Grateful Dead -- Live Dead

  Live is a great example of the Dead's jam power, but Dark Star shows their playful jazzy brilliance!

Lana Del Rey -- Honeymoon

  

One night I was begged over and over to play this album, I kept refusing, cause 'God forbid I'd listen to some modern day popular garbage' .... finally I gave in and heard this Frank Sinatra meets Portishead pop classic ... that I insisted I keep!

David Bowie -- Blackstar

  So... I bought Blackstar on the day of Bowie's death, I suppose I wanted to hear his last breath to his fans ... riddled with guilt I hated this album, it's the same damn crap he had been putting out since his Trent Reznor phase ... my only saving grace or rational from my malaise is, c'mon, I'm pretty sure the mainman had one of the best lives of the 20th century and is in the company, as cultural influence, with The Beatles and Andy Warhol, so, in fact it's perfectly ok for me to not like this record, and damn some of the lyrical foreshadowing on this release is kind of creepy, but he knew what he was going through!

Linda Perhacs -- Parallelograms

  This Laurel Canyon psychedelic folk soundscaped masterpiece is like a cross between Joni Mitchell and Chealsea Girl Nico.  How this record made by a dental technician went under the radar all these years, I have no clue, other than its so damn good it can only, finally, be relevant today!

Ornette Coleman -- The Shape Of Jazz To Come

  Way before there was skronky math or even art rock, there was Ornette Coleman's The Shape Of Jazz To Come, to which he was initially booed and laughed at, until a group of musicians appreciated what he was trying to do, by opening the floodgates of creative rhythm.

Gene Clark -- Roadmaster

  After Gene Clark's departure from The Byrds, funny enough due inability to tour extensively from a fear of flying, he moved on to a solo recording career.  His sophomore release is a blissful 70's hipster country classic that sits nicely between your Van Zandt and Parsons albums.

Townes Van Zandt

  I've definitely developed a weird relationship with Townes Van Zandt lately, maybe I've become too sad and too lonely, or maybe I'm just drinking too much, but I'd like to think it's his deep insight and brilliant mix of Americana and minimalism, which is exemplified on this self titled release.