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Deja Vu (Album of the Day)
The first album from David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Graham Nash set a remarkable standard both for artistic quality and commercial success, and expectations for a follow-up were high. DÉJÀ VU did not disappoint; the group upped the ante with the addition of Neil Young to the line-up and with four strong songwriters and a pair of fiery guitarists now in the fold, sparks flew. “Teach Your Children,” “Our House” and “Woodstock” each became Top 40 hits, but tracks like Young’s “Helpless,” Crosby’s “Almost Cut My Hair” and the Stills-Young-penned “Everybody I Love You” are equally distinctive. The product of hundreds of hours in the studio, the multi-platinum DÉJÀ VU boasts marvelously eclectic arrangements and immaculate harmonies, and has been cited by the likes of Rolling Stone and VH1 as one of the greatest albums of all time.
Finally Enough Love (Album of the Day)
As Madonna reaches 40 years in music, it's hard to believe the superstar has any mountains left to climb – yet she recently made history again by topping the Dance Club chart for the 50th time, becoming the first and only recording artist to have 50 #1 hits on any single Billboard chart. To celebrate this milestone, Madonna curated two new collections: FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE: 50 NUMBER ONES compiling her favorite remixes of those chart-toppers and an abridged 16-track version, simply titled FINALLY ENOUGH LOVE. The first releases in a newly announced partnership between Madonna and Warner Music Group, the sets span her entire dance club chart reign with remixes by some of the world’s top producers as well as recordings being officially released for the first time or making their commercial/digital debut.
.5: The Grey Chapter (Album of the Day)
When the first Knotfest began in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on this day in 2012, it marked a new chapter for Slipknot. Dealt a blow by the death of founding member Paul Gray two years earlier, the band's return was a statement of purpose reinforced by 5: THE GRAY CHAPTER; their fifth studio set was a tribute to the late bassist and one of their best. Co-produced by metal vet Greg Fidelman, the 2014 Roadrunner collection balances the abrasive attack of the group's early releases with more accessible elements including such highlights as “The Devil in I,” “The Negative One” and “Custer” (the latter two songs both Grammy nominated, as was the album). Intense and innovative, THE GRAY CHAPTER is a strong addition to the Slipknot story.
Angel Dream: Songs and Music from the Motion Picture SHE'S THE ONE (Album of the Day)
When asked for a song to include in writer-director Edward Burns' romantic comedy SHE'S THE ONE – which opened on this day in 1996 - Tom Petty responded with an entire album. Though nominally a film soundtrack, the accompanying Warner Bros. collection stands proudly with the singer-songwriter's best work of the 1990s. Cut with producer Rick Rubin and the ever-reliable Heartbreakers, ANGEL DREAM: SONGS AND MUSIC FROM THE MOTION PICTURE SHE’S THE ONE has a relaxed feel and eclectic mix of material (including covers of Beck and Lucinda Williams songs) that give the impression Petty was really enjoying himself. Which doesn't mean his customary craftsmanship is absent; the dozen tracks include such terrific originals as “Climb That Hill” and single “Walls (Circus),” which features guest vocals from Lindsey Buckingham.
II (Album of the Day)
Led Zeppelin's second album was created, appropriately enough, on the fly – it was written and recorded (in studios of varying quality) during multiple U.S./European tours in 1969. As a singer and lyricist, Robert Plant was growing by leaps and bounds, guitarist Jimmy Page was coming into his own as a producer, and the powerful rhythm section of John Paul Jones and John Bonham helped make LED ZEPPELIN II the band's heaviest album. As on their debut, the blues influence is undeniable on such tracks as “Whole Lotta Love” and “Heartbreaker,” but the acoustic-flavored “Ramble On” was one indication that the U.K. quartet was looking well beyond Willie Dixon and Howlin' Wolf. On original release, the collection became the group's first No.1 album, and LED ZEPPELIN II remains a heavy metal landmark.
No Pads, No Helmets... Just Balls (Album of the Day)
Montreal quintet Simple Plan may not have had an elaborate strategy for success, but it was an effective one: bash out catchy, unpretentious pop-punk. The public responded immediately - 2002 debut NO PADS, NO HELMETS … JUST BALLS sold more than 4 million copies worldwide, aided by exposure on the Vans Warped Tour and TV soundtracks. These dozen songs are irresistible fun and “Perfect” “Addicted” and “I'd Do Anything” were all U.S. Top 20 singles; Blink-182's Mark Hoppus and Good Charlotte's Joel Madden each appear on a track for good measure. We'll wish Simple Plan guitarist Jeff Stinco a happy birthday with another spin of NO PADS, NO HELMETS … JUST BALLS.
Plantation Lullabies (Album of the Day)
Meshell Ndegeocello was among the first artists signed to Madonna's label, and "maverick" is an apt description of the singer-songwriter, whose adopted surname means “free like a bird” in Swahili. Her 1993 debut, PLANTATION LULLABIES, mixes funk, jazz and hip-hop with little regard for genre boundaries and offers an outspoken look at racial and sexual identity. With such highlights as “Step into the Projects,” “Dred Loc” and minor hit “If That's Your Boyfriend (He Wasn't Last Night),” the collection brought the performer three Grammy nominations, including Best R&B Album. Widely hailed by critics upon its release, PLANTATION LULLABIES helped kickstart 1990s neo-soul, and we'll cue it up now to wish Meshell Ndegeocello a happy birthday.
Todd (Album of the Day)
Todd Rundgren's fifth longplayer, TODD, took the experimental approach of A WIZARD, A TRUE STAR one step further. A double album – the performer's second – the collection is still peppered with the radio-friendly pop-rock (“A Dream Goes on Forever”) that made Rundgren a true star, but the self-produced 1974 set revels in taking musical left turns. Novelties (“An Elpee's Worth of Tunes”), hard rock (“Heavy Metal Kids”) and even a Gilbert & Sullivan cover (“Lord Chancellor's Nightmare Song”) are all fair game here. There's plenty of virtuoso instrumental work, and the glee with which our hero explores the sonic possibilities of the synthesizer is contagious. TODD is both challenging and exhilarating, and that's probably why it remains such a favorite among fans.
Hounds of Love (Album of the Day)
With HOUNDS OF LOVE, Americans finally figured out what British listeners had known for years – that Kate Bush was among the most talented and distinctive singer-songwriters around. The 1985 album reached the U.S. Top 40, a first for the performer (it topped the chart in the U.K.), thanks to such tracks as “Cloudbusting,” “The Big Sky” and signature song “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God).” With Bush on the Fairlight synthesizer leading a legion of instrumental and vocal accompanists, the self-produced set features highly literate lyrics and ambitious arrangements that verge on progressive rock. Rolling Stone, Pitchfork and NME have all cited HOUNDS OF LOVE as one of the best albums of the 1980s – this is Kate Bush at her peak!
Private Dancer (Album of the Day)
Tina Turner's PRIVATE DANCER spurred one of pop's greatest comebacks – or perhaps “coming out” is a more appropriate description for the set that once and for all pulled the performer from the shadow of ex-husband Ike Turner. As inspiring as its backstory of female empowerment is, the collection's huge success (it was certified 5x Platinum in the U.S. alone) was all about the music. The album shows Turner embracing slicker production without sacrificing any of her passion as a singer, and it includes such Top 40 hits as “Better Be Good To Me,” “Let's Stay Together,” the title track and “What's Love Got to Do With It,” which topped the Billboard singles chart on this day in 1984. A year later those songs earned four Grammy Awards, and PRIVATE DANCER has been hailed by such outlets as Rolling Stone, VH1 and Slant as one of the greatest albums of the 1980s.