Favorite Albums

I am someone who enjoys listening to music to the point of obsession. I always have music playing while I'm doing schoolwork, on the internet, baking cookies, driving in the car...you get the idea. But music is much more than background to me. I have an understanding of its basic mechanics that is limited, but present nevertheless. I find that being informed about the style of the instruments and their dynamics, and the story behind the lyrics, makes me enjoy the sound they make even more. My taste in music is wide-ranging but fairly obscure; almost none of my friends have even heard of most of my favorite artists. In the tradition of evangelists, I feel the need to bring my musical tastes to the world at large, make them realize what amazing material is lurking just beneath the surface of mainstream pop. (Which I don't entirely abhor, incidentally.) And what better way to spread the word than via this blog? So we'll start with an exercise. The following are several of my favorite albums which I consider mandatory listening in order to become a fully-formed human being. Have you listened to any of these albums? Please post a comment listing which ones you've heard and any you might add to the list.

Abbey Road The Beatles
Car Wheels on a Gravel Road Lucinda Williams
Ophelia Natalie Merchant
Tracy Chapman Tracy Chapman
August and Everything After Counting Crows
So Peter Gabriel
Will the Circle Be Unbroken Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Wrecking Ball Emmylou Harris
Tomorrow the Green Grass The Jayhawks
Universal United House of Prayer Buddy Miller

To be continued...