Ok guys, I'm gonna bring this back from the dead.
73. Forever Changes - Love
Overrated a good deal by the hipster crowd (hey Urban, how many times has that been so far? I lost count) but whatever, it's here. Love brought about a certain air of whimsy that was very rare in American rock music at the time. Psychedelic folk before the term even existed. You can hear their influence in everyone from The Doors to Zep to Yes to Jeff Buckley. They were one of the defining hippie bands, yet all you indie kids surely love them, surely you still remember that they have influenced a big majority of the music that you despise (and I love) right? =D
Favorite tracks: Alone Again Or, Andmoreagain, The Daily Planet, The Red Telephone, Live and Let Live.
72. Getz/Gilberto - Stan Getz and Joao Gilberto
Bossa nova, and jazz in general. It was the music "cool" people listened to back in the day, before cool became associated with "being as retarded as possible". This is such a beautiful album, I can almost forgive it for all the awful smooth jazz it influenced.
Almost.
Favorite tracks: The Girl From Ipanema, Doralice, Para Machuchar Meu Coracao, Vivo Sonhando (Dreamer).
71. Mass Romantic - New Pornographers
There's an exception to every rule. Ok guys, ONE indie band post 1999 that I actually like. And it comes as no surprise that this band has greater "pomp" rock leanings than their indie peers, that's right up my alley. I don't know why Pitchfork and the like clamor over a band that actually has a knack for those pesky little things called melodies, but that's a horrifying secret I don't want to uncover. I'm not gonna complain about musical abominations like The National or the hideously overrated Arcade Fire stealing all the limelight from a band that actually deserves it. I'm indie ranting again, I know. I highly recommend this album to any fan of power pop (like myself), but if you were unfortunate enough to read the godawful Pitchfork review, I'd perfectly understand if you say "F*ck you and get herpes" and then proceeded to vandalize my house.
Favorite tracks: Mass Romantic, The Slow Descent Into Alcoholism, Mystery Hours, Jackie, Letter From an Occupant.
70. Los Angeles - X
Like The Minutemen. X are a hardcore scene band that doesn't even remotely sound like a hardcore band. When their name is X and they're doing shows with Black Flag and Fear, it's hard to imagine their studio output would be something kin to Roxy Music, with a very talented guitarist, good production and....Ray Manzarek on organ? WTF? I like a little pomp in my punk, just like me prog. And this fits the bill nicely, I know I knock on punk a lot these days (comes with the territory of being a bitter prog fan), because I think music is hardly even considered a top priority for most punk bands, but if a punk band actually cares about what they put out on record then they have my attention if they got the talent.
Favorite tracks: The Unheard Music, Johnny Hit and Run Pauline, Nausea, Sugarlight, Los Angeles.