20 Years of Music

Last week's 7-Layer Meme, there was a question about listing a favorite CD I own and I've listed Amy Winehouse's Back To Black, I know that she's messed up and it's tired by now but it was real good when it lasted. I got me thinking about listing some CDs that had made an impact on me or that I like a whole lot.

Janet Jackson's Rhythm Nation 1814 (1989) - My first CD ever, she was the dance standard, it was very social conscious and the music was great. I miss that Janet, I was lucky to have that as my first CD.

Sinead O'Connor's Am I Not Your Girl (1992) - I love Sinead purely for her talents, her voice is wonderful and I love how she redo old songs and usually comes up with something better. I was a fan ever I first heard her voice and followed her career until she went ape-shit religious and lesbionic. Other the her So Far... The Best Of album, I think I like Am I Not Your Girl the best. Her rendition of these classic tunes are really wonderful. Her version of Gloomy Sunday and How Insensitive are great and her Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered remains to be one of my all-time favorite songs.

Boyz II Men's Cooleyhighharmony (1993) - When my friends were into Backstreet Boys, Kylie Minogue and a teenage heartthrob called Tommy Page in the early 90s, I was way into these Philly boys. It's not the reason I'm in Philly now though, things just happens. I was very into the way they harmonized, gay guys like me sooner or later will learn to ignore the overtly heterosexual tone of the songs. haha.

Toni Braxton's Toni Braxton (1993) - It's one of the best debut album anyone can put out, she's got a great voice and the album is very complete. It's one of L.A. Reid and Babyface's legendary production work. Some great belching ballads in there.

The Cranberries' No Need To Argue (1994) - After their Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?, The Cranberries came out with a more mature sophomore album. Dolores' voice is haunting and well utilized in the subject of violence in Ireland, her humble family and background. It's beautiful and carries substance and an infectious love and sadness.

Bjork's Post (1995) - You cannot find anyone more inspiring than Bjork. She manages to put different sound and weave it into harmony. Clinking metals, ship horns, all the sound that surrounds us day to day are categorized and made into songs. She once said that she often challenge herself to pull any words in a dictionary and put it into a song, inspire a concept and just go for it. Both Post and Homogenic are great albums.

Tori Amos' Boys For Pele (1996) - Another one with cryptic messages, but you can Tori Amos is really, really talented. She has an urge to shock and inspire her audience. Not a lot of people will have a inner album cover of herself breastfeeding a pig or pretend to be a drowned corpse. The ideas in her songs are intriguing, you can feel real emotions in her song and you can follow them as they change. Sublime melodies, and you'd be mindblown by how a piano can express such violent ideas.

Fugees' The Score (1996) - I bought it for Lauryn's amazing vocals and got so much more for it. It opened my mind to experience a life where I would not be able to experience otherwise. Great rhymes, great music, although I feel bad for Praswell sometimes, the other two seems so much more talented.

George Michael's Older (1996) - Must have been a great year for music. I liked George Michael ever since Careless Whisper, he was really good looking back then and not the druggie who enjoys public sex now. Back in 96, I didn't even had a clue that he was gay. All I remember were the muscled body in the Fast Love video. (Did I mention I was still a virgin back then?) Jesus To A Child and Older are great songs. The album itself is very well produced.

Jamiroquai's Traveling Without Moving (1997) - The top hat wearing Jay Kay has been my hero for a while, I was in love ever since I've got a whiff of Acid Jazz from them, Incognito, the Brand New Heavies and such. Too Young to Die, Space Cowboy and their aboriginal didgeridoo playing ways are a hoot. But it's not until their third album Traveling Without Moving that they finally have a completely satisfying album. Of course, much can be debated.

Mary J. Blige's Share My World (1997) - For me, Mary J. peaked at Share My World (is it because of Babyface?) It is one of the best R&B album ever produced. What's a singer without drama, Mary J.'s strangth is her ability to bring emotions, not that hip hop stuff that anyone can do.

Lauryn Hill's The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill (1998) - Every song is carefully written to pack as much talents in ti as possible, you're awed by her words, her rhymes, her vocal, the beat, the arrangements, the sampled melodies. Every song is a bundle of wows, it's overwhelming to the brain and yet you feel so excited listening to her.

Nina Simone's Quiet Now: Night Songs (2000) - Shameful, I know, because this is a compilation album. But it's very well done, her songs are remastered and you can hear them clearly. Not only that, all the songs chosen are the quiet ones, not the fighting side of Nina, but love songs mostly. All of them are so beautiful, I can cry. It also contains a great version of the famed I Loves You, Porgy. It's a very sweet album.

Angie Stone's Mahogany Soul (2001) - The album of Angie Stone that I like best. She tells you like it is, honest, direct, the essence of a strong black woman. (like Kathy Griffin, lol) I mean who else can sing you a song called Time of The Month? I feel like I have strong affinity to female singers and you can really hear the soulfulness in Angie's songs. You can't fake it. Listening to it is like being in the big waterslides at the water park, you can only follow the groove while it takes you up and down. No two ways about it.

Coldplay's A Rush Of Blood To The Head (2002) - It's somber and moody, what more do you want? Seriously, I rarely go for rock or bands but their music is just too beautiful. They sound so tortured(?), like there's a great inner struggle going on, it's twisted elegance.

John Legend's Once Again (2006) - (I wonder what had happened since between 02 and 06, oh well) His last name might as well be Legend. Extremely talented, great voice, I just can't get enough and even though he had put out three albums now, the quality has been consistent. You don't get talent like him often, not often enough anyway. He's just great in my book, not to mention cute.

Amy Winehouse's Back To Black (2007) - Another extremely talented person, but maybe she's too young? There's definitely something wrong with her. In her right mind, she could produce great music effortlessly, it's such a shame when you know that it probably won't happen. Other than one song in Back To Black that I hate, the album was perfect, she got a great voice and the 40s styling fits her perfectly. Ugh, what a waste?

Adele's 19 (2008) - Adele's album is growing on me, because like Amy, she has a great voice, she writes her own material and during the production of the album, she's only 19. Her voice is rich and it captures you. The general topic of her songs are about young love, but then Hometown Glory is such a pleasing alternative. I see great things happening for her, and I hope we'll hear from her again very soon.