Moonbeam said:

108. George Winston - December

Simply put, this album is sacred. December does not fit too comfortably with the rest of my musical collection full of pop, funk, glam and post-punk. Nevertheless, it is absolutely one of my most cherished albums, not only for the content but also for what it has come to mean throughout my life.

Like most other George Winston efforts, December features his evocative piano playing and nothing else. Really, there is nothing else needed to add any more magic to these songs than what is already present. With a brilliant understanding of timing, volume and silence, George Winston creates a wonderful assortment of moods and atmospheres that capture the essence of the holiday season in America. While only a few of the songs touch on Christian themes, the entire album is graced with such a profund sanctity that it plays like a proper hymnal.

While the appeal of December is universal, its effect is also deeply personal for me. December is interwined so deeply in my core that it's difficult for me to envision a world without it. I grew up in Southeastern Michigan, and while my family did not have much in the way of traditions, we always celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas with my grandmother, and this album was always there as the soundtrack. So it is that "Joy" takes me back to baking Christmas cookies at her house and "Peace" makes me recall the dorky game my brother and I used to play where we would compete to see who was caught looking at the other when the solitary chords came in. It was there as I was learning to play piano and greatly influenced my style of play, giving me years upon years of enjoyment and release that only playing an instrument can manage. It was there for countless hours of study during high school, college and graduate school. And it was there when I needed inspiration for a piece to play at my father's funeral (The "Pachelbel Kanon") and my grandmother's seven months later ("Some Children See Him").

I have since moved to Sydney, Australia, where Christmas typically finds residents hiding from the heat. And while winter days can get cold here, there is no wintry magic. There isn't the opportunity to stand outside at night in awe of the long, gray shadows stretching out from barren trees over the smooth, snowy, moonlit landscape, but hearing the "Night" suite reminds me just how that feels. My wife had never seen snow before I met her, but it was a real treat to see the childlike wonder in her eyes as she witnessed her first snowstorm and visited the world's largest Christmas store in Frankenmuth. And so it is with the dancing piano keys of Winston's version of "Carol of the Bells" that this vivid imagery rushes back from my memory.

If I had to sum up everything that music means to me and demonstrate its capacity, I would probably rattle off a lengthy diatribe of hyperbole after hyperbole, as I tend to do in many of my album reviews (such as this one). I'd be much better served to just provide this music as an example. Essentially, December isn't so much just an album, but a physical representation of everything I hold near and dear.

Excellent post. Thank you.

112) Eric B. & Rakim - Paid In Full

113. Clare Fischer - Blues Trilogy

[Edited 8/26/12 4:23am]

^^ATTENTION: ALL UNNUMBERED POSTS WILL BE IGNORED

smoothcriminal12 said:

^^ATTENTION: ALL UNNUMBERED POSTS WILL BE IGNORED

Fixed^_^!!!

Emancipation89 said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

^^ATTENTION: ALL UNNUMBERED POSTS WILL BE IGNORED

Fixed^_^!!!

Thanks!

114. The Sound - Jeopardy

As post-punk produced such a large number of bands, it is easy to understand why many have slipped through the cracks of the public's collective consciousness. The best of these (The Cure, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division/New Order, Magazine, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc.) succeeded in combining the genre's flair for experimental tinkering with capable and vibrant songwriting, and were rewarded with a number of hits to ensure decent mainstream exposure. Listening to an album like Jeopardy, it strikes me that The Sound certainly belong in that same territory. Moreover, while most of the more celebrated torchbearers of the genre took some time to find their stride, Jeopardy indicates that The Sound come fully formed. It stands as an unjustly obscure testament to one of the most versatile and capable acts of the 1980s.

The most notable thing about Jeopardy is Adrian Borland's immense talent. He imbues each song with wonderfully rich vocal texture while his guitars shred with visceral urgency. This sound is complemented by Michael Dudley's minimal, stark percussion, Graham Green's trademark prominent post-punk bass lines and Bi Marshall's economic use of synthesizers that provide just enough frost to create a chillingly inviting atmosphere. Perhaps most importantly, Borland's knack for crafting powerful, memorable melodies help to make this an album of 11 songs as opposed to mere mood pieces, and these songs serve as perfect vehicles for the sense of teetering on the edge that populates a large part of the album's lyrical subject matter. The unnerving "I Can't Escape Myself" is a perfect appetizer, as its moody verses begin with sparse drumming, an ominous bass and eerie vibrating synths building the tension incrementally before the song explodes in a mass of wails and shrieking guitars. Most of the time, Borland recognizes that the source of his woes are internal, whether they be general anxiety ("Hour of Need"), questioning his faith ("Jeopardy") or problems with communication ("Words Fail Me"). This could make the album a rather sober affair, but there is a palpable sense of belief and compassion that bursts forth in tracks like "Heartland" and "Missiles" that makes it more well-rounded.

The sequencing of the album also is one of its strong points. About half of the tracks meander through slower, darker moods, while the other half are rockier, peppier affairs. These tend to alternate in the sequencing, allowing each track its own sort of identity and chance to shine. So it is that "Heartland" streaks through the speakers as a wonderful rumble in between the nervy opener and the hollow darkness of "Hour of Need", and following the peppy thrills of "Words Fail Me", the brilliant, righteous anger of "Missiles" with synthesizers mimicking their sound and Borland in full wail really finds its mark. Little makes my hair stand on end like the increasingly exasperated and pleading queries of "Who the hell make those missiles?!", and its placement in the album allows it to be a real highlight. "Heyday" kickstarts the second side with riotous fun and "Resistance" offers a boost of energy between the eerie "Night Versus Day" and solemn "Unwritten Law". In effect, the album feels like a balanced journey through a wide array of emotions.

Jeopardy stands as one of the most promising and impressive debuts that I have ever heard. Nonetheless, the album (and the band in general) never found a wide audience, which is a real shame, as this is deeply evocative, intelligent, instantly gratifying, beautiful, messy, accessible and challenging music. From the Lion's Mouth adds another great chapter to the Sound story, but I'm left scouring ebay for a copy of either album for less than $100. A band with such vitality deserves a far better fate than to be relegated to such obscurity, but I suppose mainstream success matters even in a genre like post-punk.

115: Coldplay- A Rush Of Blood To The Head

116: R. Kelly - 12 Play

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117. The Jacksons- Destiny

118. Kylie Minogue - Fever

I think that a lot of her albums are great, but, imo, this one definitely takes the cake as being up there as one of her best.

[Edited 8/26/12 7:33am]

119. GUNS N ROSES - APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION

[Edited 8/26/12 7:34am]

*reread the rules.

=/

[Edited 8/26/12 7:55am]

120) Common - Like Water For Chocolate

121) Midnight Oil - Diesel And Dust

122: John Carpenter- Halloween Soundtrack

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123. Want One, Rufus Wainwright.

[img:$uid]http://www.hmv.ca/images/Music/450/49/4961/496157.jpg[/img:$uid]

Alej is back.

124. Patti Smith- Horses

125. Billy Joel - 52nd Street

smoothcriminal12 said:

Alej is back.

Only for a day.

126. The Stylistics- The Stylistics

Alej said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Alej is back.

Only for a day.

Where have you been anyways?

Awww shiet....it's nummer #127!

[img:$uid]http://www.free.../img:$uid]Embrya

128. Rapture - Anita Baker (1986)

can't believe anyone named this..

129: Pink Floyd- The Dark Side Of The Moon

[Edited 8/26/12 12:38pm]

[Edited 8/26/12 12:38pm]

130) Donald Fagen - The Nightfly

131) Justice - †

132: Whitney Houston - Whitney Houston

[img:$uid]http://ionenewsone.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/whitney-houston-album.jpg[/img:$uid]

All you hoodrats and Beckies, listen up; I got nummer #133!

[img:$uid]http://www.free.../img:$uid]Pinkerton