[Deadbolt23]

The albums that I know from that list are by The Ronettes and The Modern Lovers. The Ronettes are a great example of the 60's girl group. Brilliant voices and great production from Phil Spector. You will certainly have heard "Be My Baby". The Modern Lovers are a kind of alt-rock band. Came just after The Velvet Underground - I think John Cale wrote or produced a couple of the tracks - and, along with TVU, are hugely influential in the early punk rock scene. At the debut they're just a bunch of young kids, among which is a great songwriter, and for me their youth is their strongest asset; they've got such a strutting charisma. "Pablo Picasso" is the best track.

[cshadows2887]

Originally Posted by georgedcc

I'm looking through the list and marking any entries from artists that I've never heard of.

So, on my list are:

Loretta Lynn - All Time Greatest Hits
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
EPMD - Strictly Business
John Prine - John Prine
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
Peter Wolf - Sleepless
The Ronettes - Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
Go-Go's - Beauty and The Beat
Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks
Linda Ronstadt - The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Labelle - Nightbirds
John Mayall With Eric Clapton - Bluesbreakers (I know Clapton obviously, but never heard of John Mayall)
The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything?



....So that's a shitload of artists that I'm ashamed to say I don't know the first thing about. Anybody more knowledgeable than me want to pick one from that list for me to listen to first?

The Butterfield record is really good, harmonica-driven Chicago blues, but didn't really light a fire under me.

Labelle is fun. Kinda proto-disco. Not incredible but it's a good time.

Don't start with a comp for Ronstadt. She's wonderful and deserves consideration of Heart Like a Wheel and Simple Dreams.

Quicksilver was a HUGE surprise. The whole San Francisco, ballroom 60's scene doesn't usually do it for me, but they are a major exception. Guitar interplay like you wouldn't believe.

The Rundgren record is genius. Get it now.

Was not super into Boogie Down Productions when I heard them like 5 years ago, but prob need to revisit.

Get that Ronettes album immediately.

Lucinda Williams is wonderful alt-country and a heck of a songwriter.

Flying Burrito Brothers are pretty excellent.

[cshadows2887]

Oh and Mayall's band was pretty much a training ground for some of the best British musicians: Clapton, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Peter Green, Jack Bruce, Aynsley Dunbar, etc. And that album is pretty ferocious blues, plus the album that made Clapton a worshiped guitar god in England, as I recall.

[StreetSpirit76]

Never much cared for The Modern Lovers. But if you're a punk fan, they're certainly worth a listen. Chris is right, though: that Todd Rundgren album is stellar. Wonderfully eclectic record that runs the gamut from psych-rock to blue-eyed soul to power-pop and beyond. Still need to look further into that guy.

John Prine is also a poignant, often funny folk/country record. And still the only thing I've heard and loved by the guy.

[cshadows2887]

I've wanted to hear that Prine record forever and keep putting it off cause I'm doing this damn thing in order. Need to resume STAT.

[Chris Collum]

Originally Posted by georgedcc

I'm looking through the list and marking any entries from artists that I've never heard of.

So, on my list are:

Loretta Lynn - All Time Greatest Hits
The Paul Butterfield Blues Band - The Paul Butterfield Blues Band
EPMD - Strictly Business
John Prine - John Prine
Boogie Down Productions - Criminal Minded
Peter Wolf - Sleepless
The Ronettes - Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes Featuring Veronica
Go-Go's - Beauty and The Beat
Modern Lovers - Modern Lovers
Graham Parker - Squeezing Out Sparks
Linda Ronstadt - The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt
Lucinda Williams - Car Wheels on a Gravel Road
Labelle - Nightbirds
John Mayall With Eric Clapton - Bluesbreakers (I know Clapton obviously, but never heard of John Mayall)
The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace of Sin
Quicksilver Messenger Service - Happy Trails
Todd Rundgren - Something/Anything?



....So that's a shitload of artists that I'm ashamed to say I don't know the first thing about. Anybody more knowledgeable than me want to pick one from that list for me to listen to first?

I would highly recommend that you DROP EVERYTHING and go listen to that Lucinda Williams record because it's phenomenal haha

[cshadows2887]

Seriously though, Linda Ronstadt is a criminally underrated artist. Her voice is just crystal clear and she had the best taste in material. Was doing Zevon songs long before anyone was giving him love. Refurbished Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave." Updated freakin' "Blue Bayou" and had a massive hit with it. She may have been a bit square, but history has given her a raw deal.

[georgedcc]

Thanks a lot guys, I'll get onto some of them ASAP then!

Cheers.

[georgedcc]

Starting to work through my unknown artists list.

The Ronettes - Presenting the Fabulous Ronettes

I actually knew a few of these songs beforehand, I just didn't know they were by The Ronettes. Really great pop band, with superb production from Phil Spector. While there's nothing here that seems new or different to me, they're doing it extremely well. This album is an extremely solid set of songs, each of them sung with gusto with some fantastic harmonies and arrangements. The highlights are probably Be My Baby or Walking in the Rain, but everything is at such a high standard. Lovely album.

The Flying Burrito Brothers - The Gilded Palace Of Sin

I've listened to a (very) little bit of Gram Parsons' solo stuff, but I'd never heard of this group before. Though I think I'd heard "Do right Woman" before. This is a pretty solid country rock album, but it's got some hints of other genres, like soul or gospel. I can be quite hit and miss with this sort of music, but there are some really good songs on here. My favourite is probably the track, "Dark End of the Street", which is clearly quite heavily influenced by R&B music. The harmonies on this record are lovely as well. While this isn't an album that I want to instantly re-listen, it was a very good way to spend 40 minutes.

[cshadows2887]

Knew you'd like The Ronettes. THE girl group.

[georgedcc]

The Modern Lovers - The Modern Lovers

A pretty awesome bit of mid-70s proto-punk. The influence of Velvet Underground, The Stooges and MC5 is immediately apparent, but it's got such a dose of swaggering confidence with a real "I don't give a fuck" attitude. All the songs are simple enough, but sung with a real sneer, and is immediately reminiscent of early British punk or mid-00s garage rock revival. It's a really solid, really enjoyable rock n roll album, without any delusions of grandeur.

[Chris Collum]

Father forgive me for I have sinned and I know not what I do...I only just today listened to the The Basement Tapes. Hollllly shit.

[cshadows2887]

Originally Posted by Chris92

Father forgive me for I have sinned and I know not what I do...I only just today listened to the The Basement Tapes. Hollllly shit.

HAHAHA. Had this experience this year, too.

[irthesteve]

Goodbye Yellow Brick Road today, so so so freaking good

[Chris Collum]

Originally Posted by cshadows2887

HAHAHA. Had this experience this year, too.

Like holy shit, seriously this just blew me away. I had no idea that this is what this record sounded like...I love it.