[Dodfather]

Some of these may be cliched choices but hey, cliches happen because, more often than not, they're right - haha!

Ryan Adams - Gold (2001)
Fantastic songwriting. 17 tracks (with the UK bonus one) and I don't skip any. Even though it's a long album it still feels very focused and never goes off into self-indulgence. This was even better than Heartbreaker and for me he's never topped it, although he's done some great stuff since then. Major quality control issues now though. He seems to release anything and everything...

Counting Crows - August and Everything After (1993)
My first encounter with one of my favourite bands. It was clse between this or Recovering The Satellites (1996) but I think that this introduced the band so, so well and has a diverse range of material from their classic singalong pop yet dark sentiment (Mr. Jones) to their all out bleak yet beautiful ballads (Time and Time Again, Anna Begins)

Dusty Springfield - Dusty In Memphis (1969)(
Flawless. I think you have to have no ears to dislike this record! Haha. It was genuinely shocking at points too to hear a white woman singing such soulful, risque lyrics as those in Son Of A Preacher Man. Also, Breakfast In Bed and I Don't Wanna Hear It Anymore are both heartbreaking and voyeuristic/titallating (but not smutty) at the same time. Just wonderful.

Aimee Mann - Bachelor No. 2, or, The Last Remains of the Dodo (1999)

This was the album that really sold me on Aimee. I already had Lost In Space (her follow up to this) but when I got this I just thought, wow. Brilliant lyrics all the way through and fantastic production. It gets pretty savage at points too, especially Calling It Quits and The Fall Of The Worlds Own Optimist. Hard to pick a favourite track from this album but I'd have to go for Red Vines.

Cranberries - No Need To Argue (1994)
Man, I played this album over and over and over again when I was between 13-15 years old. One of those albums that really gets you at the right age and you learn to love every single note. I re-discovered it a couple of years ago and it's still brilliant. I Can't Be With You is great, although Zombie has not aged as well and was overplayed at the time. My parents must have been worried hearing Ode To My Family blasting from my room so often ("does anyone care??" - haha!) but there was no such darkness, I just loved the album. If this had Linger on it then it may well be the only Cranberries album you'd ever need. Dreadful follow up though (To The Faithful Departed), best avoided.I have to see them on tour now that they've reformed. I'm waiting for more dates.

Stevie Nicks - Bella Donna (1981)
Until I heard the next album on this list I thought this was perhaps the best debut album of all time. Certainly the best by a group memeber for a solo career. It sets Stevie apart as an artist in her own right with the more country-ish material (After The Glitter Fades, Leather and Lace) yet still reminds us all that she is a ROCK star (Edge of Seventeen).

Jackson Browne - Jackson Browne (Saturate Before Using) (1972)
Ok. I'm just gonna say it. I prefer Jackson Browne to James Taylor. I love James, but Jackson's run of albums in the 70s (his first 5) just can't be beaten in terms of sheer sustained quality. I'm gonna say that this is the best debut of all time. That piano riff on Doctor My Eyes, the romance of Jamaica, Say You Will...love it, and Song For Adam gets me every time.

Alanis Morissette - Jagged Little Pill (1995)

Now this is how to change your image - haha! Yes, it's angry girl music and has been imitated and parodied to death since it came out, but if you take it on merit then the songs are just fantastic!

Phew! Sorry if this post dragged on a bit.... There are so many more albums I could go on about but I'm sure you'd all get pretty bored of hearing me lecture/rant/pontificate/piss you off... (delete as applicable, haha)