Unfortunately, there is a word limit on Odyssey articles, so I had to cut my list last week at seven choices. Well, I felt that my list was a bit scarce on a truly reflective list of my personal favorites. I included a Led Zeppelin record as well as a Joy Division record, and, truthfully, both of them have one more album each that I will not be including as to be more inclusive of my music tastes. Without a doubt, let’s continue.
New World Record - Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)
When I introduce people who also like music to ELO, I notice there is an instant resonation of “Wow! I love that sound!” Well, unabashedly, I must admit that Electric Light Orchestra’s sound is what usually tends to define their quality, with what the music sounds like being 60% of their album’s quality. With New World Record, however, they genuinely divert from their trend, providing rich and colorful lyrics that resonate with emotions and thoughtfulness.
“Oh, telephone line. Give me some time. I’m living in twilight.”
Brothers In Arms - Dire Straits
When I was young, one or two songs by Dire Straits from their greatest hits album were fun to listen to, but as I got older, Brothers In Arms slowly became one of my favorite albums for their sheer ability to shift from more simplistic themes and concepts to more chilling and complex tracks near the end.
“Someday you'll return to your valleys and your farms, and you'll no longer burn to be brothers in arms.”
Let England Shake - PJ Harvey
My uncle put it pretty accurately when he stated that PJ Harvey is one of the best, most original artists of the past few decades. Often, PJ Harvey’s music is organized into different genres including alternative rock, folk, folk rock, alternative folk, pop rock, etc. Truthfully, regardless of whether the critic is assessing one of Harvey’s works with praise or criticism, there’s a myopic tendency to assess the album within the parameters of one of the aforementioned genres, but, truthfully, Harvey just makes music. It’s very unconventional, and her vocals are very reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s subversion of traditional rules to vocals. Let England Shake is an album that’s been asleep, but dreaming within Harvey’s creative mind. Obviously, I love the Harv, and I think Let England Shake is a fully original, complex album that reminds me of all the reasons I love Led Zeppelin.
“I've seen and done things I want to forget. I’ve seen soldiers fall like lumps of meat. Blown and shot out beyond belief. Arms and legs were in the trees."
Garbage - Garbage
Along with PJ Harvey, Shirley Manson (the lead vocalist of Garbage that I had the pleasure to both meet and watch perform in concert) is a powerhouse. She’s a chaotic, expressive stage presence, and the music that her equally talented performers arrange is absolutely brilliant. I love alternative rock as much as the next guy born in the latter half of the 1990’s, but truthfully, it’s a genre that took no time to grow stale. Garbage, who never quite rose to the top in popularity, maintained quality alternative rock, and their first album is an alternative masterpiece.
“I'm only happy when it rains. I’m only happy when it's complicated. And though I know you can't appreciate it, I’m only happy when it rains.
The Serpent’s Egg - Dead Can Dance
In my opinion, world music is the classical music of the 20th and 21st centuries. Yes, I know that classical music is still produced consistently to this day, but, truthfully, it’s not one of my favorite genres. There’s some supremely beautiful classical music, both old and new, but it’s just not a go-to genre for me. World music, on the other hand, which also isn’t necessarily one of my favorite genres, manages to encompass all the qualities that people appreciate about classical music. The Host of Seraphim is absolute beauty in every sense of the word. It utilizes the talents of its vocalists and it’s creative use of unconventional instrumentation to produce a masterful world music album that uplifts the soul as well as sends chills down your spine.
“We could welcome the responsibility like a long lost friend, and re-establish laughter, in the dolls' house once, again. For time has imprisoned us in the order of our years, in the discipline of our ways, and in the passing of momentary stillness.”
You Want It Darker - Leonard Cohen
How unusual is it that an artist, who has released 14 albums over the length of his excellent and impressive career, releases one of his greatest albums as his last release. Cohen is very expressive with his relaxed music, and is known to have experimented in the past, managed to tap into something different from his previous works, but at the maximum level of quality in his last album. As the title suggests, it’s much darker than his previous works, but in an uplifting manner. R.I.P Cohen. You’ll never be forgotten.
“Let’s keep it on the level when I walked away from you. I turned my back on the devil. Turned my back on the angel, too.”
Holy Wood - Marilyn Manson
Marilyn Manson was the quintessential shock rocker of the 1990’s, but what I find most intriguing about the artist is the intensity of his lyrics as well as his music, touching on lyrics that explore both personal and grandiose concepts, incorporating tenuously, visually metaphorical lyrics that are often hard to crack. Being the conclusion to Marilyn Manson’s “triptych,” the trilogy has assessed our ridiculously confusing culture from…like…a cosmic entity looking down. With Holy Wood, we are introduced to a much more personal Marilyn Manson, and as a whole, Holy Wood is a masterpiece.
“We have no future. Heaven wasn't made for me. We burn ourselves to hell s fast as it can be. And I wish that I could be the king, then I'd know that I am not alone."
