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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.
Hatful of Hollow (Album of the Day)
The Smiths' self-titled debut had been in shops for less than a year when this odds-and-sods collection of single sides and radio recordings was released. Yet HATFUL OF HOLLOW is hardly a cash-in or stop-gap release; its 16 tracks underline the remarkable burst of creativity with which the Manchester quartet launched its career. Though not included on the band's proper studio sets, “William, It Was Really Nothing,” “Heaven Knows I'm Miserable Now” and “Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want” are nothing short of essential, and the BBC takes of songs like “What Difference Does It Make” or “This Charming Man” (cut for John Peel, who was born on this day in 1939) equal, if not surpass, the LP versions. The Smiths aspired to be both a great singles and a great album band, and with HATFUL OF HOLLOW they proved equal to the task.
Shakedown Street (Album of the Day)
“Shakedown Street” was performed live for the first time on this day in 1978, and the song would provide the title for the final Grateful Dead album of the 1970s. The Arista collection paired the group with another acclaimed California rocker: Little Feat's Lowell George, who served as co-producer. This would also be the final Dead album to feature the Godchaux husband-and-wife team, and Donna Jean made the most of it, singing beautifully on “France” and her own “From the Heart of Me.” From the Garcia-Hunter title track (which flirted with disco) to such future concert staples as “Fire on the Mountain” and “I Need a Miracle,” these 10 songs cover plenty of stylistic ground, and SHAKEDOWN STREET showcases a great band still eager to shake things up.
Core (Album of the Day)
Stone Temple Pilots won MTV's Best New Artist award on this day in 1993 thanks to their raucous debut CORE. A breakout success, the album peaked at #3 on the Billboard charts, dominated radio waves with hits like “Sex Type Thing” and “Wicked Garden,” and has been certified 8x Platinum by the RIAA. The band also took home the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Hard Rock Performance for their smash single “Plush” - though this collection is much more than the sum of its parts. “We wanted to create a vibe which would run right through the whole album,” noted bassist Robert DeLeo of the Brendan O'Brien-produced set, and CORE remains a touchstone of 1990s alternative rock.