 | The Bobs by The Bobs
Buy used from: $3.86 Smarty pants, always a story songs, accapella, 3 guys and a gal, vocal masters, funny, debut album.
|
 | Where's the Money? by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Buy new: $8.99 / Used from: $3.25 Their best album is this live one, the banter tween songs is funny. Bluegrassy/violin solos/love songs/rock flavored/totally unique.
|
 | The Roches by The Roches
Buy new: $11.99 / Used from: $3.50 Harmonizing as beautifully and intricately as the BEACH BOYS and CS&N. Always a fun story. This was their prime decade.
|
 | Songs for Tomorrow Morning by The Bobs
Buy used from: $4.49 More very fun, often funny lyrics, accapella, always a story. Another of their classic albums.
|
 | Sing the Songs of... by The Bobs
Buy used from: $8.45 Doin' covers gives the song and the band covering it a chance to show you something. The BOBS do, reimagining classic rock songs.
|
 | My, I'm Large by The Bobs
Buy used from: $2.00 Helmet and My, I'm Large are 2 of the best songs ever, lyrically and the whole album is a vocal joy to hear year after year.
|
 | Nurds by The Roches
Buy new: $8.96 / Used from: $3.14 Another unforgettable album full of emotion and harmonizing and before the awful keyboard they added in the 90's.
|
 | We Three Kings by The Roches
Buy used from: $17.88 Virtually all the classic Christmas songs done in lovely female vocals harmonizing, restyled to a Roches sound, very respectful and Christmasy.
|
 | Keep on Doing by The Roches
Buy new: $8.96 / Used from: $2.49 Their last great album. As they aged after this their voice began to go just like CS&N. Great sweet folk, smarty pants beauty.
|
 | Striking It Rich by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Buy new: $9.98 / Used from: $4.90 Probably their second best album. More joy from Dan and the band. The 70's was their era.
|
 | Original Recordings by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Buy used from: $29.95 Debut album. It surprises me how great this really is. Seems flatter than the live album but still filled with humor and musical imagination.
|
 | Last Train to Hicksville by Dan Hicks & His Hot Licks
Buy new: $9.98 / Used from: $4.62 Don't overlook this gem. It's probably the last great Hicks album though the new live one is tasty.
|
 | It Happened One Bite by Dan Hicks
Buy new: $29.98 / Used from: $45.32 This is probably overlooked at a DH&hHL's album. Well worth hearing with, rare for this decade of his work, some weaker songs.
|
 | The Heart of Saturday Night by Tom Waits
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $4.38 It's all about the 70's for Tom. These and One From the Heart soundtrack are it. 80's to now are too dark, organy. Real Gone is interesting. But this rips, all heart.
|
 | Small Change by Tom Waits
Buy new: $10.99 / Used from: $4.55 Like a more mature Heart of Sat Nite album, Tom deep in his urban street heart singer persona. Ultra classic album.
|
 | Nighthawks at the Diner by Tom Waits
Buy new: $14.99 / Used from: $6.22 Rare to have new material only released as a live album but it's the live that adds flavor. Perfect setting for these smoky piano lounge music story songs.
|
 | Colossal Youth by Young Marble Giants
Buy used from: $9.00 Probably the most overlooked album on this list. Welsh, minimalism, girl vocal, very beautiful music, opposite of lush.
|
 | Off the Coast of Me by Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Buy used from: $29.73 So fun debut. Tropical, girl back-up vocals, swingin', playful, NOT disco. Great singin' male vocal. Movin' music.
|
 | Fresh Fruit in Foreign Places by Kid Creole & the Coconuts
Buy new: $14.98 / Used from: $6.00 Second album. Nobody like 'em. Very innocent, straight forward, horns, sassy, later lps are disco. This isn't. It's sophisticated.
|
 | The Modern Lovers by The Modern Lovers
Buy used from: $4.98 Their only album like it, oh what coulda been. Pre sweet softy Jonathan. A classic rock/punk (not hardcore) album from 1972!
|
 | Roadrunner, Roadrunner: The Beserkley Collection by Jonathan Richman
Buy new: $38.99 / Used from: $39.53 Some of the harder songs but mostly perfect collection of his poety/uberinnocent/very musical/simple/heartfelt early songs.
|
 | Half Japanese - Greatest Hits by Half Japanese
Buy new: $25.98 / Used from: $9.99 Yeah, just get this if you only get one cuz there's unreleased songs on it. Mostly great choices for hits. Totally unique band, cocophony in unison.
|
 | The Band That Would Be King by Half Japanese
Buy used from: $34.99 One of the great lps. Every song is perfection, like a careening pending auto collision about love songs.
|
 | Music to Strip By by Half Japanese
Buy used from: $98.19 Virtually as great as BTWBK album. Odd vocals, grow on ya. Funny love songs, emotion, cacophany. Not hardcore, wacky.
|
 | Charmed Life by Half Japanese
Buy used from: $83.00 Maybe their only other amazing album. These 4 will do, tho i got 'em all cuz it's addictive. Always musical surprises with each listening.
|
Listmania!
