#35 The Who - Tommy (May 23, 1969)

Oh the things that have happened to me since I last updated this blog. I won't go into them since this isn't that kind of online journal but it's sufficient to say the past couple of months have been eventful. But now it's time to pick up where I left off.

If you knew me senior year of high school, you would've known that I couldn't go ten minutes without listening to this album. I loved it so much I went as far as to suggest to my school's theater department that they put on the musical (and yes, I'm aware of how gay that sounds). I don't love it as much anymore but it's safe to say it'll forever be my favorite Who album.

With a story that includes handicapped senses, murder, abuse, child molestation, religion, and pinball this is one of the most bizarre and groundbreaking concept albums ever. The album's tendency towards eccentricity is matched only by the band's unbelievable talent and Pete Townshend at the peak of his songwriting career. Roger Daltrey's vocals fully embody the character of Tommy and manifest the wide range of emotions felt by the protagonist throughout the seventy-four minute rock opera.

Keith Moon never found a better forum in which to explore his utterly insane drumwork. The subject matter seemed to be born from the psychotic movements of his hands. And once again, John Entwistle's bass provided solidarity and mastery to a seemingly chaotic and scatterbrain piece of rock and roll.

The countless incarnations Tommy has had in everything from movies to the stage could never compare to the original music. If rock folklore is correct, the theme of pinball was thrown in merely to appease a stubborn critic but it made "Pinball Wizard" one of The Who's biggest hits. And that makes sense when you consider that both the narrative of this album and the tumultuous history of the band proves that unpredictability is the only true sense of order.

favorite song: "Go to the Mirror!"

#34 Neil Young w/ Crazy Horse - Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (May 14, 1969)

Photographer Ryan McGinley named one of his gallery exhibits after this record and I can understand because this is one of my favorite album titles ever. I wish I could say the same about the cover, which looks like a Christmas card from a man who lives alone in the woods with his dog.

I've always loved Neil Young's style because he seems entirely independent; unchanging, despite the generations that come and go around him. He's also concerned only with the quality of his music, never bothering with his image or any other meaningless details. He's simply himself. And his music proves it - minimal but meticulously crafted. No wonder he became a golden god to the apathetic grunge generation.

Like every other album around this time, the guitar is king. "Cinnamon Girl", "Down By the River", and "Cowgirl in the Sand" all devote considerable amount of time to the contributions of Crazy Horse, which strengthen Young's unique songwriting and honest, elemental vocals.

favorite song: "The Losing End (When You're On)"

#33 The Velvet Underground - The Velvet Underground (March 1969)

This is my third and final colored vinyl. Hey, that rhymed. This record is translucent dark blue, which seems to perfectly characterize this music in terms of chromatic representation. This album is quiet in volume but full of refreshing originality, understated when considering its level of influence. "The Murder Mystery" alone has sparked countless imitations, but none have been so stylistically disordered.

"Pale Blue Eyes" may have been the inspiration for the vinyl's color and it's fitting since that song best captures the overall feeling of subdued isolation. The music has gotten much calmer since their last album, but without sacrificing their defining verve. The songwriting has taken a turn into reflective meditation, mellow yet provokingly hermetic.

Maureen Tucker's vocals on "After Hours" are subtle but very affecting. It's great nighttime music, perfect for that last conscious moment right before you fall into sleep.

favorite song: "Pale Blue Eyes"

#32 Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails (March 1969)

The guitar albums just keep on coming. When I started this blog, I considered including some kind of alert whenever I came across a Bo Diddley beat on any of these albums. There have been a lot so far, mostly because my collection consists of white bands that idolize the great blues artists. Quicksilver Messenger Service went one step further and, instead of just emulating the blues legends, they made an entire album-long tribute to Bo. And since Bo Diddley is my favorite blues musician, I had to buy this.

I can't say I love this record. I rarely play it. Maybe I haven't given it a sufficient chance, but it sounds somewhat dated. Long, drawn-out, acid-influenced semi-live jam sessions have never really appealed to me. They seemed to be popular in the sixties but, with the short attention of today's generation, music like this would have no audience. But then again, kids these days are pretty stupid.

But what I can appreciate is the spontaneous spirit and the raw improvisational talent of the players. This record isn't clean and the style is far from packaged. Like jazz, it has a certain energy that gets back in touch with the idea that music is an expression of impulsive passion, not something to be polished and manufactured as a product. In that way, it gets down to the roots of blues music.

And the monumental and almost cinematic moments of "Calvary" is something I do love.

favorite song: "Calvary"

#31 Led Zeppelin - Led Zeppelin (January 12, 1969)

When I first compiled the dates for the list, I was surprised this one came out in the 60's. It seems to entirely predict what rock n' roll would become in the 70's. It's heavier than anything that came out at the time. When I think of the stereotypical Stones fan I picture a hip grandpa, but Zeppelin is the choice of frat boys and young stoners alike. Music this weighty could never feel dated.

Thanks to every classic rock station in existence, Led Zeppelin's music has bombarded the airwaves and made their music feel tired. But, when I put the needle to the vinyl, no number of disc jockeys named Bob or Rockin' Ronnie can take away my love for this band. Like The Who, each member of this band is one of the best ever at his instrument. I don't want to say too much now or I won't have anything more to say when I get to their next few albums. Sorry.

favorite song: "Dazed and Confused"

#30 The Rolling Stones - Beggars Banquet (December 6, 1968)

The first time I remember hearing "Sympathy For the Devil" was when my brother Mike drove me to high school in his '92 Buick. He had made a mix tape of Stones songs. So for Christmas, believing him to be a die hard fan of the band, I bought the compilation Forty Licks on CD for him. It sat unopened on his shelf for two months before I took it for myself. Today it still sits in a CD case on the floor of my Taurus.

Being an idiot at the time, I assumed forty was about the maximum number of good songs a band could have. I turned out to be very wrong, because in a perfect world every song on this album and their next three would have been on that compilation.

It wasn't until I took advantage of the abundance of Stones LPs floating around used record shops that I really started to appreciate them. I have eight of their albums, the most in my collection - tied with The Beatles. That's because they are two incredible bands, undeniably classic yet eternally relevant.

This track listing has no weak link. Every song is gritty, bluesy, and unapologetic; the beginning of a revolutionary and defining era for the Stones. I just wish I had the original cover.

favorite song: "Street Fighting Man"

#29 The Beatles - The Beatles [The White Album] (November 22, 1968)

Each original pressing of this album had its own serial number. Mine is A1606169. It's little things like that which feed my vinyl record addiction. Luckily, my fix only cost me six dollars this time. And for a double album!

This is something I'm particularly happy to have on vinyl. It encompasses the whole range of The Beatles career - every spot on the genius-meter; from the most sugar-coated, ("Ob-La-Di, Ob-La Da") to the most experimental, yet somehow attracting, bits of insanity ("Revolution 9") and everything in between. Even songs like "Piggies" and "Savory Truffle" sound great in their own deviant way.

When there are so many diverse songs on one album, it's hard to pick a favorite. Sometimes I prefer the quiet beauty of "Blackbird" and other times I prefer songs like "Helter Skelter", chaotic rock that proves The Beatles were as cool as the Stones.

favorite song: "While My Guitar Gently Weeps"