Spring Water

Bubbling from the ground
Pure and fresh, except for a
Weeds and a dead vole

C'est Chic by Chic

One of the defining sounds of the disco era, with Bernard Edwards’ funky bass lines laying down a solid groove for Nile Rodgers’ guitar licks to embellish producing music that is guaranteed to get you dancing. This is an album that you could put on at the start of the evening and happily play on repeat with no complaints from your party guests. 

https://album.link/gb/i/1442990558

Mosquito

Mezcal, lemon juice
Fresh ginger and Campari
Shake until well chilled

Smile by Brian Wilson

Listening to this album is bitter sweet. Brian desperately wanted to complete this album back in the 60s as a follow up to the classic Pet Sounds but for various reasons it was never finished. The stress of this probably contributed to his problems with his mental health and the eventual breakup of the Beach Boys. He was finally able to lay this to rest in 2004 with a live performance and accompanying album but you can’t help wondering how things might have panned out if everything had gone to plan back in 1967. Rest in Peace Brian.

https://album.link/gb/i/29164695

Car Wheels On a Gravel Road by Lucinda Williams

I’m not averse to a bit of Americana and I initially had high hopes for this album - songs like the title track and one called Barbed Wire and Concrete have a gritty, Springsteen-esque feel to them. However, the reality fell somewhat short - it’s fairly by the numbers alt-country stuff, with barely a fiddle or banjo to be heard. There’s also a car crash of a production process detailed on the wiki page, with 90% of the songs being scrapped and a falling out with her long time producer.

https://album.link/gb/i/1440915686

Tall Grass

Pollen for the bees
Hiding place for small creatures
No mow May redux

Flies

The age old debate
Zipper, button or Velcro
If you’re ZZ Top

Killing Joke by Killing Joke

1980 was a weird year in Britain. We’d come out of the 70s into a bright, new future of yuppies and royal weddings, but there was a distinct sense that society was rapidly splintering with the Thatcher government busy driving a wedge between the haves and the have nots. There were grim times ahead.

This is a fascinating snapshot of a transition point in music, moving from punk to the darker side of new wave and an industrial/proto gothic sound, influencing later bands like Nine Inch Nails and Soundgarden. I think this was probably overlooked at the time, especially in comparison with Joy Division and there is some great electronica here too. Excellent stuff.

https://album.link/gb/i/1698411208

Shaved Ice

Knives and ice seem like
A recipe for disaster
Don’t try this at home

At Folsom Prison by Johnny Cash

“Hello, I’m Johnny Cash”

Has there ever been a more iconic opening line to a live album? Probably not. Some people might ask why there are two Johnny Cash prison albums on this list and I would say that they are both equally good, with distinct differences in tone. This album feels a little more playful, although the subject matter is as dark as ever - death, poverty, addiction, heartache and the brutal reality of life in prison. Cash even manages to find humour in a song about an inmate on death row counting down the minutes until his execution. 

The final track, Greystone Chapel, is notable for having being written by inmate Glen Sherley who was sat in the audience with no idea his song was about to be performed. He did actually work with Cash for a while after his release from prison in 1971, but he never managed to fully escape from his troubled past, Folsom having failed to deal with his many problems, and he sadly took his own life in 1978 aged just 42.

https://album.link/gb/i/825516828

Hot Night

The day’s heat fading
A fan stirs the muggy air
Ah, those summer nights

Pollen

Wiki tells me that
Pollen is male gametophytes
No wonder I sneeze!