The Chemical Brothers - Dig Your Own Hole [1997]

Death Cab For Cutie - Plans [2005]

The Zombies - The Greatest Hits [1990]

U2 - The Best of 1980-1990 [1998]

Born From Pain - In Love With the End [2005]

Tenacious D - Tenacious D [2001]

Violent Femmes - Add It Up (1981-1993) [1993]

Battles - Mirrored [2007]

Best Coast - Crazy for You [2010]

Sleigh Bells - Treats [2010]

The Avalanches - Since I Left You [2000]

Bon Iver - For Emma, Forever Ago [2008]

Música: Experimental Rock/Rock & Roll/Proto Punk

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Sadly, outside of a handful of audience tapes of extremely variable fidelity, no one thought to make a live recording of The Velvet Underground during their 1967-68 peak period with John Cale prodding Lou Reed into remarkable flights of noise rock fancy. However, in 1969 a VU fan who was a recording engineer brought a reel-to-reel tape machine to two shows the band played during an engagement at a club in Dallas called The End of Cole Avenue; a few months later, the band played The Matrix in San Francisco, where a tape machine had been installed into the hall's sound system, and the band was allowed to record their set. Five years later, long after The Velvet Underground had collapsed and Lou Reed's solo career was on the rise, Mercury Records compiled highlights of the Dallas and San Francisco tapes into a two-record set, 1969: Velvet Underground Live, and it is without question the best (legally-released) document of this band's considerable strengths as a live act. While they were a somewhat more sedate band with Doug Yule on bass rather than Cale, they still had plenty of life left in them at this stage of the game; there are few voyages into the sonic unknown here, but Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison had matured into one of rock's most potent guitar combinations, Maureen Tucker was as distinctive a drummer as even picked up a pair of mallets, and with Doug Yule at her side they comprised a truly superb rhythm section. Sounding tight, confident, and passionate on every cut, this set finds the band visiting highlights from all four of their studio albums, as well as a handful of previously unreleased numbers. From the delicacy of "New Age" and "I'll Be Your Mirror" to the rave-up energy of "What Goes On" and "White Light/White Heat," 1969: Velvet Underground Live captures the many sides of their musical personality with commendable skill, and while it isn't their best album, it's one of the best places for a beginner to explore their body of work.

5

The Velvet Underground - 1969: Velvet Underground Live with Lou Reed [1974]

Música: Country/Progressive Bluegrass

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This LP was, in effect, a 1973 reunion of three veterans of the Kentucky Colonels, brothers Clarence, Roland, and Eric White, along with banjo player Alan Munde, a late substitution for Herb Pedersen. Though the earlier group had been anything from a quartet to a sextet, the emphasis on these tracks is primarily on Clarence White, featuring his lead vocals to complement his phenomenal guitar playing. Even though he had spent over six years away from bluegrass while touring and recording with the rock group the Byrds, White obviously hadn't lost his touch with the music that he grew up playing. The solos of Roland White (on mandolin) and Munde are exciting as well. This live album rekindles the magic of songs associated with the Kentucky Colonels, particularly the uptempo "New River Train" (with several incredible breaks by Clarence), "Alabama Jubilee," and "Rawhide" (which showcases Roland and Munde). Sadly, it was also among Clarence White's last recordings prior to his death later that year after he and brother Roland were hit by a drunk driver while loading gear after a concert. This release is beautifully packaged, with lots of photos and detailed liner notes by bluegrass expert Jack Tottle. The only mystery is why Rounder allowed this excellent LP to lapse from print; it is long overdue to be reissued on CD.

4.5

The Kentucky Colonels - The White Brothers Live in Sweden [1979]

Música: Hard Rock/Album Rock/Heavy Metal

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Ever since Led Zeppelin parted ways after the death of drummer John Bonham, fans were clamoring for the mighty band to reunite. This willfully ignored both the vital contribution Bonham gave to the group's mystique and Zeppelin's woeful one-off reunion at the 1985 Live Aid charity concert, but the legend of the band was so strong, reunion rumors reached a fever pitch whenever vocalist Robert Plant or guitarist Jimmy Page had a new album in the stores. In 1994, following Plant's moody, misunderstood 1993 album Fate of Nations and Page's widely lambasted collaboration with Whitesnake singer David Coverdale, the two quietly reunited to record a concert for MTV's then-popular acoustic concert series Unplugged. Page & Plant interpreted the Unplugged moniker rather liberally, bringing in a full orchestra, mandolins, and a hurdy-gurdy among other instruments, and Page turned to an electric guitar on occasion. Nevertheless, the "unplugged" setting did give the duo an opportunity to gracefully back away from the bombast that was assumed to be Zeppelin's stock-in-trade; after all, it would have been very hard to do "Whole Lotta Love," "Dazed and Confused," or "Trampled Underfoot" in this setting. Instead, this gives them a chance to dive into the moodiest material, trading heavily on the folk, blues, and world music that gave Led Zeppelin a richness unheard in their heavy rock peers. This might not be what some diehards were expecting from a reunion, but it was a gutsy move from Page & Plant, and the ensuing album, No Quarter, has aged remarkably well. That's not to say that it's timeless music, or a latter-day comeback on the level of Bob Dylan's Love and Theft, but this is ambitiously atmospheric, restless music by musicians not content to rest on their laurels. They do draw heavily from their past, but these new versions of classic Led Zeppelin songs sound reinvigorated in these new arrangements. At times, this means that the songs are given rather drastic reinterpretations -- "Nobody's Fault but Mine" brings the brooding undercurrent of the original to the surface, "Four Sticks" sounds livelier in this spare setting -- while other tunes sound similar to the recorded versions but are given spirited readings ("That's the Way," "The Battle of Evermore," "Gallows Pole"). Between these revived Zeppelin numbers are a few new songs, all ambitious and solid, fitting right into the vibe of the album; even if they don't match the older tunes, they're respectable and gain strength upon repeated listens. As good as much of No Quarter is, it isn't necessarily the kind of record that invites those repeated listens. At its core, it's an experiment, the sound of two middle-aged musicians looking back at their groundbreaking work and finding both sustenance and inspiration there. That makes for fascinating listening, both upon the first spin and a return play several years later, but it doesn't necessarily make for an album that's played all that often.

4

Page & Plant - No Quarter: Jimmy Page & Robert Plant Unledded Live [1994]

Música: Alternative Metal/Progressive Metal/Post Grunge

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Live at the Fillmore finds the expansive and dramatic alt-rock band Dredg performing at the legendary San Francisco venue in May of 2006. Included are such tracks as "Bug Eyes" and "Ode to the Sun" off the band's 2005 studio effort Catch Without Arms. Also featured are "Yahatee" off the group's debut Leitmotif, and "Same Ol' Road" from 2002's Cielo. This is an atmospheric, impassioned and engaging performance that should please longtime fans as well as work as a nice introduction to Dredg's sound.

3.5

Dredg - Live at the Fillmore [2006]

Música: Dance Rock/Album Rock/Contemporary Pop Rock

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Despite Duran Duran ruling the earth by late 1984 (due to countless hits and sold-out tours), the band had completely burned themselves out with a non-stop, grueling work schedule. 1985 was supposed to be a year-long break for its members from band duties, but its five members ultimately formed two separate side-projects: the Power Station, which was comprised of Duranee's John Taylor (bass) and Andy Taylor (guitar), plus solo artist Robert Palmer (vocals) and ex-Chic member Tony Thompson (drums); as well as Arcadia, which featured the three other Duran members, singer Simon Lebon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, and drummer Roger Taylor. The formation of the Power Station came as a complete accident, as John Taylor was dating model/groupie Bebe Buell at the time, and offered to assemble a funky version of T. Rex's classic rocker, "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," for Buell to contribute vocals to (with Andy Taylor and Tony Thompson joining the proceedings). But before the recording could take place, Taylor and Buell split up. The trio decided to press on, however (having already demoed several originals, as well), with a plan to have several different noted pop singers provide vocals. Robert Palmer was invited to sing on a track, but with the vocalist and the rest of the band extremely impressed with the results, Palmer ended up singing on all of the resulting album's eight tracks. Issued in early 1985, the quartet's self-titled debut was a sizeable hit, due to a pair of monster hit singles which merged rock with a dance edge, the original tune "Some Like It Hot" and the aforementioned cover of "Bang a Gong." The album's immediate commercial success prompted the group to organize a supporting tour, but surprisingly, Palmer pulled out just a few days before the tour's launch. The Power Station first attempted to lure Paul Young into the group (who had just scored a hit with the ballad, "Everytime You Go Away"), before settling on former-Silverhead frontman Michael Des Barres. Despite an appearance at the mammoth Live Aid benefit festival in July of 1985, the bandmembers decided to call it quits upon the tour's completion. As a side note, the band member's temporary "break" from Duran Duran failed to recharge their batteries, as both Andy and Roger Taylor split from the band shortly thereafter, while Palmer would go on to issue some of the '80s biggest pop hits, including "Addicted to Love" and "Simply Irresistible." Surprisingly, the original Power Station lineup re-formed almost exactly ten years later, issuing a sophomore effort, Living in Fear, in 1996. Unsurprisingly, the album failed to replicate its predecessor's success.

4.5

The Power Station - The Power Station [1985]

Música: Dance Pop/Club Dance/Euro Dance

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There's something about those Minogue sisters. No matter how many times they seem to be down for the count, a surprise comeback hit is always just around the corner. Dannii has never quite achieved the level of superstardom that sister Kylie has attained, but she has shown equal tenacity. Released in 1997, Girl may have been a commercial failure, but it succeeded in repositioning her as a sophisticated club artist rather than a B-list pop singer. That album caught on in the burgeoning trance scene of the mid-'90s, and Neon Nights partially follows that trend into the 2000s on tracks such as "Who Do You Love Now?," the out-of-nowhere comeback collaboration with Riva that gave Dannii the biggest hit of her career. However, Neon Nights is a more varied collection, a veritable pick and mix of the European dance scene at the turn of the century. Songs such as the sleazy "Put the Needle on It" and the pulsating "A Piece of Time" are pure electroclash, whereas the bouncy "For the Record" and "Mystified" caught on at the beginning of the major '80s revival that took off in a big way over the next few years. Despite the variety of influences, the album flows better than any of Dannii's albums have before, with only the overly crass "Vibe On" even approaching filler status. Minogue is no faceless vocalist either; she infuses the tracks with her persona, sexually charged but smart and slightly aloof. There is a revelatory performance on the album's closing track and only ballad, "It Won't Work Out." Against a chilly, spare musical backing, Dannii delivers a heartfelt, unadorned vocal somewhat reminiscent of the best moments of Everything But the Girl. Although the album contains no cover versions, the success of the singles was augmented by the bootlegging craze. "I Begin to Wonder" was mashed with Dead or Alive's "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record") for the clubs, and "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" became the first track ever to be granted permission to sample from Madonna's "Into the Groove." These mixes helped these songs reach the widest audience of Minogue's career, topping U.S. club charts as well as those in the U.K. and Europe. Without a doubt the most confident and forward-thinking release yet for Dannii, it didn't quite make her the major star it should have, but it did give her the best run of hits of her career, and continued to show she was much more than the sum of her family name.

4

Dannii Minogue - Neon Nights [2003]

Música: Dance Pop/Club Dance/Disco Revival/Alternative Pop Rock

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Goldfrapp stepped off the dancefloor with The Seventh Tree’s folky reveries, but the duo couldn’t stay away for long. Head First dives into luscious, eminently danceable synth pop that's almost as far removed from the sleek shuffle beats of Black Cherry and Supernature as their previous album was. This time, Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory look to the ‘80s for inspiration, but not the brittle sound that was fashionable to ape in the late 2000s, like La Roux and Little Boots. Instead, they explore the uber-glossy productions, staccato melodies, and dramatic key shifts that were the hallmarks of anthems that some might not want to admit they liked decades later. The influence of Giorgio Moroder and Italo-disco in general can be heard throughout Head First, but ABBA and especially Xanadu-era Olivia Newton-John are even more prominent (the cover of “Physical” that appeared between Felt Mountain and Black Cherry feels more prescient with each album Goldfrapp releases). The pair makes more of these sounds than just pastiche, although the finesse with which they re-create this distinctive sound will give listeners serious déjà vu. Even the album’s length and structure feel retro: Head First is a svelte nine songs long, with the singles on its A-side and ballads on the B-side. And the singles -- particularly the first three -- are some of Goldfrapp’s most irresistible songs yet: “Rocket”’s driving minor-key verses and huge, shimmering choruses tap into the brain’s pleasure center as efficiently as possible; “Believer” sounds instantly familiar, but not tired or obvious; and “Alive” channels ABBA with percolating guitars, warm keyboards and synths that sparkle like a shower of glitter. These songs have a sugar rush-immediacy that is new to Goldfrapp’s music, even if it nods to a golden age of pop that was unabashedly joyous. These songs are so mainstream, they’re almost subversive; while Goldfrapp is no stranger to catchy singles, the brooding undercurrents that appeared in all of the duo's previous albums are missing. Song titles like “I Wanna Life” hint at the big, brightly colored strokes the duo is painting with this time, and the title track’s rainbow brightness and romantic ideals are miles away from the dark sensuality of their earlier work -- only “Shiny and Warm,” which plays like a revamped “Satin Chic,” has any trace of that vibe. Even Head First’s moody songs aren’t as moody as before, though “Hunt” has a hazy, late-night glamour to it. As almost Goldfrapp album shows, the duo is unafraid of abandoning sounds that worked for them in favor of something else. Coupled with The Seventh Tree, this album proves that Goldfrapp’s skill at adopting and fully embodying different styles is what makes them distinctive, not necessarily one signature sound. If the album seems somewhat slight, it’s purposefully so: Head First is a love letter to the frothy, fleeting, but very vital joys of pop music.

4

Goldfrapp - Head First [2010]

Música: Dance Pop/Club Dance/Party Rap

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Although the duo LMFAO boasted Euro-pop synths and unmissable riffs well before their hit with David Guetta, "Gettin' Over You," it definitely didn't hurt to be featured on a world-wide smash that spent quality time at number one in France and the U.K. Their second album, Sorry for Party Rocking, arrives at exactly the right time and includes exactly the right mix of energy and humor, plus a surprising amount of sincerity. Before its release, the trailer single, "Party Rock Anthem," had already nested high in the charts of multiple countries, and its presence here confirms that LMFAO are no longer a novelty act. Granted, they lead with humor -- the intro "Rock the Beat II" and the title track -- but from there, they focus more on nightclub sloganeering and high-life living, with tracks like "Champagne Showers," "Best Night," and "All Night Long." If any of this sounds like the Black Eyed Peas, there's a good reason; aside from having will.i.am onboard as executive producer (again), the duo are definitely on the trail of soundtracking your best club night out, and considering the parade of hits (and sacks of money) that the Black Eyed Peas have produced, it's no wonder. The interesting part is that LMFAO are much better at this type of thing than BEP themselves. First, they replace blind enthusiasm with a wink of an eye that none of this music business is serious. (Dancing is supposed to be fun, right?) Second, the clumsy delivery of BEP is radically improved by Sky Blu and Red-Foo's innate ability to write good anthems -- and with the lyrics to carry them over. And despite a few features for high rollers, they keep the focus on themselves, even carrying "Take It to the Hole" for a few minutes before Busta Rhymes arrives with his guest spot. All in all, it's clear that chart-driven pop circa the second decade of the millennium rarely gets much better than LMFAO here.

3.5

LMFAO - Sorry for Party Rocking [2011]

Música: Soundtracks/R&B/Soul/Funk/Psychedelic Soul/Blaxpoitation

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The choice of Curtis Mayfield to score the blaxploitation film Superfly was an inspired one. No other artist in popular music knew so well, and expressed through his music so naturally, the shades of gray inherent in contemporary inner-city life. His debut solo album, 1970's Curtis, had shown in vivid colors that the '60s optimist (author of the civil-rights anthems "Keep On Pushing" and "People Get Ready") had added a layer of subtlety to his material; appearing on the same LP as the positive and issue-oriented "Move On Up" was an apocalyptic piece of brimstone funk titled "(Don't Worry) If There's a Hell Below, We're All Going to Go." For Superfly, Mayfield wisely avoids celebrating the wheeling-and-dealing themes present in the movie, or exploiting them, instead using each song to focus on a different aspect of what he saw as a plague on America's streets. He also steers away from explicit moralizing; through his songs, Mayfield simply tells it like it is (for the characters in the film as in real life), with any lessons learned the result of his vibrant storytelling and knack of getting inside the heads of the characters. "Freddie's Dead," one of the album's signature pieces, tells the story of one of the film's main casualties, a good-hearted yet weak-willed man caught up in the life of a pusher, and devastatingly portrays the indifference of those who witness or hear about it. "Pusherman" masterfully uses the metaphor of drug dealer as businessman, with the drug game, by extension, just another way to make a living in a tough situation, while the title track equates hustling with gambling ("The game he plays he plays for keeps/hustlin' times and ghetto streets/tryin' ta get over"). Ironically, the sound of Superfly positively overwhelmed its lyrical finesse. A melange of deep, dark grooves, trademarked wah-wah guitar, and stinging brass, Superfly ignited an entire genre of music, the blaxploitation soundtrack, and influenced everyone from soul singers to television-music composers for decades to come. It stands alongside Saturday Night Fever and Never Mind the Bollocks Here's the Sex Pistols as one of the most vivid touchstones of '70s pop music.

5

Curtis Mayfield - Superfly - OST [1972]