![[Sonic Youth - Sister]](http://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/SonicYouthSister199458752_f-300x298.jpg)
A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.
I go on and on about how much I love 1987 that I should just shut up and let the list speak for itself. Unsurprisingly, the Favorite 10 hasn’t changed, saved one correction.
- U2, The Joshua Tree
- Sting, … Nothing Like the Sun
- 10,000 Maniacs, In My Tribe
- Sinéad O’Connor, The Lion and the Cobra
- Bulgarian State TV & Radio Women’s Choir, Le Mystère de Voix Bulgares
- John Adams, The Chairman Dances
- Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Phantom of the Opera
- Wendy & Lisa, Wendy & Lisa
- Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction
- R.E.M., Document
Other favorites from the year:
- Kronos Quartet, White Man Sleeps
- Depeche Mode, Music for the Masses
- Dolly Parton / Linda Ronstadt / Emmylou Harris, Trio
- The Art of Noise, In No Sense? Nonsense!
- Swing Out Sister, It’s Better to Travel
- Hiroshima, Go
- The Smiths, Strangeways, Here We Come
- Eurythmics, Savage
- INXS, Kick
- Sonic Youth, Sister
- The Dukes of the Stratosphear, Psonic Psunspot
- Dead Can Dance, Within the Realm of a Dying Sun
- Icehouse, Man of Colours
- In Tua Nua, Vaudeville
- Johnny Hates Jazz, Turn Back the Clock
I originally listed the cast recording of Into the Woods in the Favorite 10, but I discovered it was actually released in 1988.
The extended list is shorter than the one for 1988, but I’ve actually added fewer titles from 1987 since the original list was compiled. I think I also like these albums more intensely because I had discovered them at the time, and they’ve made a lasting impression.
Tags: 10000 maniacs, andrew lloyd webber, bulgarian state radio and television female vocal choir, dead can dance, depeche mode, dolly parton, emmylou harris, eurythmics, favorite edition, guns n' roses, hiroshima, icehouse, in tua nua, inxs, john adams, johnny hates jazz, kronos quartet, linda ronstadt, r.e.m., rewind, sinead o'connor, sonic youth, sting, swing out sister, the art of noise, the dukes of the stratosphear, the smiths, u2, wendy and lisa
![[Slint - Spiderland]](http://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/SlintSpiderland2014131919_f-300x300.jpg)
A decade ago, I wrote a series of entries ranking my favorite albums from 1985 to 2004. My collection has expanded greatly since then, particularly in the last five years. So I wanted to see what has changed in 10 years.
I’m not sure other music writers would agree that 1998 is an important year in music for the ’90s. 1991 saw Guns N’ Roses cap the era of hair metal and Nirvana usher the unfortunately-named alternative rock. But it didn’t have Neutral Milk Hotel.
- Smashing Pumpkins, Gish
- Nirvana, Nevermind
- R.E.M., Out of Time
- U2, Achtung Baby
- Throwing Muses, The Real Ramona
- Soundtrack, Bubblegum Crisis Vocal Collection, Vol. 1
- Guns N’ Roses, Use Your Illusion II
- Enya, Shepherd Moons
- Lou Harrison, Music of Lou Harrison
- Elliott Carter, Music of Elliott Carter
Other favorites from the year:
- Pearl Jam, Ten
- Igor Stravinsky, Le Sacre du Printemps/Symphony in Three Movements (Zubin Mehta, New York Philharmonic Orchestra)
- Mazzy Star, She Hangs Brightly
- Soundgarden, Badmotorfinger
- Bill Frisell, Where in the World?
- Fishbone, The Reality of My Surroundings
- Metallica, Metallica
- Kronos Quartet, Lutoslawski: String Quartet
- Black Sheep, A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing
- Hamada Mari, Tomorrow
- Electronic, Electronic
- Slint, Spiderland
- My Bloody Valentine, Loveless
- Painkiller, Guts of a Virgin
- Mr. Bungle, Mr. Bungle
Slint and My Bloody Valentine are additions 2004-me would have made. 1991-me would have side-eyed 2004-me.
And he would have scoffed at 2018-me for including Black Sheep, after emitting a gasp at seeing Fishbone on the list at all.
He would have begrudgingly nodded at the additions of Metallica and Hamada Mari, and he would have been curious about Electronic. And he would have gone out and found Painkiller the first chance he got.
Tags: bill frisell, black sheep, electronic, elliott carter, enya, favorite edition, fishbone, guns n' roses, hamada mari, igor stravinsky, kronos quartet, lou harrison, mazzy star, metallica, mr. bungle, my bloody valentine, nirvana, painkiller, pearl jam, r.e.m., rewind, slint, smashing pumpkins, soundgarden, soundtrack, throwing muses, u2
![[John Coltrane - Both Directions at Once]](http://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/JohnColtraneBothDirection188482_f-300x300.jpg)
I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.
Sonic Boom turns 30 years old in 2018, so all CDs are 30 percent off for the entire month of July. These entries are going to get long.
New Releases
CD
- John Coltrane, Both Directions At Once: The Lost Album
- Utada Hikaru, Hatsukoi
Catalog
CD
- A Tribe Called Quest, People’s Instinctive Movement and the Path of Rhythm
- Brian Eno, Another Green World
- Brian Eno, Before and After Science
- Brian Eno, Discreet Music
- David Bowie, Let’s Dance (Remastered)
- David Bowie, Scary Monsters
- Emmylou Harris, Cimarron (Remastered)
- Kendrick Lamar, good kid, m.A.A.d city
- Run-DMC, Raising Hell
- Simple Minds, Once Upon a Time (Deluxe Edition)
- The Pogues, Rum Sodomy and the Lash
- Wu-Tang Clan, Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers
Vinyl
- George Antheil, Ballet Mecanique / Jazz Symphony / Violin Sonatas Nos 1 & 2
- The Smiths, Rank
Reissues
CD
- Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (Deluxe Edition)
Tags: george antheil, guns n' roses, purchase log, the pogues, the smiths, utada hikaru
![[Utada Hikaru - Hatsukoi]](http://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/utada-hikaru-hatsukoi-1-300x298.jpg)
I started a new job on May 21, and I’m still getting adjusted to a new routine. I’m not ready to say the hiatus has ended just yet, but I can say new entries should resume before the end of summer. Till then, here’s a preview of upcoming releases.
Emmylou Harris, Ballad of Sally Rose (Deluxe Edition), June 1
I have listened to a lot of Emmylou Harris, and I can say this album is my least favorite. But its underdog status makes me curious about what didn’t make the album. Also, the current CD pressings sound awful, and I hope the remastering rectifies that.
Clannad, Turas 1980, June 8
This live album contains songs never recorded in the studio by the band.
Utada Hikaru, Hatsukoi, June 27
In retrospect, Fantôme was something of a downer. The singles preceding the release of Hatsukoi indicate a bouncier direction. Utada comes full circle title-wise — hatsukoi is the Japanese translation of “first love”.
Guns N’ Roses, Appetite for Destruction (Deluxe Edition), June 29
This album hadn’t already received a deluxe edition treatment? I’m not shelling out for anything more than the 2-disc edition.
Leo IMAI, V L P, July 11
I really enjoyed Film Scum, and it’s too bad the full album was only available at his live shows. I look forward to this album nonetheless.
Vinyl
Anne Dudley, Anne Dudley Plays the Art of Noise, June 22
This album receives a physical release in the UK and a digital release in the US. I was impatient and got the Japanese release last year, and Dudley employs some real studio wizardry to interpret the Art of Noise acoustically.
Fishbone, The Reality of My Surroundings, July 13
Trips to Goodwill have allowed me to rediscover this band.
Tags: anne dudley, clannad, emmylou harris, fishbone, guns n' roses, leo imai, looking ahead, utada hikaru
![[Roxy Music - Avalon]](http://musicwhore.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/RoxyMusicAvalon1983180628_f-300x300.jpg)
I catalog my music purchases on Collectorz and Discogs, but they don’t give me a sense of change over time. So I’m noting them here weekly as well.
This past weekend was the annual Big Book Sale by the Friends of the Seattle Public Library, so I should have enough music to last me for weeks, right? Right.
Catalog
CDs
- Anita Baker, Giving You the Best That I Got
- Beastie Boys, Check Your Head
- Victor Borge, Live(!)
- Glenn Branca, Symphony No. 2: Peak of the Sacred
- Cameo, Word Up!
- Capercaillie, Secret People
- John Coltrane, Giant Steps
- John Coltrane, Meditations
- John Coltrane, My Favorite Things
- John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman, John Coltrane and Johnny Hartman
- Eazy-E, Eazy-Duz-It
- Bill Evans Trio, Waltz for Debby
- Fugazi, End Hits
- Peter Gabriel, Shaking the Tree
- Guns N’ Roses, G N’ R Lies
- Heart, Bad Animals
- The Jimi Hendrix Experience, Are You Experienced?
- Ketsumeshi, Ketsunopolis 4
- LL Cool J, Mama Said Knock You Out
- Milt Jackson and John Coltrane, Bags and Trane
- Joni Mitchell, Court and Spark
- Morrissey, The Best of Morrissey
- Mother Love Bone, Mother Love Bone
- Nirvana, Incesticide
- Robert Palmer, Clues
- Prince, Musicology
- R.E.M., Dead Letter Office
- Radiohead, The Bends
- Rage Against the Machine, Rage Against the Machine
- Einojuhani Rautvaara, Symphony No. 7: Angel of Light / Annunciations
- Sonny Rollins, Saxophone Colossus
- Roxy Music, Avalon (Remastered)
- Soundgarden, Ultramega OK
- Bruce Springsteen, The Rising
- They Might Be Giants, Flood
- TLC, Ooooooohhh… On the TLC Tip
- Värttinä, Seleniko
- Soundtrack, Pride and Prejudice
DVD
- Tokyo Jihen, Dynamite Out
Tags: anita baker, beastie boys, bill evans, bruce springsteen, cameo, capercaillie, eazy-e, einojuhani rautvaara, fugazi, glenn branca, guns n' roses, heart, jimi hendrix, john coltrane, johnny hartman, joni mitchell, ketsumeshi, ll cool j, milt jackson, morrissey, mother love bone, nirvana, peter gabriel, prince, purchase log, r.e.m., radiohead, rage against the machine, robert palmer, roxy music, sonny rollins, soundgarden, soundtrack, they might be giants, tlc, tokyo jihen, varttina, victor borge