1. Django Django – Firewater (Django Django, 2012) [singlepic id=395 w=80 h=50 float=left]
One of the finest things that came from London the past few years, being a great debut album full of neo-psychedelia and irresistible rhythms. This is one of those catchy tunes, think of a natty kind of early Animal Collective with a thrilling outro full of vocal harmonies. And as the quest for continuity remains the greatest fetish down here: drummer and producer David Maclean is the brother of John Maclean, sampler of The Beta Band.
2. Roxy Music – In Every Dream Home a Heartache (For Your Pleasure, 1973) [singlepic id=398 w=80 h=50 float=left]
More arty stuff from London, with Roxy Music’s second album (feat. Bryan Ferry’s then girlfriend Amanda Lear on the front cover) , released after the self-epynomous debut and the successful single ‘Virginia Plain’. At that point, Phil Manzanera was meanwhile promoted from roadie to the band’s most skilful musician, the spot of bass player had become an everlasting interim vacancy and Brian Eno was at the point of leaving the band. It’s the track that kind of stands out on the album, being a spoken declaration of love to an inflatable doll, while it musically reminds of Talking Heads meets David Bowie. After Ferry is in control for the first three minutes, Manzanera is allowed to go on an instrumental razzle before Eno concludes the song with an ode to ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’.
3. Arcade Fire – Wake Up (Funeral, 2004) [singlepic id=155 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Like stated earlier here and by many others elsewhere: a modern classic. Based around life companions Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, this Montreal band was gradually created in the beginning of this century after many temporary members and as many (on stage) fights. Funeral points to the many deaths within Butler’s and Chassagne’s families while the album was created, although it didn’t result in a very dark sounding album. This song turned into a large venue hymn after several famous performances, by the band itself as well as other happenings. Not a personal favorite, although I like the ‘Mr. Blue Sky’- transition.
4. Neil Young & Crazy Horse – Walk Like a Giant (Psychedelic Pill, 2012) [singlepic id=286 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Sixteen minutes jam from Neil and his jamming friends, reuniting on this album after almost ten years. I think of it as a great album, on which Young doesn’t give a shit about the musical conventions in the world surrounding him, and freely travels back 40 years in time, to the world he wasn’t capable of changing back then.
5. Motörhead – No Class (No Sleep ‘til Hammersmith, 1981) [singlepic id=135 w=80 h=50 float=left]
The same amount of brutal power, but a little more to the point, originally from the band’s second studio album. Lemmy founded the band already in 1975, after having left Hawkind, but the classic line-up with Fast Eddie and Philthy Animal arised one year later. The self-epynomous debut album followed in 1977, supported by the ‘Beyond the Threshold of Pain’ tour. 1979 brought Motörhead’s second album Overkill, including this song that became one of the band’s famous live anthems. The wonderful name of that supporting tour?
6. Nirvana – Rape Me (In Utero, 1993) [singlepic id=397 w=80 h=50 float=left]
The tensions between Cobain and MTV during the Unplugged performance were already cited last time, and this song also has his own story within this context. It was the second single (along with ‘All Apologies’) from Nirvana’s third and last studio album and this time Nirvana wanted it to play at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards. However, MTV insisted on replacing it by ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit’, leading to a refusal by the band to play at all. In the end (money, pressure, business, grubbiness), the argument was resolved by Nirvana agreeing to replace it by ‘Lithium’. However, Cobain gave MTV the creeps by starting to play ‘Rape Me’ before ultimately switching over to ‘Lithium’. Great track, good album.
7. Tindersticks – Ballad of Tindersticks (Curtains, 1997) [singlepic id=273 w=80 h=50 float=left]
A fan of their early work, especially that great second album. This third album as a whole certainly can’t top that level, but contains some of their best tracks. It must be a tough job to bring this drawn out music live, and that’s exactly where this song is about.
8. My Morning Jacket – Touch Me I’m Going to Scream Pt. 1 (Evil Urges, 2008) [singlepic id=107 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Predecessor of last week’s shuffled album and like I said earlier: a band that tries something new now and then, and sometimes that results in a fail. Or was this album just the essential step in ultimately ending up with the genius of Circuital? Whatever, this album in fact doesn’t contain more than a bunch of mistakes, a trio of solid songs and the sole reason that keeps the record in your collection: Part 2 of the shuffled song.
9. Jimi Hendrix Experience – Can You See Me (Are You Experienced, 1967) [singlepic id=25 w=80 h=50 float=left]
One of those typical power trio tracks on Hendrix’ debut (along with ‘May This Be Love’), inspired by Eric Clapton’s Cream and with a prominent role for drummer Mitch Mitchell. Blues rocker Hendrix injected his play with the booming psychedelic rock, supported himself with a steady bass player and drummer like his Yardbirds heroes Clapton, Beck and Page and defined the new genre of hard rock.
10. Emerson, Lake & Palmer – Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression, Pt. 2 (Brain Salad Surgery, 1973) [singlepic id=396 w=80 h=50 float=left]
Well, this also was some kind of a power trio, although in a totally other way. Keith Emerson eventually became one of the most famous keys wizards in the history of rock music and originally played in The Nice, Greg Lake sang and played the bass in King Crimson and Carl Palmer came from the less known group Atomic Rooster to play the drums. This was their fourth album, after the self-epynomous debut, their most famous album Tarkus and Trilogy. With their own record label and recording studio (an abandoned cinema), they were ready to push all limits on this records, resulting in prog in its most extreme form. By the way: Experience drummer Mitch Mitchell was originally approached by Emerson and Lake to join them, after which Cream’s manager recommended Carl Palmer. Oh, and Lemmy? He once was a roadie for Emerson’s former band The Nice.