The Floydsters put out some textbook album rock in their time, but Animals is their most concise narrative, more so even than Darkside of the Moon or The Wall. Vocal melodies like "Money" come and go; guitar riffs like the main theme from The Wall are a dime a dozen.
Turning Animal Farm into a prog-rock opera may not seem like Nobel Prize-worthy material, but holy fucking shit did they knock it out of the park. David Gilmore never sounded more pissed, a testament to his evocative powers as an artist.
169. Prince - Sign O the Times (1987)
The soundtrack to the 80s as delivered by the most important mainstream artist of the time. Prince was Isaac Hayes, James Brown, the Beatles, Gary Numan, and Jimi Hendrix all wrapped into a single compact package, and for a solid decade he could do no wrong. His lense was always pointed on America, and his work was always at its best when there was a riot going on (to quote Sly Stone).
Two records, four sides of sex, drugs, racism, and politics. That skinny motherfucker with the high voice not only showed America its reflection, he broke the mirror. And he meant it.
Recommended Listening: Sign o' the Times, Housequake, I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man
168. R.E.M. - Automatic For the People (1992)
I found the earlier albums afterward, and dug deeper into those more alert offerings, but Automatic For the People will always be my favorite R.E.M. experience.
Tracks like "Ignoreland" and "Monty Got A Raw Deal" showed the tracks laid by classics like "Cayahoga" and "Favorite Work Song"; and "Everybody Hurts" and "Nightswimming" kept that lovely heart exposed on Stipe's ample sleeve.
167. Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin - Love Devotion Surrender (1973)
Oh, yeah - John McLaughlin converted Carlos Santana to a cult for a little while. But Carlos was never known for his excellent theological decisions. The same man who pretty much smoked Jimi Hendrix off the stage at Woodstock has been literally talking to angels since the mid 1980s. But on this exceptional release, he and Captain Kangaroo tangle their prehensile six strings together to spectacular effect. Ignore their door-to-door getups and dig that crazy fusion jazz.
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