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(08-22-2006) Rock On! 25 Rock CDs You Must Have -- Dayton Daily News*
Rock On! 25 Rock CDs You Must Have
By Dave Larsen
Staff Writer
Are you ready to rock?
If so, here are 25 essential albums to kick-start your collection.
The albums are arranged chronologically, encompassing a variety of rock music's movements and subgenres over the past 50-plus years. However, the list isn't meant to be a complete historical overview of rock 'n' roll. Nor is it a definitive list of the all-time greatest albums.
My own personal selections would also include some Frank Zappa and early Genesis, but we're not here to play favorites.
These are 25 albums that every true rock fan should at least be familiar with, if not own.
1.'The Complete Sun Sessions,'
Elvis Presley (RCA, 1987)
This collection of essential tracks, recorded during 1954 and 1955 at Sun Records in Memphis, combines "race" and "hillbilly" music with a whole lot of charisma. It's the sound of rock 'n' roll being born.
2. 'Bringing It All Back Home,' Bob Dylan (Columbia, 1965)
Dylan's first electric album influenced numerous folk-rock acts formed in its wake, and it features some of his best-known songs, including Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie's Farm and Mr. Tambourine Man.
3. 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' The Beatles (Capitol, 1967)
No longer performing live because of fan hysteria and death threats, the Beatles retreated to the studio and produced an astonishing, landmark album that elevated rock music to art.
4. 'The Doors,' The Doors
(Elektra, 1967)
The Los Angeles band's dark, keyboard-driven debut album presented a noirish take on otherwise sunny '60s California, highlighted by the tracks Break on Through, Light My Fire and the acid-rock epic, The End.
5. 'Are You Experienced?,'
Jimi Hendrix (Reprise, 1967)
Hendrix defined the electric guitar, turning feedback and distortion into a fluid, expressive vocabulary. His influential first record features such jaw-droppers as Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Manic Depression and Fire.
6. 'Led Zeppelin,' Led Zeppelin (Atlantic, 1969) The British band pioneered heavy metal by pumping up electric blues with thunderous volume and sledgehammer beats. Its debut included reworked blues classics and distinctive originals such as Dazed and Confused.
7. 'American Beauty,' The Grateful Dead (Warner Bros., 1970)
The San Francisco psychedelic pioneers became an enduring hippie phenomenon with their genial mix of country-, blues- and folk-based rock. This album is the high point of the Dead's recording career.
8. 'Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,' Derek and the Dominos (RSO, 1970)
Eric Clapton — secretly in love with the wife of his best friend, George Harrison — poured his emotion into a passionate, masterpiece album about unrequited love. It's highlighted by Layla.
9. 'Who's Next,' The Who
(MCA, 1971)
The British band's assured studio follow-up to Tommy captures the Who at its prime. Highlights include the hard-rock anthems Baba O'Reilly and Won't Get Fooled Again — or as most folks now know them, the CSI theme songs.
10. 'Exile on Main Street,' The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones, 1972)
The British bad boys capped a stellar 1968-'72 string of releases with one of the best double albums in rock history. The triumph of intensity includes Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice and All Down the Line.
11. 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,' David Bowie (RCA, 1972)
The chameleonic British singer fashioned himself as an otherworldly rock star, and became one, with this glam rock concept album. It includes Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City.
12. 'The Dark Side of the Moon,'
Pink Floyd (Capitol, 1973)
The British acid-rock band distilled its trippy sound into a strong, top-selling set of songs that showcased Roger Waters' lyrics and David Gilmour's guitar, enhanced by sound effects and snippets of dialogue.
13. 'Born to Run,' Bruce Springsteen (Columbia, 1975)
Fueled by youthful optimism and a sense of release, Springsteen's breakthrough album about small-town New Jersey kids in search of a better life catapulted him from cult figure to the covers of Time and Newsweek.
14. 'Ramones,' Ramones (Sire, 1976)
New York City's Ramones defined the sound of punk rock with its debut album, which featured 14 songs in less than 30 minutes. Fast, simple tunes such as Blitzkrieg Bop inspired countless other bands and altered the musical landscape.
15. 'My Aim is True,' Elvis Costello (Columbia, 1977)
Costello arrived as part of the late-'70s punk movement, but the bespectacled, angry young man emerged as a classic singer-songwriter. His debut album features Watching the Detectives, Less Than Zero and Alison.
16. 'London Calling,' The Clash
(Epic, 1979)
The Clash's stunning double album was an eclectic collection of pop styles, ranging from hard rock to rockabilly to reggae. It established punk's viability in the U.S. thanks to the Top 40 pop single, Train in Vain.
17. 'Remain in Light,' Talking Heads (Sire, 1980)
The art-schooled New York City quartet drew on funk and African rhythms to create some of new wave's most adventurous and danceable music. The innovative album is highlighted by the hit Once in a Lifetime.
18. 'Murmur,' R.E.M. (I.R.S., 1983)
The Athens, Ga., college rock band's first full-length album was an instant classic, brimming with chiming guitars, cryptic vocals and mesmerizing pop hooks. Standout tracks include Radio Free Europe and Talk About the Passion.
19. 'So,' Peter Gabriel (Geffen, 1986)
The former Genesis front man made his commercial breakthrough with an album of adventurous pop songs. It's highlighted by the funk-inflected Sledgehammer and Big Time, and the world beat-influenced Don't Give Up and In Your Eyes.
20. 'The Joshua Tree,'
U2 (Island, 1987)
The Irish band shifted from politics to intensely personal subject matter with its breakthrough album. The critical and commercial smash includes the No. 1 singles With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
21. 'Appetite for Destruction,'
Guns n' Roses (Geffen, 1987)
The L.A. band's first album infused '70s hard rock with heavy metal technique and punk attitude. Paradise City, Welcome to the Jungle and Sweet Child O' Mine were dynamite, but the band itself imploded.
22. 'Nevermind,' Nirvana (DGC, 1991)
The tragically short-lived Seattle trio launched the "grunge" movement with the infectious single, Smells Like Teen Spirit. The band's major label debut combined the energy and rage of punk with the melodic sensibility of pop.
23. 'Metallica,' Metallica
(Elektra, 1991)
The San Francisco Bay-area rock band changed the face of modern metal with the Black Album, which brought a tighter, more tuneful approach to its heavy, rhythmic sound — typified by the brooding hit Enter Sandman.
24. 'OK Computer,' Radiohead (Capitol, 1997)
The British alternative band drew wide acclaim, along with comparisons to Pink Floyd, for this moody, melodic album that seems to address the way machines dehumanize people. It includes Paranoid Android and Karma Police.
25. 'American Idiot,' Green Day (Reprise, 2004)
The San Francisco punk trio delivered one of the best albums of the new millennium to date with this polished, politically charged punk rock opera. It features Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and the title track.
Want to buy these? Locally, Borders and Best Buy stores have large rock inventories; we found all the CDs listed here at Amazon.com. Happy hunting!
--Dayton Daily News
Rock On! 25 Rock CDs You Must Have
By Dave Larsen
Staff Writer
Are you ready to rock?
If so, here are 25 essential albums to kick-start your collection.
The albums are arranged chronologically, encompassing a variety of rock music's movements and subgenres over the past 50-plus years. However, the list isn't meant to be a complete historical overview of rock 'n' roll. Nor is it a definitive list of the all-time greatest albums.
My own personal selections would also include some Frank Zappa and early Genesis, but we're not here to play favorites.
These are 25 albums that every true rock fan should at least be familiar with, if not own.
1.'The Complete Sun Sessions,'
Elvis Presley (RCA, 1987)
This collection of essential tracks, recorded during 1954 and 1955 at Sun Records in Memphis, combines "race" and "hillbilly" music with a whole lot of charisma. It's the sound of rock 'n' roll being born.
2. 'Bringing It All Back Home,' Bob Dylan (Columbia, 1965)
Dylan's first electric album influenced numerous folk-rock acts formed in its wake, and it features some of his best-known songs, including Subterranean Homesick Blues, Maggie's Farm and Mr. Tambourine Man.
3. 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band,' The Beatles (Capitol, 1967)
No longer performing live because of fan hysteria and death threats, the Beatles retreated to the studio and produced an astonishing, landmark album that elevated rock music to art.
4. 'The Doors,' The Doors
(Elektra, 1967)
The Los Angeles band's dark, keyboard-driven debut album presented a noirish take on otherwise sunny '60s California, highlighted by the tracks Break on Through, Light My Fire and the acid-rock epic, The End.
5. 'Are You Experienced?,'
Jimi Hendrix (Reprise, 1967)
Hendrix defined the electric guitar, turning feedback and distortion into a fluid, expressive vocabulary. His influential first record features such jaw-droppers as Purple Haze, Foxy Lady, Manic Depression and Fire.
6. 'Led Zeppelin,' Led Zeppelin (Atlantic, 1969) The British band pioneered heavy metal by pumping up electric blues with thunderous volume and sledgehammer beats. Its debut included reworked blues classics and distinctive originals such as Dazed and Confused.
7. 'American Beauty,' The Grateful Dead (Warner Bros., 1970)
The San Francisco psychedelic pioneers became an enduring hippie phenomenon with their genial mix of country-, blues- and folk-based rock. This album is the high point of the Dead's recording career.
8. 'Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs,' Derek and the Dominos (RSO, 1970)
Eric Clapton — secretly in love with the wife of his best friend, George Harrison — poured his emotion into a passionate, masterpiece album about unrequited love. It's highlighted by Layla.
9. 'Who's Next,' The Who
(MCA, 1971)
The British band's assured studio follow-up to Tommy captures the Who at its prime. Highlights include the hard-rock anthems Baba O'Reilly and Won't Get Fooled Again — or as most folks now know them, the CSI theme songs.
10. 'Exile on Main Street,' The Rolling Stones (Rolling Stones, 1972)
The British bad boys capped a stellar 1968-'72 string of releases with one of the best double albums in rock history. The triumph of intensity includes Rocks Off, Tumbling Dice and All Down the Line.
11. 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,' David Bowie (RCA, 1972)
The chameleonic British singer fashioned himself as an otherworldly rock star, and became one, with this glam rock concept album. It includes Ziggy Stardust and Suffragette City.
12. 'The Dark Side of the Moon,'
Pink Floyd (Capitol, 1973)
The British acid-rock band distilled its trippy sound into a strong, top-selling set of songs that showcased Roger Waters' lyrics and David Gilmour's guitar, enhanced by sound effects and snippets of dialogue.
13. 'Born to Run,' Bruce Springsteen (Columbia, 1975)
Fueled by youthful optimism and a sense of release, Springsteen's breakthrough album about small-town New Jersey kids in search of a better life catapulted him from cult figure to the covers of Time and Newsweek.
14. 'Ramones,' Ramones (Sire, 1976)
New York City's Ramones defined the sound of punk rock with its debut album, which featured 14 songs in less than 30 minutes. Fast, simple tunes such as Blitzkrieg Bop inspired countless other bands and altered the musical landscape.
15. 'My Aim is True,' Elvis Costello (Columbia, 1977)
Costello arrived as part of the late-'70s punk movement, but the bespectacled, angry young man emerged as a classic singer-songwriter. His debut album features Watching the Detectives, Less Than Zero and Alison.
16. 'London Calling,' The Clash
(Epic, 1979)
The Clash's stunning double album was an eclectic collection of pop styles, ranging from hard rock to rockabilly to reggae. It established punk's viability in the U.S. thanks to the Top 40 pop single, Train in Vain.
17. 'Remain in Light,' Talking Heads (Sire, 1980)
The art-schooled New York City quartet drew on funk and African rhythms to create some of new wave's most adventurous and danceable music. The innovative album is highlighted by the hit Once in a Lifetime.
18. 'Murmur,' R.E.M. (I.R.S., 1983)
The Athens, Ga., college rock band's first full-length album was an instant classic, brimming with chiming guitars, cryptic vocals and mesmerizing pop hooks. Standout tracks include Radio Free Europe and Talk About the Passion.
19. 'So,' Peter Gabriel (Geffen, 1986)
The former Genesis front man made his commercial breakthrough with an album of adventurous pop songs. It's highlighted by the funk-inflected Sledgehammer and Big Time, and the world beat-influenced Don't Give Up and In Your Eyes.
20. 'The Joshua Tree,'
U2 (Island, 1987)
The Irish band shifted from politics to intensely personal subject matter with its breakthrough album. The critical and commercial smash includes the No. 1 singles With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For.
21. 'Appetite for Destruction,'
Guns n' Roses (Geffen, 1987)
The L.A. band's first album infused '70s hard rock with heavy metal technique and punk attitude. Paradise City, Welcome to the Jungle and Sweet Child O' Mine were dynamite, but the band itself imploded.
22. 'Nevermind,' Nirvana (DGC, 1991)
The tragically short-lived Seattle trio launched the "grunge" movement with the infectious single, Smells Like Teen Spirit. The band's major label debut combined the energy and rage of punk with the melodic sensibility of pop.
23. 'Metallica,' Metallica
(Elektra, 1991)
The San Francisco Bay-area rock band changed the face of modern metal with the Black Album, which brought a tighter, more tuneful approach to its heavy, rhythmic sound — typified by the brooding hit Enter Sandman.
24. 'OK Computer,' Radiohead (Capitol, 1997)
The British alternative band drew wide acclaim, along with comparisons to Pink Floyd, for this moody, melodic album that seems to address the way machines dehumanize people. It includes Paranoid Android and Karma Police.
25. 'American Idiot,' Green Day (Reprise, 2004)
The San Francisco punk trio delivered one of the best albums of the new millennium to date with this polished, politically charged punk rock opera. It features Holiday, Boulevard of Broken Dreams and the title track.
Want to buy these? Locally, Borders and Best Buy stores have large rock inventories; we found all the CDs listed here at Amazon.com. Happy hunting!
--Dayton Daily News
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