My Top 40 Favorite Albums (More or Less)

Okay, so I decided to do my top forty favorite albums. Feel free to comment or to

make your own list. It is not necessarily in rank order although it is pretty close.
I spent about a week really thinking about this and as I finalized the list it occurred
to me that the Beatles don't show up anywhere on this list. However, my love of
music began for real when my brother Mark gave me my first Beatles record for
Christmas in the 6th grade. The Beatles in some way find their way in to all of the
music I have listed here...
So enjoy my list of Top Forty Favorite Albums:

1. Minutemen - Double Nickels on the Dime

Not the first band I ever fell in love with but I was lucky enough to see them open
for R.E. M. in 1985 (?) and they informed the way I think about music for the rest of
my life.
2. The Replacements - Tim
Simply one of the greatest moments in my musical education came when my friend
Kooch put this tape in the stereo and said “listen to this!”
3. Hüsker Dü - New Day Rising
I had to listen to this album about a hundred times before I got it…and then I fell in
love with them. This was the first of their records I heard.
4. The Clash – Give ‘em Enough Rope
This was the second Clash Album I bought and it continues to be my favorite.
5. The Clash – London Calling
This is just a great album, It is great every time I hear it.
6. Bruce Springsteen – The Wild, the Innocent and the E Street Shuffle
My brother Patrick gave me this album when I was a freshman in H.S. and I still
listen to it about once a week. My unborn sone moves around a lot when he hears
this record.
7. Hüsker Dü - Zen Arcade
When I finally figured out that this album was a complete story from beginning to
end, I had an all new love and admiration for Grant Hart and Bob Mould.
8. The Replacements – Pleased to Meet Me
This is just one of the greatest pop records ever!
9. Rancid – Life Won’t Wait
A lot of people gave these guys shit for this record but I think it is brilliant and every
time I see them play the songs from this album live, they are my favorite ones.
10. Rancid – And Out Come the Wolves
This album helped save punk.
11. The Who – My Generation
Everybody knows this was one of the first punk albums ever.
12. The Who – Tommy
Can’t be a Who fan without loving this album.
13. Descendents - Milo Goes to College
This album still holds up today as a great rock record.
14. The Jam – All Mod Cons
For all that I hated about the style council and even some of The Jam’s late work, I
love, love, love this record. It still gets me creased to think that Paul Weller started
this great band when he was only 14!
15. U2 - War/ The Unforgettable Fire
Sure, nowadays Bono doesn’t know if he wants to be Jesus Christ or Liza Minelli, but
these two albums, as a package, were the soundtrack to my early highschool days
and I still hold them in high esteem.
16. Elvis Costello – This Years Model
Once again, my brother Patrick turned me on to this album and I still listen to it
today. It is one of the greatest rock albums ever!
17. Joe Jackson – Stepping Out
When MTV first came to Indiana, I would watch it whenever I was near a T.V. with
Cable. This video played often and subsequently, I bought the record. At first listen
it might not sound like it but I say this album rocks!
18. R.E. M. - Fables of the Reconstruction
What a great album…it’s weird, its dark, its poppy…great album.
19. The Rolling Stones – Some Girls
I listen to this album about once a month. I think it was a real turning point in Rock
and all those “no depression” bands owe Keefe a big nod for this one.
20. Red Hot Chilli Peppers- Uplift Mofo Party Plan
I went to Ireland in 1989 with this cassette in my Walk-Man. I never took it out.
21. Fear- The Record
A guy at camp named “28” gave me a copy of this record in 1986 and I was blown
away. I never imagined rock music like this.
22. PIL –Cassette
Just good music.
23. Fishbone - Truth and Soul
Still holds up today as an incredible record.
24. Dead Kennedys - Plastic Surgery Disasters
Moon over Marin is still one of my favorite songs.
25. Zero Boys - Vicious Circle
One of the greatest punk records ever…from Indianapolis
26. VA – Black Brittle Frisbee
A compilation of various Indiana bands. I wish I still had this record.
27. Sublime – 40 oz to Freedom
In the mid ‘90’s I criss-crossed the United States several times. This record was
always playing.
28. The Smiths – The Queen is Dead
Another record that Kooch turned me on to. I love the pop sensibility!
29. The Kinks – Lola Versus Powerman And The Moneygoround
If I could write songs this good….
30. Against Me! Reinventing Axl Rose
This album is great.
31. David Bowie – The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and The Spiders From Mars
My brother Rob turned me on to Bowie, this album especially. I listened to this
record everyday during my freshman year of H.S.
32. The Blasters – American Music
This is a fine example of American Rock music
33. Exploding Hearts – Guitar Romantic
I love this album from beginning to end. The story of this band is as heartbreaking
as it gets but I’m so glad they recorded this record.
34. The Slurs – The Problem with Rock ‘n Roll
One of the greatest bands ever to come out of Indiana
35. Squeeze – East Side Story
This record is a pop music primer
36. Brown Betty – Thriller
This band was my favorite local band in 1992-93. I still listen to this record at least
once a month.
37. AFI - Black Sails in the Sunset
I really like this album, especially when I have heard it live.
38. Suicide Machines – Destruction by Definition
I bought this record on a whim and was thouroughly impressed, from the opening
chord. That really doesn’t happen too often.
39. Fugazi - Repeater
Although I think Fugazi is over rated, this record stands up as an all-time great.
40. I think there were two U2 albums in the same spot.