GCP's Top Ten Albums

Katy Lied
Steely Dan

Hot House
Bruce Hornsby

Cold Spring Harbor
Billy Joel

Abbey Road
The Beatles

Something/Anything?
Todd Rundgren

The Gershwin Connection
Dave Grusin

Terramara
Terramara

Simple Things
Zero 7

Secret World Live
Peter Gabriel

The Shaming Of The True
Kevin Gilbert

• Katy Lied (Steely Dan, 1975) It's very, very difficult for me to nail down my favorite Steely Dan album, but, edging in just above "The Royal Scam" is the Dan's fourth studio album, and my pick. In particular, I'm drawn to the increase in the influence of jazz in Fagen and Becker's songwriting. "Doctor Wu" is definitely my favorite cut on the album, but several of the other nine songs deserve equal merit. "Your Gold Teeth II" features one of the coolest intros I've ever heard, "Chain Lightning" is a sweet, urban twist on the blues, and "Bad Sneakers" is just classic Dan. From the opening fade-in of "Black Friday" to Michael Omartian's seven-note coda at the end of "Throw Back The Little Ones", this is a solid listen. Look no further than "Katy Lied" for Steely Dan at their best.
• Hot House (Bruce Hornsby, 1995) While "The Way It Is" was a landmark album for Bruce in establishing him amongst a new breed of singer-songwriters, it wasn't until 1993's "Harbor Lights" that Bruce came into his own after touring with the Grateful Dead. His follow-up to the aforementioned record, "Hot House", found Bruce confident in his new direction, and simply having fun. It kicks off with "Spider Fingers", a self-explanatory acrobatic tirade running almost 7 minutes. The listener wanders a rosy path through "Walk In The Sun", "Country Doctor", and "The Longest Night" before climaxing with "Cruise Control", which, incidentally, features a guitar solo by Jerry Garcia--his last recording ever.
• Cold Spring Harbor (Billy Joel, 1971) Even before the defining "Piano Man" came out in 1973, Billy released a debut album full of pain, despair and suicide notes, to the tune of "Cold Spring Harbor". Much of this album features only Billy at a piano. The only single yielded from the album, "She's Got A Way", gives a slight glimpse into the early songwriting of the Piano Man, but other songs like "Everybody Loves You Now", "Falling Of The Rain", and "Turn Around" kick the energy up, and set the stage for the megahits to follow. The album closes out with "Got To Begin Again", a very melancholy song finding Billy at the piano and at the bottom of a bottle simultaneously. Probably the most "real" Billy ever got, until his classical album "Fantasies & Delusions."
• Abbey Road (The Beatles, 1969) The Beatles' last album was one of the first records I'd ever heard. Though many people rank "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as their all-time favorites, I still stand by the Fab Four's epilogue as my choice. "Come Together"...that's just a cool song. The silliness of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" appealed to me at a young age, and, even as a musician now, it still represents great songwriting. The late George Harrison slotted two absolute classics ("Something"; "Here Comes The Sun") on Road, and even Ringo did "Octopus's Garden", another childhood favorite. But Side 2 has my vote as the greatest "Side 2" of any record. The "You Never Give Me Your Money" suite showcases snippets of great songs, capped by "The End", a fitting denouement to the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever on their last album.
• Something/Anything? (Todd Rundgren, 1972) Rundgren's definitive double-album is a rock/pop staple, yielding a deluge of inspiration. First, Todd must be acknowledged for his ability to write a hit song, and this album features three ("I Saw The Light", "Hello It's Me", and "Couldn't I Just Tell You"). But beyond radio-friendly fare, Todd capsizes the boat and gets über-experimental on the listener. Ranging from the fun ("Wolfman Jack", Song Of The Viking", "Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me") to the bizarre ("Little Red Lights", "I Went To The Mirror", "Breathless") to the seedy ("You Left Me Sore", "Piss Aaron", "Slut"), "Something/Anything?" has something for anyone, and anything(?) for someone.
• The Gershwin Connection (Dave Grusin, 1991) Dave Grusin spent the vast majority of his career scoring films, experimenting with synth technology, and heading up GRP Records. "The Gershwin Connection" signifies a turning point for Grusin, in orchestrating lavish homages to his favorite influences. In this recording, Gershwin's music gets the 90's treatment, and is seasoned by the best spices the jazz world has to offer. Truly wonderful from beginning to end, and a perfect album for any setting: casual, upbeat, background--it works. There's some incredible piano playing by Grusin, and his trademark altered chord changes put a new spin on an already-fantastic classic formula.
• Terramara (Terramara, 2000) Minneapolis-based rock quartet Terramara put out this eponymous album that is hands-down a classic all-the-way-through rock record. Drummer Dave Thomas is the brother of a friend of mine, and it was through this connection I was turned on to the band. Their single, "Dragonfly", was featured on the St. Louis Park Music Coalition CD, and the rest of the album is top-notch songwriting, mostly by keyboardist Rob Meany. Highlights include the kicker "Jaded Little Love Song", "Walk Away", "Simple", "Diamond Life", and my personal favorite, "Your Mother's Eyes", which, at ten minutes, is a study in duality: first, the studio version, followed by a live version which breaks into an extended jam. Tasty indeed--support these guys and pick it up.
• Simple Things (Zero 7, 2001) In the "chillout" tradition of bands like Air, Thievery Corporation, and Kruder & Dorfmeister, Britain's Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker (Zero 7, collectively) achieved timbral gold in my CD changer with their release "Simple Things". Boasting the radio mainstay "Destiny", the album centers around atmospheric synth sounds and mellow Fender Rhodes chords. Between samples of tribal chanting ("Likufanele") and stellar twin female vocal harmonies (primarily on "Destiny", but also on "Distractions"), "Things" could, in its entirety, very well find itself underscoring a French New Wave film in an art movie house. Once vocalists Sia Furler, Sophie Barker, and Mozez depart from the loft, Binns and Hardaker remain on to stir up smooth instrumentals, including "Give It Away", "End Theme", and "Salt Water Sound". It all comes to a beautiful, romantic conclusion as Barker coos over the bubbly Rhodes on "Spinning".
• Secret World Live (Peter Gabriel, 1994) Following the release of his "Us" album in the early nineties, former Genesis frontman and world music advocate Peter Gabriel designed a unique concept tour, featuring not only the best material from his latest release, but also the solid classics from 1986's "So". This is one of the finest double-live recordings I've heard, and may be one of the finest to be found. (Its only competition, in my book, is the newly-released "Back In The U.S." from Paul McCartney, a tour to shame all others.) This set captures Gabriel in his element, knocking out tunes such as "Don't Give Up", "Red Rain", "Steam", "Solsbury Hill" and "In Your Eyes" with the finest in studio/live session players. This recording also features the early work of Paula Cole, who remains true to the original recordings and faithfully recreates them in Modena, Italy, where the album was born.
• The Shaming Of The True (Kevin Gilbert, 2000) In a fitting coda to a tragically brief musical life, the late Kevin Gilbert brilliantly crossbred the singer-songwriter formula with the infamous genre of the rock opera. The result: one of the finest efforts ever committed to CD, "The Shaming Of The True", a journey chronicling the rise and fall of young prodigy Johnny Virgil. Gilbert's genius slams into the listener immediately, playing almost all of the instruments--and producing it--himself, starting with "The City Of The Sun", and really doesn't let up until "Johnny's Last Song". Highlights include "Suit Fugue: Dance of the A&R Men" (an a cappella marriage of classical training and overdubbing) and "A Long Day's Life", which ranks as one of my very favorite songs of all time. Gilbert's career spanned less than ten years, but his output during that time should not go unnoticed. Check out his finest at Pop Plus One.

Katy Lied Steely Dan	Hot House Bruce Hornsby	Cold Spring Harbor Billy Joel	Abbey Road The Beatles	Something/Anything? Todd Rundgren
The Gershwin Connection Dave Grusin	Terramara Terramara	Simple Things Zero 7	Secret World Live Peter Gabriel	The Shaming Of The True Kevin Gilbert

• Katy Lied (Steely Dan, 1975) It's very, very difficult for me to nail down my favorite Steely Dan album, but, edging in just above "The Royal Scam" is the Dan's fourth studio album, and my pick. In particular, I'm drawn to the increase in the influence of jazz in Fagen and Becker's songwriting. "Doctor Wu" is definitely my favorite cut on the album, but several of the other nine songs deserve equal merit. "Your Gold Teeth II" features one of the coolest intros I've ever heard, "Chain Lightning" is a sweet, urban twist on the blues, and "Bad Sneakers" is just classic Dan. From the opening fade-in of "Black Friday" to Michael Omartian's seven-note coda at the end of "Throw Back The Little Ones", this is a solid listen. Look no further than "Katy Lied" for Steely Dan at their best. • Hot House (Bruce Hornsby, 1995) While "The Way It Is" was a landmark album for Bruce in establishing him amongst a new breed of singer-songwriters, it wasn't until 1993's "Harbor Lights" that Bruce came into his own after touring with the Grateful Dead. His follow-up to the aforementioned record, "Hot House", found Bruce confident in his new direction, and simply having fun. It kicks off with "Spider Fingers", a self-explanatory acrobatic tirade running almost 7 minutes. The listener wanders a rosy path through "Walk In The Sun", "Country Doctor", and "The Longest Night" before climaxing with "Cruise Control", which, incidentally, features a guitar solo by Jerry Garcia--his last recording ever. • Cold Spring Harbor (Billy Joel, 1971) Even before the defining "Piano Man" came out in 1973, Billy released a debut album full of pain, despair and suicide notes, to the tune of "Cold Spring Harbor". Much of this album features only Billy at a piano. The only single yielded from the album, "She's Got A Way", gives a slight glimpse into the early songwriting of the Piano Man, but other songs like "Everybody Loves You Now", "Falling Of The Rain", and "Turn Around" kick the energy up, and set the stage for the megahits to follow. The album closes out with "Got To Begin Again", a very melancholy song finding Billy at the piano and at the bottom of a bottle simultaneously. Probably the most "real" Billy ever got, until his classical album "Fantasies & Delusions." • Abbey Road (The Beatles, 1969) The Beatles' last album was one of the first records I'd ever heard. Though many people rank "Revolver" and "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" as their all-time favorites, I still stand by the Fab Four's epilogue as my choice. "Come Together"...that's just a cool song. The silliness of "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" appealed to me at a young age, and, even as a musician now, it still represents great songwriting. The late George Harrison slotted two absolute classics ("Something"; "Here Comes The Sun") on Road, and even Ringo did "Octopus's Garden", another childhood favorite. But Side 2 has my vote as the greatest "Side 2" of any record. The "You Never Give Me Your Money" suite showcases snippets of great songs, capped by "The End", a fitting denouement to the greatest rock 'n' roll band ever on their last album. • Something/Anything? (Todd Rundgren, 1972) Rundgren's definitive double-album is a rock/pop staple, yielding a deluge of inspiration. First, Todd must be acknowledged for his ability to write a hit song, and this album features three ("I Saw The Light", "Hello It's Me", and "Couldn't I Just Tell You"). But beyond radio-friendly fare, Todd capsizes the boat and gets über-experimental on the listener. Ranging from the fun ("Wolfman Jack", Song Of The Viking", "Some Folks Is Even Whiter Than Me") to the bizarre ("Little Red Lights", "I Went To The Mirror", "Breathless") to the seedy ("You Left Me Sore", "Piss Aaron", "Slut"), "Something/Anything?" has something for anyone, and anything(?) for someone. • The Gershwin Connection (Dave Grusin, 1991) Dave Grusin spent the vast majority of his career scoring films, experimenting with synth technology, and heading up GRP Records. "The Gershwin Connection" signifies a turning point for Grusin, in orchestrating lavish homages to his favorite influences. In this recording, Gershwin's music gets the 90's treatment, and is seasoned by the best spices the jazz world has to offer. Truly wonderful from beginning to end, and a perfect album for any setting: casual, upbeat, background--it works. There's some incredible piano playing by Grusin, and his trademark altered chord changes put a new spin on an already-fantastic classic formula. • Terramara (Terramara, 2000) Minneapolis-based rock quartet Terramara put out this eponymous album that is hands-down a classic all-the-way-through rock record. Drummer Dave Thomas is the brother of a friend of mine, and it was through this connection I was turned on to the band. Their single, "Dragonfly", was featured on the St. Louis Park Music Coalition CD, and the rest of the album is top-notch songwriting, mostly by keyboardist Rob Meany. Highlights include the kicker "Jaded Little Love Song", "Walk Away", "Simple", "Diamond Life", and my personal favorite, "Your Mother's Eyes", which, at ten minutes, is a study in duality: first, the studio version, followed by a live version which breaks into an extended jam. Tasty indeed--support these guys and pick it up. • Simple Things (Zero 7, 2001) In the "chillout" tradition of bands like Air, Thievery Corporation, and Kruder & Dorfmeister, Britain's Henry Binns and Sam Hardaker (Zero 7, collectively) achieved timbral gold in my CD changer with their release "Simple Things". Boasting the radio mainstay "Destiny", the album centers around atmospheric synth sounds and mellow Fender Rhodes chords. Between samples of tribal chanting ("Likufanele") and stellar twin female vocal harmonies (primarily on "Destiny", but also on "Distractions"), "Things" could, in its entirety, very well find itself underscoring a French New Wave film in an art movie house. Once vocalists Sia Furler, Sophie Barker, and Mozez depart from the loft, Binns and Hardaker remain on to stir up smooth instrumentals, including "Give It Away", "End Theme", and "Salt Water Sound". It all comes to a beautiful, romantic conclusion as Barker coos over the bubbly Rhodes on "Spinning". • Secret World Live (Peter Gabriel, 1994) Following the release of his "Us" album in the early nineties, former Genesis frontman and world music advocate Peter Gabriel designed a unique concept tour, featuring not only the best material from his latest release, but also the solid classics from 1986's "So". This is one of the finest double-live recordings I've heard, and may be one of the finest to be found. (Its only competition, in my book, is the newly-released "Back In The U.S." from Paul McCartney, a tour to shame all others.) This set captures Gabriel in his element, knocking out tunes such as "Don't Give Up", "Red Rain", "Steam", "Solsbury Hill" and "In Your Eyes" with the finest in studio/live session players. This recording also features the early work of Paula Cole, who remains true to the original recordings and faithfully recreates them in Modena, Italy, where the album was born. • The Shaming Of The True (Kevin Gilbert, 2000) In a fitting coda to a tragically brief musical life, the late Kevin Gilbert brilliantly crossbred the singer-songwriter formula with the infamous genre of the rock opera. The result: one of the finest efforts ever committed to CD, "The Shaming Of The True", a journey chronicling the rise and fall of young prodigy Johnny Virgil. Gilbert's genius slams into the listener immediately, playing almost all of the instruments--and producing it--himself, starting with "The City Of The Sun", and really doesn't let up until "Johnny's Last Song". Highlights include "Suit Fugue: Dance of the A&R Men" (an a cappella marriage of classical training and overdubbing) and "A Long Day's Life", which ranks as one of my very favorite songs of all time. Gilbert's career spanned less than ten years, but his output during that time should not go unnoticed. Check out his finest at Pop Plus One.