List part deux:
19. Jimmy Cliff et al. (soundtrack) "The Harder They Come"(1972) [Cliff's title track and "Many Rivers to Cross" are fabulous -- but no better than the Maytals' "Pressure Drop", the Melodians'"Rivers of Babylon" or The Slickers' "Johnny Too Bad"].
20. Stevie Wonder: Innervisions (1973) [I don't know if I'd choose this over "TAlking Book" but that wasn't on the list so that was easy. As much as I love Stevie, I love Marvin even more--but Marvin didn't make albums as great as Stevie did. And yes, I'm very much including "What's Going On" in that. Insert another disparaging Sgt. Pepper comment here. Anyway... this has it all: funky, funny, virtuosity and subtlety, great songs and great performances. And EVERY time I'm about to enter either the Holland or Lincoln Tunnel from NJ I still turn
to whoever's in the car and say, "New York... just like I pictured it. Skyscrapers and ev'rythang!"]
21. Randy Newman's Good Old Boys, (Reprise, 1974) [Christgau: "Contrary to published report, the white Southerners Newman sings about/from are never objects of contempt. Even Newman's psychotic and exhibitionist and moron show dignity and imagination, and the rednecks of the album's most notorious songs are imbued by the smart-ass Los Angeles Jew who created them with ironic distance, a smart-ass's kindest cut of all. There is, natcherly, a darker irony: no matter how smart they are about how dumb they are, they still can't think of anything better to do than keep the niggers down." Note: the lead track is "Rednecks": "We're rednecks, rednecks/We don't know our ass from a hole in the ground/We are rednecks, rednecks/We are keeping the niggers down"]
22. Brian Eno: Another Green World (1975) [Especially love "Everything Merges with the Night" and Fripp's guitar on "I'll Come Running". Inspired by the Velvets and electric Miles, even if that only makes sense in retrospect.]
23. The Clash--London Calling (1979) [Great synthesis of the first 25 years of rock and roll, from Elvis (check the cover) to punk. Love love love the Monty Clift tribute.]
24. Richard and Linda Thompson: Shoot Out the Lights (1981) [Takes a hell of a singer to steal the spotlight from his songs and guitar, but she managed it on a consistent basis. Then you notice how astonishing his songs and guitar are. Then when you're convinced that he's the star she reminds you why it's Richard AND Linda. I'm sorry they were so unhappy, but I'm glad they stuck it out long enough to make this.]
25. Public Enemy: It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back (1988) [All hail the Bomb Squad! "Bring the Noise" is the greatest production ever. Or maybe the second best on the first side ("Louder Than a Bomb"). And maybe not as great as "Black Steel in the Hour of Chaos" or "Rebel Without a Pause". There's so much to hear on this record that I'm not sure you could ever get to the bottom of it. THIS is the album that I want to see a "Making of...". I'll be happy to listen to Chuck, but I really want to hear from Terminator and the Shocklees and Vietnam Sadler. So dense and rich. Wow. This would definitely be on my list.]