Mark Lanegan Mark Lanegan
Daniel Lanois
The producer of amongst others U2, Bob Dylan and Robbie Robertson, delivers an excellent debut album with Acadie. When you are familiar with Lanois' production work, you will be likely to recognize the elements that make his work so distinctive. The album is kind of quiet but not boring, restraint but still emotional, gentle but not too chummy, with a touch of mysticism but not esotheric... Favourite songs are Jolie Louise, The Maker and Where The Hawkwind Kills.
The Laughing Clowns This album caused quite a shock when I first listened to it. I expected something in the lines of the Saints-sound, but heard something completely different. Crazy, chaotic, but at the same time warm and jazzy with a saxophone going berserk all over the place. Definite favourite of this album is the song Every Dog Has Its Day, others are Everything That Flies (Is Not a Bird) and Sometimes. Obscure but recommendable.
Led Zeppelin After my interest in Led Zeppelin had been revived by Tool's cover of No Quarter, I started looking around for a compilation. It was a bit tough to find something I really liked, as I had certain conditions (that No Quarter was on it was imperative, the price should be reasonable...), and eventually I got Remasters from a friend. This double CD, compiled by Jimmy Page, offers a selection of Led Zeppelin's most famous songs like Whole Lotta Love or Stairway to Heaven and less common songs like In the Evening or Celebration Day, and full-blown rockers like Communication Breakdown or Immigrant Song and more gentle and acoustic songs like The Rain Song. With the inclusion of the bluesy Since I've Been Loving You, the psychedelic Dazed and Confused, the reggae-ish D'yer Mak'er, Remasters covers the whole spectrum of Led Zep's body of work, but still is a coherent whole. If you want to get familiar with the wide range of music Led Zeppelin has created, but don't want to buy all their albums, Remasters is an excellent choice.
Jo Lemaire Jo Lemaire is one of the best female Belgian singers, but she's not really my cup of tea. Much of her music is too polished for me, and I'm not fond of French music either (oddly enough, I like her English songs even less). But there are some great songs on this compilation: the Gainsbourg cover Je Suis Venue te Dire que Je M'en Vais in the first place, and also C'est Mon Bateau and Parfum de Rève.
The Lemonheads Beautiful album with a nice blend of pop, power-pop and country-rock. Evan Dando is his usual self-centered and whining self, but most of the time he does that brilliantly. On this album he and his Lemonheads are assisted by Belinda Carlisle and Juliana Hatfield (the first on backing vocals, the latter a bit more prominently). I've got an eternal crush for Into Your Arms and It's About Time, other highlights are The Great Big No and Rick James Style.
John Lennon One of the first records I ever got (the 6th to be precise). An inconstant compilation, without a doubt the consequence of Lennon's inconstant solo-career. There are little gems on this album, like Jealous Guy, Imagine or Woman, but personally I tend to think of songs like Happy Xmas (War Is Over) and Instant Karma! that they are absolute stinkers. Furthermore, there are songs missing... where is Working Class Hero, or Cold Turkey?
Seems to be pretty obscure (didn't find them on the internet, know nothing about them), but most people who love 80's music and new wave recognize this song when they hear it. Great electronic 80's dance music.
The Lighthouse Keepers From obscure to even more obscure... I think I heard one of their songs on VPRO radio, bought the album and was fully and completely swept away. The sleepy voice of Juliet Ward (the record was recorded during the night to save money), the jangly sound, the melancholic and bitter-sweet popsongs, the naïvité... hard to pick any favourites, but I'll mention A Time of Evil, Power Ring, We've Got a Gig, Big Noise and Evil Touch.
Little Richard Little present for myself after all the hard work on a music quiz, taken from the leftovers of the prizes. With lots of classics (Good Golly Miss Molly, Tutti Frutti, Lucille), and as an extra 6 songs with Jimi Hendrix, who was part of Little Richard's band for a while.
Live Got this from a cousin when Milan was born. She brought the album and a huge ghettoblaster to the hospital... you could see the nurses pity that little baby boy who already had to endure such noise. 
I liked every bit of this album, especially I Alone, Selling the Drama, Lightning Crashes, All Over You and Shit Towne. A very powerful album, with very direct and sometimes bitter lyrics.
Living Colour This amazing debut by the first (crossover) hard rock band consisting of all black members is very coherent and powerful. Leader Vernon Reid's guitar playing skills are impressive, the power of singer Corey Glover's voice attracts the attention. The lyrics are impassioned, touching and sometimes critical of the social structure. It's hard to pick out song as this is an album that is extremely consistent, but Cult of Personality, Middle Man, Open Letter (to a Landlord), Memories Can't Wait (a Talking Heads cover) and Glamour Boys are definitely worth mentioning.
Even though some of my favourite Living Colour songs are on this album, the album as a whole never did it for me as Vivid did. Even more than on Vivid, Living Colour tries to add different elements to their crossover hard rock (jazz, rap, pop, funk, punk), and sometimes it makes the album too incoherent. But the two gorgeous lovesongs Solace of You and Love Rears Its Ugly Head are outstanding. Other highlights are Elvis Is Dead and Type.
Los Lobos Bought this after having had this on my wish list for 15 years... Will the Wolf Survive is an all-time favourite. The album had more Mexican influences than I had expected (Corrido #1 and Serenata Norteña), but i should have known that after their monster hit La Bamba. Another favourite is the fun cover of I Got Loaded, and also Evangeline.
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