RECOMMENDS
OCT
5
THE ALBUM HALL OF FAME
Something I have always wanted to do and never had the forum to do it, is put together a list of what I felt were the best rock and roll albums of all time. There have been hundreds of these lists and almost as many books written with the same idea in mind so I nixed that particular idea in favor of something that will distinguish these albums from all others. I am going to attempt to put together a Hall of Fame of Rock Albums. This Hall of Fame will be something that will be spread out over the years since I really don’t have any idea how many albums will receive this honor.
Every Monday I will highlight an entry into this Hall of Fame and some valid reason why it was included. The entries will not be in any particular order and all I ask is that the reader be patient. I do hope that if anyone has a suggestion, they share it. If they disagree with me, they should share that too.
This site is about intelligent discourse and trying to open minds to many different opinions. Again, my opinion is just that, my opinion, and its neither right nor wrong.
Today I will put five albums out there which I feel are worthy inclusions into the Hall of Fame of Rock Albums.
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band
By The Beatles
Although the ideas and concepts, from a simplistic point of view, may seem dated and a bit corny, when you listen to this album from beginning to end, each note, each word and each phrase, it still holds true. It’s a masterwork that has never been equaled. The significance of the record is well known. The Beatles evolved from catchie hook laden songs to something deeper. They experimented with pyschedelia, double entendres, Eastern Mysticism and truly clever songwriting. The Beatles grew up and moved on and the music followed them.
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Understand this, I am not a Bob Dylan fan. Not one bit. His lyrics, at times try too hard to convince you that he is something extraordinary. I get his impact on modern music and respect the fact that critics and connoseurs tell me he is the greatest living songwriter. Blah, Blah, Blah. That being said, this album from beginning to end, is everything everyone tells me Bob Dylan is on every piece of music he has ever written. It is heartfelt, piercing and confessional. Each song is a lyrical journey that any man could write at some point in his life if he had the heart and soul and talent. To this day, “Tangled Up In Blue”, remains a vulnerable, heartfelt masterpiece that has never been equaled.
Who’s Next
The Who
By far the best Who album. Pete Townshend finished with his rock opera Tommy and wanted to write another one. Titled Lifehouse, it just seemed too much. He had a nervous breakdown and slowly recovered from it and put together a group of songs from the Lifehouse project and several additional songs. Went into the studio with the rest of the band and a couple of synthesizers and produced a legendary album that kicks ass and takes names later. “Baba O’Rielly” sets the stage for the rest of the record. It could be the best opening song on any album anywhere and the record never lets up.
London Calling
The Clash
I would include this on my list because it has The Greatest Album Cover in history, over any genre. This album may not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is no denying the power on this record. Written over a couple of days in Mick Jones’ grandmother’s house, this record covers the desolation of a whole generation in England in the late ‘70’s. The band was extremely popular in England and was considered a voice of that lost group. While they were leaders of a punk movement that seemed to show little respect for anyone or anything, The Clash paid homage to many forms of music and never sold out.
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen
Maybe the greatest album ever recorded, Born to Run was big. The sound was large. Multiple layers of guitars, pounding drums, horns to fill in, and vocals that given the richly produced instrumentation, were still raw and powerful. The tales that were told resonated with almost every kid of a certain age. Didn’t matter if it was the Jersey Shore or some suburb of Chicago, everyone knew that life. As Springsteen grew up in each song we all could identify with some aspect of his heros or villains and it just caught us. He was (and still is) one of those rare performers that live up to and exceed the hype. No amount of billowing smoke from critic’s mouths can take away the greatness of this record.
Every Monday I will highlight an entry into this Hall of Fame and some valid reason why it was included. The entries will not be in any particular order and all I ask is that the reader be patient. I do hope that if anyone has a suggestion, they share it. If they disagree with me, they should share that too.
This site is about intelligent discourse and trying to open minds to many different opinions. Again, my opinion is just that, my opinion, and its neither right nor wrong.
Today I will put five albums out there which I feel are worthy inclusions into the Hall of Fame of Rock Albums.
Sgt. Peppers Lonely Heart Club Band
By The Beatles
Although the ideas and concepts, from a simplistic point of view, may seem dated and a bit corny, when you listen to this album from beginning to end, each note, each word and each phrase, it still holds true. It’s a masterwork that has never been equaled. The significance of the record is well known. The Beatles evolved from catchie hook laden songs to something deeper. They experimented with pyschedelia, double entendres, Eastern Mysticism and truly clever songwriting. The Beatles grew up and moved on and the music followed them.
Blood On The Tracks
Bob Dylan
Understand this, I am not a Bob Dylan fan. Not one bit. His lyrics, at times try too hard to convince you that he is something extraordinary. I get his impact on modern music and respect the fact that critics and connoseurs tell me he is the greatest living songwriter. Blah, Blah, Blah. That being said, this album from beginning to end, is everything everyone tells me Bob Dylan is on every piece of music he has ever written. It is heartfelt, piercing and confessional. Each song is a lyrical journey that any man could write at some point in his life if he had the heart and soul and talent. To this day, “Tangled Up In Blue”, remains a vulnerable, heartfelt masterpiece that has never been equaled.
Who’s Next
The Who
By far the best Who album. Pete Townshend finished with his rock opera Tommy and wanted to write another one. Titled Lifehouse, it just seemed too much. He had a nervous breakdown and slowly recovered from it and put together a group of songs from the Lifehouse project and several additional songs. Went into the studio with the rest of the band and a couple of synthesizers and produced a legendary album that kicks ass and takes names later. “Baba O’Rielly” sets the stage for the rest of the record. It could be the best opening song on any album anywhere and the record never lets up.
London Calling
The Clash
I would include this on my list because it has The Greatest Album Cover in history, over any genre. This album may not be everyone’s cup of tea but there is no denying the power on this record. Written over a couple of days in Mick Jones’ grandmother’s house, this record covers the desolation of a whole generation in England in the late ‘70’s. The band was extremely popular in England and was considered a voice of that lost group. While they were leaders of a punk movement that seemed to show little respect for anyone or anything, The Clash paid homage to many forms of music and never sold out.
Born to Run
Bruce Springsteen
Maybe the greatest album ever recorded, Born to Run was big. The sound was large. Multiple layers of guitars, pounding drums, horns to fill in, and vocals that given the richly produced instrumentation, were still raw and powerful. The tales that were told resonated with almost every kid of a certain age. Didn’t matter if it was the Jersey Shore or some suburb of Chicago, everyone knew that life. As Springsteen grew up in each song we all could identify with some aspect of his heros or villains and it just caught us. He was (and still is) one of those rare performers that live up to and exceed the hype. No amount of billowing smoke from critic’s mouths can take away the greatness of this record.
AUG
28
U.S. OPEN 2012
For the next two weeks, New York will be home to one of the finest sporting events in the World. The U.S. Open will be at The National Tennis Center at Flushing Meadow Park.
For anyone who hasn’t been there you are missing a truly great experience. The National Tennis Center is one of the nicest facilities of its kind, anywhere, and the organizers of the event have made sure that it stays that way.
The grounds of the Tennis Center are beautiful and well thought out. It’s probably one of the easiest places to get in and out of via mass transit in the Metropolitan area.
Having never been to Forest Hills and seen the Open on clay I can’t make a legitimate comparison. However, what I will say is that if I had never been to Flushing Meadow, I would not be a tennis fan today. That’s how good the event is.
Granted, the prices of everything at the park are outrageous. The quality is mediocre at best. And the lines can be very long and move slowly. We still go back.
New Yorkers tend to have thicker skins. We endure more than most. Pay a premium for the things we enjoy. We gripe about it incessantly but yet we come back again and again.
That is the core of what the Open is. A premium event in our own backyard, year after year.
For anyone who hasn’t been there you are missing a truly great experience. The National Tennis Center is one of the nicest facilities of its kind, anywhere, and the organizers of the event have made sure that it stays that way.
The grounds of the Tennis Center are beautiful and well thought out. It’s probably one of the easiest places to get in and out of via mass transit in the Metropolitan area.
Having never been to Forest Hills and seen the Open on clay I can’t make a legitimate comparison. However, what I will say is that if I had never been to Flushing Meadow, I would not be a tennis fan today. That’s how good the event is.
Granted, the prices of everything at the park are outrageous. The quality is mediocre at best. And the lines can be very long and move slowly. We still go back.
New Yorkers tend to have thicker skins. We endure more than most. Pay a premium for the things we enjoy. We gripe about it incessantly but yet we come back again and again.
That is the core of what the Open is. A premium event in our own backyard, year after year.
AUG
27
WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT...
I don’t consider myself a legitimate critic and yet I do have some pretty strong opinions about things that entertain us.
In Costa Recommends, I will bring you the things that I enjoy. Be it a classic album, a great restaurant, a book I can’t put down. I will try and write about things that the reader can respond to and give their opinion.
Just like my web site, this section will evolve and form its own identity. I have a concept in mind about how I want to develop it and I think that as time goes by my concept should work well and the reader will definitely have an opportunity to have input in the process.
In Costa Recommends, I will bring you the things that I enjoy. Be it a classic album, a great restaurant, a book I can’t put down. I will try and write about things that the reader can respond to and give their opinion.
Just like my web site, this section will evolve and form its own identity. I have a concept in mind about how I want to develop it and I think that as time goes by my concept should work well and the reader will definitely have an opportunity to have input in the process.