Music from the Basement

A stretched out cover of Sly's "Everyday People" will soothe the most excitable. DJ Logic joins in on three tracks to stretch the beats and melodies like taffy, as well as timestamp the proceedings. 2/2

Medeski Martin & Wood - Combustication (1998)

In the late 90s MMW were on a roll. Their grooves were loose and wormed their way into the listeners deepest recesses. 1/2

Hmmm ... for various reasons, not necessarily because they're the 'best.'

- Jim Croce - Photographs and Memories
- The Police - Synchronicity
- Miles Davis -Relaxin' w the Miles Davis Quintet
- Vladimir Horowitz - Horowitz plays Mozart
- Sleater-Kinney - Dig Me Out

Not legendary like their debut, but only the Femmes could pull off this earnest, quirky, eclectic set in the mid-80s. 2/2

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Violent Femmes - The Blind Leading the Naked (1986)

The third album from the Milwaukee trio. Produced by Jerry Harrison, there is a lot going on here, from the punkish opening blast of "Old Mother Reagan" to the spiritual raveup "Faith" to a cover of T-Rex's "Children of the Revolution." 1/2

Bastille - Bad Blood (2013)

Debut album from Bastille. Entertaining, epic, and catchy. They're a fun live act.

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Pete Townshend's use of the ARP synthesizer was a revelation on the epics "Baba O'Reilly" and "Won't Get Fooled Again." 2/3

The Who - Who's Next (deluxe edition) (2003)

Who's Next is one of the textbook capital-R Rock Albums. Essential and undeniable. Macho and vulnerable, chaotic and focused. The majority of its tracks still get spins on AOR and classic rock radio. 1/3

Maceo Parker - Life on Planet Groove (1992)

98% Funky Stuff! Hot jams from Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis, and Fred Wesley, each of whom led James Brown's band at various points in the Godfather of Soul's fame.

Recorded live in Germany '92, these songs will put a smile on even the most dour cats.

... easily could cut three songs, and I would be happy never hearing the two biggest hits ever again. And I am utterly fascinated by it from time to time.

Def Leppard - Hysteria (1987)

"Step inside! Walk this way!" Oh, the Mutt Lange of it all.

This album was inescapable my first two years of high school. It felt like every song was on MTV nonstop. I have a lot of opinions on this. It's produced within an inch of being parody ...

He's an inspiration
He's an inspiration
He's an inspiration
To us all

Tim McGraw - Tim McGraw & the Dance Hall Doctors (2002)

It's wild to think "Red Rag Top" was such a big hit given its overt reference to an abortion. It's way more than that, though, and it's up to the listener to accept it as one facet in a relationship long gone. Heady content for country radio.

No doubt. I wrote a bunch more on the Insta page post. I love the earlier stuff, but there's a delightful amateurishness to the engineering. Rift is reined in and focused. It's Rift, Ghost, Billy Breathes, and frankly Sigma Oasis creeping up my rankings.

Phish - Rift (1993)

A wonderful concept album that takes the listener through a restless night of dreams. Anxiety, doubt, longing, panic, whimsical terror, head-scratching visions, and awakening all flit along. This rewards repeated listens. I love this album.

Kelly Clarkson - Breakaway (2004)

12 million Kelly Clarkson fans can't be wrong. No sophomore slump for the OG American Idol, this album is packed with hits that still get heavy radio rotation. The songs are produced right to the edge of melodramatic kitsch without going over. That's talent.

moe. - No Guts, No Glory (2014)

A relatively recent studio album from the jam giants. Tracks like "Annihilation Blues," "Silver Sun," and "Billy Goat" slotted into live shows seemlessly.

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...which gives way to synth accented 80's apocalyptic warnings, giving way back to power trio basics.

Rush were a unique and insanely talented trio, unapologetically forging a path that other bands are still catching up with. I should dive into more of their work. 3/3

From the riff/jam heavy opening tracks with original drummer John Rutsey, to the immediate infusion of fresh ideas on Fly By Night with god-tier Neil Peart, Rush never stop digging for new ways to deliver. Prog rock like 2112 gives way to AOR forever hits like Tom Sawyer and Spirit of Radio... 2/3

Rush - Chronicles (1990)

Oddly enough, this is the only Rush release in the collection. I feel like I could've easily fallen down the Rush rabbit hole, but somehow never did. I appreciate the musical progression represented in these two discs.

Taken from sessions in 1957 and 1958, these tracks are melodic and welcoming. They're not the pinnacle of Coltrane, but worth another listen for sure. 2/2

John Coltrane - Lush Life (1961)

After Trane moved to Atlantic Records in 1960 and had big success with Giant Steps andy Favorite Things, his former label Prestige released Lush Life as a cash grab of sorts. All unreleased cash grabs should be as good as Lush Life. 1/2

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The Sundays - Blind (1992)

A more ethereal outing than their debut. The unmistakable vocals of Harriet Wheeler dip and soar over David Gavurin's shimmering guitar. Their take on the Stones' "Wild Horses" fit perfectly.

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A Maxwell XL-II of this album was constantly in rotation in my old car when it dropped my senior year of high school. Finally replaced it a few years back. 2/2

The Black Crowes - Shake Your Money Maker (1990)

Southern-fried Stones. I still love turning this one up loud and butchering the lyrics. It's such a great album, filled with grit and pathos. 1/2

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The Firm, Original Motion Soundtrack (1993)

(Note: Not to be confused with the mid-80s Jimmy Page and Paul Rogers rock band The Firm.)

Remember when everybody read John Grisham legal thrillers? Then they all started getting movie adaptations? This is the soundtrack to the one with Tom Cruise.

At least Jackson Browne's iconic "Somebody's Baby" is here. But where the heck are Go-Go's "We Got the Beat" and the Cars "Moving in Stereo," huh? They're the songs that are indelibly a part of Fast Times. 2/2

Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982)

I've seen Fast Times dozens of times and honestly I can only place about half of the songs here in any scene. There's so much forgettable music here by huge stars and artists I couldn't name on a bet. 2/2

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Béla Fleck & the Flecktones - UFO Tofo (1992)

The banjo as only Béla Fleck can play it. Complex edge-of-jazz and jam expeditions with Roy and Victor Wooten, and Howard Levy. Spontaneity and a lot of notes along the way in this live studio session.

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Paul Westerberg - Suicaine Gratification (1999)

A fairly laid back outing from Westerberg. A bit more All Shook Down than Let It Be, if that makes any sense to fans of The Replacements. Great lines like, "So don't pin your hopes, pin your dreams, on misanthropes, guys like me," are pure Westerberg.