Gordon Lightfoot Forums - Other Album Recomendations?

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Other than Lightfoot do you have any, myabe not well known albums you love by other artists?

I have a few absolute fav's that are that I don't think are that well known I'd like to recommend that folks here might like:

Donovan: Open Road (This is Donovan at his best, you have to give this one a listen if you get a chance)

Al Stewart: Orange (one of his earliest ones, before even Past, Present and Future which is also a great album IMHO)

Paul McCartney: Ram (absolute best he has done since leaving the Beatles)

What say you?

Jim Croce was a superb singer/songwriter. His music is a perfect companion to GL. There is a double CD available that covers some of his earlier work and all of his later work, namely the three albums he recorded with ABC Records (You Don't Mess Around with Jim, Life & Times, and I Got a Name). It's a very worthwhile addition to your collection.

Anything by Dire Straits and, later on, Mark Knopfler. Intelligent songwriting coupled with unique, distinctive guitar work.

Ten Summoners Tales by Sting. It's a fantastic album and his best solo effort.

[ February 05, 2006, 17:12: Message edited by: GJM ]

Yup love Dire Straits. The original Dire Straits, Making Movies and the live Alchemy are probably my favourites

John Stewart:

Calfiornia Bloodlines (then) to The Day the River Sang (Now) Like Gord . . . damn few left.

Damn few . . .

The Rez

PS: John, like Gord . . . never *ever* judge on superficial hearings. Walk in the mocossins, breathe deep the gasp of hope - always present.

A PS;

Consider not The Record as to where the value lies, consider The Song . . . Light Years Different.

The Rez

Well Kligore,this may sound strange but...the much undersung KISS album "The Elder" is actually pretty great for a "concept" album.

There is an unreleased film of the same name but apparently the group decided it was not a good idea to put it out there.

If you listen to this all the way through (get the CD so you don't have to "flip" anything)what you end up with,by using your imagination,is an almost mythological story.

It just makes more sense that way than listening to a song here & there. :)

My "contribution" to this thread would be Paul Thorn's debut album "Hammer and Nail". The descriptives used in the suggestions for John Stewart, Jim Croce, and Mark Knopfler are all applicable to Mr.Thorn. Stewart, Croce, and Knopfler
are discoveries I made after becoming enamored with the singer/songwriter concept.... because of Lightfoot.

RMD

Kilgore,
Given you don't mind Al Stewart, I would suggest a "Best of" ( mine is called "Chronicles" I think...)

He has a few newer tracks on it than the 2 albums you mentioned. Some can stop you dead in your tracks and force you to just listen...

Justin Hayward and John Lodge of the Moody Blues
album they did together in '75 titled "Blue Jays". Really well done.

Thanks keep them coming I think there are a lot of great albums out there that never got much airplay, not because they weren't good.

And not to turn this into a Mark Knopfler thread but he is one heck of a songwriter one of my all-time favourite guitarists, he can play a mile a minute or slow and sweet. I could listen to him play his guit box all day

Crosby Stills & Nash 1969.

Stan Rogers'"Turnaround". Another Canadian baritone who died tragically in '83, I believe. The older brother of Garnet Rogers. Gordon was his idol.

"Song of the Candle" is simply a masterpiece of songwriting, about songwriting. And "Bluenose" - a
stirring ode to the famous Canadian schooner.

Also: John Stewart's "Phoenix Concerts"
Mickey Newbury's "Heaven Help the Child"
Eric Andersen's "Blue River"

Below is 10 non-Gord releases I think no music collection should be without. Some obvious, some less so.

:)

Jeff

----

The Anthology of American Folk Music

The Band- Northern Lights / Southern Cross

Pet Shop Boys- Behaviour

Waylon Jennings- Folk / Country

Jimmie Rodgers- Recordings 1927-1933

Charley Patton- Complete Recordings 1929-1934

Temple of the Dog- Temple of the Dog

Elvis Presley- The Complete 70s Masters

Marty Raybon & Full Circle- The Gospel In Black & White

Marvin Gaye- What's Going On?

Lowen & Navarro "Live Radio" You might not recognize the names, Eric Lowen & Dan Navarro, but you no doubt are familiar with songs they wrote - most notably, "We Belong" taken to #5 by Pat Benatar. These guys are fantastic and I like all of their CDs, but this one is my favorite. It's not a "greatest hits" type record, however all but one song had been previously recorded. These versions were collected from four live shows on Roz & Howard Larman's FolkScene radio program in Los Angeles. What I love most about this CD is that it's totally acoustic - the guitars and harmonies shine through.

Slaid Cleaves "Broke Down" Slaid is another young Austin based singer/songwriter who finally put himself on the Americana map with this one. There are some great songs here - one in particular might interest our Canadian friends called "Breakfast In Hell" - although I must admit, as much as I *like* the recording of this song, I *love* his live version with audience participation :)

Rosanne Cash "Rules of Travel" and "Kings Record Shop" I know there has been some discussion of her new CD in other threads, but I haven't heard it yet. Until I do, I have to site these as being my two favorite albums, though I've always loved all her stuff.

Guy Clark "Cold Dog Soup" Guy is a bit more folk/country than the pop and folk/pop of my previous recommendations, but he can certainly turn a phrase. Anyone who has traveled or lived in Southern California knows that, "If I can just get off this L.A. freeway without gettin' killed or caught." pretty much says it all. But my favorite line comes from the title song of this album, "There ain't no money in poetry, that's what sets the poet free, and I've had all the freedom I can stand."

Rodney Crowell "Street Language" I adore Rodney Crowell and have everything he's ever released including all the "best of" releases, but this one just might be my favorite even though it's probably one of his least known albums. Rodney has several musical personas - this one is an example of what we jokingly refer to as "Rockin Rodney" - it's pop/rock and didn't fit well in the country pigeonhole the industry stuck him in for so long. Another good album by him is simply titled "Rodney Crowell" and contains several songs he wrote that were made popular by others such as "Stars On The Water" - Buffett, "Shame On The Moon" - Bob Seger, "Til I Gain Control Again - just about everybody...Emmylou, Willie Nelson, Crystal Gail, etc.

Berkley Hart "Wreck N Sow" This acoustic duo is local to me in San Diego. They're great guitarists and their harmony is just incredible. This album has some great songs. It's their first one and has everything from toe tappers energizing you as you're "Running For The Texas Line" all the way to "Barrel Of Rain" for which you will need a barrel to collect the tears you shed - that one's a story tellin' song at it's finest.

Well, I could go on, but I won't. I love threads like this. I enjoy learning of music new to me and I love sharing stuff I'm fortunate enough to have in my collection that others may not be familiar with.

(edited to correct Buffett's name)

[ February 07, 2006, 06:04: Message edited by: Janice ]

Holy crap - I didn't realize I wrote War and Peace :eek: Sorry for that lengthy post above - but trust me the music is worth it.

LOL! you crack me up J !!
lol
and my dear Aengus Finnan does a lovely rendition of "Breakfast in Hell"

I find that spending my days with three toddlers, their music, singing, chatting all day leaves me craving QUIET a lot of the time after they've left so have not been listening to much music of any kind!
lol
And Janice is a lucky one helping out with some great concerts in San Diego.....she hears fabulous music in an intimate small venue and can really appreciate it like that.
I really love Jennifer Warnes - Famous Blue Raincoat - Leonard Cohen songs....some of the older K.K. albums and his duet albums with Rita Coolidge are gorgeous.
That's about as much as I can recall at this time....my brain is full of children's songs....
lol
:redface:

These aren't exactly obscure but for sheer songcraft I adore Warren Zevon's eponymous debut album on Asylum and Richard Thompson's "Henry The Human Fly."