Tom Waits, Rain Dogs:

It's hard to pick my favorite Tom Waits record, because I feel like this belongs in a sort of trilogy of the records that came before and after, Swordfishtrombones and Frank's Wild Years. If you're new to Tom Waits, though, this is a great one to start with and the first record of his that I ever heard. He instantly became my favorite songwriter and his records are some of the best ever made to me.

Stan Getz & Joao Gilberto, Getz/Gilberto:

One of the most beautiful records I've ever heard; like honey being poured on a huge pair of tits on a perfect day in Belize while drinking a mojito looking out over the ocean.

Paul Simon, Graceland:

Just a perfect and amazing record that's made even more incredible by the fact that Paul Simon had been making amazing records all the way up until then, and really had nothing to prove and still just put it all together in a masterpiece that stands up to the test of time.

Randy Newman, Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman:

His box set of greatest hits? Soundtrack material and basically his best songs all together in one place proves what an incredible arranger, composer, songwriter and lyricist Randy Newman is. If you only know his Toy Story work, this is the place to discover one of the greatest living songwriters around.

Steve Miller Band, Greatest Hits:

There's a very good reason why this record has sold almost more copies than any other record in history. This shit is incredible! Not a bad song in the lot and some of the most effortless rock/pop ever crafted. The best record of the '70s? Probably.