In general, I like to make lists. But I found it impossible to get into the “25 Random Things About Me” craze on Facebook a few weeks ago. I tried to make a list, but got bored and abandoned it. And I had no regrets. Perhaps, I thought, I’d finally cured myself of my compulsive listing habit. Then I ran across a list titled “15 Albums That Rocked My World,” or something along those lines. Immediately, I began thinking of the albums that had the biggest impact on me. And I made a list. So here they are, in no particular order, although there are only 10 of them.
1. “Achtung Baby” by U2 Most people prefer the U2 of “The Joshua Tree” and “War.” Not me. This is the one U2 album I love from start to finish. They have better songs on other albums, but I prefer the darker, more electronic stylings on this album. And the songs are pretty good, too. I even wrote a paper about “One.”
2. “Violent Femmes” The Violent Femmes were my favorite band in high school, and I bought pretty much everything they recorded, but as I got older some of their albums began to seem overly goofy. But their debut album gets better with age. It’s ragged — at times, you wonder if anyone really knows how to play their instruments, and why anyone thought lead singer Gordon Gano had the makings of a vocalist. Somehow, it all works. If you discovered this album as a teenager, you’ll love it forever.
3. “Ten” by Pearl Jam This album, along with Nirvana’s “Nevermind,” changed how I listen to music. I realized that there was a world beyond classic rock, and moved in a more alternative direction, seeking out music that seemed new, vital and somewhat adventurous. My friend Beka and I often debated which was the better band, Pearl Jam or Nirvana. I said Pearl Jam, she said Nirvana. In retrospect, she was right. But I still like “Ten” better than anything Nirvana put out.
4. “Summerteeth” by Wilco This isn’t the best album by this band, but it’s the one I listened to nonstop, a poppy, alternative rock album that’s chock full of sad and catchy songs like “How to Fight Loneliness” and “When You Wake Up Feeling Old.” If you’ve never heard Wilco but want to check them out, this is the album to start with.
5. “Cure for Pain” by Morphine I read about this band in Rolling Stone, and I was intrigued. Morphine features a bass, drums and saxophone, but no guitar, and I decided to buy the album without hearing a single song because it sounded like something I would like, as I was playing saxophone in jazz band and thought it was the coolest instrument in the world. I don’t know if Morphine is the coolest band in the world, but they’re definitely up there.
6. “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness” by Smashing Pumpkins I’m not sure I even like Smashing Pumpkins much anymore, but there was a period when I couldn’t stop listening to this album, and we played it constantly in the college newspaper office. It’s long and self-indulgent and I’m a little ashamed of myself for liking it so much.
7. “Big Choice” by Face to Face After Madonna’s greatest hits, this is the album I like to listen to when I’m angry, because they’re angry. I don’t think they have one happy song. Or even one slow song.
8. “Let it Be” by The Replacements It’s hard to pick one Replacements album, because I acquired all of their albums around the same and listened to them constantly, but this might be the best. It’s not as polished as their later efforts, or as raw as their first albums, which makes it just about perfect, because it moves seamlessly between jokey songs like “Tommy Gets His Tonsils Out” and more sincere fare like “Sixteen Blue” and “I Will Dare.”
9. “Gentleman” by the Afghan Whigs This band never got as much attention as it deserved. Like The Replacements, it’s hard to pick one album. They’re all so good. And underappreciated.
10. “Una Volta” by DeVotchKa This Denver band played my friends’ wedding, and so it feels like I know them, even though I don’t. A gypsy punk/indie rock band, their music makes me think of my friends; whenever I listen to them, they cheer me up.
Got a comment? Or favorite album? Add your picks below or e-mail me at sfoss@dailygazette.net.
