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Music

45: New Miserable Experience (Gin Blossoms)

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Album: New Miserable Experience
Artist: Gin Blossoms
Year: 1992

1. Lost Horizons
2. Hey Jealousy
3. Mrs. Rita
4. Until I Fall Away
5. Hold Me Down
6. Cajun Song
7. Hands are Tied
8. Found Out About You
9. Allison Road
10. 29
11. Pieces of the Night
12. Cheatin’

Did you know Gin Blossoms started their career in 1989 and are still touring? Did you also know that in 24 years they’ve only released five albums?  That’s amazing to me, and I have to imagine that it was this album, their second (along with, perhaps, some rabid Empire Records fans), that has allowed them to coast on their laurels for all this time. Sporting six singles over three years, New Miserable Experience was certainly anything but for the band.

The music has pretty standard pop melodies, but the lyrics have more originality than most. My favorite song is Allison Road, but I dig pretty much everything on the album to some degree. Lost Horizons and Until I Fall Away are among my favorites. I didn’t care for Hey Jealousy when I thought the song title was “Hey Jessie.”  I liked it immediately when I learned the real lyrics. Funny, that.

I haven’t listened to any of there other albums, though I like the singles just fine on Congratulations, I’m Sorry.

Music

46: Who Needs Pictures (Brad Paisley)

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Album: Who Needs Pictures
Artist: Brad Paisley
Year: 1999

1. Long Sermon
2. Me Neither
3. Who Needs Pictures
4. Don’t Breathe
5. He Didn’t Have to Be
6. It Never Woulda Worked Out Anyway
7. Holdin’ On to You
8. I’ve Been Better
9. We Danced
10. Sleepin’ on the Foldout
11. Cloud of Dust
12. The Nervous Breakdown
13. In the Garden

Around the time Brad Paisley hit the country scene I was bemoaning the loss of the country music I loved in the early 90’s. I was grateful someone who could play guitar and write honest music (that didn’t rely on being a good ol’ boy) was getting radio play. Sadly, Brad is the last new country artist I have an album from, on this countdown or otherwise. I like a song or two from some of the new people, though almost exclusively from the ladies (e.g. Miranda Lambert, The Band Perry), and never an entire album. It all just sounds so samey, poppy, and uninteresting.

That said, I think Brad has been failing a bit as of late. I haven’t particularly enjoyed his last two albums either, partly because he’s now secure enough in his career that the good ol’ boy stuff is coming out. Not Toby Keith territory by any means, but I just have no interest in hearing another singer talk about how awesome being a redneck is.

His first album had none of that, and it’s an amazing debut. Long Sermon is about how annoying it is when a pastor keeps going and going when the weather is gorgeous outside, and he continues with the tongue-in-cheek humor with Me Neither and a couple other songs. What launched his career, however, were his ballads. Who Needs Pictures is a pretty awesome breakup song, and He Didn’t Have to Be is a touching tribute to stepparents. The Nervous Breakdown shows Brad’s mad skills with the guitar, and his version of the classic hymnal In the Garden is way better than any I ever heard in church.

Music

47: Nevermind (Nirvana)

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Album: Nevermind
Artist: Nirvana
Year: 1991

1. Smells Like Teen Spirit
2. In Bloom
3. Come as You Are
4. Breed
5. Lithium
6. Polly
7. Territorial Pissings
8. Drain You
9. Lounge Act
10. Stay Away
11. On a Plain
12. Something in the Way
13. Endless, Nameless (hidden track)

I was too young to appreciate this album when it came out, and I always annoyed that I couldn’t understand half the lyrics in Smells Like Teen Spirit. Plus, I was pretty much anti any music that my grandma would describe as noise. Over the years I began to appreciate Teen Spirit, then grew to really enjoy In Bloom and Lithium. So when I decided to do this countdown, I decided to give this album a once over considering nearly every publication ranks this as one of the top ten albums of all time.

So yeah, I like it. I was pleasantly surprised by the rawness of Breed and the earnestness of Polly. Territorial Pissings does just sound like screaming to me, but the rest of the album remains really good music, even if I can’t understand most of what Cobain is saying. Drain You, On a Plain, and Something in the Way are pretty solid.

I also gave In Utero a shot, but only liked a few of the songs. Apparently, Cobain preferred more screaming and noise than listenable melodies. More power to him, I guess.

 

Music

48: Old Enough to Know Better (Wade Hayes)

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Album: Old Enough to Know Better
Artist: Wade Hayes
Year: 1994

1. Don’t Make Me Come to Tulsa
2. I’m Still Dancin’ With You
3. Old Enough to Know Better
4. Kentucky Bluebird
5. Don’t Stop
6. What I Meant to Say
7. Steady as She Goes
8. Family Reunion
9. Someone Had to Teach You
10. It’s Gonna Take a Miracle

My favorite two tracks on the album were not singles. Where have we heard that before?

Wade Hayes burst onto the country scene with a number one hit in Old Enough to Know Better. It would be his last number one song. In fact, he had six top ten hits, his first album producing four. And then his career spiraled steadily downward. In 1997, he released a cover of Glen Campbell’s Wichita Lineman, which is one of my favorite songs. But it tanked so badly that the album was delayed. After his fourth album failed to produce any Top 40 songs, he went twelve years without recording. Yowzers.

His debut album still holds up today, though. The title track is pretty damn solid. Don’t Stop sounds like a classic rocker. What I Meant to Say is a decent ballad with a pretty cool music video shot backwards. Kentucky Bluebird is a gorgeous Keith Whitley cover. Steady as She Goes is a cover of a rare Brooks & Dunn song. In fact, looking at all of the covers Wade Hayes did, I like nearly all of his versions better.

My favorite song is Family Reunion, about a guy who was raised by his mother, and after his father dies he brings his body back so he and his mother can have a funeral and be with him one last time. Yeah, I tend to like really depressing songs, but at least this one ends on a high note.

Music

49: This Way (Jewel)

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Album: This Way
Artist: Jewel
Year: 2001

1. Standing Still
2. Jesus Loves You
3. Everybody Needs Someone Sometime
4. Break Me
5. Do You Want to Play?
6. Till We Run Out of Road
7. Serve the Ego
8. This Way
9. Cleveland
10. I Won’t Walk Away
11. Love Me, Just Leave Me Alone
12. The New Wild West

I either dislike or am not impressed with every single on this album. I can’t even remember why I bought it. Did I like the harsh sounding Standing Still and the awkward singing in This Way when they first came out? Or did someone play me the good songs from the rest of the album? Either way, I’m glad I got it. This Way is a little more poppy than her first two albums, but nowhere near the trashy dance music she put out on 0304.

Jesus Loves You is a pretty strong critique of societal platitudes, and Cleveland might be her best love song. Do You Want to Play? is fun to listen to, if only so often. She also does a pretty good Janis Joplin imitation on Love Me, Just Leave Me Alone.  My version of the album included some decent bonus tracks, but I didn’t include them above, mainly because they’re nothing to write home about.

Music

50: Thinkin’ About You (Trisha Yearwood)

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Album: Thinkin’ About You
Artist: Trisha Yearwood
Year: 1995

1. Thinkin’ About You
2. XXX’s and OOO’s (An American Girl)
3. You Can Sleep While I Drive
4. The Restless Kind
5. On a Bus to St. Cloud
6. Fairytale
7. Those Words We Said
8. O Mexico
9. I Wanna Go Too Far
10. Til I Get It Right

Thinkin’ About You is a pretty uneven album, but deserves its spot in the top fifty thanks to featuring two of my favorite songs.

Before she married Garth, Trisha had a pretty successful solo career, though not because of me. Of the five songs that were released on this album, my two favorites are the two that charted the worst. I Wanna Go Too Far was a top ten hit and I still don’t understand it.

The title track is pretty unmemorable but Trish sings it really well. You Can Sleep While I Drive is a gorgeous cover of a Melissa Etheridge song, and one I often rock my baby to sleep singing. On a Bus to St. Cloud got more play in my area than most of the country because of the local connection. It’s about a lover committing suicide and is one of the saddest songs I’ve ever heard. As for the rest of the album, the standouts are the melodically relaxing Fairytale and O Mexico.

 

Music

51: Glass Houses (Billy Joel)

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Album: Glass Houses
Artist: Billy Joel
Year: 1980

1. You May Be Right
2. Sometimes a Fantasy
3. Don’t Ask Me Why
4. It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me
5. All for Leyna
6. I Don’t Want to Be Alone
7. Sleeping With the Television On
8. C’etait Toi (You Were the One)
9. Close to the Borderline
10. Through the Long Night

The album cover has Billy Joel ready to throw a rock through a glass house, and appropriately, the first song starts with the sound of glass breaking. Makes sense after all these years!

Don’t Ask Me Why is my favorite BJ song. The rhyme scheme is delicious and I love singing along to it. I’m also fan of the stylings of You May Be Right (I mayyy be craaaaazy!) and Sleeping With the Television On. All for Leyna is a good rocker. C’etait Toi is pretty. There are no out and out duds on the album, though they’re not all strong.

I don’t mind it per se, but I’m pretty over It’s Still Rock & Roll to Me. Not only are the lyrics dated, but I just don’t care for the melody. I Don’t Want to Be Alone and Close to the Borderline don’t do much for me either, but they’re fine filler.

The final song, Through the Long Night sounds just like something Paul McCartney would have released around the white album years. It’s a departure from most of Joel’s ballads and it’s a great way to end my favorite BJ album.

Music

52: Who I Am (Alan Jackson)

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Album: Who I Am
Artist: Alan Jackson
Year: 1994

1. Summertime Blues
2. Livin’ on Love
3. Hole in the Wall
4. Gone Country
5. Who I Am
6. You Can’t Give Up On Love
7. I Don’t Even Know Your Name
8. Song for the Life
9. Thank God for the Radio
10. All American Country Boy
11. Job Descripion
12. If I Had You
13. Let’s Get Back to Me and You

Jackson’s career took off pretty fast and hit it’s first high note with Chattahoochee, on this third album. He’s had some pretty amazing songs, including She’s Got the Rhythm (and I’ve Got the Blues) and Midnight in Montgomery, but most of his albums contain one or two songs that are just trying to be too cute. This album pretty much stays away from that.

It starts with a pretty decent cover of Summertime Blues, then rattles off a couple of #1 hits in Livin’ on Love and Gone County, the latter being one of Alan’s more creatively composed songs. I initially placed Hole in the Wall in the “too cute” category, and it is silly, but over the years it’s grown on me, mostly because deep down it’s a really depressing song (about a guy who completely flips out after noticing a nail hole where a picture of his ex used to hang).

Oh I guess a saner man
Would simply paint it
But I’m not sane and after all
It’s my wall, ain’t it
I’ve got this hammer in my hand
And when I’m through
There’ll be a hole in that wall
Big enough to drive a truck through

The middle of the album is where Who I Am really heats up. I Don’t Even Know Your Name is a fun ditty about a guy who gets so drunk he accidentally marries his ugly waitress, and Song for the Life is easily my favorite. a wonderful ballad by Rodney Crowell. Job Description is my third favorite on the album. The album ends pretty weakly, as there is no reason to have those final two songs. But eleven solid songs in a row was enough to make the countdown.

Sidebar: I find it annoying that 99% of country album covers are just a picture of the artist. Is that just the safe thing to do?  They make them completely unmemorable.

Music

53: Solid Ground (John Anderson)

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Album: Solid Ground
Artist: John Anderson
Year: 1993

1. Money in the Bank
2. I’ve Got It Made
3. I Fell in the Water
4. Bad Love Gone Good
5. All Things to All Things
6. Where I Come From
7. I Wish I Could Have Been There
8. Nashville Tears
9. Can’t Get Away From You
10. Solid Ground

John languished in mediocrity in the 80’s when country music was pretty bad, so it was surprising when he finally became popular in the early 90’s (during his late 30’s), starting with Seminole Wind. He then put together five solid years of top ten hits. His best album is Solid Ground, which had four hits.

Money in the Bank was the first song released and his last number one as an artist. I’ve Got It Made is a really sweet song about being satisfied with your current lot in life. But the album’s killer tune is I Fell in the Water, about idolizing the wrong woman. Most of the rest of the album is John singing about keeping life simple and the environment clean (a common theme throughout his career). It’s repetitive, but pleasant all the same. I Wish I Could Have Been There is his version of Cat’s in the Cradle and was another hit for him.

John never strayed from his Grand Ol’ Opry roots, and most of his stuff is either too silly or too dull for my tastes. Solid Ground hits the sweet spot and is a good introduction to his music.

 

 

 

Music

54: ABBA (ABBA)

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Album: ABBA
Artist: ABBA
Year: 1975

1. Mamma Mia
2. Hey, Hey Helen
3. Tropical Loveland
4. SOS
5. Man in the Middle
6. Bang-A-Boomerang
7. I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do, I Do
8. Rock Me
9. Intermezzo No. 1
10. I’ve Been Waiting For You
11. So Long

I was introduced to ABBA’s music as a kid and they were probably the first non-children’s band I ever sang along to. While many of their songs from a lyrical standpoint don’t rise above your run-of-the-mill pop band, they rose above it by having great harmonies and some excellent guitar and piano work by Benny and Bjorn.

The popular songs from their self-titled album are Mamma Mia, SOS, and Rock Me, which I remember singing out loud as a kid and still love to do now. Two of the pleasant surprises from this album are Hey, Hey Helen (about a women leaving her abusive husband) and Tropical Loveland about…a tropical loveland, but it’s a very catchy tune. But easily the hidden gem here is Intermezzo No 1, a rockin’ instrumental that really shows off Benny’s talents and makes me long for an Intermezzo No 2.

My favorite ABBA songs are on other albums (Knowing Me, Knowing You; Take a Chance on Me; One of Us) but their self-titled album is the most consistent from beginning to end.