Our imaginary road trip with great music (see Part 1 here and Part 2 here and, finally, Part 3 Part 3) is almost done. The albums in this last part are modern, and, for lack of a better word, popular. Before anyone complains about the lack of albums by Arcade Fire, Mumford & Sons, or Taylor Swift, please remember my self-imposed criterion that a recording must have, without doubt, passed the test of time. The quasi-inverse also is true. Most people don’t need to be pointed in the directions of Pet Sounds or Abbey Road, and so, I will not bother to do so.
11. Frank Sinatra: Where Are You?
If humans were like amoebas and multiplied by dividing, there would never be any need for songs about love and loss. As a human being, Frank Sinatra was decidedly a mixed bag. He was, to say the least, a failure at acting like an understanding and generous professional colleague. In 1958, he stated that rock and roll was “sung, played, and written for the most part by cretinous goons.” He later was widely perceived as having threatened Sinéad O’Connor with actual bodily harm. As an artist, he was pretty much a one-issue voter: Cherchez la femme.
There’s no shortage of Sinatra ballad albums to choose from. Far less well known than his other such efforts, Where Are You? makes the cut primarily because it strikes a welcome balance between bleak despair and superficial hipness. The recommended version is an exceptional remastered CD/”Super Audio CD” hybrid, made from the original monophonic master tapes. (Other versions are available for less money.)
Listen to the track “Where Are You?” here.
Buy Where Are You? here.
12. Sarah McLachlan: Surfacing
If Sinatra’s posture was, “I’m alone, so I think I’m going to go to a bar and get drunk,” Sarah McLachlan’s posture might have been, “I’m alone, so I think I’m going to stay home and think about harming myself.” Were that we were like amoebas, indeed.
While for Where Are You? arranger and conductor Gordon Jenkins relied upon a large engineering crew and dozens of highly skilled session musicians (mostly classical string-instrument players), most of Surfacing was recorded by two people with one microphone and lots of technology (other musicians’ contributions were later dubbed in.)
The tone of Surfacing is introspective. Moreover, its pace is slower than glacial. Nevertheless, I don’t think anyone can question its authenticity.
Listen to “Do What You Have To Do” here.
Buy Surfacing here.
13. David Gray: White Ladder
It might seem that Welsh singer-songwriter David Gray’s breakthrough album White Ladder is so desolate, that after listening to it all the way through, you would want to slit your wrists. However, for some reason you don’t; or, at least, I don’t. Gray’s raw voice and stripped-down arrangements are strangely consoling.
That said, it is undoubtedly wise to heed the warning buried in the liner-note fine print, that consuming alcohol while listening to White Ladder is almost certain to result in your drunk-dialing old girlfriends.
Listen to “This Year’s Love” here.
Buy White Ladder here.
14. Take 6: Take 6
Had Oscar Wilde lived into our Age of Lack of Faith, he might have characteristically quipped, “Drugs, alcohol, and bad romance are the Gateway Drugs to Christianity.” We have for the most part inverted the balance previous centuries maintained in art between the demands of divine love and earthly love. Exceptions do exist, however. I don’t know if Take 6 is indeed, as some have claimed, the best vocal band in the whole universe. But, at the moment, I can’t think of a better.
Listen to “Mary” here.
Buy Take 6 here.
15. Brian Eno: Ambient 1: Music for Airports
In the mid-1970s, former Roxy Music synth player Brian Eno was stuck for many hours in the Cologne/Bonn Airport. The uninspiring sonic environment of that airport only seemed to increase the tension and anxiety of hurrying to make a connecting flight, or the ennui of an enforced long wait.
So, Eno set to thinking about tape-loop installations of quiet, calm, restful music to humanize such places. And a genre was born. In this way, we close the chronological and musical circle the start of which was the serene and calming chant album Exaudiam Eum….
Listen to Ambient 1: Music for Airports here.
Buy Ambient 1: Music for Airports here.
Thanks for reading! Some of these recordings I would not have investigated except for entries in my Stereophile magazine reader write-in music-list competitions. I urge you to read them all!
“Musical Cultural Literacy for Americans”
“Great Art Songs of the Rock Era”
Record producer John Marks is a columnist for Stereophile magazine.
How much time needs to go by before Speak Now is rightfully recognized as a masterpiece of songwriting and storytelling?
“Mina Tanoshiku” by Shonen Knife. If you have an original copy, please contact me.
Well, thanks for the reminder, but, sorry, the only Shonen Knife CD I ever had was “Rock Animals,” and I gave it away either to Guy Klucevsek or to my daughter.
I always cracked up at the verse:
“Let’s take a picture–together!”
So Japanese.
JM
Shonen Knife is great travelling music. I have “Happy Hour” and “Let’s Knife” on my in-car ipod.
Went car shopping this weekend. I found Albuquerque’s classic country station to be sufficient for testing sound systems. Heard everything from pop oriented 70s country, orchestral Country-politan, outlaw rock oriented country, deep voices, high voices, nasally voices, etc. Gave me a good indication of how the stereo treated the ranges.
I can’t listen to one album for any length of time while driving, the same voice over and over will put me to sleep.
The song “White Teeth Teens” by Lorde has a vocal refrain in it that comes out very distorted on any cheapy sound system.
No radio source, broadcast, HD, satellite, etc. is really high enough quality for me to use it to qualify a sound system.
There’s this tune by Quincy Jones and sung by Matt Monro:
http://goo.gl/3ITMs6
This tune is great for cruising on the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire. Similar scenery and my exhaust note is almost identical – maybe a little less harsh and a bit deeper accompanied by the whine of a supercharger. No tunnels, but I do have watch out for tourists in motorhomes slowing almost to a stop for photos!
I LOVE THAT TO DEATH!
Even with the cheesy reverb!
That is for my money the one thing that Quincy Jones wrote that I can imagine Gabriel Fauré writing, and then looking at, and faintly smiling while murmuring, “Pas mal.”
The small, subtle harmonic changes are so Impressionist… .
“It’s on days like these… .”
What a great chance for a great singer to open up.
Problem is, I don’t know of a Matt Monro album that holds up as an album rather than a collection of singles.
Whereas Sinatra’s “Where Are You” is actually, wait for it, one of the first “concept albums,” and, truth be told, far better at holding together while telling just one story than is “Pet Sounds” or even “Sgt. Pepper.”
Thanks for reading and thanks for writing in.
John
According to William Manchester (a Pacific vet) in Goodbye Darkness, Frank Sinatra was universally loathed by American servicemen fighting WWII, particularly in the Pacific.
He stayed home and got the money and the chicks, they went overseas and got mutilated, dead and crazy. Reminds me of Country music patriots during the recent unpleasantness.
One of the major disappointments for me of Ronald Reagan’s tenure was his awarding the Medal of Freedom to Sinatra, who, let’s face it, had very unsavory aspects to his personality, and some regrettably evil deeds in his past. Joe DiMaggio held Sinatra responsible for Marilyn Monroe’s spinning off into the void–if indeed her death was that uncomplicated an affair.
But, I have it on good authority that Jussi Bjoerling was a wifebeating drunk.
In the event, the album I recommended came from the time Sinatra was struggling to re-establish himself as a singer, and so he was not yet a Legend in His Own Mind.
Thanks for reading and thanks for writing in.
JM
My dad knew Jussi Björling. He was friends with quite a few of the prominent Scandinavians from that period as our home was something of an ex-pat home away from home. Björling died when I was five, so I don’t remember him. *Everyone* in that crowd drank heavily. That, of course, doesn’t excuse any violent behavior. My dad loved to listen to Björling’s “La bohème” on the stereo, it always brought him to tears.
Thanks for sharing the memories. A critic I admire once commented that the bond between Bjoerling and his fans was “mystico-erotic.” I think that the only later-on-the-scene tenor who had that limbic-system-level bond with the music and with his fans was the young German tenor Fritz Wunderlich. He was discovered as a singing bakery boy; the customers urged him to study music. His live “Che gelida” is electrifying, despite its being sung in German.
Wunderlich died after tripping on his untied shoelaces and falling down a flight of stairs. He had been getting undressed to go to bed and decided to retrieve a book from the ground floor.
A huge loss for German music.
ATB,
John
Duuh, let me try to post the YouTube link to Fritz Wunderlich’s live Boheme big Act I aria again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DBmSi2OjvxU
?
JM
Wayne Shorter/Milton Nacimento – ” Native Dancer ” Two of the greatest talents the US and Brazil has produced . One of the best Brazilian albums . As well as the best blendings of American and Brazilian musicians ever to be recorded . Not to mention Herbie Hancock’s first return to the acoustic piano in ages .
But also in my not so humble opinion one of the best albums … period ! Bar none ! And …. one hell of a road CD to boot !
Seldom mentioned . Survived the test of time without a doubt . And not to be missed !
bum da dum dum … bum da dum dum ….
“original Master Recording”….that put a nice smile on my face. In fact, I’m going to put one on the old B&O turntable and enjoy some sweet sound tonight…bliss for my mp3 injured ears. In the old days the listening might even be “enhanced”…
Dean Martin had his faults like all of us, but overall, he was a better man and except for “Von Ryan’s Express”, a better actor than Sinatra. I love most of his music, too.
However, I do like many songs by Frank, but if I wanted to listen to nothing but cry-in-my-beer songs about love lost or other failings, Carole King’s “Tapestry” will do just fine. Not as depressing, and more enjoyable, even after all these years. At least relevant to my generation…
For road trips, some albums I can listen to in their entirety, but mostly prefer “mix tapes” – that is, plug in the IPod or a mix CD.
Music is so personal, and most of the off-the-beaten-path groups mentioned in the comments I had never heard of, but that’s the spice of life.
Nowadays, I prefer jazz/big band standards, preferably by contemporary artists rather than the originals, since this music was written to be interpreted by each individual artist to be given its own “spin”, if you will.
I still listen to 60’s, 70’s and 80’s oldies on rare occasion, but never on the radio, only on CD or IPod.
It’s too bad commercial music radio stinks and is virtually unlistenable for the most part.
XM /Sirrus radio is great for finding any type of music you would want and is great for long drives. Carol King is a great choice , For a album I would also recommend Don Henley’s The end of the Innoncence is a great album every song works together on that album.
May I suggest “Wave,” “Tide” and “Stone Flower” LPs by Antonio Carlos Jobim. So beautiful you’ll melt. Or for all you kids, maybe “Play” by Moby?
Excellent suggestions albeit a bit too predictable
Sarah McLachlan . Hmmn . Well …first . Full discloser . I am a fan [ preferring her”Fumbling Towards Ecstasy”album ] But the question needs to be asked . Why choose the inspired rather than the artist that was the inspiration ? I’m speaking of Joni Mitchell of course
Her “Hejira” being perhaps the all time road music album for the ages . “Amelia” being again perhaps the best road song ever . If you ever want a genuine look inside the mind of a road musician while on the road .. look no further than “Hejira”
As far as something a bit more contemporary w/strings ? K.D. Lang’s “Hymn of the 49th Parallel” Up and until Peter Gabriel’s New Blood projects the best orchestrated ‘pop’ album recorded . Not that Mr Jenkins orchestrations for Sarah were bad mind you [ though in truth I find him a bit heavy handed and intrusive ] Its just that the orchestrations for “49th” and especially Gabriel’s New Blood projects are so much better as well as in context with the music being presented
The question needs to be answered!
I decided to put together each list (with the partial exception of the classical list) by choosing in some cases second-rank composers or performers who made first-rate music (even if they were standing on the shoulders of interpreters/popularizers who in turn were standing on the shoulders of giants) and in other cases less-well-known efforts by unquestionable greats such as Ella F. and Louis A.
For classical, sorry, it is a minority enthusiasm, and, given the estate of public school music education over the past thirty years, there are people out there whose only exposure to classical music is TV ads. So, Bach, Mozart, and LvB they were, but instead of the B-minor Mass or the Brandenburgs, the Goldbergs, and instead of a symphony or a piano concerto from either Moz or LvB, smaller-scaled works from both.
Joni Mitchell was on the huge list I cut down from, of course; as was Van Morrison. One can easily say, no Joni Mitchell no Sarah McLaughlin as easily as one can say, no Van Morrison no David Gray.
In almost all cases I wanted to point out new discoveries rather than pronounce yet another list of canonized things that will be bowed to once and then ignored.
And I also wanted to build up internal connections and cross-list connections. Aaron Diehl’s recommended CD climaxes with a tune from “Porgy.” Brian Eno wrote music for modernity’s cathedrals. After all, cathedrals and airport terminal buildings are both about getting to somewhere else. Some of it might be inside baseball and all of it might be only in my own mind. But I think that there is a consistency of persona among Sinatra, McLaughlin, and Gray that leads back to the troubadour/trobairitz tradition. (And now everybody knows that there actually is a feminine form of that word… .)
Thanks for reading and for commenting.
JM
No insult and in fact only a counterpoint intended Mr Marks . Your answer makes perfect sense . Fair point on classical as well . Personally … I’ve found Jonny Greenwood’s music , Arvo Part [ for any R.E.M fan .. because Stipes is a huge fan ] Frank Zappa’s “Yellow Shark” [ especially for the Phish/Dead Head set ] not to mention Bryce Desner’s ‘classical’ compositions [ for the Hipster crowd ] as well as that John Adams “Gnarly Buttons” album I’d discussed previously to be damn good ‘barrier busters’ . Edgar Meyer for the folk/country/bluegrass bunch . Its amazing how many I’ve turned around with those … then bringing them to the ‘classics’ once the ‘hook’ is set .Most times establishing a common ground and then bringing in the heavyweights is the better way to go at least in my experience as both teacher- mentor – performer/composer
Also … you are welcome . Its been fun . As well as forcing me to dig into aspects of my collection I’ve ignored for awhile . Its good sometimes to rediscover those long ignored gems starring one right in the face from time to time .
But hey . One more to add to the list . Maybe two ;
“Petra Haden and Bill Frisell” … a stunningly simple yet beautiful album
“Manafon” by David Sylvian – The only album I’d genuinely consider Sublime in the absolute classic definition of the word . How to completely deconstruct song structure while still somehow maintaining it being a song *
Both .. albeit the Sylvian being a bit challenging … making for fine road albums as well
* and yes .. I .. like Eno etc do recognize that Scott Walker did it first …. but still
Oh, yes, Hejira is utterly transcendant. It’s my favorite of her albums and as a singer she has no equal in popular music. The guitars on Amelia send shivers up my spine, the perfect accompaniment to her sublime lyric about spending time at icy altitudes. It’s an album made for travel and deep reflection.
Point of No Return is the last album Sinatra did for Capital, and it is one of his lesser known masterpieces. Listen to The September Song, A Million Dreams Ago, and Memories of You. All the songs are great. Songs for Swinging Lovers and Only the Lonely might be arguably better albums, but with Point of No Return Sinatra and arranger/conductor Axel Stordahl were magnificent.
What’s Goin’ On: Marvin Gaye.
Born to Run: Springsteen
The Platters: Greatest Hits
Freddy Fender: Before the Next Teardrop Falls
Willie Nelson: Stardust
Boz Scaggs: Silk Degrees
Elvis: pick your own favourite
Elton John: Yellow Brick Road
Roseanne Cash: The List
American Graffiti: The soundtrack album
Load those up and you have music for any type of road trip
A great list, thanks.
“What’s Goin’ On” was indeed on the mega-list of possibles I started with, and I decided instead to point out something more representative of the vibrant underground stream that runs through American music even today, that pick being “Take 6,” but it just as easily could have been something by Sam Cooke.
“Silk Degrees” is a sentimental favorite of mine, even though some of the out-of-tune-ness that I think came from the parts being recorded separately makes me cringe.
Given your choices, I strongly suggest you read through the dozens and dozens of reader-write-in entries to my “Cultural Literacy in Music for Americans” competition. Every one of those contests humbled me by how much my Stereophile readers know about music and as importantly, how passionately they care, and I feel the same gratitude toward all who have read these articles, regardless whether they posted a comment.
Ciao,
JM