Discumentary

Date

Discumentary: U2 "Boy"

U2's debut album is considered to be one of the finest first albums of any band in the 1980's. It set the stage for the band's future mega-stardom.

Discumentary: The Church "Starfish"

The album that The Church is most renowned for, it features their smash single "Under the Milky Way". The U.S. breakthrough gave the Church a top forty hit and a Gold album, as well as sold out world tours.

Discumentary: Sam Cooke "Night Beat"

Being credited with creating soul music, Cooke recorded "Night Beat" in three nights in February of 1963. The album features keyboardist Billy Preston, then at the age of 16. Cooke was given the chance to return to his gospel roots while recording this album.

Discumentary: "The Velvet Underground and Nico"

Its been said that the Velvet Underground sold very few copies of their debut album, but everyone who bought one started a band. This album, which is considered to be one of the most influential in rock history, is ripe with experimentation and hardly sounds dated. This album launched the careers of Lou Reed and John Cale and features the art of its producer, Andy Warhol.

Discumentary: Kathleen Edwards "Failer"

Kathleen Edwards shot to the forefront of the alternative country scene with her 2003 debut release. Her blunt lyrics, character sketch approach to songwriting, and sexy prairie drawl drew raves from critics and comparisons to Lucinda Williams.

Discumentary: The White Stripes "White Blood Cells"

The third release by the White Stripes showcases a more polished and refined sound than their previous efforts. The songs on the album show the range of the group’s influences, from Led Zeppelin to early Delta Blues. The music takes elements of these influences and fuses them with new trends.

Discumentary: Kirsty MacColl "Tropical Brainstorm"

Disappointed with the music industry and recovering from a divorce, Kirsty MacColl, took six years off before recording "Tropical Brainstorm". During her break, she spent a lot of time in Cuba and Brazil, which inspired the album's many tropical influences.

Discumentary: The Decemberists "The Crane Wife"

The Crane Wife is the fourth album and the first on a major label for The Decemberists. Produced by Tucker Martine and Death Cab for Cutie's Chris Walla, the album retells a Japanese folktale and tells many stories of war-torn love affairs.

Discumentary: John Lee Hooker "Don't Look Back"

John Lee Hooker was already a legend before the making of this album. Produced by Van Morrison and Los Lobos, it features new songs a few classic remakes, further cementing his legendary status.

Discumentary: Harry Nilsson "Nilsson Schmilsson"

Harry Nilsson was already a Grammy winning artist by the time he released "Nilsson Schmilsson" but this record is regarded as his crowning glory by critics and fans. Borrowing Barbra Streisand's producer and using lilting Tin Pan Alley melodies Nilsson created a classic record that would influence a new generation of brainy, sardonic songwriters.

Discumentary: The Flaming Lips "Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots"

The main theme of this album is based on a Japanese girl who is set to fight an army of robots that are pink. Less of a concept album and more of an album in which certain songs have a narrative thread, the Lips experimentation with music, makes this an album in which you hear something new every time.

Discumentary: Billy Bragg "Worker's Playtime"

Billy Bragg'’s 4th album highlights the two subjects for which he is best known, socialist politics and bittersweet love. Opening with "“She'’s Got a Brand New Spell"” and ending with “"Waiting For the Great Leap Forward”", Bragg rails against capitalism and the vulgarities of love.

Discumentary: Morcheeba "Who Can You Trust?"

The British trio's debut album had them bringing something different to the world of Trip Hop. The group's Soul influences added to their distinctive atmospheric sound, and got them noticed by many who added this 'chill out' album to their collections.

Discumentary: Liz Phair "Exile in Guyville"

Upon its release, Interview Magazine called Exile in Guyville "folk rock that could make you blush". This is Liz Phair's response to the Rolling Stones classic Exile in Guyville -- a pretty big undertaking for a debut album.

Discumentary: The Jam "All Mod Cons"

The punk/mod-revival band The Jam released their 3rd full-length release in 1978. “All Mod Cons” produced one of their biggest hits, “Down In The Tube At Midnight” and received both commercial success and critical acclaim.

Discumentary: Lou Reed & John Cale "Songs For Drella"

Songs for Drella reunited former Velvet Underground members Lou Reed and John Cale for the first time since 1968. The two got together shortly after the death of Andy Warhol and decided to pay tribute to his life. The songs feature vocals from both Cale and Reed, focusing on story rather than lavish musical arrangements.

Discumentary: Janis Joplin "Pearl"

Janis Joplin died during the recording of this album, leaving the project to be finished by her band and producer. It demonstrates Joplin's amazing vocal ability, and is considered a classic. It includes Joplin's only #1 song, "Me and Bobbie McGee".

Discumentary: Beck "Odelay"

Armed with more than two turntables and a microphone, Beck's sophomore effort mixes various genres of music together, resulting in an album that bridges the gap between country and hip hop. Produced by the Dust Brothers, this is Beck's most talked about album.

Discumentary: Richard Thompson "Rumor and Sigh"

This is Richard Thompson's 7th solo studio album. He teamed up with producer Mitchell Froom, and the result was a more "polished" effort than Thompson's previous work. This album broadened Thompson's appeal and earned him a Grammy nomination. It features "1952 Vincent Black Lightning", one of Thompson's most beloved songs.

Discumentary: Coldplay "Parachutes"

Coldplay rose to stardom with their debut album. The British quartet redefined the Brit-rock sound. This album is not only appreciated by music fans, but by music critics as well.

Discumentary: Feist "The Reminder"

Headed by a commerically successful single, Feist's third solo album is already being deemed as an instant classic. It was recorded in France with her longtime collaborator, Gonzales. This Discumentary features excerpts from a 2007 WYEP interview with Feist.

Discumentary: Rufus Wainwright "Poses"

Taking close to three years off between his debut album and Poses, this album features Rufus Wainwright with a soaring full band, and in scaled down acoustic numbers. His theatrical-style is enhanced with elements of opera, rock and electronica.

Discumentary: Joni Mitchell "Court and Spark"

Joni Mitchell introduced jazz inflections into her folk-rock style signaling a new direction for the Canadian singer/songwriter. "Help Me" became Mitchell's only top-ten hit and the album hit double platinum.

Discumentary: Ray Charles "Modern Sounds In Country And Western Music"

When Ray Charles set out to record an album of country songs, his record label though he was crazy. Charles proved them all wrong when "Modern Sounds in Country & Western Music", became a hit. It gave Charles the crossover success he needed, eventually making him a household name.

Discumentary: Sam Phillips Martinis & Bikinis

Getting her start in the Christian music community, Sam Phillips left after a dispute with her label at the time. She signed with Virgin Records in 1989. "Martinis and Bikinis", her fourth solo album that was produced by her future husband T-Bone Burnett.

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