West Side Soul / Magic Sam (1967)I'm not a Chicago blues conniseur, but I will make a bold statement: this is the best electric blues album ever made. Magic Sam isn't one of the big guys. He's no Howlin' Wolf, BB King, Muddy Waters, or John Lee Hooker. But there is something about this record.
Every Man And Woman Is A Star / Ultramarine (1991)This early electronica release came late to me, but I instantly recognized how wonderful it is. I still have a cassette copy of it (the other side is Portishead's Dummy). The slick samples, which range from Steve Miller to Laurie Anderson, are woven into thoughtful techno-folk beats.
Future Listening! / Towa Tei (1995)A few people have put Deee Lite tunes on their mixes. Well, this is the man: Towa Tei. He was their DJ and the heart of their sound in my opinion. This solo effort from 1995 blends beats, samples, Korean traditional music and bossa nova. You've gotta hear it to believe it. Many people have thanked me for turning them on to this record.
Have Moicy! / The Unholy Modal Rounders (1976)"Country Drug Rock" isn't really a genre, but that kind of sums up this fantastic record from Michael Hurley, Peter Stampfel, and whoever else was hanging around the studio consuming spaghetti, beans, and god knows what else. Stampfel was the fiddler/banjo player in The Holy Modal Rounders, the band that brought me to old-time music. There is no other record like this.
Less Than Human / The Juan McClean (2005)McClean was the guitarist in Six Finger Satellite. The Juan McClean is his new project on James Murphy's DFA label, and I saw him in Cleavland when he opened for LCD Soundsytem. The show was absolutely breathtaking. I think it might have been the most intense performance I've seen since The Butthole Surfers back in 1985. Live, these guys are a three piece: drums, theremin/keyboard, and McClean on decks (all analog, very cool gear). This record shows you how important Detroit techno was.
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