User:Ohconfucius/Music

My collection

I still possess a collection of 1,200 vinyl LPs in addition to a collection of about 800 CDs. I own a reasonably high end hi-fi that I enjoy listen to music through. I used to buy at least two albums a week, but have become more discriminating in what I buy. I am not at all into digital downloads for listening to music seriously, because I find the sound quality is often lacking. Downloads are my way of trying before I buy – If I find something to my liking, I will then buy the CD. Uninteresting stuff gets deleted within a matter of days. That doesn't mean I don't make spontaneous purchases when I go shopping for music.

The music

• Alphonse Mouzon – By All Means
• Amy Winehouse – Frank – She shone bright, but for a really short time. Shame she joined the 27 Club.
• Anita Baker – Rapture – powerful schmaltzy soaring mellow ballads from the Songstress. It's thick, gooey and creamy, like a perfect cup of hot chocolate. Her more energetic début album is well worth checking out.
• The Beatles – Rubber Soul – includes 4 of my perennial Beatles favourites Drive My Car, Nowhere Man, Norwegian Wood and In My Life
• Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? – clever music and lyrics, quirky and creative production, her vocal style just sends me up in goosepimples.
• Boz Scaggs – Silk Degrees – Pop songs from this blues musician, served up with the backing of the best session musicians in the business at the time (and that led directly to the formation of Toto)
• Buena Vista Social Club – Buena Vista Social Club – I was so totally blown over by this, introduced to me through cinema over 25 years ago. Buena Vista Social Club was that film, which introduced a bunch of magnificent musicians long-forgotten because of the US boycott/embargo of Cuba. Most of the folks who comprised the group who recorded the album of the same name were octogenarians at the time they were re-discovered, and have gone to meet their makers, but thanks to Wim Wenders and Ry Cooder for bringing these wonderful artists to public attention.
• The Commodores – Machine Gun – no question that the album is "Too Hot ta Trot", baby. the title track, an instrumental with its moog arrangement, was my introduction into jazz funk. Includes the pre-schmaltz Lionel Ritchie
• David Bowie – Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust – iconic
• David Bowie – Aladdin Sane – you really ought to watch that man
• Dua Lipa – Tiny Desk Concert oozes confidence and sex appeal
• Echo & the Bunnymen – Crocodiles
• Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ‐ Clearly a reference to the Dorothy and Toto's magical journey
• Elvis Costello – My Aim Is True – 1960s-influenced debut album from this successful musician. In production terms, it's very minimalist. You can feel the anger in most of Elvis' vocals; the title track moves me to tears every time I listen to it
• Eric Carmen – Eric Carmen – solo debut from my favourite power balladeer and front man of The Raspberries. A blend of rock, pop and classical makes this an album for all moods.
• Evanescence – Fallen (Evanescence album) : Amy Lee defines "Gothic" in both look and sound.
• Fuse One – Silk
• George Benson – Weekend in L.A. – I love listening to the guitar work on his earlier stuff (Verve) the best, but this live album before the era of overproduction and autotune, the title track and the 10-minute cover of Leiber–Stoller tune "[On Broadway", complete with his unmistakable guitar work and scats, is soul music at its best.
• Jacques Loussier – a masterful jazz pianist and bandleader best known for his series of improvisations based on the music of J. S. Bach, he has created wonderful jazzified versions of compositions of Debussy, Ravel (Bolero) Satie, Vivaldi, all I highly recommend.
• Jamiroquai – Dynamite
• Jamiroquai – Emergency on Planet Earth
• Japan – Adolescent Sex – pure raw rock energy from this novice outfit, before the introspective and ambient period
• Japan – Tin Drum – Japan's final studio album, and idiosyncratic to the end. Its melodies take time to get used to due to the frequent use of discordant tones.
• John Mayer – Battle Studies – Creative and versatile, his songs are catchy and his mastery of the various styles of Blues makes him one of my favourite contemporary bluesmen.
• John Mayer – Continuum
• Lady Gaga – The Fame Monster – A cleverly constructed blend of infectiously catchy pop tunes laced with Power Pop, Glam Rock, Country & Western, Hip Hop. The energy levels are always in high-gear; the melodrama surprises. Highlights include the Abbesque "Alejandro", which opens with a couple of bars of Csárdás by Vittorio Monti ; the obsessive "Paparazzi" (viz: I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, Papa Paparazzi...); how she puts on the most cheeky Southern Twang a la Tammy Wynette in "Speechless" really does me in.
• Lou Reed – Transformer ‐ produced by David Bowie (passim) Yea, be sure to take that walk on the wild side
• Marcus Miller – Tales – Miller redefines "jazz-funk". Funkadelic and Larry Graham did their bit for the movement, but Miller carries the torch in sophistication.
• Massive Attack – Protection – slow burn of British trip hop is just perfectly complemented by Tracy Thorn's smoky vocals on the title track; I'm forever mesmerised by the breathing sounds that run through on "Heat Miser".
• Miles Davis – Kind of Blue – Miles was the coolest, and jazz just doesn't get smoother and seductive than this recording
• Muse – Black Holes and Revelations
• Nirvana – Nevermind – aside from the Pixies, Nirvana defined Grunge sound. Shame Kurt Cobain joined the 27 Club
• Placebo – Black Market Music
• The Police – Regatta De Blanc – No, you don't have to put on the red light. Green all the way.
• Portishead – Dummy – Trip Hop is a particular favourite sub-genre of mine.
• Public Image Limited – Metal Box – landmark post-punk album, served literally in a metal film canister
• Queen – Queen II – where Gothic rock began; the band that produced that iconic "Bohemian Rhapsody"
• Quincy Jones – Back on the Block ‐ multi-layered pop artistry from the man who created 'The King of Pop'
• The Raspberries – The Raspberries – Unquestionably modelled stylistically after the Beatles; nobody for me outdoes the power ballad of the Raspberries' first album. "I Can Remember" is a perennial favourite on my platter
• Ruben Gonzales – Introducing...Rubén González
• Simple Minds – Real to Real Cacophony: raw precursor to the stadium-filling rock akaNew Gold Dream of this Scottish megaband
• Sparks – Kimono My House – Zany. Its nonsensical title and matching album cover make for a cult classic, IMHO
• Stanley Clarke – School Days
• Steely Dan – Aja – without doubt the best from the Becker and Fagen stable, their creative lyrics and melodies; superb drumming by Steve Gadd, and guitar work from Larry Carlton amongst others – from the best session musicians in the business.
• Steely Dan – Gaucho – Becker and Fagen's creative lyrics and melodies, backed by just wonderful musicianship from the best session musicians in the business.
• Stevie Wonder – Innervisions. A progressive Motown classic, including "Higher Ground"
• Supertramp – Crime of the Century (album) – this was the second album I learned to listen to, and appreciate, all the way through. The first one was the concept album by Pink Floyd.
• Talking Heads – Fear of Music : an absolute psycho killer of an album
• Television – Marquee Moon
• The The – Soul Mining
• Tracy Chapman – Tracy Chapman
• Weather Report – Heavy Weather: 3 legendary musicians Joe Zawinul, Wayne Shorter and Jaco Pastorius in one fantastic group and opens with the explosive "Birdland"