Time To Get Manly 11: The Grateful Dead - American Beauty

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

The Grateful Dead - American Beauty

I call total bullshit regarding Esquire's reason for choosing this record: "... the best introduction to the greatest jam band of all time… without all the forty-five-minute jams from Jerry and Co.'s exhaustive (and exhausting) live catalogue." Um, that makes American Beauty the perfect Grateful Dead intro for a junior high school girl, not a grown ass man. What's the point of listening to the Grateful Dead if you shy away from the exact thing they're known for? Get something from the Dick's Picks series and grow a pair, Esquire!

Time To Get Manly 10: Dire Straits - Dire Straits

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Dire Straits - Dire Straits

This record is manly because your dad owns it. Even if you also love it, do yourself a favor and don't bother to play it around your girlfriend or (worse) try to convince her that "Sultans Of Swing" is a better song than that "Money For Nothing" (even though it is). It also won't do you any favors if you concede that "Money For Nothing" is great, but that the eight minute-plus album version is "even more awesome." Unless your plan is to not get laid that night. Then go ahead and do these things.

Time To Get Manly 9: Nas - Illmatic

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Nas - Illmatic

When I worked at Media Play right after college, there were two women I worked with who would frequently "fight" over Nas. The conversation usually revolved around which one could claim Nas as "their husband." I am pretty sure Nas was not consulted on this, but I'm guessing he could have settled the matter pretty quickly, and that both women would have been disappointed. And single. This record has lots of f-bombs, which automatically equals manliness, right?  

Time To Get Manly 8: Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Pavement - Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain

Pavement are the purveyors of what's been irreversibly called "slacker rock" which is of course something men naturally gravitate to. What could be more manly than a music genre that gives you permission to stop caring about silly things like shaving and changing your boxer briefs? Let's play video games next! Slacker rock 4-ever! I'm more in the Slanted & Enchanted camp myself, but Crooked Rain... has a certain accessibility mixed in with Stephen Malkmus' weirdo obtuse-musings which makes it a little more immediately satisfying to some folks. Plus on this record Pavement makes fun of both Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots. I never get tired of hearing those lines.

Time To Get Manly 7: Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Marvin Gaye - What's Going On

There are a lot of themes on What's Going On that I truly, truly wish were embraced as manly. Things such as war not being the answer, the ecology, saving the children and giving a shit about those less fortunate than you. But in today's political climate, those are generally looked at as wimpy concerns by the powers that be. What's Going On is a timeless reminder of where our priorities should be as well as a stunning masterpiece.

Time To Get Manly 6: James Brown - Live At the Apollo

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

James Brown - Live At the Apollo

This is an instance where Esquire totally nails it. You see, a lot of men make the mistake of feeling too overwhelmed by James Brown's extensive catalog and settle for 20 All-Time Greatest Hits figuring it has all the songs they need on it. I get that. But! Live At the Apollo has something you can't get on that greatest hits collection: It captures the true essence of "the hardest working man in show business" right along with the feverish screams of the women who love him. Any man who's too stupid to know that those lady screams are contagious, and that he should use this record to his advantage with any woman of interest to him deserves to be stuck with 20 All-Time Greatest Hits.

Time To Get Manly 5: David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

David Bowie - The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars


There's nothing to really say about this record that hasn't been said a million times before. It's an absolute classic by almost any standard. If somebody was perusing your record collection and they saw this, they'd know you have good taste. Subsequently, if somebody was perusing your record collection, saw this and had anything negative to say about it, you should kick them out of your house. Is Ziggy Stardust manly? Um, it's about an alien rock star. It's like a comic book for your ears. You can't really go wrong.

Time To Get Manly 4: Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Iggy Pop - Lust For Life

Esquire describes Lust For Life as being "juiced with spleen." I assume this is some sort of drug reference, right? Because even if you told me that Iggy Pop was the most straight-edge of straight-edge dudes, I can't really disassociate him from such well-known cultural drug-touchstones as Trainspotting and his own music. The fact that the title song from this album was once used in a cruise-line commercial still strikes me as totally weird. Nobody involved with that commercial spoke up at any point and said, "Um, have you guys like, listened to the lyrics to this song?" Good job, advertising! This album totally belongs on the "albums every man should own" list. It's edgy, catchy rock by a man who's shirtless torso is both manly and leathery. That's like, double-manliness. 

Time To Get Manly 3: The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

The Stone Roses - The Stone Roses

For some reason Esquire calls this record "Brit pop's platonic ideal." I'm not totally sure what that's supposed to mean, but I do know that this record is near and dear to most fans of early 90's British rock. I too was a tried-and-true Anglophile around that time, but I always preferred Chapterhouse or the Boo Radleys. I'm not totally sure what makes The Stone Roses a manly selection - but maybe it's not actually their music, but the name. After all, the only way you can really butch up flowers would be to make 'em out of cement.

Time To Get Manly 2: Willie Nelson - Phases And Stages

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Willie Nelson - Phases And Stages.

What's more manly than a divorce record... right? Phases And Stages tells the story of a divorce from both sides of the relationship. It came out in 1974, so it's smack dab in the middle of my favorite period for classic country, and I love sad bastard music, so it's no surprise I immediately liked this. The record is solid and heartbreaking and, like Marvin Gay's Here My Dear and Richard & Linda Thompson's Shoot Out the Lights, probably not something a dude should put on the record player if he's trying to get lucky.

Time To Get Manly 1: Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On the Edge of Town

I randomly ran across a list of what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." In this series of posts, I'll explore these manly, manly sounds.

Bruce Springsteen - Darkness On the Edge of Town

This is, to the best of my knowledge, the first Bruce Springsteen album I've even listened to from start to finish. But please - I don't need to hear your, "What? You've never heard a Bruce Springsteen album all the way through before?!" incredulousness. It's not like I don't know the hits and that the one lady from Friends is in one of his videos. I have a working knowledge. From the very start of the first song, it's obvious that this record totally makes sense on an "albums every man should own" list. Just look at the album cover - so manly. And this is 1978, so it's not like he got that v-neck at American Apparel. It's probably out of a 3-pack purchased from Sears with a handful of crumpled, dirty money! I really don't think there is a more quintessentially male artist than Bruce Springsteen. Just about every other male superstar of his stature I can think of is androgynous and flamboyant: Prince, Elton John, David Bowie... Springsteen doesn't need ass-less chaps, giant glasses or spiders from Mars, just pure testosterone. Even his live reputation is manly - three hour sets with no break? So much stamina! So much sweat! "Prove It All Night," indeed. If I was, for instance, at a guy's house and had suspicions about his sexual orientation, I'd totally sneak a peek at his record collection to see if he had any Bruce Springsteen.

Time to get manly. With music.

Today I'm starting a manly journey. I'm going to start listening to the records from what Esquire magazine claims are "The 75 Albums Every Man Should Own." I love that this exists - because it seems so arbitrary and because I'm hoping this exercise will put some hair on my chest. I'm only two records in and can already feel myself becoming more manly. I just want to break something or watch sports! I might even have a beard by the time I'm done with this experiment. But it is a risk I'm willing to take in order to explore some new-to-me records and get a better handle on what you men-folk like to listen to. I'm going to post each record separately, and you can find them all under the tag "men's needs." Let's get started!