Music fron Real Simple
Rock
The Classics
- Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?: Rock’s guitar virtuoso at his best.
- The Rolling Stones, Sticky Fingers: The band shows its range with this eclectic mix of tracks.
- The Clash, London Calling: Political lyrics and reggae influences. A revolutionary album.
- John Mayall and the Bluesbreakers, Bluesbreakers With Eric Clapton: Genius vocals and guitar riffs from two legends.
- Pink Floyd, The Dark Side of the Moon: Rock at its grandest. And 15 million albums sold to prove it.
The Contemporaries
- Arcade Fire, Neon Bible: Epic and cinematic rock songs.
- Muse, Black Holes and Revelations: Bold and Wagnerian. Like Queen, but without the jokes.
- The Fratellis, Costello Music: A guitar-drum-bass combo playing irresistibly catchy, Green Day-esque tunes.
- Ray LaMontagne, Till the Sun Turns Black: Emotional songs sung in a raw, unique voice.
- Little Barrie, Stand Your Ground: Three guys having a madcap adventure with the blues.
Latin
The Classics
- Rubén Blades and Willie Colón, Siembra: Incisive social commentary to a salsa beat.
- Astor Piazzolla, Adiós Nonino: A seminal album that opened the door for contemporary tango.
- Paco de Lucía, Entre Dos Aguas: How the world discovered flamenco.
- La Sonora Matancera, Historia de la Sonora Matancera: The long-running ensemble of Cuban expats (including Celia Cruz) comes alive in this compilation.
- José Alfredo Jiménez, Lo Mejor de José Alfredo Jiménez: The original versions of songs that have become well-covered Latin classics.
The Contemporaries
- Daddy Yankee, Barrio Fino: This album’s hit “Gasolina” ignited Latin music’s new rap-reggae hybrid, known as reggaetón.
- Juanes, Un Día Normal: A fresh pop-rock sound, in Spanish, from this Colombian singer.
- Alejandro Sanz, Más: A first-rate fusion of pop and flamenco, with dabs of jazz.
- Ricardo Arjona, Adentro: A traditional Latin songwriter who produces contemporary lyrics.
- Maná, Amar Es Combatir: The top band in Latin rock taps a variety of influences.
World
The Classics
- Mahmoud Ahmed, Ere Mela Mela: An Ethiopian singer’s marvelous mash up of Western and Eastern styles.
- Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Devotional and Love Songs: Enchanting devotional music, rooted in Islam, in a concise, accessible context.
- Various Artists, Zulu Jive: You’ll hear the roots of Paul Simon’s Graceland.
- Herbie Mann, Gagaku and Beyond: An American jazz-pop artist takes on the traditional court music of Japan and more.
- DJ Cheb I Sabbah, Shri Durga: A renowned DJ mixes Indian classical sounds with Western dance grooves.
The Contemporaries
- Warsaw Village Band, People’s Spring: Hard-core folk. Old Polish mountain music with a punk-rock sensibility.
- Andy Palacio and the Garifuna Collective, Watina: Lilting and lovely songs sung in the language of the Garifuna tribe of Belize.
- David Darling & the Wulu Bunun, Mudanin Kata: Harmonies from the indigenous people of central Taiwan.
- Enzo Avitabile and Bottari, Save the World: Modern rhythms played on Italian farm barrels, whose design dates back to medieval times. An intriguing racket.
- Various Artists, Electric Gypsland 2: Three top Balkan bands, remixed by an array of DJ’s, with universally groovy results.
Classical
The Classics
- Guiseppe Verdi, Aida, with Maria Callas, Mario del Monaco, Oliviero de Fabritis, and the Orchestra and Chorus of del Palacio de Bellas Artes, Mexico City: One of the greatest singers of our time in a legendary 1951 performance.
- Gustav Mahler, Das Lied von der Erde, with Christa Ludwig and Fritz Wunderlich; Otto Klemperer conducting: The definitive recording of the passionate, varied, and sprawling work.
- Johann Sebastian Bach, A State of Wonder: The Complete Goldberg Variations (1955 & 1981): Two riveting performances by pianist Glenn Gould.
- Ludwig Van Beethoven, Violin Concerto in D, as performed by Jascha Heifetz: You might evaluate prospective romantic partners on the basis of their reactions to this recording.
- Samuel Barber, Leontyne Price Sings Barber: Includes Price’s performance of “Knoxville, Summer of 1915.” Other sopranos have recorded it. Accept no substitutes.
The Contemporaries
- Peter Lieberson, Lorraine Hunt Lieberson Sings Peter Lieberson: Neruda Songs: Beautiful love songs written by a husband to his wife, who recorded them before she died of cancer.
- Steve Reich, Phases: A five-disc retrospective of the work of an unconventional contemporary master.
- Ludwig Van Beethoven, Symphonies 4 and 5: Highlights of a fresh and wonderful Beethoven cycle in a new recording by conductor Osmo Vänskä and the Minnesota Orchestra.
- Dmitry Shostakovich, The Complete Symphonies: A set decades in the making from Latvia’s Mariss Jansons, who may be the best living conductor today.
- Richard Wagner, The Ring: After languishing for half a century, this live recording from the 1953 Bayreuth Festival has been newly reissued.
Alternative
The Classics
- Buzzcocks, Singles Going Steady: The Beatles of punk rock set heartbreak and angst to melodious tunes.
- R.E.M., Automatic for the People: A striking collection of orchestrated songs about life and death. The band’s best album. Period.
- Echo & the Bunnymen, Crocodiles: Moody, mannered, yet moving music.
- The Replacements, Let It Be: Brilliant songwriting that paved the way for Nirvana.
- Radiohead, Kid A, Swirling:
Synthesizers yield quiet and contemplative songs.
The Contemporaries
- The Raconteurs, Broken Boy Soldiers: Simple, stirring songwriting from the White Stripes’ frontman.
- Sufjan Stevens, The Avalanche: Sweet vocals, intelligent songs.
- Gnarls Barkley, St. Elsewhere: Rock plus R&B equals songs that get stuck in your head.
- Cold War Kids, Robbers & Cowards: Compelling blues- and soul-influenced rockers.
- Cat Power, The Greatest: Mellow music from the breathy female vocalist and cult-rock icon.
R&B
The Classics
- James Brown, Live at the Apollo: Pure onstage energy and an uplifting, emotional journey.
- Otis Redding, Live in Europe: Otis at his heart-wrenching best, singing horn-fired hits like “Try a Little Tenderness” and more.
- Sam & Dave, Double Dynamite: The greatest example of call-and-response preaching soul.
- The Impressions, People Get Ready: The masterful songs of lead singer Curtis Mayfield served in the struggle for civil rights.
- Aretha Franklin, Spirit in the Dark: The Queen of Soul makes a powerful concept album about the spirit of indomitability.
The Contemporaries
- Sam Moore, Overnight Sensational: This album is for lovers of classic R&B and newer soul music.
- Dave Hamilton, Detroit City Grooves: A brew of jazz and funk.
- John Legend, Get Lifted: The onetime backup musician makes his mark with outstanding R&B vocals.
- Corinne Bailey Rae, Corinne Bailey Rae: Her sweet voice showcases passion and spirit.
- David Banner, Certified: A rapper crosses over with hard-hitting rhythms and rhymes.
Sugarland, Enjoy the Ride: Country music plus rock with arena-filling power.
Folk
The Classics
- Bob Dylan, The Times They Are A-Changin’: Dylan’s last fully acoustic album of the 60s captured the tumult of an era.
- Judy Collins, Fifth Album: Grace, beauty, and enduring songs.
- Tom Rush, The Circle Game: A deep, resonant voice matches the depth of emotion on this collection.
- Phil Ochs, Pleasures of the Harbor: Ochs tackled politics with exquisite, simple music.
- Aztec Two Step, Aztec Two Step: The duo surpasses Simon & Garfunkel for exquisite harmonies, musicianship, and emotion.
The Contemporaries
- Dave Carter and Tracy Grammer, When I Go: Brilliant and masterful, influenced by everyone from Buddhists to cowboys.
- Lowen & Navarro, Live Radio: Provocative and spellbinding songs of self-discovery.
- Crooked Still, Hop High: Conservatory-trained musicians let loose on traditional bluegrass.
- Sloan Wainwright, Sloan Wainwright: Her expansive, resonant voice merges with rich folk-rock arrangements.
- Eliza Gilkyson, Paradise Hotel: Biting and poignant songs on the human condition.
Singer-Songwriters
The Classics
- Tim Buckley, Happy Sad: As the title implies, this acoustic album is both joyful and contemplative.
- Leonard Cohen, The Songs of Leonard Cohen: Unique music and vocals with unfussy arrangements.
- Van Morrison, Astral Weeks: Blues and jazz flavor Morrison’s eloquent songs of his Irish roots.
- James Taylor, James Taylor: His emotional debut, with some tracks you’ll already recognize and others worth getting acquainted with.
- Joni Mitchell, Blue: Heartfelt lyrics set to straightforward melodies with acoustic brilliance.
The Contemporaries
- Perry Blake, California: Smooth and dreamy; sung in Blake’s high, quavering style.
- Momus, Poison Boyfriend: Understated, intelligent songs about lust.
- The Czars, The Ugly People Vs. the Beautiful People: Deals with regret and loneliness, but uplifting.
- Scott Walker, The Drift: A captivatingly low voice and songs with quirky themes.
- Eric Matthews, It’s Heavy in Here: The subject? Love. And the sound? Literally music to your ears.
Jazz
The Classics
- Miles Davis, In a Silent Way: When you’re ready to graduate from Kind of Blue.
- Wayne Shorter, Juju: Some of the most beautiful and unorthodox compositions in jazz.
- Bill Evans Trio, Sunday at the Village Vanguard: Lyrical improvisations recorded live.
- John Coltrane, A Love Supreme: The skillful saxophonist explores spiritual themes through extended, effortlessly eloquent improvisations.
- Ahmad Jamal, Ahmad Jamal at the Pershing―But Not for Me: Brisk, bluesy, effortless swing.
The Contemporaries
- Thelonious Monk Quartet and John Coltrane, Thelonious Monk Quartet With John Coltrane, at Carnegie Hall Live: A totally thrilling 1957 recording discovered in 2005.
- Brad Mehldau, Largo: A lush and inviting series of meditations.
- Jason Moran, The Bandwagon: Moran’s trio draws upon styles from classical to hip-hop.
- Keith Jarrett, The Melody at Night, With You: Thoughtful solo piano versions of 1920s tunes.
- Jamie Cullum, Twentysomething: A hotshot pianist and singer plays jazz that’s laid-back and sultry.