Last summer I sent out an e-mail requesting a list of my friends' most influential albums. NOT the coolest or even favorite albums, but albums that represented life changes or rites of passage--albums that transcend your everyday musical experience. It's interesting to see the music that molds us. Maybe the music even chooses us, if we don't choose the music.
Here's my original list, followed by other responses:
Liz's Top Seven (as of July 9, 2007):
1. Maxfield, 2290
"She thinks she missed the train to Mars, she's out back counting stars."
After seeing this EP recorded live in February '06, I went home not only determined to learn how to play the guitar, but to become someone greater than what I'd let myself become. Seeing it done was like watching the burning bush to me. Still not over it.
2. Kate Rusby, Hourglass
"As I roved out one fine May morning . . . ."
I bought this at a dive record shop in Cedar City, the first summer I lived and worked away from home and on my own. Playing bass with Sassafrass, the all-girl bluegrass band, I was eaten alive by the genre of folk (specifically Irish folk)—not cheesy/country/twangy songs about Johnny Appleseed, but almost: songs of the land, timeless traditions, tunes that are still alive for a reason. It's like I finally found my musical home. That, and I was still obsessed with the Irish (post Angela's Ashes). I have since wanted to be Kate. I am Kate.
3. The Smashing Pumpkins, Rotten Apples: The Best of the Smashing Pumpkins
"Who wouldn't stand inside your love?"
The first band that was all my own—none of my siblings or close friends knew the Smashing Pumpkins. "Drown" was the anthem of my junior and senior years of high school. This music made me fall into myself and explode. Whoa. Sometimes it still does.
4. Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast)
"This rain will wash away what's past."
I never sang out loud for anyone to hear until I checked this out from the Pikes Peak library (tens of times, I'm sure). I'd never seen the play in person, but I knew every song by heart. The e-mail address from age 11 still exists (EponineR@aol.com!)—I sang Eponine's parts like they were my life; I never got the guy and I wallowed in it. This Les Mis obsession is what taught me how to sing, which I never did in public until I went to BYU.
5. The Beatles: 1962–1966, 1967–1970
"Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there."
My elementary school best friend, Amelia Kronser, was obsessed with the Beatles: posters on her ceilings, she slept with a Ringo doll and wept when George Harrison died. I owned the blue and red sets—those four CDs. When I slept over she would quiz me with her tape deck rolling: whose voice is whose? John or Paul, Liz? Who is it? But I still can't always tell. Anyway, I only listened to oldies until this point, but the Beatles were my transition to the next dimension of music. It only makes sense.
6. blink-182, Enema of the State
"I haven't been this scared in a long time."
The punk/Hot Topic stage, sophomore year of high school. My best bass-playing friend and locker partner, Liza Lehmkuhl, shared this obsession with me. We'd sing "Going Away to College" and bounce in our seats on the bus when we toured with the youth symphony. Blink was the only big, rock-like concert I have ever been to, even to this day (must remedy that—possibly this summer). This "rebel" phase was when I finally escaped my reputation as a silent, gray, introvert bookworm. This is when I began to wear bright colors.
7. Diana Krall, All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio
"The gypsies say, and I know why, a falling blossom only touches lips that lie."
Basically, this album invited jazz to make a permanent move into my love life. It was about the same time that I first started taking jazz bass lessons. I borrowed this album from Carrie Maxwell, my sophomore roommate at the BYU, and it's funny because I still don't own it. We lived in a hole, but this album contributed to a brutally beautiful year.
I wish I could include everyone’s stories about these albums, but I’ve condensed them here:
Sam Lambson
1. Weezer - Pinkerton & Blue
2. Pavement - Brighten the Corners
3. Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails & Clarity
4. Radiohead - 200% Greatest Hits (A pirated CD I picked up at a dock in Bangkok - don't ask. Mostly from the Bends)
5. Goldfinger - Hangups
6. Cake - Fashion Nugget
7. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
8. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
9. James Taylor - Greatest Hits
10. Paul Simon - Graceland
Julie Krainock
1. Pretty in Pink Soundtrack
2. Joshua Tree, U2
3. When Harry Met Sally Soundtrack, Harry Connick Jr.
4. Nevermind, Nirvana
5. The Very Best of Nat King Cole, Nat King Cole and Best:1991-2004
Matt Di Giordano
1. Nightfall in Middle Earth by Blind Guardian
2. Symphony of Enchanted Lands by Rhapsody
3. Crystal Planet by Joe Satriani
4. Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden
5. Les Miserables by Boublil and Schonberg
6. The Universal Migrator: parts 1 and 2 by Ayreon
7. V: The New Mythology Suite by Symphony X
8. One Cold Winter’s Night by Kamelot
9. Final Fantasy S Generation by Nobuo Uematsu
10. Tales Along This Road by Korpiklaani
Jed Blodgett
1. Buddy Rich - Big Swing Face
2. Rush - Exit Stage Left
3. Soundgarden - Superunknown
4. Chic Corea - Akoustic Band
5. Karizma - Document
Marcus Voght
Weird Al--Alapalooza
Star Wars--The Return of the Jedi
Kenny G--Christmas Album
Phantom of the Opera
5 Hebrew Love songs-Eric Whitacre
Stuart Maxfield's new CD, Good Morning Maxfield
Rachel Harlos
1. Bobby McFerrin, The Voice
2. Selena, Dreaming of You
3. The Chipmunks, Christmas Album
4. Edgar Meyer, Unfolding
5. Jacqueline DuPre, The Early Recordings
Libby Cannon
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Coldplay - Parachutes
Dashboard Confessional - Swiss Army Romance
Les Miserables - Andrew Loyd Webber
Wicked (the Musical)
Beatles - One
Tom Bell
Kings of Convenience- Riot on and Empty Street
Yo-Yo Ma plays Ennio Morricone
Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds- Live at Luther College
Philip Glass- Solo Piano
The Strokes- Is This It?
Aaron Hatch
1. Beatles, The Beatles (The White Album)
2. Counting Crows, August and Everything After
3. B96, WBBM FM Chicago
4. Michael Jackson, Thriller
5. Evil Tambourines, Library Nation
6. Beck, Odelay
7. Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table and Dreaming
8. The Best of the Best Of's, Rhino Records
9. Kevin Gould, (in exceptional cases, human beings can count as albums)
10. Sting, Ten Summoner's Tales
Deborah Palmer
1. Ofra Haza: Desert Wind
2. Loreena McKennitt: The Visit
3. U2: The Joshua Tree
4. Anggun: Snow on the Sahara
5. October Project: Falling Farther In
6. Afro Celt Sound System: Sound Magic, Release, Further in Time, Seed, Anatomic
Alan Taylor
Samuel Barber, Essay for Orchestra
Madonna, Like a Prayer
Alfred Schnittke, Concerto for Piano and Strings
Robert Qualls
Charles Mingus Ah Um
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 and 4 (Chicago Symphony, conducted by Georg Solti)
Edgar Meyer Edgar Meyer (also his recording of the Bach Cello Suites)
Glenn Miller Platinum Glenn Miller
Feel free to respond with your list!
Here's my original list, followed by other responses:
Liz's Top Seven (as of July 9, 2007):
1. Maxfield, 2290
"She thinks she missed the train to Mars, she's out back counting stars."
After seeing this EP recorded live in February '06, I went home not only determined to learn how to play the guitar, but to become someone greater than what I'd let myself become. Seeing it done was like watching the burning bush to me. Still not over it.
2. Kate Rusby, Hourglass
"As I roved out one fine May morning . . . ."
I bought this at a dive record shop in Cedar City, the first summer I lived and worked away from home and on my own. Playing bass with Sassafrass, the all-girl bluegrass band, I was eaten alive by the genre of folk (specifically Irish folk)—not cheesy/country/twangy songs about Johnny Appleseed, but almost: songs of the land, timeless traditions, tunes that are still alive for a reason. It's like I finally found my musical home. That, and I was still obsessed with the Irish (post Angela's Ashes). I have since wanted to be Kate. I am Kate.
3. The Smashing Pumpkins, Rotten Apples: The Best of the Smashing Pumpkins
"Who wouldn't stand inside your love?"
The first band that was all my own—none of my siblings or close friends knew the Smashing Pumpkins. "Drown" was the anthem of my junior and senior years of high school. This music made me fall into myself and explode. Whoa. Sometimes it still does.
4. Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast)
"This rain will wash away what's past."
I never sang out loud for anyone to hear until I checked this out from the Pikes Peak library (tens of times, I'm sure). I'd never seen the play in person, but I knew every song by heart. The e-mail address from age 11 still exists (EponineR@aol.com!)—I sang Eponine's parts like they were my life; I never got the guy and I wallowed in it. This Les Mis obsession is what taught me how to sing, which I never did in public until I went to BYU.
5. The Beatles: 1962–1966, 1967–1970
"Look at him working, darning his socks in the night when there's nobody there."
My elementary school best friend, Amelia Kronser, was obsessed with the Beatles: posters on her ceilings, she slept with a Ringo doll and wept when George Harrison died. I owned the blue and red sets—those four CDs. When I slept over she would quiz me with her tape deck rolling: whose voice is whose? John or Paul, Liz? Who is it? But I still can't always tell. Anyway, I only listened to oldies until this point, but the Beatles were my transition to the next dimension of music. It only makes sense.
6. blink-182, Enema of the State
"I haven't been this scared in a long time."
The punk/Hot Topic stage, sophomore year of high school. My best bass-playing friend and locker partner, Liza Lehmkuhl, shared this obsession with me. We'd sing "Going Away to College" and bounce in our seats on the bus when we toured with the youth symphony. Blink was the only big, rock-like concert I have ever been to, even to this day (must remedy that—possibly this summer). This "rebel" phase was when I finally escaped my reputation as a silent, gray, introvert bookworm. This is when I began to wear bright colors.
7. Diana Krall, All for You: A Dedication to the Nat King Cole Trio
"The gypsies say, and I know why, a falling blossom only touches lips that lie."
Basically, this album invited jazz to make a permanent move into my love life. It was about the same time that I first started taking jazz bass lessons. I borrowed this album from Carrie Maxwell, my sophomore roommate at the BYU, and it's funny because I still don't own it. We lived in a hole, but this album contributed to a brutally beautiful year.
I wish I could include everyone’s stories about these albums, but I’ve condensed them here:
Sam Lambson
1. Weezer - Pinkerton & Blue
2. Pavement - Brighten the Corners
3. Jimmy Eat World - Static Prevails & Clarity
4. Radiohead - 200% Greatest Hits (A pirated CD I picked up at a dock in Bangkok - don't ask. Mostly from the Bends)
5. Goldfinger - Hangups
6. Cake - Fashion Nugget
7. Third Eye Blind - Third Eye Blind
8. Modest Mouse - The Moon and Antarctica
9. James Taylor - Greatest Hits
10. Paul Simon - Graceland
Julie Krainock
1. Pretty in Pink Soundtrack
2. Joshua Tree, U2
3. When Harry Met Sally Soundtrack, Harry Connick Jr.
4. Nevermind, Nirvana
5. The Very Best of Nat King Cole, Nat King Cole and Best:1991-2004
Matt Di Giordano
1. Nightfall in Middle Earth by Blind Guardian
2. Symphony of Enchanted Lands by Rhapsody
3. Crystal Planet by Joe Satriani
4. Somewhere in Time by Iron Maiden
5. Les Miserables by Boublil and Schonberg
6. The Universal Migrator: parts 1 and 2 by Ayreon
7. V: The New Mythology Suite by Symphony X
8. One Cold Winter’s Night by Kamelot
9. Final Fantasy S Generation by Nobuo Uematsu
10. Tales Along This Road by Korpiklaani
Jed Blodgett
1. Buddy Rich - Big Swing Face
2. Rush - Exit Stage Left
3. Soundgarden - Superunknown
4. Chic Corea - Akoustic Band
5. Karizma - Document
Marcus Voght
Weird Al--Alapalooza
Star Wars--The Return of the Jedi
Kenny G--Christmas Album
Phantom of the Opera
5 Hebrew Love songs-Eric Whitacre
Stuart Maxfield's new CD, Good Morning Maxfield
Rachel Harlos
1. Bobby McFerrin, The Voice
2. Selena, Dreaming of You
3. The Chipmunks, Christmas Album
4. Edgar Meyer, Unfolding
5. Jacqueline DuPre, The Early Recordings
Libby Cannon
Maroon 5 - Songs About Jane
Coldplay - Parachutes
Dashboard Confessional - Swiss Army Romance
Les Miserables - Andrew Loyd Webber
Wicked (the Musical)
Beatles - One
Tom Bell
Kings of Convenience- Riot on and Empty Street
Yo-Yo Ma plays Ennio Morricone
Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds- Live at Luther College
Philip Glass- Solo Piano
The Strokes- Is This It?
Aaron Hatch
1. Beatles, The Beatles (The White Album)
2. Counting Crows, August and Everything After
3. B96, WBBM FM Chicago
4. Michael Jackson, Thriller
5. Evil Tambourines, Library Nation
6. Beck, Odelay
7. Dave Matthews Band, Under the Table and Dreaming
8. The Best of the Best Of's, Rhino Records
9. Kevin Gould, (in exceptional cases, human beings can count as albums)
10. Sting, Ten Summoner's Tales
Deborah Palmer
1. Ofra Haza: Desert Wind
2. Loreena McKennitt: The Visit
3. U2: The Joshua Tree
4. Anggun: Snow on the Sahara
5. October Project: Falling Farther In
6. Afro Celt Sound System: Sound Magic, Release, Further in Time, Seed, Anatomic
Alan Taylor
Samuel Barber, Essay for Orchestra
Madonna, Like a Prayer
Alfred Schnittke, Concerto for Piano and Strings
Robert Qualls
Charles Mingus Ah Um
Miles Davis Kind of Blue
Beethoven Symphony No. 5 and 4 (Chicago Symphony, conducted by Georg Solti)
Edgar Meyer Edgar Meyer (also his recording of the Bach Cello Suites)
Glenn Miller Platinum Glenn Miller
Feel free to respond with your list!
Posts
10 comments:
I'm sure you don't know who the heck I am--I'm one of Sydney's old roommates that got married but I lived with her for a good 2 1/2 years and Sam knows me. I love your blog and wanted to thank you for your thought provoking McDonalds experiences among others. I hope you don't mind if I use this blog as a jumping-off point for one of my own. I do give you credit though. Thanks for all the great stories. :)
this is great! I didn't know Les Mis was on your list too. I saw it was on a couple others as well - we all must concur, it is just good music. I think I'll post a link from my blog to this so everyone can come and check out the original responses.
This is an awesome idea... It got me thinking and I did a list of my own on my blog. http://scottjarvie.wordpress.com
I explain why on the blog and give honorable mentions...
Here's the top 12
Romanza - Andrea Bocelli
Lost and Found - Will Smith
Closer - Josh Groban
Pop 20! - Erasure
Nightbird - Erasure
Eyes Open -Snow Patrol
Beautiful World - Take That
Calogero - Calogero
Gli Anni - 883
Flood - They Might be Giants
Division Bell - Pink Floyd
Best Of - Def Leppard
Here's my list (mostly a nod to oldies):
1. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Heart's Club Band by The Beatles
2. Justice by Steve Camp
3. The Best of Bob Dylan by Bob Dylan
4. Lennon Legend by John Lennon
5. The River by Allies
6. Immigrant's Daughter by Margaret Becker
7. Silk Degrees by Boz Scaggs
8. Nothing is Sound by Switchfoot
9. Welcome to Diverse City by Toby Mac
10. Until We Have Wings by Randy Stonehill
Here are a couple more responses I got:
My former creative writing professor and good friend John Bennion says:
1. Crosby, Stills and Nash, the first album with them sitting on the couch, Suite: Judy Blue Eyes. When karla sang it, I fell even more in love with her and then we got married.
2.Cream: Wheels of Fire, My cousins played it to woo women, and two women, older women (I was a freshman and they were seniors) told me about Cream. They also told me a dirty joke about the difference between a sailor and a shower.
3.Cream: Disraeli Gears, same as #2
4.The Beatles, everything, very important to me
5.Not an album, but the first rock song that I listened to where it pulled me into teenage hormonal nostalgia at the age of 12, I’m embarrassed: “See you in September” by the Happenings.
6.Kind of Blue, Miles Davis. Now my favorite album. Listening to it over and over again taught me how to listen to jazz.
7.Led Zeppelin, not any specific album
8.Grace Slick, Jefferson Airplane, no specific album
9.Stevie Nicks, anything, still makes my heart flip over
10.Tragic Kingdom, by No doubt, esp “just a girl”
Talk about cool. But what is the difference between a sailor and a shower????
Here's a drummer's dealy-o, Nate Watson:
1. James Brown - Foundations of Funk
2. James Brown - Make It Funky/The Big Payback
3. Tower Of Power - Soul Vaccination
4. Sting - Ten Summoner's Tales
5. BYU Philharmonic - Oct. 2005 (I know it was never released, but I have the CD if anyone wants to hear it. It's when we played Pictures and Medea's M+D of vengeance)
6. Los Munequitos - Conga Yambumba
7. Buddy Rich - Big Swing Face
8. Royal Philharmonic - The Nutcracker
9. Boston - Boston
10. Dave Weckl - Heads Up
Sheryl Crow - Tuesday Night Music Club
Guster - Guster on Ice, Live from Portland, Maine
Fastball - All the Pain Money Can Buy
Linkin Park - Meteora
John Williams - The Complete Star Wars Soundtrack
James Taylor - Best of James Taylor
Format - Interventions and Lullabies
Eagles - Greatest Hits Vol. 2
Kinda of an eclectic list, but I'm kind of an eclectic person.
I just bought a new Sheryl Crow album and I haven't even listened to it all the way through yet--I'm not sure what made her new album so depressing, but it did have a couple good tracks on it. My current album favs which came in the mail this week: Wilco "Sky Blue Sky" and the Last Kiss soundtrack--by the same compiling genius who did the Garden State soundtrack.
Just seen your list. I'm a big fan of Les Mis and Kate Rusby as well. I'm seeing Kate in concert in September. She is from my home county of Yorkshire in England. There's not much Irish influence in Kate's music - she writes a lot herself, otherwise she adapts English or Scottish traditional songs.
Hey,
You mentioned that you have a copy of the "Medea" and "Pictures" concert. I never got a copy of "Pictures." Can you email me the mp3?
That would rock! Thanks for the fun posts.
Liz Maxfield
I'm glad there are a few who mentioned the Joshua Tree
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