Here's what I like about Esquire: 12 issues for 8 bucks. Cheap!
Here's what I don't like about Esquire: its bizarre view of music. I realize I'm about 35 years too old to be a member of their target audience. I'm not going to buy the shoes, clothes, watches, cars and cologne advertised in the magazine (even though the ads are VERY impressive). And I'm certainly not going to run out and buy the music they tout (although occasionally they hit on something I actually like).
At least they hedge it when they tease you with "Music Albums Your Collection Must Include'' followed by a list of "75 albums every man should own.'' They make no claims about these being essential records you should listen to because they're good. And it's a guy list, but I'd be careful not to play some of these when you have a special lady visiting your crib. It could ruin your night.
Some of the albums are worthy, like Springsteen's "Darkness of the Edge of Town'', Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks'', Taj Mahal's "Giant Step'', the Beatles' "Rubber Soul'', and one gem mentioned in a previous blog: Ray Charles' "Modern Sounds in Country and Western Music.'' I give them props for including Townes Van Zant's "Live at the Old Quarter, Houston, Texas.''
But there are so many strange misses the list begins to read like a Mad Magazine parody. I'm duty bound now to provide a link:
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/music/best-albums-030909
This list will never be confused with anything ever assembled by Rolling Stone, or any publication that takes music seriously.
There's a chance you won't agree with me. There's also a chance you're wearing expensive cologne right now.
Rolling Stone stopped taking music seriously a while ago.
ReplyDeleteWho is Vic Chestnutt, and why does he have TWO albums on this list?
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that they have a DBT record, but it's their newest one. Some staffer must have been surfing the Web and thought, "Hey, sounds like this band has a pretty decent following; let's throw one of their albums on the list to show how hip we are." Too bad they selected the worst album they've done in about a decade. And I say worst because while there are a 5-6 great songs on the album, there's also 5-6 bad ones, too. No one needs to be making a 19-track album.