I don't feel like talking politics much right now, but I thought I'd take a concept featured prominently in the wonderfull movie High Fidelity and, well...steal it. So here is my all-time top five stranded-on-a-desert-island albums list. If I could only listen to 5 albums for the rest of my life, this would be it. I consider them the best, and some of the "best" artists/albums may not be represented (I'm not much of a Stones fan), but after all, this is my list.

The rules I used are as follows: must be an album by one artist, no compilations or soundtracks, no live albums or greatest hits. I'm not going to "tag" anybody, but if you are inclined to play along, leave a comment or trackback. Here goes:

1. Born to Run - Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band (1975)
Here, The Boss is at his best as singer/songwriter, and the E Street Band is amazing. Springsteen catches the essence of what it is to be an American teenager, "between what's flesh and what's fantasy," with vivid imagery and a great sound. A solid album, and one I can listen to over and over without it getting old. A testament to this are Springsteen's concerts, in which the songs are tweaked and played with, opened up and full-out jammed on. From Mary's dress waving on "Thunder Road" to the rumble in "Jungleland," it doesn't get any better than this.
Runners up by this artist: The Rising, Darkness of the Edge of Town



2. Signals - Rush (1982)
It took some thinking, but Signals is my favorite Rush album, with A Farewell to Kings coming in at a close second. There is just something about this album, before Rush moved completely in the direction of using synthesizers, that moves me. The title track depicts that feeling of being an outsider that everyone knows, "be cool or be cast out." "New World Man" is a great anthem for those going out to change the world. Just ask this blogger. (lyrics) In my Rush fandom, I tend to skew more to the earlier stuff (with 20-minute songs), but those albums tend to have highs and lows.

Runners up by this artist: A Farewell to Kings, 2112



3. Rubber Soul - The Beatles (1965)

I think this may be the best Beatles album because every song is different, and it marks a transition from pure pop to experimental-infused pop. The songs on here range from the pure pop "Drive My Car," to the American country-influenced "What Goes On," to the excellent "Nowhere Man." This album is varied and deep from top to bottom, and is great because it allows for the Beatles pop past to shine, and gives a great preview of the ascention to the greatest band of rock and roll.

Runners up by this artist: Sgt. Pepper's Lonley Hearts Club Band, Revolver

4. Excitable Boy- Warren Zevon (1978)
Warren Zevon is a great songwriter, and nowhere is this better showcased than Excitable Boy. This album is about bloodthirsty antiheroes, and it is great. It devles into history and politics, and though some of the material may sound absurd out of context, Zevon always manages to pull it together. "Werewolves of London" is one of my favorite songs, and I mention to people that "Lawyers, Guns and Money" are the cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems. And his hair was perfect.

Runner up by this artist: My Ride's Here



5. Weezer - Weezer (1994)
This album, nicknamed "The Blue Album" by fans, is why I have bought every Weezer album that has since been released. This album is so good that the glimmers of it that appear in Weezer's later works are worth trying to catch. The band is still together (those some members have left and new ones have came in), but even after 12 years, they have yet to top this. Weezer is infectious, and light, but not without an edge. A masterpiece.

Runners up by this artist: Pinkerton, Make Believe

Posted by Ryan S. on Saturday, March 04, 2006 at 7:29 PM | Permalink |