Low - David Bowie (Virgin, 1977)
I don't remember how exactly it was that I decided to check out David Bowie's Low back in early December of 2007, but my feelings for the record have been on a roller coaster ride ever since. About a week or so ago I revisited it for the first time in almost a year, and boy did it hit me hard. My favorite things about Low have always been Bowie's immaculate skill at just about any instrument and the completely insane digitally effected drum sounds. I've also always liked how it is pretty much split in halves: the incredible pop half and the frightening, somewhat boring ambient half. This time around with the record, I noticed that I had underappreciated a few of the pop songs ("Speed of Life" and "Always Crashing in the Same Car," namely), and I finally gained some understanding and admiration of the ambient tracks ("Weeping Wall" is gorgeous). Without them, Low would just be an amazing, intriguing collection of pop songs, not the mysterious masterpiece that it actually is. Lastly, the instrumental "A New Career in a New Town" has easily beat out Heroes' "The Secret Life of Arabia" as my favorite Bowie song.
Top jams: "Speed of Life," "Breaking Glass," "What in the World," "Sound and Vision," "Always Crashing in the Same Car," "A New Career in a New Town," "Weeping Wall"
Turn! Turn! Turn! - The Byrds (Columbia, 1965)
Since I can remember, The Byrds' "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)" has been one of my favorite songs of all time. A couple years ago, when I started getting even more into music with guitars that jangle and chime, I thought I should check out some Byrds LPs. And I did. I think that 1967's Younger Than Yesterday, which has a bit more variety, is a much better album (even some of the b-sides, such as "Lady Friend," are awesome), but Turn! Turn! Turn! definitely has its moments. Every song features nice melodies and harmonies and those beautiful twelve-string guitars that I've come to love so much. But, nothing hits as high as the title track. Fortunately, nothing hits as low as the closing track, a cover of "Oh! Susannah," which is just about the corniest thing I've ever heard in my life.
Top jams: "Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There is a Season)," "It Won't be Wrong," "Set You Free This Time," "Lay Down Your Weary Tune," "The World Turns All Around Her," "The Times They Are A-Changin'," "Wait and See"
Combat Rock - The Clash (Epic, 1982)
I'm not going to be weird and difficult here. Of the three albums by The Clash that I own (The Clash and London Calling being the other two), Combat Rock is definitely the worst. BUT, it still rules, ya dummy. Everyone knows "Rock the Casbah," which is sort of a good indication of what the rest of the album sounds like. In my opinion, The Clash's punk edge seems to be retained only in their vocals and looks, here. Otherwise, Combat Rock is a somewhat experimental guitar pop record with a lot of different sounds, with both funk and reggae being considered home base, I guess. Nothing here really touches anything from The Clash or London Calling, but, "Know Your Rights," "Car Jamming," "Straight to Hell" and "Ghetto Defendent" are all excellent.
Top jams: "Know Your Rights," "Car Jamming," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell," "Overpowered by Funk," "Ghetto Defendant," "Inoculated City"
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