Electronica
Alabama 3 - "Exile on Coldharbor Lane" ...Country hip hop soul gospel electronic music with some kickass humor. Skip the first track for max enjoyment.
Boards of Canada - "Campfire Headphase" 2005 melodic, atmospheric masterpiece from this long-running electronic band. Best heard on headphones. Listening to this record wipes out tension and extra thoughts. Automatic meditation.
Chemical Brothers – “Singles 93-03” – The brothers gonna work it out.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/10/15/midnight-album-spotlight-the-chemical-brothers-singles-93-03/
Cut Copy – “In Ghost Colours” – Filled with lights, this Australian band’s album is intoxicating and more exciting with every listen.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/07/17/midnight-album-spotlight-cut-copy-in-ghost-colours/
DJ Shadow - "In Tune And On Time" ...The best DJ Shadow ever!!! Recorded live in London. Much more playful than his other discs.
Dub Pistols - "6 Million Ways To Live" ...British dub exquisite.
Fatboy Slim – “Greatest Hits: Why Try Harder?” – Norman Cook AKA Fatboy Slim reminds us that music is fun. A fail-safe dance party record.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/03/25/friday-nite-spotlight-fatboy-slim-greatest-hits-why-try-harder/
Flunk – “For Sleepyheads Only” – The debut album from this Norwegian duo is more hypnotic than sleepy.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/04/22/friday-nite-spotlight-flunk-for-sleepyheads-only/
Goldfrapp - "Black Cherry" ...Takes a while to grow on you, but once it takes hold, watch out. Great live show, intense.
Goldfrapp - "Supernature" 2006 dance-dream creation from this Bath band. Luxurious, sexy, energizing.
Halou - "Wholeness and Separation" ...Gorgeous, lush, cinematic. Rebecca Coseboom's voice is filled with reverence and wisdom and sadness. Their best album yet. Best listened to on a grey day while watching rain drip over green leaves. Poetic, emotional, stunning.
Hercules and Love Affair – “Hercules and Love Affair” – Dance music with smart, sensitive lyrics. Brilliant.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/09/17/midnight-album-spotlight-hercules-and-love-affair-%e2%80%93-hercules-and-love-affair/
Lovage - "Music To Make Love To Your Old Lady By" ...Hilarious, sexy, loungy and really fun live. With Dan The Automator! Skip the first track for max enjoyment.
Massive Attack - "Mezzanine" - This could be the missing link between electronic and rock music. A comfortable entry point for those who think they might like electronica but have yet to try. Classic melodies, warm cinematic beats and a huge insect on the cover (I recommend the vinyl). What more do you want?
Morcheeba - "Who Can You Trust" Psychedelic, deep, poetic. Skye Edwards is one of the finest singers and stage performers ever. I can't believe she's not in the band anymore.
Natural Calamity - "Peach Head" ...Japanese electronic group with American singer. A study in lush simplicity with good lyrics.
Rinocerose - "Rinocerose" (V2) ...I cleaned my whole damn house listening to this. It should be in the supermarket aisles next to the floorwax and stuff. They are French, and that makes it okay for them to be raucous rockers, then dip into disco and then end with these loopy flute pieces. It's like a trippy 70's flick. One of those records that reminds you that music is supposed to be fun!
Saint Germain - "Boulevard" ...Jazz mixed with house. Love it, love it, love it. Contains a tribute to great house music pioneers.
Saint Germain - "Tourist" ...Excellent disc with soul samples. Samples Miles Davis playing live with Johnny Lee Hooker on one track.
Thievery Corporation - "The Richest Man In Babylon" ...Lush, rhythmically diverse, intimate, sexy.
(Compilation) - "Recline" Chillant grooves mixed with soul and jazz elements. Mmmm.
(Compilation) - "Verve Remixed, Vol.1" ...Mixes Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone with electro-beats. Hurt me!
Hip Hop
Arrested Development - "3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days In The Life of..."...I love every damn preachy syllable, every wacky, cheesy effect. This album has the overwhelming power to lighten me up and show me perspective no matter what.
Beastie Boys – “The Mix Up” – The Boys drop the mics and play a top-notch instrumental soul album.
Darc Mind - "Symptomatic of A Greater Ill" ...This understated yet excellent hip hop album has a Zen quality. His voice is very soothing, yet smart and persistent. There is space in the mix to breathe and interjections of melodies that seem infinitely familiar. Subdued but intense. I love this.
Die Fantastischen Vier - "Live Und Direct" ...German Hip Hop, awesome.
Danger Doom – The Mouse and The Mask” – If a cartoon were a hip-hop release, it would sound like this...
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/04/29/friday-nite-spotlight-danger-doom-the-mouse-and-the-mask/
Handsome Boy Modeling School - "White People" - This really funny record has weird skits (where they spoof famous rap icons and whitebread pop culture) and incredible songs with guest artists Jack Johnson and Cat Power.
High Decibels – “High Decibels” – Two poets from Oakland rap over acoustic guitar loops played live, sampling soul, funk, blues and pop styles.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/10/29/midnight-album-spotlight-the-high-decibels-the-high-decibels/
Jurassic 5 - "Quality Control" ...Best ever from J-5.
Lyrics Born - "Later That Day" ...Bay Area DJ with a solid stand on the word and hot melodies. Incredible backup singer Joyo Velarde. (Go Girl!)
M.C. Solaar - "MC Solaar" ...French hip hop.
RJD2 - "Deadringer" - ...Columbus, Ohio DJ with a quirky sense of the natural warmness of beats.
Roots, The - "Game Theory" ...Deep, deep hip hop. Political, smart, lots of soul sampling, layers and layers of details to discover. I love the dance joint "Don't Feel Right". The whole thing ends with a tribute to J.Dilla (AKA Jay Dee, RIP) that is thoughtful, psychedelic and moving.
International
Buena Vista Social Club - "Buena Vista Social Club" ...Gorgeous cuban traditional style originals. A wonderful documentary as well.
Cheb I Sabbah – “Shri Durga” – East Indian stories played on the sitar, mixed
with nature sounds, DJ hits and warm, fuzzy beats.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/09/10/midnight-album-spotlight-cheb-i-sabbah-shri-durga/
Evora, Cesaria - "Miss Perfumado" ...Torch song singer from Cape Verde. Unbeatable.
Gilberto, Joao - "Joao Voz E Violao" ...The perfect romantic album. Will warm you up on a rainy day.
Gonzalez, Reuben - "Introducing Reuben Gonzalez" ...Cuban piano player from the Buena Vista Social Club. A very impressive, grand and warm album.
Gotan Project, The - "La Revancha Del Tango" ...one of the best albums ever, mixing tango and electronica. The group is from France and Argentina, based in Paris. Their live show is not to be missed!
M.C. Solaar - "MC Solaar" ...French hip hop.
Orishas - "A Lo Cubano ...Cuban hip hop.
Zap Mama - "A Ma Zone" ...African voices and flavas mixed with electronic beats and soul. *DON'T buy the version of the release that has "Iko Iko" on it. You have been warned.
Jazz
Coltrane, John - "Impressions" a rainy day album...all instrumental with lots of story.
Holiday, Billie - "The Legacy - 1953-1958" (Disc 3 of the Legacy Series) – Nothing like Billie's voice on a lazy Sunday afternoon. This is the best compilation I've found of hers. Am always looking for another that works as an album.
Rock
Bauhaus ..."The Sky's Gone Out" - Step into this pulsing rock elevator with real-life vampire philosopher Peter Murphy and the masters of psychedelic poetry. Stunning. Right.
Beatles - "Abbey Road" When I was 9 I remember hearing “Here Comes the Sun” in a driveway in Pennsylvania. It was played on a small plastic record player. The song stunned me. It was the first time I had ever really been stopped cold by a song. I tried to get the other kids to check it out. “Listen to it!” I exclaimed, starting the song over. The instruments kicked in one by one, echoing the sunshine, the day, our life in the driveway. They looked at me like I was nuts. I gave up on the kids and sat down with my ears next to the speakers.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/05/21/midnight-album-spotlight-the-beatles-abbey-road/
Beatles - "Let It Be" Funny, reflective, revolutionary.
Beatles - "The White Album" ...Bang Bang. Shoot Shoot.
Blakes, The – “The Blakes” – This 2006 album from the local trio is one of my favorite local records ever. It starts out gritty and hard-hitting, then changes to something that reminds me of T Rex (at their most pop-like) and Love and Rockets. A great live band as well, these lyrics are emotional, real and these guys are pulling no punches
Bowie, David - "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust..." ...Sophisticated, dramatic, primal, personal. A tribute to androgyny and the intense style achieved when one disregards the norm.
Calexico/Iron and Wine - "In The Reigns" This collaboration between the golden voiced Sam Beam (Iron and Wine) and the Latin-infused desert rock of Calexico is warm and circulatory. The horns hover between Latin and Jazz and the lyrics are literary and sincere.
Cat Stevens - “Greatest Hits” – I discovered Cat’s voice when I saw the movie “Harold and Maude”. This record was a turning point in my life...
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/01/29/friday-nite-spotlight-cat-stevens-greatest-hits/
Clash, The - "London Calling" - The most talented of punk bands, the Clash can play rock, punk, pop, reggae and even tried electronica. If anyone ever says that punk artists can't play their instruments, point them here.
Cure, The - "Disintegration" ...Sorrowful, pensive, detailed, intimate, picturesque. An album about memory and love.
Dylan, Bob - Highway 61 Revisited...Dylan at his most humorous. Warm, smart, poetic.
Echo and The Bunnymen – “Ocean Rain” - Orchestral, majestic, deep and dark.
Fugazi – “13 Songs” - This group refuses to do interviews in media that have alcohol or cigarette ads in them. Even “Rolling Stone” was turned down. I love that. This is what I consider a “car album”. It's perfect for blasting out of windows and into traffic. Boom. Boom. Great lyrics too.
Gossip, The - "Standing In The Way of Control" ...Vital and soulful, underground indie bliss. This album mixes blues and rock and dance and punk. Excellent live band from Portland. This record just got voted #1 2006 in the UK by the Brit rock mag NME.
Heavy, The - "Great Vengeance and Furious Fire" - This UK band sports gritty guitar sound played with funk rhythm and soul vocals inspired by Curtis Mayfield. This 2008 release is raw and sophisticated. It's a perfect mix of soul, rock and funk.
Hendrix, Jimi – “Axis, Bold As Love” – The softer side of the great guitarist, with his own evocative vocals.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/08/07/midnight-album-spotlight-jimi-hendrix-axis-bold-as-love/
Hendrix, Jimi – “Electric Ladyland” – Possibly my favorite record.
Jesus and Mary Chain - "Psychocandy" ...Lush, intimate, trippy, beautiful.
Love and Rockets - "Earth, Sun, Moon" ..Acoustic, almost electronic existentialism. Somehow spacy and warm at the same time. Lyrics: "You cannot go against nature, because when you do, go against nature it's part of nature too."
Joy Division – “Substance” – One of the most charismatic frontmen of all time –Ian Curtis – left us of his own accord. This is his legacy.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/10/22/midnight-album-spotlight-joy-division-substance/
Morphine - "Cure for Pain" I think it actually does what it says it does. Deep, fine saxophone, no guitars (two-string slide bass!) and the dark, sexy vocals of Mark Sandman.
Pink Floyd - "Dark Side of The Moon" ...The best album to drive by for a road trip! The first disc I ever listened to through earphones - when I was 17! Brilliant.
Pink Floyd – “Meddle” – One of the best driving/travel records ever. http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2009/03/04/friday-nite-spotlight-pink-floyd-meddle/
Pixies, The - "Surfer Rosa" ...Sexy, jagged, smart, funny. Decadent and circulatory.
Ramones, The – “The Ramones” – This album changed the world. (Check out the outstanding documentary “End of The Century”.) The Ramones short, rough, low-rent songs influenced all the indie music you hear today. I love Joey Ramone. As a kid he used to make recordings of thunderstorms. They said because he was obsessive-compulsive and shy that he would never make anything of himself. You showed ‘em, Joey! Mwah.
R.E.M. - "Life's Rich Pageant"...Dizzy, poetic and beautiful. The best R.E.M. album.
Smashing Pumpkins – “Siamese Dream” – I fell in love with this record when I lived in Alaska. It's warm fuzzy guitar and poetic-sincere lyrics still have the power to lift me up.
Throwing Muses - "House Tornado" ...Raw, poetic, dynamic, quietly explosive, femininely strong.
T. Rex - "Electric Warrior"...Psychedelic, passionate, sexy. And many of these songs are on the soundtrack to the great movie "Billy Elliot".
Velvet Underground, The - The Velvet Underground - their finest album, a pioneering psychedelic pop release that shows the reflective side of Lou Reed.
Violent Femmes - "Violent Femmes" – The Femmes debut is punky and acoustic. Sassy and vulnerable. A great record that will get you through hard times.
Waits, Tom - "Heart of Saturday Night, The" ...Jazzy Tom Waits
Waits, Tom - "Nighthawks At The Diner" ...This long album from 1975 is Tom at his most raw and poetic. A rare bird.
Waits, Tom -"Orphans" (Brawlers, Bawlers and Bastards) ...A new 3 disc set from Tom. Mmmm Tom. This has some of the obscure soundtrack cuts that I've been playing on the radio for years like "A Little Drop of Poison", "Walk Away" and "It's Over". There is nothing better (okay, almost nothing better) than Tom growlin' it up to make a rainy day feel just right.
Waits, Tom - "Swordfishtrombones" ...My first Tom Waits. I love you Tom.
Reggae/Dub
Linton Kwesi Johnson - "Dread Beat and Blood" ...This revolutionary dub poet has a commanding voice that channels naught but sincerity. This album is the storied height of this intelligent, passionate poet-musician.
Roots
Be-Good Tanyas, The - "Chinatown" ...Dark, poetic album with gorgeous voices
Drake, Nick - "Pink Moon" ...Gentle, stunning in its simplicity.
Hawkins, Ted - "The Next Hundred Years" - There's something so unvarnished about Ted, and this is a great collection, very well-produced.
Majal, Taj - "Natch'l Blues" ...Sexy, swanky blues album.
Some of it was used as the soundtrack to 9 1/2 weeks
King, B.B. - "Live At The Regal" ...Arguably one of the best live blues albums of all time. BB plays to his hometown audience and his voice is at it's peak: velvety, glamourous, passionate and real.
Soul/Funk
Brown, James - "20 All Time Greatest Hits" - On the DVD for the movie "Elizabethtown", there is a special feature where a bartender who's seen soul come and go gets asked "What makes a great artist like James Brown?". The bartender answers "Hunger."
Brown, James - "James Brown's Funky People, Vol 1" ...Perhaps the greatest party album EVER. Let's dance!
Costa, Nikka – Everybody Got Their Something – The best album from this funk/soul/rock diva. She put on the best show I’ve ever seen.
Funkadelic - "Maggot Brain" (Westbound) ...Philisophical, silly, sensual, desirous. Eddie Hazel's guitar is otherworldly and stops me in my tracks.
Funkadelic - "Cosmic Slop" (Westbound) ...For broken-hearted funksters.
Jackson, Michael – “Off The Wall” – Undeniably some of the best dance trax ever recorded.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/07/09/midnight-album-spotlight-michael-jackson-off-the-wall/
Lavette, Bettye - "Scene of The Crime" - This veteran soul-singer stuck it out as a recording artist from age 16 and all through her life until she got noticed, finally, in her late 50's. This album is an absolute masterpiece.
Lidell, Jamie - "Multiply" ...Organic soul sung over electronic beats. Jamie is a one-man-band. The lyrics are all about love, and he bares his soul. I have learned to love this record. Hands down my favorite of 2006. No contest.
Redding, Otis - "The Ultimate Live Otis Redding Show" (A CD that is volume 4 of the box set: Otis! The Ultimate Live Otis Redding Show.) If I were to name what I think is the best record in the world, it would be this one. Otis lived every moment with all his might, and these songs are evidence of that.
Stone, Joss - The Soul Sessions (S-Curve) ...Divine, silvery, wise and personal.
Winehouse, Amy - "Back In Black" - This young UK artist is one of the most honest and talented songwriters around. Say what you will about her, her voice is remarkable and this record is brilliant.
Withers, Bill – “Just As I Am” – When I made a KEXP Documentary on Bill, I was struck by the contrast between his soft, sensitive songs and the way he talks in conversation. He’s a pistol, and the doc is still my favorite one we’ve ever made.
http://blog.kexp.org/blog/2008/10/08/midnight-album-spotlight-bill-withers-just-as-i-am/
Soundtracks
"Amores Perros" - Circulatory soundtrack to one of the best movies ever. This disc occupied my friends and I for a whole summer.
"Ocean's Eleven" - Very enjoyable, distracting, funny, cheerful.
"The Virgin Suicides" - by the French Band "Air"...lush, emotional, gorgeous
Spoken Word
Nordine, Ken - "The Best of Word Jazz, Vol. 1" ...Ken Nordine's resonant voice explores sound art over jazz. He's incredibly smart and funny.
