KirksNoseHair's Top 50 v. And the #1 album is........

[kirksnosehair]

So, some of this may surprise you, some may not.  Who knows?  My tastes are not all that diverse, but some of these choices may surprise some of you, we'll see.  I'm guessing some of you young guns may not even know a few of these bands, so maybe you'll find something new to sink your ears into.  Obviously, a list like this is an ever-evolving entity, so this is a snapshot in time, but I've been preparing for this list for weeks and have dug through my archives and re-listened to some stuff I haven't heard -literally- in decades, just to try to recapture the essence of those albums and why I thought they were so great at the time.  I hope you all enjoy the list.


So, without further delay.........




#50 - Judas Priest - "Stained Class"





Tracklist:


01. Exciter
02. White Heat, Red Hot
03. Better by You, Better Than Me
04. Stained Class
05. Invader
06. Saints In Hell
07. Savage
08. Beyond The Realms of Death
09. Heroes End


Every time I listen to this album I am blown away by how clean and crisp the production sounds, which is quite amazing when you consider that it was released in February 1978.  Judas Priest were firing on all cylinders at this point in their career.  Rob Halford's 4 octave natural voice range was admired by many, including me.  I was 14 when this album came out and begged my parents to let me go see them live.  It wasn't until a few years later, when they were touring in support of "Point of Entry" that I got to see them, and they were a fantastic live band.  Key tracks for me on this album are "Better By You, Better Than Me," "Saints In Hell" and of course, the incredible and moving "Beyond The Realms of Death" which I can listen to over and over again and again.  Interesting note - Judas Priest were sued for allegedly putting a subliminal message in the song "Better By You, Better Than Me."  That ridiculous law suit was tossed out of court.




#49. Foreigner - Foreigner



Tracklist:


01 - Feels Like the First Time
02 - Cold as Ice
03 - Starrider
04 - Headknocker
05 - The Damage Is Done
06 - Long, Long Way from Home
07 - Woman Oh Woman
08 - At War with the World
09 - Fool for You Anyway
10 - I Need You


This was the very first album I ever owned.  My parents got it for me as a Christmas Present the year it came out (1977) along with my first stereo.  I was hooked from my first spin.  Many people may not realize that the early albums from this band had some progressive flourishes to them.  Songs like "Starrider" and "The Damage is Done" would be at home in any prog fan's library of tunes, I think, and they are among my favorites here.  Unbelievably great vocals, both lead and backing.  Not exactly known for big-time chops, but these guys really knew how to write some great hooks and catchy melodies and choruses.  They've recently been touring with a new vocalist who sounds remarkably similar to original vocalist Lou Gramm, although only one original member remains in the band, they can still pull it off and they sound great live.  Check 'em out if you get a chance!


48 - Led Zeppelin - II



Tracklist:


01 - Whole Lotta Love
02 - What Is and What Should Never Be
03 - The Lemon Song
04 - Thank You
05 - Heartbreaker
06 - Living Loving Maid (She's Just a Woman)
07 - Ramble On
08 - Moby Dick
09 - Bring It On Home




What else can I say about this album other than to quote this most profound passage from "The Lemon Song" - "Squeeze me baby, 'till the juice runs down my leg"   


'nuff said 




Next update tomorrow morning, or maybe later on this afternoon if I get a break.

[Scorpion]

inb4 The Anabasis at #1. 

Seriously, though, Beyond the Realms of Death is probably my favourite Judas Priest song ever, though the whole album is very cool, with other highlights being the title track and Exciter for me. I don't own the Foreigner album, but I have most of the tracks in forms of compilations and the like, so... yeah. A very solid record. And Zep... You said it all.

Well, you definitely got me interested, so I'll be following. 

[King Postwhore]

3 fantastic albums.  Will be following.

[Elite]

Good start. Nice, following!

[Nekov]

Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.

[Scorpion]

Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.

You haven't listened to Stained Class? Change that nao.

[johnnysuperfan]

ahhhh Foreigner......

STARRIDER ...... RIDER ..... RIDERRRRRR... take me to the starrrrrssss ....

Love it

Code: [Select]

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[Zydar]

Priest

[Nekov]

Led Zep 2 is great. The others I haven't listened to.

You haven't listened to Stained Class? Change that nao.

Maybe

[Scorpion]

Okay. 

[TAC]

I had all three on 8 track! 

I lost interest in Foreigner as my tastes got heavier and their music got lighter.
Stained Class is such a great album. I am guilty myself of underrating it.

[Kwyjibo]

Never really did get into Priest, probably should change that.

Led Zep ist great. What is understood need not be discussed.

The funny thing with me and foreigner is, that when I don't listen to them for a longer time I tend to think of them as only mediocre. Then out of the blue I hear a foreigner song (at the radio, at a party etc.) and I immediately feel the need to put on some of their albums. And then I realize how good they were, at least on their first four to five albums. After that I lost track of them.

[kirksnosehair]

I honestly only like Foreigner's first 4 albums, after that I lost interest.  To this day, though, that debut album is still my favorite.  I hadn't listened to it in years and I gave it a spin last night and really enjoyed it.  I forgot how solid it really was.

[lonestar]

Glad you are doing yours before I do mine, might remind me of some I forgot. Starting off with three classics though.

[senecadawg2]

I'm certainly looking forward to this list! Foreigner is great, I enjoy Judas Priest, and there is no denying Zeppelins massive influence on the current music scene.

Basically, you've come out firing on all cylinders.

[Nel]

I honestly only like Foreigner's first 4 albums, after that I lost interest.

So what you're telling me, Kirk, is that you don't want to know what love is, and you don't want someone to show you? 

 

Will be following. I've always loved Starrider.

[kirksnosehair]

heh, I ended up having some more time on my hands after lunch so here we go with the next three:









47. The Edgar Winter Group - "They Only Come Out at Night"





Tracklist:


01 - Hangin' Around
02 - When It Comes
03 - Alta Mira
04 - Free Ride
05 - Undercover Man
06 - Round & Round
07 - Rock 'n' Roll Boogie Woogie Blues
08 - Autumn
09 - We All Had a Real Good Time
10 - Frankenstein


The Edgar Winter Group was one of those bands that came out swinging but it took them until this album, their third, to really make it big.  Featuring two powerhouse tracks that were all over FM Rock Radio back in 1972.  Produced by Rick Derringer, this album was full of variety from the latin tinged "Alta Mira" to the bluesy funk rock groove of "Rock & Roll Boogie Woogie Blues (co-written by Ronnie Montrose) to the heavy metal/space rock of the classic instrumental "Frankenstein" this 37 minute LP had it all.  I got it as a birthday gift in 1978 and even though it was a few years old by then "Free Ride" and "Frankenstein" were still hugely popular.  To this day it's one of my favorite rock albums.  Key tracks already mentioned here, but also check out "We All Had a Real Good Time."


46. Stevie Ray Vaughn & Double Trouble - "Texas Flood"





01 - Love Struck Baby
02 - Pride and Joy
03 - Texas Flood
04 - Tell Me
05 - Testify
06 - Rude Mood
07 - Mary Had a Little Lamb
08 - Dirty Pool
09 - I'm Cryin'
10 - Lenny


What's not to like about an ass-kicking blues rock album that was recorded in only three freaking days? It was recorded at Jackson Browne's person studio in LA.  THAT's how convinced he was that this Stevie Ray Vaughn dude was the real deal.  And we all know he was definitely the real deal.  Read his biography, "Life by The Drop" if you really want to know more about this remarkable and gifted player.  This guy lived, breathed, ate, slept and existed by the guitar.  And his passion for it shines through on this, his debut album. Yeah, some of his later stuff is a bit more polished and slick sounding, but there was just something so honest and raw about this album.  Key tracks are "Love Struck Baby" "Pride and Joy" and the totally kick ass cover of Buddy Guy's "Mary Had a Little Lamb" - oh, and that title cut "Texas Flood" ain't bad either.


45. Megadeth - "Peace Sells but Who's Buying"





01 - Wake Up Dead
02 - The Conjuring
03 - Peace Sells
04 - Devil's Island
05 - Good Mourning/Black Friday
06 - Bad Omen
07 - I Ain't Superstitious
08 - My Last Words


OK, so a thrash album with a Willie Dixon blues track on it.       I remember the first time I heard this album and track 7 came on, I was like WFT?  After the pounding riffs and biting social commentary of the preceding 6 tracks, you have to wonder what old Dave was smoking back in those days.  Er, actually, we all know what he was smoking don't we?     This was the first Megadeth album I ever purchased and I listened to it once or twice and put it away kind of nonplussed by it.  Then, for some reason, many years later, after having heard several subsequent Megadeth albums, I came back to it and fell in love with it's raw power and almost punk-rock feel.  Key tracks are "Wake Up Dead" "Peace Sells" and "Good Mourning/Black Friday" a song about a drummer they threw out of the band. Megadeth would reach greater heights than this, but it demonstrated a huge potential and definitely had some cool hidden gems.

[TAC]

Huge props to Edgar Winter and SRV. Though I have gotten into neither.

The Megadeth is a surprise. Wasn't expecting that one.

[Scorpion]

I don't know The Edgar Winter Group, but the other two are frickin stellar albums.

[kirksnosehair]

Hey Scorpion, I'm pretty sure you have heard "Frankenstein" here's a totally smoking live version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OEQZTzIYRXs

[DebraKadabra]

Wow, great shit out of the gate!

Not as familiar with Stained Class as I should be, but I will definitely rectify that.  Foreigner's debut is the best them IMO - while I agree that their first four albums are good, the debut is the pinnacle IMO.  Led Zep II...    Edgar Winter

Longer note about Texas Flood - I've been listening to that album since it came out thanks to my Dad, who'd seen SRV many times in the early 80s at Antone's here in Austin before Stevie really broke out large thanks to Bowie's Let's Dance and Texas Flood.  SRV and Double Trouble was also my very first concert back in 1986, and I was at one of five shows where the Live Alive album was recorded.  Man... just an amazing show, and I remember he ended up playing until about 2am (when the show started at 8pm!).  Phenomenal guitar player, no fooling.

And of course... Peace Sells... I had SUCH a love affair with that album it's not even funny.  Still do, in a lot of ways.

Anyhows... great start, and I'll be following.

[lonestar]

Talk about spilling the same blood in the same mud. I blew out my dad's $2000 polk audio speakers when I was 17 with Frankenstein.

[kirksnosehair]

"Frankenstein" -  It's a fun song to cover, I've made a point of doing it in every band I've ever played in.   

[Scorpion]

Hmmm... I don't like it that much, tbh. I mean, it was cool that he was switching around between the instruments and all, but it kinda seemed to not really go anywhere, the song. I'll have to have some more listens in the future.

[kirksnosehair]

44. Yes - "Fragile"





Tracklist


Side One:
01 - Roundabout
02 - Cans and Brahms (Extracts from Brahms' 4th Symphony in E Minor, Third Movement)
03 - We Have Heaven
04 - South Side of The Sky


Side Two:
01 - Five Per Cent For Nothing
02 - Long Distance Run Around
03 - The Fish (Schindleria Praematurus)
04 - Mood for a Day
05 - Heart of the Sunrise


Many who have known me for a long time here, and there are a few, know that I am (somewhat famously, depending on who you talk to) not a very huge fan of Yes.  With that said, I had to include "Fragile" on the strength of the key tracks alone.  Yes were clearly one of the pioneering bands in a genre we all love dearly and without songs like "Roundabout" "South Side of the Sky" "Long Distance Runaround" and "Heart of The Sunrise" I am not sure if many of our favorite artists in this wonderful genre would ever have evolved into what they are today.  Props to Jon Anderson here for writing some of the coolest sounding nonsensical lyrics ever (i.e. mountains come out of the sky and they stand there) 




43. Black Sabbath - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"





Tracklist:


Side One:
01 - Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
02 - A National Acrobat
03 - Fluff (instrumental)
04 - Sabbra Cadabra


Side Two:
01 - Killing Yourself To Live
   I -  Killing Yourself to Live
   II-  You Think That I'm Crazy
   III- I Don't Know if I'm Up or Down
02 - Who Are You
02 - Looking For Today
04 - Spiral Architect


Released in December 1973 after a very difficult, long and arduous recording period that saw a ton of substance abuse, changing venues for recording and tons of creative tension in the band, "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" features some of the darkest and possibly the most progressive music ever written by the band.  After almost an entire month of fruitless recording sessions in Los Angeles, CA, the band moved the sessions to a dungeon in England where guitarist Tony Iommi wrote the main riff of the title track, which set the tone for the entire album.  Interesting side note Rick Wakeman was hired as a session player and appears on "Sabbra Cadabra"   The title track is killer, but I actually think side two is the better half of this album.  Ozzy Osbourne sounds positively evil here.  I have long conidered this album to be Black Sabbath's crowning achievement.




42. Kansas - "Leftoverture"





Tracklist:


01 - Carry On Wayward Son
02 - The Wall
03 - What's On My Mind
04 - Miracles Out of Nowhere
05 - Opus Insert
06 - Questions of My Childhood
07 - Cheyenne Anthem
08 - Magnum Opus


To this day I believe "Leftoverture" stands as the crowning achievement in the Kanas catalog.  Among the greatest progressive rock bands ever, and one that managed to cross over into mainstream rock radio but always seemed to maintain a progressive style.  Easily some of the best composers in modern rock music history, Kerry Livgren, Steve Walsh, Phil Ehart, Rich Williams, Save Hope and Robby Steinhardt managed to create some of the most compelling prog epics that I have heard to this day including one my all time favorite epics the magnificent "Magnum Opus."  Kansas also featured some of the greatest multipart vocal harmonies ever created, and who can NOT sing along to the chorus of "Carry On Wayward Son?"  While they would release many more albums, none ever seemed to match the consistency or quality of Leftoverture.

[Zydar]

Yes: My favourite Yes album!

Sabbath: Great great album, and Spiral Architect is my favourite Sabbath song

Kansas: I haven't listened that much to this one yet, but what I've heard is great.

[Jaq]

While they'd be in different places, only the Edgar Winter Group wouldn't make my top 50. Nice list so far!

[Scorpion]

Great stuff, once again. I've only recently been getting into Yes, but Fragile is pretty good. The other two are masterpieces.

[theseoafs]

Wow, great list so far. I'll be following.

[lonestar]

9 for 9

[kirksnosehair]

Hmmm... I don't like it that much, tbh. I mean, it was cool that he was switching around between the instruments and all, but it kinda seemed to not really go anywhere, the song. I'll have to have some more listens in the future.

Well, I guess I have a soft spot for it because I've played it so many times in various cover bands I've hooked up with over the years.  It's one of those songs that you can just jam out to for like an hour.. 

[Kwyjibo]

Edgar Winter: I only know Frankenstein from that record but that song rocks big time

Stevie Ray Vaughan: Texas Flood is a hell of an album, so much energy, so much power and yet so emotional bluesy. Classic. Actually my guitar teacher put on to SRV when I was around 16 and Mary had a little lamb was in fact the second song that I learned on the guitar, albeit in a stripped down version. So tragic that just when he recovered from his drug and alcohol addiction and recorded another great album (In Step) he died. Also his rendition of Little Wing on The Sky Is Crying even beats the Hendrix version, at least imho.

Megadeth: Totally different beast than SRV but cool nonetheless. Though Peace sells isn't my favorite Megadeth album it still deserves some love. I especially like the rawness and the punkish energy.

Yes: Top album of a top progressive band. Nuff said.

Black Sabbath: While not a die hard Sabbasth fan, this record is definitely a classic.

Kansas: Another classic album from another classic band. Carry On Wayward Son and Magnum Opus alone are reason enough to own and praise this record.

Very good list so far, keep it up 

[Nekov]

The Stevie Ray Vaughan, Yes, Sabbath and Kansas albums are all awesome. Great choices there.

[TAC]

Sabbath: Great great album, and Spiral Architect is my favourite Sabbath song

Spiral Architect would be my #3 Ozzy era song after Megalomania and Into The Void.
I love the Reunion Live album version of it.

[Lowdz]

Huge fan of a number of these bands and most of the albums you've chosen.
So far it's a history of rock lesson