10 Genre-Defining CDs You Must Own, Part 2

Posted by Lars-Erik on Sunday Aug 24, 2008 Under Albums

I’m listing 10 must-own albums in an attempt to define the musical genre of the music scene this book project is all about. Read part 1 of this article here.

The final five albums you need to run out and purchase ASAP are as follows:

Christopher Cross: Christopher Cross (1979)

Christopher Cross’ rapid slide from omnipresence into obscurity is one of the great mysteries of pop music history. A fresh face on the scene at 29, he swept away the four major Grammys at the 1980 award ceremony – an unmatched feat to this day. His self-designated “pop ‘n’ roll” immediately hit a major chord with the American public, and his self-titled debut album, propelled by three hit singles, found its way into many a record shelf across the country. Cross’ pleasant melodies, coupled with Michael Omartian’s crisp production and stellar cameos by some of SoCal’s finest singers, provided the perfect musical companion to carefree days along the California coast.

Standout Tracks: Ride Like The Wind, Sailing

Get it here: iTunes Amazon
Boz Scaggs: Middle Man (1980)

With “Middle Man”, producer Bill Schnee and arranger/keyboardist David Foster brought the absolute best out of erstwhile bluesman Boz Scaggs and created one of the coolest albums in LA history. Everything from the effortless, playful swing of the drum tracks to Scaggs’ trademark detached yet soulful delivery is almost uncannily impeccable. Gone is the grittiness of the artist’s previous offerings, in favor of Schnee’s sparkling hi-fi approach. The songwriting is outstanding, treading a fine line between dance numbers and controlled yet energetic rockers. If Christopher Cross is the sound of a long, sunny day out in the yacht, Scaggs takes us to his penthouse pad for the afterparty.

Standout tracks: Jojo, You Got Some Imagination

Get it here: iTunes Amazon
Kenny Loggins: Keep The Fire (1979)

After striking up a writing partnership with then Doobie Brothers frontman Michael McDonald, Loggins was setting himself up for several Grammy awards at the turn of the decade. His vocal performance on “This Is It” earned him well-deserved accolades the same year that the Doobies took “What a Fool Believes” to the top of the charts. Though not the most polished-sounding album, “Keep The Fire” showcases Kenny Loggins and his backing band at the top of their game. Multi-track recording pioneer Tow Dowd helped Loggins couple his penchant for old-school rock ‘n’ roll with his flower power aesthetics to create a true west coast classic.

Standout tracks: This Is It, Love Has Come of Age

Get it here: iTunes Amazon
Gino Vannelli: Nightwalker (1981)

Canadian drummer/vocalist/songwriter Gino Vannelli moved to Los Angeles in the mid-seventies after landing a record deal with Herb Alpert’s A&M Records. Over the next few years, Vannelli, aided by his brothers Joe and Ross, made dramatic vocals over meticulously constructed backing tracks his trademark sound, and eventually found mainstream success with his 1978 ballad “I Just Wanna Stop.” On “Nightwalker”, his label debut on Arista, he perfected his progressive fusion approach to the California sound with a set that was destined to give burgeoning musicians worldwide sore fingers for decades.

Standout tracks: Santa Rosa, Stay With Me

Get it here: Amazon
Bill Champlin: Runaway (1981)

Despite initial doubts and a concerned phone call from Kenny Loggins, Bill Champlin joined then-struggling horn outfit Chicago in 1981. Bringing with him his friend and longtime collaborator David Foster, the former Sons of Champlin singer played a key role in the band’s sudden turn of fortune. The one downside to the union was that it didn’t give Elektra much incentive to market the album Champlin had just recorded with Foster at the helm. Champlin’s second solo album, “Runaway” came and went largely without notice. Still, it remains a cult favorite to this day, striking the critical balance between commercial appeal and musical sophistication with pinpoint precision.

Standout tracks: Satisfaction, Without You

Get it here: iTunes

Whew, that’s a lot of quality stuff right there. There are a few glaring omissions from the list, like Marc Jordan’s seminal “Blue Desert” and Maxus’ self-titled album, but they’re nigh on impossible to find on CD or even iTunes these days. I’ll do a write-up of the hard-to-find classics in a week or two.

Disclaimer: One of the criteria for selection is availability. That means that some of my favorite genre milestones will have to wait for the collector’s guide list. Also, a lot of albums have one or two fantastic songs without being a great album as a whole. I have a feeling these albums will be discussed at length later.

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10 Genre-Defining CDs You Must Own, Part 1

Posted by Lars-Erik on Tuesday Aug 19, 2008 Under Albums

Defining a musical genre is trickier than you might think. I’ve been poring over my music collection trying to come up with a phrase that evokes the characteristics of the music I’m writing about, but I’ve had no luck so far. Describing the style in musical terms is also pretty tough, considering the wide range of musical expressions within the style. Artists and producers bring their own influences and sensibilities to the table – some are jazz crooners, some are fusion fiends, some are full-on rock singers in sheep’s clothing, and there’s a lot of soul going on, blue-eyed or otherwise.

All I know so far is this: After listening to this music most of my life so far, I can pretty much tell when I listen to an album whether it was recorded in Los Angeles between 1975 and 1985. Sometimes I can tell just by looking at the cover. There’s a certain California vibe to it all, the late seventies/early eighties sound is easy to spot, and the cast of characters in the studio invariably bring their own special brand of style.

So I’ve decided that I’m not really writing about a musical genre, as much as I’m writing about a body of music produced in a geographically limited area, for a limited time, by a limited group of people. In other words, I’m writing about the output of the Los Angeles studio scene from roughly 1977 through 1983.

Just in case you’re not familiar with the music in question, and you feel the need to know what the fuss is about, I’ve compiled a list of CDs that are easily available at several online retailers. If you give one or more of these albums a reasonable amount of attention and nothing sticks, maybe this music isn’t for you. I wouldn’t give up too easily, though. Once you work your way through the layers of retro sound and attitude, there’s a lot of great music to be found.

Here are the first five albums, in no particular order:

Airplay: Airplay (1980)

By 1980, David Foster and Jay Graydon were hitting their stride. Fresh off a huge hit single and songwriting breakthrough with Earth Wind & Fire’s “After the Love Has Gone”, the duo were given the chance to shine on their own. The result is a showcase of the talent in their circle of friends and colleagues. Strong melodies and arrangements as well as amazing musicianship throughout helps make Airplay the must-own CD for any serious fan of the genre.

Standout tracks: Nothin’ You Can Do About It, After The Love Has Gone

Get it here: Amazon
Toto: Toto IV (1982)

Three brothers, two of their high school friends, and a couple of session aces picked up along the way, Toto built their chops backing major touring and recording artists before striking out on their own in 1978. Their double platinum debut album proved a hard act to follow, but they hit it out of the park in 1982 with “Toto IV”. Panned by the critics and adored by the public, IV received six Grammy awards and spawned five hit singles. A true classic.

Standout Tracks: Rosanna, Africa

Get it here: iTunes Amazon
Pages: Pages (1981)

Childhood friends Richard Page and Steve George lit up the LA scene with their sensitive, soulful songs and fusion-informed sophisti-pop as the nucleus of Pages. Unlikely candidates for mass appeal, the pair were most successful as the background vocal darlings of the session world. That is, until they went out and bought DX-7s and industrial strength hair products, formed Mr. Mister and wrote “Broken Wings” and “Kyrie” in the mid-eighties. Their last album under the Pages moniker stands as testimony to their amazing songwriting skills. Produced by Jay Graydon and featuring top-shelf session players, their second eponymous effort should not be missed.

Standout tracks: O.C.O.E. (Official Cat of the Eighties), Sesatia

Get it here: Amazon
Michael McDonald: If That’s What It Takes (1982)

Missouri native McDonald moved out west and immediately made a splash as touring keyboardist and background vocalist for Steely Dan. When the ‘Dan disbanded their touring ensemble to focus on their studio endeavors, McDonald was picked up by San Jose rockers The Doobie Brothers. He made his mark right away, penning the title track for their 1976 album “Takin’ It to the Streets”, which gave the Doobies a much-needed hit single. By the turn of the decade, fans and critics alike were screaming for a solo album, and they were not disappointed. Though not as crisp-sounding as some of its contemporaries, “If That’s What It Takes” makes up for it with deep, soulful grooves and quality playing throughout.

Standout tracks: I Keep Forgettin’ (Every Time You’re Near), Love Lies

Get it here: iTunes Amazon
Al Jarreau: Breakin’ Away (1981)

A preacher’s kid from Milwaukee, Al Jarreau grew up singing in the church choir. After paying his dues at wedding receptions and jazz clubs, he was spotted by a Warner Bros. Records representative in 1975, and promptly launched himself into an international career that’s still going strong. After a few initial jazz-tinged albums, he hooked up with producer Jay Graydon and found widespread commercial success, spearheaded by the singles “Mornin’” and “We’re In This Love Together”. “Breakin’ Away” earned Jarreau two Grammys and remains his biggest selling album. Rolling Stone called it “an engaging mixture of strutting slow songs and jazzy set pieces”, and claimed it placed the artist “dead center in Los Angeles’ haut monde melting pot of pop-funk fusion music.” Who am I to disagree?

Standout tracks: Breakin’ Away, My Old Friend

Get it here: iTunes Amazon

That’s the first batch. Go ye forth and get educated.

UPDATE: Read part 2 here.

Disclaimer: One of the criteria for selection is availability. That means that some of my favorite genre milestones will have to wait for the collector’s guide list. Also, a lot of albums have one or two fantastic songs without being a great album as a whole. I have a feeling these albums will be discussed at length later.

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