01 / 1980

BACK IN BLACK.

AC/DC

The space between the guitar beats is just as important as the riff. Put on the title track and follow how the guitar, bass, and drums leave each other just enough room. Solid, direct, and without any unnecessary parts.

02 / 1973

TRES HOMBRES.

ZZ Top

Waitin’ for the Bus almost naturally transitions into Jesus Just Left Chicago. Blues, boogie, and frayed-edge guitars give this album its grip. Pay attention to the small accents beneath the big riffs.

Spotify: Expanded 2006 Remaster.

03 / 1970

COSMO’S FACTORY.

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Short songs like Up Around the Bend sit alongside the expansive I Heard It Through the Grapevine. The title refers to the band's rehearsal space. A fitting record for a place where working through tasks and experimenting go hand in hand.

04 / 1973

MOONTAN.

Golden Earring

Radar Love is the entry point, but the long passages invite you to keep listening. Golden Earring connects a driving rhythm with space for side roads. Dutch guitar work for enthusiasts who like to look further than the most famous song.

05 / 1968

STEPPENWOLF.

Steppenwolf

Born to Be Wild and The Pusher also ended up in Easy Rider. On this debut, you hear the blues foundation beneath those famous film images. A starting point for the band behind the association with motorcycles and freedom.

06 / 2010

BROTHERS.

The Black Keys

Howlin’ for You demonstrates how much a simple drum pattern can carry. The vocals, guitars, and soul colors give the repetition a different edge every time. An album that keeps moving without constantly changing direction.

Spotify: Deluxe Remastered Anniversary Edition (2020).

07 / 2003

ELEPHANT.

The White Stripes

Beyond Seven Nation Army, there is more: the subdued singing of Meg White in In the Cold, Cold Night and the long blues conversation of Ball and Biscuit. A small lineup can have a surprisingly large toolbox.

08 / 1991

BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK.

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Start with the bass. In Give It Away and Funky Monks, you hear how rhythm instruments push the song forward. The quieter passages provide breathing room between the outbursts. A record that is all about ensemble playing.

09 / 2015

SOUND & COLOR.

Alabama Shakes

Brittany Howard’s voice can break a passage wide open, but the band also knows how powerful restraint can be. Don’t Wanna Fight and Gimme All Your Love give soul and guitar work different forms. For a workshop with the door open to new sounds.

10 / 2002

SONGS FOR THE DEAF.

Queens of the Stone Age

Radio fragments connect the songs as if you were turning a tuner while on the road. The tight patterns of No One Knows find a grittier continuation elsewhere. An album that makes its own journey, from beginning to end.

Spotify: Digital edition with bonus tracks.

11 / 2011

WASTING LIGHT.

Foo Fighters

Recorded in Dave Grohl’s garage using analog equipment. The direct energy of the band aligns with the idea of a workshop: preparing, playing, and adjusting. From Bridge Burning to Walk, a clear line runs throughout the record.

12 / 1972

MACHINE HEAD.

Deep Purple

Highway Star is a powerful opening. Afterwards, the organ and guitar get the room to react to each other. Listen to Lazy for the sheer pleasure of musicians building an idea together.

Spotify: Remastered, with bonus track.

13 / 1968

ELECTRIC LADYLAND.

The Jimi Hendrix Experience

Crosstown Traffic is compact; other pieces actually stretch the space out. The guitar becomes simultaneously a voice, a rhythm, and a landscape. For when you want a familiar instrument to do something unexpected.

14 / 1975

BORN TO RUN.

Bruce Springsteen

Cars, streets, and the desire to leave are given grand musical gestures. Thunder Road opens small and lets the world grow. A record for the moment when plans slowly turn into an actual route.

15 / 1998

CAR WHEELS ON A GRAVEL ROAD.

Lucinda Williams

A raspy voice, recognizable places, and memories that don’t quite fade. The title track gives movement a personal story. For the enthusiast who also wants to hear a human behind every kilometer.

16 / 1985

BROTHERS IN ARMS.

Dire Straits

From the movement of Walk of Life to the long breath of the title track. The guitar lines are given time to finish a story. An album for when the toolbox is closed and no one has to head home just yet.

Spotify: 40th Anniversary, with live bonus material.

17 / 1979

RUST NEVER SLEEPS.

Neil Young & Crazy Horse

The original record moves from acoustic to electric. A familiar idea takes on a different skin once the amplifiers take over. Great for playing both sides in succession and letting the difference sink in.

18 / 1967

STRANGE DAYS.

The Doors

An organ, a dark voice, and songs that seem just slightly off-kilter. People Are Strange is a short entry point; When the Music’s Over opens the door wider. For the last light in the workshop.

19 / 1968

AT FOLSOM PRISON.

Johnny Cash

The audience talks back. Between the songs, you hear the reactions and tension inherent to this recording. Cash gives stories a clear voice. A live record to really sit down for after an afternoon of work.

Spotify: Legacy Edition, with both performances and extra material.

20 / 1991

TEN.

Pearl Jam

Sturdy guitars leave room for doubt and vulnerability. Put Black next to the restlessness of Even Flow and hear how broad the same band can sound. A final record that can keep a conversation waiting just a little longer.