Procol Harum: “A Salty Dog” (1969)
The brilliant title track from A Salty Dog didn’t seafare so well on the charts, disappearing after one week. Hmph, landlubbers.
[Review] Tangerine Dream: Atem (1973)
With no strings (guitar, cello) attached, Tangerine Dream freefalls through forty minutes of exciting electronic music that will blow and/or expand your mind.
[Review] Poco: From The Inside (1971)
If you like simply produced country-rock music, you may be into this, but I haven’t cottoned to it yet.
Siouxsie and The Banshees: “Happy House” (1980)
No more postcards from the punk revolution, this was an invitation to join The Banshees in their blacklit basement.
[Review] Ric Ocasek: This Side of Paradise (1986)
A more polished followup to Beatitude, featuring most of The Cars and a bonafide hit in “Emotion In Motion.”
[Review] Roxy Music: For Your Pleasure… (1973)
Their surreal second album stands as perhaps both their brightest and darkest hour.
[Review] Pixies: Trompe Le Monde (1991)
Pixies go out in a blaze of glory. Never mind those Seattle bands, here’s your best pop/punk band on the planet.
[Review] T. Rex: Tanx (1973)
Tanx adds horns and mellotron to the T. Rex sound. To their legacy, it adds nothing.
[Review] Nilsson: Aerial Ballet (1968)
A perfect balancing act between Harry Nilsson’s golden pipes and pop smarts and George Tipton’s gilded arrangements.
[Review] Rick Wakeman: Aspirant Sunshadows (1991)
Wakeman puts his meditative music trilogy to bed with this final, restful installment in the Aspirant series.
Santana: “Evil Ways” (1969)
Santana’s smooth version of this Willie Bobo song gave them their first Top 10 single and signaled the beginning of their wining ways.
[Review] Devo: New Traditionalists (1981)
Devo’s most underappreciated album is an electronic slap (your mammy) in the face.
[Review] The Who By Numbers (1975)
Rarely numbered among The Who’s best albums, this is sort of Pete’s mid-life crisis set to music.
[Review] Crash Test Dummies: God Shuffled His Feet (1993)
The beautiful bullfrog prince of the new age, kissed by the M-m-muses briefly but deeply.
[Review] Deep Purple: Machine Head (1972)
Hard rock, heavy metal, call it what you want, Machine Head is an absolute classic.