Ten Albums for a Desert Island

OK, OK, so where would you find a stereo on a desert island?

This is just an excuse to pimp my 10 all time favorite recordings...the ones I would choose if someone told me "you have to pick just 10 records to listen to for the rest of your life".

All of these albums have proven their longevity over hundreds of playings, and all have that rare quality of being devoid of 'filler'...every song is eminently listenable.

So here are my picks, in no particular order:

American Beauty - Grateful Dead

Brilliant, poetic and deeply evocative lyrics from Robert Hunter, eclectic, rootsy instrumentation from a group at the top of their game, blending folk, country, bluegrass and blues influences, sometimes shaky but always intensely sincere harmonies, plus a stellar guest turn from mandolin virtuoso David Grisman.

One of two studio releases from the band in 1970, along with Workingman's Dead, which is ALMOST as good.

Selling England by the Pound - Genesis

This was Peter Gabrial's next-to-last record with Genesis, after which they became a more commercial, but (IMO) much less creative band. The record is full of sweeping almost orchestral arrangement, tender ballads, tongue-in-cheek social commentary and the brilliant blending of bravura performances by some of rock music's most accomplished players. Art rock at it's finest.

Astral Weeks - Van Morrison

Van Morrison is arguably the best white soul singer of our generation. His music combines jazz and traditional influences and lyrics worthy of the great Irish tradition of poetry. If I had to pick just one ARTIST to listen to forever, it would be Van Morrison. Nuff said.

Cross of Changes - Enigma

Michale Cretu is an interesting artist...more inclined to recording than touring (although there is a 2020 tour afoot with Lady Gaga). I admit his music may not be for everyone...it's kind of Trance/Dance meets World Music by way of New Age...lot's of synthesizers, sampled tribal and ethnic singing and drum machines, but for me the very first time I heard it I was like...."wow....who IS this??" It was like nothing else I had ever heard and it totally transfixed me. Unfortunately after the first two albums (the first being MCMXC a.d.) he fell into formula repackaging of the same themes, musical and lyrical and never again hit the creative mark set by the first two albums.

Future Games - Fleetwood Mac

Yes, Virginia, there was a Fleetwood Mac BEFORE Lindsay and Stevie.

Complex, dual guitar arrangements and solid songwriting from Bob Welch and Danny Kirwan, smooth ballad harmonies and the sparse yet ever tasty rhythm section brilliance of Mick and John, plus great songwriting, singing and keyboards from Christine McVie. For me though it is the standout duet guitar of Welch and Kirwan that make this my favorite Fleetwod Mac record.

Jackrabbit Slim - Steve Forbert

Steve who, you say?

A little known, but brilliant alt rock/country singer/songwriter. It's always tempting to describe artists by comparison, and maybe that's valid, but with Steve Forbert it's his differences that define him. He is like......Bob Dylan, but less abrasive, Bruce Springsteen but with a touch of appealing geekiness. he has a charming, slightly squeaky voice and made this particular record with a kick-ass, versatile and clearly enthusiastic band. Every song on the record touches a sentimental or emotional chord that is universal, all tempered with a bit of self-deprecating humor that make it, as he says in one of his songs "all so real".

Cold Blood - Cold Blood

If Cold Blood had not been working the San Francisco Bay Area music scene at the same time as Janis Joplin and Big Brother, it would be Lydia Pense we would all talk about when great (white) female Blues and R&B singers are the topic. She lacked Janis' raw, self-destructive persona, and she worked with a horn section, which in 1970 had not yet become 'cool', but any fair comparison would have to name Lydia the better singer. Add to that a band that could turn goat piss into gasoline...I mean these guys could really play, unlike BB & the HC, who by today's standards would never make it as a bar band. The songs and the style are straight from the Etta James, Betty Lavette and Aretha Franklin school of sexy, gritty R&B....you can't resist the infectious groove of the band and Lydia purrs, growls, cries and emotes female disenfranchisement while remaining more, well, musical than her better known (and short lived) colleague of the day.

Jazz - Ry Cooder

Another artist not nearly as well known as he should be. Ry Cooder first came to my attention playing slide guitar on the Rolling Stones 'Sticky Fingers' album. Since those days he has released a steady stream of records paying tribute to a variety of classic American and World music styles, working with a long list of other artists who bring their own special skills and influences. This recording evokes the gin mill swing jazz of the 20', with tunes by Bix Biederbecke and Jelly Roll Morton and others from that period. A very long list of guests on this album, most notably David Lindley, Earl Hines, Oscar Brashear and Chuck Berghofer.

Scenes From the Southside - Bruce Hornsby and the Range

I'd have to say I'm not a Bruce Hornsby 'fan' in the sense that I have all his records or would list him among the musical artists I 'follow'. In fact, I have tried out some of his other recordings and they left me cold, frankly. Something magical happens for me with THIS Bruce Hornsby record though and I'm not even sure what it is except to say that all the songs on this record just speak to me in some way...the lyrics and the stories they tell resonate on a personal level with my own life and experiences. Bruce is not the greatest singer, but he stays (mostly) in his range here and clearly feels a deep emotional connection to the material himself. It's a tight, tasteful band and there is some truly jaw-dropping piano playing and, as with all my 'desert island' recordings, not a single weak song in the bunch.

The Wall - Pink Floyd

Since this one would make more 'top ten' lists than probably any other popular music album of the last 70 years I don't really need to describe or justify it's being on this list....do I?