Top 100: 60 - 51

This is the homestretch (not really, but it makes me feel better) and we’re getting close to the bottom half. My list is starting to make more sense (and scaring me as my albums are starting to resemble CroutonBoy’s list… should I be worried about that?)

Since I am very behind on my Top 100 Albums List (most, if not all, of my blogmigos have already finished theirs), I’ll be giving you a 2-fer each day from here on out. So now you get #’s 60 – 51 and shortly after, #’s 50 – 41.

Anyway, here we go...


60 – Blood Sugar Sex Majix by Red Hot Chili Peppers. I never really liked RHCP… but then I started dating my wife, who loved them (along with Nine Inch Nails) in college. She had this CD and left it at my place one nigh- uh, day and I listened to it. Wow. It totally changed my mind about them as a band. After that I ‘permanently borrowed’ the disk when she graduated (she was a year ahead of me) but she "got it back" after we got married. Favorite song: “Funky Monks”


59 – Hell Freezes Over by The Eagles. This disc reminds me of college and the first few months of my dating a particular woman, a woman that would become my wife. In fact, Love Will Keep Us Alive is “our” song. Favorite Song: “Love Will Keep Us Alive”


58 –Sinatra at the Sands by Frank Sinatra. It’s Sinatra baby! This album perfectly catches Sinatra in concert, including the dialog between sets and the charismatic performer that Sinatra was. Favorite song: “It Was a Very Good Year”


57 – Elvis' 30 #1 Hits by Elvis Presley. There's a reason I've been to Graceland twice; he's the King. This selection was hard, as I have a plethora of Elvis albums; Elvis' Gospel album, his #1 Hits, his #2 Hits, The Sun Years, etc, so I had to disobey my Greatest Hits compilation rule and choose this one, mainly for the fact that I love every damn song on it, having said that, I still have a favorite, and it’s my all-time favorite Elvis song. Favorite Song: “Kentucky Rain”


56 – Fashion Nugget by Cake. Cake is hit or miss with me. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don’t. This album falls into the like column… the “like a lot” column at that. It’s rockin’, it’s rollin’, and it’s got an excellent remake of a much-overplayed disco song… that is my Favorite Song: “I Will Survive”


55 – Pomegranate / Electrique Plummagram by Poi Dog Pondering. If you're outside of Chicago you've probably never heard of them. They're a local band with a HUGE (and I mean gargantuan) fan base in the Windy City. There’s a reason there are two albums here; Pomegranate is one of their most commercially successful albums (and my favorite), but Electrique is a re-mix version of Pomegranate; and they both bring it. Some don’t consider this (these) their best albums, but I do. Favorite Song(s): “Diamonds And Buttermilk” (Original version) & “Diamonds And Buttermilk” (Matt Warren Remix). Same song but with completely different sounds.


54 – Blues Traveler by Blues Traveler. Their first album is also their best. This was way before they sold out with 'Four' and quit playing for the masses and started playing for the money. Favorite Song: “Sweet Talking Hippie”


53 – Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones. I love the Stones (granted; not as much as the Beatles, but pretty damn close) and this is the first appearance on my list (see the next one for another, and I will give a spoiler that there’s another one way-down the list). Favorite Song: “Sister Morphine”


52 – Beggar's Banquet by The Rolling Stones. Again, this is a great album. Favorite Song: “Sympathy for the Devil”


51 – Catch-all by Swag. Small little band made up of people from Wilco, The Mavericks, and Cheap Trick. The band started-up few years ago on the Mavericks tour bus. The short album gives minutes of honest-to-goodness pure power pop goodie from what can best be described as an underground supergroup. Did you know? If you look at the top right corner, you'll see a small band of gold. It's Robert Reynolds (of the Mavericks) wedding ring from his former marriage to country singer Trisha Yearwood. Favorite Song: “Please Don’t Tell”

Stay tuned, #'s 50 - 41 are forthcoming.

101 - 91, 90 - 81, 80 - 71 and 70 -61.