—BEST ALBUMS—
Warren Zevon - Self Titled
Warren Zevon is the most under-rated songwriter of the 70s and this is his best album. Desperados Under The Eaves guts me every times.
Queen - A Night at the Opera
Every song on this album kills. Equal parts face melting guitar work and show tune mincing.
Wings - Wings Across America
My requisite Wings nod. Contains the best version of Maybe I’m Amazed. Worth the price of admission for Linda’s shitty/awesome one finger keyboard solo during Jet.
Boz Scaggs - Silk Degrees
The soundtrack of my youth. This was on heavy rotation in my parent’s Volvo as a kid and has been permanently embedded in my DNA since. I can still see my parents belting out Harbor Lights.
The Modern Lovers - Self Titled
I am happy to just listen to Jonathan Richman talk, all this singing stuff is just a bonus.
Bob Seger - Night Moves
Hate if you want to hate. With all the Springsteen fetishism in recent years it is a mystery why cooler-than-though critics still treat Bob Seger like the plague. Give it a few years.
—BEST SONGS—
Heart - Crazy On You
This song is a direct line to god. Been losing my voice to this one a lot lately.
Wings - Silly Little Love Songs
Cloying, goofy, and naive. Saved by one of the most UN-FUCK-WITH-ABLE bass lines of all time.
Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
Listen again for the first time. There will never be another song like this song.
Boz Scaggs - Lowdown
A lot of my best memories in my 20s have this song as a soundtrack. I know it’s coming, but the breakdown gets me every time. Also; FUNKY JAZZ FLUTE!
All By Myself - Eric Carmen
The torch song to burn all other torch songs. After his band the Raspberries broke-up Carmenwrote a ton of cheesy soft-rock ballads but none come close to this one in impact. I’m welling up just thinking about the chorus.
—WORST ALBUMS—
Steve Miller Band - Fly Like An Eagle
I don’t know how this asshole snuck his way into classic rock radio. Fuck you, Steve Miller.
Billy Joel - Turnstiles
We all have people in our lives that we want to like but for some reason just annoy the shit out of us. Billy Joel is that guy for a lot of people I think.
AC/DC - Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
The world is still waiting for this band to write a second song.
Creedence Clearwater Revival - Chronicle
Sorry, El Duderino. The world is still waiting for John Fogerty to write his second song too.
