1. Joni Mitchell – The Beginning of Survival
I haven’t yet mined and studied the 80s output of Joni Mitchell, but this stylized compilation of that era seems good enough. Really, one of my all time favorite records, and a majorly underappreciated point in her career by just about everybody. Joni’s songs are always going to be good, but she was a sonic adventurer working with people like Thomas Dolby, Peter Gabriel, Wayne Shorter, some of Prince’s ladies and Don Henley (yeah, we’ll get to “Building a Perfect Beast” another day), a true shapeshifter. There were probably some bad ideas there, but they seem to be edited out of this collection. All killer, great drum sounds too – check out our “Boy in the Yard” side by side with “Slouching Toward Bethlehem.”
2. Eric Serra – The Big Blue
We blatantly took the name for this new record from the Luc Besson movie. Serra’s soundtrack is made out of computerized dolphins, really dated 80s production and a lot of gentle mysticism. Thanks to Justin Vollmar for pointing this direction we needed to take out a couple of years ago.
3. The Blue Nile – Hats
Really straightforward, late night mood pieces. We are clearly really into the word “blue” right now.
4. Scott Walker – Scott 3
If there’s one thing we’ve learned from Scott, it is that if you’re going to go over the top, you need to make sure to go all the way and on 3 he really “goes for it.” He is an overwhelming presence to us, so overwhelming that “The Drift” double LP set has sat unlistened on my shelf since it came out – I’m too intimidated by it, though I’ve read the lyric sheet over and over…
5. Robert Martin – The Long Goodbye
I’ve always imagined that there was some sort of hidden and torrid artistic mastery that lurked behind Jimmy Buffet. There’s something about pink crustaceans and white sport jackets that seems like a charming countrypolitan lifestyle choice and good music. It wasn’t, the cover of Robert Martin’s lone record from the early 80s made me think my dreams had been fulfilled – the results were somewhat different, but good enough.
6. Dennis Wilson – Pacific Ocean Blue
This record has gotten its just dues this past year due to the wonderful Sundazed reissue (that also includes the oft-bootlegged and now pristine Bambu demos) which has wiped away some of the lost gem grime. We once tried to cover a Dennis Wilson song for a compilation and ended up failing miserable when it came to recording the vocal, that smoldering ember of a voice is a mountain too rough to climb.He’s everyone’s favorite beach boy.
7. Jimmy Webb – El Mirage
He is a master of song. Great songwriting always leads for us, no matter what production trickery, no matter what voice, no matter what instrument.
8. Robert Plant – The Principle of Moments
I’ve got a really bad guitar rock problem, I’m not sure to when it dates back, but I really have no time or patience for Led Zeppelin, I don’t even dig Neil Young jams anymore. When did this problem start? Will it end? Will you hate me if I say I like this album better than any LZ record?
9. Noah Georgeson – Find Shelter
I would have thought this excellent album would of made more noise when it came out a few years ago. The elegant arrangements and Georgeson’s ballsy voice, reminiscent of Lee Hazelwood or an unsteady J. Cash, lead to a thing of unparalleled beauty. When a famed producer steps up and makes his own record it always a treat of failed ambitions and pretensions run wild (see: Van Dyke Parks, Jack Nitzsche, Thomas Jefferson Kaye).
10. Vangelis – Antarctica
Isaac and I were lucky enough to check the latest version of Blade Runner at the Music Box in Chicago before we had to split, and obviously the Blade Runner soundtrack holds many of the secrets within our found sound, but it is the more elegant and emotionally precise Antarctica soundtrack that really perked our ears to the possibility and majesty within Mr. Papathanassiou’s noise.
