12 Songs (American, 2005) by Neil Diamond

I know very little about Neil Diamond, but when I heard he had released a critically acclaimed album produced by Rick Rubin (one of my personal favorite producers ever)- I knew I had to check it out.  I really like Diamond's songwriting ability, and Rubin's stripped down, minimalist production can be found here as well.  I was presently surprised to see how tightly arranged things are and the melodies that are used make the music very affective.

Taking the Long Way (Open Wide, 2006) by Dixie Chicks

Rick Rubin is a musical genius and this is further proof of that.  The Dixie Chicks had a lot to answer for when they made those unfavorable statements about former President Bush.  Scratch Magazine once described "Not Ready to Make Nice" as the song that made the Dixie Chicks this generation's Public Enemy.  I couldn't agree more.  But the album as a whole is fantastic too.  Great writing, production, and performance.  I'm glad they received multiple Grammys for it.

The Geto Boys (Def American, 1990) by Geto Boys

The Geto Boys is some of the hardest and most aggressive material ever committed to wax.  It's raw, explicit, and powerful.  However, it extends beyond just shock value.  The sequencing is wonderful and these guys have great skills as rappers.  So much so, in fact, that this entire album is the result of super producer Rick Rubin remaking lots of their '89 release, Grip It! On That Other Level.

One Hot Minute (Warner Bros., 1995) by Red Hot Chili Peppers

This is a mediocre album at best.  Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro replaced John Frusciante after he quit the band in 1992.  And Navarro is a great guitar player, but his sound is more rooted in metal than funk and rhythm like the Chili Peppers.  The stylistic differences are very apparent on this recording.  Lyrically, the album seems like a step down from Blood Sugar Sex Magik.  And the album's best cut, "My Friends," is ballad that was made solely for the "Under the Bridge" crowd.  Overall, this album is a forced commercial attempt by a group of very talented musicians.

Licensed to Ill (Def Jam, 1986) by Beastie Boys

"Now I chill real ill when I start to chill/When I fill my pockets with a knot of dollar bills/Sipping pints of ale out the window sill/When I get my fill I'm chilly chill/Now I just got home because I'm out on bail/What's the time? it's time to buy ale/Peter eater parking meter all of the time/If I run out of ale it's Thunderbird wine/Miller drinking chicken eating dress so fly/I got friends in high places that are keeping me high/Down with Mike D. and it ain't no hassle/Got the ladies of the eighties from here to White Castle"

                                                                                     -Beastie Boys, "Hold It Now, Hit It"

Californication (Warner Bros., 1999) by Red Hot Chili Peppers

The sound of Californication is more melodic in vocal and instrumental delivery than a lot of their previous work.  As a whole, the album taps into the poetic sensibility that made the deeply personal "Under the Bridge" such huge hit years earlier.  "Scar Tissue" is one of the my favorite records from the band's 25 plus year catalogue.  This album also has strong sentimental value to me as well.  The Red Hot Chili Peppers were my first concert, the Californication tour, - back in the summer of 2000 at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI.  They performed with Foo Fighters as their opening act and, even as a hip hop fan, it remains the best concert I have seen to date.  Because Kiedis spent some of his childhood in the Grand Rapids area, it is impossible to not be exposed to the Chili Peppers' music (not that that's a bad thing at all) growing up there.  And, as a result of that hometown connection, the crowd was really into the show.  The only downside to the whole experience was that I couldn't wear the T-shirt that I got from the show to Middle School in the fall because it had the word "Californication" on it.

Raising Hell (Profile, 1986) by Run-D.M.C.

I wish I was older so that I could have been around when this album came out.  This was the album that legitimized hip-hop in the mainstream.  And the records are timeless, which is not surprising because Rick Rubin produced the album.  Yet, the leaps and bounds that this album took for an entire culture continue to be recognized and grow in appreciation to this day.  The first three cuts on the album are some of the best music hip-hop has to offer and "Walk This Way" is absolutely iconic.  My favorite line on the album, however, is in the title track where they say, " Kings from Queens from Queens come kings/ We're raising Hell like a class when the lunch bell rings."  In Chuck D's book Fight the Power, he identifies Raising Hell as his favorite album.  It's very easy to understand why.

Chef Aid: The South Park Album (Columbia, 1998) by various

Rick Rubin is my favorite producer of all-time and this compilation is a testament to his range of talent.  Elton John.  Primus.  Ozzy Osbourne and 'Ol Dirty Bastard.  Ike Turner and Rick James.  And that's just a few of the many names and collaborations.  Isaac Hayes, as Chef, is obviously outstanding hosting Chef Aid like a live concert.  And because of this, the album is able to maintain cohesion from beginning to end.  In the fall of 2006, Scratch Magazine [R.I.P.] wrote, "When Rick Rubin dies (like Kenny) this album could easily be his eulogy."  Ditto.