4. Big Ben Banjo BandDancin’ Banjos

An abominable ragtime album. Really horrible. The back cover has the audacity to claim: "This is the music for your party." Essentially it’s a "minstrel" album, as in the black and white minstrels. Expect whistling and exaggerated sliding trombones along with a rolling old barroom piano. It’s amazing to think these albums sold in their millions. But the cover is perfect. Happy banjos dancing. I love the font and the colours. To my eyes, it’s a little bit sinister. There is something unnerving about inanimate objects with faces… coming to life. Imagine if you saw these little fuckers dancing around your bedroom one morning… with really, really loud ragtime blaring out.