My Favorite Albums

From Galactically Renowned Music Critic and Progressive Listener Mike Kimbro

No "Greatest Hits Collections" are included in this list

1. Boston by Boston in 1976 (samples (#1, #2, #3 & #4) - Perfection at all levels! So why is this my favorite album...So easy to listen to: I'm surprised that, considering it's so varied in it's content (only 3 cuts are "luv" songs), this is not just a guy's album.  I've never heard a female say she didn't like the album once she listened beginning to end.  Every song's a winner.  I've never heard anyone ask to skip a single track in 24 years of listening.  So much so, in fact, my least favorite cut is better than the majority of tunes on any other groups "Greatest Hits" album.  To emphasize the point, remove any 3 songs and replace them with any 3 from the next two albums, and the albums still remains in my top 10.  What other album could come close to making that claim?  I'm amazed at how "uncoverable" the cuts of this DEBUT album are. 
2. Aura by Asia in 2001 (samples #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6 & #7) - Best Progressive Rock Album Ever!  Best Supporting Keyboard Work by Geoff Downes.  Best Collection of Bridges!  Provides the answer to the often asked question: "What would Yes have sounded like with Mark Lindsey (Paul Revere & The Raiders) or Tony Fontane (Contemporary Christian, circa 1967) at lead vocals?!?"  I truly feel that all my music listening and learning and practicing and performing have been preparing my palate for appreciation of this particular album.  Aura entered my list at #2, dropped to #5 just because I was troubled by the quickness with which I embraced it - was I flakin'? - then came back to #2 when I came to my senses.  It's flat out the best album I've heard in 35 years.  Aura is as balanced as "The Turn of a Friendly Card", but it does fall a little short in the variety area.  Noteworthy is the way that the intro's and endings are crafted.  Some at first seem kind of alien to the song's they are attached to, then you realize that that these intro and endings have much in common with the previous and following track  The net effect of this, along with Luis Jardim's consistent percussion treatments, is a seemlessness which I haven't experienced in any other non-disco or non-country or non-orchestral or non-Dean Martin album. Setting a new standard for the use of studio musicians by a progressive rock band, the making of Aura involved 6 guitarists, 6 percussionists, and 3 bass players.  That's not to say that I discourage the use of studio musicians--quite the contrary--as Aura could benefit from a couple of alto or tenor sax solos by Richard Elliot or Jeff Kashiwa.    Understanding that I feel that ANY radio air time is better than NO air time...the sax work, plus a little more lead bass and a little less synth in just a couple key spots could have helped Aura to receive some play in "light jazz" stations.  Before blasting me for my heresy, I'm not saying that the result would have been any better, but simply that this is an example of production decisions limiting the marketability of this awesome CD for both the short and long terms.  Small changes to one or two songs (please forgive me Guthrie!) would have made the album marketable outside the very limited progressive rock (98% white male) audience.  Understand that the rock/pop classics "Baker Street" & "Year of the Cat" & "Careless Whisper" get regular air time on most "lite jazz" radio stations, where the audience is at least 66% female and/or black.  This wouldn't happen sans the sax solos.  See my point?!  The saxophone adds a little soul to that which is purely pancake.  Unfortunately, as with the majority of new progressive rock, this music has little or no chance of receiving any air time on 99.99% of the stations in this country.  I spoke with bass master Tony Levin after a California Guitar Trio (aka: The Disciples of Fripp) concert at Poor David's Pub in Dallas, and Tony summed up his feelings about Asia's Aura to me in one short sentence:  "It's a little tame for my tastes."  Happily, I couldn't challenge his brief critique simply because, as with certain "new age" efforts, early into Aura I do find myself scanning the skies for signs of the mother ship's return.  While I typically give kudos to albums which offer a balanced number of "Love" songs and "other than Love" songs, the near absence of traditional "Love" songs gives Aura a kind of "new age" feel--with lyrics taking some tracks to a "new age hymn," much as Asia did with the incredible "Heaven" on their earlier "Axioms" album.  Overall, the lyrics are so patently "progressive" that I feel absolutely in my element when listening to Aura.  I do, however, envy listeners who can't speak English, as they are able to interpret and enjoy the songs free of the "progressive" mental filter (just as I'm freed of the "pop" mental filter when I enjoy foreign language songs, such as in the bridge of "Highland Farewall", or Gloria Estefan's "Mi Tierra" or Rick Martin's "Vuelve"...yi, yi, yi, yi...that should set your head aspinnin'.)  The Enya like vocal production adds to this "new age" feel.  If you've experienced Asia's "Axioms" album, then you know that John Payne's "raw" vocals are flat out splendid.  Don't get me wrong here, as I love Aura, but I'm theorizing that this album could have been better with a truer presentation of John Payne's incredible voice, and a choir boy, another tenor, and a baritone behind Payne forming richer, more genuine harmonies (examples #1 & #2...now behave yourselves, it's not like you've never heard a boy band before).  Anyway, understanding that "collaboration" is the operative word for Aura's instrumental greatness (and maybe it's songwriting greatness as well, if composition of bridges counts as songwriting, and it should, imho), all I'm suggesting is that there is no shame in additional vocal collaboration on the 12 cuts of Aura where the 'choir' isn't involved.
3. Jesus Christ Superstar by The Original Broadway Cast in 1970 (samples #1, #2, #3 & #4) - The Second Best Progressive Rock Album Ever!  This is real "head" music.  Vocal performances and vocal production that just can't be topped, and hey, you can understand every single word!  And of course, with Andrew Lloyd Webber providing the music, you know that the results will be anything but limited.  Truly an "icon" of the time, it generated controversy from all sides and received far more media attention than any album I can recall, except for maybe Hair (examples #1 & #2).  And it enjoyed huge amounts of air time over such a long period, yet today it's the most totally ignored album ever.  I don't know another person who even owns the CD, and I've never seen this album included on anyone's "must have" list.  I would have it at the very top of such a list...if I had the arrogance to assemble one.  I can only guess that the movie version was an example of a "cover" which was attempted way too soon after the original, which came at a time when everyone was in Superstar "overload", and negatively influenced the overall regard for the original work.  Who knows!  At any rate, I'd have expected Superstar to have a little bit of a resurgence with all the hoopla surrounding "The Passion of The Christ."  But sadly, I've noticed none at all.
4. In The Court of The Crimson King by King Crimson in 1969 (samples #1, #2, #3 & #4) -  At so many levels one word applies to this album: Genius.  Oh, to have been a fly on the wall as this album was coming together, at least I'd have the answer to who was applying the creative pressure.  Was it Peter Sinfield's dark lyrics which turned up the heat on the band to provide a worthy soundtrack to his poetry?  Or were McDonald and Lake and Giles and Fripp laying down such interesting music that Peter was inspired to meet the creative challenge lyrically.  Surprisingly, while one would think that drumming for music of this type would be as difficult as juggling during an earthquake, the highlight of the album could be Michael Giles' percussion perfection.  And here again, which muse is to be thanked for the inspiration to use the tympani in the introduction of "Epitaph", setting the perfect tone to begin one the most interesting songs ever?  Finally, a word of caution to those from the school of:  "I only listen to songs which have words, but I prefer the words not venture outside the three standard topics:  #1: The wonder of you, and #2: The wonder of me, and in the case of country/western there is #3:  The wonder of my pickup truck."  Just a sample of Sinfield's poetry from sample #4 above:  "Between the iron gates of fate, the seeds of time were sown, And watered by the deeds of those Who know and who are known; Knowledge is a deadly friend when no one sets the rules.  The fate of all mankind I see Is in the hands of fools."   This is heavy stuff, and Greg Lake's brilliant, beautiful, and crystal clear vocal interpretation is so warble free that it's nearly impossible to ignore the lyrics.  Finally, whenever I hear the slightly flawed sound of the Mellotron, I can relate to how Count Dracula must have felt as he spoke of the wolf's howl:  "Listen to them, the children of the night.  Oh, what a sweet sad song they sing."  It seems that a Mellotron like atmospheric element makes me more receptive to the overall work, particularly when accompanied with strong bass production (additional examples of this: #1 & to a lesser degree, #2).
5. To Oblivion by The Brothers Dimm in 2006 (samples #1, #2, #3, & #4) - Best jangly guitar album ever.  These lyrics inspire me to take my own lyrics outside the lines of the pop norm.  David Bateman's awesome keyboard work complements the whole so well that it's easily overlooked, but is evident upon study of this music only sample from my favorite track, "Guardian Angel".
6. The Turn of a Friendly Card by Alan Parsons in 1980 (samples #1, #2, & #3) - This is the standard for 2 things I look for in an album:  variety and balance.  I want the individual songs to be wonderful masterpieces yet each song should be unique from the other.  Parsons and Woolfson accomplished this variety in their songwriting, mixing it up so well.  At the same time, as an adult, sometimes I want to be able to listen to an album as background music and not be too distracted.  This is where the balance comes in, and no one does it better than Alan Parsons.  To my mind, the key to achieving both variety and balance can be found in "The Project's" use of four different lead vocalists, because all 4 are somewhat similar (some might use the unkind phrase: choir boy), or at least not as different as one would think.  To add to this point, I point to the fact that "The Project's" other primary lead vocalist, John Miles, is quite similar to the four leads employed in this album.  Finally, the awesome guitar work of Ian Bairnson must be noted, as it remained perfect while covering so many different picking styles, but then...like a great chef, Parsons' production genius features Bairnson sparingly, so Ian's lead contributions provide for the perfect spice.  Just check out the sample for understanding of what I'm talking about.
7. The Stranger by Billy Joel in 1977 (sample)
8. Twin Sons of Different Mothers by Dan Fogelberg & Tim Weisberg in 1978 (samples #1 & #2) - Fogelberg's masterpiece, and the most important album listed here, in that this is where Dan-with the help of good friend Tim Weisberg-used his monstrous mainstream marketability and instrumental mastery to introduce the instrumental to a huge audience who grew up thinking: "even lame lyrics were better than no lyrics at all."  Think about it!  Disco is at it's peak, and the most influential music act is Earth, Wind and Fire.  Creative individuality was at an all time low, with record company execs encouraging artists to perform in Elvis like jump suits and platform soles.  In the midst of this, who else had the instrumental talent, clout, confidence, vision, and independence to be able to present something as different as "Lahaina Luna" or "Lazy Susan" to their audience without fear of revolt.  Absolutely no one other than Dan Fogelberg.  Consider now the fact that Dan's previous album from 1977, Netherlands, was heavily orchestral accented, while "Twin Sons..." completely departs from the strings and delivers seven instrumentals which are amongst the earliest building blocks of what is now "Lite Jazz" (OK, I agree, Spyro Gyra's 1st album also came out in 1978) for which Tim Weisberg's contribution and presence plays a major role.  Creatively, the success of "Twin Sons..." opened the door many years later for the likes of Sting and others, once they were ready to stretch themselves.  The 3 vocal performances (which featured Don Henley at harmony vocals) are magnificent, particularly the cover of Graham Nash's "Tell Me To My Face", as this showcases Dan's rock guitar mastery which would help make "Phoenix" my all-time favorite song just a year later.  Fogelberg's the man...truly "The Ultimate Minstrel."
9. Moonlighting by The Rippingtons in 1986 (samples #1 & #2) - Russ Freeman's "lite jazz" masterpiece with a supporting group which included David Benoit, Dave Koz, Kenny G, Steve Reid, Gregg Karukas, and bassist Jimmy Johnson.  Please understand that this album could be #2, but it just doesn't quite "feed the need" the way that the others above it do.  And let's face it, that's what it's all about.
10. It's Time by Linda Eder in 1997 (samples #1, #2 & #3) - With Frank Wilhorn and Jack Murphy providing songs this wonderful, this would have been a top 100 album with Tom Petty behind the mike.  The vocal production is perfect, as Linda's voice appears to be so true and relatively unenhanced.  I was happily assuming that the opening title track "It's Time" had to be the highlight of this CD, but a few tracks later "Big Time" wowed me with it's total power and production and complex lyrics.  Then two tracks later "Man of LaMancha" knocks me clean out of my chair.  Genius!  But this album highlights my most common blunder when listening to albums for the first couple of times...not giving full consideration to a CD's later tracks.  It's not just a short attention span thing, as I'm still pondering elements of the first tracks, and just don't give my full attention to the later tracks.  But there's discrimination at play here as well, as a "concept" album can reuse a "hook" over and over in an album, but I've got a real problem with regular albums reusing hooks and even dominant production techniques later in an album.  This is a major flaw, particularly in today's reality where every CD is basically a "double album"-with 13 to 16 tracks.  Basically, my fear is that if the order of songs on the album were reversed, my favorite songs would change.  Obviously, this is a personal problem which I'm attempting to overcome.  But the point here is that it was weeks later before I really even noticed what could be the best song on the album - truly one of the finest love songs of all-time - the somewhat understated "Only Love."  
11. Brain Salad Surgery by Emerson, Lake, and Palmer in 1973 (samples #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, & #6) - The definitive electronic album, with ultimate rock performances by Keith Emerson at lead keyboard, Carl Palmer on drums, and Greg Lake at  the production console.  Ironically, while Lake's the group's bassist, he lowered the volume on his bass work, which was very much the popular production approach of the 70's.  I wonder what changes he might have made if he could have known that even relatively simple bass lines would be given far greater prominence by progressive rock producers in the next millennium.  But obviously the primary distinction here is that Emerson's long hard driving keyboard solos are worlds apart from simple sequencing and airy ambient stuff.  It's a moot point however, as I'm sure Greg's primary consideration was accurate audio reproduction on the limited audio equipment employed by 90% of the listeners during that primitive period.  The speakers in the ghetto blasters of the 70's didn't have much bass capability, and their cassettes produced so much tape hiss that you couldn't hear the delicate treble at the top.  And sadly the period's other primary audio delivery device - the automobile - had 2 speakers flat mounted on the deck behind the rear seats, no speakers in the doors, and you can forget about separate tweeters placed at each end of the dash.  For this type of equipment, turn up the bass and the treble is damaged beyond recognition, an unacceptable condition with this album.  All that's said to pose the query:  would Greg Lake be more highly regarded as a bassist had he chosen to elevate the prominence of the bass lines in the production of this album?  (Welcome to MY world!  This IS the stuff that bounces around in my head, and I suspect that a lifetime of asthma medication is somehow at the root cause of it.)  Anyway, I love the IN YOUR FACE intellectual snobbery exhibited by starting off with interpretations of Blake's Jerusalem and Ginastera's Toccata, at a time when other groups were kissing up to the major markets via not so subtle references to California or New York in their album and/or song titles.  Then throw in not 1 but 2 genre benders just to further showcase vocal and instrumental talent, while providing the perfect 'sorbet' to cleanse the palate for the main course:  Karn Evil 9.  The reward was a #2 placement for "Album of the Year" on Playboy's Annual Music Poll, which at the time was pretty much voted on only by those who really did read the articles.  Frankly, appreciation of this album came slowly to me because I insisted on listening with the volume way too high, a folly which I still practice to this very day.  After a week of total bewilderment at how far this masterpiece was beyond my listening talent, particularly Karn Evil 9, I was forced to adapt an approach which focused only on a single instrument as I listened to each track.  In order to isolate the elements I had to turn the volume down.  Immediately, the grandeur of this work was revealed to me.  This album held the #1 position for most of my college years.  I love the lyrics of Greg Lake and William Blake, but here again, the contribution of poet Peter Sinfield cannot be ignored when considering this album critically.  ELP clearly attempted to set a new standard here, and succeeded not by a little...but by an order of magnitude.  This album is the ultimate answer to those who parrot the sentiment: "I prefer my music have an edge to it."  Brain Salad Surgery provides the derivation for true edge...with the advantage of true talent.   And admittedly, this artistic 'Tour de Force' of Vermeerian proportions did both redefine and distort the very definition of Progressive Rock.
12. Seal by Seal in 1994 (sample) - Better every time I hear it.  Noteworthy in that the credits make clear that the producers, engineers, and mixers have a higher status in Seal's mind than do the musicians, who are only listed as sixty-three consecutive names without any reference to what instrument they played, or which songs they performed on.  Most curious, but thankfully it must be a British thing, as I've got a Chris DeBurg CD which mishandles the musician's credits in the same back handed fashion.
13. Hysteria by Def Leppard in 1987 (sample) - So enjoyable.  Honestly, I didn't take this album seriously for a couple of years.  Fortunately, my brother-in-law Steve kept putting it in my face during numerous windsurfing and dirt biking road trips, affording me sufficient opportunity to really appreciate its greatness, while also providing the mental connection between this album and that 'good times' feeling which is so much a part of what makes the music of our youth so very special.
14. Leftoverture by Kansas in 1976 (samples #1 & #2) - How can it be?  Progressive rock with sufficient rock n' roll roots that these guys could pull this stuff off live on a nightly basis and not even work up a sweat doing it.  I mean, to a 19 year old it was off putting how laid back these guys were in concert.  It took decades for me to realize that, for Kansas, their lead man was the music.  I'll let the masses elevate "Carry on my Wayward son", as my favs are "The Wall", "Miracles Out of Nowhere", and "Magnum Opus,"  even though I'm sure that with subtitles like 'Industry on Parade', 'Release the Beavers' and 'Gnat Attack', Kerry and the boys are probably providing a parody of their peer's pompous cacophony which had been so well received over the years by the critics of this genre.  By now you don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to have figured out just how much I love the Hammond B3 Organ, and this album feeds my B3 need like no other non-ELP effort.  Livgren's at his songwriting peak, but the fact is that Steve Walsh's vocal talent was such that the group could have done a prog rock cover of Andy Williams Greatest Hits and still generated 'album of the year' material...particularly with Andy's "September Song."  Now that would have been sweet.
15. Infinity by Journey in 1978 (sample) - A very complete album, enjoyable in every way.
16. Cry Like A Rainstorm, Howl Like The Wind by Linda Ronstadt in 1989 (samples #1 & #2) - The best album by the most versatile female vocalist in the universe, with a little spice from Aaron Neville.  Featuring the songwriting of the great Jimmy Webb (remember Galveston and Wichita Lineman?), this album is wonderful.
17. Phoenix by Dan Fogelberg in 1979 (samples  #1, #2, #3 & #4) -  An album with both "Phoenix"--Fogelberg's crowning achievement--and "Longer", which holds the honor of being "The second most commonly played wedding tune" (just behind Atlantic Star's wonderful "Always").  Then there's "Face The Fire", the theme song of Americans who have sought freedom from our Middle-Eastern Masters...and the petroleum based slavery which we've imposed on ourselves through our addiction to our 'oh so cool' gas guzzling SUV's and pick-ups, which, BTW, I'd be happy to sell you at a very reasonable price."
18. Burning Whispers by Nestor Torres in 1994 (samples #1 & #2)
19. The Dark Third by Pure Reason Revolution in 2006 (samples #1, #2, #3 and #4) - Frankly, with it's lack of variety, I'm surprised how much I like this unique progressive rock album.  Viva la difference...I guess!
20. A Special Kind of Man by Roger Whittaker in 1971 (samples #1, #2, #3, #4 & #5)
21. Freedom at Midnight by David Benoit in 1987 (samples #1 & #2)
22. Netherlands by Dan Fogelberg in 1977 (samples #1 & #2)
23. Rapture by Anita Baker in 1986 (samples #1 & #2)
24. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John in 1973 (samples #1 & #2)
25. Worlds Away by Pablo Cruise in 1978 (samples #1, #2, #3 & #4)
26. Renegade Gentleman by Larry Carlton in 1993 (samples #1 & #2)
27. The Yentl Soundtrack with Barbara Streisand in 1983 (samples #1, #2, & #3)
28. Rebel by John Miles in 1976 (samples #1 & #2)
29. Sanctuary by Twila Paris in 1991 (sample)
30. Feels So Right by Alabama in 1981 (sample)
31. Listen to the City by Tim Weisberg in 1976 (sample)
32. Ted Nugent by Ted Nugent in 1975 (sample)
33. Paranoid by Black Sabbath in 1970 (sample)
34. Year of the Cat by Al Stewart in 1976 (samples #1 & #2): "Alan Parson's production genius was made manifest with this masterwork, where his selective use of both keyboard and orchestra for ambience instilled a sophistication which soars above the primary instruments.  Parson's willingness to add soul and sweetness and sadness with the use of different instruments like the Bobby Bruce's violin in "Broadway Hotel", Phil Kensie's saxophone in "Year of the Cat", and of course, Peter White's Spanish Guitar in "On the Border" should be emulated by rock producers today, but only if the primary audience views soul and sweetness and sadness as desirable in their music.  While Al's voice works fine as a "hanger" for his magnificent progressive lyrics, I would love to hear a stronger voice take a crack at some covers, like Elmer Gantry or Greg Lake or Scott Walker or Linda Ronstadt or Melissa Manchester.
35. The Seeds of  Love by Tears for Fears in 1989 (samples #1 & #2 & #3)
36. The Six Wives of Henry VIII by Rick Wakeman in 1973 (sample)
37. The Phantom of the Opera by The Original Broadway Cast in 1987 (sample)
38. Days of Future Passed by The Moody Blues in 1967 (sample)
39. Wendy Moten by Wendy Moten in 1992 (samples #1 & #2)
40. Saturday Night Fever by Various Artists including The Bee Gees in 1978 (sample)
41. Chicago II by Chicago in 1970 (sample):  also "25 or 6 to 4" and "Colour My World" plus 20 more tracks.
42. Vox Humana by Kenny Loggins in 1985 (sample)
43. Cornerstone by Styx in 1979 (samples #1 & #2)
44. Make His Praise Glorious by Sandi Patti in 1988 (sample) - Sandi with Nathan East on Bass & Jon Goin on Guitar & Greg Nelson Producing...sweet!
45. Songs In The Key Of Life by Stevie Wonder in 1977 (sample)
46. The Honesty Room by Dar Williams in 1995 (samples #1 & #2)
47. Bridge of Sighs by Robin Trower in 1974 (sample)
48. Listen Without Prejudice by George Michael in 1990 (sample)
49. Rumors by Fleetwood Mac in 1977
50. Album #4 by Led Zepplin in 1971 (sample)
51. Venus Isle by Eric Johnson in 1996 (sample)
52. Poems, Prayers & Promises by John Denver in 1971 (sample)
53. Tapestry by Carole King in 1971
54. Hotel California by The Eagles in 1976 (sample)
55. Song Painter by Mac Davis in 1974 (sample)
56. Falling Into You by Celine Dion in 1996 (sample)
57. Wheels by Restless Heart in 1986 (sample)
58. The Extremist by Joe Satriani in 1997 (sample)
59. The Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd in 1973 (sample)
60. Steady On by Point of Grace in 1998 (samples #1 & #2)
61. Works Volume I by Emerson, Lake & Palmer in 1977 (samples #1 & #2)
62. Kaleidoscope World by Swing Out Sister in 1989 (sample)
63. Long Hard Look by Lou Gramm in 1989 (sample)
64. Dream of a Lifetime by Kelli Reisen in 1992 (samples #1 & #2)
65. 5150 by Van Halen in 1986 - With Sammy Hagar (samples #1 & #2)
66. From A Servant's Heart by Larnelle Harris in 1986 (samples #1 & #2)
67. Dreamboat Annie by Heart in 1976 (sample)
68. Suddenly by Billy Ocean in 1984  (sample)
69. Spirit by Earth, Wind & Fire in 1976 (samples #1, #2 & #3)
70. Pyromania by Def Leppard in 1983 (sample)
71. After the Lovin' by Engelbert Humperdinck in 1976 (samples #1, #2, #3 & #4)
72. Heaven on Earth by Belinda Carlisle in 1987 (sample)
73. Third Stage by Boston in 1986 (sample)
74. The End of the Innocence by Don Henley in 1989 (sample)
75. Nocturnal Playground by Russ Freeman in 1985 (sample)
76. I Need You by LeAnn Rimes in 2001 (sample)
77. Souvenirs by Dan Fogelberg in 1974
78. Voices of Babylon by The Outfield in 1989
79. Sweet Baby James by James Taylor in 1970 (sample)
80. Time, Love & Tenderness by Michael Bolton in 1991 (sample)
81. Project Eve by The Alan Parsons Project in 1979
82. Whitesnake by Whitesnake in 1987 (sample)
83. Lara Fabian by Lara Fabian in 2000 (sample)
84. Demons and Wizards by Uriah Heep in 1972 (samples 1, 2, & 3)
85. Simple Things by Richie Havens in 1987 (sample)
86. Doubt by Jesus Jones in 1990 (sample)

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