Caffé Latté presents the all-time
200
MOST ESSENTIAL
ALBUMS
100 THE WALL Pink Floyd
99 MOONDANCE Van Morrison
98 LADY SOUL Aretha Franklin
97 STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON N.W.A.
96 TRANS-EUROPE EXPRESS Kraftwerk
95 THE STRANGER Billy Joel
94 DISCOVERY Daft Punk
93 DUSTY IN MEMPHIS Dusty Springfield
92 A NIGHT AT THE OPERA Queen
91 AXIS: BOLD AS LOVE Jimi Hendrix Experience
90 DAYS OF FUTURE PASSED Moody Blues
89 ABBA abba
88 ELEPHANT White Stripes
87 FIRST TAKE Roberta Flack
86 HARVEST Neil Young
85 GRACE Jeff Buckley
84 TEN Pearl Jam
83 THE BAND The Band
82 AMERICAN IDIOT Green Day
81 HORSES Patti Smith
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80
SILK DEGREES
BOZ
SCAGGS
1976
The 7th studio album delivered by Boz Scaggs was 'Silk Degrees'. It instantly became his best selling LP ever and is still regarded as a defining 70s record. Scaggs was already a seasoned musician but on this album, he delivered a collection of songs that both sounded great and attracted broad appeal.
The LP featured the catchy hit singles "What Can I Say", "Lido Shuffle", "We're All Alone" and "Lowdown". Other tracks also became radio staples, including "Georgia", "It's Over" and "What Do You Want The Girl To Do". The sublime "Harbor Lights" should not be overlooked either.
Scaggs was involved in the writing of all but 2 tracks. He is accompanied by many of the best American session musicians, most of which would form the group Toto. 'Silk Degrees' brought together adult contemporary, jazz, pop and rock.
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79
JAGGED LITTLE PILL
ALANIS MORISSETTE
1995
When Canadian singer / songwriter Alanis Morissette dropped 'Jagged Little Pill', it marked a line in the sand for female rockers in the 1990s. The album was her international debut record. Her raw, introspective lyrics touched a chord with the public. Clearly, many listeners related to the album's themes.
Morisette co-wrote every track with producer Glen Ballard. The album spawned the chart hits "Ironic", "You Oughta Know", "Head Over Feet" and "Hand In My Pocket".
The limitations of her voice only add to the songs' authenticity. Other tracks worth a listen include "Perfect", "Forgiven" and "Right Through You". While Morissette's songs can sound inferior to related artists such as Sheryl Crow and Melissa Etheridge, they are redeemed by her empowering attitude.
In the wake of Morissette's breakthrough success with 'Jagged Little Pill', record companies went in search of similar musicians. This opened up many opportunities for women in the male dominated music industry. Morissette paved the way for the likes of Pink, Alanis Morissette and Natalie Imbruglia.
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78
IMAGINE
JOHN LENNON
1971
'Imagine' was the 2nd album by John Lennon and his first to be credited to him as a soloist. Released just a year after the end of The Beatles, Lennon proved he was still relevant.
The LP's title track has remained a cherished anthem and is easily the standout. Lennon shows his tender side on another of the album's beloved songs, "Jealous Guy". There's plenty of variety on the remaining songs. He aims scorn at Paul McCartney on "How Do You Sleep?". Yoko Ono inspired his love song "Oh Yoko!". She co-wrote "Oh My Love" with her husband. "Crippled Inside" is pure fun. He delivers an anti-war message on "I Don't Wanna Be A Soldier". "How?" is beautiful. Lennon dishes out anger on the almost proto punk "Gimme Some Truth".
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77
MR. TAMBOURINE MAN
THE BYRDS
1965
The Byrds' debut album 'Mr. Tambourine Man' had an immediate impact on popular culture. With this recording, the group managed to bring together fundamental elements to help usher in a new approach to rock music.
Its title track reached #1 in the USA. Doing so, it exposed a wider audience to the works of Bob Dylan. This album includes three more of his compositions, including the follow-up single "All I Really Want To Do". The LP also features covers of songs by Jackie DeShannon and Pete Seeger. The bulk of the other tracks were penned by Gene Clark, often with co-writer Roger McGuinn.
The latter's guitar playing was an integral feature in the sound of The Byrds. 'Mr. Tambourine Man' helped expose the mainstream to folk rock. The album's strongest tracks are the aforementioned two, plus "The Bells Of Rhymney", "Here Without You" and "You Won't Have To Cry".
To this day, one can hear echoes of the album in recordings by a long list of other acts that includes The Eagles, Tom Petty, The Church, Simon & Garfunkel, The Bangles and R.E.M.
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76
ACHTUNG BABY
U2
1991
Few acts dare to re-invent their sound as bravely as U2 did on 'Achtung Baby'. The group was at the top of its game by the end of the 1980s. Rather than rest on its laurels or dish out a formulaic album, U2 opted to explore new territory.
The Irish rockers abandoned the sound that had become its trademark. To state that U2 shifted musical gears, is an understatement. The band had already worked with producers Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, but together the collaborators would create a new hybrid. This new sound incorporated electronica, psychedelia and indie rock in a unique way.
The new tracks were a radical departure for U2. This is best demonstrated on "Mysterious Ways", "The Fly" and "Zoo Station". The band risked losing its traditional fan base, but managed to deliver a reinvigorated sound. Among the other quality tracks are "One", "Even Better Than The Real Thing", "Until The End Of the World", "Tryin' To Throw Your Arms Around The World", "Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses", "Love Is Blindness" and "So Cruel".
Bono's vocal talent steers the album, ably powered by the other members' musicianship. More musicians ought to take stock of what U2 achieved on 'Achtung Baby'.
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