Desert Island Top 5 - CD's

Once again, you know the rules!  You're stranded on a desert island, where you're going to remain for an indefinite amount of time, quite possibly until you die a slow, horrible death.  But the Gods have granted you the ability to take 5 CD's along with you, so at least your slow, horrible death will have a pleasant soundtrack.  Share your own Desert Island Top 5 CD's in the comments section below.  Here are mine:

1. My Bloody Valentine - Loveless.  So much has been said about this record.  It's been endlessly pondered and philosophically opined ever since it's release in 1991.   Many critics have proclaimed it to be the greatest single piece of music EVER.  It's lush arrangements, murky guitars and whispered, ethereal lyrics practically envelop the listener in a dense soundscape like none other.  The record is responsible for creating an entire genre: shoegaze.  It's heroin for the ears.

2. Deftones - White Pony.  Having been lumped into the heap of nu-metal bands that flooded the record store shelves in the mid- and late-90's, Deftones took a hard left with their third record.  White Pony introduced a dynamic soundscape comprised of shifting moods and atmospheres, ranging from fiercely heavy to exquisitely sultry.  The record has been hypothesized by fans to be a concept album with each song representing a different form of kinky, drug-enhanced sex. "Digital Bath"depicts a lover murdered in the bathtub.  "Feiticeira" is named after a Brazilian model, television personality and dominatrix (read about her here).  "Knife Party" crescendos with both frontman Chino Moreno and an anonymous woman rapturously moaning.  The woman's moans soon turn into piercing screams and Moreno cries "Go get your knife!"  Each song is expertly crafted, musically dense and textured, with plenty of lyrical subtext to warrant multiple spins.

3. Alice in Chains - Dirt.  Easily my favorite band to emerge from the cold, rainy northwest in the early 90's.  Along with Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Nirvana, Alice in Chains were at the forefront of what the media dubbed "Grunge" music.  While Alice in Chains didn't quite reach the heights of popularity as the aforementioned bands, their dark, foreboding and atmospheric music perfectly typified the term "Grunge".  Their second full length album, Dirt is a complex record full of beautifully bleak musical arrangements and stark lyrical realism.  Layne Staley's haunting and prophet vocals explore the vile depths of his heroin addiction, an addiction that eventually silenced him forever.  Album closer,"Would", is one of my all time favorite tunes.  The record is a sorrowful masterpiece.

4. Pantera - Far Beyond Driven.  Brash, aggressive and nihilistic describe Pantera's Far Beyond Driven, an album that kept heavy metal alive in the the early 90's when the airwaves were dominated by alternative music.  It was a tough call between this record and its predecessor, Vulgar Display of Power.  Both records are bludgeoning to say the least, with the late Dimebag Darrell's virtuoso guitar riffs melding perfectly with his brother, Vinnie Paul's, bone-crushing percussion.  Phil Anselmo's vocals shift from guttural growls to banshee-like wailing.  His anger is felt like a bully punching you repeatedly in the chest.  Both records are perfect therapy after a stressful day.  I chose Far Beyond Driven as it was the band's biggest selling effort, debuting at number 1 on the Billboard charts.  The record's success comes as an impressive feat considering its subject matter and having had very little radio or MTV airplay.  The fact that the record enjoyed such success in the middle of the alternative era is also a huge feather in its cap.

5.  The Cure - Disintegration.  Kyle from South Park said it best: "Disintegration is the best album ever." Nuff said.  I'll wither away on my lonely island lamenting the opportunities lost, while listening to such classics as "Lullaby", "Fascination Street", "Lovesong" and "Pictures of You".