"Remedial listening" by jvoorhis

Wed, 10 Aug 2005 09:05:00 NZST

For as long as I can remember, I’ve had a historical interest in rock and roll. I’ve got a good number of albums covering aspects of every decade since the 60s, revolving mostly around early punk and various post-punk derivations. Lately, however, I’ve been amusing myself with emusic and have been using it to fill in some unsightly gaps. Here are three albums that I love now and should have loved long ago:

Unwound: New Plastic Ideas [1994]

Listening to this album, you can definitely see the progression of the band, leading up to their impeccable double album, Leaves Turn Inside You. If LTIY is Unwound’s Mellon Collie, NPI is Siamese Dream.

Favorite tracks:

Fiction Friction
All Souls Day

Elliot Smith: Either/Or [1997]

Smiths’s transitory album between album between his self-titled debut and his relationship with DreamWorks. Either/Or retains the raw production and emotional presence of Smith’s debut, but spends less time brooding.

Favorite tracks:

Ballad of Big Nothing
Say Yes

Ted Leo: The Tyranny of Distance [2001]

The Tyranny of Distance is now quite possibly my favorite singer/songwriter album. Folk sensibilities, driving post-punk delivery and intricate guitar flourishes in the approrpiate places. This album is considered Leo’s peak, and stands as a testament to Leo’s talent.

Favorite tracks:

Parallel or Together?
Under the Hedge
St. John the Divine

jvoorhis comments on Remedial listening

"Remedial listening" by jvoorhis

Unwound: New Plastic Ideas [1994]

Favorite tracks:

Elliot Smith: Either/Or [1997]

Favorite tracks:

Ted Leo: The Tyranny of Distance [2001]

Favorite tracks: