Wednesday, April 29, 2020

Influential Albums - Part 2


Welcome to the second set of albums. These five albums were highlights of my high school years. It was a mixture of fun and angst as I hung out with friends and got a girlfriend. Here we go:


TITLE: Waking Up the Neighbours
ARTIST: Bryan Adams
YEAR: 1991
GENRE: Pop Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Is Your Mama Gonna Miss Ya?; Hey Honey-I’m Packin’ You In; Can’t Stop This Thing We Started; Thought I Died and Gone to Heaven; Not Guilty; Vanishing; House Arrest; Do I Have to Say the Words?; There Will Be Another Tonight; All I Want Is You; Depend on Me; (Everything I Do) I Do It for You; If You Wanna Leave Me (Can I Come Too?); Touch the Hand; Don’t Drop That Bomb on Me

FAVOURITE TRACK: All I Want Is You
LISTEN TO THE TRACK: Click here
WHY THIS TRACK: The lyrics are simple, like most Bryan Adams songs, but the passion infused in his performance is awesome. I’m also a huge fan of songs where the music drops out for a second and then hits you like a sonic boom. (You’ll see that a lot in these lists.)
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Of course, I loved “Summer of ‘69” off Adam’s Reckless album but Neighbours hooked me a lot more. It also led me to my first concert experience on January 31, 1992. I remember the crowd got silent for a moment and I yelled at the top of my lungs  “69!” (you know how loud I can be), Adams looked up to my nosebleed section, played the first few chords, laughed and then played something else. Though he would eventually get around to “Summer of ’69” at the encore, that concert was full of great songs from Waking Up the Neighbours.


TITLE: Mad Mad World
ARTIST: Tom Cochrane
YEAR: 1991
GENRE: Pop Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Life is a Highway; Mad Mad World; No Regrets; Sinking Like a Sunset; Washed Away; Everything Come Around; The Secret is to Know When to Stop; Brave and Crazy; Bigger Man; Friendly Advice; Get Back Up; Emotional Truth; All the King’s Men

FAVOURITE TRACK: Life is a Highway
LISTEN TO THE TRACK: Click here
WHY THIS TRACK: This song just gets your toe tapping. Also hearing “Vancouver’s lights” always brought a sense of pride. I often played this song when hosting 11:07 Comedy Improv at TWU – it was a crowd pleaser. I like this version a hundred time more than the Rascal Flatts cover.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: I’m a proud Canadian when it comes to music. I like to support Canadian artists when I can. I always take great pleasure hearing a Canadian artist make it big on the international stage. “Life is a Highway” was just one of those songs. And the album is full of pounding harmonica laced tunes and thoughtful insights on society. Also, saw this guy in a free PNE concert. Good times.


TITLE: Achtung Baby
ARTIST: U2
YEAR: 1991
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Zoo Station; Even Better Than the Real Thing; One; Until the End of the World; Who’s Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses; So Cruel; The Fly; Mysterious Ways; Tryin’ to Throw Your Arms Around the World; Ultraviolet (Light My Way); Acrobat; Love is Blindness

FAVOURITE TRACK: One
LISTEN TO THE TRACK: Click here
WHY THIS TRACK: The lyrics get me every time. A bitter conversation that touches on love and spirituality. Heavy stuff.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: This was my emo music of choice. The album would play on repeat while I pined for the girl who eventually became my first girlfriend. Achtung Baby is full of introspection and angst. It helps having downer songs like “Acrobat” and “Love is Blindness” at times.


TITLE: Gordon
ARTIST: Barenaked Ladies
YEAR: 1992
GENRE: Pop
ALBUM TRACKS: Hello City; Enid; Grade 9; Brian Wilson; Be My Yoko Ono; Wrap Your Arms Around Me; What a Good Boy; The King of Bedside Manor; Box Set; I Love You; New Kid (On the Block); Blame It on Me; The Flag; If I Had $1000000; Crazy

FAVOURITE TRACK: Blame It on Me
LISTEN TO THE TRACK: Click here
WHY THIS TRACK: I like the clever lyrics and laid back rhythm. Also love the “la, la, la, I can’t hear you”. While I like their crazy stuff, I equally like their quieter songs.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: I would have to say that Barenaked Ladies is one my favourite band of all time. I love their zany nature mixed with folksy fun music & lyrics. It helps that they are Canadian as well. These guys have the best concerts. They are lively and improv songs while entertaining the throngs.I think I’ve seen them four or five times. In fact, I took my wife to one of their concerts for our first date (though she was unaware that it was a date and it took an entire year to work up the nerve to come right out and ask her again). As a side note, while I prefer Ed Robertson’s sings, I was sad when Steven Page left and was replaced by the far inferior Kevin Hearn. Oh well. Still enjoy their work.


TITLE: Automatic for the People
ARTIST: R.E.M.
YEAR: 1992
GENRE: Alternative Rock
ALBUM TRACKS: Drive; Try Not to Breathe; The Sidewinder Sleeps Tonite; Everybody Hurts; New Orleans Instrumental No. 1; Sweetness Follows; Monty Got a Raw Deal; Ignoreland; Star Me Kitten; Man on the Moon; Nightswimming; Find the River

FAVOURITE TRACK: Try Not to Breathe
LISTEN TO THE TRACK: Click here
WHY THIS TRACK: I love the driving rhythm under this song, it almost makes my body sway with the music. Also love the descant harmonies in the second half of the song. If you want to learn more about this song, I encourage you to check out Song Exploder by clicking here.
ALBUM INFLUENCE: Another round of emo music; perfect for my angsty teen years. I loved Michael’s Stipe’s voice and would often sing along to “Nightswimming”. This album reminds me of driving home from my girlfriend’s house. It’s great late-night driving music.

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