UCN’s 10…Albums I Can’t Live Without

13 years ago Liv Carter 4

 

I was recently challenged to come up with this list. Turns out it’s really difficult to do. So many albums have special meaning for so many different reasons, and my ‘favorites’ also seem to depend on my mood at the time of asking. Still, I took some time to think about which albums transcend my nostalgia and fleeting dispositions. Maybe ‘can’t live without’ is putting it a little too strongly, though, in the case of some of these probably not by much. Since I finished this, I decided to turn this into a new feature of “10’s”. I love hearing people talk about any music which moves them, so feel free to tell us about your favorites.

In alphabetical order:

Acoustic Motel – Jack Ingram (2005)
A true songwriter’s record if ever I heard one. Jack’s storytelling and interaction with his audience are superb. The best feature of this album, aside from some truly well-written songs, is his honesty. He makes himself vulnerable and, as he lets you into his world, the depth of the material shows itself.

Be Here – Keith Urban (2004)
While I now consider his work with the The Ranch to be his most creative, and likely always will, there is a spirit of optimism, gratitude and reflection on Be Here that is irresistible. The album also houses ‘Better Life’. While I will admit it’s not the greatest feat of writing, it is a very important song to me.

Blues Alive – Gary Moore (1992)
I love the blues. Some days it is the only kind of music that will do. Many years ago, a musician friend introduced me to the work of Gary Moore. I was only 12 years old but was hooked and Moore became my way into the genre. The energy on this live album is infectious and it is worth owning for the incredible rendition of ‘Still Got the Blues’ alone.

Forget About It – Alison Krauss (1999)
This one is a ‘comfort food’ substitute. ‘Forget about It’ never fails to move me. It is a peaceful oasis to which I know I can always retreat when needed. One of the calmest records I know, this is soothing under any circumstance.

Groovin’ on the Inside – Steve Carlson (2007)
If you are into quality songwriting, and not afraid to mix genres, this album is for you. With country, soul, blues and rock influences, Groovin’ is impossible to assign any one style. Lots of sense-bound language, honesty and poetry make up the lyrics. And, oh the loveliness of the rhymes! – And now I stare at your hair/nothing compares/to the weight of the air/in the room when you’re there. I wish more people knew how wonderful this album is.

October Road – James Taylor (2002)
This challenge included the stipulation that I wasn’t allowed to pick ‘greatest hits’ packages. So, from my James Taylor collection, I lifted October Road. This does not contain the most well-known classics but its release saw JT return to form after, by his standards, some lesser material. For this album, the music was written first and Taylor then fit lyrics onto the compositions. Though not his normal process, it resulted in an album that several critics at the time called his ‘best ever’. Hard to argue with that considering it contains ‘Belfast to Boston’, ‘My Traveling Star’ and the title track, ‘October Road’.

Quicksand – Randy Kohrs (2010)
One of the best and most respected dobro players, Randy Kohrs created one of the best albums I have ever heard. Yes, I know what a weighty proclamation that is. I was simply bowled over by this collection of songs. The breadth of this material, which includes a song inspired by the Manhattan Project, is truly astonishing! It has been my go-to album to mention when people dismiss country music as only referencing cheatin’ and drinkin’.  These elements are present here but there is so much more. Recommended tracks are ‘Cumberland’, ‘Mr Truman’s Vision’ and blues track ‘Down around Clarksdale.’

So’fully Yours – Chris Nathan (2009)
Another songwriter’s album, this one has been in my life for only a few months but it’s already made itself indispensable. On this acoustic live record, the fans function as back-up singers, only helping out on certain phrases. I don’t know how this was achieved but it was a stroke of brilliance. Nathan’s unique vocal phrasing lifts his soulful vocals from special to exceptional. This album contains some truly stellar songwriting (he is a master of the attention-grabbing opening line) and songs which will always cheer me up.

Stranger in this Town – Richie Sambora (1991)
Another blues album, this one the first solo effort by Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora. While it is the darkest collection on this list, it still manages to be life-affirming and even inspiring at times. Sambora’s six-string mastery is well-established but it’s his vocal performance here that’s really out-of-this-world. Friends who insisted they didn’t like blues love this album and it’s because of stand-outs like the title track, ‘Ballad of Youth’, and ‘The Answer.’

Twice the Speed of Life – Sugarland (2004)
Talk about a feel-good record! Twice the Speed was such an impressive debut that I wasn’t sure if Sugarland would be able to live up to it later on. They did, creatively, with Love on the Inside, but the life-force contained in this collection is irresistible almost to the point of addictive. I have had days where I felt I *needed* this record to help me through, and if there was not enough time for all of it, then opener ‘Something More’ went a long way all by itself.

Liv Carter

Liv Carter

Liv is a career coach for creatives, and the people who work with them.
She holds several certificates from Berklee College of Music, and a certificate in Positive Psychology from UC Berkeley.
Her main influences are coffee, cats, and Alexander Hamilton.
Liv Carter

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