Dez's Five Star Records, vol. IV: C's, pt. 1

I've got about 16 Five Star records under "C", so I'll split it up into two posts for easier digestion. Here's the first half. By the way, I have always been a Comments whore, so I appreciate it when you comment, whether you agree or disagree. One of the primary purposes of these lists is to foster discussion.

J.J. Cale – Naturally (1972): Turning laidback into an art form, respected songwriter J.J. Cale’s debut is a breezy, groovy delight.

CAN – Future Days (1973): One of the most influential chill-out records of all time pulls off the rare feat of making ambient-like music sound interesting.

The Cars – The Cars (1978): Ric Ocasek once half-joked that The Cars’s debut should have been titled “Greatest Hits”; every song here either was or could have been one.

The Cars – Candy-O (1979): While the debut and Heartbeat City get most of the airplay, the quirky and dark sophomore effort is my personal favorite, a sleek and dangerous ride through 80’s nightlife.

Nat ‘King’ Cole – The Christmas Song (1961): The warmest and most lovely holiday record ever recorded by miles; each holiday season, as part of my ritual, I put this record on from start to finish to officially begin the season and it hardly ever stops playing until the holidays are done. It sounds like a mythical American place that probably never existed, but where family is the center of life and the holidays bring genuine cheer and goodwill. (I know, that’s two sentences).

Coldplay – Viva la Vida or Death and All His Friends (2008): Pop/rock’s current kings release their most realized and assured album brimming with hooks and soaring choruses.

John Coltrane – A Love Supreme (1965): Jazz improvisation as prayer.

Counting Crows – August and Everything After… (1993): Notwithstanding Adam Duritz’s whine, this auspicious debut heralded an exciting and new band that referenced the past but also had its own things to say…too bad they subsequently failed to deliver on this promise.


ABOVE: Look, he's even got the perfect Christmas sweater.