Top 5 Albums

1. To the Faithful Departed - The Cranberries
2. Cargo - Men at Work
3. Wildflowers - Tom Petty
4. Exodus - Bob Marley
5. Message in a Box - The Police

To The Faithful Departed is my number one album of all time, it got panned by the critics when it came out as being too serious and even morbid, but I first heard it in February 1997, a day or two after I dropped out of college because of a "nervous breakdown". I cried so much. It is exactly what I needed to hear. Special thanks to my old friend Denise Wilson for posting this video as her D's song of the Day last week:




Cargo is my second favorite album. It was another album by a major rock act criticized for lacking the blockbuster hit it's predecessor had. I add it to this list because I bought this album in New York City on May 17, 1996 when I went out for the evening, just me and my Dad, after he was diagnosed with terminal Parkinson's disease. My dad died in 2003, but now all I have to do to get some paternal advice is listen to "Settle Down My Boy" or "No Sign of Yesterday".



I bought my third favorite album, Wildflowers in New York City, too - when I was with my good friend, the late great Mister Paul Morden. That was the only time I ever went to a real Goth Club. I believe it was called the Bat Cave, but I'm not certain. Not my cup of tea, but Paul was a great friend of mine. So many great songs on Wildflowers. "Don't Fade on Me" is positively sublime. And of course, Tom Petty was the one who taught me it was "Good To Be King". I miss Paul.

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I bought Exodus, I guess, after I came back from Ghana in 1995. There is a reason Time magazine named it the best album of the 20th century. I do not believe it is an exaggeration to say that I would not have survived my struggles without hearing the messages of hope and freedom against unfathomable odds brought to us on this record.

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Finally, the last album on my list is a four disc set, a compilation of everything the Police ever recorded. Technically, there are five albums plus a number of extras on this set. I have to include Message In A Box on this list. It was my best friend's favorite album. My bhai sahib, the late, great Venkatesh Veeraragavan, the Gryphon to my Mock Turtle, the Yorick to my Hamlet, wanted the world to know about the importance of this album. His spirit would torment me if I did not include it here. That's okay. I agree with him. It is a phenomenal piece of work.


That's all for now. Thanks.

More anon.

Erik B. Anderson
Independence Township, New Jersey
Established 1782