JB over at EyeEatMusic has written up her top five ‘road trip’ albums, and I just couldn’t resist chiming in with my own list on the subject. I’m not sure if there’s a better purpose for great music than providing the atmosphere for an escape to somewhere far, far away. Here are 12 albums that were made for a fast car, a worthwhile destination, and an open stretch of highway…
The Doors * L.A. Woman ~ The title track alone makes this a tremendous album for the road – it’s the rock and roll equivalent of riding in a convertible with the wind blowing in your hair as you speed towards the apocalypse.
X * Beyond & Back: The X Anthology ~ Another important Los Angeles band that made essential music for the open road. X fused the energy of early rock & roll with the sneer of punk, a driving back beat, and tales of love and death. What more could you ask for?
Alabama 3 * Exile On Coldharbour Lane ~ ‘Woke Up This Morning’ was featured in the opening credits for The Sopranos, and this album boasts many other fine songs as well. You just can’t help but feel as tough as Tony Soprano when your hand’s on the wheel and this one’s in the deck.
Red Meat * Meet Red Meat ~ Red Meat makes the right kind of music for keeping the mood light. It’s genuine country, played for laughs, and there are plenty of good punch lines here. Fantastic songs, too – ‘14 Hours To Tulsa’ is one of the best driving songs ever laid down.
Gilles Peterson * Fania DJ Series ~ Noted British DJ Gilles Peterson selects two discs worth of his favorite tracks from the recent flurry of Fania re-issues. It’s an album of scorching latin salsa/funk/boogaloo that is ideally paced for a nice long drive.
My Morning Jacket * It Still Moves ~ This is one of my favorite albums for the journey over the Bay Bridge and into San Francisco. The first half dozen songs are just the right speed and mood for a night drive. Or, as Jim James puts it, “Dancefloors, headlights, in my blood there’s gasoline.”
Josh Ritter * Golden Age Of Radio ~ Josh Ritter is the great plains version of Nick Drake, and this album is a different kind of soundtrack for an outing in the automobile. It’s longing, wistful, and gorgeous – in other words, the proper music for your very own VW commercial.
Queens Of The Stone Age * Songs For The Deaf ~ Yep, every trip needs a little head-bangin’ and this album will do just fine (but feel free to insert your favorite AC/DC, Zeppelin, or Motorhead album here). QOTSA put it all together here – the addition of Mark Lanegan on some vocal tracks and Dave Grohl on drums were brilliant moves that paid off in an epic album.
Minutemen * Double Nickels On The Dime ~ This album is loosely dedicated to the concept of driving – it opens and closes with the sound of car engines revving. Loaded with excellent songs that are all over the stylistic map, Double Nickels On The Dime plays out like a carefully selected mix tape. If I had to narrow this list to just a single album, this would be it.
Groove Armada * Love Box ~ This Electronica/Hip-Hop hybrid is an instant jolt of adrenaline and features a non-stop mix of joyous party tunes that will have you traveling in beats per minute instead of miles per hour.
J.J. Cale * Anyway The Wind Blows: The Anthology ~ Cooler than cool. J.J. Cale plays down home country blues/folk/whathaveyou that sound like a shrug and a cloud of dust. ‘Call Me The Breeze’ is one of the all-time travel tunes, and it’s matched here by a number of tumbleweed classics.
Fela Kuti * The Best Best Of Fela Kuti ~ Afrobeat is the definition of propulsive, and Fela Kuti is the King of Afrobeat. Does that mean Fela Kuti is the King of Propulsion?? You better believe it does…
*****
[To see my 13 runners-up, please check the comments section here.]
Tags: Alabama 3, Fania, Fela Kuti, Gilles Peterson, Great Road Trip Albums, Groove Armada, J.J. Cale, Josh Ritter, Minutemen, My Morning Jacket, Queens Of The Stone Age, Red Meat, The Doors, X
6 February 2008 at 12:48 pm |
let’s make this road trip go a little farther by throwing 10 more in our collective iPod:
PROPELLERHEADS-decksanddrumsandrockandroll
ALLMAN BROS-fillmore concerts (a road warrior live recording)
BEATLES 62-66 -when you’re exhausted and you can only stay awake by choosing something killer to sing along with
STEVEN WRIGHT-i have a pony-laughing is always a good time killer.
LUCINDA WILLIAMS-live at the fillmore
ROY HARGROVE-with the tenors of our time
KRUDER&DORFMEISTER
KINGS OF CONVENIENCE-quiet is the new loud (morning hours)
SONNY ROLLINS-saxophone colossus (st. thomas over & over!)
STEVIE WONDER-original musiquarium (see beatles comment)
6 February 2008 at 9:52 pm |
Cheers my Friend!!!
Love the Beastie Boys * ‘Ill Communication’ , The Doors, not so educated on the My Morning Jacket but one of my dear friends raves about em’ both live and on album
7 February 2008 at 5:35 pm |
Soundtrack to Yentl
8 February 2008 at 8:13 pm |
[...] Free Wheelin’: A Dozen Great Road Trip Albums [...]
4 March 2008 at 11:44 pm |
There are a million great albums for this purpose, and my list could have gone on endlessly. Here were the 13 runners-up to the twelve I picked:
13) Rolling Stones * ‘Exile On Main St.’ ~ Duh.
14) Muddy Waters * ‘The Chess Box Set’ ~ Blues that are electric in more ways than one.
15) Ramones * ‘Ramones’ ~ Play it three times in a row.
16) Kings Of Leon * ‘Youth & Young Manhood’ ~ Southern Rock rules the road.
17) Beastie Boys * ‘Ill Communication’ ~ Opens with ‘Sure Shot’ and doesn’t let up…
18) Dr. Feelgood * ‘Down By The Jetty’ ~ The best of the pre-punk British R&B bands. Huge punk influence.
19) Radio Birdman * ‘The Essential Radio Birdman’ ~ Aussie punk from the 70’s that sounds incredibly fresh.
20) Paul Simon * ‘Rhythm Of The Saints’ ~ Better than Graceland, and perfect for a drive in the country.
21) Gun Club * ‘Fire Of Love’ ~ The Devil + booze + Hank Williams = Gun Club
22) Van Halen * ‘Van Halen’ ~ Runnin’ With The Devil!
23) Neko Case * Fox Confessor Brings The Flood ~ For the moody, shadowy part of the journey.
24) Primal Scream * ‘Screamadelica’ ~ Rainbows and sunshine and ecstasy…
25) Neu * ‘Neu ‘75′ ~ Relentless Krautrock that was engineered for the Autobahn.