165 - Marvin Gaye - Let's Get It On

How many albums can you put on for a romantic atmosphere and there's not a single track that you end up skipping most/all of the time? Let's Get It On should sit right next to the bedroom stereo so you always have it easily available. The mood is set and maintained during this eight-song album.

“If I Should Die Tonight” grabs my attention each and every listen. The lyrics, the feeling in his voice, and the smoothness of the musical accompaniment are soul gold. The songs do vary some from balladry to mid-tempo love testaments. Add in the “love grunts” in “You Sure Love to Ball,” and the purpose of the album is unmistakeable. I've kind of lingered on Let's Get It On thanks to how enjoyable it is. Now that I got a copy for Christmas, I'm ready to get this review published and move along.

Songs I Knew I Liked: “Let's Get It On”

Songs I Now Like: “If I Should Die Tonight” and “You Sure Love to Ball” stand out from the other good songs.

Songs I Don't Want to Ever Hear Again: None

164 - Linda Ronstadt - The Very Best of Linda Ronstadt

This album used to be #324 on the Rolling Stone list. At the time that I came across it, I was really annoyed with this album being listed. The Rolling Stone list was created in 2003 and this album came out in 2002. I called “Shenanigans” on that since I felt that anyone that put “Linda Ronstadt's greatest hits” on their ballot meant the 1976 collection that sold over 20 million copies and can be found in a majority of Baby Boomer record collections.

With the album now at this position, I felt a need to actually listen to this compilation to see how the hell it ended up shooting up to 164. So I went to Spotify and couldn't find it. I then checked online to discover that the album is now out of print.

I just don't see the point in my reviewing the album at all now when I have 163 great albums I still need to listen to.

163 - Prince - 1999

163!? #163 for 1999?! *flabbergasted*

1999 is one of my top desert island album selections! How could one of the greatest party albums of all time end up down here? You have a collection of radio-ready singles to start things off and then the songs get stretched out for your dancing and partying pleasure. It even slows down at the end to cap off your after-hours party.

It is on 1999 that Prince hit his stride and developed a sound that would be identified as his from that moment on. While I understand others may prefer Purple Rain to 1999, but to me, the later collection seemed like it was Prince merely polishing up the previous album and condensing it for mass consumption. Not that there's anything wrong with it, but I tend to prefer the slightly wandering explorations of artists with songs which may have a few rough edges.

Songs I Knew I Liked: “1999,” “Little Red Corvette,” “Delirious,” “Let's Pretend We're Married,” “Automatic,” “Something in the Water (Does Not Compute),” and “Lady Cab Driver”

Songs I Now Like: No new changes

Songs I Don't Want to Ever Hear Again: None