1. ANYTHING Sinatra….lyrics you can understand. His phrasing, eunciation, and treatment of a song stands alone in the history of recorded music.
2. The Beatles…’nuff said. They changed the way we listened to rock and roll. John Lennon…the musical genius of his generation and every one that followed.
3. Creedence Clearwater Revival. John Fogarty. Helped get me thru the late 60’s.
4. Alan Jackson…king of the class of ‘93. Everthing he does is pure country.
5. Glenn Miller…defined Big Band. Timeless.
6. The Bee Gees. Yeah, I’m a fan.
7. Dean Martin…the definition of laid back.
8. Perry Como….clean, straight, and 50’s traditional all the way.
9. Janis Joplin…Big Brother and the Holding Company remains one of my all-time favorite albums. Pure Texas soul.
10. Hank Williams…SR. The standard to which every country singer worth his or her salt aspires to.

Adam Duritz’s writing is stellar throughout, as he convey’s a sadness through lyrics that is rarely seen in modern music: from Round Here:”I walk into a room like a ghost into a fog, where no one notices the contrast of white on white” and from Raining in Baltimore: “These train conversations keep passing me by, and I dont have nothing to say. You get what you pay for, but just had no, intention of living this way”

I’m telling you - this album is epic….give it a shot, you won’t be disappointed. Also, Recovering the Satellites, the bands 2nd album, is also very well done.