dessert island

[rone]

nothings's top 10 records list brought to mind that i've been meaning to write up a similar collection of my own in a vain attempt to get people to listen to this stuff, because everyone knows nobody listens to other people's top 10 records. I can't seem to cut it down to 10, so let's make it 20.

• King Crimson - Discipline This comes to mind first and foremost simply because it's the only record i own that i can recall that pointed my brain in a new direction, as far as music goes, and perhaps even more.
• Vernon Reid - Mistaken Identity Solid stuff. A marvelous mélange of hip-hop and rock, brilliant guitar work, and most importantly, a great sense of fun throughout the album.
• Sugar - Beaster A bruising barrage of music and self-loathing.
• Tony Geballe - Native Of The Rain The sheer beauty of 12-string guitar.
• Blue Man Group - Audio A blend of tribal beats, spaghetti Western guitar, and exajoules of energy.
• Michael Hedges - Aerial Boundaries Unique and impossible guitarwork.
• Soda Stereo - Canción Animal What i consider the best album from one of the giants of rock en español.
• Lakuna - Castle Of Crime This record defies categorization; loops and samples put together with good songwriting sense and a certain pop sensibility
• Patty Larkin - Regrooving The Dream Patty's voice is beautiful, the songwriting is warm, and the guitar sounds alive.
• Puya - Fundamental Imagine a fusion between Metallica and Santana, and you might be imagining Puya.
• The Trey Gunn Band - The Joy Of Molybdenum Jazz-tinged, Middle Eastern-flavored rock performed by superb professional musicians.
• Three Fish - Three Fish More Middle Eastern flavor to go with Jeff Ament's monstrous bass and fretless bass work.
• Sting - The Soul Cages OK, so it's Sting, but this is the only album where he doesn't stroke his own ego, and as a whole, the album is a powerful elegy for his father. Simply beautiful.
• Tool - Lateralus You've probably heard this album is pretty good; this is the sort of album your kids will dig up in 20 years, listen, and be blown away.
• Helmet - Aftertaste A seared plain of sound from beginning to end. A tightly built album.
• Bob Mould - Workbook An excellent (almost) acoustic album, with harrowing narration.
• Dave Matthews Band - Before These Crowded Streets Write them off as hippie retreads, but this album has a high level of technicality, a wide range of influences, and even with the Alanis Morrisette vocals, is still their best album by far.
• Jimi Hendrix - Blues I don't listen to the blues anymore; this record spoiled me.
• Sleater-Kinney - One Beat The Woods A masterpiece. An instant classic (it's an abused cliché, but it's true).
• Miles Davis - Kind Of Blue Duke Ellington - The Far East Suite: Special Mix Every song is a sonic landscape that evokes a foreign location and combines layered and sensitive songwriting, technical and emotive playing, and a tight and humorous band interaction.