David Bowie -
Earthling (1997)
David Bowie is an incredibly versatile artist who reinvented himself countless times during his 40years+ long career. His album Earthling is one of his most experimental works featuring lots of industrial-like technostomping beats, heavy guitars and synthies from hell. In my opinion his creativity was never bigger than on this one.
Play:
Little Wonder
The Clash -
Sandinista!(1981)
The Clash were a lot more open minded to other musical styles than other punkbands from their time - their best known album London Calling combines reggae, ska and the punkrock from their previous two albums. Sandinista! continues that way and is a two cd-36 track-packet full of ideas tearing down all genre boundaries. The mixture of punk, genuine reggae/dub, funk, jazz and pop makes this album a classic that probably never gets boring.
Play:
The Magnificent Seven
Sparks -
Hello Young Lovers(2006)
When a band that has been around since the late 60s releases an album nowadays the result is usually not what one would call interesting(
The Rolling Stones anyone?). If that band is called Sparks - a band starting with "glamkindofrock" (
Kimono My House,
Propaganda) then developing into electronica(and, by the way releasing the incedibly influencial classic album
No.1 In Heaven) from that to pop(
When Do I Get to Sing 'My Way') from pop to baroque pop using huge walls of synth-strings(
Lil' Beethoven) - the result is always worth a listen.
Their 2006 released album Hello Young Lovers shows the peak of their creativity combining the pompous sound of their previous album with rock guitars(done by Dean Menta,
Faith No More) and the quirky songwriting of their earlier works that influenced countless bands such as
Queen who even were Sparks' supportband in their early days.. A grand opus everyone should give a listen to.
Play:
Dick Around
The Doors -
Waiting for the Sun (1968)
The imho best album by the legendary acid rock band from LA with Jim Morrison on vocals. The psychadelic elements that already shone through the first two albums are dominating this album. It is full of interesting ideas like spanish guitars on
Spanish Caravan and poppy synthies on
Hello I Love You.
Play:
Not to Touch the Earth
The Living End -
Roll On (2001)
The three-piece band from Australia started off as a
Stray Cats coverband which clearly influenced Chris Cheneys incredible guitar style as well as the use of the upright bass which makes them different from other modern Punkrockbands. Their debut was one of the most successful australian albums for decades and their liveperformances are among the best there are. Roll On was their second album. It combined their fresh and poweful approach on music with a much improved songwriting. It is their most complicated album to date and probably their heaviest one. The versatile songwriting and structures and the raw instrumentals make this their strongest album.
Blood on Your Hands
The Damned -
The Black Album (1980)
The Damned were the first uk punkband ever to release a single, an album as well as touring the US. Their first three albums are punkrock classics with hits such as
Neat Neat Neat,
Smash It Up and
New Rose. Their 1980 "black" album features the Damned in their most psychadelic period before becoming a goth -band. An incredibly interesting album with 12 tracks, partly beeing connected what makes up one big work, ending in the 17 Minute epic
Curtain Call. Can't dare to skip a single track on it.
Play:
Dr. Jeckyll & Mr. Hyde
Tom Waits -
Swordfishtrombones (1983)
Theres no real genre you could put Tom Waits in - basicly its kind of Blues / Jazz / Rock using unusual instruments like Marimbas etc and featuring his incredible raw voice. The trilogy of
Rain Dogs,
Franks Wild Years and Swordfishtrombones are Toms best known and most appreciated albums but his output has a constant high level so it is hard to pick a single album out of it. My choice was Swordfishtrombones(followed by
Bone Machine) because it has the most atmospheric feel in it and barely leaves my stereo.
Play:
16 Shells From A 30.6
Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros -
Global a Go-go (2001)
Basicly the second album by
The Clash former frontman Joe Strummer with his band The Mescaleros has many aspects that his old band was famous for - a wild mix of styles and genres. But this album brings this approach to the maximum: its a musical journey round the world featuring folk rock, world music(
Bhindi Bagee), Reggae, oriental sounds etc etc. Opens up your mind!
Play:
Johnny Appleseed
The Beatles -
The White Album (1968)
Everybody knows the Beatles - but they surely had more to show than the overplayed
Let It Be,
Yesterday and
Yellow Submarine. With
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band they released their most psychadelic album which got voted for the best album ever by the Rolling Stone magazine. The follow-up was The White Album: a double album featuring some of the most beautiful sons The Beatles have ever written, along with classic rock'n'roll bits, along with weird and experimental stuff.
Probably their most versatile album and in my opinion their best.
Play:
While My Guitar Gently Weeps
Pink Floyd -
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
The first album by Pink Floyd is the only one that was mostly written by the genious of
Syd Barrett before he got replaced by David Gilmour. The sound is raw and psychadelic as well as somehow childish with lots of interesting harmonies and noises. A classic.
Play:
Astronomy Domine
further listening:
Gorillaz -
Demon Days
Hip Hop / Pop combination featuring many great guest stars by Blur mastermind Damon Albarn.
Refused -
The Shape of Punk to Come
The most creative Hardcorepunk -album i ever came across.
Beck -
Odelay
Speaking of creativity...
The Hives -
Veni Vidi Vicious
Raw and wild garagerock from sweden. I like their works before reaching the mainstream.
Madness -
One Step Beyond
The definitive Ska-album.
Monster -
Gone Gone Gone--A Bash Dem
Soul / Punk / Indie combined to a unique record. Singer is now famous as
Moneybrother If you dig the Clash, try this.
So much for the moment, happy listening
Beck
