In an effort to be hip like such luminaries as Ian Brill, I’m going to present my 50 favorite records over the next few days. No restrictions on multiple placings, so you’re going to see several entries by some artists that I have let worm their way into my heart. No singles collections, DJ mixed collections, or the like - these are fully conceived albums by individual artists.
50. Thelonius Monk, Monk’s Dream. One of my favorite renditions of “Body And Soul” is on this record, which is evenly divided between solo works and pieces with his super-tight quartet. You occasionally hear Monk’s nearly subvocal cues to himself, which makes this feel more intimate than many other recordings of the master.
49. Beastie Boys, Paul’s Boutique. Just shy of being a perfect hip hop album, this is as much a production showcase as a lyrical one. The Dust Brothers manage to craft spectacular samplescapes while never overwhelming the flow provided by the trio.
48. Plastikman, Music. Opting to not go straight to acid-house thump, Richie Hawtin’s third longform release under the Plastikman moniker is late-night, creeping paranoia at its finest. “Plastique” is one of the purest pieces of minimal, snarling technological doom I’ve heard.
47. Belle And Sebastian, Dear Catastrophe Waitress. Trevor Horn allowed the twee favorites to be a bit more pop than before while still retaining their own original flavor. “I’m A Cuckoo” makes me giddy, even on the worst days.
46. Pet Shop Boys, Bilingual. Ah, the first appearance by my favorite twosome in pop - an underrated collection of Spanish-flavored songs about businessmen, lost love, and finding out who you really are. Bilingual was released at the perfect time in my life for this sort of thing.
45. Saint Etienne, Tiger Bay. Sad songs over dance beats make my world go around and “Like A Motorway” is practically a template for anyone looking to get my attention. Sarah Cracknall is my idea of a perfect British singer - slightly detached while managing to engage your attention entirely.
44. Frank Sinatra, In The Wee Small Hours. Do not listen to this album while you’re trying to finish off a bottle of Knob Creek. I’m just warning you, as I speak from experience. The Voice lays out how much he loved Ava and how lonely it can be at the top while making it sound like his feet are propped up on your coffee table.
43. Roots Manuva, Brand New Second Hand. My favorite MC’s debut is a snapshot of completely uncommercial hip-hop London life. You can’t beat lines like “When I swing, I’m far fetched like hicks from hicksville / High steps got me trippin from Peckham to Bucks Hill / Still I stand firm through the strife conflict / Motion slick, hip to every ring poli-trick!”
42. Nuyorican Soul, Nuyorican Soul. Hip-hop, house, jazz and salsa inform every moment of this Masters At Work project that drips of the city that “Little” Louis Vega and Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez call home. “I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun” is every soul record I’ve ever liked compressed into a mesmerizing five minutes.
41. The Jesus And Mary Chain, Stoned And Dethroned. Reviled by many fans of their shoegazer sound, this came out when bands like Nirvana and Pearl Jam had stolen the loud guitar sound and run off with it. Jim and William Reid decided to record a short, acoustic album that sounds like the soundtrack to a Gregg Araki movie that is, you know, good. Bonus points to them for “Sometimes Always,” which made me kind of like that miserable cow from Mazzy Star.
