CD-Charts Position 91
Average Rating:

Smokin' O.P.'s

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Bob Seger

Release Date June 07, 2005
I've owned this release on vinyl for many years before getting it on disc and it is without a doubt my favorite Bob Seger album. Bob sings with absolute joy and soul. The band is tight and guitarist Michael "Monk" Bruce shines on tunes like "Turn On Your Lovelight" and "Love The One You're With." His style is R&B with just a tinge of jazz and is reminiscent of early Steely Dan guitarists Denny Dias and Jeff Baxter. Skip Knape's Hammond organ puts down a driving groove on most tunes and Pam Todd and Crystal Jenkins' vocals help make the Stills cover more soulful than the original. If this disc doesn't make your feet tap, check for a pulse.

CD-Charts Position 92
Average Rating:

Tonight's the Night

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Neil Young

Release Date October 25, 1990

A while back, Warner Brothers Japan re-released 12 Neil Young titles. The surprise was that remastered content appeared for the first time on most of them.

The titles & WB-Japan catalog numbers are:

Neil Young WPCR-75086
Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere WPCR-75087
After The Gold Rush WPCR-75088
Harvest WPCR-75089
On The Beach WPCR-75090
Tonight's The Night WPCR-75091
Zuma WPCR-75092
Long May You Run WPCR-75093
American Stars n' Bars WPCR-75094
Comes A Time WPCR-75095
Rust Never Sleeps WPCR-75096
Live Rust WPCR-75097

I picked up most of these, A/B'd them, and found them to be superior to the domestics. However, having purchased ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 93
Average Rating:

Train a Comin'

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Steve Earle

Release Date January 28, 1997
"Train a' Comin'" is the type of album that, after you listen to it, you're just left going, "Wow!" and although there are some super-catchy songs (most notably "Sometimes She Forgets,") it really takes a few listens to really completely love this record, or to at least fully appreciate it.
Pretty much everyone I've played this for has the same reaction--it changed them. I've learned more about songwriting from listening to this album than from any other record in my collection, save for my Townes Van Zandt and Hank Williams albums. Speaking of Townes, I often wonder what he thought of Steve's efforts, particularly this record. For those who don't know, Steve was Townes' protege back in the '70s when Mr. Earle was just a skinny kid bumming around ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 94
Average Rating:

The Best of Dark Horse (1976-1989)

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: George Harrison

Release Date October 03, 1989
Though the 1976 hit "This Song" is nowhere to be found, "Best of Dark Horse" features most of the essential singles and album cuts from George Harrison's later period. The 1989 tracks are particularly strong, with "Cheer Down" and "Poor Little Girl" ranking among the Quiet Beatle's finest work. "Crackerbox Palace," "Blow Away," "Love Comes to Everyone," "All Those Years Ago" and "When We Was Fab" remain classic Harrisongs. The overlooked gem is 1982's "Wake Up My Love," which should have placed higher than No. 53 on the U.S. charts. "Best of Dark Horse" has long been out of print, yet Harrison deserves an expansive 1970-2001 compilation.

CD-Charts Position 95
Average Rating:

Slow Turning

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: John Hiatt

Release Date October 25, 1990
John Hiatt's 1988 release "Slow Turning" is a hands down classic. This was my introduction to John Hiatt after I heard the uptempo rocker "Paper Thin" on the local radio station. I soon discovered that this CD was one solid set of songs that were easy to listen to all the way thru. I just happen to listen to this great album the other day on my iPod while driving back from a worksite with a group of co-workers. It had been awhile since I listened to this classic, and towards the end I remembered just how good it is.

The album kicks off with a few up-beat songs featuring great acoustic and electric guitars. John's backing band is very tight, with good production. "Icy Blue Heart" slows things down to a crawl, but what a great country-tinged ballad ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 96
Average Rating:

Dead Man

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Neil Young

Release Date February 27, 1996
O come on ! He's been given a thumbs up just because he's The Neil Young ? It's just simply boring and un-inspiring. Imagine the same exact score written/played by an unknown for a B-grade sci-fi flick, you'd think anyone cared ? No, right ? So do I. Period !

P.S - I had wanted to give a zero rating, but 1 is the minimum, hmmphh !

CD-Charts Position 97
Average Rating:

I'm Alive

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Jackson Browne

Release Date October 26, 1993
No pretense at all here! Seriously, he strips away any huge production gimmicks, he forgets about making an important statement, instead looking inward. He cranks out an entire set of tasteful soft-rock, and it's actually one of his better albums. That's still only a relative statement, but it's not bad at all. Bits of it are: he does shoot for the soothing, space-rock atmosphere on "Too Many Angels" and "I'll Do Anything", which takes a long walk off a short pier; there's also an awkward rocker ("Miles Away"). I also think I've heard the chord progression on "All Good Things" somewhere. Oh, right! It was Springsteen's "Tunnel of Love"! And the Band's "Chest Fever"! And the James Gang's "Tend My Garden"! And I'd be hard-pressed to call anything genius, other than the shimmering ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 98
Average Rating:

The Wind

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Warren Zevon

Release Date August 26, 2003
On THE WIND, Warren Zevon's final CD, he realized that his lung cancer was terminal, yet it was he, rather than Leno, Letterman or anyone on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, who saw a sort of dark humor in the situation. This becomes clear on such songs as "Dirty Life & Times" and the riotous rocker "Disorder In The House", which humorously describe the feeling of knowing that the inevitable is about to happen. On the last song, "Keep Me In Your Heart", on the other hand, he is saying a prayer that his friends and family will remember him after he is gone. Overall, this album is a riotous look at death and dying, seen with a generous helping of gallows humor.

CD-Charts Position 99
Average Rating:

Brave and Crazy

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
by: Melissa Etheridge

Release Date June 15, 1990
if you are a Melissa Etheridge fan,this is why.if you are not,
you will be after you give this one a listen.this is her 2nd
album and there is no sophomore jinx here.her later efforts
have an unfourtunate propensity to be very overproduced--
no such problem exists with this effort.every song on this
album is perfect,simple Melissa--no bells and/or whistles
are needed or expected.this is an exceptional set of songs
from an exceptional artist--doing what she does best and
enjoying it.there are no weak or "filler" tunes here--just a
thoughly enjoyable album from start to finish.this is a very worthwhile expenditure of your entertainment $.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for anyone looking for high quality,well
recorded music.

CD-Charts Position 100
Average Rating:

Never Enough

CD-Charts > Music > Singer-Songwriters
from: Island

Release Date March 17, 1992
When ever I am in one of my "BITCH" modes I reach for this CD, and in no time I'm feeling less bitchy and more empowered. Lesbian, straight, who cares! Melissa just plain rocks! Like most other reviewers I have to laugh with Crazy for Me, but it is oh so true! So, when you've had a "bitch" of a day at work, with your lover, and you want to get it out of your system, put Melissa in the CD player, crank it up, roll back the sun roof, and drive. You'll feel great afterward!