how long Brian Wilson locked himself in his room and listened to Rubber Soul. And these boys of the summer were not the trail blazers they were made out to be. The truth is they had more in common with Jan and Dean than they had with the Beatles, and their specialty was making catchy hit singles that have endured the test of time. AM radio at its best, nothing more. Endless Summer, Wild Honey. Grade: B plus.

The Beatles: 

You'd be hard pressed to find a group with a more prolific career than the Fab Four. A strictly singles band that evolved into an albums band that eventually established an entirely new genre of music, all in six years. Lennon and McCartney fed off one other brilliantly. And with George and Ringo picking up the slack with the odd tune or two, they set a standard that to this day has never been matched. And though the forces which made them who they were would inevitably tear them apart, it doesn't take away from what they achieved. Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band, Abbey Road. Grade: A plus.

The Band: 

Music From Big Pink and The Band are undeniably two of rock's best albums of the '60s. The former owes its name to a house in West Saugerties, New York where, with Bob Dylan, they cut The Basement Tapes. But like so many bands of their time, they were unable to sustain their creative juices. Several average to above average albums ensued, followed by an overwrought, if disappointing, live album that was supposed to be their grand finale from a business that to a man they insisted had worn them out. Frankly, they should've called it quits when they were ahead. Music From Big Pink, The Band. Grade A minus.

The Clash: 

From 1977 to 1981, unquestionably the best punk-rock band in the world. Equal parts Ramones, equal parts Sex Pistols - sometimes it's hard to tell them apart. The American release of The Clash (1979) is generally considered to be among the greatest rock and roll albums of all time, though I much prefer London Calling, the best double album this side of Exile on Main Street. Like every other band of that era, their flame went out way too quickly. The Clash, London Calling. Grade: A plus.

Sonic Youth: 

With the exception of Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, no couple has had more influence on an entire genre than Thurston Moore and Kim Gordon. Their reign spanned three decades and 15 albums. Calling them avant-garde would be putting it mildly. They practically invented the term. They were to R.E.M. what Springsteen was to Buddy Holly. Think Velvet Underground only more arcane, if that's even possible. Daydream Nation, A Thousand Leaves. Grade: A plus.

Eric Clapton: 

His Yardbirds and Cream days notwithstanding, were it not for two admittedly brilliant solo efforts, this overrated excuse for a rocker would be consigned to the bargain basement where he belongs. No one has done less with more than Clapton. No one. The man's been running on his reputation since '77. And the only reason why this grade isn't lower is because of those two solo efforts. Jesus, even the Mets made it to the World Series more than twice. Layla, 461 Ocean Boulevard. Grade: B plus.

Warren Zevon: 

Why he's not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is beyond me. So what if he burned more bridges than Rommel? He was one of the best rock artists of all time; one of the few to emerge from the '70s with his dignity and abilities still in tact. And had cancer not taken him, I suspect he'd still be making significant music to this day, along with pissing off his critics, as usual. Excitable Boy, Sentimental Hygiene. Grade: A.

Elton John: 

Throughout his long career, John was one of the few artists who enjoyed both critical and commercial acclaim. His albums always chartered well and often drew rave reviews from rock critics. Working with lyricist Bernie Taupin, he managed to straddle the line between pretentiousness and significance that so many lesser artists were unable to. Honky Chateau, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. Grade: A minus.

Tom Petty: 

I caught hell when, after Petty died, I remarked that he was overrated. My timing or lack of sensitivity notwithstanding, I stand by my remarks. It's not that he wasn't an accomplished guitarist or that he didn't have talent; he was and he did. It's just that Petty, for all his potential, never pushed the envelope more than he had to. Even on his best album - Damn the Torpedoes - everything falls off the cliff after the third track. He wasn't so much the second coming of Springsteen as he was a doppelgänger of Mark Knopfler. Damn the Torpedoes, Greatest Hits. Grade: B plus.

Pink Floyd: 

Among loyal devotees, only the Grateful Dead has a more loyal following. And they have one thing in common with the Beach Boys: one of the most overrated albums in rock history - Dark Side of the Moon. Though audiophiles may love it, the far less audacious Wish You Were Here accomplishes more with less. Of course with these guys, audaciousness was always the point, wasn't it? Wish You Were Here, Animals. Grade: B.

Wussy: 

The best kept secret to come out of Cincinnati, Chuck Cleaver, former leader of the Ass Ponys, and Lisa Walker are the Lennon and McCartney of their age. Since their signature breakthrough debut  in '05 - Funeral Dress - they've consistently churned out one great album after another. On their strongest effort - 2014's Attica! - the opening cut, "Teenage Wasteland," evokes the classic "Baba O'Reilly" so much so that you can almost see Pete Townshend writing it. Strawberry, Attica! Grade: A plus.

Liz Phair: 

To paraphrase a well-known Star Trek expression, Phair goes where no woman has gone before. Sexually promiscuous and proud of it, she turns the tables on an entire industry and laughs all the way to the bank. A rebel with a cause, she's Mick Jagger with tits and an attitude to match, which means she fucks whomever she wants and she gets all the satisfaction she can handle without apologizing to a single soul. Exile in Guyville, Whitechocolatespaceegg. Grade: A.

A Diamond In the Rough

"There aren't 41 best Prine songs," rock critic Robert Christgau wrote back in 1993 with the release of John Prine's Anthology album. "There are 50, 60, maybe more." Twenty-seven years later, let me just cut to the chase and say there's a truck load more. Shit, I've got over a hundred on my iPhone and I'm still counting.

"Illegal Smile," "Hello In There," " Sam Stone," Paradise," "Your Flag Decal Won't Get You Into Heaven Anymore," "Angel From Montgomery," "Donald and Lydia," "Souvenirs," "Yes I Guess They Oughta Name a Drink After You," "Please Don't Bury Me," "Christmas in Prison," "Dear Abby," "Blue Umbrella," "Often Is a Word I Seldom Use," "Grandpa Was a Carpenter," "Wedding Day in Funeralville," "My Own Best Friend," "He Was in Heaven Before He Died," and that gets you as far as 1975. Only Dylan was more prolific.

John Prine died yesterday. He was 73. A legend among his peers, he had survived two bouts with cancer, but was no match for the worst pandemic to hit the United States in over a century. When news of his passing broke last night, it was a gut punch for the millions of us who cherished his music. Gram Parsons may have invented alt-country, but John Prine brought it home like no one else.

A disciple of Jimmie Rodgers and Hank Williams, Prine was discovered by Kris Kristofferson in a Chicago night club in the summer of 1971. "It must’ve been like stumbling onto Dylan when he first busted onto the Village scene," Kristofferson wrote in the liner notes of Prine's self titled debut. Only 24, Prine was invited by Kristofferson to perform at New York's Bottom Line where he was signed by Atlantic Records' CEO Jerry Wexler. The rest, as they say, is history.

It's impossible to encapsulate five decades worth of music into one writing. It's beyond my abilities, and even if it weren't, I wouldn't dare attempt it. He talent was indelible; he could make you laugh, then cry, then laugh again without even breaking a sweat. When Leonard Cohen wrote the song, "So Long, Marianne," he kinda had John Prine in mind.

Well so long, Marianne

It's time that we began

To laugh and cry

And cry and laugh about it all again

But Prine was not nearly as serious as Cohen, nor as cerebral as Dylan. The only word that comes to mind when I think of his music is honest; gut-wrenchingly honest. There was not a pretentious bone in his body. What you heard was what you got. Among his contemporaries, only Lucinda Williams was his equal. In fact, you could say that Williams and Prine were the perfect bookends for a genre that all too often was overlooked by the music industry. The biggest disappointment I had watching Ken Burns' Country Music was his total failure to mention the contributions of both artists. It was inexcusable.

I still remember fondly the first time I played Sweet Revenge. It instantly become my favorite album. That was soon followed by his debut John Prine - yes, I sometimes work backwards - then Common Sense, then Storm Windows, then The Missing Years, then Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings. It was that way with every John Prine album I bought. Sorta like finding a new best friend every couple of years.

Melancholy doesn't begin to describe the heaviness I feel in my heart right now. The world has lost a genius, but more than that it has lost a wonderful man. There'll never be another John Prine. There'll never be another singer/songwriter who will be able to pen a song as tragic as "Christmas in Prison" or as uplifting as "The Glory of True Love." Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine he wrote them at all.

But in our grief, we can be comforted in the knowledge that no one truly dies. They simply move on to another, better place. John Prine is in that place right now, and if I'm any judge of talent, I'd say he's putting his time to good use. The last song he wrote on his 2018 album The Tree of Forgiveness, says it all.

When I get to heaven, I'm gonna shake God's hand

Thank him for more blessings than one man can stand

Then I'm gonna get a guitar and start a rock-n-roll band

Check into a swell hotel; ain't the afterlife grand?

I can just picture God in the front row, laughing and crying, and crying and laughing about it all again.

The Best Albums of All Time By Genre

With the close of the second decade of the 21st century, I thought I'd put together a list of the best albums of all time. Unlike past lists, I decided to break it up by genre and cap each at ten. There's a limit of one album per artist or band; hence no double dipping.

Obviously when you're dealing with a self-imposed limit, some tough choices have to be made. As a result there were a few notable exclusions in each genre. Like the perfectionist that I am, I kept tweaking it right up till the end.

A few explanations, I feel, are in order. First, concerning the Beatles, I opted for Abbey Road over Sgt. Pepper's or Rubber Soul because I believe it was the better album. It was for that reason that I chose Michael Jackson's Off the Wall over Thriller. It was simply a better album.

Then there was my decision to include two reggae albums in the World Music genre. I felt is was warranted based on the fact that they belong there. And as I'm sure you've noticed, the remaining eight selections are all from the continent of Africa. Seriously, if you broke down the over all contribution that African music has made across the globe, you'd be hard-pressed to cap it at fifty, much less ten. So I'm perfectly ok with eight out of ten coming from there.

In closing, I have listened to each of these albums thoroughly and can vouch for their inclusion in this list. While some may take umbrage with my final selections, I feel confident that I did the best I could under the circumstances. If you think you can do better, knock yourself out.

Here goes,

Rock

1. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (1972)

2. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (1984)

3. Derek & the Dominos: Layla (1970)

4. Neil Young: Rust Never Sleeps (1979)

5. Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced? (1967) 

6. The Band: Music From Big Pink (1968)

7. The Who: Who’s Next (1971)

8. Grateful Dead: Live/Dead (1969) 

9. The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969)

10. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Street Survivors (1977)


Alt-Rock

1. The Clash: London Calling (1980)

2. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)

3. Wussy: Attica! (2014)

4. Television: Marquee Moon (1977)

5. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible (2005)

6. Vampire Weekend: Modern Vampires in the City (2013)

7. Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (1997)

8. Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)

9. Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (1993)

10. P.J. Harvey: Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea (2000)

Country / Alt-Country

1. Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)

2. Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)

3. Iris DeMent: My Life (1994)

4. Joe Ely: Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)

5. Rosanne Cash: Interiors (1991)

6. Willie Nelson: Spirit (1996)

7. Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (1974)

8. John Prine: Sweet Revenge (1973)

9. Merle Haggard: If I Could Only Fly (2000)

10. Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (1968)

Singer-Songwriter

1. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (1966)

2. Paul Simon: Paul Simon (1972)

3. Patti Smith: Horses (1975)

4. Amy Rigby: Dairy of a Mod Housewife (1996)

5. Randy Newman: 12 Songs (1970)

6. Joni Mitchell: For the Roses (1972)

7. Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)

8. Tom Waits: Orphans (2006)

9. Leonard Cohen: Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)

10. Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst (2008)

R&B

1. Sly & the Family Stone: There’s a Riot Goin’ On (1971)

2. Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)

3. Al Green: Call Me (1973)

4. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved a Man the Way I Love You (1967)

5. Prince: Sign o’ the Times (1987)

6. Otis Redding: Otis Blue / Otis Redding Sings Soul (1965)

7. Marvin Gaye: Midnight Love (1982)

8. Parliament: Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)

9. Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979)

10. Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music (1962)

Rap / Hip-Hop

1. A Tribe Called Quest: We Got It From Here … Thank you 4 Your Service (2016)

2. Tricky: Maxinquaye (1995)

3. Public Enemy: It Takes A Nation of Millions To Hold Us Back (1988)

4. The Roots: How I Got Over (2010)

5. Kanye West: Late Registration (2005)

6. Rihanna: Anti (2016)

7. Kendrick Lamar: To Pimp a Butterfly (2015)

8. The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (1997)

9. Ice-T: O.G.: Original Gangstar (1991)

10. Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five: The Message (1982)


Jazz

1. Miles Davis: A Tribute To Jack Johnson (1971)

2. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (1965)

3. David Murray: Shakill's Warrior (1991)

4. James Carter: The Real Quietstorm (1995)

5. Ornette Coleman: Of Human Feelings (1982)

6. Sonny Rollins: G Man (1987)

7. Eric Dolphy: Out To Lunch (1964)

8. Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers: Moanin' (1958)

9. Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown (1978)

10. James Blood Ulmer: Odyssey (1983)

World Music

1. The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986)

2. Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi (1985)

3. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Natty Dread (1975)

4. King Sunny Ade & His African Beats: Juju Music (1982)

5. Youssou N'Dour: Nothing's In Vain (2002)

6. Papa Wemba: Emotion (1995)

7. Culture: Two Sevens Clash (1987)

8. Amadou & Mariam: Dimanche à Bamako (2005)

9. Mzwakhe Mbuli: Resistance Is Defence (1992)

10. Remmy Ongala & Orchestre Super Matimila: Songs for the Poor Man (1989)

Five Decades, Five Hundred Albums

At long last, it's complete, as promised.  From 1960 through 2009, I've done my best to include what I think were the best albums released over the last five decades.  Every genre is included.  While I do not necessarily own each and every one of these albums, I have listened to all of them.

A note here.  Obviously there aren't nearly as many '60s albums, as there are '70s, '80s, '90s & '00s.  In light of the fact that prior to 1967, the majority of LPs released were not up to par, I felt it only fair to include more entries from those four decades.

I make no apologies for the order of preference - you are free to disagree.  Nor will I make any apologies for not including certain albums that heretofore have been considered "classics" within the rock critic community; i.e. "The White Album", "Physical Graffiti", and "Dark Side of the Moon."  The reader will also realize pretty quickly my fondness for certain jazz artists that I feel have contributed in some small way to pop music.  And while I do admire Blues as a genre, with the exception of Robert Cray, few artists released albums worthy of inclusion here.

Regarding the order, after you get passed the first 100 or so albums, most of the entries were very close in quality.  Please don't feel offended if you see an album at, say, number 450, that you thought should've been, say, 250.  Sometimes, a lot of this comes down luck of the draw.  For instance, "Tapestry" was one of the better records of the '70s, but because its particular year was quite exceptional, it gets bumped down as far as it does.

And finally, if you don't like many of the entries, sue me.  It's a free country!


1. The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (1972)
2. The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986)
3. David Murray: Shakill's Warrior (1991)
4. The Grateful Dead: Live / Dead (1969)
5. Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1971)
6. M.I.A.: Kala (2007)
7. The Clash: London Calling (1980)
8. The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
9. Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
10. Derek & the Dominos: Layla (1970)
11. Bob Dylan/The Band: The Basement Tapes (1975)
12. Kanye West: Late Registration (2005)
13. Al Green: Call Me (1973)
14. Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
15. Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
16. Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly (1992)
17. Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (1966)
18. Moby: Play (1999)
19. Arcade Fire: Neon Bible (2007)
20. Lucinda Williams: Lucinda Williams (1988)
21. Iris DeMent: My Life (1994)
22. The Beatles: Rubber Soul (1965)
23. DeBarge: In a Special Way (1983)
24. Arto Lindsay: Mundo Civilizado (1997)
25. DJ Shadow: Endtroducing . . . DJ Shadow (1996)
26. Bob Dylan: “Love and Theft” (2001)
27. The Band: Music From Big Pink (1968)
28. Television: Marquee Moon (1977)
29. John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (1964)
30. The Mekons: Fear & Whiskey (1985)
31. Tricky: Maxinquaye (1995)
32. The Rolling Stones: Some Girls (1978)
33. Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi (1985)
34. X: Wild Gift (1981)
35. Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic (1974)
36. Ornette Coleman: Of Human Feelings (1982)
37. Prince: Sign 'O' the Times (1987)
38. Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (1993)
39. Drive-By Truckers: Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)
40. Eno: Another Green World (1976)
41. Wussy: Funeral Dress (2005)
42. Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (1962)
43. L.L. Cool J: Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
44. The Mekons: The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll (1989)
45. Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced? (1967)
46. Fugees: The Score (1996)
47. Guitar Paradise of East Africa (1991)
48. Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Trust (1981)
49. Marshall Crenshaw: Field Day (1983)
50. Graham Parker & the Rumour: Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)
51. Nick Lowe: Pure Pop for Now People (1978)
52. Paul Simon: Paul Simon (1972)
53. Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul (1968)
54. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
55. Randy Newman: 12 Songs (1970)
56. The Robert Cray Band: Strong Persuader (1986)
57. The Moldy Peaches: The Moldy Peaches (2001)
58. Kanye West: The College Dropout (2004)
59. Nirvana: In Utero (1993)
60. Joe Cocker: Joe Cocker! (1969)
61. Neil Young: Tonight's the Night (1975)
62. Mzwakhe Mbuli: Resistance Is Defence (1992)
63. Luna: Penthouse (1995)
64. Latin Playboys: Latin Playboys (1994)
65. King Sunny Adé and His African Beats: Juju Music (1982)
66. Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
67. Sonic Youth: A Thousand Leaves (1998)
68. Brad Paisley: American Saturday Night (2009)
69. Jimmy Cliff et al.: The Harder They Come (1973)
70. Bob Dylan: Modern Times (2006)
71. Laurie Anderson: Strange Angels (1989)
72. Sonny Rollins: G-Man (1987)
73. Bob Dylan: Bringin' It All Back Home (1965)
74. Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
75. The Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs (1999)
76. The New York Dolls: In Too Much Too Soon (1974)
77. Orchestra Baobab: Specialists in All Styles (2002)
78. The Beatles: Revolver (1966)
79. The Replacements: Let It Be (1984)
80. Amy Rigby: Diary of a Mod Housewife (1996)
81. P.J. Harvey: Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea (2000)
82. Aretha Franklin: Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985)
83. Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill (1986)
84. Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)
85. Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out (1997)
86. The Mekons: OOOH! (2002)
87. The Wild Tchoupitoulas: The Wild Tchoupitoulas (1976)
88. Billy Bragg & Wilco: Mermaid Avenue (1998)
89. Liz Phair: Liz Phair (2003)
90. Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977)
91. John Prine: In Spite of Ourselves (1999)
92. Culture: Two Sevens Clash (1987)
93. Youssou N’Dour: Egypt (2004)
94. Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved A Man (1967)
95. Beck: Mellow Gold (1994)
96. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
97. Bob Dylan: Highway '61 Revisited (1965)
98. Thelonious Monk Quartet with John Coltrane: At Carnegie Hall (2005)
98. English Beat: Wha'ppen? (1981)
99. Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band: Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (1976)
100. DJ Shadow: The Private Press (2002)
101. Archers of Loaf: Vee Vee (1995)
102. Marshall Crenshaw: Marshall Crenshaw (1982)
103. The Rolling Stones: Out of Our Heads (1965)
104. Laurie Anderson: United States Live (1984)
105. Joni Mitchell: For the Roses (1972)
106. The Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet (1968)
107. James Blood Ulmer: Odyssey (1983)
108. Gogol Bordello: Gypsy Punks: Underdog World Strike (2005)
109. Tom Waits: Orphans: Brawlers, Bawlers & Bastards (2006)
110. Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)
111. Patti Smith: Horses (1975)
112. Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
113. Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)
114. The Wailers: Burnin' (1974)
115. Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)
116. Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (1997)
117. The Go-Betweens: Oceans Apart (2005)
118. The Clash: The Clash (1979)
119. Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
120. Leonard Cohen: Live in London (2009)
121. Prince: Dirty Mind (1980)
122. PJ Harvey: Rid of Me (1993)
123. The New York Dolls: The New York Dolls (1973)
124. Ghostface Killah: Fishscale (2006)
125. The Go-Betweens: The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000)
126. Neil Young: Freedom (1989)
127. L7: Bricks Are Heavy (1992)
128. Pixies: Bossanova (1990)
129. Bonnie Raitt: Give It Up (1972)
130. Todd Snider: East Nashville Skyline (2004)
131. Blondie: Parallel Lines (1978)
132. Cornershop: When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997)
133. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
134. De La Soul: Buhloone Mindstate (1993)
135. Rosanne Cash: Black Cadillac (2006)
136. Fluffy: Black Eye (1996)
137. Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (1974)
138. OutKast: Stankonia (2000)
139. Kimya Dawson: I’m Sorry That Sometimes I’m Mean (2002)
140. Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (1969)
141. Hüsker Dü: Flip Your Wig (1985)
142. James Carter: The Real Quietstorm (1995)
143. Sleater-Kinney: The Woods (2005)
144. John Prine: Sweet Revenge (1973)
145. Cornershop: Handcream for a Generation (2002)
146. Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield (1966)
147. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer with Bruised Knees (1977)
148. George Clinton: Computer Games (1982)
149. Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (1968)
150. Rilo Kiley: More Adventurous (2004)
151. Loudon Wainwright III: Hide, Wide & Handsome: The Charlie Poole Project (2009)
152. Gang of Four: Solid Gold (1981)
153. Bonnie Raitt: Home Plate (1975)
154. Wussy: Left for Dead (2007)
155. Tricky: Blowback (2001)
156. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
157. Lou Reed: New Sensations (1984)
158. Lucinda Williams: Sweet Old World (1992)
159. The Coup: Party Music (2001)
160. Todd Snider: The Devil You Know (2006)
161. Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (1970)
162. Old 97's: Fight Songs (1999)
163. Ornette Coleman: In All Languages (1987)
164. Buck 65: Talkin' Honky Blues (2003)
165. Otis Redding: Otis Blue (1965)
166. Linton Kwesi Johnson: Tings an' Times (1991)
167. Pere Ubu: Dub Housing (1979)
168. Orchestra Baobab: Made in Dakar (2008)
169. Ramones: Ramones (1976)
170. Remmy Ongala & Orchestre Super Matimila: Songs for the Poor Man (1989)
171. TV On The Radio: Dear Science (2008)
172. M.I.A.: Arular (2005)
173. Sonic Youth: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1984)
174. The Blasters: Non Fiction (1983)
175. The Pogues: Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1986)
176. The Who: Who's Next (1971)
177. Aretha Franklin: Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
178. Bob Marley & the Wailers: Natty Dread (1975)
179. OutKast: Speakerboxx/The Love Below (2003)
180. Pere Ubu: The Tenement Year (1988)
181. The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969)
182. Old 97’s: Satellite Rides (2001)
183. The Rolling Stones: Flowers (1967)
184. Bob Dylan: Under the Red Sky (1990)
185. English Beat: Special Beat Service (1982)
186. Graham Parker: Howlin Wind (1976)
187. Youssou N’Dour: Nothing’s in Vain (2002)
188. Conor Oberst: Conor Oberst (2008)
189. James Brown: Sex Machine (1970)
190. Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Spinning Around the Sun (1993)
191. John Lennon: Imagine (1971)
192. Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark (1974)
193. Gogol Bordello: Super Taranta! (2007)
194. Liz Phair: Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998)
195. Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
196. Jon Langford: All the Fame of Lofty Deeds (2004)
197. Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (1968)
198. Lou Reed: Legendary Hearts (1983)
199. Amy Rigby: Little Fugitives (2005)
200. The Klezmatics: Wonder Wheel: Lyrics by Woody Guthrie (2006)
201. Neil Young: Comes a Time (1978)
202. Paul Simon: Graceland (1986)
203. The Wrens: The Meadowlands (2003)
204. Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
205. Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)
206. The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (1966)
207. Pavement: Wowee Zowee (1995)
208. Lucinda Williams: World Without Tears (2003)
209. K’naan: The Dusty Foot Philosopher (2008)
210. Le Tigre: Le Tigre (1999)
211. Jungle Brothers: Done by the Forces of Nature (1989)
212. Pete Townshend: Empty Glass (1980)
213. Ramones: Rocket to Russia (1977)
214. Rosanne Cash: Interiors (1991)
215. Sonic Youth: Sister (1987)
216. The Apples in Stereo: New Magnetic Wonder (2007)
217. The Sonny Sharrock Band: Highlife (1991)
218. Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (1973)
219. The Hold Steady: Separation Sunday (2005)
220. The Beautiful South: Blue Is the Colour (1996)
221. The Clash: Sandinista! (1981)
222. The Replacements: Tim (1985)
223. The Mountain Goats: We Shall All Be Released (2004)
224. Les Amazones de Guinee: Wamato (2008)
225. Van Morrison: Into the Music (1979)
226. Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique (1989)
227. Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1975)
228. The Flying Burrito Brothers: Gilded Palace of Sin (1969)
229. Fountains of Wayne: Traffic and Weather (2007)
230. The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (1997)
231. Heartbeat of Soweto (1988)
232. Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (1970)
233. Nellie McKay: Normal as Blueberry Pie: A Tribute To Doris Day (2009)
234. Sonic Youth: Rather Ripped (2006)
235. Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (1968)
236. Elvis Costello and the Attractions: This Year’s Model (1978)
237. The Go-Betweens: Tallulah (1987)
238. Rilo Kiley: Under the Backlight (2007)
239. George Clinton: You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish (1983)
240. Loudon Wainwright III: Career Moves (1993)
241. The Mountain Goats: Tallahassee (2002)
242. Raphael Saadiq: The Way I See It (2008)
243. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Pronounced Leh-nerd Skeh-nerd (1973)
244. Ike & Tina Turner: River Deep Mountain High (1966)
245. Madonna: I'm Breathless (1990)
246. Johnny Cash: American IV: The Man Comes Around (2002)
247. King Sunny Adé and His African Beats: Aura (1984)
248. The Beach Boys: Wild Honey (1967)
249. Hüsker Dü: Candy Apple Grey (1986)
250. Lily Allen: It’s Not Me, It’s You (2009)
251. Holy Modal Rounders: Too Much Fun (1999)
252. Manfred Mann's Earth Band: Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1972)
253. Nick Lowe: Labour of Lust (1979)
254. Ornette Coleman and Prime Time: Virgin Beauty (1988)
255. Parliament: Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)
256. Sonic Youth: NYC Ghosts and Flowers (2000)
257. Pavement: Brighten the Corners (1997)
258. Peter Stampfel: You Must Remember This . . . (1995)
259. Professor Longhair: Crawfish Fiesta (1980)
260. R.E.M.: Out of Time (1991)
261. Randy Newman: Good Old Boys (1974)
262. Maria Muldaur: Heart of Mine: Love Songs of Bob Dylan (2006)
263. Randy Newman: Harps and Angels (2008)
264. Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
265. The Rolling Stones: Tattoo You (1981)
266. Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche ’85 (1985)
267. Sleater-Kinney: Call the Doctor (1996)
268. Sonic Youth: Dirty (1992)
269. Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
270. Sleater-Kinney: One Beat (2002)
271. The Coup: Steal This Album (1998)
272. Les Savy Fav: Let's Stay Friends (2007)
273. The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (1971)
274. Ambitious Lovers: Greed (1988)
275. James Carter: Gardenias for Lady Day (2003)
276. OutKast: Idlewild (2006)
277. Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
278. Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark (1970)
279. Big Star: Radio City (1974)
280. Bonnie Raitt: Luck of the Draw (1991)
281. Amy Rigby: Til the Wheels Fall Off (2003)
282. Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love (1987)
283. The Who: Tommy (1969)
284. Ray Charles: Genius Loves Company (2004)
285. De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
286. Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Blood and Chocolate (1986)
287. Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac (1975)
288. Our New Orleans: A Benefit Album for the Gulf Coast (2005)
289. Dr. John: Right Place, Right Time (2006)
290. The Byrds: Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)
291. Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove (1978)
292. Hole: Live Through This (1994)
293. James Carter: Conversin' With the Elders (1996)
294. Warren Zevon: The Wind (2003)
295. Gang of Four: Entertainment! (1980)
296. John Prine: Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings (1995)
297. Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971)
298. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Street Survivors (1977)
299. Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979)
300. Miles Davis: Agharta (1976)
301. Balkan Beat Box: Nu Med (2007)
302. P.M. Dawn: The Bliss Album . . . ? (1993)
303. Prince and the Revolution: Purple Rain (1984)
304. R.E.M.: Murmur (1983)
305. Kid Creole and the Coconuts: Wise Guy (1982)
306. Lou Reed: Ecstasy (2000)
307. Ornette Coleman: Sound Grammar (2006)
308. Amadou & Mariam: Dimanche a Bamako (2005)
309. The Rolling Stones: Aftermath (1966)
310. Latin Playboys: Dose (1999)
311. PJ Harvey: Is This Desire? (1998)
312. Bright Eyes: Cassadaga (2007)
313. Psychedelic Furs: Talk Talk Talk (1981)
314. Talking Heads: Little Creatures (1985)
315. The White Stripes: White Blood Cells (2001)
316. The Roots: Rising Down (2008)
317. The Roches: A Dove (1992)
318. Alberta Hunter: Amtrak Blues (1980)
319. Andy Fairweather Low: Spider Jiving (1974)
320. Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown (1979)
321. Black Uhuru: Anthem (1984)
322. Joanna Newsom: The Milk-Eyed Mender (2004)
323. The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (1969)
324. The Chills: Submarine Bells (1990)
325. The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers--A Tribute Album (1997)
326. The Wailers: Catch a Fire (1972)
327. David Bowie: Station to Station (1976)
328. Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (1982)
329. Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (1977)
330. Feelies: Time for a Witness (1991)
331. Iris DeMent: The Way I Should (1996)
332. Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill (1985)
333. Pink: Mizzundaztood (2001)
334. Black Uhuru: Red (1981)
335. John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band (1970)
336. Joy of Cooking: Joy of Cooking (1971)
337. Kid Creole and the Coconuts: Doppelganger (1983)
338. John Trudell: AKA Graffiti Man (1992)
339. Steve Earle: Jerusalem (2002)
340. M People: Elegant Slumming (1994)
341. Mary Lou Lord: Got No Shadow (1998)
342. PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love (1965)
343. Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (1968)
344. Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
345. Randy Newman: Bad Love (1999)
346. Steely Dan: Katy Lied (1975)
347. Amy Allison: No Frills Friend (2003)
348. The Waco Brothers: Electric Waco Chair (2000)
349. Steve Earle: Guitar Town (1986)
350. The Neville Brothers: Yellow Moon (1989)
351. Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (1975)
352. Aretha Franklin: Soul '69 (1969)
353. Archers of Loaf: Icky Mettle (1993)
354. Wire: Pink Flag (1978)
355. Steely Dan: Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)
356. Sly & Robbie: Rhythm Killers (1987)
357. Caetano Velosa: A Foreign Sound (2004)
358. Al Green: Livin' for You (1973)
359. Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens: Paris-Soweto (1988)
360. Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey (1976)
361. Camper Van Beethoven: Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
362. Eric Clapton: 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)
363. Folkways: A Vision Shared--A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly (1988)
364. Ice-T: O.G.: Original Gangster (1991)
365. John Lennon/Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy (1980)
366. Lou Reed: New York (1989)
367. Marvin Gaye: Midnight Love (1982)
368. Ornette Coleman: Dancing in Your Head (1977)
369. Mary J. Blige: Share My World (1997)
370. Pet Shop Boys: Very (1993)
371. Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)
372. Linton Kwesi Johnson: Making History (1984)
373. Los Lobos: Colossal Head (1996)
374. P.M. Dawn: Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here (1998)
375. Courtney Love: America’s Sweetheart (2004)
376. Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (1972)
377. Sugar: File Under: Easy Listening (1994)
378. The B-52's: The B-52's (1979)
379. The Strokes: Is This It? (2001)
380. Sonic Youth: Goo (1990)
381. The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (1985)
382. Q-Tip: Amplified (1999)
383. The Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
384. ABC: The Lexicon of Love (1982)
385. Al Green: The Belle Album (1977)
386. Aretha Franklin: A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)
387. Arto Lindsay/Ambitious Lovers: Envy (1984)
388. Bob Dylan / The Band: Before the Flood (1974)
389. Chic: Real People (1980)
390. The Grateful Dead: Aoxomoxoa (1969)
391. Digable Planets: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993)
392. The Libertines: Up the Bracket (2003)
393. Freedy Johnston: Never Home (1997)
394. Joe Ely: Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)
395. The New Pornographers: Twin Cinema (2005)
396. Papa Wemba: Emotion (1995)
397. The Blasters: Hard Line (1985)
398. Michelle Shocked: Short Sharp Shocked (1988)
399. Cheb I Sabbah: La Kahena (2005)
400. The Sonny Sharrock Band: Seize the Rainbow (1987)
401. Tom Verlaine: Dreamtime (1981)
402. Beats International: Let Them Eat Bingo (1990)
403. Lily Allen: Alright, Still (2007)
404. Sufjan Stevens: Illinois (2005)
405. The Goats: Tricks of the Shade (1992)
406. Yo La Tengo: Electr-O-Pura (1995)
407. The Vibrators: Pure Mania (1978)
408. Willie Nelson & Asleep at the Wheel: Willie and the Wheel (2009)
409. The Velvet Underground: Loaded (1970)
410. Graham Parker: Heat Treatment (1976)
411. John Prine: John Prine (1971)
412. Ani DiFranco: Knuckle Down (2005)
413. The Streets: The Hardest Way To Make An Easy Living (2006)
414. Mississippi John Hurt: Last Sessions (1972)
415. Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: Jonathan Sings! (1983)
416. Pere Ubu: Cloudland (1989)
417. P.M. Dawn: Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience (1991)
418. The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy: Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury (1992)
419. The Grateful Dead: Workingman's Dead (1970)
420. The Housemartins: The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death (1987)
421. The Blasters: The Blasters (1981)
422. Frank London’s Klezmer Brass Allstars: Carnival Conspiracy (2006)
423. The Who: Quadrophenia (1973)
424. The White Stripes: Icky Thump (2007)
425. Toots & the Maytals: Funky Kingston (1975)
426. Victoria Williams: Loose (1994)
427. Willie Nelson: Spirit (1996)
428. Bill Withers: Still Bill (1972)
429. Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind (1997)
430. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: The McGarrigle Hour (1998)
431. Minutemen: 3-Way Tie for Last (1985)
432. Muddy Waters: Hard Again (1977)
433. Roxy Music: Siren (1975)
434. The Allman Brothers: Brothers and Sisters (1973)
435. Tom Verlaine: Tom Verlaine (1979)
436. The Roches: The Roches (1979)
437. Buddy Guy: Sweet Tea (2001)
438. They Might Be Giants: They Might Be Giants (1986)
439. Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (1983)
440. Beck: Odelay (1996)
441. Bonnie Raitt: Bonnie Raitt (1971)
442. The Band: The Band (1969)
443. Kasey Chambers: Barricades and Brickwalls (2002)
444. Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets (1974)
445. Hurricane Zouk (1988)
446. John McLaughlin: Devotion (1970)
447. Keith Whitley: I Wonder Do You Think of Me (1989)
448. Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1976)
449. Mekons: Curse of the Mekons (1991)
450. Prince: 1999 (1982)
451. Lil Wayne: Da Drought 3 (2007)
452. Public Image Ltd.: Second Edition (1980)
453. Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band: The Mountain (1999)
454. The Beautiful South: 0898 Beautiful South (1992)
455. Thomas Mapfumo: Ndangariro (1984)
456. Tom Verlaine: Flash Light (1987)
457. UB 40: Rat in the Kitchen (1986)
458. Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy (1978)
459. Al Green: Al Green Gets Next to You (1971)
460. X: More Fun in the New World (1983)
461. Belle and Sebastian: The Boy With the Arab Strap (1998)
462. John Prine: Common Sense (1975)
463. The Pretenders: The Pretenders (1979)
464. Jon Hassell/Brian Eno: Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics (1980)
465. Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Love Over and Over (1983)
466. Drive-By Truckers: Decoration Day (2003)
467. Belle and Sebastian: The Life Pursuit (2006)
468. Mother Earth: Make a Joyful Noise (1969)
469. Living Colour: Time's Up (1990)
470. Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping (1974)
471. Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
472. The Robert Cray Band: I Was Warned (1992)
473. Van Morrison: His Band & the Street Choir (1970)
474. Willie Nelson: Stardust (1978)
475. Ani DiFranco: Dilate (1996)
476. Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman: Song X (1986)
477. Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
478. Rank and File: Sundown (1982)
479. The Pretenders: Learning to Crawl (1984)
480. The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane (1988)
481. The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground (1969)
482. Robert Forster: The Evangelist (2008)
483. Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues (1983)
484. The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers (1976)
485. The dB's: Like This (1984)
486. Pulp: Different Class (1996)
487. Patti Smith: Dream of Life (1988)
488. Pulnoc: City of Hysteria (1991)
489. Curtis Mayfield: Superfly (1972)
490. Richard Hell and the Voidoids: Blank Generation (1977)
491. The Housemartins: London 0, Hull 4 (1986)
492. The Insect Trust: Hoboken Saturday Night (1970)
493. Jimi Hendrix: The Cry of Love (1971)
494. Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (1969)
495. Tom Waits: Mule Variations (1999)
496. B.B. King: Live in Cook County Jail (1971)
497. Ramones: Too Tough to Die (1984)
498. Hayes Carll: Trouble in Mind (2008)
499. Carole King: Tapestry (1971)
500. Merle Haggard: If I Could Only Fly (2000)



And that's all folks...

A Fond Farewell.

It was February 1983. I was working in lower Manhattan and it was a Friday – payday, my favorite day. As I was want to do, I cashed my check and headed down to J&R Music World to pick up a few records. On my way I stopped at a news stand and noticed the cover of The Village Voice. There was a feature titled, “Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome.” I picked it up, turned to the feature column, and that was the first time I had ever read anything by Robert Christgau.

It was the annual Pazz & Jop critics’ poll, and Christgau was the self-appointed “Dean” of the critics, writing about the past year in music. What I remember most about that column was how I couldn’t seem to put it down. The writing was mesmerizing. I had read other critics before – my current favorite had been Wayne Robbins of Newsday – but seldom had I seen such a socio-political take on what I had always perceived as basically an entertainment industry. Christgau wasn’t so much talking about the music as he was talking about what it meant socially and sometimes politically. He could see past the mere album tracks and get at the heart of what drove the music, and more importantly perhaps what the music might be driving back. In a sense he was more a music sociologist than a mere music critic.

I soon learned he wrote a monthly column called The Consumer Guide, in which he would write reviews of various records he had listened to. Each month I would pick up a copy of The Village Voice and read his reviews, each one entertaining and instructional at the same time. There were two themes that I came to accept about his writing that have been a constant: One, he considered all genres, with the exception of metal to be equally important and vital to pop music; and secondly, he could be brutally honest. If a record was bad, he had no qualms about saying so. He had always felt it his duty to speak his mind, regardless of whom it might upset.

And make no mistake about it, Christgau pissed off a lot of artists. When he panned a Lou Reed album in the ‘70s, Reed went after him on one of his later songs. In typical Christgau fashion, he took it in stride, giving the record a C plus, which probably only pissed Reed off more. Ironically throughout the ‘80s, Reed released a number of albums that garnered considerable praise from Christgau, including The Blue Mask and Legendary Hearts, acknowledged by many critics to be among his finest recordings.

Month after month and year after year I religiously read Christgau, in the process expanding both my record collection and my understanding of popular music. Though formally a rock critic, he was the least complimentary of rock music, preferring genres such as funk, new wave, world music, reggae, alt-country, jazz and rap, which would later go on to be known as hip hop. I credit him for expanding my horizons beyond the typical middle-class white suburban humdrum lifestyle that many of my friends had found themselves trapped in. The ‘80s was a treasure trove of musical delights from the likes of Kid Creole & the Coconuts, George Clinton, Hüsker Dü, Prince, Grandmaster Flash, Tom Verlaine, Tom Waits, Ornette Coleman, James Blood Ulmer, Lucinda Williams, the Mekons, Bruce Springsteen, Michael Jackson, R.E.M., Black Uhuru, Laurie Anderson, Madonna, Public Enemy, Sonic Youth, John Prine and more. Eclectic would be a word in a half. It was controlled chaos and I was lapping it up like a starving puppy dog.

And throughout all the many months and years of writing reviews, which included three books on the ‘70s, ‘80s and ‘90s, Christgau never wavered or lost his edge. Well into his 60s he remained the industry’s most authentic and consistent critic with no one fit to dust his record collection let alone hold a candle to him. Not even being fired from the Voice in 2006 deterred him. He continued to publish his work on MSN, Blender, Spin and Rolling Stone in the same manner with which he had become acclaimed at the Voice.

But as they say all good things must eventually come to an end. On July 1, 2010, Christgau announced in the introduction to his Consumer Guide column that the July 2010 installment would be his last on MSN.

“Barring miracles unlikely to ensue, this is the final edition of Christgau's Consumer Guide, which MSN has decided no longer suits its editorial purposes. The CG has generally required a seven-days-a-week time commitment over the 41 years I've written it, and I'm grateful to MSN for paying me what the work was worth over the three-and-a-half years I published it here. But though I always enjoyed the work, work it was, and I've long been aware there were other things I could be doing with my ears. So while I have every intention of keeping up with popular music as it evolves, being less encyclopedic about it will come as a relief as well as a loss.”

Whether this means that Christgau is hanging up his typewriter or just cutting back from his workload remains to be seen. Writing consistently honest and provocative music reviews for over four decades can take its toll on anybody, and if there was ever anyone who earned his retirement more it would be Christgau. He probably would think it overly sentimental to say this, but better to go out on top with one’s reputation unscathed than to trudge along, eking out a living and selling out to the very industry that gave you your start.

And that’s why I think we may have seen the last of Robert Christgau, at least so far as doing monthly reviews are concerned. Though he may occasionally reappear on NPR and do the odd review or two for Rolling Stone, this is likely to be the end of the line for this giant, and I for one will miss him greatly. At 68 he had reached the zenith of his profession and though he continued to piss off artists whose albums he found, shall we say, wanting, no one could doubt his integrity. If it’s true that you call ‘em as you see ‘em, than Robert Christgau was truly a diamond in the rough who had no peers.

There's no adequate way to express or calculate what impact the retirement of Robert Christgau will have on popular music. The industry has lost a legend, and I suspect we will not see his kind for a long time, if at all. In deed with the changes that are currently going on in the music industry – the rise of the MP3 player and iTunes – the CD itself may be all but instinct in a few years. The need for a critic to review an album at that point will most likely be moot.

There's a scene from the end of the movie Patton that seems a fitting analogy to what has transpired here. The general's own words sum it up best. “There’s only way for a professional soldier to die; that’s from the last bullet from the last gun from the last battle of the last war.” Robert Christgau has not died, but what he did for a living, whether any of us knew it or not, or even whether any of us liked it or not, was rapidly dying before him and us. Perhaps this was his way of bowing out gracefully while he still had some control of his destiny. We may never know.

What we do know is this: he left us a lifetime of reviews that will survive him and future generations of music fans. And I suspect that when we look back over the last four decades of rock and roll, we will be the wiser and richer for having known him and for allowing him, in some small capacity, to expand and enlarge our world and make it a bit less predicable.  I will miss his wit, his humor (biting though it may have been), his thoroughness, his honesty, but most of all I will miss the diversity he brought to a craft that far too often settled for the familiar and safe, and which rarely, if ever, pushed the envelope passed the confines of the tried and tested.  Christgau was nothing if unorthodox. 

Over the many years, the artists may have changed, but Christgau was always there to catalogue it all for us.  It's hard to imagine what this industry would've been like had he not been here, and now we get the chance to find out.  You could say we took him for granted, but I suspect at the end of the day we will all miss him.

Farewell, Robert, and thank you.

Four Decades, Four Hundred Albums

I've been thinking about this list now for quite some time. I compiled the list from top album lists I had compiled going back years. I have listened to all of these albums and own most of them in either record, CD or MP3 format.

When this decade is done in 11 months I will update it and rename it Five Decades, Five Hundred Albums.


The Rolling Stones: Exile on Main Street (1972)
The Indestructible Beat of Soweto (1986)
David Murray: Shakill's Warrior (1991)
The Grateful Dead: Live / Dead (1969)
Miles Davis: A Tribute to Jack Johnson (1971)
The Clash: London Calling (1980)
The Beatles: Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967)
Bruce Springsteen: Born in the U.S.A. (1984)
Derek & the Dominos: Layla (1970)
Bob Dylan/The Band: The Basement Tapes (1975)
Al Green: Call Me (1973)
Lucinda Williams: Car Wheels on a Gravel Road (1998)
Neil Young & Crazy Horse: Rust Never Sleeps (1979)
Freedy Johnston: Can You Fly (1992)
Bob Dylan: Blonde on Blonde (1966)
Moby: Play (1999)
Lucinda Williams: Lucinda Williams (1988)
Iris DeMent: My Life (1994)
The Beatles: Rubber Soul (1965)
DeBarge: In a Special Way (1983)
Arto Lindsay: Mundo Civilizado (1997)
DJ Shadow: Endtroducing . . . DJ Shadow (1996)
The Band: Music From Big Pink (1968)
Television: Marquee Moon (1977)
John Coltrane: A Love Supreme (1964)
The Mekons: Fear & Whiskey (1985)
The Rolling Stones: Some Girls (1978)
Tricky: Maxinquaye (1995)
X: Wild Gift (1981)
Steely Dan: Pretzel Logic (1974)
Ornette Coleman: Of Human Feelings (1982)
Prince: Sign 'O' the Times (1987)
Liz Phair: Exile in Guyville (1993)
Eno: Another Green World (1976)
Ray Charles: Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music (1962)
L.L. Cool J: Mama Said Knock You Out (1990)
The Mekons: The Mekons Rock 'n' Roll (1989)
Franco & Rochereau: Omona Wapi (1985)
Jimi Hendrix: Are You Experienced? (1967)
Fugees: The Score (1996)
Guitar Paradise of East Africa (1991)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Trust (1981)
Marshall Crenshaw: Field Day (1983)
Graham Parker & the Rumour: Squeezing Out Sparks (1979)
Nick Lowe: Pure Pop for Now People (1978)
Paul Simon: Paul Simon (1972)
Aretha Franklin: Lady Soul (1968)
Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988)
Randy Newman: 12 Songs (1970)
The Robert Cray Band: Strong Persuader (1986)
Nirvana: In Utero (1993)
Joe Cocker: Joe Cocker! (1969)
Neil Young: Tonight's the Night (1975)
Mzwakhe Mbuli: Resistance Is Defence (1992)
Luna: Penthouse (1995)
Latin Playboys: Latin Playboys (1994)
King Sunny Adé and His African Beats: Juju Music (1982)
Jimmy Cliff et al.: The Harder They Come (1973)
Laurie Anderson: Strange Angels (1989)
Red Hot and Blue (1990)
Sly & the Family Stone: There's a Riot Goin' On (1971)
Sonic Youth: A Thousand Leaves (1998)
Sonny Rollins: G-Man (1987)
Bob Dylan: Bringin' It All Back Home (1965)
Talking Heads: Remain in Light (1980)
The Magnetic Fields: 69 Love Songs (1999)
The New York Dolls: In Too Much Too Soon (1974)
The Beatles: Revolver (1966)
The Replacements: Let It Be (1984)
Amy Rigby: Diary of a Mod Housewife (1996)
Aretha Franklin: Who's Zoomin' Who? (1985)
Beastie Boys: Lisenced to Ill (1986)
Sex Pistols: Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols (1977)
Sleater-Kinney: Dig Me Out (1997)
The Wild Tchoupitoulas: The Wild Tchoupitoulas (1976)
Billy Bragg & Wilco: Mermaid Avenue (1998)
Fleetwood Mac: Rumours (1977)
John Prine: In Spite of Ourselves (1999)
Culture: Two Sevens Clash (1987)
Aretha Franklin: I Never Loved A Man (1967)
Beck: Mellow Gold (1994)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Willy and the Poor Boys (1969)
Bob Dylan: Highway '61 Revisited (1966)
Archers of Loaf: Vee Vee (1995)
Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band: Dr. Buzzard's Original Savannah Band (1976)
English Beat: Wha'ppen? (1981)
Marshall Crenshaw: Marshall Crenshaw (1982)
The Rolling Stones: Out of Our Heads (1965)
Laurie Anderson: United States Live (1984)
Joni Mitchell: For the Roses (1972)
The Rolling Stones: Beggar's Banquet (1968)
James Blood Ulmer: Odyssey (1983)
Nirvana: Nevermind (1991)
Patti Smith: Horses (1975)
Rod Stewart: Every Picture Tells a Story (1971)
Sonic Youth: Daydream Nation (1988)
The Wailers: Burnin' (1974)
Van Morrison: Moondance (1970)
Yo La Tengo: I Can Hear the Heart Beating as One (1997)
The Clash: The Clash (1979)
Talking Heads: More Songs About Buildings and Food (1978)
Prince: Dirty Mind (1980)
PJ Harvey: Rid of Me (1993)
The New York Dolls: The New York Dolls (1973)
Neil Young: Freedom (1989)
L7: Bricks Are Heavy (1992)
Pixies: Bossanova (1990)
Bonnie Raitt: Give It Up (1972)
Blondie: Parallel Lines (1978)
Cornershop: When I Was Born for the 7th Time (1997)
The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967)
De La Soul: Buhloone Mindstate (1993)
Fluffy: Black Eye (1996)
Gram Parsons: Grievous Angel (1974)
Miles Davis: Bitches Brew (1969)
Hüsker Dü: Flip Your Wig (1985)
James Carter: The Real Quietstorm (1995)
John Prine: Sweet Revenge (1973)
Buffalo Springfield: Buffalo Springfield (1966)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Dancer with Bruised Knees (1977)
George Clinton: Computer Games (1982)
Van Morrison: Astral Weeks (1968)
Gang of Four: Solid Gold (1981)
Bonnie Raitt: Home Plate (1975)
Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998)
Lou Reed: New Sensations (1984)
Lucinda Williams: Sweet Old World (1992)
Neil Young: After the Gold Rush (1970)
Old 97's: Fight Songs (1999)
Ornette Coleman: In All Languages (1987)
Otis Redding: Otis Blue (1965)
Linton Kwesi Johnson: Tings an' Times (1991)
Pere Ubu: Dub Housing (1979)
Ramones: Ramones (1976)
Remmy Ongala & Orchestre Super Matimila: Songs for the Poor Man (1989)
Sonic Youth: Experimental Jet Set, Trash and No Star (1984)
The Blasters: Non Fiction (1983)
The Pogues: Rum Sodomy & the Lash (1986)
The Who: Who's Next (1971)
Aretha Franklin: Young, Gifted and Black (1972)
Bob Marley & the Wailers: Natty Dread (1975)
Pere Ubu: The Tenement Year (1988)
The Beatles: Abbey Road (1969)
The Rolling Stones: Flowers (1967)
Tom Robinson: Sector 27 (1980)
Bob Dylan: Under the Red Sky (1990)
English Beat: Special Beat Service (1982)
Graham Parker: Howlin Wind (1976)
James Brown: Sex Machine (1970)
Jimmie Dale Gilmore: Spinning Around the Sun (1993)
John Lennon: Imagine (1971)
Joni Mitchell: Court and Spark (1974)
Liz Phair: Whitechocolatespaceegg (1998)
Los Lobos: How Will the Wolf Survive? (1984)
Jimi Hendrix: Electric Ladyland (1968)
Lou Reed: Legendary Hearts (1983)
Neil Young: Comes a Time (1978)
Paul Simon: Graceland (1986)
Pavement: Slanted and Enchanted (1992)
Nirvana: MTV Unplugged in New York (1994)
The Beach Boys: Pet Sounds (1966)
Pavement: Wowee Zowee (1995)
Le Tigre: Le Tigre (1999)
Jungle Brothers: Done by the Forces of Nature (1989)
Pete Townshend: Empty Glass (1980)
Ramones: Rocket to Russia (1977)
Rosanne Cash: Interiors (1991)
Sonic Youth: Sister (1987)
The Sonny Sharrock Band: Highlife (1991)
Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (1973)
The Beautiful South: Blue Is the Colour (1996)
The Clash: Sandinista! (1981)
The Replacements: Tim (1985)
Van Morrison: Into the Music (1979)
Beastie Boys: Paul's Boutique (1989)
Bob Dylan: Blood on the Tracks (1975)
The Flying Burrito Brothers: Gilded Palace of Sin (1974)
The Notorious B.I.G.: Life After Death (1997)
Heartbeat of Soweto (1988)
Creedence Clearwater Revival: Cosmo's Factory (1970)
Bob Dylan: John Wesley Harding (1968)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions: This Year’s Model (1978)
The Go-Betweens: Tallulah (1987)
George Clinton: You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish (1983)
Loudon Wainwright III: Career Moves (1993)
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Pronounced Leh-nerd Skeh-nerd (1973)
Ike & Tina Turner: River Deep Mountain High (1966)
Madonna: I'm Breathless (1990)
King Sunny Adé and His African Beats: Aura (1984)
The Beach Boys: Wild Honey (1967)
Hüsker Dü: Candy Apple Grey (1986)
Holy Modal Rounders: Too Much Fun (1999)
Manfred Mann's Earth Band: Manfred Mann's Earth Band (1972)
Nick Lowe: Labour of Lust (1979)
Ornette Coleman and Prime Time: Virgin Beauty (1988)
Parliament: Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome (1977)
Pavement: Brighten the Corners (1997)
Peter Stampfel: You Must Remember This . . . (1995)
Professor Longhair: Crawfish Fiesta (1980)
R.E.M.: Out of Time (1991)
Randy Newman: Good Old Boys (1974)
Richard & Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (1982)
The Rolling Stones: Tattoo You (1981)
Scritti Politti: Cupid & Psyche ’85 (1985)
Sleater-Kinney: Call the Doctor (1996)
Sonic Youth: Dirty (1992)
Stevie Wonder: Songs in the Key of Life (1976)
The Coup: Steal This Album (1998)
The Rolling Stones: Sticky Fingers (1971)
Ambitious Lovers: Greed (1998)
Pavement: Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain (1994)
Aretha Franklin: Spirit in the Dark (1970)
Big Star: Radio City (1974)
Bonnie Raitt: Luck of the Draw (1991)
Bruce Springsteen: Tunnel of Love (1987)
The Who: Tommy (1969)
De La Soul: 3 Feet High and Rising (1989)
Elvis Costello and the Attractions: Blood and Chocolate (1986)
Fleetwood Mac: Fleetwood Mac (1975)
The Byrds: Sweetheart of the Rodeo (1968)
Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove (1978)
Hole: Live Through This (1994)
James Carter: Conversin' With the Elders (1996)
Gang of Four: Entertainment! (1980)
John Prine: Lost Dogs and Mixed Blessings (1995)
Joni Mitchell: Blue (1971)
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Street Survivors (1977)
Michael Jackson: Off the Wall (1979)
Miles Davis: Agharta (1976)
P.M. Dawn: The Bliss Album . . . ? (1993)
Prince and the Revolution: Purple Rain (1984)
R.E.M.: Murmur (1983)
Kid Creole and the Coconuts: Wise Guy (1982)
The Rolling Stones: Aftermath (1966)
Latin Playboys: Dose (1999)
PJ Harvey: Is This Desire? (1998)
Psychedelic Furs: Talk Talk Talk (1981)
Neil Young: Time Fades Away (1973)
Talking Heads: Little Creatures (1985)
The Roches: A Dove (1992)
Alberta Hunter: Amtrak Blues (1980)
Andy Fairweather Low: Spider Jiving (1974)
Arthur Blythe: Lenox Avenue Breakdown (1979)
Black Uhuru: Anthem (1984)
The Rolling Stones: Let It Bleed (1969)
The Chills: Submarine Bells (1990)
The Songs of Jimmie Rodgers--A Tribute Album (1997)
The Wailers: Catch a Fire (1972)
David Bowie: Station to Station (1976)
Donald Fagen: The Nightfly (1982)
Elvis Costello: My Aim Is True (1977)
Feelies: The Time for a Witness (1991)
Iris DeMent: The Way I Should (1996)
Lost in the Stars: The Music of Kurt Weill (1985)
Black Uhuru: Red (1981)
John Lennon: Plastic Ono Band (1970)
Joy of Cooking: Joy of Cooking (1971)
Kid Creole and the Coconuts: Doppelganger (1983)
John Trudell: AKA Graffiti Man (1992)
M People: Elegant Slumming (1994)
Mary Lou Lord: Got No Shadow (1998)
PJ Harvey: To Bring You My Love (1965)
Johnny Cash: At Folsom Prison (1968)
Public Enemy: Fear of a Black Planet (1990)
Randy Newman: Bad Love (1999)
Steely Dan: Katy Lied (1975)
Steve Earle: Guitar Town (1986)
The Neville Brothers: Yellow Moon (1989)
Bruce Springsteen: Born to Run (1975)
Aretha Franklin: Soul '69 (1969)
Archers of Loaf: Icky Mettle (1993)
Wire: Pink Flag (1978)
Steely Dan: Can't Buy a Thrill (1972)
Sly & Robbie: Rhythm Killers (1987)
Al Green: Livin' for You (1973)
Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens: Paris-Soweto (1988)
Burning Spear: Marcus Garvey (1976)
Camper Van Beethoven: Camper Van Beethoven (1986)
Eric Clapton: 461 Ocean Boulevard (1974)
Folkways: A Vision Shared--A Tribute to Woody Guthrie and Leadbelly (1988)
Ice-T: O.G.: Original Gangster (1991)
John Lennon/Yoko Ono: Double Fantasy (1980)
Lou Reed: New York (1989)
Marvin Gaye: Midnight Love (1982)
Ornette Coleman: Dancing in Your Head (1977)
Mary J. Blige: Share My World (1997)
Pablo Moses: In the Future (1983)
Pet Shop Boys: Very (1993)
Steely Dan: Countdown to Ecstasy (1973)
Linton Kwesi Johnson: Making History (1984)
Los Lobos: Colossal Head (1996)
P.M. Dawn: Dearest Christian, I'm So Very Sorry for Bringing You Here (1998)
Stevie Wonder: Talking Book (1972)
Sugar: File Under: Easy Listening (1994)
The B-52's: The B-52's (1979)
The Kinks: The Kinks Are The Village Green Preservation Society (1968)
Sonic Youth: Goo (1990)
The Jesus and Mary Chain: Psychocandy (1985)
Q-Tip: Amplified (1999)
The Mahavishnu Orchestra: The Inner Mounting Flame (1971)
ABC: The Lexicon of Love (1982)
Al Green: The Belle Album (1977)
Aretha Franklin: A Rose Is Still a Rose (1998)
Arto Lindsay/Ambitious Lovers: Envy (1984)
Bob Dylan / The Band: Before the Flood (1974)
Chic: Real People (1980)
The Grateful Dead: Aoxomoxoa (1969)
Digable Planets: Reachin' (A New Refutation of Time and Space) (1993)
Freedy Johnston: Never Home (1997)
Joe Ely: Honky Tonk Masquerade (1978)
Papa Wemba: Emotion (1995)
The Blasters: Hard Line (1985)
Michelle Shocked: Short Sharp Shocked (1988)
The Sonny Sharrock Band: Seize the Rainbow (1987)
Tom Verlaine: Dreamtime (1981)
Beats International: Let Them Eat Bingo (1990)
The Goats: Tricks of the Shade (1992)
Yo La Tengo: Electr-O-Pura (1995)
The Vibrators: Pure Mania (1978)
The Velvet Underground: Loaded (1970)
Graham Parker: Heat Treatment (1976)
John Prine: John Prine (1971)
Mississippi John Hurt: Last Sessions (1972)
Jonathan Richman & the Modern Lovers: Jonathan Sings! (1983)
Pere Ubu: Cloudland (1989)
P.M. Dawn: Of the Heart, of the Soul and of the Cross: The Utopian Experience (1991)
The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy: Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury (1992)
The Grateful Dead: Workingman's Dead (1970)
The Housemartins: The People Who Grinned Themselves to Death (1987)
The Blasters: The Blasters (1981)
The Who: Quadrophenia (1973)
Toots & the Maytals: Funky Kingston (1975)
Victoria Williams: Loose (1994)
Willie Nelson: Spirit (1996)
Bill Withers: Still Bill (1972)
Bob Dylan: Time Out of Mind (1997)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: The McGarrigle Hour (1998)
Minutemen: 3-Way Tie for Last (1985)
Muddy Waters: Hard Again (1977)
Roxy Music: Siren (1975)
The Allman Brothers: Brothers and Sisters (1973)
Tom Verlaine: Tom Verlaine (1979)
The Roches: The Roches (1979)
They Might Be Giants: They Might Be Giants (1986)
Beck: Odelay (1996)
Bonnie Raitt: Bonnie Raitt (1971)
The Band: The Band (1969)
Eno: Here Come the Warm Jets (1974)
Hurricane Zouk (1988)
John McLaughlin: Devotion (1970)
Keith Whitley: I Wonder Do You Think of Me (1989)
Kate and Anna McGarrigle: Kate and Anna McGarrigle (1976)
Mekons: Curse of the Mekons (1991)
Prince: 1999 (1982)
Public Image Ltd.: Second Edition (1980)
Steve Earle and the Del McCoury Band: The Mountain (1999)
The Beautiful South: 0898 Beautiful South (1992)
Thomas Mapfumo: Ndangariro (1984)
Tom Verlaine: Flash Light (1987)
UB 40: Rat in the Kitchen (1986)
Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy (1978)
Al Green: Al Green Gets Next to You (1971)
X: More Fun in the New World (1983)
Belle and Sebastian: The Boy With the Arab Strap (1998)
John Prine: Common Sense (1975)
The Pretenders: The Pretenders (1979)
Jon Hassell/Brian Eno: Fourth World Vol. 1: Possible Musics (1980)
Kate & Anna McGarrigle: Love Over and Over (1983)
Mother Earth: Make a Joyful Noise (1969)
Living Colour: Time's Up (1990)
Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping (1974)
Michael Jackson: Thriller (1982)
The Robert Cray Band: I Was Warned (1992)
Van Morrison: His Band & the Street Choir (1970)
Willie Nelson: Stardust (1978)
Ani DiFranco: Dilate (1996)
Pat Metheny/Ornette Coleman: Song X (1986)
Led Zeppelin: Led Zeppelin IV (1971)
Rank and File: Sundown (1982)
The Pretenders: Learning to Crawl (1984)
The Go-Betweens: 16 Lovers Lane (1988)
The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground (1969)
The Robert Cray Band: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark (1988)
Talking Heads: Speaking in Tongues (1983)
The Modern Lovers: The Modern Lovers (1976)
The dB's: Like This (1984)
Pulp: Different Class (1996)
Patti Smith: Dream of Life (1988)
Pulnoc: City of Hysteria (1991)
Curtis Mayfield: Superfly (1972)
Richard Hell and the Voidoids: Blank Generation (1977)
The Housemartins: London 0, Hull 4 (1986)
The Insect Trust: Hoboken Saturday Night (1970)
Jimi Hendrix: The Cry of Love (1971)
Dusty Springfield: Dusty in Memphis (1969)
Tom Waits: Swordfishtrombones (1983)
B.B. King: Live in Cook County Jail (1971)
Ramones: Too Tough to Die (1984)
Otis Redding: Love Man (1969)
Carole King: Tapestry (1971)